Cooper sighed. “Now what?”
As she approached the group, the others moved in unison until we were all standing in a circle.
Tegan slid the rings off her fingers then held them out to Constance. “Thanks. These helped.”
Constance reached out and caught them. “You’re welcome. Borrow them any time.”
“Oh, I’m gonna.” Tegan grinned then looked to the group. “All right. So, that was fun, yeah?”
“I would’ve preferred more explosions or weird shit,” Deacon said with a sly grin. “If you ask me.”
“Noted.” Tennessee shook his head, but there was a small smirk on his face.
Deacon traced an invisible halo over his head.
“Tennessee, how would you like to proceed from here?” Constance cut through the laughter. “I know the lockdown was necessary, but I do not feel comfortable keeping our civilians trapped.”
He nodded. “I agree. Why don’t you take Deacon and Hunter and go around Eden, talk to the civilians. We aren’t locking them down, but I’d like to persuade them to stay indoors and use caution at all times.”
Deacon saluted him. “Yes, playtime.”
“I better go with them,” Devon said, eyeing Deacon in a way only a mother could.
“Good idea.” Tennessee rolled his eyes, then turned to Headmaster Daniel. “Open up the school and resume all classes. But cut the Suit training down by an hour. I want these kids out of class, fed dinner, and back in their dorms by nightfall. Set a curfew for sunset.”
Headmaster Daniel nodded. “Absolutely. Consider it done.”
Tenn exhaled. “Good. Now, Dad, can you work out some kind of patrolling schedule? I want us to take shifts watching the border and inside the school. You’re so much better at that.”
Kessler smiled. “Of course, son. Whatever you need. You want people in the buildings, hanging around the halls and such?”
Tennessee opened his mouth then shut it. He shrugged. “Pretend you’re in charge and then do what you’d do.”
Kessler laughed. “You got it. I’ll have that within the hour.”
Tennessee sighed. “All right. Anything else we need to discuss? Any questions?”
Easton raised his hand. “Is there any turkey left?”
“Oh.” Braison’s eyes widened. “What about mashed potatoes?”
“Last one there has to clean the dishes,” Tegan said then vanished into thin air.
“WHAT! No fair!” Willow cried and took off running.
In the flash of a second, pretty much the entire Coven was sprinting toward Headquarters.
Lennox cackled. “That was so dirty.”
“Yeah. I liked it.” Warner chuckled.
Tennessee shook his head. “Bettina, Warner, Lennox…you’re welcome to join us. It sounds like we’re gonna trash some leftovers.”
Chapter Sixteen
JACKSON
“How’s class morale looking today, Jackson?”
I sighed and glanced around the training center at my fellow Swords students. It was our first day back in class since the school had been put on lockdown. Everyone was more than a little freaked out. They all knew what happened these last few weeks with all the attacks. Everyone was nervous and looking over their shoulders. No one would go outside to train, which meant we were all on top of each other. The tension in the room was thick enough to cuddle up to on a cold winter night.
“Morale is freaked out, to be bloody honest with you.” I gestured around the room. “Their training effort is pure rubbish today.”
“I thought so.” Kessler nodded then whistled loud enough to make me cringe. He waited until the entire room turned to look at him, then he smiled. “I know we’re all a little tense today, so what do you say we have some fun?”
Warner glanced left and right. “Why does that sound like a threat?”
“Yeah, what kind of fun?” Genevieve asked from right beside him. She’d been extremely quiet since we got back from the Old Lands. In fact, I wasn’t sure she’d even left her room. “Our fun, or teacher fun?”
Kessler chuckled. “Well, what would you like to do in class today?”
One of the younger boys who couldn’t have been more than ten raised his hand. “Mr. Kessler, sir, can we watch The Coven train some more?”
There was a collective “oh” and “ah,” and a roomful of nods.
I glanced over toward the side wall to where my Coven-mates were grouped together. None of them seemed surprised or offended that this sounded like fun to the rest of the class.
