Dark Moon - Michael Langdon

Part 16 - Confrontation

I realize that my face must've just darkened because he sends me a strange look. "On second thought, maybe your argument was about the witches' arrival," he shrugs, taking a puff from his cigarette.

"Thanks for the heads up," I reply nonchalantly, backing into the room and shutting the door.

"We need to warn them," Michael states, having heard my conversation.

"Let's go," I say, holding out my hand. He takes it and we transmutate to the ground above the academy.

"Oh, there you are," Myrtle says as she notices us. "Cordelia is on the phone with Queenie right now."

"Get back in the jet," I state as I walk towards them. "You need to get out of here."

"What's going on, darling?" Myrtle asks. Zoe walks over, having sensed my distress.

"Satan/Devan, whatever you want to call him, is siphoning the power of the school to speed his aging process. The sooner he ages, the sooner he kills us. If he got close enough to Cordelia, the reigning Supreme, he would have enough power to age a decade in a second."

We all turn to Cordelia as she rushes toward us. "Queenie told me about your urgency," she explains, quickly pulling me and Michael into a split-second hug. "I just hate to leave you so quickly."

"We've got it handled," I assure her (although we really don't).

"You just need to get out of here," Michael rushes. "Now."

She nods, turning to look at Myrtle and Zoe worriedly. "Why, hello ladies," Behold calls out to the witches, just having exited the spiral. "I see Esmeray and Michael have already introduced themselves. I'm betting that you're regretting turning them away right now."

"Unfortunately, Mr. Chablis, I am afraid that we must go back to New Orleans. As soon as we landed, I received word of an emergency back at the academy."

"Isn't that convenient," Ariel announces, walking towards us from the spiral. "As soon as you see this powerful witch and warlock, you suddenly need to turn back."

"I am so sorry, Mr. Augustus," she responds, clearly not sorry.

"You are a coward," he accuses harshly. "You are afraid of the rising Supreme being an enemy of yours. You are no better than Fiona."

"You pompous ass!" Myrtle shouts, not bearing to hear Ariel say these things to Cordelia. "You have no right to say such things to your reigning Supreme."

He backs down slightly, having been put in place. "It's not about Esmeray and Michael," Cordelia starts, changing tactics. "It's Devan. As soon as we got here, I could sense it. He's not a warlock; he's something much more sinister." She looks at me, and I realize this is my time to back her up.

"Mr. Augustus," I begin, bringing everyone's attention to me. "I hate to say it, but I agree with Ms. Goode. There's something wrong with that boy. He's brushed me the wrong way ever since I met him; when I asked him about it, he threatened my life."

Ariel looks shocked. "Why didn't you tell us about this?"

I shake my head. "He threatened to kill me and Michael if I said anything. I could see how powerful he was, and I didn't want to risk it," I lie.

He looks to Behold, Baldwin, and John Henry, who have all joined us in the field now. "I agree," John Henry nods. "That boy has dark magic to him. It's something that we cannot associate ourselves with."

Behold nods in agreement. "Michael and Esmeray are both strong enough to pass the Seven Wonders, let's have them perform the wonders and exempt Devan from this."