Chapter Twenty-Three

"Why are they taking so long?" Levi questions as he paces with Kysen.

I'd point out how amusing it is since they're perfectly in time with each other, but I don't think now is the time. We need to make sure the guys are okay. They're far more important right now.

"We're here," Kai says as he walks through the door along with the others.

Erin, Cole, and I race at our men, and thankfully, Kai sees it coming and holds me tightly. When it's clear that I'm not going to let him go any time soon, he kisses my cheek and then carries me over to the couch, shifting me so that I'm sitting in his lap.

Once everyone is seated, Levi, who is studying them all closely, no doubt looking for injuries, "Are you all okay?"

"We're fine," Asher replies for them all, "they didn't interrogate us in any way other than just asking us questions. It was incredibly long-winded though."

"Which they most likely did to try and get you to trip up if you weren't telling the truth," Cole points out.

"He's right; it"s an old trick and one of the easiest and most effective. You keep the person that you're interrogating for hours, sometimes days, and you ask them different variations of the same question until they slip up," Hunter confirms.

We've been through so much that I sometimes completely forget that before all this supernatural stuff, they were agents and worked for the government. They must be finding this whole school thing a lot more difficult than I'd considered; they've already done it. Their past does help us in this situation because clearly, some of the methods used in the Earth Realm are being used here too.

"That's what we figured," Jett confirms, "fortunately, not only were we all familiar with the technique, but none of us were lying, so they let us go."

"They'd clearly been fed some bad information, most likely from the teachers because they kept saying things like, we have witnesses that state that you entered the library at ten forty, which is around when the murder took place," Asher adds with a frown and a shake of his head.

"They mentioned something about witnesses overhearing us say how much we don't like him, and that there had been an argument," Kai says, "all three of us asked when this was supposed to have happened as none of us shared a class with him, and until recently had no idea who he was."

"It all fell apart pretty quickly after that, and each of us could tell that they didn't even believe what they had been told, so they were questioning the accusation before they questioned us," Jett adds.

"Well, at least it seems like it's not something that we have to worry about too much," Erin says, hope threading through her voice.

"No, but they did warn us that because the accusations have been made, and because of the gravity of them, they will be keeping a close watch on us and that we aren't allowed to leave the castle," Kai explains.

"Well, that will make trying to break the spells on the object that's controlling the teachers much more complicated than it already is, and it's already ridiculously complicated," I mutter.

"Yeah, and it may mean that if we do manage to break the control, we might still have to stay here for possibly months longer until they clear us of any wrongdoing," Nate points out.

"Fuck," Several of us curse.

Levi brushes his hand over his beard, "Well, that's something that we can deal with if it comes to it. Unfortunately, thanks to Kronos, we no longer have the powerful backup of Sage's parents, which would've helped in this situation."

"Not my parents," I can't help but mutter.

I've been successfully ignoring that whole issue, since I'm not emotionally ready to deal with it, and although I know he didn't mean to, he"s reminded me of the situation with my parents, or not parents.

A look of regret crosses his features as he says, "Shit, Sage, I'm so sorry, I didn't think."

"That's okay," I reply honestly, "you're right. They would at least be able to vouch for us if they remembered who we were."

"I still should've thought," he replies.

"Sage said something about having to get back here," Kai starts changing the subject, "what happened while we were gone?"

"Ghost let Sage know that there was a group of teachers that were in the temple and trying to move the green gemstone that's controlling them," Levi answers him and then looks back to me, "what happened?"

"For once, it went pretty much how we wanted it to," I start.

"Well shit, it did, didn't it?" Erin interrupts.

I chuckle. You can tell how often things go to plan just from her surprise.

"That's great, but for those of us who weren't there when you were discussing the plan, could you elaborate?" Asher asks, Cole tucked under his arm.

I honestly don't think Erin, Cole or I will be letting them out of our sight, I know for a fact that they over thought as I did, and all of the horrible possibilities of what could happen went through their minds, so despite the fact that Asher, Jett, and Kai are okay, we've all still got the worst case scenarios going through our minds and need reassurance that they are really okay.

