Chapter Thirty-Two: To Manifest a Breaking Point
Kadma Starlighter dressed in Earth-fashioned clothes after over twenty years of being the Queen of the Purple Planet. That was not something to be seen every day. It did happen from time to time, but rarely like tonight. With the elegant silken button-down shirt in amethyst hues, tucked in her high-waisted formal black pants and thick five-inch heels, she looked like the female incarnation of her late father, George Starlighter, who had been a respected businessman and socialite at his time...
But that was beyond the point.
Kadma's violet-blue eyes flashed angry sparks of helplessness and outrage as her long dark straight hair fell loosely over the crown of her head and down her shoulders.
"This is unacceptable. Unacceptable!"- her strong voice echoed in the empty Silver Dragon as she slammed her hands into the table. "How dare they keep me out of the damned Fortress now? How dare they keep me away from Halinor when she needs me, this is an absolutely portentous divide-and-conquer!"
"Of course it is,"- the woman sitting across from her in her white pantsuit retorted. "That's what they want. To undermine our Collective. But we won't be undermined, now, will we?"
"Tell me, Callahan, why are we punished for doing the right thing? Ultimately punished!"- Kadma went on with her rant. "I said we should just rid ourselves of the damnable guardians from the 1600s the minute they arrived and started this circus! But no, it was not morally right. What was right was apparently to give them the opportunity to challenge us and forces beyond our capabilities. Perverted forces shrouded in false righteousness like the Twin Conclave!"- she said it with disgust, as if she was talking about somebody's suppurated calluses.
Charity didn't even bother reminding her they might be watched. She didn't doubt that the Queen of Zamballa has done more than enough spell-casting to block the most of seer powers she could, and that definitely was a lot. She didn't even bother reasoning that this was against her understanding of how to deal with the enemy.
Kadma was not one to be clashing horns with when something got on her nerves, especially like in this case. The Conclave was blocking her from being by her friends' side in Kandrakar.
"...for a reason. They know that united we're harder to defeat. Impossible to defeat. Ms. Clarkson has two guardian teams on her side, her Council has more potent magical aura in store than Himerish's, and the Conclave are inevitably feeling apprehensive about it,"
"Yeah, well, if they didn't have their-"
"No, Your Majesty, do not speak it out loud,"- Charity interrupted her insistently. "Do you have a letter for me?"
Kadma's stern expression stiffened even more but she reached and pulled the envelope hidden in the back of her waistline. Tucked in with the shirt.
"Communication between you, Ms. Clarkson, and the others is key,"- the auburn-haired elder went on, carefully putting the received envelope in her Hermes bag. "So that we're up to date with everything and have the readiness to act out, if need be, and need will be. It's simply a time matter. Matter of when."
Kadma looked like she was contemplating whether to voice out a reply to that or not. Her thoughts were elsewhere, and in the end, she decided she couldn't keep them to herself:
"Charity, what if we did something more for the maintenance of communication,"
"As in?"
"As in maybe...Nerissa's idea was that I could return to Kandrakar glamoured as you and that we could switch between going up, so that-"
"Your Majesty,"- Charity interrupted her, tone tolerating no objection.
Her eyes were steady and on the older woman the entire time, and she just concluded firmly:
"That would be a fool's errand and too much unnecessary risk. To all of us. Glamours are not enough when the Twin Conclave is in question."
Kadma shook her head. She knew that. She understood it, yet still, a part of her wished they at least tried it out. Just to be able to hold Halinor, and...
"You shouldn't allow yourself influenced by Nerissa Crossnic,"- Charity said seriously. "Please, Ms. Starlighter. You know better than to trust a-"
"A what?"
Nerissa's sudden appearance startled the other two, despite Kadma knowing that she had been upstairs the entire time. Even Charity's confidence faltered as she looked over her shoulder, watching the tall raven-haired witch approach their table.
She stood by her friend's side in her leopard-patterned dress. In the dimmed restaurant, she looked like a real-sized leopard walking on two legs.
"A what, Charity,"- Nerissa repeated her words, hand on her hip.
There was a dangerous flame burning in her green eyes.
Charity stood up, gathering her things, all ready to leave.
"You shouldn't be here and you're well aware of it,"- she said to Nerissa's distaste. "You're an object of the upcoming trials which increases the chances the Conclave spy on you and everything you're aro-"
"There isn't even as much as a skyscraper that the Conclave is able to see in this city from up there with the magic I've cast,"- Nerissa interrupted her.
"Oh? Because wasting so much energy is smart,"- Charity murmured. "Repeating the mistake form when you almost destroyed the Heart of Aridia because of overusing it for mass magic..."
"What is it that you have against me, exactly, Charity?"- Nerissa cut her off, irritated. She was getting seriously worked up over this. "Because last time I checked, I was the Mage of Meridian, a valuable addition to Halinor's Council, not to mention her old friend and former guardian leader. If you think that she'll ever leave me in the lurch, or inverse, you're more than misinformed. So, why don't you quit bitching and start treating me like the part of this Council that I am before I've sent you back to your other job,"
"Nerissa!"- Kadma finally interfered. "Enough! No one is being left in the lurches or being sent away, we need to approach the issue together, that's the only chance we have and you know it better than anyone. After all, Himerish himself believed that we could stop the Conclave together had they succeeded at interfering back when. When we were kids... I did not like that man one bit and you know it, but we have to salute it when he has indeed been wise. He counted on you to be a reasonable leader, so even if you're no longer holding the Heart, you must be reasonable."
Nerissa raised her chin, nodding. It was true. Over 50 years ago, a similar possibility had arisen. A similar situation and possibility. A terrible possibility that the Oracle had combated successfully, but either way he had wanted his guardians ready and informed. How scared he had been...she would never forget it. Even if moments of it seemed oddly distant.
Now, the situation was indeed happening. Not a rumor and threat, a lesson to be learned by the guardians. It was reality.
The Twin Conclave had made a serious move on Kandrakar and Himerish was not around to guide them through it.
"We will keep in touch,"- Charity said and disappeared in her portal.
"I don't like this snob,"- Nerissa growled the minute they were alone, eyes still focused on the spot she had stood in. "If there's anyone in Kandrakar able to trip us right now, it's her! It wouldn't surprise me if she's the leak,"
Kadma just growled and threw her hands in the air, walking in a circle. She needed to relax. And think. She couldn't allow Nerissa's vexation to add to her own anger and unrest.
The first talks of a leak, someone in their Council that could've somehow managed to turn traitor on them, despite the hefty vow, had initially come around last week when the Conclave had somehow pinned down what they had planned to do about securing their inner power and stopped it. They had pulled the plug on the entire 'operation'.
