Chapter 256


    E’s POV


    “Zagreus?!” My mother gasped, furrowing her brows together as she


    stared at Hazel. The disbelief on her face made it obvious that she knew this was very bad.


    “You know who he is?” I asked, eyeing her carefully.


    She was quiet for a moment as she processed this information.


    “I know of him,” she answered. “As does your father. Does he know that Zagreus has surfaced?”


    “I haven’t seen him,” I answered. “So… no.”


    “Have you met him before?” Colton asked, also eyeing my mother.


    “We’ve only heard rumors of him in the past,” she answered. “We know she has summoned him in the


    past and the two of them have caused havoc.”


    “How was he defeated?” I asked.


    “He wasn’t,” Hazel was the one who answered this time. “He helped Jazzy take over an entire coven


    and she no longer needed him. She let him go back to wherever he came from.”


    “I don’t understand…” Diana breathed. “Why would she summon such at demon again?”


    My mother’s eyes found mine and held them momentarily before responding.


    “She’s after something,” my mother said, gravely. “And I fear it has to do with our kind.”


    “It’s likely,” Hazel agreed. “She doesn’t like Vna wolves.”


    “Why now?” Diana asked, furrowing her brows together. “Why is she taking action now? After all these


    years?”


    “Something must have happened,” my mother said, shaking her head. “I’m not sure what that could


    have been though. But it can’t be good…” “We shouldn’t be here,” Colton finally spoke after what felt


    like a long while. “If she’s after Vna’s then this vige is no longer safe. A shield is not going to keep


    darkness away.”


    “If that is what she truly wants, there’s nowhere we can hide that darkness


    find us,” Hazel said, a grim look falling over her expression as she


    around the table.


    &tight knot had formed long ago in my stomach, and it was only getting I looked up at Colton who sat


    beside me; he met my eyes.


    That more can we do?” I finally asked, looking at Hazel.


    he was quiet with uncertainty.


    “How about a protection ceremony?” Diana suggested, looking at everyone with a timid frown. “We can


    do a protection ceremony. Keep our vige surrounded by light. Darkness doesn’t like the light; it can’t


    survive in it.”


    “That could work,” Hazel said, nodding her head. “But if she really is going to cast a dark curse using


    the darkness she conjured, I don’t know if my magic alone is enough to keep our vige protected from


    it.”


    “Maybe not yours alone, but together, the protection spell will be even stronger,” my mother said, giving


    her a nod of encouragement.


    “Me too,” I said without even thinking about it. “I just got my wolf back this morning, and I can already


    feel my powers recharging. I’ll stay and help.


    “We have to get you back to school before curfew,” Colton reminded me. “I think this is more important


    than à curfew,” I said in return, narrowing my eyes at him. “I can’t just sit around and do nothing. We


    have to protect your mother and the rest of her vige.”


    Colton’s eyes found Diana’s and they held eye contact for a long while before he sighed and then


    eventually nodded in agreement.


    “Okay,” he finally. “We will stick around to do this spell; but right after I’m taking you back to school.”


    I smiled up at him and kissed his cheek gently.


    “I love you,” I said to him gently.


    He smiled in return and kissed me back. I turned to Hazel, feeling determination surfacing in my body.


    “So, what do we need to do?” I asked.


    “I will grab my spell–book from my home; just give me a few minutes,” Hazel said, jumping to her feet.


    She quickly left the house, while the rest of us looked after her.


    “Do you think it’ll work?” I asked, ncing at my mother.


    rofessor And He Liked It


    my eyes.


    think it has to,” she responded, reaching over to me and grasping my


    firmly


    about I make us some dinner,” Diana suggested, standing to her Do we like Shepard pie??


    That sounds delicious, Mom,” Colton said. “I’ll help you.”


    He stood as well and went toward her fridge. As frightened and nervous


    I was, my stomach growled with anticipation for food.


    “Want to go for a walk while they prepare dinner?” My mother asked.


    I smiled and nodded at her. Together we went outside into the cold autumn air. I took a deep breath of


    the brisk breeze and stared up at the sky. The sun was close to setting and an unsettled feeling fell


    over me. “Have you ever seen Zagreus in person?” I asked, peering at her as we walked down the


    narrow streets of the rogue vige.


