No Good Witches | ONC √

Gang Violence

"Well, I must say, that's the first time I've ever heard of a suggestion spell ending up in a death."

As Miss Kelly and Oscar exchanged a chuckle, I could help but feel small. And I'm not sure whether you picked up on it or not, but "small" is not a way I like feeling.

"So do you have the spell or not?" I blurted.

Miss Kelly raised her eyebrows at me, fanning her hand. "Wow." Oscar said. "What's your name?"

I straightened. "Cass. Cass Landry."

"Landry...your Mom is on the city council, right? Elenor Landry? Running for senate in the upcoming election. I wonder what she'd have to say about your extracurriculars."

A pang in my chest. I felt my eyes widen as I took in a sharp breath.

Her chest moved with another one of her silent laughs. "Don't worry. I'm not going to tattle on you, Ms. Landry." She stood at last, walking around her desk and perching on the edge of it. Oscar moved forward with her, to be in a convent space to translate for her. "To answer your question," he continued for her, "I do have a necromancy spell just for you. But...it's going to cost you."

"How much?" I asked.

"Well..." she squinted over at Oscar. "I'm guessing a considerable amount more than your lunch money."

I grit my teeth, but another one of Mallory's elbows in my ribs reminded me to keep my choice of words civil. "We can afford it."

"Twelve hundred."

I blinked. "Um."

"Done!" Rebecca exclaimed brightly. I turned to her to see the worry collecting around her eyes.

I looked forward again.

Miss Kelly eyed us before nodding to herself slowly. She raised her hands, in the middle of signing something, when the picturesque view outside her window flickered, before being replaced with a swirling purple vortex.

Powerful blasts of glowing purple magical energy shot out of the vortex, narrowly missing our heads. I dropped to the ground, dragging Sofiane with me.

Miss Kelly moved her hands through the air in a way that I was able to understand—signed magic—and the walls around the room fell away to reveal an expansive, concrete space that heavily resembled an empty parking garage.

The vortex widened, and through it stepped people of various heights and sizes, all with spells readied in their hands.

Miss Kelly signed a powerful spell that I felt right to my bones, closing off whatever portal had just been opened.

"Here!" Oscar yelled out.

I turned to see a group of ten or so people running toward us, their own spells readied, right before a couple sent theirs flying over our head aimed at the unwelcome visitors.

I held my hands over my ears, trying my best to not be too excited about the raw energy that filled the space.

"Over there!" Sofiane hissed in my ear above the various violent noises that filled the air.

I looked in the direction he pointed, a wide concrete pillar, and nodded, crawling toward it.

Rebecca and Mallory followed in suit, and before long, we were all cramped behind it.

"What the hell is going on?" Mallory asked.

I made a face at her. "My best guess? Gang violence."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Har har, Cass. I can see why you have so many friends."