Logically, after that, the seeds of distrust and fear were planted there, in the Fortress of Infinity, soon to thrive like weeds between them, taking their air, and confidence and exposing them weaker in front of the enemy.
"Charity Callahan is a protégé of the Rising Star, a part of Leo's Elders and her daughter's a witch, who...never mind that, we trust her endlessly, and we trust her for a reason. She's proven herself countless times, Nerissa, stop, there is no leak!"- Kadma snapped in the end, taking a seat around the table. Her leg still stomped though. She was a ball of strained nerves and her friend could see it.
"The entire operation was doomed from the start, the Conclave have to be idiots to let us barricade the Fortress right now, when they're in already, meddling! There is no leak, they're just attentive enough. I mean, they're inside the entire time, aren't they!"
Nerissa pursed her lips and decided to drop it.
"Alright, calm down, Kadma..."- she sighed, patting her back. "I don't want you cracking that smooth forehead of yours... I am just a little petrified here,"
Kadma turned to look at her, knowing how much that confession meant on its own:
"I know, Rissy, we all are. Maybe we have to look at the facts,"- the ex-guardian said reluctantly. "Maybe there is no other way but to revisit what we all knew had manifested when they returned from that castle... Maybe it manifested for a reason,"
Nerissa knew what she was talking about, oh she knew very well. They. The castle. The manifestation. A prophetic one at that. She knew very well and it still made her sick.
"Everything that's been happening ever since Himerish's demise suggests it,"- the former Keeper had to agree. "And still... I loathe it, Kads, dear friend, I don't want to see it whole,"
Kadma nodded bitterly, placing her hand over Nerissa's, on her own shoulder:
"So do I, but what if in the end it's our only hope?"
Anna Bannister-Lair was over the moon. Her son was back home, he was doing way better mentally and was making progress in his personal development again.
He was getting ready to continue his higher education at Heatherfield College, with an additional major in mechanical graphic design and, most importantly, he could enjoy life again. He had just told his family he had a new job too. Chris was going to practice and further learn how to design modern car bodies, to one day successfully do that, in one of the biggest auto houses in the city.
"It's like an internship,"- the young man said, eagerly eating his lunch. "But it's going to be big. This time, I'm sure!"
"Honey, that's amazing,"- his mother cooed, putting more food on his plate.
New goals and a healthy appetite again? That was her boy.
Irma, who watched them interact lovingly, leaning over the counter, smirked; Kandrakar had done fixed her brother, rid him of Azor, helping him overcome his first major heartbreak with that. Or so she hoped. She knew he still remembered Lillian, she wouldn't want for him to forget her... That would've been cruel. She couldn't be happier with the final outcome though. Chris was OK. This was all she had wanted.
"Irma, are you sure you don't want dessert?"- her father shouted from upstairs. Anna was serving her mulled wine pudding, after all. He had to get into something more comfortable to eat as much of it as he could.
"No, dad, I'm meeting my friends. We have errands to run!"
She kissed her mother goodbye and headed for the door. She was just putting her brown suede boots on when her brother's hushed voice caught up with her:
"Errands, huh? Do they have something to do with Lillian?"
"No, Chris, she's away,"- his sister replied softly. Her brother had been through a lot. She just wished to see him thriving from now on. "She's going to be summoned when her trial gets scheduled. You too, I guess,"
"Yeah,"- the young man nodded pensively. "She's not returning my calls...I thought maybe you knew something,"
Irma felt sad. And angry. And sad. Very sad. Even after everything, a part of him was still thinking of the girl who broke his heart like it was nothing.
"Kid..."
"Look, Irma, since I cheated on her in the first place, I'm not just some victim in the entire equation,"- Chris said, as if having read her mind.
"I'm not excusing anything she did,"- the ginger-haired went on, making Irma question how much if at all from his memories had Kandrakar altered after all. "...but I don't want to be unfair anymore. Please ask Cornelia to make her call me? At least try."
Irma hesitated. He was not thinking of asking the crazy Lillian to be back together, was he? She couldn't be sure. Her brother loved her too much as it seemed.
"Fine, I will,"- the Latina reconciled in the end. "But nothing stupid, OK? I don't want to worry about you anymore. The same applies to mom and dad,"
Chris held his hands up and chuckled:
"Don't worry. Serial killer vibes, demon hosting, I'm done with all that. I'm just a normal guy from now on. Well, you know. A hot guy,"
Irma snickered and gave him a hug.
Fifteen minutes later, she was already parking in front of the place she needed to be at. The old Rudolph house.
Two weeks after Miranda's surprising reappearance and capture, she was still here. Still refusing to let anything specific be known. Time was running short, and with shifters' natural resistance to truth spells and serums, and Will's adamant refusal to resort to torture, Irma had become the next very best thing.
Her mental magic would have to break down Miranda's defenses and make her talk. It just had to.
"Hey, Sugar Beetle,"
Irma was surprised to find Martin inside the house, keeping a watch on Miranda in his yellow sweater. Usually, she and her friends took turns but for the most part left her locked in. The shapeshifter couldn't really escape thanks to the enchantments put from within, but still, it was good to have someone check in on her daily.
Martin, though? Today was their day off from work but she was surprised her friends had let him take this 'shift'. Things were not the same since his connection to the Eye of God had become general knowledge.
"Matt let me in,"- Martin replied to her quizzical face. "I've told him I want to be useful, that I wanna help, numerous times, and I guess he finally agreed to give it a go."- the blonde man chuckled, trying to mask the awkwardness of the topic. "He had something to do and left, and the shapeshifting girl is in the living room."
"Ooh... right. And Will? She wanted to be here when I do my thing-"
"I just called her when you pulled up the driveway,"
"Uh-huh. Thanks, bae."
She let Martin hold her in his arms both reluctant and nostalgic. Irma felt strange and she couldn't put her finger on why. Everything made her so out-of-characterly dreary. Even though she was happy about her brother's new start and all that, something still...felt out of place. Not enough. Or perhaps too much... Irma didn't really know; she just knew she wasn't feeling like her best self.
Eventually, she entered the living room and sat on the old tabouret across from Miranda in her armchair. She wasn't exactly looking forward to interacting with the shifter.
Miranda had always creeped her out, even when she had joked about it. Irma joked about everything, really. It was not just the monster form that the girl could take. No, there was something far more sinister to Miranda. Something that, thank God, hadn't been able to completely flesh out in their time as guardians. So far.
