Chapter 13 #2
"You told him," she said. It wasn't a question.
Brianna squared her shoulders. "Yes, I did."
Bas sighed, leaning back in her chair. "You know the rules, Brianna. We don't reveal ourselves to outsiders. Even to those involved in pivotal events."
"Chad isn't just an outsider," she argued. "He's... important. To me, and to what's coming."
Bas raised an eyebrow. "And you think that gives you the right to jeopardize everything we've worked for?"
She felt a flare of defiance rise within her. "With all due respect, Bas, I think keeping Chad in the dark would be more dangerous. He needs to be prepared, and I trust him."
Bas's eyes narrowed. "You think you know better than me? Better than generations of witches who have upheld these rules?"
Brianna took a deep breath, steeling herself. "In this case, yes. I do. I've seen the future, Bas. I know what's at stake."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Bas studied her intently, her expression unreadable. Finally, she spoke, her voice low and measured.
"You can time travel, that’s why we recruited you, but you’re not supposed to go off on your own adventures. Tell me what you've seen, Brianna. Everything."
She hesitated for a moment, then launched into her tale. She told her about the emails, about Chad's mentor, about the funeral. She explained her fears about what might happen if Chad remained ignorant of the supernatural world swirling around him.
As Brianna spoke, Bas's expression remained impassive, but the younger witch could see a flicker of something… concern? interest? When Brianna finished, Bas was silent for a long moment, her fingers steepled under her chin.
"You've taken quite a risk, Brianna," she said finally. "But I can't deny that your actions may have some unforeseen benefits."
She blinked, surprised by her response. "You're not angry?"
A ghost of a smile played at Bas's lips. "Oh, I'm furious. But I'm also intrigued. Your connection to Chad, and his to Professor Emerson, could prove useful. Perhaps even critical. When are you seeing him again?"
“Tomorrow night, for dinner.” She felt a wave of relief wash over her. "So, you're not going to punish me?"
Bas's eyes glinted dangerously. "I don't punish, but you'll be on probation for the foreseeable future. No solo missions, no unsupervised time travel. And you'll be personally responsible for Chad's safety and discretion."
She nodded, accepting the terms. It was better than she'd hoped for.
"There's more," Bas continued. "I want you to bring Chad here. To the mansion."
Her jaw dropped. "What? But outsiders aren't allowed. Won’t the mansion prevent—"
Bas cut her off. "Exceptional times call for exceptional measures. If Chad is as important as you believe, he needs to understand exactly what he's getting into. You may not know all the details. And we need to assess him ourselves."
She stood there, stunned into silence for a moment.
Bringing Chad to the L.A.W. mansion was beyond anything she'd imagined. It was unprecedented. Duke didn’t count, because even though they had never met him, he was the L.A.W.
librarian and knew more about them than they knew about themselves.
He kept the most dangerous occult books in a hidden location.
"When?" she finally managed to ask.
"Tomorrow night," Bas replied, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You said you invited him to dinner. Bring him here instead.”
Her mind raced. "But, he's not prepared for this. I've barely scratched the surface of explaining things to him."
Bas's eyes glinted with a hint of amusement. "Then I suggest you start preparing him, Brianna. We can whip up something delicious and even add a little calming spell to the food. You wanted him involved. Now he will be."
She nodded, recognizing the dismissal in Bas’s tone. As she turned to leave, Bas spoke again, her voice softer this time.
"Brianna. Be careful. Your feelings for this man... They could cloud your judgement.”
“How do you know I have feelings for him?”
Bas gave her a knowing look. "My dear, I've been around for centuries. I recognize the signs. Just remember, our work must come first. Always."
She nodded, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and defiance. "I understand."
As she left Bas's office, her mind was already racing with how to prepare Chad for tomorrow night. How do you tell someone that not only is magic real, but that he’s about to enter a secret magical society?
She made her way to her suite in the mansion, collapsing onto her bed with a heavy sigh. The magnitude of what she'd set in motion was starting to sink in. Chad's life was about to change irrevocably, and it was all because of her.
She pulled out her phone and stared at Chad's contact information. Should she warn him? Give him some kind of heads-up? But what could she possibly say that wouldn't sound completely insane?
She tossed her phone aside with a groan. No, she'd have to wait until tomorrow night. She'd pick him up, explain things on the way, and hope he didn't freak out too badly until they arrived at the mansion.
As she lay there, staring at the ceiling, her mind wandered to Chad.
His sky-blue eyes, the way his forehead crinkled when he was deep in thought, the sound of his laugh.
She'd always been attracted to him, but had pushed those feelings aside, telling herself they were just friends.
Now, with everything that was happening, deeper feelings were bubbling to the surface.
Bas was right. She couldn't let her emotions cloud her judgment. There was too much at stake. In her future, she saw them preparing for a dangerous mission that required massive coordination and the full power of the L.A.W. witches—and Chad was there.
She closed her eyes, trying to quiet her racing thoughts. Tomorrow would be a pivotal day for Chad, for her, and for the L.A.W. She needed to prepare.
The next evening, Brianna pulled up outside Chad's apartment building, her stomach in knots. She'd spent the day rehearsing what she would say, how she would explain things, but now that the moment was here, all her carefully prepared words seemed to evaporate.
Chad emerged from the building, looking handsome in a blue button-down shirt and dark jeans. He smiled when he saw her, but she could see the uncertainty in his eyes.
"Hey," he said as he slid into the passenger seat. "I thought we were having dinner at your place?"
Brianna took a deep breath. "Change of plans. There's somewhere else I need to take you."
Chad's brow furrowed. "Bri, what's going on? Does this have something to do with what you told me yesterday?"
She nodded, pulling away from the curb. "Yes, it does. Chad, there's a lot more I need to explain, and... Well, you're about to see some things that might be hard to believe."
Chad's expression was a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "More unbelievable than a time-traveling witch?"
She couldn't help but chuckle. "Believe it or not, yes. Listen, Chad, I know this is all happening fast, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"
He was quiet for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I trust you, Bri. But I have to admit, I'm freaking out a little."
"That's understandable," she said, turning onto a highway that led away from the city. "I'm about to take you to the headquarters of the League of Amazing Witches, on Long Island.”
Chad's eyes widened. "The headquarters for the League of... Wait, you're serious?"
She nodded, keeping her eyes on the road. "Completely serious. It's a secret organization of witches who work to protect people and maintain balance in the world. And they want to meet you."
Chad ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit she'd always found endearing. "Me? Why me? I'm just an English professor."
Brianna glanced at him, wishing she could explain everything. "You're more important than you realize, Chad. Things are coming... events that you'll play a crucial role in."
"What kind of events?" Chad asked, his voice tense.
She sighed. "I can't tell you everything. Partly because of the rules and partly because I don't know all the details myself. But I can say that it involves Professor Emerson, and it's why his mentorship is so important."
Chad fell silent, processing this information. Brianna could practically see the gears turning in his mind as he tried to make sense of everything.