"Erin covered us while we made our way there so we didn't catch the attention of any of the Enforcers," Jax starts to explain, sitting close on Kai's other side, "we then knocked them all out and secured them with the bands that Kysen had."

"Any fatalities?" Levi asks.

Kysen shakes his head, "Nope."

"Where did you put them?" Maverick asks, "Did you manage to find somewhere before Kai contacted us?"

I nod, "Yes, actually, the temple helped and opened a part of the wall that had a room behind it that was just big enough to store them. They should be fine for a couple of days."

"After that, the cuffs will stop working, and they'll get their magic back. I have no idea if they'll be able to get out of the room that the temple had us put them in or whether the temple will even let them out," Kysen adds.

"Which means we need to try and figure out how to break the object, and we're on a time constraint now," Harry points out.

"Pretty much," I reply with a shrug.

"Not that I want the cuddles to end," Hunter starts as he strokes Knot's foxy ears, "but maybe it would be a good idea if Ghost and Knot went back to the temple to keep an eye on the object in case the Order send anyone else to get it and the teachers."

Knot yips at him, giving him a glare that would scare most men, but then sighs heavily with a nod. She knows that it's important that we keep an eye on the situation.

"With any luck, the Order will think that the group of teachers stole the object or something, and that will give us a little bit more time before the alarm gets raised," Nate suggests.

"It's possible," Maverick agrees and then adds, "although I'm not going to get my hopes up."

"Ghost and Knot, I don't particularly want to be split up from you, but Mav is right. We need eyes in the temple; would you please go back and keep an eye on it for me?" I ask them both.

Ghost nods his huge head before he flies over to me and nudges my head with his own, asking for pats, which I happily give him. Knot nudges him out of the way, much to Ghost's annoyance, and then takes his place putting her small paws on my shoulders as she buries her head in my neck, and I give her some love too. When she moves away from me, she switches back to her raven form, and I get up to open the window for them.

"I take it they agree?" Dash asks.

I nod, "Yeah, they're going to head back and let me know in the same way that they did before." I then turn back to Ghost and Knot as they perch on the window ledge, "Please be careful; don't put yourselves in unnecessary danger. You are more important than the object or the Order or anything like that."

They both nod, nudging me with their heads once again before taking off and blending into the night. Not even supernatural eyes will be able to see them. Shutting the window behind them I say a quick plea to the Goddess that they'll both be safe because I can't lose them.

"They'll be okay, Beautiful. Come and sit back down," Kai says, opening his arms for me again.

Once I'm sitting back down, Levi says, "Kai's right, Darling. They'll be fine, and they'll let us know if they need us."

I smile, "I know, I still don't like it."

"That's understandable," Erin reassures me.

"It would be really fucking helpful if Cain showed back up," Jett says, seemingly out of the blue, "he could then plant the suggestion that they've stolen the object with the other teachers, and then we would have more time to sort it."

"There must be a reason why he's not back yet. He was supposed to come back yesterday, or at least that's what he said," I reply with a frown. We could really do with him coming back now; he needs to know what is going on here and now more than ever, we need his training.

"Is there any way you could talk to the Goddess and get her to send him back?" Cole asks.

I shrug, "I could try, but I'm not sure it will do much good. Nyx gets in contact with me when she wants."

"Yeah, but this is quite important, so hopefully, she will reply," Harry replies.

"Yeah, okay, give me a moment," I reply.

I don't really do much, I just do what I normally do and start talking to her in my mind, hoping that she hears me. I ask her to send Cain back or to let him know that we need him. Waiting a moment, it"s clear that she's not going to reply, but I'm hoping that she has at least heard me.

"Anything?" Levi asks.

I shake my head, "She didn't reply, but that doesn't mean she didn't hear me, I guess we're just going to have to wait and see."

"At least we've tried," Erin says with a yawn.

"We should all probably get some sleep," Kyle says, as Erin's yawn starts off a round of them, and everyone starts yawning.

A pit of unease swirls in my stomach, and I can't help but say, "Actually, with everything that happened, I'd rather that we stuck together and didn't split up for any length of time. Does that sound crazy?"

