Smooth Talker

20-Freedom

James stood with the rest around the three adults, completely silent with their hands on their weapons.

Farah placed her hand on the barrier, the field glowing a light blue.

"Let me see if I can amplify the sounds of the forest." Farah suggested.

Everyone had their ears opened to the sounds of the forest; birds chirping, high-pitched squeaking, squawking, etc.

Then there was some snarling.

"There they are." Farah whispered into the silence.

"You're late." Silva commented.

"I had to -" Skye was shushed.

More snarling was heard, making a weight of panic set into some of the specialists.

"How many of them are there?"

Everyone turned to see Aisha walking to Ms. Dowling.

"Get to school! You shouldn't be this close to the barrier." Farah worried.

"It's no time for extra credit." Silva rolled his eyes.

"I'm not looking for extra credit." Aisha shot a glance to the man. "I'm here because you need to know what's happening."

Farah narrowed her eyes, getting a feeling of what's to happen.

Skye and Silva shared a look, Silva getting a feeling that Skye was guilty of something.

Riven and James shared a look, James shaking his head while Riven furrowed his brows.

-----

Bloom walked into the room that held the most powerful sorcerer.

The woman opened her eyes slowly. "Bloom."

"Rosalind." Bloom examined the woman's features before seeing the man next to her. "Who's that?"

Rosalind smiled. "My brother, Ferin."

"Bloom!" James walked in that moment.

The man trapped beside Rosalind shot his eyes open. "James."

"Bloom, what are you doing?" James tried to get her out. "Come on."

"No, I want answers." Bloom looked at Rosalind. "I've got questions."

Rosalind smirked. "And I've only got one for you." She paused. "Do you have any idea how special you are? Do you wanna learn a new trick?"

"That's three questions." James pointed out.

"Right..." Bloom looked at James for a second. "Right now?"

"You need to know where you came from." Rosalind had a meek smile on her face. "And I need to get out of here. Now, access that flame inside you."

Bloom closed her eyes for a few before opening them, her eyes glowing orange.

James stood to the side awkwardly, not knowing what to do since he wanted the girl to get her answers but not like this what if Silva kills them when they find out worse Farah.

"My son."

The voice made James look down at his feet, not wanting to meet eyes with the man.

"Look at me." Ferin held a large grin on his frozen face. "Do you see what they did to me?"

"And did you see what you did to my mother?" James countered back.

"I didn't mean to hurt Wilsa. She got in the way." Ferin couldn't, but James knew he would've rolled his eyes.

"You were about to kill your own son for doing what's right. Of course, she'd step in." James shrugged. "I hope you're feeling everything right now."

"I heard you have two mates." Ferin taunted. "'R' and 'S'. Didn't know you'd swing that way, but nonetheless, I'll get them when I come out of here."

"Threatening someone's mates will get you killed." James gritted his teeth. "Thought you'd know that."

"Oh, you little -"

Bloom touched the barrier with her flame, stepping back as it started going away.

"What have you done?" James looked at Bloom.

Bloom ran up to Rosalind, holding her before she fell.

"You guys need food, water, rest." She fretted.

"No." Both said in sync. "I need magic/blood."

James made eye contact with his father before stepping away from the door.

"Shall we?" Ferin held put both his hands.

Rosalind held one, Bloom holding her shoukder before the siblings looked at James.

James sighed before holding his father's other hand with a tight grip. All four disappeared in a pillar of blood.

Right before Farah stepped in.

-----

"Insubordination, breaking and entering, endangering the lives of your classmates, and breaking out Rosalind and Ferin?" Ben listed out. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Musa and Stella sat in the sofa silently, Terra staring dead at her father.

"I'd say I was disappointed in you, but this goes way beyond that." Ben started to walk off.

Terra stood up. "You lied again!"

Everyone looked at her from their seated positions, even Aisha, who sat in a love seat.

Ben turned around from the door, bracing himself. "Excuse me?"

"About Rosalind and Ferin AKA the RF. About Aster Dell. About everything. And you're angry with me?" Terra pointed at herself. "You can't punish me for not knowing something that you didn't tell me. It doesn't make any logical sense."

The three fairies looked back at Ben, silently agreeing.

"Well, I suggest you all cool down." Ben stressed the last two words before walking out.

The Fairies bounded off the couch and tried to open the doors.

Ben stood outside, hus hand going down the slit in the door.

Terra banged the door with an open fist before walking to the couch. "He's used his magic to seal the doors. I cought him in a logic trap, and he's used his magic to ground us."

"That means you won." Stella nodded.

"He's overwhelmed." Aisha stood up, going to her room.

"Uh, where do you think you're going?" Stella stepped forward, looking up. "I always knew you were a teacher's pet. I just didn't realize that pet was a rat."

"I was planning on deescalating the situation by removing myself from it." Aisha paused. "But if you wanna escalate -"

"Can we just take 30 seconds, please?" Musa held her hands out. "At least, let me get my headphones."

-----

Farah walked to the stone circle, texting the group.

Farah: No sign of her. Keep an eye.

A snap of twig caught her eye, making her pocket her phone and walk off.

Rosalind took off the magic viel, showing her and Bloom.

"Where's James?" Bloom started worrying for her friend.

"He's with his father." Rosalind reached out for the stone pillar in the middle.

-----

"You've taken enough." James hissed at his father, staring at the body of one of his used to be classmates.

"Wait." Ferin took up another student that slept in the dorm.

"My God...." James dragged a hand down his face.

"How's life?" Ferin made small talk.

"With you here? Hell." James replied.