Chapter Text
FANFICTION
Spy X Family
WITCH AU: CARMEN FELICIS
Spell I: Magic is in the Air
The Magical Circus of the Sun and Moon was back in Berlint.
When the night had fallen, and the city was quietest, this was when the circus woke up and gathered its guests in a spiralling world of lights, illusions, and laughter.
For the first time in over three decades, the most famous circus in the world would make its way back to the capital, spreading the joy and warmth that only circuses could offer. Ever since the war had started, between Ostania and Westalis, the Magical Circus of the Sun and Moon had stopped coming to Berlint. It was the most famous circus in the world and one of the most awaited events when one had the luck of living in a city where it would appear. It was now two decades since the war had stopped and for many years now, the Magical Circus of the Sun and Moon had been hoped for.
Its return was the sign of a new era.
Indeed, why would the circus return at all if the Enchanted People was not welcome in Ostania?
“Becky! We must go!” Anya Forger exclaimed, holding up a pamphlet in black, white, gold and silver.
More than holding it up, she was shoving it under her friend’s nose.
“Calm down, Anya! We will! I’m not passing the opportunity of finally seeing the circus in Berlint!” she exclaimed with a chuckle, sitting down elegantly at her desk, as was expected of her as the heiress of the Blackbell family – an esteemed family famous for manufacturing most Ostania’s potions, wands and (human) weapons.
Anya smiled brightly, going around the desk and sitting next to her friend.
“You have seen the circus in the past, right?” she continued in a hushed voice, even though the entire classroom was talking about this historical event.
“My father took me to Londinium to witness it. It was marvellous, Anya! I had never seen so many Enchanted People gathered in one place!”
Anya shuddered in excitement, nodding cheerfully.
“Centaurs, dragons– and real, big-sized ones not like the small wyverns we have here– and acrobats, and fairies, and magical candies, and fairy floss that makes you float in clouds! Oh, and witches too!”
Anya was about to say something, when another voice rang behind them:
“Witches are all gone,” Damian Desmond said disdainfully when he walked past the two enthusiastic young women.
Becky turned to her cousin with an annoyed look, although they both preferred ignoring their common lineage.
“Witches aren’t all gone, only in Ostania and Westalis,” Anya intervened with forced patience.
Because of your father and his friends, she added to herself.
Damian frowned a little.
“They aren’t full-blooded witches. The real witches are all gone. Only their descendants with a speck of their former power are still there. They can’t even do real magic, only perform tricks that makes children applaud.”
“You were there with me when we visited Londinium and the Magical Circus, Damian! You saw those witches and everything else! It was amazing!” Becky continued, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I was there… and all I remember is how dangerous these creatures all were! This dragon could have killed us instantly, the centaurs could have trampled us, what if you had never gotten over the high of all those magical candies? You’d still be floating in clouds, never to be seen again!”
“It’s perfectly safe at the Circus! Besides, the Law forbids any Enchanted People to use their powers for wrong anyway! They would be arrested!”
Damian grimaced at that, knowing Becky was right on that aspect.
“It’s not like you’re a non-Enchanted either,” Becky continued with a smug and victorious smirk.
He turned around to glare at her, but everyone knew the heritage of the Desmond family.
Once upon a time the greatest griffin riders in the world, whose magical blood had diluted over the years by generation after generation of Desmonds thinking it best to gain political power and wealth than look after their griffins. Eventually, over the last few decades, most Desmonds had been born with no Gift, until Donovan Desmond had decided that going to war against the Enchanted People would be best for his country – and possibly some sort of petty revenge for having lost his family’s heritage…
“The magic of my family is long gone,” Damian muttered, looking away with a pout.
“I’m sure it’ll be back someday, Boss man!” Ewen exclaimed cheerfully.
“Mmm. It’s not like we could do anything anyway… Enchanted-creature riding is forbidden, too disturbing for the plane routes in the sky,” Damian grumbled, “The point is, even if some diluted Enchanted blood still exists for most of us, full-blooded witches are all gone.”
“Just because witches were hunted several times because they’re some of the most powerful Enchanted People doesn’t mean they’re gone! There must be a few covens who survived the witch-hunts and the war and are keeping their secrets hidden!” Becky continued.
“Well, several times in history, witches were thought to be gone, and yet, they always came back,” Emile continued, sharing Becky’s passion for witchcraft history, “The covens are probably waiting for their next Daughter of Lilith!”
“That’s just a myth!” Damian exclaimed, rolling his eyes.
