《Witching Hour》 Chapter 1 : Part 1 The sound of raindrops spattering against glass drew Erik from his silent contemplation. Slowly, he opened his steel-grey eyes and heaved a heavy sigh. He ruffled his shaggy layers of chin-length black hair before running his slender hand down his face as if to wipe away the tiredness. Staring down at the steering wheel a moment longer, he grabbed his phone and handgun from his center console and got out of the car. Parked in front of him was a nondescript white box truck, innocuous looking like his own dark vehicle. Either side of the road was engulfed by thick trees that scattered stray droplets and yellow leaves as the wind above the canopy made their tops say violently. He rolled his shoulders to loosen tension, pulling up the collar of his long black coat against the cold. As Erik stepped around to the driver¡¯s side of the truck, he saw other vehicles parked just up the road. Two police cruisers, a firetruck, and an ambulance. Officers were hanging around chatting with a couple of paramedics, firing furtive glances towards him. Erik gave an imperceptible shake of his head and looked into the cabin of the truck. A man was draped carelessly over the steering wheel, seemingly dead. ¡°Tech,¡± Erik said through the closed window. ¡°Tech!¡± he called more firmly when the other didn¡¯t respond. Erik rolled his eyes. ¡°Leon!¡± he changed names, rapping sharply on the window with his middle knuckle. Leon suddenly jolted awake, his lanky frame flailing in surprise. ¡°D-W-wha-what!¡± he stammered, bleary-eyed and confused, his thin silver glasses askew on his sharp-featured face. ¡°Stop fooling around, hunter,¡± Erik¡¯s voice came muffled through the glass. ¡°Ghost¡­¡± Leon sighed, holding down the button to lower the window for his boss. He finally released the handgun that had been hidden beside his thigh. ¡°I must¡¯ve fallen asleep,¡± he mumbled, rubbing at the corner of one of his green-grey eyes, heavy bags of tired only serving to deepen his gaunt exhaustion. ¡°If I¡¯d been a witch, you¡¯d be dead asleep,¡± Erik replied darkly. ¡°I thought you were up all night. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Dose voluntold me to drive.¡± A dark look passed over Erik¡¯s face. ¡°Keep your wits about you out here. I¡¯ll go tell her to hurry up. Eagle?¡± Leon yawned widely, ¡°Came up with Guillory.¡± ¡°I saw him pass on the way up. I¡¯ll have Eagle drive you back and deal with Dose later,¡± Erik patted the window sill reassuringly. ¡°Where¡¯s the scene?¡± he asked, and Leon pointed wordlessly towards the woods across the street between the two sets of vehicles. There was an area of brush where the dying weeds had been trampled and police tape tied between two trees fluttered helplessly in the wind. Erik approached the gap, nodding courteously to the others before vanishing into the shrubs. The path was narrow with dense woods on either side. At one point, he had to step aside to allow some windswept emergency personnel to pass him. They hardly batted an eye at his presence, though the police officer gave him more side-eye than the rest. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Erik sighed once more and returned to the trail. Twenty more paces in, the trees opened up to a clearing overlooking a cliff. Two people were here¡ªa tall willowy man in a black windbreaker, his pale blond hair whipping around in the wind with his jacket. The other was a stout woman with short sandy hair held back by colourful barrettes. Despite only wearing black cargo pants and a thick sweater, the wind didn¡¯t seem to bother her too much. She crouched next to a blue tarp held down by various stones from the field and had just handed her camera off to the man. Erik strolled over, slipping tight black gloves over his hands, ¡°Dose. Eagle.¡± ¡°Commander!¡± the man beamed. Marcus had a wide smile and glittering clear eyes the colour of blue glacier ice. ¡°Fancy seeing you here.¡± ¡°Great, more people,¡± Sonia muttered, pushing herself up from where she squatted next to the tarp. The field grass at her feet was charred black down to the soil, as was everything else in the immediate vicinity. Black from the fire and spattered white from the extinguishers. ¡°I see the fire department wiped the scene clean already,¡± Erik mused. Sonia clicked her tongue impatiently. ¡°To be fair,¡± Marcus said, now packing away the camera for Sonia, ¡°It¡¯s not like we don¡¯t already know what happened.¡± Sonia huffed, ¡°Just because it¡¯s a fire doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s the witch.¡± ¡°Touchy, touchy,¡± Marcus teased shouldering the equipment bag. She scowled at him. ¡°I¡¯m cold, tired, hungry, and away from my office.