SECRETS | Fate: The Winx Saga ~ Alternate Season 2

Chapter 23

The light fairy took the mirror out of her bag, and Ben, the tube containing Rosalind's hair. He opened it and Luna placed them suspended in the air, along with her mirror, and she brought the two items together.

"Ben, I'll need you to stay close to Farah and direct your magic to the mirror, which I'll direct to her," she ordered in a voice that was both soft and forceful.

Her friend smiled. She always had a particular way of taking charge and running things. He obeyed and, after exchanging a brief glance with his friend, began the incantation, focusing on feeling his magic. It was pulsing more and more in his veins as he remained impassive, staring at the queen. A green beam of energy shot out of his palms when he finished the incantation, hitting the mirror hard. It was redirected directly to the flowers, which seemed to become buds again, and then seeds, until they disappeared into the soil.
At that moment, Farah's body rose from the ground and finally appeared.

"It worked!" exclaimed the botany teacher as he rushed towards her, overjoyed. "Luna, the locket, quick!"

She dropped the mirror and hurried to slip the artefact around Sky's mom's neck, careful not to hurt her. As long as she wore the necklace, it would be much harder for Rosalind to locate her.
Very concerned to see her inert and so pale, kneeling at her side, Ben took the time to examine her thoroughly, hoping to save her.

"She's still breathing, but her neck is purple, I'm sure Rosalind tried to snap her neck, she needs care," he explained, looking down at his friend.

She crouched down and put her hand on Farah's, feeling her memories in this graveyard with dread.

"Yes, you're right, let's take her to the house we planned for her," she suggested. "She'll be much better off there, and I've used protective spells to make the place even safer."

He smiled at her, quite impressed with her willingness to protect Farah, whom she didn't like that much. He wondered why she would put her life on the line for her, when the two women shared no affinity. Could she have done all this just for him?
He blushed slightly and shivered with pleasure at the thought, before pulling himself together and trying to lift Farah, who was letting out plaintive groans.
Hearing this, Luna stopped her friend firmly.

"Leave her, I'll use my powers to get her to the car. If we try to carry her, it could make her injury worse."

He acquiesced, a little ashamed that he had been so reckless, and let her. Luna was a very powerful fairy, so manoeuvring someone with just her thoughts was rather a simple exercise for her. They soon arrived at the car and, while Ben drove, his friend preferred to stay at the back of the car to hold Saul's wife.

***

It took them a few dozen minutes to reach the ancient cottage on the edge of the forest, which was owned by the Queen and surrounded by a wonderful green garden. The two friends laid the mind fairy directly on the couch, as she was continuing to moan, trembling and probably in shock. Ben couldn't help but think of Saul. His friend didn't know he was in prison and he knew that when he told her, and also that Andreas was alive, it would be another blow to her. She needed help and support more than ever.
Luna noticed his thoughtful look and quietly placed her hand on his shoulder, startling him.

"I'll make her some tea and food," she warned him gently. "There are ice cubes in the freezer and compresses in the medicine cabinet, you should be able to treat her."

Professor Harvey nodded, and as Stella's mom went off to the kitchen to prepare tea and sandwiches, he glanced at his watch. He had less than two hours before the end of class, so he would have to speed up. He hurried to get the medical supplies to treat Farah's wound, after wrapping her in a blanket to keep her warm.
When Luna took over to hold the ice to her neck, Saul's wife slowly emerged from her sweet torpor, haggard.

"What...what happened? Where am I?" she stammered, frightened, before she saw her friend leaning over her with the queen at his side. "Your Majesty? Where is my husband?"

She had uttered this last question as she tried to get up, but Ben forced her to lie still, for she was too weak to stand.

"Rosalind tried to snap your neck and turned you into flowers. With Luna's help, I managed to reverse the spell," he told her, gently running his fingers over her face.

A gesture that did not seem to please the light fairy, for she gritted her teeth. Was she jealous?

"What about Saul?! Where is he?!" Farah hurried to reply in panic. "Why isn't he here?!"

Luna placed her hand on his compassionately and shook her head.

"During your absence, Andreas resurfaced when we thought he was dead...he filed a complaint against your husband for attempted murder, he was arrested and is awaiting trial in prison."

Rosalind's enemy turned pale, stunned. Her love husband was languishing in jail, while her rapist was free. She gagged as she imagined Andreas handling Sky and speaking ill of his dad.

"No, it can't be possible...please," she murmured in a plaintive voice, on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry, Farah, the law is what it is and I can't make an exception, but I'll ask for a leave of absence so he may come and see you here," Luna assured reassuringly. "As for Andreas, Ben told me what happened. You'll have to press charges against him so he can answer for his actions...obviously not until we get rid of Rosalind, that would be too dangerous."

The headmistress nodded and watched the two people taking care of her attentively. They seemed so close to each other, a closeness that was hardly like them, and she did notice their eye contact, but at the moment it was only her son she was concerned about.

"How is Sky? Did Andreas hurt him?" she asked, anxious.

Ben smiled at her, brotherly and comforting.

"No, he's fine, and he definitely doesn't want to hear about his sire. I told him you were still alive, but no more about the situation, so I don't want to risk Rosalind finding out the truth. Besides, there's only half an hour left of class, and if I don't leave in the next few minutes, she'll suspect something."

"So go, don't dawdle," she advised him, getting up slightly. "I wouldn't want her to come after you."

She smiled, grateful that they had saved her life and tended her wound.

"Thank you both."

***

Ben left the house and headed for his car, followed by Luna, who wanted to say a few words to him before he left the premises.

"Don't worry about Farah, I'll get one of my employees to stay with her and I'll make arrangements for her to see Saul," she said in a soft voice.

He took her hands in his, very moved. He enjoyed this touch as if it were the most pleasant thing in the world. The queen had lovely little hands with long elegant fingers, and the professor's gaze moved from their hands to her beautiful blue eyes.

"Thank you Luna, without you Farah would have certainly died... I don't know what else to say," he admitted, upset.

She slowly moved closer to him and they inevitably felt their heartbeat race.

"So don't say anything, and be careful," she whispered before rising on tiptoe and placing a tender kiss on his cheek.

He hugged her warmly and held her close, happy. That kiss would give him strength and courage to come back to Alfea without her.