“If witches’ covens are still out there,” Anya started slowly, making sure to look directly into Damian’s eyes, “Then they must be waiting for their next Daughter of Lilith. The only witch who can execute spells on her own before the Calling at twelve years old… They have been plenty in the past who proved to be Daughters of Lilith. Like Queen Bouddica, Morgana, wrongly thought to be Fae, Isobel Gowdie, Mother Shipton, Marie Laveau–”
“Yes, yes, I get it, lots of famous witches have turned out to be Daughters of Lilith when witches’ covens needed them the most!” Damian mumbled.
“You’re just scared of witches because of what your father did to the last witches of Ostania and Westalis!” Becky continued, taking great joy in embarrassing her cousin.
Anya glanced warily between her friend and the young man who pinched his lips tight, sending a warning look at Becky who didn’t notice it and continued, having now drawn the attention of most of the classroom:
“After all, he is the one who ordered for the burning of all the last witches–”
“Enough!” Damian exclaimed, looking away quickly, “I’m not scared of anyone, witches least of all!”
“Prove it, then,” Becky continued smugly, “Go to the circus with us, talk to the witches! If you don’t come, then it’ll be the proof that you are a coward, Desmond…”
He gritted his teeth, glaring at Becky as the entire classroom started whispering.
“I am no coward…” he hissed, “I’ll go to that stupid circus and prove you wrong! I’m not scared of the witches!”
He hurriedly moved to his desk, ignoring everyone glancing at him warily.
Becky chuckled to herself, before leaning towards Anya, murmuring in a low voice:
“I still can’t believe you have a crush on my cousin, of all people!”
“Becky!” Anya cried out, flushing, “You know I don’t want anyone to know about this…!”
She hummed to herself, glancing over her shoulder, and sticking her tongue out at her cousin who glared back.
“He’s never going to show up at the circus, I know it!” she continued with a huge smile.
“He will,” Anya said with a smile of her own.
She dared glance at Damian, ignoring Becky’s curious look.
“I don’t think he’s afraid of anything the Circus may hold.”
“Mmm, we’ll see. If he does show up, I’ll try to get you two alone together… perhaps some enchanted apple would do the trick–” Becky teased with a wink.
“Becky!”
Professor Henderson entered, claiming all the students’ attentions, distracted once more by the Circus and the idea that Damian Desmond had been provoked by Becky Blackbell to go there.
Almost thirty years ago, the war had aimed to eradicate the Enchanted People, considered dangerous by the more human people of Ostania. It had become a disaster where half the world had joined the fight to help Westalis, one of the most Enchanted populated areas. Within Ostania, far more people compassionate to the cause of the Enchanted People, or who were secretly Enchanted People themselves, had risen against the war until it was stopped.
It hadn’t stopped the horrors to spread. The thousands of innocent Enchanted People tortured, killed, or exiled. Among them, the greatest witch-hunt since the Witch Trials of Trier had been ordained by Donovan Desmond – all witches from Ostania and Westalis had been lost to the great fires. For a time, he had escaped justice by justifying his actions: the witches had united their covens to plan the assassination of many important people in Ostania, including his family and many of his political allies. Eventually, justice found him, and he was arrested for war crimes and genocide. He was currently finishing his life in a miserable, high-security prison. Although many still sought for Donovan Desmond to suffer the same fate as all the witches he had ordered to be hunted and burnt, most preferred looking forward to brighter days.
After the war, the Enchanted People of the world had united to set up terms on how to live in harmony with the non-Enchanted. The Treaty between the Union of Enchanted People and Ostania had come to several agreements but two were particularly important:
~ No person should be accused, arrested, attacked or violented in any way for being of Enchanted descent. ~
~ Any person of Enchanted descent had to be registered and was forbidden to use any magic in order to cause any harm to another individual of Enchanted non-Enchanted descent. ~
With these new laws, this new lifestyle, everything changed. In the entire world. The Enchanted People didn’t have to hide any more, they didn’t have to fear spikes and pyres. They were embraced with far more ease than expected by the non-Enchanted and magic had become part of their quotidian. It wasn’t unusual to see some small dragons or fairies fly around, or werewolves as bodyguards, or Fae charming entire crowds as singers or actors, proudly displaying their strange traits, or even for centaurs to walk around with no illusion that would have hidden their horse’s body, simply wearing a suit and a suitcase to do their job as accountants or other.
