12. Evelyn
12
Evelyn
T he week sped by in a whirlwind of lectures, homework, and the constant murmur of hushed conversations. After two weeks back, it almost felt like nothing had changed.
Well, except for one thing—I had one less class. Lucien hadn’t insisted I return to Potions. And with Miss Clarissa gone, a new teacher had taken her place—not that it mattered since I had already dropped the class.
Still, the atmosphere had undeniably shifted. Even after two weeks, whispers followed me down the corridors, and plenty of students still seemed to think I had something to do with what happened. After all, I was a member of the former Luminary Coven—one of the closest to Morgana and Lia—and I’d been gone for over a year. I could understand their wariness. Even if some were outright hostile, I shrugged it off. Being the center of Arcanum Academy’s gossip mill wasn’t new for me.
Still, I missed Theo’s teasing remarks and his sarcastic quips whenever someone looked at me the wrong way. It wasn’t the same without him, and the silence where his voice should’ve been made the Academy feel lonelier.
Friday night arrived, and I breathed a sigh of relief. There would be no lectures or disapproving whispers for the next two days. The only things on my agenda were sword training with Rafe and devising a plan to rescue Lia and end Eris’ schemes, whatever those were.
It was difficult for me to grasp the situation fully. Eris wasn’t just a witch like Morgana; she was a powerful deity with thousands of years of experience and fanatical followers. Every possible scenario I imagined resulted in more loss and defeat. How could we possibly stand against her? We had no plan, strategy, or even a clue where to begin.
How does one stop a Goddess? I had no idea.
With magic restored to its full strength, it was like a ticking time bomb. Eris wouldn’t stay hidden for much longer.
We needed to be prepared.
That was exactly what I planned to do.
Continuing my training with Rafe was the logical course of action right now. If we hoped to defeat Eris, we had to be stronger and faster—prepared for any challenge that came our way. Time was not on our side, and I couldn’t afford to waste any of it.
As I made my way to our usual training spot, the sound of clashing steel reached my ears before I even turned the corner.
When I entered the courtyard, I couldn’t believe what I saw. Rafe and his brother Zade were locked in an intense sparring match, their swords moving in a deadly dance of strength and precision. It was truly awe-inspiring to witness these celestial beings with their wings spread, gracefully but ferociously battling each other.
I found a comfortable spot to lean against a tree and watched in fascination as they danced, their swords moving with lightning speed. The raw power emanating from them was palpable.
Zade appeared to have a slight advantage, but Rafe held his ground. Every strike was met with precise blocks, and every fake move was countered effortlessly. I couldn’t help but be amazed at their power and elegance. Their level of expertise surpassed anything I had ever witnessed before.
Suddenly, they both turned to face me.
I gulped.
Looked like I was up next.
Rafe grabbed something and walked over, holding out what looked like a sword sheath. I accepted it and examined it with fascination. The sheath was exquisitely designed, with smooth leather and delicate gold accents.
“Why are you giving me this?” I asked, my eyes widening. The sheath was made from the same fire-resistant material as my clothing.
“The guys and I thought you’d need a sheath for your sword. And it’s not just any sheath,” he continued, his eyes lighting up. “It’s imbued with the same magic as ours.” He motioned toward Zade’s sheath.
I raised an eyebrow, urging him to go on.
“It lets the sword hide in a pocket when you don’t need it. But when you do.” He grinned. “The sword will reappear.”
I gasped. “That’s amazing!” I threw my arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. “Thank you!” I kissed him, intending to be quick, but it deepened as our lips met.
Rafe’s lips pressed against mine, and I groaned softly, losing myself in the warmth of his touch and the tenderness of the moment. His hands were gentle yet possessive, and for a few stolen moments, the world around us faded away.
When we broke apart, breathless, I looked into his eyes, which sparkled with pride and affection.
“We really need to plan some alone time,” I whispered, my fingers tracing the outline of his jaw. “You know, just the two of us—between saving the world and all.”
A sudden cough interrupted our moment. Zade stood nearby, arms crossed, his expression unreadable—except for a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth as he eyed his brother.
“Enough with the pleasantries,” he said. “Show me what you can do with that sword. Rafe keeps gushing, but maybe his feelings are clouding his judgment.” His eyebrows lifted in Rafe’s direction.
Nervousness fluttered in my stomach. Zade’s stern demeanor made me want to impress him—even more so because he was Rafe’s older brother and the best battle guardian out there.