“But not Jackson,” Gen added quickly. She gave me a small smile. “No offense, but we’ve all seen you fight a million times.”
“And by train, you mean you want to watch us kick each other’s asses, right?” Cooper shook his head, but he was smiling. “Just so we’re clear.”
Warner nodded. “Yeah. Hell yeah. I’d like to watch that.”
“Me too.” Bettina grinned. “We wanna see full-throttle battle.”
“All right.” Kessler turned to look at our Coven-mates. “Who would you like to watch?”
“TEGAN,” the entire class shouted at basically the same time.
Tegan’s eyes widened. She glanced around with pursed lips and nodded. “Feels kinda like mutiny, but okay.”
“Okay, Tegan and—”
“Not it,” Easton shouted and waved his hands around in an x shape. “Nope.”
“She’s my little sister, so I can’t attack her.” Cooper shrugged. “I’d be a boring show.”
“I’d rather not set the school on fire,” Emersyn said with a sigh.
Deacon cracked a crooked grin. “I have an idea…”
Kessler nodded and dialed on his phone. He held it up to his ear, then said, “We need you in the Swords training center— Nothing’s wrong. Just a training exercise.” Then he shoved it back in his pocket. “Outside, everyone.”
The class sprinted outside. They wasted no time. By the time I got out there, the entire group had gotten settled in and ready to watch. Most of them sat on the ground, and others stood behind them. The Coven members filed in after. We weren’t all here today. Kessler had arranged for us to be spread out through campus at all times.
Tegan reappeared fifteen feet away, in front of the class. She rolled her shoulders and stretched her arms out, which I was fairly sure was just for show.
The air pulsed…and then Tennessee landed right beside her in a crouch.
Everyone gasped and scurried back a few feet. Tennessee stood straight then glanced around, his eyes narrowed. It was interesting to compare the guy I saw and the guy I’d come to know. On the outside, he was the most intimidating person I’d ever met. But on the inside, he was a really nice, caring guy who did not seek power in any way.
Tegan laughed then bent down and tightened the laces on her boots. “Oh, feisty. I like it.”
“This is crazy, man,” Warner mumbled from suddenly right beside me. “I mean, we idolized this dude for a decade, and now he’s just here. Weird.”
I chuckled. He wasn’t wrong.
“Ah, Tennessee. Thanks for coming, son.” Kessler pointed to Tegan. “The class has voted. They want to see Tegan fight someone with everything she’s got…so we chose you.”
Tennessee’s eyebrows shot to the sky. He looked down at her. “One-on-one?”
Tegan’s grin turned absolutely evil. She wiggled her fingers in the air, and rainbow mist coiled around her hands. “Don’t you dare hold back on me.”
Tennessee held his hands up. The dagger tucked in his boot shot straight up to his left palm. There was a flash of light, and then his long black sword flew through the sky and landed in his right hand. “Let’s see what you’ve got, Kitten.”
Warner groaned. “Goddess, I love when he does that.”
I chuckled. “You okay over there? Need a fan? Glass of water to cool down?”
“Whatever, man. I’d switch teams.”
“Don’t let Royce hear you say
that.”
Tegan and Tenn whispered to each other then fist-bumped. They kept their eyes on each other and backed away. The air crackled around them. The few clouds in the sky vanished. Tree branches swayed toward them. Hell, even the blades of grass seemed to stand taller.
Cooper crossed his arms over his chest and glared at them. “Remember, keep this strictly a fight. Ain’t nobody wanna see that.”
Bettina giggled. Like an actual giggle. My stomach turned. She never laughed at me like that. Which was fine, since I couldn’t have her. Totally fine.
Tegan threw her arms out to the side, and two golden daggers appeared in her hands, like she’d just conjured them right then. Tennessee twirled his weapons around. Neither of them got into fighting stance. They were both the picture of ease.
Kessler cleared his throat. “And…GO!”
Tegan vanished into thin air.
Tennessee dropped to one knee and spun around. He threw his weapons up, and Tegan reappeared and her golden blades slammed into his. Metal clashed. Bright white light erupted from Tenn’s hands, and Tegan flew back through the air.