¡± ¡°We get it, you hate the outdoors. So tell us about your friend here,¡± Erik sighed. He crouched, lifting the corner of the tarp. As he did, a gust of wind swept by and some ash chunks flew out from underneath. ¡°Well, Crispy Freeman here appears to be homeless,¡± Sonia gestured into the woods to the side where there was an obvious camp set up. ¡°Other than that, we can¡¯t tell without checking dental records¡ªbut that isn¡¯t my job. As for the cause,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Boss, this witch gets more powerful by the day it seems. We¡¯re looking at a sustained blast of more than twelve-hundred degrees. If he could hold it for long enough, he could put crematoriums out of business.¡± ¡°How long?¡± Erik asked, now using a pen from his pocket to poke at a charred hand. It crunched dryly at his prodding. ¡°Judging by the number of scorch marks, I¡¯d say just a few seconds at best, for the moment,¡± Sonia replied. She pointed to the ground where there was indeed evidence that several blasts had occurred repetitively. ¡°Your analysis, Eagle?¡± ¡°I concur with Dose¡¯s findings,¡± Marcus replied melodically. ¡°Any leads yet?¡± Sonia asked. Erik shook his head, ¡°Tech¡¯s been up all night scouring CCTV from the last few incidents looking for any suspects. Speaking of which¡ªyou get his chores tonight, Dose.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± she made a sour face. ¡°He¡¯s been working quite hard¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t have disturbed him. I need all of you in top shape until this is resolved,¡± Erik said turning to look out over the city. They stood at the edge of a dense forest that dropped off into high cliffs of blue-grey bedrock forming a horseshoe around a bay. Dapples of sunlight were breaking through the clouds and catching the sides of glass skyscrapers, sending light scattering across the landscape. In the distant harbour, boats milled about in the ocean, coming and going about their daily business. Sonia huffed crossing her arms against the autumn wind. ¡°You know how much I hate driving.¡± ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s part of your job. Just deal with it.¡± ¡°Ugh, fine¡­¡± Erik turned to walk back into the woods. He seemed to be about to say something else when a series of chimes and buzzing erupted from their respective pockets. They all withdrew their phones. Erik¡¯s expression darkened further. ¡°Eagle, you drive the truck. Dose, you back up Tech. Mother will meet us on site!¡± he ordered, hurrying off into the woods. ¡°Yessir!¡± they said in unison. Chapter 1 : Part 2 Alexander winced as sunlight washed over him, the glittering city coming into full few as his train careened out of a cliff-side tunnel, catching one of the sunbeams. ¡°Passengers en-route to North Covehunt should be advis¡ª.¡± Alexander turned up the music in his headphones to drown out the message. He had been hearing it repeated every ten minutes or so since embarking almost four hours ago. He was sure it was going to haunt his dreams for at least a week. He was temporarily blinded again as the train dipped back into another tunnel, the cabin lights flickering on as they descended into darkness. He could once again see nothing out the window save for his own reflection¡ªa young man of seventeen with fine, vaguely Asian features and long, straight, coal-black hair pulled back into a high ponytail and tied with a red ribbon. His silvery-grey eyes lingered on his own gaze for a moment before focusing on something behind the glass. It was a flicker of something white but it vanished the moment he tried to lock onto it. Alexander took in a sharp breath and looked away from the haunting darkness to see other people in the car gathering their things as the train began to slow. He unconsciously put his hand to his side to feel his tattered grey messenger bag and backpack still where he had left them. At his feet was a large, battered luggage case with a Canadian flag sticker haphazardly stuck to the side. As the train trundled to a stop, his phone buzzed and he looked down to see a series of texts come in. The conversation had been a steady stream of back and forth until the train had entered the bedrock tunnels; however, a public relay had been installed within the lower station to make up for the interference. Alexander quickly typed up a reply and sent it before grabbing his luggage and heading out, following the other passengers milling about the station. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry, but Alexander stopped to take in the view at the top of the escalators. North Covehunt station was an old building, with high vaulted ceilings and ancient Victorian brick-work intertwined with modern brushed steel and glass. One wall sported a hanging carpet of live green plants and a water feature while all of the lights were either recessed moody LEDs or retrofitted cast-brass gas lamps. Alexander¡¯s mouth opened in awe as a smile touched his lips. ¡°Evan¡¯ll love this,¡± he said softly to himself, now snapping a few pictures. By the time he was on his fifth shot of the room, his phone buzzed and he pulled his headphones down to answer it, covering his other ear with his free hand. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Hey Evan,¡± he said breathlessly. ¡°I just got in.¡± ¡°Hiya Cookies!¡± a cheerful voice replied. ¡°How was the trip?¡± Alexander smirked softly at his nickname. ¡°Long,¡± he answered. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding about the architecture, it¡¯s great.¡± ¡°I knew you would like it!¡± he could practically hear her smiling. ¡°Look, Evan, I¡¯ve got to go. Someone from the school was supposed to meet me, and I¡¯m already late¡­ because of¡­ things,¡± he said. ¡°Things?¡± she mused melodically as he readjusted his free hand to further drown out a station announcement. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know about that witch warning.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Alexander laughed nervously, ¡°You don¡¯t need to helicopter me you know.¡± ¡°I. Am. Your. Mother.¡± Evan pointed out teasingly. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t want to worry me. Just, be careful.¡± ¡°Fiiine¡­¡± Alexander rolled his eyes. ¡°And don¡¯t roll your eyes!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± He heard her laugh, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to call, don¡¯t worry about timezones.¡± ¡°You know I will anyways, Evan.¡± ¡°Oh you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡± ¡°Cya Cookies,¡± Alexander rolled his eyes again at the nickname, ¡°Don¡¯t roll your eyes!¡± and with that, she hung up, leaving him shaking his head. ¡°Seriously, that woman¡­¡± he mused with a smile. By now, the station around him had more or less emptied, with only a few stragglers scurrying for the exits. Alexander glanced over his shoulder at a noise behind him as he slipped his phone into his messenger bag¡¯s pocket. That was when someone slammed into him from the front, nearly knocking him over. Alexander started to turn back to apologize when he was grabbed rather unexpectedly, his arm getting twisted behind his back. ¡°H-hey!¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, brat,¡± a hot voice snarled in his ear, the stranger gripping the scruff of Alexander¡¯s hoodie and twisting. ¡°L-let go!¡± Alexander cried out as the man wrenched his arm further back. ¡°Let the kid go!¡± a stern voice ordered. Erik approached from the station¡¯s entrance, a large handgun pointed at them. He moved carefully and deliberately, stopping only three or four meters from the two. ¡°Now!¡± he added firmly. Alexander¡¯s gaze flicked around the atrium to where he could see two or three other figures hiding behind benches and pillars, guns also at the ready. He winced, his concentration brought back to his assailant as his arm started to burn. At first, he thought it was just a hot grip, but in the few moments the man had been holding him, it had started to prickle uncomfortably and was now in searing pain. ¡°I-it hurts!¡± he gasped. ¡°I said shut your mouth!¡± The man hissed, letting go of Alexander¡¯s hood and bringing his hand around to the boy¡¯s throat. A ball of red-orange fire coalesced at his fingertips. ¡°One more word, and I¡¯ll burn your pretty face to a crisp.¡± The station was empty now except for Alexander, the two men, and the three others hiding in the wings. Red and blue police lights flickered through the glass of the exit doors and high windows from outside. Overhead, an automated announcement repeated an evacuation order¡ªan order Alexander had not heard due to his music and phone call. ¡°Oh shiii¡ª,¡± Alexander breathed. Chapter 1 : Part 3 ¡°Just let him go, witch,¡± Erik ordered, his gun still trained on them. ¡°You¡¯re surrounded. There¡¯s no where to go. Let the kid go¡ªhe has nothing to do with this.¡± ¡°HA!¡± the witch barked a derisive laugh into Alexander¡¯s ear. ¡°Go ahead hunter.¡± He moved his hand closer to Alexander¡¯s face. ¡°You and your buddies better back off, or the kid¡¯ll get a face-lift before his date with the barbecue!¡± At this, Alexander sucked in a breath. The heat was intense and he could see his bangs starting to curl as they burned. ¡°Y-you¡¯re going to kill me anyways, aren¡¯t you?