Page 52 of Phixmery

“Are you guys talking? Or just staring at me? I know I’m gorgeous, but I’m going to need a sign you’re at least trying.” He smirks.

Melissandre moves closer to him and I can feel my magick flowing with her. “You suck your thumb like a newborn fledgling and cry out for your mother every night,” she lies and then laughs when he continues looking around, trying to talk to us.

Lennox chuckles. “I think it’s safe to say he can’t hear us.”

“Okay, I think you can pull him back in now,” Ember states, ignoring the jesting with the others.

It’s much easier to pull him back in this time.

“Okay guys, I think it’s safe—oh hey! Yeah, I think we’re good. That was strange. I honestly think she could handle hiding all of us, but I’m still going to add my magick just in case yours stutters. Are you ready?” he asks, throwing his hair behind his shoulders.

“Ready as ever,” I murmur and then feel his light and playful magick join mine. “Okay, let’s move. I wanna get there as quickly as possible,” I state, feeling my nerves amp up. I’m used to sneaking around, getting out of Shalo and even when I was searching for a place to train, so it’s not like I’m not familiar with it.

“Maybe it’s the fact that it’s more than just you who will get in trouble if you’re caught,” Nero adds unhelpfully.

“Maybe this is a bad idea then…” Visions of my past punishments come darting to the forefront of my mind, and I find myself staggering for breath.Why am I risking them like this?

“Their decisions are not your own, Ravina,” he reminds me. “They want to help you with this. I’m assuming this is what friendship is supposed to be like.”

I mentally acknowledge what he’s said and ground myself. Shaking off the residual nerves, I push open the door to a nearly empty hall, only a handful of stragglers still heading to their destinations. With haste, we hurry down the halls towards the officers’ quarters and so far, no one is the wiser in knowing that we’re slinking past them.

Until we reachthem. My feet stutter, but I push past as I see the three males of Wing One returning from their trip. Verlice’s eyes linger on where we just were, searching for something but not finding us. Shit. Shit. Shit. I keep my focus, keeping my gaze on everyone who needs to keep covered by the illusion.

“Everything okay Jesp?” Craven asks, peering at him with concern.

He nods, brushing his fingers through his silky auburn locks. “Yeah, I just thought I sensed something. It didn’t make sense, though. I’m going to—”

“No,” Driscol snaps. “You need rest and then you need to talk to your mother. We have more important matters to discuss.”

It’s the most I’ve ever heard him speak, or speak at all really, outside of grunts. His voice is deep, and rolls across my skin like burning fire. I almost want to stay, to see if I can hear more of his deliciously deep timbre, but Ember tugs me forward and we escape out of the hall.

Thankfully no more hiccups occur and we all slip behind the entrance that leads under the castle. We drop the illusion and I take a deep breath, not realizing the strain it had on me.

Rozen grins, giving me a light punch on the shoulder. “Great job! You held up a lot better than I thought you would.”

Ember ever so slowly spins towards him. “What do you mean by that, Rozen Stoll?” her voice low and slow, almost like she’s speaking to a young one who’s in trouble.

He shuffles nervously. “Well, her magick didn’t falter at all. I was expecting it and made sure we wouldn’t have gotten caught. I promise.”

Lennox steps down the stairs, getting between them. “Hey, we made it here without getting caught. Ravina did it. Let’s not get at each other’s throats, yeah?”

She peers around the hulking Elemi fae. Even though she’s at least half a foot taller than me, she is still smaller then both of them. It doesn’t stop her from getting into their faces. “What matters is that we said we would help her, and keep her secret. What if your magick alone hadn’t worked, huh? What then? From now on, if you think there is even a slight chance of her getting caught, we don’t do it. We find another way.” She storms down the stairs and I follow after her.

Melissandre is close behind but I hear her yell, “What she said.” as she rushes to catch up with us.

“Remind me not to get on her bad side,” Nero mutters, watching the female carefully.

I roll my lips between my teeth to hold back a chuckle. “You and me both.”

After a short yet tense fast-paced walk through the tunnels, we come up to my hidden wall. I place my hand on it and watch as the rock shifts away, letting us beyond into my makeshift training area. Once everyone is secured inside, I shut it again.

Nero flies off my shoulder towards his perch after taking a couple laps around the space to stretch his wings, and I face my friends. “Okay so, what should we start on? I usually just try to find different ways to use my elements, forcing them to their limits—or well, as much as I can in here.”

Ember—who seems much more calm now—tilts her head, assessing me. “Why don’t you start off with what you can do with each ability and then we can come up with a plan.”

I nod thoughtfully before answering her question. “I have what I think is an average grasp on the elements. Before today, my Szellemi magick I’ve only ever used to create small creatures. I don’t think I’ve touched my Vopn Fö abilities, and definitely not Skuggi magick.” Considering how taboo that type of magick is, I think I would be killed on the spot if it leaked out.

“I think she should train with Ember first. She’s already helping her with combat—it won’t be much to get her to trigger weaponry magick,” Melissandre adds.

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