Chapter 7

Fire filled Wisty's veins a rage and angry so strong she could feel it boiling up and fueling her magic. The ringmaster didn't have time to react as she threw them to the floor, flames starting to emerge along her arms and licking at her hair. She swore at him and punched his face with a burning first when he tried to look at her it was thrilling watching those rust eyes wince in pain. Apart of her told her to stop that she needed to calm down, that the twin tattoo on Nikolas had reasoned that didn't involve the kaleidoscope evil intent that spiraled around the forefront of her mind. She wouldn't give in to that part; so many suffered because was unable to act, too many of her friends had died because she decided that the slow, well-planned approach that appeased everyone would be okay one more time. Nikolas had put this mark on purpose, just like Darrius had done to create The Family. The Atlas Carnival, the circus that she thought that she'd enjoy up 'till the end, was just another evil group like the kingdom on the mountain and those thugs from the desert. Another group that wanted the city and wanted to use her magic to oppress and destroy innocent lives.

Her shoulders heaved in a burst of laughter, she didn't know how long it was since she had last used her power like. It's must have been before she divided her power with Whit she assumed before she had to maintain some sort of control to the leader of the city. Her M felt as alive as she was as and if the liberating feeling the fire danced around her.

The intoxicating mix of rage and freedom turned to ice as she heard a strand of laughter beside her own theatrical bouts. It's was nervous and breathy like a child that denying that their parent had hit them, the sound twisted her stomach as concerns and guilt. Her eyes well down on Nikolas his body unmarred by her fire the discoloration from her unblocked punches retreating under his skin as if she'd buried worms in his flesh. Wisty's eye's feel on that accursed making on his chest that glowed with an unnatural electric blue that she was sure she'd seen once before, her eyes flicked around the room the path of fire seeming to not leave the level of damage she had felt.

The wizard beneath her shuttered a cough "Wist-eria." His laughter became surer as he tried to sit up "Yes, I'm sure I deserved that, right Wildcat?"

A familiar hatred filled her as the sound of the nickname and before she could stop herself, backhanded him "Shut up Pearce!" she screamed as she watched his cheek turn red with the impact, something her previous strikes hadn't done.

Nikolas bore a glare into her, as surge power came from him pushing her out of arms reach of him with a cold physical force. "As much I think you deserve a fair shot at taking my life, you seem to not understand our situation." He didn't look at her as he stood up his movement mechanical as he sat behind his desk.

Wisty got to her feet unphased by his change in demeanor "No! I do!" she readied herself to trade blows with her newest enemy, but Nikolas didn't move from his seat with no expression on his face.

"Do you now?" He buttoned up his shirt covering the blackbird with the silky white fabric "Educate me." He snarked moving his eyes to stare vaguely in her direction.

She narrowed her eyes at him "It a spell that goanna brainwashes me so you can take over the world!" The image of the daisy chain of F that was the symbol of the Family was a vision burned in her mind "It didn't work, did it?"

Nikolas rubbed his sore cheek as he listened "I guess it didn't if the mark was meant to do that." A disappointed sigh escaped her lips "Wildcat? What if I told you that the mark on both of us was just a mistake." He began to explain "I was going to tell you but." He winced before finishing his statement.

"But, what?" She knew that he was at the conical meeting, even she doubted that's why he'd shown up.

Expression turned more saddened as he looked at his hands "I knew you'd behave this way, and you still wouldn't believe me." He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes "I decide it was to wait until we meet and private."

Wisty clenched and unclenched his fists "What if we never did?"

The gemstone color of his hair shimmered briefly ran his hand across his head and face "Then no harm would have really been done." He eventually answered, "You still don't believe me?" His voice sounding a child caught lying.

She walked up to his desk "What have you done to me?" She placed her hands firmly against the wood of the grand desk.

Nikolas made a sound like a laugh though it reverberated with a pain she ignored "Wisty must have some clue what this spell might do?" Then he turned those dark rust eyes to might her blue-green. "Feel your magic, tell me it changed hasn't it." His words had a quality to it that Wisty wouldn't let herself be swayed by it.

With a short shallow breath, Wisteria looked into her M to the spark that was everything to her, it was still there the fire that was hers and her brothers. There was something else there the more she focused on that strange presence pulled her and her M closer to what she could only make out was a consuming vortex. "You're!" Her eyes went wide as any second thoughts of how evil Nikolas drained as anger filled her.

It was squashed the moment he opened his mouth "No, Wildcat all your M is still there." It felt like in that metal nest his voice was loud and everywhere, it startled her as he stood up mirroring her stance "So is mine." He gave a quiet growl that made glass in the room rattle.

She took a step back, confused while something cemented in his mind. She had hurt him. Whoever she though the wizard in front of her to be was wrong, but he was just as dangerous.

She watched his expression change as he seemed to fall back into his chair "You hate me now." His voice back to normal.

"What did you do!" Wisty used every amount of emotion she could muster to show hid he wouldn't bend to his flip-flopping personality

"Our magic is bound into a singular pool, that tattoo on our bodies are the symbol of that bond." Again, he couldn't look at her as he answered: "The spell is important to the carnival, the fact that it affected us was unforeseen and purely accidental."

Witsy glanced back to the day of the carnival to the giant spider on Eremiel "Well, if this was an accident." She waved her hand over her own mark "Undo it, now!" She watched him, now she had answers apart of her wanted to just the ordeal to just end.

Nikolas's face went back to that of a child in trouble "I can't."

Wisty let out a scream as she stomped about and she became fully a light, burning the floor frustrated feeling like she was stuck in a loop.

