Chapter 338

Tessa’s POV

“Why would the headmaster be lying?” I asked as soon as Joseph hung up the phone.

“That’s what I’d like to find out,” he said, his face void of emotions. I could tell he was thinking deeply about something, and my chest ached.

I was worried for my best friend; if something happened to her because of me, I would never forgive myself. By the time we returned home, my anxiety was through the roof. Esme was in the basement with some others of our coven; over the course of these last couple of weeks, we turned our fully done basement into a magic room where we could practice magic and create potions without anyone spotting on the outside us or being suspicious. We also use the fenced-in backyard for our elemental magic training.

The basement also doubled as an apartment where Bennet and Cole lived but it was big enough that we were able to turn half of it into a magic room. Joseph built a wall, separating the magic room from the apartment and he added a door for easy access.

Esme, Patty, and Claire spent time moving the magical equipment from their old coven house to this one. So, it was already equipped with everything we needed. I knew Esme would be in the magic room because that’s where she spends most of her time when she stays at the house and not her shop.

She looked surprised to see us home when we entered and even more surprised to see our current state. I’m sure Joseph and I looked like a mess in comparison to how we left. We were both soaked from the sprinklers at the banquet. Our clothes were completely ruined, our hair was ruined, and my makeup was most likely all over my face.

“Holy shit. What happened to you?!” Amy squealed from the couch.

She was scrolling on her phone until we walked in.

“Eevee,” I muttered, shutting the door behind me. “She was at the banquet, and we have a problem.”

Esme narrowed her eyes at me.

“Don’t tell me she has the crystal,” Esme said, horror striking her face.

I remained silent and chewed my bottom lip.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” She asked, her brows pinched together.

“Because you told me not to tell you if she has the crystal,” I reminded her.

She staggered backward, her mouth falling open.

“Holy fuck. She actually have it? But how??” She fired off question after question.

“She’s using Ruby has leverage. She somehow got her,” I said, shaking my head with frustration consuming me. “We aren’t sure how, but we have to find out.”

“If she has all of the crystals, all she needs now is a witch,” Esme said, staring between Joseph and me.

“And she has one,” Joseph replied before I could say anything. “Amelia.”

Esme let out a breath; I could see how worried she was as she ran her fingers through her hair.

“We need Tessa to hide,” Esme said quickly as she rushed over to me. “It’s only a matter of time before she undoes your mother’s spell. I have been practicing with the rest of the coven and I think we can duplicate the spell.”

“I’m not hiding,” I said sharply. “Not anymore. If she wants me, she’s going to have to fight me.”

“Tessa, you need to think reasonably,” Joseph said calmly. “You are pregnant.”

“I am thinking reasonably, Joseph. I put my hand on my belly and peeked up at him through my lashes. “We will never get a day of peace if we stay in hiding. The Moon Goddess did not plant me on this earth to hide my powers. She put me here to help people, especially the supernatural. I was never meant to be feared or hunted. My mother’s spell was a Band-Aid, now it’s time for a real cure.”

Joseph looked at me startled.

“You want her to lift the spell?” He asked in the form of a statement.

I nodded and bit my lower lip as I thought more about it.

“It might not be a bad thing. At least not after a while. I’ve been doing some research on my own and I think I know how to get everyone on my side,” I told him, then I looked over my shoulder at Esme.

“But I’m going to need more practice. This will require a lot of magic. I can’t do this by myself. I need my coven in my corner,” I told her.

She nodded without hesitation.

“You have us,” she said immediately. “Whatever you need, just let me know.”

….

Third Person POV (Ruby)

Ruby couldn’t move her body no matter how hard she tried. The drugs that Penny had given her paralyzed her completely. She’s not even sure how she was taken out of the vampire academy. She remembers that the headmaster came to her dorm to speak with her about something, but she can’t remember what was said.

It was early in the morning and her roommate hadn’t returned to their room just yet. But in the middle of the headmaster speaking with her, she felt a sharp pain in the side of her neck. She realized he had stabbed her with something. Before she could lose consciousness or feel her body, she thrashed around the room, trying to fight him away. She remembered knocking everything over and she remembered feeling something cutting her arm, making her wince in pain.

But then after that, everything went dark, and she couldn’t remember anything else.

She woke up but still wasn’t able to move her body. It was clear to her that she was also tied around her arms and ankles. She had a heavy ache in her head, and she was a bit woozy for unknown reasons.

She could smell the copper scent of blood, though she wasn’t sure if it was hers or someone else’s.

