by R L Medina
I looked to Jesse and Ash. “Is she dead?”
“No. She’s just recovering from losing all her magic,” the older witch answered.
“I don’t feel any more powerful. Where did all her strength go?”
Jesse nodded to Ash and smiled. “Mostly to her.”
Tears welled in the young witch’s eyes as she wriggled her fingers and gave Jesse a sad smile.
“What is it?” I asked.
“She can feel the magic, but she can’t use it. Her connection was severed when she died.”
Pity filled me as I looked to Ash. “I’m sorry, Ash.”
She shrugged and wiped her tears away. Jesse pulled her into a hug and opened her arms for me to join them.
We embraced each other as the door flew open. My heart leapt into my throat. It was the GRIMM. I relaxed. Jimena looked up from the floor, her eyes full of hate as they surrounded her.
Not wasting any time, they dragged her back through the portal. Jesse and Ash glanced around at the little cottage first before following me to the portal.
25
I panted, moving aside as the GRIMM took her into custody. Rage burned in her eyes, but she was powerless to stop them. Cheers echoed from the other agents and some tried to get past the guards to throw more attacks at her.
The rest of the coven who had sided with her, the ones left alive, were also dragged away in chains, and put in separate cars. I didn’t want to think about what was going to happen to them.
Though I was glad they were off the streets and couldn’t hurt anybody anymore, I knew the GRIMM were notorious for their cruel interrogations. It was a cycle of violence I didn’t understand, nor did I want to.
“I have to find everyone. Make sure they’re okay.” My voice was drowned out by the mix of commands and cheering crowd.
Jesse pursed her lips. “They will find you. You need to rest.”
“I just want to make sure they’re okay.”
Pain spread through me, making me sway. I looked down at my hands. Horror struck me. “I think I need a doctor.”
Jesse followed my gaze, eyes wide. “The reversal spell. It’s… reversing the healing I placed.”
Bile rose in my throat as the skin began peeling once more, pain washing over my senses. Dark spots dotted my vision and Jesse’s voice faded.
I was vaguely aware of her and Ash laying hands on my shoulders and Jesse chanting another spell. The pain slowly ebbed. I exhaled and glanced at my injury.
It was healing again. Hopefully for good this time. I let Ash help me to the ground slowly. We leaned against each other as we sat with Jesse eyeing me, her brow furrowed in concentration. Placing another spell? I would take all the magic I could get to keep the pain away.
My mind clear once again, I stood to scan the crowd for the others. Where were they? Were they all, okay? My eyes snagged on some of the fallen agents who were being carted off to the side. A lump grew in my throat at the horrific sight. I’d seen pictures and videos of the aftermath of war before, but seeing it in person, up close, was much, much worse.
A shudder ran through me. Any of those agents could have been someone I knew. Grayson. Javi. Shiloh or Brady. What would their families think when they heard the news? Tears filled my vision. Some of the GRIMM who’d joined the fight hadn’t even been active combat agents.
Not able to stomach the scene anymore, I turned away.
One of the older GRIMM stood on top of an armed truck and addressed the crowd. “Listen up. General Kirkus is here to give follow up orders.”
He moved aside for a younger man who took his place. The man raised an arm, eyes roaming across the field.
“This battle against Luna Negra is over for now, but it won’t be completely over until every witch, wolf, shifter—every extraordinaire—is caught and punished for their involvement,” the GRIMM leader announced.
“You all fought bravely, but the fight is far from over. This is just the beginning. We will need teams to go after the remaining extraordinaire, teams to clean up and get rid of all evidence of this battle, teams to aid the communications department in canvassing, mind sweeping, and ensuring ordinaire ignorance. We will also need teams to help find and disband all branches of Luna Negra. Everywhere.”
I looked to Jesse and Ash. “What does that mean for us?”
“We’ll probably be detained and investigated.”
Heat rushed through me. “What? Detained? But we’re the ones who defeated the supreme. They can’t do that.”
Jesse gave me a weary smile. “They’re not going to let us walk away with all this power. We’ll have to give it up, but I assume they will let us off without any charges. We can still practice magic under the law. Just not under the name of Luna Negra.”
A new fear dawned on me. What if the GRIMM made more laws or enforced stricter policy after this? Though I understood their concern, I didn’t think tighter control was what the extraordinaire needed. Look where it had led us already.
Pain speared through me. “Everyone is going to freak when they see my hands.”
Jesse glanced at them once more and frowned. “I don’t understand why the healing spell isn’t staying. I think we need to move you somewhere more comfortable so we can spend more time on it.”
“Fine. But after I make sure everyone is okay.”
She opened her mouth to argue but was cut off by a very loud whoop.
We turned to find Javi, Shiloh, Brady, James, and Grayson running up to us. A sigh of relief escaped me at the sight of them. All of them. Alive and unharmed. Not counting the scrapes and cuts I could see. How was that even possible?
“Rose!” they called.
Not thinking, I lifted my hand to wave, but winced as pain jolted me.
Shiloh’s gaze shot to my hands, her eyes widening in horror. A sob escaped her before she could cover her mouth.
“Rose. Oh my God. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Javi’s devastation hit me like a brick.
