chapter 96


    Imogen’s POV


    Waking up the next morning, I grabbed Thaddeus from his crib. Tobias was still snoring like a


    chainsaw and was probably the reason Thaddeus had woken. I seriously don’t understand how Theo


    hasn’t smothered him in his sleep. Most of the time I don’t notice but now we have a kid his snoring is


    annoying when it wakes the baby.


    Grabbing my pillow, I lob it at him, and he darts upright. “What?” he says, looking around the room.


    “You woke him again, seriously Tobias you might need to sleep outside it is getting ridiculous” I tell


    him.


    Doesn’t affect my sleep,” he says yawning and stretching. The smell of bacon wafts through the


    house and my belly instantly rumbles. Walking down the stairs, I hear the radio ying and can hear


    Theo rummaging around the kitchen. As soon as I walk in, Theo greets us with a kiss as I sit down on


    the stool with Thaddeus in my arms. Theo cing a steamy cup of liquid gold in front of me and I


    almost orgasm from the sight of my oversized mug of coffee.


    Tobiases in and sits next to me and pinches Thaddeus’s cheeks. Suddenly Theo turns the


    radio up and the host is talking about weather change patterns and about a freak hurricane that swept


    through the city. We all look at each before looking at Thaddeus, who still had his cheeks pinched


    between Tobias’s fingers. I kiss his nose.


    “Well, didn’t realise it reached the city.”


    “Yeah, had some freak talking about conspiracy theories ring up the station earlier, iming the


    government is behind the severe weather patterns,” Theo said. I raised an eyebrow, obviously an


    entric nutter.


    Theo hands a coffee to Tobias before he pulls out a highchair from the pantry. “When did you get


    that?” I ask as he takes Thaddeus from me.


    “This morning. Got him this too,” he says holding up porridge packet. We all watch as Thaddeus


    tries figuring out what to do with his tongue as Theo pops a teaspoon in his mouth. He spits it out. Theo


    tries again, and this time most of it stays in his mouth as he swallows it down.


    “Good bubba?” Theo asks. Thaddeus shes a grin before opening his mouth, wanting more.


    Theo feeds him his porridge while we help ourselves to the tter of food Theo made. Hearing tires on


    the driveway, we wait before hearing the front door open.


    Caroline and Josiah walk in and Caroline makes herself and Josiah some coffee before joining us


    for breakfast, I grab them some tes before sitting back down. “You ready for today?” Josiah asks


    while grabbing some bacon. I chew my food and swallow before answering.


    “Yeah, just a little nervous about what happens after. Christopher is going to be pissed,” I tell him.


    “You don’t need to worry about him, I can handle Christopher. You just worry about Bianca; you


    have a son toe home too” He replies and I nod. Considering how much Josiah hated me when we


    first meet, we have grown pretty close.


    “And don’t worry about Thaddeus he will be fine with me” Caroline adds. I know she won’t let


    anything happen to him. It was only yesterday she was threatening to eat an entire coven of witches for


    him. I chuckle at the memory.


    “Well, I better go shower and get dressed, don’t think the council will approve of me walking in


    wearing Winnie the Pooh, pyjamas I say looking down at my clothes. Getting up, Tobias and Theo


    watch me leave and I can feel they’re nervous for me. As I reach the stairs, I hear Caroline speaking to


    them.


    “Go on join your mate, she may say she is fine, but I can tell you both aren’t” I hear their chairs


    screech before I hear their feet on the floorboards. Walking into the bathroom, I strip off and a few


    secondster they walk in doing the same. I step under the stream of the water and start washing


    myself.


    “Quickie?” asks Theo a cheeky grin on his face as he tugs me to him.


    “Um, no, your parents are downstairs” I tell him. He sulks and I turn my back on him as Tobias


    steps in.


    “You’re nervous” He states.


    “No, I am fine. You two are nervous, and I don’t know why when I have one thing Bianca doesn’t.


    Magic,” I say, letting electricity zap between my fingers before zapping him softly.


    “Hey electricity and water don’t mix,” he shrieks.


    “I have control, I learned a lot yesterday,” I tell them.


    Theo pours shampoo on my head before rubbing it in. “That’s what worries me. You used a lot of


    magic yesterday, we can feel the darkness running through you, trying to find a way in,” Theo says


    behind me. He was right. The darkness was stronger than it had ever been, moulding around me,


    looking for a weakness. After yesterday though, I had something I didn’t have before with my magic


    and that was confidence. I knew I could control it now, knew my limits and knew how to use it.