Some Enchanted People were more dangerous, obviously… but the MSSS, the Magical State Security Service, ensured that goblins, orcs, tricksters, or rogue vampires were handled to represent no harm to the populace.
Still, some fears lingered. Fear to be hunted for the Enchanted People, fears to be the victims of vengeance by the non-Enchanted…
And with Damian being fearful of what the Enchanted People could do to him, as the second son of the man who had ordered the death of so many… Anya could never tell him she was a witch herself.
Not that anyone knew… no one except her adoptive parents. And when they had found out, she had been very discreetly registered, and so they had decided to keep it a deep secret… She wasn’t particularly powerful anyway and her opportunities of using any magic were rare and few in-betweens – which was why she was so excited to see the Magical Circus of the Sun and Moon. Perhaps she would finally learn some things about her origins, or a few tricks to help her study…
*
As expected, the return of the Magical Circus of the Sun and Moon was the only thing people could talk about in all Berlint, not just Eden Academy, one of the most prestigious schools of the country for Enchanted and Non-Enchanted.
It was agreed between Becky and Damian, in front of many witnesses (in other words, their classmates) that they would go to the last day of the Magical Circus of the Sun and Moon, which coincided with their last day of the school year before all going on summer holidays.
One last week and then, they’d all be separated for two months.
Knowing that, Anya wasn’t surprised when, waiting behind the big oak tree next to the Dark Forest that covered Eden’s grounds, she noticed Damian walking away from the school buildings, and straight into the forest which wasn’t quite as dark as its name assumed. It was only the case in winter, or at night where creatures no one wanted to cross lurked. Some told tales of Will-o-the-wisp that took students into fairy realms, others talked of ghosts or witches who wanted vengeance for their daughters and grand-daughters taken by the fires of the war…
It was part of the reason why Anya knew Damian would come to the Circus. He wasn’t scared of the Dark Forest. He wouldn’t be scared of the Magical Circus of the Sun and Moon.
It was also one of the few moments where she got to spend time with the real Damian Desmond, and not the pretentious heir he claimed to be to everyone else.
Anya’s steps followed his, lightly jumping over roots and avoiding branches or leaves that would crackle beneath her feet. She took her own path in the forest, a shortcut to catch up with him. As expected, she found Damian sitting on a fallen tree trunk, bent over something she couldn’t see. Biting her lower lip mischievously, she took a couple of steps, more discreet than even before–
“I know you’re here, Anya,” he called out.
She startled. He turned around, a smirk over his face. She started chuckling and hurried to his sides, sitting on the same tree trunk, aware that they were far closer than they should have allowed but neither moved away.
“How do you do that? I’m certain I never make any noise.”
“You don’t make any noise,” he answered, “I just know when you’re around,” he continued, turning his head away with a light flush on his cheeks, “I always know when you’re around.”
Her heart beat a little faster, trying to convince her mind not to overthink these words.
“It’s just your dumbass-ness that make the hairs rise on my skin,” he added with a mocking grin.
“Hey! I’m not a dumbass!!” she exclaimed, elbowing him.
He chuckled lightly and she couldn’t help the smile that appeared on her face at the sound. She didn’t need to visit the Magical Circus of the Sun and the Moon to know that this was a thousand times more magical than any bubble candy or fairy floss to float in the clouds. This place, hidden in the Dark Forest, was their little secret, just for the two of them, and it was more precious than any other memory she held from Eden.
“How is she doing?” Anya asked in a whisper, looking down at what Damian was cradling.
A basket with a lid that he opened, awakening the sleeping creature inside.
The small wyvern blinked its golden eyes, looking up at both Anya and Damian. She stretched its elongated body before slipping out of the basket and onto Damian’s laps, pressing her diamond-shaped head into Anya’s arm until she caressed it. Had it been a cat, she would have purred, instead she just puffed out a bit of smoke from her nostrils.
“Much better, I think… we can set her free,” he said, checking the wyvern’s small, bandaged leg.
“That’s good to know,” she answered.
“I’m glad I can rest assured before returning to the Desmond Estate,” he murmured absentmindedly.
“I would have sneaked in Eden and into the forest during your absence, you know, to look after her,” she answered with a shrug.
“Alone? In the Dark Forest? Don’t you know how dangerous it is?” he mocked, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh? Because you always sneak in with someone to look after you maybe?” she replied, grinning.
He opened and closed his lips, but he didn’t have any good retort.
