A/N: Some parts of this chapter are taken from Alexandra Quick and the Deathly Regiment. There may be Alexandra Quick and the World Away spoilers.
("To save your sister," Alexandra said, seizing the thought. Darla's eyes widened. Alexandra's expression turned angry and vengeful. "You wanted to kill me to save your sister? How was that supposed to work?"
Darla shivered, but remained silent. Alexandra gritted her teeth and pointed her wand again. "Why?" she shouted. "Why did you do it? What were you trying to do?"
Darla eyed the tip of Alexandra's wand, and then said, very softly, "What will you do now? Crucio me?" She lifted her hand again, revealing a nose, mouth, and chin covered with blood. "Let's see you do it." There was fear in her expression, but her voice taunted Alexandra, daring her.
Alexandra's hand shook, and then, slowly, she lowered her wand.
"I didn't think so." Darla pressed her sleeve over her bloody nose.
Alexandra stared at her, filled with cold fury and emptiness.
"Here," she said, in a very soft voice. She held out the coin between her thumb and forefinger. Her eyes bored into Darla's. "You can have this back."
Darla slowly reached for the coin, confused and frightened…)
…then she vanished.
Alexandra stared at the spot where she had stood.
Darla is dead.
Her knees buckled and crashed against the ground. Her heart was pounding, her body trembled.
Darla is dead. I killed her.
She felt sick to her stomach. How was she going to explain Darla's disappearance? Perhaps death had lied, and Maximilian wasn't coming back. How could she even look him in the eye if he did come back, after what she'd done?
"Darla is dead," she panted. "And I killed her!"
She heard a sonorous boom as a thick, black fog consumed her. Craning her neck, she saw a large cloaked figure with a skeletal body. Death.
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life."
A white ball of energy formed at Death's fingertips, growing with each word.
"A body for a body, a fate for a fate, a soul for a soul."
Sparks and crackles jumped from the ball, which had grown to the size of a person.
"Where she once stood, may he now stand. His life restored, her life taken."
The ball morphed into the silhouette of a tall, athletic young man.
"Good-bye, Alexandra Quick. I will not see you again before your time."
The fog vanished, and Death vanished along with it. In its place was Maximilian. He looked just as she remembered, and was still wearing his BMI uniform, the same uniform he'd worn the day he died. He was standing upright, with his arms by his side and his eyes closed.
"Max!"
His eyes shot open and he immediately lost his balance. After regaining his footing, he reached for his pocket, before a look of confusion crossed his face. He turned to face Alexandra.
"Alexandra, where are we? Where's my wand?"
She didn't know what to say.
"Are we dead? Why didn't you listen to my instructions?"
"I did listen to your instructions! And I was stupid to do so," she hissed. Her eyes clouded over.
"Answer my questions, Alex!"
"I will, later. But we have to leave now!"
She heard Skuld walking down the tunnel outside the cave they were in. Mr Journey was nowhere to be seen. She took a deep breath.
"Listen Max. I promise I'll explain everything soon. But for now we need to focus on getting out of here before anyone realises where we've been. Do you have some way of contacting father?" Maximilian nodded. "Great. You're going to be quiet and follow me, and then as soon as we're outside the Charmbridge wards, you'll contact him."
"Why can't I stay at Charmbridge?"
"It's been a year, Max. You're already dead to everyone."
Maximilian paled.
"How did you…"
"Shh. I promise I'll explain. We need to focus on getting out of here first."
Maximilian gulped, but nodded. "Oh Merlin, Alexandra," he whispered.
Alexandra found her broom, and after mounting it, pointed at the space behind her. Maximilian hopped on, shaking slightly.
They rose quickly into the air. On the horizon, the sky was turning light grey. After flying across the invisible bridge, she slowly lowered the broom to the ground. Maximilian dismounted it.
"Find father," she said. Maximilian's face turned red.
"NOT UNTIL YOU'VE EXPLAINED WHAT'S GOING ON!"
Alexandra had tears in her eyes, but said nothing. She squeezed Maximilian's hand.
"I will, I promise. But not right now."
Maximilian, shaking, nodded slowly, before disapparating.
Alexandra fell to the ground and let out a shrill cry of despair.