"The bound cannot be removed without one of us losing their M." Nikolas rubbed his forehead watching her burn and cry "But the spell well disappears naturally within a year." His eyes staring at the smoldering floor.

"You're kidding!" She swiveled to him "I can't spend a year with this thing on my neck! I'm spending a year with you having accesses to my M!" She wanted him to fight her to laugh like he did during his performance. She didn't want this to be some dumb accident, not after everything she's been through.

"Dit-ou." I glass vibrating once more using enough of his abnormal gift to communicate his own irritation "I have a lot at risk being connected to you."

She glared at him but it was clear he wasn't playing games "How?" She felt her body cooled, curiosity outwearing her own anger.

Nikolas looked at her and muttered, "Rumor has it that anyone that has a romantic interest in you, dies."

His words hurt her in a way she couldn't, didn't want to understand it felt like he'd put dagger of ice in her chest "That's not true." The words felt bitter as she said them.

He gave nod moving looking to her looking a destruction she caused, yet he said nothing as he stared at her neck "I thought so, may I help you hid that?" he pointed to her marking.

She looked at him a weighted her options, she couldn't wear a scarf for a whole year without gaining suspicion. Still, if she fully trusted what Nikolas had said her brother might have a bigger fit about her situation. Staring at the smoke staining the ceiling. "Do it." She said through gritted teeth.

Nikolas held at hand out to and she almost finked at the motion. She didn't realize what he'd need to touch her to hide the marking.

Somehow reading her like a book, Nikolas ran back to his desk grabbed a piece of paper. "Put this over the mark." He said handing her the paper.

Confused yet, strangely comforted by the gesture did so. Then slowly he put his palm of his hand against the area of paper. The barrier while thin gave her the will she needed to stay stoic as possible. As the complete heavy otherness of his magic wrapped around her neck like a silken noose.

He moved away letting the paper fall to the floor "Long as you think that people can't see it, they won't." he explained and talked to walkway "It's just an illusion so be cautious."

Wisty stood there testing the illusion so thin it wouldn't take too much break "Thanks, so a year?" She asked

"Yes." Nikolas sat behind his desk not meeting her in the eye "Don't worry the festival thing, I'll have someone else handle that event."

Taking as his closed-off behavior as an invite to leave "Goodbye then?" happy that she could this day behind her.

She made her way to leave when she heard him say "Did he hurt you?"

"Who?" She glanced back at him.

He looked up at her with a gentle concern "You called me a name, Pearce?"

'No, no!' She screamed at herself for the bout of anger that occurred .she was so sure in the moment that Nikolas was Pearce. It was the only thing that made any sense. she just let that part of her that was still so raw take over.

"Wildcat!"

Wisty ran with her hands over her ears. She was done with the Atlas Carnival, done with dived between magic and non-magic in the city, most of all she was done with her past. Running was the only thing she knew she could to in that moment.


Whit sat down by window Janine snuggling up to him as they watch a street performance what had started up outside there building. It was originally concerning that the members of the Atlas Carnival where taking their acts and goods out into occupied part of the city. Though Whit had never heard a complaint about these occurrences. Even as he watched jugglers and fire breathers below he was saw nothing but smiling faces from the crowd that had gathered as resulted.

"odd." Janine gave a sigh.

Whit looked at her "What's odd?"

She gave a small shrug "I don't just feel like saying odd."

"That so?" He looked down at the performance below "what do you think about them?"

She gave a thoughtful look "Beats watching tv after work." Then rested her head on his shoulder.

A quiet moment lay between them before Janine asked: "Whit have you noticed something off about your sister?"

"Yes, but I'm not worried about it." It was a lie, but it was getting hard to tell if something was wrong with his sister or if it Wisty was just being Wisty.

Janine head lifted off her shoulder slightly "I am."

"Why?"

"She has been isolating herself." Concern made itself noticeable in her voice "Outside of work and meeting she doesn't go out like she used to."

Whit just nodded at her statements, wondering who else had caught on to his sister's behavior. He hoped that making go back to the carnival made her as happy as she was in those photos of her he saw in the newspapers. Seeing his sister like made him nostalgic for a time long before The One.

"Where are you going?' Janine asked as he stood up.

"I need to take a walk." He said grabbing his keys looking distraught "I'll be right back, don't worry."

She lay back in the chair with a sigh "You better come back."

Whitford took a deep breath as he stepped outside, his chest was shaking. He walked down the step to his apartment and out to the street. He tried to clear mind of thoughts of the past, even remembering happy times there was a pain that was getting harder to ignore. He didn't want Janine to worry about him especially after what happened in the hospital.

He let his feet take him onward as the sky changed from blue to umber. His mind nearly clear when he saw something that stopped him.

A few feet ahead of him walked a strange duo. a tall figure dressed in a gray cape and hood like an outlandish a phantom, and petite woman in a white lab coat.

"Hey!" He called out to them in a friendly tone his steps getting a little faster.

As soon as his voice reached them the woman ran away from him. Whit was readying to give chase, only to see that the other person to continue towards.

The figure stopped half way and slowly remove their hood.

Whit gasped unable to process what he saw "Pearl?"

Older, and noticeably taller it still couldn't be anyone else. He knew those eyes and mischievous smile of the girl who'd help him and his sister countless times. Apart of him tried to tell him it wasn't her and remembering how he couldn't heal her.

"It's you?" He almost sobbed at the sight of her gripping her shoulders. He became unsteady his legs giving out as the world rushed around him and the world went black.