    When we finished our showers, I grabbed my towel before going to the walk in and grabbing some


    jeans and a blouse. Putting on myce bra and panties, I then chucked my jeans on and blouse.


    “You going to wear that to a fight to the death?,” Theo says shaking his head.


    “Want heels too?” he asks.


    “Yeah, but the ck ones, the white ones make my feet ache,” I tell him, and he looks at me like I


    am insane.


    “Or I could grab them myself,” I tell him, walking past him and grabbing them.


    “You sure you wouldn’t be morefortable in joggers and track pants?” asks Tobias. I shake my


    head before walking past them and heading downstairs.


    Theo and Tobias came down a few minutester, Tobias dressed in a suit while Theo dressed in


    casual jean and a ck shirt. Josiahes into the lounge-room keys in hand. “Ready?” he asks, and


    I take a breath.


    “Yep, just let me say goodbye to Thaddeus.”


    I quickly kiss his little face, and Theo and Tobias do the same. Carolinees over and hugs me


    tightly before letting go.


    “Put that wench in her ce,” she whispers.


    Driving to the council took a few hours. When we pulled up at the abandoned school, I didn’t even


    hesitate walking straight through the gates to be greeted by Percy.


    “Imogen,” he saysing up to wrap me in a hug. He came up to my waist, so it was a little


    strange when he hugged my leg. I patted him on the back and Theo stepped through the portal and


    chuckled when he saw Percy hanging off me.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    “Percy, get your hands of my woman,” he jokes, tossing him his bag of candy. Walking into the


    entrance, I notice the court is empty. No stalls, all the shops shut and no people lurking in the streets. I


    see Bianca wearing running clothes that fit her figure perfectly. She looked like a barbie doll with her


    pink outfit and blonde hair. Josiah pulled me towards the court. She didn’t even look in our direction


    instead, I watch her dart over to Percy and bend down to whisper something in his ear too low for me to


    hear. I see shock go across his face before he nods his head. Turning around, I follow Josiah who


    takes me into the council.


    Tarina greets us before telling us the challenge will happen in the quad outside, which exins


    why everything was shut down. Tarina then hands Tobias and Theo some papers with a pen that


    sparkles. I can feel its magic as they sign the documents, their writing glowing before settling.


    “What’s that?” I ask Josiah.


    “It’s a treaty agreement. If you die, it will bind Theo and Tobias not to retaliate. If they do, they will


    be sentenced to death,” he exins. My stomach drops at the thought. Walking out toward the quad, I


    find there have been seats ced on the side and Christopher and the rest of the council have taken


    their seats. When we walk out Tarina follows handing the documents to Christopher who nces at it


    before a smile appears on his face. He ps his hands loudly and Theo squeezes my hand before


    kissing my temple.


    Tobiases over to me and rubs my arms. “You got this,” he says looking me in the eye before


    kissing my forehead.


    Biancaes out and stands just at the doors. Tarina walks to the centre before motioning for me


    and Bianca to step forward. We have to shake hands and I feel Bianca grip my hand tightly, trying to


    hurt me. I squeeze back and she rips her hand from my grip. Tarina then takes a seat and Bianca and I


    step back from each other. Bianca smiles cockily, and I return her smile before letting my eyes sh


    gold. Her smile instantly falling when she realises, I have my magic again. She steps back, frightened.


    “What are you waiting for start” Christopher yells to her. Bianca shakes herself out before lunging


    forward. I decide to y with her for a bit. Sidestepping at thest minute, she spins on her heels


    before trying to punch me. One thing I was good at with Theo and Tobias was predicting their moves,


    Bianca was no different. Snapping my head back, her hand hitting air as I bring my foot up and kick her


    in the stomach. Bianca goes flying backwards and I stalk towards her. She gets up and runs at me


    before she can touch me though. I lift my hand, palm up before mming my palm down. Bianca lifts


    off the ground before hitting the ground face first with a loud thud.


    I hear Christopher gasp when he realises I have my magic back. The distraction costing me, as


    Bianca’s fist connects with the side of my face. My head whipping to the side before she kicks me in


    the stomach. Sending me hurtling into the brick wall of the foyer. The impact knocking the air out of my


    lungs and I grunt before pulling myself onto my hands and knees. I don’t even have time to get up


    when I see her running at me. I feel my magic surge through my palms, sickly sweet, I draw on the


    darkness, taking a little of it before hitting the ground with my palms. The ground lifting in a wave,


    making her lose her footing.


    ck vines growing from the earth underneath the stone ground, wrapping like tentacles around


    her. She struggles against the vines trapping her and holding her in ce. She screams loudly as the


    thorns pierce her skin, long and sharp, moving over her body like a snake.