Miranda's part in their wars had been primarily that of a sidekick. A minion. A stealth user who played small tricks for the big game masters. Irma however knew she could probably be much worse than that with a set of the right conditions in her favor, and honestly, she preferred that the shifter never got to having those favorable conditions to bring out her full nefarious potential.
Her girly looks were by now slightly more mature, thankfully. Still very, very young but at least not juvenile. She was creepy enough without looking like the "Orphan". Irma gulped unwittingly. That's who Miranda reminded her of, the creepy dwarf killer girl from the infamous horror flick she loved.
Irma fixed the big hairclip that held her hair up and forced a big smile too. Just like that. Miranda looked right through her. It would've been awkward if she was not literally their captive.
"How you've been? You look...cold,"- the Latina blurted all of a sudden.
She realized this was the first time in those last two weeks she was to be around Miranda. She hadn't really broken her legs to 'take shifts'' at keeping watch.
The line was so out-of-pocket, that Miranda stared at her for a moment. Irma didn't even know why she had said it. Of course, the house was not cold by any means, there was general heating in every room and a booming fireplace in the living room with them right now.
Maybe it was her strange nervousness or Miranda's pale complexion in the gruff-looking sweater. Either way, for some reason the water-witch seemed unable to stop saying all the wrong things:
"I mean you look a little blue around the gills, you know? Or, in your case, whatever spiders have there. A beak? You look, I don't know, malnourished. Could you not get the hang of dumpster diving or what?"
Irma immediately made a face at herself.
What the fu...
"Not all of us have the luxury of filling in pants like that, to the point of near tearing at the seams!"- Miranda retorted coldly.
It took Irma more than a second to follow her thoughts and eyes down her jeans before laughing:
"Babe, that ass is the seventh world wonder you're speaking of. Or at least it's on Heatherfield's list of wonders-"
Irma made a comical face at her joke that had somehow, even if for a minute, rocked through the ice.
Now even as Miranda looked away and wanted to ignore her, she couldn't take back that interaction where all her defenses had fallen for a moment.
A moment was all Irma's mental magic needed to hook in and not let go...
Irma felt stunned by her own artifice. When had she become this conniving? Conniving enough to unwittingly break through her opponent's defenses as to give magic a sure start?
She hadn't tapped into her element's powers today, her element was gushing from within her, knowing what had to be done before she could get her head around it.
"You like?"- Irma teased, all her nervousness suddenly vanishing. Maybe it was the spur of the moment and wanting to get this over with, or maybe, definitely, it was her strong magic that guided her vocal cords, words, actions, and the pulling of all magical and mental strings and bonds needed way before her brain could rationalize it.
"This is going to sound pretty discriminating and bigotry, but since you're a literal man-eater, I'll just say it - I've always felt like you shifters are pansexual or something. It means most shit can attract you. Sexually, you're more on the spectrum. Am I right? You can tell me, I don't judge...not my style,"
Another puzzling line pushed through Miranda's barriers. She barely understood what she had just been told and that was enough for Irma's mental intrusion to go deeper.
Miranda clenched her teeth, having now realized this was the second time she made this error today, and tried to get out of it:
"It depends on the individual, I suppose, for me it's not exactly about the sex down there, between your legs,"
Irma smiled again.
"And for Cedric?"
Miranda blenched. Cursed water witch! She had distracted her just the right way for that intrusive mental spell, the magic that her Water element wielded so stealthily, to start pulling too much out of her.
"Cause I know he had the hots for our dear Prince Phobos, but then after you went through so much trouble to break them apart again and go live with him and your daughter in Heatherfield, he found someone else, didn't he?"
Angry, Miranda tried to swallow the words down. She was angry. Two weeks she had held her front and now this circus guardian had distracted her and was in her mind. Not literally, no, she could've hidden from that. Had it been an invasive form of telepathy, something the Fire guardian could probably attempt, Miranda could've still escaped revealing what she didn't want revealed. She was no amateur.
But mental magic like Irma's? Persuasion magic, it was all about timing, defenses, and availability. And, to her regret, Miranda had miscalculated all of the above because of less than a minute of distraction. Something she should've known better to evade...
"You're going to tell me now, Miranda,"- Irma crossed her arms on her chest, bringing herself further in her seat. A part of her hated doing this because it made her feel all sorts of shit but for some reason, it was very strong today. She had arrowed the center of the target with her unwittingly cast mental spell and Miranda.
"Cedric found another,"- the dark-haired shifter heard herself admitting. "In that bookshop."
Irma nodded, crossing her legs, almost like a therapist who has just made progress with a patient.
"Come in, Will,"- she said.
She had seen the redhead hiding behind the door with the corner of her eye.
"I didn't want to, uh, ruin your concentration,"- Will said abashedly as she made her way cautiously.
Irma shook her head.
"Nah, don't worry. We're almost done here,"
"Where are Cedric and your daughter now, Spidy?"
Miranda's entire being convulsed in the helplessness. She kowtowed in hatred and compulsion, as if Irma's questions were clutching her throat, and they were. Even more so compellingly than that.
"Sound,"- she hissed as the intrusive spell urged her to reveal more. More. It was like a thin needle grazing near her ear and threatening to plunge itself inside it...
"I didn't ask how they were, I asked where,"- Irma pointed out, no hesitance in her voice.
"Wouldn't you first want to know who she was?"- Miranda smiled through tears. There were tears running down her cheeks now, to Will's shock.
The entire scene she was witnessing was nerve-wracking and bristling much more than she had originally anticipated. The eye contact, the tension...Maybe because Irma seldom did compulsion spells of this magnitude, if ever.
"You know her."- Miranda declared all tearful and resentful. "You all know her."
Irma herself was too intrigued to let that slide. She knew she should demand to know where Cedric was first as this was meant to lead her on and ruin her concentration with the spell altogether. She knew that but she still slipped, too impulsive for her own good:
"Who is she?"
"It was Rebecca,"- Miranda snapped impatiently. "Or should I say Orube,"
"Wha-"
The shock went back the line and the spell was broken. Miranda felt her invaded mind free of Irma's magic grip once again and sighed in relief, feeling as if a great burden had just been lifted from her back.
Irma on the other hand could just blink, looking between Miranda and Will, who was equally baffled.
"What the fuck are you talking about-"- Irma growled, annoyed, and stood up, and then all the tension, pressure, and control that she had used backfired in her face and she fell back in her seat, mentally overwhelmed.
Fuck. Miranda had tricked her but she had still told the truth. She had been compelled to speak the truth only.
"If Orube went to work at the bookshop, where is she now?"- Will frowned, suddenly realizing that no one had even spoken of Orube since she was back. And she had totally slipped her mind. Orube hadn't been on Kandrakar during the plagues that had doomed the previous Council, so it only made sense. And if she had been indeed in the bookshop of all places, in Heatherfield... "Did you do something to her too?"