I glanced at Jesse. “I told you they’d freak.”
She smiled weakly at my attempt to lighten the mood.
“Rose is going to be okay. It will take a lot of healing and rest, but she will be okay.”
Shiloh nodded emphatically, swiping at her eyes. Javi didn’t even bother to hide his tears as they fell. He didn’t stop staring at my hands either.
I put them behind my back and winced at the movement. Jesse’s words echoed in my mind.
She will be okay.
Would I? How did a person go through everything I had and be… okay? They never showed you what happened to the heroes afterwards in the books or movies. Once the bad guy was defeated and the protagonists were left to pick up the pieces. What happened next?
Years of therapy sounded like a good first step.
Grayson and Brady followed by James rushed toward us. Grayson made it to me first, eyes filled with relief and anger as he saw my hands.
Brady’s eyes widened as he let out a stream of curses. Even James looked horrified.
Grayson turned to the group of GRIMM who were bustling around us. “Medic. Where is the medic?”
“I’ve got it,” Jesse answered.
My friends encircled me and watched as the witch closed her eyes. Pain sliced through me, a throbbing ache starting in my head. I swayed. Javi was there first to catch me and hold me upright.
“What did you do?” Javi demanded.
I couldn’t hear Jesse’s response. The ground, sky, and their faces swirled around me, blending together like a weird painting. Pain spread through me and I clenched my eyes shut, trying to block it out.
Blackness swam around me. Voices drifted farther and farther. I didn’t know how long I was knocked out, but when I came to, everyone was there. My friends. Jesse. Tío and the GRIMMs. The wolves. Even Rafael was keeping a close watch on me.
My face flushed at their attention. Were they all concerned about me? It felt strange to have so many people concerned.
“Rose, a
re you okay?” Grayson spoke first.
I looked up and realized I was lying in his lap. Everyone surrounded me, concern on their faces. Heat washed over me as I struggled to sit up.
“Are you okay?” Grayson asked again.
“I think so?” I replied, my voice sounding strange.
My eyes fell on my bandaged hands. Pain throbbed in them. I looked at Jesse.
“They’re healing. But…” Her face fell.
The serious, grief-stricken look she gave me scared me. My stomach clenched with dread.
“What is it? Just give it to me straight.”
“It’s going to take a lot of time, healing magic, and therapy, but I think you’ll be able to regain what you’ve lost. You’ll still be able to cast. Just not right away.”
I looked at her and the others. For them, losing the ability to cast would be devastating. For me, who had barely begun to learn how to even use magic, it was a hard blow, but not being able to do spells… I’d spent most of my life as an ordinaire. I could do it again.
“Does this mean I can’t be a GRIMM?”
Though a part of me did long for the return to normalcy, without the GRIMM and my family, I had nothing. How could I go back to regular school after what I’d been through. After what I had seen. What I’d done.
“Of course not. You’re going to get better,” Javi was the first to answer.
“And we’ll be with you every step,” Shiloh added.
“Only if this is what you want, Rose.” Tío stepped in.
My eyes snapped to his. I didn’t expect that from him. He, of all people, had been the most determined to control my decisions.
“Yes, and you don’t have to decide right away. Just take the time you need to heal. You’ve been through enough already.” Grayson’s voice was thick with emotion.
I turned to him, struggling to reign in my own emotions. “We all have.”
A heavy silence followed. The voices of the other GRIMM agents echoed in the distance. I spotted Agent Young among the others. He met my gaze and headed straight for us.
“Rose Vasquez?” His deep tone startled me out of my thoughts.
He eyed everyone as they crowded around me, blocking his path.
He grunted. “I just have some questions for her.”
“They can wait,” Tío answered for me.
“I have to finish my report, Agent Vasquez.”
“It will have to wait. My niece needs to rest. I’ll let you know when she’s ready to talk.”
Agent Young sighed in frustration and glanced at the others before walking away with a shake of his head.
For once, I was thankful for my tío’s intervention. I didn’t want to stay and rehash everything. I did need time to process what happened and the last thing I wanted was to be interrogated by the GRIMM.
Jesse’s words rang in my ears. I’d still be able to cast, but it would take a lot of work and time. Was it worth it? I never wanted to stay at the academy to begin with, but how could I walk away now? I looked at my family and friends.
Where would I go? The thought of leaving them behind and trying to fit in with the ordinaire scared me. Almost as much as the idea of pledging myself to the GRIMM and being a full-blown monster hunter.
“I’m here. If you ever need anything.” Jesse cut in.
I smiled at her and the silent promise written in her eyes. She was offering me a place—a different path than with the GRIMM and while I appreciated it, I didn’t think I could accept.
Being a witch wasn’t something I wanted to do either.
A dull ache throbbed in my head, making me groan.
“Come on. We should get you somewhere you can lie down.” Grayson helped me to my feet.
“Do you want a stretcher?” Shiloh asked.
I shook my head and attempted to stand by myself. Dizziness struck me, making me sway. Everyone’s hands shot out at once to steady me.
“Maybe I do,” I muttered.