The sky turned black, and thunder roared over our heads. Lightning flashed like spiderwebs across the sky.
Tegan shot to the ground like a missile. Her swords pierced the grass and buried into the earth. Lightning slithered over the dirt like a snake toward Tenn.
The ground rumbled then spread apart. He threw his hands forward, and a hurricane-force wind ripped through the field, rushing over his back and slamming Tegan head-on. She giggled. Her body turned to water, then she disappeared into bubbles only to reappear a few feet behind him. She held her palms out, and water poured out of her like a fireman’s hose.
Tenn reached out and grabbed the water with one hand. Like it was a rope. The muscles in his arm flexed, and then he pulled. She flew toward him, but then he vanished.
The class gasped.
Tegan swung her swords, and his long black blade blocked her shot.
Then things went nuts. I heard the clash of their metal blades meeting, but I only saw a flash of him and then he was gone again. They kept disappearing into thin air then reappearing. If I blinked, I missed them. I leaned forward to get a better look. Rainbow, blue, and green magic flashed all around us as they fired at each other.
Tegan slid across the ground then swung for Tenn’s feet, but he was faster. He leapt over her, then reached down and grabbed her by the shoulders. He flipped her over in midair then slammed her into the dirt. A cloud of rainbow magic billowed out from under her. He dove forward and swung both blades in an arch downward—then froze.
Tegan disintegrated into water bubbles then reformed standing beside him. They both turned toward the border in the distance behind them.
I frowned…and then I felt it.
A cold, sharp wave of panic and fear. I stepped forward. My Coven-mates leapt to their feet. We rushed to Tenn’s side just as Constance appeared in the distance…running toward us. My heart climbed up my throat. My stomach dropped. This wasn’t good. Something was wrong.
Kessler, get rid of the class, Tegan ordered into our thoughts. Deacon, help.
He cursed then turned to face the class behind me. “Class dismissed. Now. Get to lunch.”
As he said this, Deacon’s red mist slithered over the grass.
I glanced over my shoulder. The class jumped up and ran back into the training center. They grabbed their stuff then bolted for the door. When I turned back, my eyes latched on to a head of blonde hair standing almost as tall as Easton. I opened my mouth to ask if Bettina should be here, but then thought better of it. That wasn’t my call to make.
A white box appeared right in front of Constance—and then she was standing next to us.
“Thanks,” she said between breaths. Her face was pale and ashen. “Two girls have been kidnapped.”
Chapter Seventeen
JACKSON
Turned out the two missing girls were balefire rescues.
When Tegan’s portal dropped us in the middle of the hotel lobby, we were met by absolute chaos. There were people everywhere. I glanced left and right, spun in a circle. We were surrounded. Everyone was shouting over each other…at us.
I hadn’t been over here since we got back, since they’d put the rescues here, so I hadn’t seen what Warner had meant. But I did now. Not a single one of these people were from modern day. Not that I thought he’d lied, except seeing was a whole different story.
“STOP,” Deacon shouted over the chaos, and his magic washed over me.
Silence.
Deacon sighed. “Thank you. Now please, remain calm and let Tennessee speak.”
“Thanks, D,” Tenn grumbled. He walked forward into the thick of the rescues, then in a kind but stern voice said, “We understand some people are missing. We’re going to do everything in our power to bring them home. Who reported them as missing?”
Get your magic ready, Jackson, Tegan whispered into my mind.
Oh, right. I somehow kept forgetting I had that new ability. This being in The Coven was taking some getting used to. It was like I’d been color blind my whole life, and suddenly I could see all the colors of the world.
A little girl in pigtail braids and a white gown raised her hand high in the air. “Mr. Emperor, sir, I did.” A little blue rune appeared on her chin and sparkled.
Tenn glanced to me. When I nodded, he crouched down so he was eye level with the girl. “Tell me what you know, please.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she chewed on her bottom lip. Then she nodded. “They always have lunch with us, but today they did not show. So I told Mama.” Again, the blue rune of truth appeared.
