Page 49 of Witch's Promise

Sean followed the group into the kitchen, his senses on high alert. The room had undergone a transformation since he'd last seen it, the chaos of the attack wiped away as if it had never happened. Giana must have been busy while they were dealing with Damian. The familiar scent of lemon cleaner mingled with the comforting aroma of brewing tea, creating a surreal contrast to the tension thrumming through the air.

Marcus, the one with short dark hair and an energy that seemed barely contained beneath his skin, was the first to break the uneasy silence. "Alright, Gabe, what the hell happened here? Start from the beginning."

Gabe sighed, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. "It all started with Jessy Wisteria. She showed up at our door a few days ago, scared out of her mind. Said something was after her, but she didn't know what."

Sean's eyebrows shot up. This was news to him. He'd barely noticed the Wisteria girl at the party, too focused on Gabe to pay much attention to anyone else. Guilt gnawed at him - if he'd been more observant, less self-absorbed, maybe he could have prevented this whole mess.

"We took her in," Gabe continued, his voice tight with frustration. "Tried to figure out what was going on. But before we could get any real answers, the attack happened. They took her, and nearly killed my dad in the process."

Lucas, the one who'd been standing so close to Gabe earlier, leaned forward. "Do you need us to stick around, help with the investigation? We could-"

"No," Gabe cut him off, shaking his head. "We can't pull the whole team away from Manhattan. The city needs you guys."

Sean couldn't help but notice the way Gabe's eyes sought out Lucas, as if looking for comfort or reassurance. The familiar sting of jealousy twisted in his gut, but he pushed it aside. He had no right to those feelings, not anymore.

Instead, Sean focused on the words that had caught his attention. "Hold up," he said, confusion coloring his tone. "Manhattan? How the hell did you guys get here so fast?"

Marcus grinned, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "I run fast."

The casual way he said it, like it was the most normal thing in the world, made Sean's head spin. There was clearly more to Gabe's team than met the eye. The magical energy radiating off them was palpable, each one giving off a distinct signature that Sean's limited magical senses could barely comprehend.

Lucas prodded Gabe gently. "Come on, man. You know we want to help. Just say the word."

Gabe hesitated, indecision written across his face. Without thinking, Sean reached out, giving Gabe's hand a brief, reassuring squeeze. The contact sent a jolt through him, a bittersweet reminder of what they'd once been to each other.

"I guess as long as Alex is okay with it, I wouldn't mind the help," Gabe said finally. "We need all hands on deck to figure out who did this and why."

Marcus nodded, pulling out a sleek device that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. He placed it in the center of the table, his fingers dancing across its surface with practiced ease.

Before he could activate whatever it was, Emily bustled back into the kitchen, a tray of steaming mugs balanced precariouslyin her hands. "Here we are," she said, her voice strained with false cheer. "Something warm for everyone."

As she distributed the tea, Sean couldn't help but notice the tremor in her hands, the tightness around her eyes. Gabe’s mother had always been a pillar of strength, unflappable in the face of magical mishaps and teenage drama alike. Seeing her so shaken drove home the severity of the situation in a way nothing else had.

Once Emily had retreated, giving them privacy to continue their discussion, Marcus tapped the device. A hologram sprang to life above the table, displaying the images of two people - a man with a face that seemed carved from granite, all hard angles and piercing eyes, and a woman whose graceful features belied the sharp intelligence in her gaze.

"Alex, Lily," Gabe addressed the holograms, his voice taking on a more formal tone. "Thanks for getting back to us so quickly. We've got a situation here."

The man - Alex, Sean presumed - nodded curtly. "We gathered as much from Marcus's initial report. What's the full story?"

As Gabe launched into a detailed account of the night's events, Sean found himself studying the holographic faces. There was something about Alex that set him on edge, a hint of barely restrained power that reminded Sean uncomfortably of his father. Lily, on the other hand, had a calculating look that made him want to check his pockets, certain she could see right through him.

"I see," Alex said when Gabe had finished. His eyes flicked to Sean, a flicker of something - recognition? suspicion? - passing across his face so quickly Sean almost missed it. "And who's this? A new recruit?"

Gabe shifted uncomfortably. "This is Sean. He's an old friend. He was here when the attack happened, helped us fight them off."

Sean fought the urge to squirm under Alex's scrutiny. He had the distinct impression that this was a man who didn't miss much, who could strip away pretenses with a single glance. It was all he could do not to blurt out a confession right then and there, to lay bare all his sins and beg for forgiveness.

But Alex simply nodded, his expression unreadable. "I see. Well, Mr. Sean, it seems we owe you our thanks."

"I didn't do much," Sean muttered, discomfort crawling up his spine. He didn't deserve thanks. If anything, he deserved their suspicion, their anger. If they knew the truth about his past, about his father's likely involvement in all this...

"Nevertheless," Alex continued, "your assistance is appreciated. Now, as for the current situation - Gabe, you have our full support. Do whatever you need to do to find Miss Wisteria and bring her captors to justice. We'll be there as soon as we wrap things up here in Manhattan."

Lily spoke up then, her voice cool and precise. "I'm sending over all the intel we have on the Wisteria family and any potential enemies they might have. It's not much, but it's a start. And Gabe? Be careful. Whoever did this isn't playing around."

The holograms flickered and died, leaving the kitchen feeling suddenly emptier. Sean let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, the tension in his shoulders easing fractionally.

"Well," Marcus said, breaking the silence that had fallen over the group. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us. Where do we start?"

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