Rafe helped me attach the sheath to my back, showing me how to release the sword. Drawing a deep breath, I began to spar with him.
Sweat dripped down my forehead as Rafe and I clashed. Every swing of my sword met a strong counterattack, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I pushed myself harder.
Finally, Rafe stepped back, grinning.
Zade ambled in my direction, apparently unimpressed.
“Your stance is off,” he said, leaning closer to adjust me. He shifted my grip on the sword. “And keep your guard up. Now, let’s see what you can do against me.”
I gulped and exhaled slowly, bracing myself. His sword gleamed with the same celestial craftsmanship as Rafe’s. I ignited mine, flames bursting to life along the blade. Then my wings popped out. Zade’s eyes flickered with surprise, but he masked it quickly, shifting into position.
Without another word, he came at me fast— shit —his strikes precise, calculated. Like Rafe, he moved with elegance, but Zade’s style had a raw, brutal efficiency.
My heart pounded as I struggled to keep up. Sparks flew with each clash, illuminating the training ground. My muscles screamed under the relentless onslaught, sweat stinging my eyes, but I forced myself to keep pushing.
Zade was unrelenting, his attacks driving me back with each strike. My arms trembled with the effort of blocking his blows, but I didn’t back down.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he stepped back.
“That’s enough,” he said, sheathing his sword smoothly.
I exhaled, my body screaming in protest as I sheathed my sword, watching it disappear into the magical pocket. I wondered if I could fit more stuff in there…maybe some snacks?
Zade studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Not bad. You’ve got potential.”
I grinned. “Thanks, but it’s mostly the sword. You should see me with a wooden one—I’m a danger to myself.”
Zade’s frown deepened. “The sword helps, but don’t underestimate your skills.”
Was that a compliment? Was Zade complimenting me?
He smiled back at me.
This was the moment to bring up what had been weighing on me since my return.
“Lia.”
His expression hardened, but he nodded for me to continue.
“So, you were Lia’s guardian, right?”
“Yes.”
“Why were you assigned to her? Aren’t battle angels usually reserved for…extreme cases?”
“Yes. We’re assigned to those at risk of falling into darkness but who still have a purity worth saving.”
“And Lia?” I pressed. “Was she an extreme case?”
Zade’s jaw tightened, but he replied, “Yes. She was surrounded by darkness—her mother’s manipulations, black magic, Eris. I was only assigned to her for a week before she was taken from me.”
“But how could that happen?” I asked, frustration creeping into my voice. “You’re the best guardian angel there is.”
Zade’s gaze darkened. “Dark magic—and Eris. They blocked me out.” His voice dropped. “You have no idea what she went through.”
A wave of terror washed over me. What had they done to her?
“Lia was my first failure,” he mumbled.
I could see the guilt etched into Zade’s features, hear it in his voice.
“But you’re here now,” I pointed out. “You’re with us. We’re going to get her back.”
Zade’s eyes met mine. “Yes,” he replied, his voice steady. “We will.”
* * *
We were all sitting in the strategy room later that afternoon, crowded around a table.
We needed a plan.
“Okay, let’s go over what we know,” Lucien said, leaning forward, his fingers steepled in concentration.
I took a steadying breath. “Lia’s been possessed by Eris. The Elders are working with her—including your father,” I added, nodding at Ryker. “And they probably have many of his allies and members from the Luminary coven also helping them. Whatever they’re planning…it’s big.”
“But what exactly?” Chad asked. “World domination? A really awesome party? Both?”
Ryker shot him a withering look.
Chad held up his hands defensively. “I know, I know.”
“Before Miss Clarissa, you know…” I said. “They had been siphoning power. They’d need a large facility if they’re still at it.”
“Exactly,” Rafe replied. “We’ve been monitoring multiple warehouses but need to expand our reach. Now that magic is back, they’ll likely be making more. It must be somewhere remote but accessible—big enough to go unnoticed.”
Lucien nodded. “I’ve been studying dark magic more since all this started, along with shielding spells strong enough to protect against those black flames.”
“That’s brilliant, Lucien!” I praised him.
“We also need to focus on finding Lia,” Zade cut in, his voice tense. “Once we locate her, we can figure out a way to separate her from Eris.”
“Easier said than done,” Alister muttered, rubbing his temples. “We’re talking about a goddess here. How do we ‘separate’ a mortal from a divine being?”
I hesitated before speaking. “Hecate told me something before I came back…The balance must be restored. What was split in two must become whole again.’”