The woman standing behind her squeezed her shoulders. “We were friends before, you see. We went into that…balefire, as you called it, together. So, we’ve stuck together since.”
Tenn straightened and peeked at me for a flash of a second, but it was enough for me to nod. “All right, where did you see them last?”
The woman fidgeted with her bonnet. “This morning they were feeling homesick and wanted fresh air, so they went outside. We did not accompany them… My stomach is still sensitive to your time’s food. I was in bed.”
The blue truth rune shone brightly.
“Excuse me, Emperor?” An older man a few rows back in Victorian-era attire cleared his throat. “May I speak?”
Tennessee nodded. “Of course. What can you tell us?”
“I saw the woman and her two little girls out for a walk earlier this morning.” He spoke in a perfect British accent, and I felt a pang of homesickness.
I hadn’t heard my own accent in ages. I barely had one myself anymore, especially compared to this man’s.
The first woman frowned. “Two little girls? No, I believe you are mistaken.”
“I am not,” he grumbled. “You lot are the only dames here wearing bonnets. I’ve seen them with you nearly every day here.”
Tenn looked to me, and again I nodded. The truth rune was popular today.
“Why do you think he’s mistaken?” Tegan asked the woman.
“Because Rebecca only has one daughter. Her name is Emary.” The woman fanned herself, and her cheeks flushed. But the truth rune was still showing. “They are both raven-haired with fair skin and blue eyes. Emary is my daughter’s size. I could describe them for you in perfect detail, down to the birthmark on Emary’s left elbow, if that would assist you?”
“Sir, what did the other young girl look like?” Tegan asked.
He frowned and scratched his jaw. “She was blonde, with little ringlets. I assumed she was with them, since she was holding Emary’s hand. Although now that you mention it, she was dressed differently. I didn’t think anything of it at the time.”
I frowned. He was telling the truth; he’d seen what he claimed, but I couldn’t tell what the significance of this other little girl was.
“He’s telling the truth,” I said to my Coven-mates.
“Did anyone
else see them today?” Tenn asked.
“The little blonde girl, did she have on a white dress?” a teenage boy asked. He looked like he was from the early twentieth century. “I passed by three females who fit that description a few hours ago.”
“Where?” Tenn and Tegan asked at the same time.
The boy flushed. “I had gone to the border near the gate. I just…wanted to look. It was on my way back that I passed them. The little girl asked if I saw any pink rabbits, but when I said I hadn’t, they said they were going to look.”
“Pink rabbits?” Emersyn scowled. “I haven’t seen any of those. I’ll text Chutney and see what she knows.”
Jackson, has anyone lied yet?
I looked to Tegan and shook my head.
Which made her frown. Something is off here, y’all. I just can’t tell what.
Tennessee nodded. “Does anyone here know who this little blonde girl belongs to? Or has anyone seen her since this morning?”
The entire crowd shook their heads and glanced around at each other. I scanned each and every one of them but saw only blue truth runes. Whoever this little blonde girl was, no one knew her. However, it was clear she was somehow involved in this disappearance.
“All right. Thank you all very much for your help.” Tenn turned to Constance. “Can you stick around and get as many details as you can documented?”
“Of course.” She smiled and moved closer to the group. “If you do not know anything about this incident, you may carry on with your day. If you believe you might know something, even a minor detail you may deem insignificant, please stick around so I can write it down.”
Tennessee turned and walked back over to where Tegan, Emersyn, Deacon, and I stood. “Tegan, take us back to Headquarters?”
She nodded. There was a flash of bright white light, and then we were back in the living room of Coven Headquarters. I looked around expecting to find our Coven-mates waiting but found only Kessler, Hunter, and Bentley seated at the dining room table. Henley sat in the bay window a few feet over. And through the glass, I spotted Royce standing outside looking up into some trees.
The Wild Witch (The Coven: Academy Magic Book 3) Page 7