(Anna had by now sat up in her bed. She looked as if she'd been curled up in a ball, but her face showed astonishment and disbelief, even in the predawn light.
"You came back," she whispered.
Alexandra nodded. She dropped her broom and stood there.
"Alexandra!" Charlie squawked.
"You came back!" Anna staggered to her feet, looking shocked and awed.
Alexandra began shaking.
"Are you all right?" Anna asked.
Alexandra didn't answer.
Anna wrapped her arms around her and began crying.)
Alexandra and Anna stood in the embrace for what seemed like an eternity.
"What happened?" Anna kept repeating, but Alexandra was unable to answer her. Every time she wanted to say something, her jaw clenched shut, and stubbornly refused to open. How can I look her in the eye and tell her what I did?
"I…can't."
(Anna nodded. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to,"
"I'm so tired."
Alexandra crawled into bed. Charlie hopped to the edge of her desk, next to her bed, and Alexandra reached up to stroke the raven's feathers.
"Pretty bird," she mumbled, and then closed her eyes.)
Thick fog. Shrill cries. Childish songs. Skeletal birds. Chess pawns. Obols. Dark. Light. Max. Darla.
Everything. Nothing. Hope. Despair.
Alexandra had a restless sleep that night.
When Alexandra woke up, she felt calm and at peace, until she remembered what she did.
Her stomach churned and she felt sick. She lurched forward and belched, emptying her body all over the floor.
Anna looked at her, alarmed.
"Sorry," she said, vanishing the vomit.
"It's okay," said Anna. There were dark circles around her bloodshot eyes.
"No, it isn't," said Alexandra. She sighed. "I know you're worried, and I promise I'll tell you everything soon. But I need some time to rest."
"I understand," said Anna, "But you don't need to rush, Alex. I'm just glad you're back."
Alexandra tried not to think about Darla while she ate her breakfast; it was futile. the guilt gnawed at her, the thought of what she'd done was frightening. But she wanted to survive, to reclaim the life with Max that she was so desperate for, she had to get Darla out of her head and act quickly.
I know I said to Anna I'd tell her the truth, but I can't. If she told anyone, or if someone extracted the truth from her mind, I'll be sent to Eerie Island and saving Max would have all been for nothing.
Alexandra was conscious of the empty seat next to Angelique. Despite Darla's absence, she felt her presence more than she had ever felt it before.
I need to come up with a story soon, before they realise Darla's not coming back.
Alexandra supposed that she could feign ignorance, but she quickly dispelled that though. That might have worked had she not been the daughter of a dark sorcerer, and the victim of a very public murder attempt. Everyone would see through it.
Then Alexandra remembered an important detail. Darla sent me down there to save her sister. Her face lit up with triumph.
"It's nice to see you smiling again," said Anna.
Alexandra looked down in shame.
"So you and Darla both went to the Charmbridge basement, and after you both opened the portal, she stepped through it and left you behind?"
"Yes, Dean Grimm."
Dean Grimm stroked Galen, who she held in her arms.
"Did Darla give any indication that she planned to leave you behind?"
"No, Dean Grimm." Alexandra tried her hardest to keep her resolve.
"Did Darla give any indication of a possible motive for entering the Lands Beyond?"
Alexandra pretended to think about the question.
"I'm not sure…although when she was stepping through the portal, she mentioned someone called Mary."
Dean Grimm's countenance remained firm, but her eyes widened momentarily.
"Are you aware that, by opening this portal, you have not only violated several school rules, but several federal laws?"
Alexandra looked down. "Yes, Dean Grimm."
Dean Grimm sighed. "You're lucky to be alive, Miss Quick, and you're even luckier that The Confederation does not want the public to know about the place you just tried to access."
Alexandra tried not to show her relief.
"I've been informed that Diana will be arriving shortly. You are not to leave this room until she arrives, and you will be sworn to an oath of secrecy." Dean Grimm paused. "And let me make myself clear, Miss Quick. Your brother is dead. He isn't coming back, and you must end this foolishness before it kills you too!"
The last part came out in a flurry. It almost sounded desperate.
"I understand, Dean Grimm."
Alexandra lay on the common room sofa, with her elbow resting on a pillow and her hand cupping her chin. Her skin was pale and her stomach growled.