¡± he said finally. ¡°Oh how cute, the kid gets it,¡± the witch teased. Alexander tensed and grit his teeth. His gaze me Erik¡¯s for a split second. ¡°In that case¡ª!¡± he slammed his heel into the witch¡¯s foot as hard as he could muster. Alexander felt a satisfying crack and the man howled in agony and surprise. In the same split second, Alexander¡¯s left hand came up and slapped away the hand holding the flames. Now loose, the fireball flung across the room into the water feature and exploded in a cloud of steam, debris, and smoke. With a frustrated snarl, the witch threw him to the ground with force. Time crawled to a snail¡¯s pace as Alexander reeled from the floor, rolling over to defend himself. He raised his arms, shielding his face. The witch raised both of his hands, more fire congregating between them. The air itself screeched to a fever-pitch. Alexander¡¯s gaze met the madness behind the glowing yellow-orange eyes of the fire witch¡ªthe man grinning a little too widely for normal human features. ¡°BUUUURRRN!¡± Gunfire shattered the time-hold just as the witch brought the conflagration down upon Alexander. He curled up, squeezing his eyes shut, hoping it would be a quick death¡ªyet, the searing pain he expected to feel as his flesh vaporized did not come. For a moment Alexander wondered if the fire had been so hot that it burned away his nerves¡ªor if his brain couldn¡¯t cope and made it feel like he was cold instead¡ªor if that deep crackling sound was his bones splitting and spitting from the sheer intensity of the heat. Alexander hesitantly opened one eye, and then the other. His breath came out in little white puffs of condensation. He was cold. The air around him was freezing, causing him to cough. An orange-yellow glow against the blue light around him made him look up again. He could barely make out the form of the witch on the other side of a thick and rapidly forming shell of blue ice nearly ten centimeters thick. No matter how much fire was thrown at it, it just kept growing back. The crematory blast intensified for a second, and Alexander wondered if the ice would hold as it let out a deep crack and rumble. It sounded like a glacier breaking apart¡ªyet, a moment later, the glow of fire faded and so did the distorted image of the witch as he retreated to the escalators. With the danger gone, Alexander breathed a sigh of relief and the ice exploded into a fine snow that instantly vaporized in the heat of the hall, filling it with clouds of condensation. ¡°Roll call!¡± Erik barked through the fog, waving it aside uselessly with his pistol as he scanned the room. ¡°Dose.¡± ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°Tech¡­¡± Three voices responded in varying tones of urgency or light pain. Alexander looked around the room for them, but he couldn¡¯t see anything through the haze until Erik materialized, pointing his weapon at him. ¡°You, did you make the ice?¡± he asked. ¡°Where is the witch?¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Eyes locked on the gun, Alexander mouthed wordlessly, gesturing lamely towards the escalators when pain shot through his arm and wrist. Pain like he had never felt before coursed through him and he screamed, making the mistake of gripping his arm with his other hand. When he looked down at it, he could see the polyester of his hoodie melted against his skin, and where there was no fabric left, his arm was burned red and black and forming charred boils in the shape of a hand print. He sucked in a sharp breath of surprise and looked up at Erik, the colour draining from his face. ¡°H-help me,¡± he whispered pleadingly before passing out. Erik watched in horror as the boy collapsed. He took one last glance around the room and holstered his gun under his long coat. He crouched and propped up Alexander, gingerly lifting his arm to inspect it. ¡°Dose! Medical emergency! Mother, you¡¯re in charge here. Tech¡ª.¡± ¡°Securing the scene, Sir!¡± Leon replied, stationing himself near the top of the escalator, his gun at the ready, checking down the inoperable staircase. The rails were dripping stands of melted rubber pooling on the floors, the metal twisted and bent outward as though to escape the heat of the witch fire. Sonia scurried to Erik¡¯s side, slipping briefly on some loose tile, but she caught herself well. She knelt next to him, already unfurling a small medical kit from a pouch in her cargo pants. ¡°This is one ballsy kid,¡± she muttered, setting to work. ¡°How does it look?¡± Erik asked Sonia, his eye catching another female hunter across the room heading for the station entrance. The brunette gave him a stoic nod as she exited. Sonia was snipping away the remnants of Alexander¡¯s sleeve as best she could. ¡°Not good,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll need to take him to base¡ªthis is bad,¡± she added, pointing to the edge of the burn. ¡°It¡¯s growing.