Miranda leaned back on the couch, resting, and just smiled her eyes closed.
"What's the matter, Ms. Keeper? Not enough stamina for another mind-invading spell like that?"
"Oh, no, but I can beat the shit out of you instead!"- Irma raved, barely over her vertigo. "Where are everybody that worked in that dumb bookshop and what did you do to them, web-mouth?!"
She stood up again, only to end up leaning on Will for support. The backfire of her spell had taken a toll on her. She felt like she had pulled a bunch of all-nighters in a row, with no sleep between them.
"Irma,"- Will said. "Careful..."
"No, I won't be careful anymore, Will, we've given her way too much time, it's time for answers! She has done something to Orube!"
Miranda simply smirked.
"Ah, all that calmness and confidence. You don't like the taste of your own despicable magic, do you, Water guardian? It's a shame what you did there. Failed after such a powerful yet unfinished persuasion that's unlikely to be repeated."
"Why you dirty-"
Irma coughed in annoyance and pain. What sucked most was Miranda was right. She had wasted a felicitous moment and opportunity and couldn't even dream of repeating that spell at least until she got her energy levels back in norm.
"Miranda, it's for you better good to start talking now,"- Will eventually said, a collective glare on the shifter. "Cause if you don't, you're risking getting trialed on Kandrakar too, and that will end badly. For you."
Miranda narrowed her pale eyes. From what she had heard them discuss over the days she was kept as a prisoner, there was something big cooking up on Kandrakar. Something forbidding. Something beyond the guardians and the Council.
"Think about it. Elyon granted you freedom in exchange for information and pacifism last year. You started shit on Earth with other people. People who are tightly connected to Phobos's trial. Phobos's s trial is directly in the middle of Kandrakar's fate. You're risking getting into deep waters that you haven't swam through before."
"Yeah, so think about your daughter and drop the grudge against Cedric and Orube. We need them and you need a guarantee that the Twin Conclave won't, oh I don't know, make a rug out of you or something along the lines."- Irma remarked sourly before the shifter could give a hollow sarcastic reply.
Miranda fell silent. In actuality, judging by the scarce information that had reached her while in this house, and the almighty guardians' attitude, there was no second doubt in her that something big was looming above.
But this time running away wasn't going to be her resolution. No, that hadn't fared well with Leonida, the Dark Descendant, and all of the crap from almost two years ago now.
"I'll do it,"- she said eventually. "On one condition,"
"Shoot,"- Will perked up. To her, the sooner Cedric could be brought in, the better, especially in these unknown depths they had been thrown into. "You want to disappear again? I was thinking,"- the redhead went on, too eager to close the deal. "Maybe a convergence cloaking spell so that no one can even sniff out Mancy and you, and-"
"Mancy and I become part of the Royal Court again. Just like under Phobos,"- Miranda interrupted her slyly, her poker face hard.
Irma gawked and looked at Will, who was too flabbergasted to exchange looks with her. She just stared at the shifter:
"And Orube is to never be allowed in it."- Miranda spat. "Then, when all trials and tribulations are past us, whoever is left to rule over Meridian, has no right to kick us out or trial us on the basis of our past transgressions. My daughter and I are to be pardoned and made part of the new Escanor Royal Court until further mistake that's to deem us unfit for it, which, trust me, I will not be making."
"Whoever is left to rule over Meridian?"- Irma repeated. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Miranda smirked to herself. Perhaps she had let out a little too much of her own perceptions and thoughts on the topic but now wasn't the time to discuss them, so she just ignored it. She stared at the Keeper expectantly, as Irma kept ranting:
"And why the fuck do you want this? To be in the court again? Last year you wanted to start over on Earth, away from the crown and your past, right? Surely, you've done and experienced worse than dumpster diving, why do you want to scrap the page again,"
"Oh, and Keeper? In case you do decide it's best to pull the information out me of against my will again, magically or through torture, for I have great knowledge of those surrounding you,"- Miranda called in darkly, completely shutting Irma's presence out. The duel her eyes were having was with those of the Keeper. "The concrete piece of information that you need from me...it may not just come out like that. It may not even be in me right now..."
Will furrowed her brows:
"Wait, what do you mean?"
Miranda smirked awry:
"A deal's a deal, Keeper. You decide from here further. What's it going to be? A fair deal to satisfy both parties or something else that will only deepen your issues and have you lose valuable time that should rather be used building up the Prince's defense,"
Irma left the Rudolph house ten minutes later, frustrated and still pretty overwhelmed. It was snowing as she made her way towards her car. What was the point of all this? What was the point of tolerating Miranda for so long for her to have pretensions now? She hated how she had failed at squeezing the information out of her when she had the chance. Now it was all on Will's shoulders, whatever happened now she would get blamed for it and Irma hated to see that, because she couldn't even imagine all the pressure her friend was constantly under already.
"Irma, wait up-"
Martin was trying to catch up with her. She had almost forgotten he was still here too.
"I didn't wanna be in the way but I heard what happened. Sorry,"- he said. "What are you doing today? Going back to the station?"
Irma grasped the strap of her vintage bag.
"I dunno... it's a chill day,"- she shrugged. "Maybe I'll go to the mall or something. Hey, are you free?"
Martin shook his head:
"No, but give me two hours and I can meet you there. We can get Wendy's and do whatever you say."
Irma grinned. Now that's something she loved to hear:
"It's a date!"
The rest of her day somewhat fixed her mood. Irma underwent some serious shopping therapy. Then she went by her favorite brow kiosk where she had done her eyebrows ever since the eighth grade. Contrary to common belief about these kiosks, the girls that worked here were great at their job and great at getting up to date with the latest trends in eyebrow shaping as well.
The central mall of Heatherfield was as usual air-conditioned, already decorated for Christmas, and full of people, discounts, and noise.
So, two candy cane lattes, 500 dollars poorer, and nearly two hours later, Irma was ready for Martin.
When her phone rang again, she was weirded-out:
"Phobos? When did I even add you to my contacts?"
"Where are you?"- Phobos interrupted her from the other end of the line. "You're not home or with Wilhelmina anymore, where can I find you?"