They finally realised how close they were. Flushing, his gaze fell on her inviting mouth, but he quickly looked away, cheeks turning warmer. Swallowing hard, Anya moved away, her gaze focused on a suddenly very interested tree on her left.
When they had met as children, their relationship had been… chaotic to say the least. She had punched him on their first day, after all. He had deserved it, he had been a jerk, mistreating her because she had been one of the few commoners who had entered Eden Academy (thank goodness they had no idea she had been a witch all along or she would have never been accepted!). Her father had insisted for her to apologise to Damian for punching him – he was very adamant on her time in Eden being successful so she would have a bright future – and ever since, Damian had behaved chaotically around her. Blushing, screaming, being irritated beyond reason, never accepting her poor attempts at friendship… how she wished she could read his mind to understand then!
By the time they had accepted an uneasy truce and half-friendship, her powers as witch slowly awakened. Strange occurrences had always been part of her life, but she’ll always remember that day, on the first full moon of Autumn of her twelfth anniversary, where a song had drawn her inexplicably to the Dark Forest.
Despite knowing the danger, she had wandered in here, only to find a gathering of fairies celebrating Mabon. It was unusual to find fairies in the Dark Forest and she had been entranced, watching from behind a tree. Electricity had filled the air and magic had awakened.
Wind had risen, light had shone brighter, and the fairies all surrounded her, calling her ‘witch’ and praising her coming to join their celebration.
She had run away, frightened.
A few days later, feeling restless by the magic that had come out of her, she had returned to the Dark Forest. The fairies were all gone, as usual, but she had found a grimoire in an old antique esoteric shop. And so, terrified of being caught, and even more terrified of her parents finding out the truth, she had slowly started learning a few spells from the grimoire… many with terrible consequences as she had no idea what she was doing. Her parents eventually found out when she returned home, crying, and hiding cat paws under her coat. She would never forget how badly she had done that Carmen Felicis charm–
Her father was a half-Fae, which was why he was so charming and well-loved (and also terribly dangerous if anyone threatened his beloved family), and her mother was a registered vampire… they immediately recognized the signs of magic they had been suspecting in their adopted daughter for a long time – she had unexplainable pink hair, after all. Many people had strange characteristics which just meant they had ancestors who had been Enchanted, but often, the magic had disappeared for them to be considered non-Enchanted by the masses. Her parents had taken her to a magical doctor who fixed the cat paws, advised no more witch magic outside of a coven, and to hide her nature while outside of a coven…
~ An explanation on the covens that Anya read about ~
A coven wasn’t simply a gathering of witches and a second family to the ones who participated to the rituals. It functioned as a conduct for the witches’ magic. Unlike most other Enchanted People whose magic came from their nature and were as natural as having enhanced vision, or a little tail, or being charming… Witches had the power to make or destroy, using nature and the elements. It made them the most powerful, and the most uncontrollable of the Enchanted People – which was why they had been so often targeted by non-Enchanted and Enchanted People for centuries, even millennia. A witch without a coven had no way of controlling her magic… and had very few chances of ever entering one as covens were usually mothers, daughters, and granddaughters, passing down the torch.
Anya having been adopted and having no knowledge of her true origin… wouldn’t know which coven to join, especially considering the number of covens that had entirely disappeared from Ostania and Westalis following the war. It was extremely rare for abandoned witches to be accepted into another coven…
Anya had almost immediately given up the idea of joining a coven. She feared what it’d mean – being possibly rejected, but maybe also losing her parents, her family, her friends… She had learned to control her magic enough to not reveal her nature… but that was it.
Well. Almost it.
She was drawn to the grimoire and to the spells without being able to resist the call of her true nature. She was being careful not to use too many spells, or ones where the results could prove unfortunate (she didn’t want cat paws again, or anything less cute!). But she craved the warm feelings she had experienced practicing the little bit of magic and spells, the enchanting melody of the fairies’ giggles. It was like being home, not having to hold back her wishes. Not having to restrain her abilities to fit in with the rest of the crowd. To be herself, unshackled and unashamed.
It was during her wanderings in the Dark Forest that she had unexpectedly stumbled upon Damian Desmond for the first time.
Now, not many students dared enter the Dark Forest out of fear of the unknown and strange rumours spread by the professors. Of all people, it was most surprising that Damian Desmond had been the one to wander in this place. And so, as discreetly as she could, light as a fairy, she had followed him curiously. She watched from afar at first, not knowing what he was doing, hidden in a natural hole, behind huge rocks. Several times he had looked at where she had been standing, calling out to whoever was following him to come out. Hidden behind trees and bushes, she had remained invisible and silent.