Erin immediately shakes her head, "No, I was just about to ask if we can stay together, especially since the last time something big happened, we ended up split up."

"I'm with you guys. I'd rather we all stayed together," Cole agrees.

"Show of hands then," Levi says with a smile like he knows exactly what the answer is going to be, "who wants to stay here tonight?"

As predicted, everyone raises their hands, and I think we're all feeling a bit vulnerable with three of our own being taken and the outcomes that could have happened.

"Well, that's settled it then," Damon chuckles.

"I don't know about you guys, but I need my own comforter and pyjamas," Dash adds.

"Me too," Cole agrees as he stands, "why don't we all get changed and grab the things that we need and then meet back here?"

"Good idea," Levi agrees, "we can put a movie on or something."

"Sounds good to me, so long as it's light-hearted and has nothing to do with supernaturals," Dash says as he gets up, threading his fingers through Erin's.

"So, an Earth Realm film then?" Kysen smirks.

"Yeah," Dash agrees.

"Deal, we'll sort it, you guys, be quick. Sound the alarm if something looks amiss," Levi orders, and everyone nods their agreement before they all rush out.

Once they're gone, Maverick suggests, "Why don't we push the couches back so everyone can set themselves up on the floor? It should be a big enough space."

"Good idea," I reply as I reluctantly get up from Kai's lap.

It doesn't take us long to set it all up, and by the time I'm coming out of my room after changing into my pyjamas, everyone else is back and settled down.

"Come snuggle," Kai says, opening up the blankets, and I settle between Kai and Jax. I don't think he's willing to let Kai out of his sight either, and I wonder how much longer it will be before they face the feelings they have for each other.

Happily, I settle down, and once Levi is sure that everyone is accounted for and happy, he puts the movie on. It"s one that we've watched before and is a comfort move for the majority of us. No supernatural's in sight.

∞∞∞

I don't know when I fell asleep but I do know that I felt far more relaxed with everyone with us, at least I know for certain that they're all safe. A quick glance around at everyone fast asleep and the lack of light coming through the windows lets me know that it's the middle of the night still, and I can't have been sleeping for that long.

Carefully moving from between Jax and Kai until I'm sitting up, I try to work out why I'm awake when I really should be sleeping. I can't figure it out, but I decide that while I'm awake, I may as well get a drink. They guys must be exhausted because neither of them wakes up when I wriggle my way free of them both. I carefully step over the others and head to the kitchen, quietly pouring myself a drink.

A sound near the door catches my attention and when I look to see what made the noise, despite thinking that it's most likely someone moving in the room, I'm shocked to see a thick folded piece of paper being slid under the door. Frowning, I race over to the door quickly, or at least try to. It"s not that quick because I'm having to step over all of the others carefully. When I do finally get to the door, I pull it open and look down the corridor. It didn't take me that long to get here but whoever slid the note under the door has disappeared.

Closing the door, I glance down at the note on the floor. I don't particularly want to pick it up in case it is poisoned, but I am incredibly curious about what it could say, so I tease a tiny stream of magic away and aim it at the note, allowing it to probe it and tell me if it is safe to touch. When my magic comes back to me, I know that there's nothing to be worried about.

"What's that?" Maverick asks, his voice making me jump, he wraps his arms around me and not sounding very apologetic adds, "Sorry, Titch, I didn't mean to make you jump."

"Sure you didn't," I tease and then continue more seriously, "It got posted under the door when I was getting a drink."

"Did you catch who posted it?" He asks.

"No, they were gone by the time I got to the door," I explain as I finally bend down and pick it up.

When I just continue staring at it, Mav nudges me, "What are you waiting for?"

I chuckle, "I don't know really." I open it up and start reading, relief coursing through me immediately, "I think we should risk a training session, wake everyone and meet me in the usual place. Cain."

"He's back?" Mav questions, "Thank fuck for that."

"I guess the Goddess really did hear me," I smile, "come on, let"s wake the others up. They're all going to feel a lot more at ease knowing that Cain is back. At least he'll be able to deal with the teachers and Enforcer side of things."