¡± Sonia produced a marker from her medical pack, drawing a strange set of markings directly onto Alexander¡¯s arm. ¡°Now, Ghost!¡± she said urgently, backing away so that Erik could scoop the boy up into his arms. ¡°Hold your horses,¡± he scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can move him if your drawing all over him.¡± However, that clearly didn¡¯t stop Sonia, as she kept working even while he carried Alexander¡ªLeon bringing up their rear close by. ¡°Tech, any sign of him?¡± ¡°None,¡± Leon replied. He reached up and touched his ear-piece, ¡°Tech to Eagle, anything from the sky? Over.¡± Their radios crackled to life all at once, ¡°Eagle to hunters,¡± Marcus¡¯ voice chimed through, ¡°No signs on the surface, but there are a lot of places he can access from under the station. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to get another chance today. Over.¡± Erik¡¯s expression was grim as Sonia held the door open for him, ¡°Tech, you¡¯re driving, you alright for it?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Leon replied, backing out after Sonia, finally lowering his gun as the three of them stepped out into the chilled September air. It was overcast again and the street was lined with police vehicles¡ªthe officers tactfully hiding behind the doors of their squad cars. One officer was standing in the open speaking with the other female hunter. She looked over and caught Erik¡¯s eye, said something to the officer, and trotted over to him. ¡°Are we leaving him with the paramedics?¡± Anna had a soft but professional voice, large, round brown eyes, and a very short fashionable cut that kept her dark brown hair out of her face. ¡°Dose says she needs him at base,¡± Erik replied. ¡°And I mean now, Ghost,¡± Sonia prompted, shoving her boss towards the same truck from earlier. ¡°Take care of things for me here, Sub-Commander¡ªand keep Eagle with you,¡± Erik said, tossing her his car keys. He carried Alexander after Sonia to the truck where Leon held open the back doors for them, and once inside, he slammed them shut again. Sonia quickly unfolded an emergency cot, locking it into custom slots on truck floor for Erik to place her patient. Around them, the truck rumbled to life and Sonia set about digging things out of compartments around her as though it were second nature. ¡°What the prognosis?¡± Erik asked once they were moving. ¡°Mm.¡± Sonia didn¡¯t reply as she hunched over Alexander¡¯s damaged arm, carefully removing the molten polyester shreds. ¡°Might be a curse¡ªlooks like a curse,¡± she muttered. Erik sighed heavily and leaned back against the wall of the van, ¡°Sorry for the extra work.¡± She looked up at him in a brief glance with a rare fleeting smirk, ¡°I live for this, Erik. If you hadn¡¯t taken me on, I¡¯d probably be taking care of some snot-nosed brat with a skinned knee and an over-protective Karen yelling about how I can¡¯t instantly cure her precious crotch-goblin.¡± Erik couldn¡¯t help but let a grin sweep across his normally stoic face as he let out a chuckle. ¡°Yikes. Baggage much?¡± he teased. ¡°Not as much as yours, luggage queen,¡± she teased back. ¡°Humph.¡± Chapter 3 : Part 1 Princess.¡± Chapter 3 : Part 2 Princess,¡± Van strode over, grabbing Alexander by his upper arm just above his bandages and hauling him to his feet. ¡°You should be happy, not everyone gets a nickname from me, especially on their first day,¡± he added, his face really close to Alexander¡¯s. When Alexander tried to pull away, Van¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°No need to be afraid, Princess,¡± he cooed. Chapter 5 : Part 1 Princess poor?¡± he sneered. deserve attention,¡± he hissed. The mood of the room flipped, everyone stopped laughing, worry crossing their gazes as some whispered and cast furtive glances at Allen. Princess, and I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Chapter 3 : Part 1 Princess.¡± Chapter 3 : Part 2 Princess,¡± Van strode over, grabbing Alexander by his upper arm just above his bandages and hauling him to his feet. ¡°You should be happy, not everyone gets a nickname from me, especially on their first day,¡± he added, his face really close to Alexander¡¯s. When Alexander tried to pull away, Van¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°No need to be afraid, Princess,¡± he cooed. Chapter 8 : Part 2 ¡°Hiya, Cookies!¡± Evan¡¯s voice rang clear. ¡°No problem, Biscuit! What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been twelve hours, kiddo.