The first few times, she hadn’t dared remaining behind because of the dark of the night falling quickly in winter. She was surprised to catch sight of Damian Desmond going into the Dark Forest times and times again and eventually, in spring, having enough burning curiosity to find out what he was hiding, she followed him once more, hid from him, then, once he had left his spot next to the huge boulder, she had tiptoed there… only to find a box. And a black raven inside, with a broken wing.
She had left the startled bird alone, then had followed Damian, not out of curiosity on what he was doing… but what he was hiding. The proud Damian Desmond, second son of a man who had destroyed so many people’s lives, who never wavered at any scorn he’d receive, or bathe in praise for his family’s wealth and influence (despite Donovan Desmond’s downfall, Melinda Desmond had made the family stronger than ever), she had never thought of Damian as someone other than despicable, prideful, annoying, and arrogant. And yet, to her great surprise, he took time out of his studies to go into the Dark Forest and look after wounded animals…
Perhaps it was that surprise that made her more curious to learn more about him. Perhaps it was that curiosity that led her to notice so many more things about him. He was surprisingly helpful and kind – not just to animals, but anyone who needed his help. His smile was very endearing, the rare times he allowed himself to, at least. He was open to discussing the treatment of Enchanted People and defend their rights in all lands, despite his family history. His eyes were incredibly pretty, green, hazel and gold – like the forest in autumn.
Along with these little things, she started noticing the way her heart reacted around him. How their banter turned her brain to mush and annoyance was replaced with frustration of a peculiar kind. How his blushing cheeks and tendency to scream at her was mirrored in her own flushed and unexplainable behaviour.
And still, she kept following him through the forest. After the raven, he looked after a family of ginger cats. And after the cats…
She had been certain she had been discreet, gifted with a lithe body and dexterous feet that allowed her to avoid any branch or leaf that might announce her presence. And yet, someday, while she was wandering the library, she had stumbled upon Damian. Or rather, he had cornered her. He had walked right to her, slamming his hands on each side of her face.
Flushed, she had been too busy to admire his height and large shoulders to understand what he had been asking of her.
“W-what?” she hesitated, blinking in bewilderment.
He narrowed his eyes, leaning forward until they were so close, she could feel his hot breath on her face.
“Are you following me, Forger?”
Her eyes widened, and she swallowed hard.
“Why would I follow you, Sy-on boy?” she replied in a hushed voice.
He frowned, not believing her. He stared at her, gaze diving into her green eyes, passing over her face until she couldn’t breathe. Her entire attention had focused on his trembling mouth and how they would feel on hers, on her neck, on her skin… When she looked back into his eyes, he was blushing darkly, as if he had followed her line of thoughts, as if he had shared them. With a click of his tongue, he had left her alone in the library. Blushing and shaking.
She was fourteen years old when she had realised that she was falling for Damian Desmond.
She tried for a long time to smother those feelings. Not only was she a witch and he a Desmond, they were supposed to hate each other – although, she now realised that almost everyone had always watched them bicker with amused smiles and a knowing light in their eyes and she wondered for how long, exactly, had she been drawn to him, how long had she had feelings for him…?
They were enemies, by blood and history, and yet, she couldn’t fight her own heart.
Eventually, when it became obvious, she wouldn’t be able to deny it much longer (because of many, steamy dreams she would still deny to that day, and daydreams of wedding bells and white dresses that she would also deny!) she accepted that she could afford to watch him from afar. Admire him for his sweet and kind secret moments, hidden from view from anyone else but her own eyes.
She had avoided following him for weeks and weeks, until she couldn’t resist anymore. She had gone into the Dark Forest, using a shortcut she knew to avoid being seen by him. Like always, she had hidden behind a tree, watching from afar as he played with the kittens, now almost fully grown, hidden from sight by the huge boulder.
“I know you’re out there, Forger!” he cried out suddenly.
She had jumped so suddenly that she had stepped on a twig, revealing her presence. His gaze had locked on hers and she sheepishly went out of hiding.
“How did you know I was there?”
“…I always knew you were there… I couldn’t figure out why you were staying hidden.”
“How come you knew? I was discreet…”
“I always know when your irritating presence is nearby, Forger,” he had mumbled, glaring at her.
“…I won’t tell you’re sneaking into the dark forest to look after injured animals, if you don’t tell anyone I stalked you.”
