Way too soon. But …
“Maybe,” I murmured, trying to look forward, and hoping for some good to come out of all we’d been through.
Torin cleared his throat. “So, what’s next for the Carter-Warner-Murphy-Quinn collective?”
“How about a group hug to start?” I held out my arms. Come what may, we were a family now: Heath, Torin, Riley, Enzo, Anna, and me - along with my mother and brother. We would meet the future together.
But for now, I was content to remain where I was: wrapped in the arms of the men who were my world.
EPILOGUE
APOLLO
Evanston, IL
The train shook with the motion of the city beneath us, rocking us gently as it sped over the elevated tracks. A soft hum filled the air, muffled by the rumble of the engine, and the scent of sweat and worn leather mixed with the metallic tang of the rails. I could feel the anticipation rolling off Artemis in waves as we made our way back to Evanston after our long day.
As I watched her stare out the window, I felt a pang of pride. My little sister had come a long way from the scared girl who used to hide under the bed when the moon called to me. She was a strong young woman now, steadfast in her beliefs, unafraid to challenge the status quo and stand up for what was right.
And what was right for us now, was to leave Ravenswood for a new academy.
I heaved a sigh of relief that my prophesy was finally fulfilled. I shuddered as the prophetic curse came to mind: For love of an uninitiated witch, I would betray my sister, and my heritage. Without the threat of that over my head anymore, we could start over. Sierra was out of our lives, and I escaped with only minor dents for betraying my sister.
I’d lived in fear of that fucking curse for years. But it just turned out to be a stupidly simple one. Artemis was the one who loved the newbie witch, I only betrayed my sister by taking her away from the school to save her life, and therefore betrayed our heritage – Ravenswood Academy. It was laughable.
And I would have laughed if I hadn’t been such an idiot.
The train doors slid open with a hiss, and we stepped out onto the platform, blinking against the sunshine. Artemis tugged my sleeve, pulling me after her through the crowd of college students and tourists by Loyola University, her excitement palpable. It was good to see her smile again, even if for a few moments.
The air was thick with the scent of sweat and fast food, and the sound of footsteps echoed beneath the high ceilings of the train station. The roar of the train drowned out everything else, growing louder and louder until it was all we could hear, shaking the very foundations of the platform. Artemis gripped my arm tightly as it pulled into the station, the rush of wind sending papers and trash flying around us. She ducked her head against the gusts while I smiled down at her reassuringly.
A few stops later, we were stepping off the train and into the heart of the city. The wind was cool against my skin, carrying the scent of the lake and the promise of adventure.
Artemis’s energy crackled around me, electric and wild, as we navigated the winding paths between buildings. Her steps were light and eager as we approached the store she had been raving about, a gothic-style shop tucked away in an alleyway.
The bell above the door jingled as we entered, revealing shelves lined with candles, herbs, and crystals. Artemis inhaled deeply, her nose twitching at the scents. She pulled at my arm. “Come on, let’s get you some supplies.”
“You’re the witch. I’m the werewolf, remember?” I said dryly, and she laughed.
“As if I could forget.”
It was good to hear her laugh. She’d been through so much lately - we both had - but she’d had it worse, losing Leslie, Jae and Leo all at once. And losing Sierra too, though that was a sore spot I didn’t want to poke.
I sighed and glanced around the thrift shop. I could put up with a little off-hand shopping to see my sister’s face wearing any expression other than pain. It was weird, though, that either of us were feeling any excitement over enrolling in the Accursed Academy, given the fact that we’d been held hostage there for weeks before they trusted us.
But whether it was Stockholm Syndrome or the final betrayals of friends and frenemies at Ravenswood, both Artemis and I were ready to accept a new world—a new lifestyle—at the new school.
I nearly choked on the scented air as she pulled me past the counter, towards a rack full of clothing. “You’re not seriously thinking of wearing that, Arty,” I said, gesturing to the lacy, black dress she was holding.
She rolled her eyes but snatched it up anyway. “It’s for my alter-ego. Leave me alone.”
“‘Wannabe Goth Witch’ is your alter-ego?”
She punched toward my arm, and I jumped out of the way, grinning. Artemis could pack a mean punch. When she finally settled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, I scoffed. “Can’t believe you wasted money on that.” I couldn’t help but peer at the design on the shirt: an intricate crest I’d never seen before.
She snickered. “That’s the Accursed Academy’s seal. Special magic, that one. Didn’t you notice?”
I looked again and saw the magic. The seal was glowing. I glanced around the store quickly but no one else seemed fazed by it. My nose told me that everyone in there was human, so I supposed that wasn’t so odd. But why was the shirt there?
The hairs on my nape rose as I felt someone watching us and I swerved to glare ... only to stop in my tracks as a young woman around our age walked up to Artemis with a smile that made my cock twitch. The way her ass filled out her jeans didn’t help, either.
“Cool shirt,” she said. “Is there another one?”
My sister being the fashion-loving, helpful witch she was, quickly showed the newcomer where to find the only other shirt like it in the store.
“It’s going to look great on you,” Artemis gushed, and I held back a snort. Was my sister flirting with her? And why did that not sit quite right with me.
My gut twisted into knots. It wasn’t just the magic in the shirt; there was something else about the girl who held the shirt up to her chest. Something that brought to mind things I didn’t want to consider.
I shot a warning glare at Artemis, who snickered. “Come on, let’s go before we get more attention.”
The beautiful interloper blinked her big green eyes, then frowned at me. “Excuse me for bothering you,” she huffed before stalking away with the shirt, tossing her dark, wavy hair behind her as she went.
“What the heck was that about?” Artemis demanded as we stepped out onto the busy sidewalk, the sun stinging my eyes after the cool relief inside the store.
Artemis held up the shirt, examining it in the light as we walked. “You know, I heard it’s more for witches and warlocks,” she said, her voice ringing with excitement. “To identify them. They’re drawn to the shirts. I think it’s funny.”
I didn’t. But I shrugged it off, my focus on the girl in the store. “Just a rumor, right?”