Tío called one of the medics over and they brought me a stretcher—a spelled one that floated on its own, because of course the GRIMM wouldn’t use an ordinary one.
I flushed as everyone watched me get loaded onto the stretcher. Though I guess it was better than having to be carried to the car like an infant.
“Hey, it’s going to be all right now, Rose.” Grayson patted my arm as he walked beside me.
His blue-gray eyes pinned me with their intensity. A lump grew in my throat. The image of him dying still haunted me. Without the fairy’s power, he would have been gone. I would have lost him.
“The worst is over,” Javi agreed.
Brady snorted.
We glanced at him and he shrugged.
“Let’s be real here. Just because you offed the Wicked Witch of the West doesn’t mean the war is over. The extraordinaire got a taste of GRIMM blood. They’re not going to just go back to their old lives. We need to prepare now more than ever.”
“Okay, but she doesn’t have to hear this right now, Brady.” Shiloh frowned at him.
“He’s right though. It doesn’t end, does it?” I sighed.
“It will when the GRIMM catch and charge everyone involved in the attacks,” Javi answered.
Not having the energy to argue, I fell silent and closed my eyes.
As much as I wanted to believe we’d won, I wasn’t stupid. I knew that there were more witches and other beings out there who wanted us dead. The balance of the extraordinaire’s freedom and GRIMM control had always been a struggle. Both sides had been in the wrong at some point, but if there was no effort to coexist or at least not kill each other, the world would fall into chaos, and the very people—the ordinaire—we claimed to protect would suffer too.
Papi’s face flashed in my mind, making my heart twist. I still missed him, and I probably always would, but I hoped he could see me wherever he was.
The thought of him and my mom watching me and cheering me on brought tears to my eyes. I hoped they were proud of me. Voices drifted around me and I opened my eyes to find that we’d arrived at Tío’s car.
I let Grayson help me in and snuggled up to him as the others discussed who was riding with who. Brady gave up his spot, saying he had something to do before he met back up with us. I shared a curious look with Javi.
Shiloh lowered her voice. “James. He’s probably going to see him first.”
Javi shook his head, and I could see the disapproval written there. He didn’t like the idea of Brady with a witch? I sighed and leaned closer to Grayson. It was that kind of ideology that needed to change if the future between the GRIMM, the witches, and extraordinaires could get better.
We didn’t go back to the dorms right away. Instead, we crashed at Tío and Tía’s house. A teary-eyed Tía fussed over us, waiting on us hand and foot as she mumbled prayers of gratitude. The twins followed her, listening in awe as Javi recounted everything, leaving out some of the gory details.
I could only watch, half listening. Maybe it was the pain meds and magic, but there was a numbness that spread through me. Noticing my silence, the others tried to make me as comfortable as possible, offering an array of things to help.
It was Grayson who seemed to understand what I was going through. He sat beside me, drawing me close to him and offering me a quiet place. I rested my head against him and listened to the steady beat of his heart. Tears sprang into my eyes. The image of him lying dead flashed in my mind. I tried to push it away and eventually exhaustion won out and I fell asleep.
Thankfully, my dreams were much happier than the horrific reality I’d been through. Jesse’s words echoed in my head.
She’ll be okay. She’ll be okay. Deep down, I believed her. I’d survived so much already, nothing else was going to bring me down.
I’m going to be okay, Papi.
26
Back at school, everyone was still reeling from the attacks. It was an unprecedented event and everyone, had their own version of what happened. Tests and exams were the las
t thing on our minds and the council was discussing how to carry on. Some of the professors lobbied that all the students should automatically pass since we’d been tested by the real thing and survived.
It was a miracle that aside from some minor injuries, all the students remained unscathed. Especially when we’d lost so many agents. My stomach turned at the images. Nights were the worst.
The memories of what we’d seen would forever haunt me. But the daylight chased away the darkness and I spent most of my time with my friends. Doing normal people things. Well, normal for GRIMM people. In truth, I didn’t mind the classes and training. In fact, being able to spar with Grayson and the others was becoming one of my favorite pastimes.
I knew the good times wouldn’t last forever. There were still extraordinaire out there that wanted war and with the recent events, the GRIMM were cracking down more than ever. Which I knew would mean trouble later down the road. Who wanted to live under someone else’s control?
But for the time being, I was enjoying the peace while it lasted.
“Rose? Did you hear me?” Javi’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
I turned to him and the others. “What are we talking about?”
He frowned. “Cassiano. I know he was like evil and all, but he was the last wizard. Don’t you think that means someone will rise up and take his place?”
“Like who?” Grayson asked him.
“Whoever the best GRIMM is.”
Grayson’s brow furrowed. “You think you are going to be the next wizard?”
Javi shrugged. “It could be any of us.” His eyes narrowed. “Why couldn’t it be me?”
“Don’t tell me you two are already back at it. Competing.” Brady snorted.
“Can we just not talk about wizards or school or GRIMM right now, please?” I interrupted.
Javi gave me a sheepish smile and Grayson nodded. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Since everything that had happened, I’d noticed them tiptoeing around certain subjects around me. I knew they were doing it out of concern for me, but I hated that they saw me as someone they still needed to protect or worse—pity.