Irma furrowed her brows in puzzlement. That she hadn't expected:
"You know this is Irma you're speaking to, right-"
"Yes, I know it is Irma,"- Phobos snapped, patience wearing thin. Why did he have his panties in a bunch this time? "I need to urgently speak to you moreover show you something before Matthew reaches you. So, make some haste and tell me where can I meet you right now, and do not tell him,"
Now Irma was majorly perplexed but also annoyed:
"Woah, wait a minute. I'm in the Central Mall but don't ask me to take your side over Matt's or involve me in any of your stupid macho contests for Will's ultimate attention and-"
"Meet me near the focal fountains on the ground floor, I'm coming,"- Phobos interrupted her before hanging up.
Irma pulled a face and headed for the fountains, dialing Martin on the way. It appeared he didn't hear this phone or something because he didn't respond. Then Matt started calling her.
Irma hesitated.
She wanted to pick up, of course, and normally she wouldn't listen to Phobos demanding she doesn't. But he had demanded he is to talk to her first and for some reason, it stuck with her.
Irma figured that whatever the case was, hearing Phobos out first wouldn't hurt and it could actually make her have better judgment and avoid getting thrown off by his words last minute, as unlikely as that was with her in question.
She frowned ever so slightly, sitting by the fountain and just looking down at her boots.
What was her recent opinion of Phobos, she had to ask herself. She had given it thought but not thoroughly. And a lot had changed. A lot about him and Will...
Irma couldn't hide that with all the changes present, her big hatred for Phobos had somehow melted into something else, something strange. She didn't adore or support him by any means, but she also had some sort of new tolerance for him.
It was strange. She decided not to think about it anymore. At least not right now while she was waiting for him to talk to her about whatever was on his agenda.
When Phobos and Matt arrived together, the Water guardian knew it was gonna get ugly fast.
Phobos pulled free using a lot of force. He panted angrily but Matt was furious:
"You told him where you're at too?!"- the prince hissed at Irma. "You're so foolish, I came to open your eyes to the-"
Irma blinked in outrage and bafflement:
"Hey, I didn't do shit, what is this all ab-"
"I happened to have errands in the mall, asshole, when I saw you enter I connected the dots,"- Matt interrupted both of them, ultimately. "I will speak to her, this is none of your business!"
Irma looked at him and then at the prince, confused and frazzled by the entire situation.
Phobos snarled barely-audible as Matt pulled the folder he had under his armpit away.
"He's been protecting your so-called boyfriend for quite some time now, there's more about him and his mother that you're unaware of!"- Phobos shot coldly before Matt literally kicked him a few feet away.
"What!?"
"Shut your goddamn mouth!"- Matt yelled, not caring that they were making a scene any longer. Phobos had driven him to his edge and beyond this time. He was so fucking insolent. "I promise you, Irma, I'll tell you everything in detail, don't be fucking sidetracked by that ASS-"
"I'm sidetracking her? You knew about this for quite some time, why didn't she hear it second? Since Wilhelmina hasn't either?"- Phobos shot the other man down with glares and a voice full of distaste.
"This is none of your business, how dare you keep talking!"- Matt raged.
Phobos simply nodded, gifting Irma with an emotionless glance:
"It is none of my business, indeed. I stumbled upon the information by chance, but I decided to let it be known for I'm sick of Matthew Olsen and his complex unhealthy desire to forevermore play the hero,"- the Prince spat.
Matt was fuming. Stumbled upon it by chance...he had been going through his stuff again! He was the nastiest, most insolent piece of shit who had interfered in his life like no one else, ruining so much for him, and while Matt was forced to put up with his shit, it was getting bigger and more dramatic on the daily.
This was too much:
"You bastard, a hero is needed when a villain like you is on the loose!"
Irma was too baffled to react, she just looked between the two, dreading the undeniably bad outcome that was to follow and yet completely unable to halt it:
Phobos snarled at that:
"Don't you worry about that, Wilhelmina will hold on quite tight to me once you're out of the picture. As she did over the summer when you were just a scratched-out wreck of a pathetic addict!"
"I'm going to fucking kill you, Phobos!"- Matt spat back and jumped on him.
People gasped and screamed and Irma did too, in her desperate attempt to break this insanity off and push the two apart:
"Stop it!"- she screamed. "Stop it, Matt, what the fuck! Both of you, just-"
They didn't. They didn't stop or listen. The fistfight between them got so violent, that mall security had to step in and stop it before there was any more blood.
Matt wiped his bleeding nose, glaring deathly at the man whose blue eye was already forming quite sorely.
"I'm going to kill you!"- Matt repeated as they dragged him away.
They were both being escorted out...
"Wait, where are you taking them?! Oh, come on, it was just a little punch throw!"- Irma yelled after the security officers but they paid little to no attention to her, already having the police on the line.
There was a crowd of spectators watching too.
Irma growled and pulled up her phone, knowing she'd have to call her father and just ask him to interfere before the two men sank even deeper into their shit, and that's when she saw it.
The folder that the scandal had whirled around. On the floor. She hesitated but picked up in the end before following Matt and Phobos, making more frantic phone calls on the go.
Unbeknownst to them, Hay Lin, Cornelia, and Elyon were also in the same mall, two floors up in a fancy new bridal store:
"How about this one? Does my belly show?"
"No, no! You look beautiful it's just a little yellow..."
"Yellow?"
"Yeah, look at that white on your complexion, it makes you look like a-"
"Oh, my God, now I see it, I look like a potato chip!"
Hay Lin threw her hands up and let them fall into a relaxed position around her body again as she stared into her reflection. This was the fifteenth dress she was turning down and somehow, they were only getting worse and worse, especially since now her friends pointed out flaws in them as well.
"Hay Lin, tell me something,"- Cornelia stood up from the large tabouret again. "If you really put your foot down and designed your own wedding dress, given you're so talented and nibble-fingered,"
"Yeah, what is the worst that can happen with Eric's mom? Wanna bewitch her or something, I mean your wedding day is supposed to be about you and not her!"- Elyon interjected heatedly.
Hay Lin huffed but then chuckled:
"I think that magic's already done enough damage to that relationship of mine. In all honesty, girls, me agreeing to take her wishes regarding the wedding into consideration is more about me willingly wanting to work on that relationship, you know? Like a new beginning for all of us. Me and Lousie never managed to really even start getting along because of the circumstances always being in the way, so I feel like this is a good new chance to start fresh..."
"Yeah but her wishes are overbearing just like her,"- Cornelia snorted. "She got her dress from this bridal store a long time ago, they're not exactly very innovative and up-to-date anymore,"
She happened to say that just when one of the shopping assistants walked by them, giving them the stink eye. They had already been dissatisfied when Hay Lin had denied their assistance and presence around in general.
Hay Lin sighed and got ready to try on the next dress.