"Yeah, it will take some pressure off us," Mav agrees, and then before I can stop him, raises his voice, "Wakey wakey everyone, rise and shine."

While everyone else groans, Levi immediately jumps to his feet and asks, "What happened? Is everyone okay?"

"Everything is fine," I tell him calmly, giving Maverick a look. He just shrugs with a smile, "we got a note from Cain. He wants us down in the gym for training."

"Well, thank fuck for that," Jett says, sounding relieved.

"Okay," Levi says, rubbing a hand over his face in an attempt to wake himself up more, "everyone, head back to your rooms and get ready. We'll meet in the hallway and Erin can cloak us before we head back down to the gym."

"Hopefully, we'll get some sort of explanation from Cain as well," Harry says.

"I wouldn't bet on it," Damon says rather grumpily, he does not do well being woken up and tends to be grumpy until he gets some coffee in him.

Erin grins, "Don't worry, I'll get some coffee into him quickly before we get going."

"Good idea," I grin.

Within minutes everyone has dispersed to get changed into something they can fight in and I do the same. Once I'm dressed, I pause before I leave the room. Something in my stomach stirs, almost , but I don't know why.

Maybe something that Cain is going to tell us is going to throw yet another spanner in the works and fuck things up.

I take a deep breath, trying to settle the feeling.

"Sage? Are you ready? We need to get going," Kai calls from somewhere further into the room.

Opening my door, I quickly rush out smiling at the guys as the wait by the door for me.

"Ready?" Jax asks.

"Yep, let's go," I reply, a thread of excitement going through me at the thought of finally getting some answers and filling Cain in, hopefully he has some advice for us.

Once we're in the hall it only takes a couple of minutes before everyone is gathered and ready to go.

I feel Erin's magic surround us before she says, "Alright, we're covered, let"s go. Remember, that if anyone walks into you, they're going to realise that something is amiss, so if we see any patrolling, Enforcers avoid them at all costs."

"And things because you'll knock them," I add.

Everyone nods that they understand, and then we make our way through the quiet academy. I'm actually surprised that we don't run into more Enforcers. We only saw four doing different patrols. I breathe out a sigh of relief as we get to the gym where we normally practice in, but as soon as we're all through the door I know that something is wrong.

"Where's Cain?" Maverick asks.

"I don't know," I reply, unable to shake the feeling of dread.

"He's usually here by the time that we get here," Erin agrees, a look of unease on her face as well.

"Maybe he's just gotten caught up? There is a lot that he needs to catch up on; another teacher or Enforcer may have held him up," Kysen suggests.

"Yeah maybe," I reply, not convinced that is the case but not able to give them another suggestion.

"Alright, while we wait why don't we warm up, everyone pair up with who you were paired with at the last training session we did with Cain," Levi orders.

The other's all look somewhat relieved that they've been given a task and still feeling uneasy about it; I head over to the bags to warm up; my partner is usually Cain.

I really hope I'm just feeling paranoid and that Cain is about to walk through the door any second now.

I push all thoughts out of my mind when my magic starts to stir and the Darkness pulses sensing my unease. That's the last thing I need. Instead, I focus my energy on the bag and beating the shit out of it. The longer I unleash hell on the bag, the more calm I feel.

That is until I punch the bag, and my fist stops just a few inches short of it, and I realise that I can't fucking move. Why the hell can't I move? I'm suddenly spun, my arm coming back to my side, and I'm faced with the hooded figure that Kai fought before, except this time, I know who it is.

Kronos.

I try to yell to get my guy"s attention, but it"s no good it seems that he's somehow frozen my voice too, this is bad, this is really fucking bad.

How the hell did I not realise that he was there?

As my panic grows, my magics start to writhe.

"Don't worry, Sage, I'm not going to kill you, at least not yet," Kronos hisses, "no, I'm going to make you watch them kill each other."

He gestures toward the room, and I realise that they can't see me. They don't know that Kronos is here, and my fear grows, my heart pounding in my chest and my magic pushing against its binds, trying to find a way to unfreeze us. I don't know what he's talking about; there's no way that the others would turn on each other. All I see is them sparring, completely oblivious to what's happening over here.

