The Young and Gifted

14. greed for power

Ric instructed that they head to bed to rest so that they could have a fulfilling day at school the next day. But he told Hope to promise to tell him what they discovered.

Kaura was marching down the halls, fuming at the same time. She wasn't even sure if she was going to her room, she just knew that her legs were bringing somewhere. But somehow on her way, a set of feet appeared in her vision and she raised her gaze to meet Mason's eyes. "Hey—"

"Why are you always around like you're some sort of pimple?" She snapped with anger. "It was a joke at first but if you're a real stalker we're going to have some problems."

"I'm having trouble with question 34 and I was hoping we could compare notes," he shrugged carelessly.

"We're not even in the same class—"

"So how'd it go?"

Kaura stared at the ceiling, trying to contain her anger. She scoffed, shaking her head. "I should have never let you convince me to do it." Her hand lashed out, slamming against the wall beside her. It fractured loudly and the lights in the hall flickered.

"I didn't do anything. My bad for trying to check up on you," Mason said back with a hint of attitude.

Kaura smiled with no emotion, taking slow steps towards him. "You think I'm stupid? You don't think I don't see what you're doing here? There is no way that this—that we are ever going to happen. You're a vampire. You're a bloodsucking mongrel. So your petty attempts to lick my wounds and try to get me to soften up to you is pathetic." She didn't even give him a chance to respond. Kaura shouldered past him and continued down the hall, humming under breath to herself.

Once she reached her room, she leaned back against the door and slid down to the floor. And instead of crying, she started to laugh. I guess I am as bad as they think I am now.

*

Hope struggled to wake up the next day, aware that she was required to attend classes even though they went to bed at four am. She struggled to even open her eyes but eventually, she prepared herself and met the girls in class.

Kaura was sitting beside Penelope, toying with her nails and not an inkling of what happened last night had shone on her face. Before Hope could turn to Josie and Lizzie to point it out, Emma clapped her hands. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I hope your night was fulfilling."

Hope's eyebrows raised as if to say, You don't know the half of it. She sank into her seat and faced the front.

Emma leaned against her desk and said, "Today, we are going to have a little conversation about covens. First of all, tell me what you know."

A couple of arms went up and the teacher picked Josie. "A coven is a group of witches that are usually linked together to strengthen their magic. They depend heavily on each other to practice spells. But that makes them equally as powerful."

"Thank you, Josie," Emma said with a timid smile. "Witches tend to group together and create a bond that is able to sustain their magic. Now, not every witch is required to be in a coven but it is due to have its drawbacks. In fact, there are some legendary covens in the world. Can someone tell me some?"

"The Crescent Coven."

"The Blood Moon Coven."

"The Navy-Mid Coven."

Penelope smiled as she said, "The Gemini Coven."

Emma nodded and she repeated, "The Gemini Coven. Now as you know, we have the last of its descents in this room right here. Kaura, Lizzie and Josie. The Gemini Coven have embedded traditions to this very day that made them as powerful as they were. But as you know...there has been news of their...assassination." She nodded to Kaura, Lizzie and Josie. "Girls, if the topic is too sensitive for you, feel free to step out." Neither moved. "Just under 12 years ago, the Gemini suffered a fatality that cost them several of their numbers. And this was done by members of their own."

"Members? Was it a rebellion?" A girl asked.

"Not necessarily. The situation was...complicated. It was an art of manipulation and greed for power," Emma answered. She was referring to the fact that Kai had controlled Josie and Lizzie to kill the entire Coven. Neither of the girls even knew.

Emma continued on and on about it and eventually, class ended. And before Hope could continue on with her schedule, Emma reminded her that Ric was expecting her after school in his office.

"What did you see?" Mason demanded as they walked towards Ric's office after the end of the day had come to a conclusion. They walked together, weaving through the small hall.

"See what?" She questioned with a confused gaze.

"What did you see in Kaura's head? Whatever you saw snapped something in her last night," he stated.

"I saw a lot of things. Things I am sure she will not be okay with if I share with you."

"What, you're friends with her now?" Mason scoffed.

Hope slowed her walk and turned to him. "Look. What Kaura and I had to go through...having both our first 7 years stolen to magic, having our family die with a snap of a finger...it's dark. And it was already a step that she let Lizzie, Josie and I walk through those feelings so I'm not shocked that she's fighting you off. If anything, she needs her time to herself."

Mason rolled his eyes. "Fine. I guess I just won't check up on her from now on and let her deal with her own shit."

"You're a good guy for trying," Hope offered him a smile and rubbed his arm. "But she doesn't need you. She can figure it out on her own." I've been doing that for years.

Landon appeared in front of them and his eyesight lowered to where Hope was in contact with Mason. An emotion flickered through his face before he cleared it with a short, awkward laugh. "Hey, guys," he greeted warily.

Hope pulled back and turned to him with a smile. Mason sighed and averted his pathway, not even sparing a glance towards Landon. Hope and Landon started to walk side by side and she said, "Hey to you too?"

"So what was that about?" Landon asked cautiously, pointing to the direction Mason had gone off to.

"Oh, Mason? Nothing, he's having Kaura issues," she answered quickly before he got the wrong idea.

"Kaura? He's into Kaura?"

"Don't tell him I told you."

Landon laughed genuinely, his entire face brightening. It brought butterflies to Hope's stomach and she couldn't help but blush. But then he swallowed and said, "You don't think the Legendarium is a big fat silver book with golden pages?"

"That's...oddly specific."

"But not likely right? It's not like I've been having dreams about a book with a strange attractive glow and it's started to make me sleepwalk. Now that would be insanely ridiculous."

Hope's eyebrows creased with worry. "Landon. We have to tell Dorian that."

"But-but it's not—" she was already dragging him by the sleeve of his shirt.

~

"The last time I was vulnerable with someone, I ended up dead."

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