"I can't believe you'd both do something so stupid in public!"- Will yelled fifteen minutes later, after she had arrived in the mall's security room. She had talked to the officers and the police. OK, actually Taranee had called in as their lawyer but the issue wasn't as severe. Thankfully there wouldn't be much ruckus around what had happened.
It was actually pretty common for men (and women) to get into fist fights apparently.
People are crazy. And thankfully it was all water under the bridge despite Matt's criminal records and Phobos's illegal documents that could've gotten in the way.
Great, Will kept thinking to herself as she watched the two men silent before her. Her two suitors who were getting closer and closer to doing something lethal because of the tension between them. Because of her. Fucking great.
Just when she had started making some progress with Miranda and she knew it wouldn't be received well...her demands. Will huffed and rested her back against the wall, tiredly pushing the now demandingly long hair away from her face.
Irma returned to the security's room again and Will instinctively tried to hold her but it was of no use. Irma was returning once again. For the third or fourth time ever since the damned folder on Martin and his mother was in her. A folder that Matt had, a tell-all folder about them and their year-long connection to the Eye of God that had somehow remained overlooked up until now.
But now Irma was mad, shocked, and confused and her head felt like a beehive. She didn't know how to process this. She couldn't process another lie on Martin's part and another shocking revelation regarding him or his family...
"I can't believe you hid this from me, Matt, after everything! This is just...just... fuck!"- she yelled once again. All she could do was pace back and forth and confront Matt the most she could as if that would help her case. Irma knew better. She knew it wouldn't, but she was still mad at the man, even though he once again reassured her:
"I was waiting for the right moment, Irma, and honestly, the right moment seemed further and further away with Miranda, Kandrakar, and all of Phobos's crap that we had to endure!"- he exclaimed.
"Oh, yes, blame it all on me. The fact that her boyfriend's mother almost got all of Earth magic and all of you killed, but especially the Hale sisters, and that for the sake of her selfishness."- Phobos interfered spitefully, his cold green orbs walking over everyone in the room. He was acquainted with what was in that folder and by now the two others were too. Will looked uncomfortable and made him a sign to drop it but he didn't. Matt shot him a death glare again while Irma shook her head to herself, overwhelmed by the gravity of it all. Phobos went on: "Mara's reasoning is simple, really. She started with the Eye of God willingly in her youth, then when it got too severe and big, and she had a family, she wanted to preserve that family no matter how many others and who were to be thrown to the piranhas. A classic narc-mother. She did it for Martin. For her son and his future, not even for the Water guardian alone, Irma got amnesty because Martin supposedly loves her, not because his mother cared enough to even try to rat out her old friend Violet,"
"You don't get to say shit about any of this, reptile!"- Matt yelled in his face, alarming Will once again, making her be ready for round two between him and the prince. "Martin didn't know about his mother promising him and then nudging him towards the Eye in exchange for her then freedom. Irma, I sat and wrote all this with Mara herself, the story is much sadder than it looks like, she's not a narc-mom, she's almost as much a victim as anyone else in this entire mess. So much was happening, Violet held shit over her head. If not Lillian in her frenzy, then she would've killed her son. Mara had no choice but to do her bidding, you already know how Martin was between the hammer and the anvil!"
"Still! When all that shit ended and Violet died, she should've come clean about everything! In front of both me and Martin! Not confide in you just because you saw her in the act and she had no other choice!"- Irma croaked and slammed her back against the door, feeling the infuriating tears of helplessness and anger over another disgusting turn in her life. A turn for the worst. Another lie. Another deceit. She no longer knew what to make of this. Her so-called personal life was a mess beyond sorting.
"And Wixy? She escaped after some freak rite that Violet and Riddle tried turned her into a berserk monster, right? Mara said that to you literally two months ago, so why weren't we told right away that there's a hateful broken Altermeere out there, infused with super strong black magic, probably planning our murder?"
This time Matt looked down but Will backed her friend up:
"Yeah, Matt. Not that keeping any of this under wraps was OK in the first place, regardless of your motivation, but the part about Wixy? That's more than pending, how could you not tell anyone about the danger!?"
"I-I've been working on it, I've been trying to locate her ever since Mara told me,"- the Earth regent mumbled.
"Alone? I can't believe you wouldn't tell me! Me, Matt, trying to do this on your own is simply-"
"Stupid! Stupid as fuck!"- Irma barked.
"Typical,"- Phobos somewhat smirked. "It's what he always does, trying to play the hero, trying to save the day, to be something he simply isn't meant to be."
Matt clenched his teeth but Phobos didn't stop there.
"Shut up, Phobos,"- Will warned. But the prince didn't. He nailed his opponent down on the floor with his next statement:
"And he didn't take on this endeavor alone. I heard him discuss the escaped and dangerous Altermeere..."
Matt felt all the blood drain from his face.
"...with his mistress, of course,"
It took a moment to register what she had just heard. Then she got it and she was too stunned to speak:
"Wait, you told Nerissa and not us? Nerissa and not Will?"- Irma exclaimed, outraged all over again as Will seemed unable to pronounce what she obviously thought too. "Matt, you really are losing it. Again!"
"I only did all that to protect everyone, to buy time, you girls had all been through enough with the time loop drama!"- Matt stood up, trying to defend himself. To reason with them. But they had already decided they were mad at him and rightfully so.
He hadn't wanted for any of this to be discovered like that. Like he was some self-absorbed, hero wannabe. Phobos painted him to be that. Matt's eyes glistened with newfound anger for the wicked prince and his wicked half-smile for him. This was all this monster's fault.
I should've never risked so much, giving you access to our life and so much fucking freedom and opportunities, no matter what, the Shagon in him thought. I hate you, Phobos. I hate your guts and I hate what you're doing to Will and our life. I will erase you from it, soon. I promise you that.
"Something strange is happening on the first floor. They came from the sky. They are on the terrace of the Sky Café,"- an electronic voice announced and Will instantly realized that the surveillance system was talking to all of them. Because of her power.
And as she got closer she saw the clients of the café all in alarm after three cloaked men had suddenly landed in the center of the establishment...
"Fuck, aren't those the weird magicians that are hunting down Will!?"- Irma exclaimed, pointing at the screen. "What did Charity call them-"
"The Terrestrial Thaumaturges,"- Matt and Phobos said in unison and then glared at each other.
"Yeah?"- Will commented darkly, determined eyes never leaving the screen as she got ready for offense. "Well, they got me now. They found me. And now I'll get them once and for all,"
"This is such a trap you're going for, I'm not letting you just go there alone!"- Matt caught her hand but she pulled free and stared him down.