She heard the snorting of a horse nearby; if she had to guess, she would say she was in a stable though she couldn’t lift her head to look around.

What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she move?

“Where are we? Why are we here?” The familiar voice of Amelia sounded from nearby.

Ruby was startled at the sound of her voice; why was her mother here? Was she a part of this? Was she taken too? Was she a victim or was she working with her kidnappers?

“This is the safest place I know,” Penny answered. “Plus, the spell was cast here originally so it’ll be easier for you to undo the spell in the same location.”

“And you promise me that my daughter will remain unharmed?”

Ruby’s heart swelled; it almost sounded like her mother cared for her and maybe even worried about her. Could it be that her mother was only doing this to protect Ruby?

“I said I would let her go,” Penny said, her tone darkening. “I never said she would be unharmed.”

Amelia let out a sob; I was something Ruby had never heard from her mother before.

“Please, Evelyn. I can’t lose another daughter. I just can’t,” Amelia sobbed. “I know I’m not the best mother and I say the wrong things constantly. But I love Ruby. She’s my little girl…”

“And if you want to see her alive again, you will do what I say.”

Amelia continued to sob.

If Ruby could move her body, she would have flinched at the sound of the slap that went across Amelia’s face.

“Enough of your whining,” Penny said through her teeth. “I’m not in the mood for it and I’m running out of time.”

“I don’t understand; why are you doing this? Why would you want to break Alison’s spell?”

Ruby’s heart fell into her stomach; her mother knew about Alison’s spell? Nobody was supposed to remember it. How does her mother remember it? Was it because of the crystal she wore daily? Maybe those who wore the crystals remembered the spell and what it was for.

“What do you know of the Heavenly Heart?” Penny proceeded to ask.

There was nothing but silence for a heartbeat.

“Don’t make me ask again,” Penny demanded in a growl.

“How do you remember the Heavenly Heart?” Amelia whispered, her tone trembling.

“The question is, how do you remember it?”

Amelia audibly swallowed before she answered.

“The crystal acted as a shield to the spell,” she finally answered after a moment. “Only a few of us remember the Heavenly Heart. It’s meant to be the most powerful thing in the world and could be dangerous if in the wrong hands. Alison’s daughter was born with it and she wanted to protect her child from those who either wanted the heart or wanted her dead. She tied a spell to these crystals and sent them away with a few trusted members of her coven. We left as the battle was ending. We didn’t find out until much later that both Constance and Alison were dead. Those of us who had the crystal lost touch.”

“Interesting,” Penny breathed. “And only the crystals can break the spell.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes,” Amelia answered. “With some magic. Which I’m assuming is what I’m here for. You want me to break the spell?”

“I do,” Penny said, a smile spreading across her lips.

“What does this have to do with my daughter? Why would you take her? Why would you want this spell to be broken?” Amelia asked, another sob escaping her lips.

“Because every researcher and witch I have spoken to say if this Heavenly Heart truly existed and was as powerful as I’m claiming, it would be almost impossible to take the heart and keep it beating once it leaves its vessel. It would be easier if it was an immature heart and in the vessel of an infant. Still filled with light and purity. But it’s since aged and is even more powerful than we could ever imagine. Only the most elite and strongest beings on the earth can successfully take this heart out,” Penny scoffed.

Amelia gasped.

“You are treating this like a game?” Amelia asked, bewildered. “Once I break this spell, almost every powerful being is going to come after this girl.”

“At least one of them will successfully take the heart out,” Penny chuckled humorlessly. “And once they do, I’ll use these crystals to put the spell back in place. You’d be able to reverse it back, correct? Considering the spell is attached to them.”

Amelia didn’t respond at first; another loud slap sounded through the stable.

“Answer me!”

“Yes,” Amelia whimpered. “I can put the spell back in place.”

“Perfect,” Penny said with glee. “Once the spell is placed again, I’ll have the heart and we can do the transfer ceremony. It shouldn’t be hard with just the two of us. My father only had one which he was planning on using so I figured I’d only need one as well. Can you do a transfer of this heart?”

“It would require a sacrifice…” Amelia whispered. “But yes. I can do the transfer if you have a sacrifice.”

Penny chuckled again, it was dry and made Ruby shudder.

“Oh, I have a sacrifice.”

Ruby’s eyes flickered upward, and she saw Penny standing in front of her; Amelia was out of view and didn’t see Penny’s eyes flash to Ruby and a hint of a deadly smile appeared on her face.

Ruby knew without a doubt why she was there. It wasn’t just to force her mother into doing Penny’s bidding. It was because Penny was planning on using her as the sacrifice…