Notes from the Author

It's a busy week and I have to fly out of state for a friend's wedding this weekend, which means churning out as much as I can without compromising quality.

Which also means writing while I'm at work. Shh, don't tell anyone.

Thank you for your continued support and all the great feedback I've gotten so far.

Chapter 8

The Mark of Death

It took a moment for Akko to remember where she was, but the bright lights and sterile feel of the room didn't leave her wondering long. The needle that had been in her arm was removed, in its place a band aid over a thick piece of cotton.

"Oh, you're finally awake."

Akko blinked the sleep away from her weary eyes. Diana was sitting at her bedside, sipping a cup of tea and reading something in her lap. Upon noticing Akko's liveliness, she set her tea down on its saucer and closed her book.

"What time is it?" Akko asked, sitting up and rolling her shoulders in a stretch. Her chest was a little sore, but nothing in comparison to the tight, stabbing pain that she'd experienced the day before. The cold against her bare back made her look down at the flimsy white gown she was wearing. She pulled the thin sheets up higher on her waist. "And where are my clothes?"

"Almost eight," Diana said, nodding at the clock on the far wall. "Madam Wong had to cut through your uniform." At the worry that sparked across Akko's face, she quickly added. "I took it upon myself to mend and clean it." She gestured to the uniform laid out over the foot of the bed.

"Oh." Akko could feel herself blushing. "You weren't, uh—you didn't—"

"I saw nothing," Diana said quickly, vaguely aware of the rise in her pulse.

Akko looked away, reaching up to scratch the nape of her neck. "Oh," she said, a sheepish smile spreading across her lips. "You weren't here the whole time, were you?"

Diana shook her head. "Of course not. I had to get my morning tea." Her eyes narrowed as her gaze followed Akko's hand on her neck. "Akko. What's that?"

She rose, setting her book, which Akko recognized as the battered Ancient Magical Cults, gently down on the chair. Her hand snaked out to gently grab Akko's wrist, lowering it as she scrutinized her neck.

"Um—" Akko felt her heart hammering against her chest as Diana gently pushed her hair aside and ran cold, soft fingers across the back of her neck. "It's—uh—the Chimera—burned—just a burn, Diana," she choked out, hoping the other girl couldn't feel her pulse throbbing at light speed.

"No," Diana said, leaning in. "Madam Wong had those removed. This is something else."

She pulled her hand away, much to Akko's relief and dismay, and grabbed the book. She threw it down at Akko's side and began leafing through page upon page of bookmarks. "The appearance is similar to that of the red sigil. It's related to the Order of Aurelion, an ancient cult that spawned at the rise of the first necromancer. The ones who attacked us. I've been doing research on this subject matter since the first appearance of the sigil. I remember seeing this, but I don't recall the exact meaning." Finally, she stopped. "Here." Her finger landed on an illustration.

"What's…" Akko's voice trailed off as she examined the drawing. The red sigil. Except, not quite. It was the same basic design, but it was only the jagged, curved mark that adorned the center of the sigil. "The mark of death?" Akko shrilled, eyes widening. "I'm going to die?"

Diana shook her head. "Not necessarily. It means you're being hunted." Her eyes trailed down the page as she read the excerpt. "The mark of death signifies that the individual afflicted is a target for assassination. The mark can be used as a tracking device within a certain range, given certain circumstances. It can only be seen by members of the Order of Aurelion and those who possess the same."

"Those who possess the same," Akko repeated quietly, lifting her eyes to Diana. "That means—"

She brought her hand up to Diana's neck, gently swiping away her thick blonde hair to reveal a nearly opaque red marking that looked exactly like the illustration. The same mark that she assumed was on her neck. "You have it too."

Akko's fingers were warm. Diana winced, taking a sharp breath and feeling the guilt settle into her gut at the way her body was reacting in a serious situation.

"Miss Kagari! You're awake."

As Madam Wong opened the privacy curtain that was separating Akko's bed from the rest, Akko jerked her hand away from Diana's neck as though she had touched a hot burner. Diana, too, took a few quick steps back and tried to cover her quickly reddening face.

"I'm—I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Madam Wong asked, eyes nervously flitting between Akko and Diana.