¡± ¡°Because you want me to know you¡¯re eating, or because you hate spending money?¡± she teased. ¡°Mmmmmm¡­¡± she drew out the sound, somewhat disapproving. ¡°He¡¯s finally out of the hospital. His parents have been threatening police action¡ªwitch hunters, anything they can really. But there¡¯s no proof you had anything to do with it, so honestly, what can they do?¡± ¡°Partially, yes. But also, I¡¯ve been gone from home for so long. I thought it about time I make up with my family. I miss Iropa too. I left before everything went down back in o-four and just never found my way back,¡± she let out a sigh of longing. ¡°With you being there now and not really having a future here, I have no reason to stay either. I only stayed here with you just in case someone came looking for you.¡± ¡°Is that so? Whatever are you going to do when you get married? Refuse your in-laws?¡± ¡°Really? What about that Nana girl? She seems nice.¡± ¡°Hrmmm?¡± Evan¡¯s response drew out mischievously. ¡°Not good enough, huh?¡± he heard her snap her fingers, ¡°Ah! Van then! He¡¯s a lovely boy too, right?¡± ¡°Oh Cookies, you¡¯re so cute!¡± she mused. ¡°Did he give you a nickname like that? Really?¡± ¡°You kids had a lot to deal with growing up,¡± Evan said softly, ¡°It¡¯s not surprising even someone like him has something weird about him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Cookies. You hardly ever talk so much, I¡¯m happy to listen.¡± ¡°Alrighty then, I¡¯ll let you go darling.¡± Chapter 8 : Part 3 Princess¡ªNOT!¡± He let go of Alexander¡¯s arm. Chapter 9 : Part 2 coven of witches? Was that even a thing!? Chapter 9 : Part 3 thing is.¡± He gestured to Alexander when he said ¡®this thing,¡¯ as if Alexander was something foul. Chapter 5 : Part 1 Princess poor?¡± he sneered. deserve attention,¡± he hissed. The mood of the room flipped, everyone stopped laughing, worry crossing their gazes as some whispered and cast furtive glances at Allen. Princess, and I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Chapter 7 : Part 1 ¡°Do you think he would hate me if I became a witch hunter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty dangerous career path¡ªwhy not become a police officer instead?¡± ¡°You know why¡­¡± Chapter 7 : Part 2 ¡°Hiya, Cookies!¡± came Evan¡¯s usual greeting. ¡°Did I wake ya?¡± ¡°Probably about seven for you, Biscuit.¡± ¡°How¡¯re things there? Made any friends yet?¡± ¡°Is everything alright, honey?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh Cookies, don¡¯t be like that,¡± Evan cooed through the phone. ¡°You¡¯ve never been away from me for longer than a school day since I brought you home. I understand completely. You don¡¯t need to apologize for anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, I was thinking of putting together a care package. Is there anything you need?¡± ¡°Aleeex,¡± she said drawing out his name ever-so-slightly with warning. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Tell me what happened.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Oh my little biscuit, you have the worst luck ever,¡± she sighed. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Baby, you¡¯ve always been terrible at lying.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And?¡± she added more sternly. ¡°How did you manage to get out alive?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Evan was silent a long time. Long enough that Alexander quickly checked his phone to make sure there was still a connection. It was a moment longer before she spoke again. ¡°Do they look all surly, dress in black, and live in an old abbey downtown?¡± she asked finally. ¡°Stay far away from them. Don¡¯t go anywhere near them, you got me?¡± ¡°With how trouble follows you without explanation, they might think you¡¯re a witch, honey. I need you to promise me you¡¯ll stay far away,¡± she said firmly. He could hear fear creeping into her voice¡ªwhich made him more scared. ¡°Oh baby, if you were a witch, you would¡¯ve alrea¡ª.¡± ¡°Oh Cookies, that¡¯s nothing. Actually, that¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve expressed yourself so much before.¡± Alexander could practically see her shaking her head, smiling dismissively the way she always did when he thought he had done something wrong. Oh how he wished he could snuggle into her arms right then and hide away from everything. ¡°Tell ya what¡ªI¡¯ll throw some of your favs into a box for you since you probably can¡¯t get them there. Hrm?¡± her voice was cheerful but he could hear a little strain under her tone. ¡°We¡¯ll have to find you something else if Iropa doesn¡¯t have sell them though,¡± she added thoughtfully. ¡°I never told you, but Iropa is my real home. You won¡¯t be sad if I sell the house here, will you?