Silence.
Chad whistled. “That’s vague as hell.”
Rafe leaned forward, brows drawn together in thought. “What if she meant Lia? If Eris is possessing her, then maybe she’s split —part of her is still in there, fighting, but she isn’t whole.”
Zade nodded. “That would make sense. If we can remove Eris, maybe Lia will be complete again.”
“Except we have no idea how to do that,” Ryker reminded us.
Lucien crossed his arms while staring at me. “It could also mean the curse and the blessing. Your lineage got stronger with the so-called ‘blessing.’ Lia’s got weaker with the ‘curse.’ Maybe Hecate meant those need to be brought back into balance.”
“But how do we do that? Undo my power? Strengthen Lia’s?” I asked.
No one spoke for a moment.
Chad exhaled. “Okay, but real question: how do we do this when one of those things is a goddess trying to kill us?”
The room fell silent again. Lia was out there somewhere, trapped in her body, while Eris used it for goddess knows what. The thought twisted my stomach.
“With magic back at full strength, Eris will be coming out of hiding,” Lucien reminded us.
“It has been a few weeks since I’ve been back, and we had no news,” I countered. “Eris is awfully quiet for someone trying to take over the world.”
“Maybe we should focus on the Elders’ whereabouts since they sided with Eris.”
“It’s not that easy,” Lucien mumbled, rubbing his temple. “Even if they aren’t invisible and we could stop most of them, we have no idea where they are and what they plan to do.”
“Since magic is back, I had an idea,” Ryker said, glancing at the others.
“What idea?” I asked.
“Sooner or later, Eris will make a move. My father is still recruiting men to his cause. So, I figured I should have some of my most trusted men infiltrate their ranks. I’m sure they might also have spies keeping tabs on us.”
Chad raised his hand with furrowed eyebrows. “That’s actually smart, brother.”
“They most likely will be killed if they are discovered,” Lucien alerted Ryker.
“I’m aware of it. But this is war, and we can’t keep playing defense.”
“I agree,” Zade said.
“Everybody agrees with Ryker’s plan?” I asked, looking at my mates, Lucien and Zade.
“Won’t your father be suspicious if your men join his ranks after choosing you as their leader?” Rafe questioned.
“Many of my members have graduated recently and didn’t have an affiliation. They joined me because I vowed to stay clear of illegal activities. Father doesn’t know the concept of loyalty. He believes the weaker should submit to the stronger. He’s stronger, so he won’t question if low-rank shifters join his gang, looking to make a profit or gain more power.”
Lucien cleared his throat and folded his hands on the table. “Let’s do this, then. We need spies. I’d volunteer, but… well, last time didn’t go so well.”
Chad laughed, pointing at Lucien as he turned to Zade. “Lucien was our honey trap.”
The professor squinted at the hellhound. “Not my fault. I was the only one mature enough to catch Clarissa’s attention.”
“I take offense to that,” Alister cut in.
I rested my hand on the table. “Alright, focus. We need a plan.”
“So we’ve agreed,” Zade said. “The dragons will plant spies in enemy territory. Once we know their location and plans, we can move forward—kidnap Eris and remove her from Lia’s body.”
“Wait,” Rafe called, grabbing his brother’s arm before he could stand. “What do you mean kidnap Eris?”
Zade inhaled sharply. “Are you suggesting we storm their compound and take on a goddess, powerful witches, elders, and an unknown number of shifters? Just the six of you? And one of you is human now.”
“I can still fight. And I’m damn good with a sword,” Alister protested.
“That doesn’t change the fact that we’re outnumbered,” Zade reminded us. “We can’t face them head-on.”
“We need more allies,” I murmured, considering his words.
“No one will join us until they believe Eris is a real threat,” Alister said.
“Just like before,” Lucien added. “Hardly anyone believed us when we told them what had happened before you and Alister disappeared.”
Zade nodded. “Evelyn is Hecate’s champion. She’s the only one who can stand against Eris. Ryker will gather intel while Rafe and I train Evelyn and anyone willing to fight.”
Ryker nodded. “Leave that to me. We’ll have eyes and ears on the inside this weekend. My undercover men are at the recruitment event as we speak.”
“Once my brother knows where Eris is hiding, Evelyn will kick her ass,” Chad grinned.
Zade shook his head. “It’s not that simple. Eris isn’t just any goddess. She’s the goddess of chaos and discord. Whatever she’s planning, it’ll be devastating.”