"That's the thing, Matt."- the redhead frowned. "You think you have to let me do stuff, let me in, or should I say don't let me in on stuff, stuff that as the Keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar, I should absolutely be up to date on. But we will not talk about this now, those Thaumaturges must be stopped before they've caused major problems around non-magical people."
"Thank you, Nerissa, everything is fabulous as usual,"- Elizabeth Landon smiled as she received the silver China plate from the hostess. It held a piece of exquisite-looking chocolate cake with oranges that went quite well with the rich coffee they were having.
"And scrumptious!"- Harold added, his mouth already full and that had to mean a lot. He wasn't usually one with a sweet tooth. Had a healthy appetite, yeah, his slender physique was all genetic and not due to hard gym work, but still; his wife could vouch that he had always favored savory dishes over sweet such, at least before trying Nerissa's dishes. Now he didn't have preferences.
But that wasn't surprising since Nerissa was an excellent cook in all departments.
"You cooked this all up in an hour? There's that magical touch of yours again!"
"Really, thank you for having us so generously and without any prior arrangements,"- Elizabeth shook her head.
After they had called to drop off Killian for their usual shift-babysitting on weekends and when his parents were occupied, Nerissa had insisted they stay over, and given the Hales' plans for the day had already been rescheduled it was more than welcome.
Their daughter's mother-in-law had treated them to a fabulous lite lunch and a great time for the first time in her family home, a manor that marveled with its architecture and history. As an art restorer, Elizabeth had enjoyed the tour, especially all the rare pieces from the late 1800s that lay around casually.
"Ah, don't mention it, le plaisir est pour moi*,"- Nerissa smiled as she graciously held down her vintage Chanel skirt to her body while sitting next to Julian who gave her one of his bearded smiles. Nerissa smiled back and scratched his chin lovingly. (*my pleasure from French*)
Killian, their dear grandson was in the room as well, playing with an old toy of hers here, in her old house which she had once mostly despised. Now it was different. It was all different. She had a family; a life turned all the way around for the best and the big dark house was a warm dream home.
Killian was a forever source of joy, love, and warmth and all four of his grandparents felt the same about that. He made them smile, joke and brought them even closer together around this shared love and joy. He was indeed darling, and Nerissa was madly attached, protective, and affectionate of him especially.
How she always was with her own, really.
Sure, inviting the Hales over that day was perhaps a tad opportunistic on her part; she was waiting for news from the country club they were bouncing her into, and the said news did come during lunch. She was a part of the club now. The least she could do was smear her perfect hostess act all over her bouncers' eyes. Though that was entirely true. She was a perfect hostess and she didn't have to force any of it. After over two years and so many shared experiences, like Killian, Nerissa actually enjoyed the Hales' company.
They were older people, older than those 20-somethings she was always around because of Kandrakar, and they were also Killian's other grandparents. She could see how spending time with them in a friendly ambiance was therapeutic and important to Julian as well. To have other people his age and a piece of normal life, an adult conversation, a shared laugh over nice food... Not only today, but ever since they were back together as a family.
A house visit here and there, celebrations, being around their kids, being close...
It was important. Very important. To all of them.
To their family in general.
And Nerissa didn't have to pretend to enjoy it, because she did.
She smirked at herself. She sure had become lenient over the last couple of years; and rehabilitated. She was more than rehabilitated in the real non-magical world, and the more she realized it the more it boggled her mind whenever she had a moment of subconscious self-reflect.
She reflected on her major victories. After a lot of fights, she finally had her life as she hadn't even envisioned it. And it was amazing.
Now, if only there weren't so many threats and things to deal with in the magical part of her life...
The ringing on the intercom system tore the ex-guardian off her thoughts.
"Excuse me a moment,"- Nerissa stood up and threw back her largely curled and pinned with French twists at the back hair. For the most part, it was down, reaching to her waist though, with just the twists around the crown of her head resembling a wreath of flowers.
"Charity,"- Nerissa exclaimed with pretend enthusiasm once the gates revealed the newcomer. "What a lovely surprise. It's not a good time, I have Cornelia's parents over,"- her real tone was quick to shine through, cold and full of warning and demand.
Nerissa closed the doors of the manor behind herself and quickly made her way towards the other woman who waited by the gates.
Charity Callahan didn't even twitch more than usual, despite the cold and her seemingly light expensive smart beige outfit. Her astute eyes held those of the mistress of the house who was swiftly in front of her:
"Yes, I noticed the car,"- the elder nodded towards the driveway. "I'll be quick and unnoticed,"
Nerissa crossed her arms on her chest and raised her eyebrows expectantly. It was no secret there was no love lost between her and Charity. In fact, Charity seemed to have it out for her, but what else was new? The majority of the previous Council of Kandrakar had been against her after her return, so why not Leo's Elders and basically anyone who knew her before and after Thanos and remembered it all.
"I'm all ears,"
"First of all, there is a ghost probably trying to get in contact with you here,"- Charity began with a barely concealed sneer to her tone.
Nerissa frowned. She had expected anything but that.
"A ghost?"
"They're weak and perhaps the over-usage of magical energy that you really aren't even feeling as such by now is making you insensitive to the presence. Ordinary ghosts of the deceased can be powerful too but not as much in front of a quintessence wielder, I presume. Your element is literally life-infusing."
"Elida's ghost."- the ex-guardian murmured to herself, finally connecting the dots around what the other woman was saying.
Her old neighbor Elida Fragenson who had died two months ago shortly after the Eye of God's attack on the manor, led by the other Fragensons...
She had a special meaning to Nerissa and she knew it. That had to be why her ghost had stayed behind, she had to promptly help her get into contact with her.
"Perhaps,"- Charity agreed and joined her glove-wearing hands in front of herself.
"That can't be all?"
"No,"- she agreed. "The summoned wizards are going to put Will and many more in danger in the Sky High Mall downtown, where Cornelia and Hay Lin are as well. There isn't much they can do against them without the pregnant guardians and the Heart of Kandrakar the powers of which are not in their zenith, that is why I came to you-"
"What?! That's impossible,"- Nerissa interrupted her. "I put a charm on Will, a charm to alert me of the Thaumaturges' presence. If they were to attack, I'd sense them-"
"Going to, Nerissa, I said going to,"- Charity shook her head. She had the congenital ability to speak like an eloquent teacher and her big eyes sparkled at her every word. "Your charm is yet to inform you, but I'm here to do that now. I didn't know you've cast a charm, otherwise-"
"You have seer powers?"- Nerissa interrupted her again, even though her mind was already working on vanquishing the Thaumaturges. Once and for all. She had been ready for that for days now, but they had laid low. Now they were going to be hers for the taking.