¡± ¡°I was hoping to keep it a surprise longer, but I¡¯ve decided to move home and take up a new job in Centralia. I know it¡¯s still a ways away from North Covehunt, but you¡¯ll at least be able to come and see me during holidays¡ª,¡± she had started to babble quickly, ¡°And also, since I¡¯ll be home I can¡ªI can¡­¡± ¡°W-well, you know¡­ You probably figured it out, but I¡¯m not a Canadian citizen¡­ So I¡ªwell I, I couldn¡¯t properly adopt you¡­¡± There was a long pause. ¡°Back then, things were desperate¡ªso many kids in the system¡ªthey needed anyone to take even just one off their hands, so even an international like me was allowed to foster¡ªbut, but¡­ Now that you¡¯re there, and I¡¯m going back¡ªi-if you¡ªIf you¡¯re okay with¡ª¡­¡± he heard her take in a deep breath. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with it, Cookies, I would like to formally adopt you when everything is settled.¡± ¡°Good, good. Good,¡± she had to say it three times before she felt convinced enough herself. ¡°I should have a place in the capital by Christmas. I¡¯ll keep you informed, okay?¡± ¡°Good, good. I¡¯ve already filed the papers electronically in Iropa. It¡¯s just a matter of waiting for a response now, kay?¡± ¡°Oh sweet biscuit, I love you too. But listen¡ªI¡¯ve gotta head out to work now. We can talk more later, alrighty?¡± ¡°Alright then, cya Cookies!¡± she blew him a kiss over the phone and hung up, just like that. Chapter 8 : Part 2 ¡°Hiya, Cookies!¡± Evan¡¯s voice rang clear. ¡°No problem, Biscuit! What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been twelve hours, kiddo.¡± ¡°Because you want me to know you¡¯re eating, or because you hate spending money?¡± she teased. ¡°Mmmmmm¡­¡± she drew out the sound, somewhat disapproving. ¡°He¡¯s finally out of the hospital. His parents have been threatening police action¡ªwitch hunters, anything they can really. But there¡¯s no proof you had anything to do with it, so honestly, what can they do?¡± ¡°Partially, yes. But also, I¡¯ve been gone from home for so long. I thought it about time I make up with my family. I miss Iropa too. I left before everything went down back in o-four and just never found my way back,¡± she let out a sigh of longing. ¡°With you being there now and not really having a future here, I have no reason to stay either. I only stayed here with you just in case someone came looking for you.¡± ¡°Is that so? Whatever are you going to do when you get married? Refuse your in-laws?¡± ¡°Really? What about that Nana girl? She seems nice.¡± ¡°Hrmmm?¡± Evan¡¯s response drew out mischievously. ¡°Not good enough, huh?¡± he heard her snap her fingers, ¡°Ah! Van then! He¡¯s a lovely boy too, right?¡± ¡°Oh Cookies, you¡¯re so cute!¡± she mused. ¡°Did he give you a nickname like that? Really?¡± ¡°You kids had a lot to deal with growing up,¡± Evan said softly, ¡°It¡¯s not surprising even someone like him has something weird about him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Cookies. You hardly ever talk so much, I¡¯m happy to listen.¡± ¡°Alrighty then, I¡¯ll let you go darling.¡± Chapter 7 : Part 1 ¡°Do you think he would hate me if I became a witch hunter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty dangerous career path¡ªwhy not become a police officer instead?¡± ¡°You know why¡­¡± Chapter 7 : Part 2 ¡°Hiya, Cookies!¡± came Evan¡¯s usual greeting. ¡°Did I wake ya?¡± ¡°Probably about seven for you, Biscuit.¡± ¡°How¡¯re things there? Made any friends yet?¡± ¡°Is everything alright, honey?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh Cookies, don¡¯t be like that,¡± Evan cooed through the phone. ¡°You¡¯ve never been away from me for longer than a school day since I brought you home. I understand completely. You don¡¯t need to apologize for anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, I was thinking of putting together a care package. Is there anything you need?¡± ¡°Aleeex,¡± she said drawing out his name ever-so-slightly with warning. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Tell me what happened.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Oh my little biscuit, you have the worst luck ever,¡± she sighed. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Baby, you¡¯ve always been terrible at lying.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And?¡± she added more sternly. ¡°How did you manage to get out alive?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Evan was silent a long time. Long enough that Alexander quickly checked his phone to make sure there was still a connection. It was a moment longer before she spoke again. ¡°Do they look all surly, dress in black, and live in an old abbey downtown?