    “No,” she answered. “I only heard rumors of him. He was summoned long before I was born. But I


    heard it was a very trying time. My father remembered it as the Dark Ages. There was danger lurking in


    every


    corner.”


    “Grandpa James?” I asked, raising my brows.


    She nodded gravely.


    “He told me about it a couple of years before he passed away,” she exined. “I had heard about it


    before that, but he was the one who told me of his experience with darkness. He told me he looked


    darkness in its snake–like eyes, and it fled from him.”


    “Grampa James faced Zagreus?” I asked, amazed.


    She nodded her head once.


    “They were running from it,” my mother exined. “My father and mother. But my mother tripped and


    just as Zagreus was going to attack her, my mother jumped in the way. He saved her life despite risking


    his


    own.”


    “Why didn’t Zagreus attack them?”


    My mother was quiet for a moment.


    “I don’t think he ever knew the answer to that question. He was the one who told me that darkness


    can’t survive in the light and that the greatest form of light is love. I think his love for my mother was


    enough light to


    Tedlessor And


    Zagreus away.


    bt that was beautiful and yet so terrifying. My mother stopped so she could face me. She took hold of


    my arm, stopping me as and making me look up at her.


    hat you have your abilities back, I need you to use them to your she told me solemnly. “Keep a shield


    around you and keep urself surrounded with light. I know you haven’t practiced with your wers much,


    but you have the ability to summon light.”


    How do I do that?” I asked.


    “It’s all about your brain and the level of control you have. Just imagine yourself surrounded by a ball of


    light; imagine that source of light and pull it toward you. Just as you would with a shield,” she exined.


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    I nodded.


    “I can do that,” I said, giving her a confident smile.


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I stretched out my hands so I could feel the breeze wrapping


    around every ounce of my body. including my fingertips. I imagined the warmth of light hitting my


    features and forming around me like a cocoon of power and radiance. I imagined the streetlights


    shining down on me and hitting me with their glorious light. The light covers me and the shells around


    me, only to glow brighter and be more powerful.


    The light detaches from the streemps and bes one with my body. Though my eyes were closed,


    I imagined myself glowing and bing one with that light.


    I felt my mother taking a step away; I felt her pride and admiration as she looked at me. When I opened


    my eyes, I could see the excitement in her eyes. I looked down at my body and realized I was glowing.


    I had taken the light from the nearby streemp and made it my own. I was the ball of light and the


    streemp was now turned offpletely.


    “Amazing,” my mother breathed with the fondest smile on her lips. “Now return the light to themp.”


    I nodded and stared up at the streetlight; I imagined the light draining from my body, slithering around


    the ground and uncovering my feet. The cold of the autumn air returned to my flesh, and I shivered at


    the sensation. The glowing cocoon that was wrapped around me began to dim and just as thest of


    the light left my body, the streemp began to glow again.


    amazing, E Bean,” my mother said, wrapping me in her arms you feel frightened and the air has


    gone too dark, just do that where you are, you can always summon light to you and it will hoare


    darkness away away


    Ther tightly, feeling my body rx.


    you think this spell is going to work?” I asked. “Do you think it’ll keep darkness away from the vige?”


    I think it’s worth a try,” she said gently.


    Before I could say anything more, Hazel approached us from nearby. I hadn’t even known she was


    there, but in her hands, she held a thick purple book that I knew was her spell book.


    “I think I found a spell that will work,” Hazel said, stepping toward my mother.


    My mother nced at the book intently and read, “Calling the earth guardians to keep away all


    paranormal harm and evil.”


    “Earth guardians?” I asked, raising my brows.


    Hazel nodded and my mother had a pleased look on her face.


    “Yes, why didn’t I think of that,” my mother said thoughtfully. “Earth guardians are meant to keep certain


    areas safe if they are summoned. They are meant to protect the earth from all evil. They can stretch


    out for as long as our powers allow it.”


    “It calls for a lot of power though,” Hazel continued. “I don’t have enough to protect this entire nation.


    But I should have enough to protect the vige; and possibly even the Calypso pack and other nearby


    packs.”


    “Do you think it will keep darkness away?” I asked, my tone bing


    worried.


    “The guardians are made up of all five elements,” Hazel exined. “Earth, water, aif, fire, and spirit.


    Those elementsbined form a light so


    strong that it can ward off darkness.” She paused and nced at my


    mother with a look of anticipation. “With our powersbined, I think we can do this.”


    曲