"In part,"- the elder nodded. "But let's not waste time-"
"It's surprising you had the prudence to come to me right away,"- Nerissa taunted one last time before they departed. She knew she had to act fast and use Charity's head-ups to her advantage. "I thought you despised my methods?"
"I'm critical of your character not your direct methods in a combat-like setting."- Charity replied in her textbook posh mean-girls-never-retire rhetoric. "I know you take pride in your strategical thinking too, yet that is something I would prefer you keep to yourself at least until the Conclave situation is dealt with,"
Nerissa's little smile quenched.
We shall see about that.
Six hours later
"Irma! Irma, I'm not leaving before we've talked about this! Irma, I want to explain!"
Irma screamed into the pillow. She was back in her parents' house though they were out. She had specifically asked Martin to give her space. To give her time. Especially after that discovery from earlier that day, especially since he wasn't as unacquainted with his mother's actions and past as Matt had insisted.
"Why can't he just fucking leave already!"- she yelled. This had been going on for over 20 minutes. But Martin had never been one to take the hint. "I've had a disgusting day, I just wanna-"
"That's it, I'll go there and I'll make him leave,"- Chris fumed, slamming the nachos he had brought from the kitchen on the coffee table.
Irma wanted to protest, she wanted to move from the couch she was quite literally sprawled on, but she was too tired.
So, when she heard her brother getting out, into the driveway, she had already embraced the fact that all hell would break loose.
And honestly, after the hell at the mall, she couldn't care anymore.
"Alright, Martin, it's time to go,"- Chris said in a voice not tolerating objection.
He stood in front of the other man, hands crossed on his broad chest.
Yet Martin seemed to be looking through him. Looking towards the house in the back, as if the younger boy was still just that. A little boy. Which he wasn't. Chris had been a child full of temper and very self-asserting and that hadn't changed into his young adulthood.
"I said go, Martin. Hit the fucking road!"- he yelled, nailing his finger into the other man's shoulder, tampering with his balance due to the force he used.
"Chris, call you sister,"- Martin still insisted. "Please, Chris, this is very important-"
"My sister will appreciate it a lot if you stopped screaming like a maniac in front of our house and left,"- Chris repeated firmly. He looked into the spectacled man's eyes. They were full of distress and confusion. Maritn looked like a mad man, and it wasn't the first time the young Lair saw him like that.
"I have to talk to her, I have to make her understand!"
"You can't make her do anything, don't you fucking get it? She DOESN'T want you right now, let her be and quit disrupting our piece, nobody owes you anything around here, Martin, not after what you've been doing and knowing!"
"When I got to be in the know, things had already started happening like never before, and Irma had already forgiven me about my involvement with the Eye which she discovered first in the spring!"- Martin barked. "This discovery is nothing new, she is mad at me for something she was already very much aware of and forgiven me about, so there clearly has to be more to it!"
Yeah, what is some more betrayal and lies and how much more can you add to an already well-developed mountain of shit which you've been proudly carrying on top of your head for a while now, Irma thought from inside the house where she heard everything. Which meant other people could hear them as well. Great, just what she wanted, the neighbors on the first row of the spectacle about her shitty love life.
"Irma said beat it, so beat it!"- Chris said through gritted teeth. Martin's frantic demands were getting on his last nerves. "If you don't go now, I'll beat the shit out of you and boy would it be deserved!"
"Move out of my way, Chris!"
"MART-"
Her brother's muffled, cut-off yell made her blood freeze.
Yes, she had expected a brawl but this ominous sound...
Irma jumped on her feet and hurled through the door and what she saw exceeded her worst expectations.
Chris had his back turned towards her but when he fell down to his knees she saw the blood. She saw it on Martin's hands too.
"My passion flower,"- Martin turned to her with a senile-looking smile but all she saw was her brother's blood. "Let me explain-"
"YOU STABBED CHRIS?!"- Irma screamed in disbelief and ran to the young man who looked this close to passing out. "WHY WOULD YOU FUCKING DO THAT?!"- she looked up incredulously, holding her brother.
"Chirs? Chirs, oh my God! MARTIN, YOU SCREW!"
She couldn't believe what was happening. How was this possible?! Another stabbing, another crazy situation, and more blood, and this time her brother was the victim. Was her nightmare to never end? Was she cursed to relive the same disgusting things again and again? A big lie on her boyfriend's part, fighting him, then more anger, betrayal, hurt...blood. Lots of blood.
"OH, HE WENT AROUND SLASHING PEOPLE HIMSELF LESS THAN A MONTH AGO, DIDN'T HE?!"- Martin roared, shocking her beyond the core.
Irma almost whimpered when he grabbed her roughly by the wrist and pulled her up.
And that was when she realized that he was indeed screwed in the head. Everything that had happened had finally overpowered her boyfriend's psyche and he wasn't the man she had loved...
He had a shabby beard, unruly hair, and dirty-looking clothes on, and that despicably chilling mad eye...
He had been morphing into this version of himself for over a year now.
How hadn't she seen it earlier? How hadn't she realized that Martin had been, in actuality, GOING INSANE?! Then the dark thought hit her. If this had been happening all along, had she manifested the breaking point today, as her strong mental magic had almost worked on Miranda? Was it possible? Had she triggered the inevitable, Martin's clear psychosis into action?
Had the spell worked on Martin instead, pulling his demons to the surface? Had her actions resulted in Phobos revealing the folder that Matt had been hiding on Martin, Irma desperately needed to fathom the bizarre situation when in actuality she already knew most if not all of it had always been beyond her. She knew this was just reaching at this point. Things happen because they have to happen. And Martin's breaking point had to happen as well...
"I'm going to dress his wound in the back of my car now,"- Martin said almost peacefully, looking into his girlfriend's teary eyes. Looking into her eyes, but beyond her. "Then we'll talk. He's going to be fine. So are we. OK, my Sugar Beetle?"
He sounded almost like himself. Hopeful. Confident. Insane. Totally insane.
"IRMA, DON-"
Her waterkinesis washed over him after it had thrown him so hard, he dented the back of his car. He had maybe realized his mistake. Maybe not. Irma had made her mind before he could finish his sentence.
Had he expected anything different?
"No, it's not OK. Fucking nutjob,"- she wiped the tears away from her face before teletrasnporting away with her blood-losing brother.
A/n: this chapter was sad for Irma, but I feel like as she realized herself, it had to happen. Martin's character had already displayed serious flaws and actions despite his background and circumstances affecting him. Despite everything, he still changed. He lost his right mind in the madness that magic and human vs magic can be, His nuance didn't work well with Irma's character and storylines anymore. :/ stay tuned and let me in on your comments!