"N—no," Akko stuttered, turning her face away as flames danced in her cheeks.

"I was just leaving," Diana said, averting her eyes from both the nurse and Akko both. She snatched up her book and hugged it to her chest. "I'm due a visit to the library for a bit of studying." She opened her mouth as if to say something else, but instead shut it and rushed off.

Diana kept her head down as she stormed through the North Hallway, paying no mind to the good morning greetings or calls for her attention. It took half her walk for the blush to work its way out of her cheeks and her nerves to calm, but when she finally felt normal, she was resolute.

She had to think of something, and fast.

Both she and Akko were in very real danger.

"Akko!"

As soon as Akko stepped through the door to her dorm, Lotte tackled her into a tight hug. Akko winced, still feeling some of the remnants of the injury that had placed her in the hospital ward, but returned it nonetheless. "Lotte!"

"How are you? Are you alright? Oh, I'm so sorry." Lotte gave a nervous chuckle, pulling herself away from Akko and backing up to her bunk. "You're probably still sore."

"I'm fine," Akko lied, forcing a smile. "Madam Wong healed me up."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Lotte asked, narrowing her eyes. "You're acting a little weird."

Akko wasn't about to tell her friends about the mark on both her and Diana's necks. No, that was too dangerous. For the time being, she forced the idea of imminent death from her mind and focused on her friends. "I'm good. Just a little shaken up still, I guess," she said. "But guess what? I got an A on the final! That's probably the best grade I've ever gotten in that class!"

Sucy blinked up from her boiling potion. "Well, glad you're back. Now I don't have to test my poisons on Lotte. She wouldn't have been very good source data."

Akko smiled. She threw herself down on her bunk and leaned back against her pillow. "How did you guys do on the exam?"

"We didn't even get to take it," Sucy said, putting away her alchemy ingredients and turning in her chair to face the other two. "The simulation machine is shut down for now. Constanze said they sent it off to the Ministry of Magic for evaluation." She shrugged, looking completely unphased. "That's what happens when you pick the lowest bidder."

"We might have to take the exam after break," Lotte said with a grumble. "Which really sucks. That means I'll have to study while I'm spending time with my parents over the holidays. Speaking of which, are you going home this year?" she asked, directing her attention to Akko.

Akko shook her head. "Dad's overseas for work and Mom couldn't get much time off." She shrugged. "I'll see them over the next break. I don't mind being here, anyway, it's kind of nice."

A loud knock pulled the Red Team's eyes to the door of their room. But before they could make any kind of move to answer, the wooden door slammed open, ricocheting against the wall.

"Hey! I see you're looking spry," Amanda said with a grin, stepping into the room with Constanze and Jasminka flanking her sides. "We were worried about ya, kid."

Jasminka nodded, plopping down on Akko's bunk and offering her a donut from a gigantic box.

Akko, suddenly realizing how hungry she was, took a strawberry glazed and shoved it into her mouth. "I feel fine," she mumbled through a full mouth. "Just a little sore. No big deal."

"What even happened?" Amanda asked, throwing herself down on the floor and leaning against Sucy's bed. "Everything just kind of vanished."

"Miss Constanze analyzed the machine and determined that security was compromised sometime during the exam," Stanbot chirped. "A weakness in the coding allowed for manipulation by an undetermined entity." Constanze nodded, folding her arms across her chest.

Akko shrugged, chomping thoughtfully at the donut as the others in the room launched into their own theories.

A gentle knock at the door interrupted the chatter of the two teams.

Amanda stood, yanking open the door with an easy grin. "There's a sign that says no soliciting. Didn't ya read it?" She started to shut the door on the Blue Team before Diana pressed her hand against it with a sigh, pushing it open. Hannah and Barbara slid around their blonde teammate to take places in the room with the rest of their friends.

"Very funny, Amanda," she said, leveling her gaze at Akko, who had strawberry icing smeared all over her lips and cheeks.

"Akko, I need to speak with you," Diana said, remaining in the doorway. She could feel the eyes of the other girls on her. "Privately."

