In Plain Sight

Chapter Six

Nathan, Luna, and Harlow sat quietly, listening to Emmett explain what he had brought him here. After leaving the shop last night, Emmett had made his way to Queens. He had been on an order to inspect the use of a high-level magic spell that had been detected in the area. It was on his way to the location when Nathan had quite literally run into Emmett.

Nathan began to talk over Emmett, describing what he had been running away from that night. After leaving one of the local bars, Nathan noticed a small group of three following him as he headed home. Nathan then dipped into an alleyway, his plan to use them as a system of confusing his followers. Nathan thought his plan had worked, continuing his walk peacefully.

Without warning, he had appeared in front of him, Nathan unable to describe the person's face, only certain of it being a man.

"They cornered me," Nathan continued.

"What about the other two?" Luna asked, listening intently.

"Oh, you mean the two pyshco bitches?" Nathan scoffed, "After the man had startled me, one of them walked up behind me and jabbed an athame into my ribcage!"

"So they were women," Harlow nodded, ignoring Nathan's seething agitation.

"Twins, at least that's what they looked like. Sounded like they were young too, but I didn't stay around to figure out the details." Nathan sighed, leaning back in his chair.

After they attacked him, Nathan was able to grab the weapon and the other woman attempted to stab. Using her as a shield, Nathan was able to get by, bolting into the night. The further Nathan ran the fiercer the winds seemed to become.

It was no doubt that the leader of the small group possessed a strong form of elemental magic. The aftermath of his magic still seemed to be going strong, even after such a long period of time. No Witch had enough energy to allow a long-ranged spell to go on more than five minutes without collapsing. Not a normal one, anyways.

"Wait," Luna interrupted, her attention switching from Nathan to Emmett, "If the snowstorm didn't happen until after Nathan was attacked, then what exactly were you investigating?"

Emmett avoided Luna's gaze sheepishly, his eyes fixated on the floor as his cheeks began to redden.

"There haven't even been any incidents in our area," Harlow pointed out, remembering what Agnes had told them yesterday.

"As I explained to Luna last night," Emmett continued, his voice slightly shaky as Harlow burned her eyes into him, "We were just doing a few routine inspections. After learning about your business, I decided to come in and check on you."

Luna stood up, her chair clattering against the floor as she turned to Emmett.

"You came over here to harass us is what you did," Luna accused, shouting. Her eyes radiated hate as Emmett avoided her gaze, "What were you going to do? A bullshit 'routine' inspection? Did you plan on walking around, breathing down our necks all while interrogating us as we worked?"

"Watch your mouth!" Emmett yelled back, standing as he shoved his face into Luna's.

"You owe me your life," Luna spat, "What kind of future do you think you'll have in the Valor now, knowing you couldn't protect a fellow Witch because of your own petty selfishness."

"Look here," Emmett growled, grabbing Luna by the front of her shirt, pulling her up, off of the ground.

"Luna!" Harlow shouted, advancing to her feet. Luna held her arm up, her palm facing Harlow. Gritting her teeth, Harlow stayed still, allowing Luna to handle it.

"No, you look," Luna continued, "Look at what you're doing because you can't even control your own temper."

Emmett raised Luna up a little further, her feet completely off the ground. A small crunch could be heard beneath his fingers, Luna's eyes widening as she realized what had happened. She brought her feet up, slamming them into Emmett's chest, breaking his grasp.

"You broke my necklace," Luna mumbled, shaking pieces of her broken pendant out of her sweater. Luna's eyes welled with hot tears as she turned around, facing Emmett head-on.

Before either could lay another finger on another, a began small tapping at the front door of the store was heard. Each of them snapped their heads towards the sound, their mouths agape as they looked on at the sight before them.

The demon continued to tap, the sound growing harder and louder each time his paws scraped against the glass. The dog's black fur was black, matted in only god knew what. Its eyes were blood red, looking on at the four inside as he bared his large, gritty teeth.

"What the hell is that?" Nathan shouted, shielding himself with the others.

"A black dog," Luna mumbled, "They are meant to be omens, a coming of certain death."