"Look closer," Kronos taunts joyfully.

I roll my eyes. Apparently, I can still do that, which fills me with joy. I roll my eyes a lot. Since I can't do anything else right now, I do as he suggests and look closer at my family and friends. That's when I see it: they aren't sparring they're fighting, really fighting with the intention to hurt.

No.

How is he doing this? How is he controlling them?

I try to call Ghost and Knot to me, hoping that they can at least distract them from fighting each other and I can break the control that he seems to have over them, if I can get myself free. However, when I try, I hit a brick wall, and I know that there's no way that I'm going to be able to get to them.

"No one will help you," Kronos practically coos, "I have us held in a kind of in-between state; they can't see you, and you can't affect them. The Goddesses," he spits angrily, "cannot get to you either and your precious familiars won't even be aware that anything is wrong."

I want to curse him out so fucking badly, but I can"t. My mouth won't move. My anger grows, and with it, my magic, it starts rolling and crashing against the confines of the binds, my anger fuelling it; the Darkness in it completely overtakes my regular magic, absorbing it and claiming it as its own. I would be concerned, but all of my fear is focused on my men and my warring family. The sounds of their fighting surround me, and soon, cries of pain are mixed in as well, each one stabbing me in the heart.

All of them are bloody, none of them are holding back, and I feel sick to my stomach. They're really going to do it; they're going to kill each other.

A familiar voice bellows in agony and I focus on Hunter and Jax staring in shock as I see Hunter's mouth clamped around Jax's leg as he shakes him brutally, the snap of the bone echoing through the room. Hunter launches him through the air and then is back on him as soon as Jax hits the floor; his mouth widens as he aims for Jax's jugular.

If I don't do something, Hunter is going to kill Jax, and there is no coming back from that. He will never forgive himself.

"Oh, our first death, how exciting," Kronos giggles, the joy in his voice disturbing.

The fear and the anger that was steadily building suddenly explodes. The Darkness releasing from me burns through the binds that Kronos has bound me in with ease, and catching him by surprise I bury a dagger in his chest.

"No, how did you do that?" he questions, unfortunately seeming unaffected by the dagger.

I'm about to demand that he fix the guys, not daring to look in Jax and Hunter's direction until I'm too late, but before I can, the Darkness that has been contained for so long envelopes me, burning through my veins. I scream in agony feeling a shock wave of magic burst from me and praying that it doesn't damage anyone but in too much pain to see.

I'm vaguely aware of Kronos cursing as I feel his heavy aura leave, but the pain soon consumes my every thought.

Jax

Iblink in confusion as I look up at Hunter's wolf poised above me, looking just as confused as I feel. I remember the last few minutes, but I have no idea why we were fighting like that and when I glance down at what should be my torn to shred's leg, it's in perfect condition which is weird.

"Fuck, what the hell was that," Hunt asks, panicking as he looks down at my leg, now back in human form.

"I don't," I start and then look behind him, "Sage."

He glances over his shoulder and curses.

Sage is floating in the middle of the room, purple and gold magic spinning around her, her eyes glowing as she silently screams.

"Don't touch her!" Cain suddenly shouts.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Levi asks, and I notice that although he's covered in blood, there are no injuries on him.

It appears that we've all been healed, but how?

"No time, I had no idea she was this close to transioning I never would've gone and then I wouldn't have gotten stuck," Cain rambles, worry in his tone.

"Dude, start making fucking sense right now because she looks like she's in pain," Kai growls.

"She's a . . ."

I don't hear anything he says as Sage's silent scream becomes ear-piercing. Her magic wraps itself around her before she suddenly explodes, her appearance changing and I stare in shock.

"What the fuck?" Erin mutters in an awed voice.

Sage

The pain finally stops, but something is different.

"Look behind you Daughter," Nyx's voice sounds clearer than it has been for a long time.

Doing as I'm told, I look behind me and blink in disbelief, my mind not connecting what I'm seeing to words. I just stare until suddenly; it snaps in place.

Wings.

I have mother fucking wings.