Akko shrugged. She shoved the remaining bits of the donut into her mouth and licked her fingers, swiping her cheeks with her sleeve. "Sure." She hopped to her feet, pushing aside the ache in her chest and stepping from the room with Diana. To her surprise, though, Diana began walking off down the hallway.

"Er… where are we going?"

"We need to speak with Headmistress Holbrooke about the… issue at hand," she said, making it quite clear that the circumstances between them were not to be mentioned until they were in a safe place.

Akko said nothing. She followed Diana down the many stairwells and long hallway to Headmistress Holbrooke's office.

Once there, Diana took a deep breath and rapped her knuckles against the door.

"You may enter," came the familiar voice of the Headmistress.

The two witches pushed through the door to find Headmistress Holbrooke and Professor Ursula hunched over the heavy wooden desk, analyzing what looked like course paperwork.

"My apologies for interrupting," Diana said, throwing a nervous glance at Professor Ursula. "I need to speak to you regarding an urgent matter that involves both myself and Akko."

Headmistress Holbrooke nodded, settling back into her chair. Professor Ursula began to gather her paperwork.

"Wait," Akko said, glancing between Diana and the Headmistress. "I'd like Professor Ursula to stay."

"Akko." Diana sighed. "That could potentially be dangerous."

"She might be able to help," Akko countered, meeting Professor Ursula's eyes and giving her a reassuring smile. "Besides, she's been with me through everything. I think she should know, either way."

Diana nodded. Professor Ursula, both confused and complimented, simply smiled and placed her paperwork back on the desk.

Headmistress Holbrooke hesitated, folding her hands on top of her desk and staring intently at Diana. "Does this have any relation to what occurred yesterday?"

"Yes," Diana confirmed. "And the evening in which Akko was brought to your office." Without waiting for another response, she launched into the whole story, beginning with the shadowy figure that had pushed Akko from the observatory and ending with the discovery of the marks on both herself and Akko.

Akko listened quietly, clutching her chest at the phantom pains that stabbed her ribcage at the description of her injury. She kept her eyes on Professor Ursula's fidgeting hands, finding reassurance in the familiar presence of her mentor.

"Oh, my," Professor Ursula said as Diana finished. "The Order of Aurelion? I've never even heard of this cult."

"I have," Headmistress Holbrooke replied. She rose from her seat and shook her head, white curls bouncing. "They are very dangerous. Very dangerous, indeed. I was under the impression the Ministry of Magic had banished all known members to another realm. They are a serious threat to our livelihood. Necromancy is a crime that can cause monumental damage to the very essence of magic." With the final statement, she offered a small smile to Akko. "There are certain exceptions, of course."

"And your brother?" Ursula nervously pulled her glasses from her eyes and wiped them on her sleeve. "I was unaware you had a sibling, Miss Cavendish. What role does he have in this?"

"Of that, I am not certain," Diana admitted. "Which is why I ask your immediate dismissal from Luna Nova. I must return to Cavendish Manor to find the source of the Order's revival. And, forgive me for saying so, but I believe that is my duty considering it is my sibling who seems to be at the very foundation of this threat."

Headmistress Holbrooke nodded. "Although I hesitate, I do agree with you, Miss Cavendish. And Miss Kagari?"

Diana cleared her throat, cutting Akko off before she could speak. "I believe she will be safest here at Luna Nova. The school has certain restrictions that will provide some level of security."

"Security?" Akko blurted, leveling her gaze on Diana in disbelief. "They've already been here, Diana. I'm not staying here. I've been with you every step of the way and I'm not stopping now." She paused, turning her eyes to the Headmistress. "I'm going with Diana."

"No, Akko—" Diana started.

"Wait." Professor Ursula raised a hand, sliding her glasses back onto her nose. "I believe Akko—er, Miss Kagari—has a point. I understand that you want to keep her safe, but I believe it is far more dangerous for you to go alone. The both of you have shown what you can accomplish together."

Diana said nothing. She pursed her lips and looked down at her shoes as though in thought.

Headmistress Holbrooke sighed, placing her palms on her desk in resignation. "I believe you're right, Professor Ursula. Girls, I will have the remainder of your exams delayed until your return. When were you planning on leaving, Miss Cavendish?"

