by Rain Oxford
I was walking towards the Center until I sensed something behind me. I turned…
The creature was so horrifying it was beyond earthly description. Teeth and claws were the only thing even remotely resembling anything of this world. I knew then that it wasn’t a dream, because even I wasn’t sick enough to come up with something like that.
I woke short of breath with my heart pounding. I felt like I would never get sleep again.
* * *
Tuesday, September 6
“It sounds like a dream or vision of what would have happened had we been unsuccessful in stopping Vitalis,” Darwin said. We were at breakfast. After asking Addison and Amelia to give us a few minutes alone, I had described the vision as best as I could to Darwin and Henry. Neither of them looked as concerned as I believed they should be.
“Or it’s a warning of what is to come,” I said.
“Only if someone opened the gate, and that’s hardly possible without the Claviculus. Nightmares are totally normal after what we went through. Hell, I’d think there was something wrong with you if you weren’t worried. Speaking of worried…”
Dorian appeared on the table, staring at me again. “Darwin, did you happen to make that potion?”
“I happened to have Becky make it while we were at the council.” Darwin pulled out a potion and popped off the lid. “Drink this and you’ll be sent to your wizard. You won’t be able to leave his side for twenty-four hours, but you’ll find him.”
The cat nodded. Darwin poured the bottle onto his empty plate and the cat lapped it up. As soon as he was done, he vanished.
“Now we need to figure out how Hotreo and Zondel were able to find us,” I said.
“And where those notes came from,” Darwin said. “The culprit might be one person.”
“How’s that?”
“The only way someone could have known about those intimate crimes were if they had visions, read minds, or saw it firsthand.”
“If they saw it firsthand, they would have to be someone who worked here,” Henry said.
“Right. Which would indicate that another teacher or staff member is a traitor. Maybe Remy was right; maybe she should fire all of the original staff.”
“Don’t say that too loudly in here,” I warned. “At least we should have time to take care of these little issues now that things are quieting down.”
Darwin laughed. “Quieting down? You must be joking. This absolutely isn’t the end. We’re not even a month into the school year. I bet something even bigger hits before Christmas.”
“What’s bigger than the end of the world?”
“Okay, maybe not bigger. Definitely harder to solve, though.”
* * *
I was on my way to my office when Dani passed me in the hall. “Ms. Hunt is looking for you,” she said.
“Thanks.” I made my way to Remy’s office. I wasn’t expecting trouble. When I knocked, she told me to enter.
I froze in her doorway.
“Hello, Devon. Want to explain to me what the hell this is?” she asked, pointing with her pencil to Dorian, who was sitting on her desk looking just as pissed as she was.
“Shit.”
Epilogue
In a dark tomb, deep in the depths of a cave, a pillar of stone, covered in words of magic, emitted a soft light. Slowly, this light spread across the black abyss to meet another pillar.
About the Author
Rain Oxford is a teacher who has been writing for more than half of her life. She does most of her writing in a secluded cabin in the woods with a four-pound Maltese as a companion. When she’s not teaching or creating worlds, she usually enjoys cooking, playing the piano, or photographing exotic wildlife.
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/rainoxfordauthor
Website: rainoxford.wordpress.com
Amazon Page: amazon.com/author/rainoxford
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Books by Rain Oxford
Elemental 1: Dark Waters
Elemental 2: Hungry Earth
Elemental 3: Furious Flames
Elemental 4: Insidious Winds
Elemental 5: Soul Guard
Elemental 6: Revenant’s Call
Abyss of Shadows 1: Hunting Shadows
Abyss of Shadows 2: Whispering Shadows
The Guardian 1: The Guardian’s Grimoire
The Guardian 2: The Dragon’s Eyes
The Guardian 3: God of the Abyss
The Guardian 4: The Demon’s Game
The Guardian 5: The Wizard’s War
The Sorcerer’s Saga 1: The Sorcerer’s Quest
The Sorcerer’s Saga 2: The Wizard’s Secret
The Sorcerer’s Saga 3: The Raven’s Curse
The Sorcerer’s Saga 4: The Dragon’s Price
The Sorcerer’s Saga 5: The Hero’s Peril
Casters of Syndrial 1: Book of Names
Casters of Syndrial 2: Sword of Draskara