She thought about the events that had occurred over the past two days. Diana Grimm had forced her to swear an unbreakable vow not to reveal how to access the Lands Beyond, but they didn't know she'd been there, so she could still tell people what she saw.
Not that she would want to talk about it anyway. Sticking to the official story would make her life much easier; the more people were aware of her lie, the greater the chance of her…secret…being discovered.
It wasn't a murder. It was self-defence! Darla already tried to kill me twice, who knows if she'd try again?
Her mind also wandered to thoughts about Maximilian. She had finally achieved what she'd set out to do the moment she saw her brother die. Maximilian was back, for good this time! Yet the feelings of despair hadn't gone away.
Alexandra jolted as she heard a loud bang. Large, green flames erupted from the fireplace, which morphed into the face of a long-haired, bearded man she recognised as her father.
"Alexandra, meet me at sunset, at the place where you and your brother parted ways," he said. Alexandra gulped and nodded.
"We have much to discuss, my child."
The flames erupted again, and when they calmed, the head had gone.
The wind howled as Alexandra walked across the invisible bridge, with forceful gales assaulting her. The clouds loomed menacingly below the moonlit sky; their all-encompassing presence surrounded her like an angry mob of vigilantes.
A cloaked figure stood on the other side of the bridge.
"Hurry, Alexandra, we do not have long," he shouted. When she reached the other side of the bridge, he lowered his hood.
"What do you want?" she said, fists clenched.
"A lot of things, most of which I can't have," said Abraham Thorn. "But right now, what I want is to make sure my children are okay."
"I'm fine, thank you, but that's not why you're here. You want to know how I brought Max back!"
"But Alexandra, those two things are not mutually exclusive. I know a great many Magicks from a great many places, and I have, regretfully, dabbled in Necromancy. I have never seen anything like this before." Abraham took a deep breath. "I have seen animated corpses, inferni, and have heard of ancient magic that can bring back shades of a man. But they all come at a great cost to the soul, or a cost to the caster's vitality. What you have managed to do should not have been possible; it should have, at the very least, destroyed your soul."
"If you're asking how I did it because you want to do it too, I won't tell you!"
"I don't think you could tell me how it happened even if you wanted to, but you can at least tell me what you did, so I know how best to help you." Abraham looked at Alexandra softly, kneeling down so that they were face to face. He gently touched her shoulder. She looked away from his gaze, but did not move her body.
"I…can't," she said.
"I won't judge you Alexandra. I know there must have been some death involved. Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good."
Alexandra felt sick. "I killed her," she said, sobbing. "I opened the portal to the lands below, made a deal with Death and exchanged D- Darla's life for Max."
Abraham's eyes widened, but he quickly returned to a neutral expression.
"The Lands Below, Death, dear Merlin, you are an incredible witch," he said. "I recall Maximilian mentioning a girl who tried to kill you. Was that Darla?" Alexandra nodded. "Then she deserved it. Had I been there that day I would have killed her myself," growled Abraham, with his fists clenched and a faraway look in his eyes. His expression softened again.
"I am sorry, Alexandra, that because of my actions, you have had to grow up so quickly. There are wizards three times your age who wouldn't be able to handle what you've gone through." He paused for a moment.
"There are things that I have kept from you, to protect your innocence. Things you should know." Alexandra noticed a pinprick of light in the distance.
"Time is not on our side," said Abraham, handing her a white bracelet. "Wear this at all times, and say 'Hecate' when you arrive home. It will take you to me."
Alexandra nodded. The tears on her face felt cold.
Abraham stroked her hands. "Dear child, I am sorry."
He disapparated just as Alexandra could make out the voice of Dean Grimm.
"Miss Quick, what are you doing out after curfew at this time of night?"
"I needed to get away from everything," she said, which wasn't a complete lie, although that wasn't the reason she was out.
Dean Grimm's stern expression subsided a little. "I see. I'll let you off this one time, given the exceptional circumstances, but next time, come to my office instead of breaking the rules."
"Yes, Dean Grimm," said Alexandra, through gritted teeth.
The wind still howled as Alexandra and the Dean walked across the invisible bridge, but despite the dark night and thick fog, Alexandra's perspective was clearer than ever before.