Diana tensed her jaw. Her cold blue eyes flickered from Akko, to Professor Ursula, and finally to Headmistress Holbrooke. She took a deep breath and said, "Tonight."

"What do you mean you're leaving tonight?" Lotte asked as she threw her Magical Numerology textbook down. Her magnified eyes widened in disbelief. "What's going on, Akko? I thought you were staying at Luna Nova for the holiday."

"It's something I can't really talk about," Akko said as she threw clothing at random into her bag. She paused, looking up to smile at Lotte in what she hoped her friend would interpret as remorse. "And it's not because I don't want to. You're my best friends, I would tell you if I could."

Lotte shook her head, hair spraying across her forehead. "And you're going with Diana?"

Sucy had turned in her chair. "That all seems really strange," she said, ignoring the potion that was bubbling over and burning holes in the potholder it was sitting on. "Even for you, Akko."

Akko scanned the room for anything she might possibly need. At the last moment, she flipped open the polished oak box that held her beloved Shiny Chariot cards and began sorting through them. Upon finding the card she was looking for, she shoved it into her pocket and directed her attention back to her friends. "It's all going to be okay," she promised the two witches who couldn't hide the incredulous scowls on their faces. "I'll tell you all about it when I get back." If she got back, but Akko didn't dare say that. No, she was confident that she and Diana could get through whatever the Order of Aurelion threw at them. After all, they'd already defied the mass destruction that was the Noir Missile.

"You'd better," Lotte mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. "Be safe, Akko."

"I will." Akko grinned and threw her arms around her friends, squeezing a surprised Lotte and a disgruntled Sucy tight. "Have a good holiday!" She backed off, grabbing her hat and tucking it onto her head. "And try not to worry about me."

"But it's in my very nature to be worried," Sucy drawled, monotone voice laced with sarcasm. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Akko chuckled, grabbing her bag and making for the door. "I'll miss you guys!"

"Wait, Akko." Lotte grabbed Akko's sleeve as she was halfway over the threshold. She picked Akko's wand up off her sloppily made bed and held it out to her.

"You might want this."

Diana was already waiting atop the observatory when Akko stumbled up the last step, panting heavily and dragging her bag behind her. At the sight of the flustered Japanese witch, she shook her head.

"Akko, I instructed you to pack light. We're already at capacity with two people on a single broom."

"This is light!" Akko exclaimed, tossing her bag to the side with a satisfied huff.

Diana squeezed her eyes shut, sighing deeply. There was no time for Akko to return to her room to deposit items. They'd already let an entire day slip out of their hands. She pulled her wand from its holster and waved it over the bag. "Pluma pondus." A soothing green light slid from the top of the wand to cover the bag in a warm glow before fading entirely. Akko stared at the bag, eyebrow raised.

"That did nothing," she said.

"Pick it up," Diana told her. "It only lasts for a certain amount of time, so the spell will likely have to be cast again mid-flight."

Akko grabbed the strap of the bag and was surprised to find that it weighed almost… nothing. The skin between her eyes folded in confusion. "Huh. You could've told me that was an option. I would've packed way more stuff!"

Diana rolled her eyes, but was unable to stop the ghost of a smile that fell over her lips. "Let's get going, Akko." She mounted her broom.

Akko slipped her arms through the straps of her bags, double checking to make sure they were there and strapped down tight because there wasn't any pressure against her skin. She could feel her heart quickening as she eyed the back of Diana's head. The soft blonde and tea-green waves that billowed from beneath her hat were bathed in the gentle glow of the moon above.

"Um, Diana?"

Diana turned. The light struck her eyes in a way that made the blue hue almost grey. A sky's threat of a distant summer storm. The outline of her pale features made her seem almost surreal, otherworldly. Like the beautiful, mysterious witches of Akko's favorite childhood movies.

Akko's breath hitched in her throat. "Are we going to be okay?"

Diana said nothing. The shadow that passed over her face spoke for her. She turned, waiting for Akko to mount behind her before quietly murmuring, "Tia Freyre."

The two witches were silent as the broom rose steadily into the air. But, as Akko's arms slid around Diana's waist and the soothing warmth of shared magic pulsed between them, Akko suddenly felt as though everything was going to be just fine.