Winx: The reincarnation 2

Chapter twenty-three

"Are we seriously considering giving the witches the Codex?" Artemisia asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty as the girls waited in the courtyard for the Red Fountain ship to arrive. They had decided it would be best to leave as soon as possible, given the long journey ahead.

"It's the only way to get our pixies back," Carissa replied, glancing anxiously at her friends.

"But it feels so wrong," Lithia chimed in, crossing her arms. "They obviously want the Codex for something terrible. It's like we are helping them."

Danielle sighed, conflicted with their choice. "We have to trust that we'll come up with a plan once we get our pixies back. We can't just leave them with those witches. Imagine the awful things they could do to them."

Luna nodded firmly. "Yes, we'll find a way to stop their plans."

Crystal gazed toward the horizon, her expression troubled. "I'm not so sure that's even possible."

The others remained silent, unable to deny they all shared her concern.

The Red Fountain ship finally arrived at Alphea, and the guys stepped off to greet the girls.

"Oh, Daniel..." Luna rushed over, wrapping her arms around him. "I feel so horrible."

"I heard. I'm so sorry, love," Daniel murmured, gently rubbing her back.

Artemisia lowered her gaze, her voice heavy. "I feel like I've failed her."

"Come on, Arty, don't be so hard on yourself," Thorne said, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"This is the first time I've ever seen you this upset," Evander said softly to Lithia.

Lithia narrowed her eyes at him. "And your point is?"

Evander quickly explained himself, "I didn't mean it like that. I just... I hate seeing you upset."

Her expression softened as she hugged him. "I'm sorry. I just feel out of control now."

"Danielle, it's going to be okay. We'll get your pixie back," Alistair said with a reassuring smile.

Danielle sighed. "Yeah, but at what cost? By doing this, we're practically helping the witches."

"Yeah..." Alistair agreed. "I don't feel great about it either, but let's stay hopeful."

Danielle managed a small smile. "You're right. Thanks."

Meanwhile, Carissa wrapped her arms around her boyfriend in a tight hug. "I'm just so relieved to see you," she said.

"Me too," he replied, holding her close.

"Well then, let's get moving. The quick we leave, the faster we get there." Crystal said briskly, stepping onto the airship—only to halt abruptly at the entrance.

"What's wrong?" Artemisia asked, noticing Crystal's hesitation.

Crystal's eyes narrowed as she spotted someone familiar. "What is he doing here?" she said, her tone sharp as Zen appeared at the entrance of the ship.

"Oh, he's our new sixth member since Caspian left," Daniel explained. "Zen volunteered for the team. He's a bit more dependable than Caspian, but you didn't hear that from me."

Crystal glared at Zen, who met her gaze with a smirk. "Hello again," he greeted her with an infuriatingly calm smile.

The rest of the girls looked intrigued at the two of them; this was certainly something.

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Everyone settled into their seats, fastening their seatbelts as Daniel took his place at the pilot's controls.

"I didn't know you could fly one of these," Danielle commented, a touch of doubt in her voice.

Daniel grinned, throwing her a confident look. "Relax, sis. I've been trained for this—I'm a specialist, after all. Not that you'd understand," he teased with a smirk.

Danielle rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fine then. specialist."

"That's the spirit," he chuckled, flipping switches with practiced ease. The engines hummed to life, and soon they were lifting off, the airship smoothly gaining altitude.

"So how long are we going to be cramped up like this?" Luna grumbled, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

Daniel looked over his shoulder. "A while probably"

"You don't mean it." Carissa said sarcastically

"Yes, I do. You ladies don't need to be bothered about all that. Just relax and try to release all that tension" Daniel said.

"Easy said than done." Lithia said, sinking back in her seat.

Daniel added, his tone turning serious. "But please, still buckle your seatbelts—safety first!"

The girls quickly fastened their seatbelts as the ship continued its swift ascent into the skies, then Daniel adjusted the controls, and the ship gave a soft hum as it accelerated, the world outside blurring as they shot forward.

"Looking out the window makes me dizzy," Artemisia admitted, glancing nervously at the swiftly moving scenery outside.

"Well, we have motion sickness patches," Thorne said, unbuckling his belt and rummaging through his bag. He pulled out a small packet and handed it to her. "Here, this should help."

Artemisia took the patches with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Thorne. I'll definitely need these."

She applied one to behind her ear, "I guess I wouldn't be gazing out the window often."

For the first few moments of the journey, silence settled over everyone as each person drifted into their own thoughts. Crystal, however, struggled to relax. She could feel Zen's gaze flickering toward her repeatedly, his attention impossible to ignore. Sitting right next to him only made it worse; any attempt to block him out felt futile, and the tension gnawed at her.

"What are you staring at?" Crystal finally demanded, unable to take it any longer.

Zen glanced away for a moment, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm just... really worried about you. Losing a pixie is a big deal."

Crystal's expression softened slightly, though she kept her guard up. "Yeah, it is," she replied, her voice quieter.

"I figured," Zen replied gently. "You'll see, everything's going to be alright."

Crystal managed a small smile. "Yeah, I hope so. But seriously, could you stop staring? It's a bit... unnerving."

Zen laughed softly, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, no more staring. Just... let me know if you need anything."

Crystal gave a short nod, not wanting to engage further. The others were still lost in their own thoughts, quietly watching the scenery or resting.

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