    “She can’t use magic,” Christopher screamed angrily when he realised Bianca was losing. I ignore


    him walking toward her. When he gets to his feet protesting again. Mara stands, blocking him from the


    fight.


    “No one said there were any rules, Christopher, now sit down, you don’t want to anger me,” she


    warns, shing her fangs. He sits back down when he realises the entire council was eyeing him


    angrily. Mara nods toward me to continue.


    Bianca squirms in the vine’s grip. Trying to break free from their restraints. I casually stroll over to


    her, stopping a few metres off. Now that she was restrained, I felt bad. I hated her, but was I any better


    than her, if I kill her. Killing her won’t bring my mother back or my life back. Not that I wanted it back


    now, anyway. The only thing separating me from her was that I wasn’t a murderer.


    “Finish it” Screams Christopher angrily. I shake my thoughts away. Deciding to let the darkness


    take over. I feel my magic zap and crackle between my fingers. Electricity sparks and I roll my arms,


    creating an enormous ball of electricity. Bianca watches, horrified, and I look to Theo and Tobias. Both


    of them turn their heads and I could feel that they didn’t want to watch me kill my sister, kill their ex-


    wife. They didn’t enjoy seeing me like this, yet if I didn’t do it, I know I forfeit the challenge. Josiah


    nodded to me and I turn back to Bianca. Her blue eyes the same as mine looking back at me pleading.


    I raise my hands, nning to incinerate her when she screams.


    “It was his idea. I didn’t want any part of it. I just wanted my father back.” I falter hearing her


    pleading.


    “Who’s idea?” Josiah and Mara say at the same time getting up from their seats. Electricity


    zapping loudly as I feel my magic building still, while I hold it between my hands.


    “Christopher’s, please Imogen, you don’t want to kill me. I know you don’t,” she pleads looking at


    me with tears in her eyes. I snap my head toward Christopher’s direction, but he is suddenly gone.


    “Where did he go?” I ask and everyone looks to Christopher’s seat which is now empty.


    “Speak?” Mara demands cing her hands on her hips and ring at Bianca. Theo ces his


    hand on my shoulder before jumping back having been electrocuted by my magic running over my


    skin. I let the magic go, let it fizzles out while we figure out what is going on.


    “Christopher didn’t want Josiah getting a seat at the table. We made a deal; he would tell me


    where my father was if I got him to take his seat back at the table. He refused, Christopher said he


    wouldn’te back because of your mother and that if I got rid of her, he woulde back. So, I killed


    her. I am sorry, Imogen. I can’t me him entirely. I did it and I will admit I enjoyed watching you suffer


    from it. I was jealous of what you had with Tobias and Theo. Jealous that our father dumped my mother


    for yours.” I feel my anger rise hearing her confess.


    “When my father came back, he refused the position, and I gave it to ric which angered


    Christopher so he told me to kill dad and he would take care of ric and I could take the position.”


    “Guards find Christopher,” Mara yelled. Suddenly mene running out of the empty shops and


    took off through the streets.


    “Christopher told ric information about your wife, that he received from me. I was spying on you


    when you both left. I followed you, then Josiah killed ric for Christopher. He knew you would fly off


    the deep end and kill him and he could also get revenge on you for what Theo did to his son, by you


    getting punished,” she tells Josiah.


    “I can’t believe you killed your own father for a ce on the council” Mara boomed before stepping


    forward and pping her across the face. Bianca spat out blood and coughed from the impact, huge


    w marks scratched her face from the blow.


    “Find Christopher” Mara said talking to the rest of the council members they nodded but stopped


    when an unfamiliar voice echoed through the quad. One I hadn’t heard before. Spinning around, I


    heard Tobias growl along with Theo and Josiah. I looked in the direction they were looking.


    ‘I have him here,” said the stranger’s voice only when Iid eyes on him. He wasn’t no stranger.


    Percy walked in with another man who had Christopher by the back of his suit. Hey unconscious


    while Percy and the man got closer, dragging Christopher with them. He stopped in front of me, and I


    looked at him in shock.


    “Hey Immy,” he said, and I could see the emotion he was trying to hide behind his eyes.


    “Dad?”