“…I guess we could work around that…”
They would both get in trouble if anyone found out how often and how deep into the Dark Forest they had been sneaking… And so a silent agreement had passed between them. A truce of sorts.
And just like that, she had stopped hiding from his eyes and had wandered next to him, occasionally helping him with whatever animal he found. Many were birds, there was a fox once, who turned out to be a trickster weakened and hadn’t been able to return to his human form – he had granted one answer to one question to Damian, but Anya had never found out what it had been – she had only noticed his awkwardness getting worse around her.
Seeing him so sweet and so kind to wounded animals didn’t help with her horrifying crush. She never acted on it, though. She was a witch, and he was a Desmond. Even if she never joined a coven, she couldn’t hide it completely. It was hard enough at school when every time emotions got the best of her, dogs would start barking or wind would come out of nowhere or rain would suddenly start despite a blue sky…
And against all odds, they had developed an unlikely friendship, hidden from everyone. They still bantered and bickered, with half smiles now. There was a quiet understanding that they both craved the quietness of the forest and the comfort it gave them, away from everyone else, always watching them, always judging them – him for being a Desmond, her for being a little strange (and a witch if they ever found out the truth) and the adopted child of two Enchanted people.
They were now sixteen years old, and happy to pretend to be nothing more but reluctant friends.
Their most recent wounded animal had happened to be a baby wyvern with a broken leg. Anya was certain she had gotten lost, still a wee babe, and broken her leg while clumsily landing in the forest. Damian thought that she had been abandoned because of her injury but Anya kept repeating to him that wyverns – like any cousin of dragons – were too protective of their young ones for such a thing, to which he’d argue that many dragons abandoned their owns if they showed weakness. In any way no fully grown wyvern parent had come to get that baby back.
They had taken care of the little wyvern, a species that wouldn’t grow much bigger than a cat – they had lots of them as pets in Berlint. Some could be seen chasing rats or fairies in underground and important places, others were raised as chef’s helpers – they were particularly talented at providing the perfect temperature of fire for crème brûlée… A wyvern-flamed crème brûlée was known to be far better than any other. The flames gave it a woody and nutty aftertaste that was simply delicious.
The little wyvern was happily bouncing around, chasing fireflies and bees while Damian and Anya looked over her.
“What are you going to do? You can’t return that wyvern to the forest… she’s still too small to hunt on her own and her family didn’t come back for her…”
“Thank Nimue, they didn’t, or we’d be dead,” he muttered under his breath, “I don’t know… I was hoping… perhaps I could bring her to the refuge for Enchanted animals… but I’m worried of what people will think if I do that.”
“You don’t have to hide that you care for animals! Who would judge you for that, Damian?!” she exclaimed, annoyed he was too embarrassed to show his true, good-hearted nature to the whole world – even if she loved even more that it was their little secret…
“It’s not Eden or the high society I’m worried about… but I’m a Desmond. What if the refuge thinks I hunted that wyvern and hurt it myself?”
Anya glanced at him, pinching her lips. Then, she shook her head.
“Then, I’ll come with you to prevent them from thinking that! Besides, that wyvern is enamoured with you. There’s no way anyone would believe you’ve hurt her!”
“That would be my luck… of all things, the only creature who likes me for me ends up being a baby wyvern…” he mumbled, rolling his eyes.
“She’s not the only creature who likes you for you…” Anya stammered quickly.
Too quickly. Her eyes widened when he whipped towards her.
She blushed.
He blushed harder.
The bugs chirped in the forest. The summer breeze shook the leaves. The animals listened.
Time stopped.
She felt the magic building in the air, that indescribable electricity that rose people’s hairs on their arms, that made their skins tingled. Damian must have felt it because he looked around, uneasy. Wind started building, around her feet, making leaves fly higher and wilder and–
“I have to go!” she exclaimed suddenly, standing up.
“Anya, wait–”
But she was already running off, as fast as she could, the wind following her and the forest echoing the wild tempest in her heart.
Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot! What were you thinking?! What if he thinks you confessed to him?! she thought just as she arrived back on Eden’s grounds, outside of the forest.
Her only comforting thought was that the next day, after school, they’d all go to the Magical Circus of the Sun and Moon, where they’d be too distracted for Damian to confront her about it, and then… they’d be away from each other for two entire months.
He’ll have plenty of time to forget about her almost-confession… and she’ll have plenty of times to smother her feelings for him.
What could possibly happen to disturb those oh-so-perfect summer plans?