¡± she asked finally. ¡°Stay far away from them. Don¡¯t go anywhere near them, you got me?¡± ¡°With how trouble follows you without explanation, they might think you¡¯re a witch, honey. I need you to promise me you¡¯ll stay far away,¡± she said firmly. He could hear fear creeping into her voice¡ªwhich made him more scared. ¡°Oh baby, if you were a witch, you would¡¯ve alrea¡ª.¡± ¡°Oh Cookies, that¡¯s nothing. Actually, that¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve expressed yourself so much before.¡± Alexander could practically see her shaking her head, smiling dismissively the way she always did when he thought he had done something wrong. Oh how he wished he could snuggle into her arms right then and hide away from everything. ¡°Tell ya what¡ªI¡¯ll throw some of your favs into a box for you since you probably can¡¯t get them there. Hrm?¡± her voice was cheerful but he could hear a little strain under her tone. ¡°We¡¯ll have to find you something else if Iropa doesn¡¯t have sell them though,¡± she added thoughtfully. ¡°I never told you, but Iropa is my real home. You won¡¯t be sad if I sell the house here, will you?¡± ¡°I was hoping to keep it a surprise longer, but I¡¯ve decided to move home and take up a new job in Centralia. I know it¡¯s still a ways away from North Covehunt, but you¡¯ll at least be able to come and see me during holidays¡ª,¡± she had started to babble quickly, ¡°And also, since I¡¯ll be home I can¡ªI can¡­¡± ¡°W-well, you know¡­ You probably figured it out, but I¡¯m not a Canadian citizen¡­ So I¡ªwell I, I couldn¡¯t properly adopt you¡­¡± There was a long pause. ¡°Back then, things were desperate¡ªso many kids in the system¡ªthey needed anyone to take even just one off their hands, so even an international like me was allowed to foster¡ªbut, but¡­ Now that you¡¯re there, and I¡¯m going back¡ªi-if you¡ªIf you¡¯re okay with¡ª¡­¡± he heard her take in a deep breath. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with it, Cookies, I would like to formally adopt you when everything is settled.¡± ¡°Good, good. Good,¡± she had to say it three times before she felt convinced enough herself. ¡°I should have a place in the capital by Christmas. I¡¯ll keep you informed, okay?¡± ¡°Good, good. I¡¯ve already filed the papers electronically in Iropa. It¡¯s just a matter of waiting for a response now, kay?¡± ¡°Oh sweet biscuit, I love you too. But listen¡ªI¡¯ve gotta head out to work now. We can talk more later, alrighty?¡± ¡°Alright then, cya Cookies!¡± she blew him a kiss over the phone and hung up, just like that. Chapter 9 : Part 3 thing is.¡± He gestured to Alexander when he said ¡®this thing,¡¯ as if Alexander was something foul. Chapter 8 : Part 2 ¡°Hiya, Cookies!¡± Evan¡¯s voice rang clear. ¡°No problem, Biscuit! What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been twelve hours, kiddo.¡± ¡°Because you want me to know you¡¯re eating, or because you hate spending money?¡± she teased. ¡°Mmmmmm¡­¡± she drew out the sound, somewhat disapproving. ¡°He¡¯s finally out of the hospital. His parents have been threatening police action¡ªwitch hunters, anything they can really. But there¡¯s no proof you had anything to do with it, so honestly, what can they do?¡± ¡°Partially, yes. But also, I¡¯ve been gone from home for so long. I thought it about time I make up with my family. I miss Iropa too. I left before everything went down back in o-four and just never found my way back,¡± she let out a sigh of longing. ¡°With you being there now and not really having a future here, I have no reason to stay either. I only stayed here with you just in case someone came looking for you.¡± ¡°Is that so? Whatever are you going to do when you get married? Refuse your in-laws?¡± ¡°Really? What about that Nana girl? She seems nice.¡± ¡°Hrmmm?¡± Evan¡¯s response drew out mischievously. ¡°Not good enough, huh?¡± he heard her snap her fingers, ¡°Ah! Van then! He¡¯s a lovely boy too, right?¡± ¡°Oh Cookies, you¡¯re so cute!¡± she mused. ¡°Did he give you a nickname like that? Really?¡± ¡°You kids had a lot to deal with growing up,¡± Evan said softly, ¡°It¡¯s not surprising even someone like him has something weird about him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Cookies. You hardly ever talk so much, I¡¯m happy to listen.¡± ¡°Alrighty then, I¡¯ll let you go darling.¡± Chapter 8 : Part 3 Princess¡ªNOT!¡± He let go of Alexander¡¯s arm. Chapter 9 : Part 2 coven of witches? Was that even a thing!? Chapter 9 : Part 3 thing is.¡± He gestured to Alexander when he said ¡®this thing,¡¯ as if Alexander was something foul.