Apprentices: Waning Crescent

Sealed In

I flinch the moment his phone rings. “Yes?” he answers in a distressed tone, failing to hide his emotions. I listen intently, trying to figure out what’s going on, but I don’t have to hear the person on the other side to find out what’s going on. “That’s impossible, I sealed the door,” he barks at the phone.

His words make all the blood disappear from my face and on instinct, I get up and take Bubba into my arms. I don’t know why, but I feel this sudden urge to protect her, like we found ourselves in danger.

I can hear Cyrus curse as the conversation continues, making me realize that the situation is serious. I take Bubba to the bed, sitting on it and holding her close, while she squeezes herself against me. It’s like we’re both trying to comfort one another. Because we’re terrified.

The moment Cyrus hangs up, he comes to check up on us. He watches me hold onto Beelzebub for dear life, then says: “Astrid got out. No one knows where she is. We’re sealing ourselves in.”

I blink in surprise, trying to understand how she managed to escape, but nothing comes to mind. I shake my head in confusion. “For how long? And what good will that do?” I question him, not knowing how to feel about this.

“Until they find her. Until they’re sure that she left the Seminary … Or until she finds us,” he explains openly, not sparing me with the harsh reality. I can feel myself going numb, my heart racing inside my chest.

“I’m not going to wait here like a sitting duck!” I protest, trying to take control of my body back, but it’s already starting to tremble. If my mother’s inside Astrid’s head, there’s no telling what she’s capable of. I can’t believe she chose to control someone, who was on the same team with me in Portsmouth! What does she want to accomplish with that?

Cyrus studies my face, then sighs. “Well, I’m afraid you have no other choice. I’m not leaving you out of my sight and there’s no way I’ll let you be unprotected. The seal will give us some extra time to prepare for the fight. Because we’ll hear her breaking it,” he explains.

I clench my jaw, finally voicing my fears. “Bubba isn’t the only one I care about here. What if she goes after my friends? My dad? Why should I be safe, while they’re out there, unprotected, and clueless! I’m not going to forgive myself, if she goes after them!”

He closes his eyes for a short moment. When he opens them again, his gaze is pure determination. “Call them. Tell them what’s going on and make them come up here. Quickly,” he instructs me. My jaw drops. Then, the wheels inside my head start turning. Uh-oh. Him and Marcus in the same room together? Is that really a good idea? “Do it now, Eva,” he urges me.

I swallow nervously, then quickly take my phone, calling Katie first. I know my dad is going to basically jump over here in a matter of seconds. But my friends don’t have his abnormal speed. And I need to make sure that they’re protected too.

“Hey, is everything okay?” my best friend answers after a few rings, making me breathe out in relief. Great, I hope she’s with all the boys right now.

“Hey, are you all together?” I ask. As she confirms, I already continue. “I need you to gather everyone and come to the fifth floor. Jake knows which door. Knock on it with three long knocks and two short ones, so we know it’s you,” I instruct her.

She pauses for a moment, then slowly asks: “What’s going on? Why do you need us up there?” I breathe out in frustration.

“I’ll explain everything, just please, get here before something happens to you!” I panic, hearing silence on the other end. “And make sure all of you are here. Marcus too. No, especially him. Please. I’m begging you, Katie, you all need to come upstairs,” I continue, hoping that she understands how important this is.

Cyrus stares at the ground in silence, but I know he’s listening to every word. Finally, Katie responds to me in a very soothing tone: “I’ll make it happen. Don’t worry, okay?” I breathe out sharply.

“Okay. Just come quickly,” I plead her again before hanging up. Then, I stare at the phone for a few moments before dialing another number. As I wait for my dad to answer, I realize Cyrus lifted his gaze and is now staring at me.

I’m just about to ask him if he’s okay with everyone coming over, when I hear a familiar voice coming from the phone. “Evelyn. What can I do for you today?” he asks, sounding almost cynical. I draw in a sharp breath.

“I need you to come to Cyrus’s office. Right now. Please,” I practically beg him. As I listen to silence on the other side, I already think he hanged up on me. But as I move the phone away from my ear, to check if he did, I realize that’s not the case. “Hello?” I try to get a reaction as I lean it back against my ear.

In the next moment, I hear a knock on the door. Cyrus and I both share an alerted gaze. This can’t be my friends. There was no knocking pattern. “Well, will you open up now, or do I have to stand out here forever?” my dad then asks, and I can hear his voice echoing from the other side of the door as well.

I breathe out in relief, putting the phone away. “It’s my dad,” I explain to Cyrus’s questioning gaze and I notice the way his expression shifts as he heads towards the door. He opens up and my dad slips inside, already standing beside me before I even blink.

“Well? To what do I owe this honor?” he asks, then raises his eyebrows as Cyrus comes back, sitting down on the couch. He pats the empty space next to him in a provocative way, making me watch the intense stare down between them in horror. I clearly didn’t think this through.

“I wouldn’t be caught dead, sitting next to you,” my dad lets him know, making my jaw drop. Oh f*****g hell, what beef do those two have? I see Cyrus’s jaw clenching, making me remember that he warned me about my dad once. I glance between the two of them cautiously.

Then, Cyrus lifts his hand at him, looking like he’s about to attack him with magic. “Suit yourself,” he murmurs, making me get up from the bed abruptly, while still holding my cat in my hands.

“Cut it off, you two! I’m not going to watch you jumping at each other’s throats, while all our lives are in danger!” I snap, glaring at both of them angrily. For good measure, even Bubba lets out a warning meow. It makes them both look at the cat, then back at me.

Before either of them are able to respond to my attempts of calming the atmosphere, I can hear commotion outside the door. We all freeze, while Cyrus shoots towards it, ready to attack whoever’s here. But as I hear three long knocks and two short ones, I know it’s them.

Still, my mentor opens the door before I’m able to get there and comes eye to eye to devil knows who. Suddenly, he opens it wide and reveals Jake. And beside him, Marcus. His face falls the moment his eyes land on me and he glares at Cyrus so angrily, that I quicken my step before he lunges at him.

I mean, my mentor isn’t a weakling, but come on, Marcus is almost a full head taller than him. I really don’t want to see them fight. Because in the end, Cyrus would probably embarrass the werewolf.

“I’m out of here,” my ex-boyfriend remarks before I even reach the door. Jake grabs him, rolling his eyes. But I speak up before he manages to even open his mouth to scold his beta.

“No, you’re not, because all our lives are in danger,” I let him know, making his frame stiffen as he hears my voice. He turns his head to look at me, his eyes reflecting so much hurt that it makes me feel really bad about calling him here. I wouldn’t if it wasn’t necessary. But I know I’d feel even worse if something happened to him, just because I couldn’t face him.

He looks like he’s going to spit at me. “I’m not stepping in until you explain what you want,” Marcus finally barks at me, making Cyrus draw in a sharp breath. I glance at him in a warning way, not wanting to have these two bickering too.

“My mother is mind controlling a warrior witch that goes by the name Astrid. She was in our group when we went to hunt her in Portsmouth. Clearly, my mother got to her there and took control of her, because she cut my cat’s throat and left a warning letter from my mother … inside my room. She came back to finish her business today and Cyrus managed to knock her out. But she escaped and now I’m afraid everyone who means something to me is in danger,” I explain shortly, staring at the boys with pleading eyes.

Suddenly, someone pushes past them and I breathe out in relief as I see my best friend’s face. It’s covered with a mask of worry, but she’s alive and breathing. That’s all that matters. “Come on in, boys. Evy is trying to protect us, so we’re going to let her,” she speaks up, grabbing Jake’s hand, while sending a meaningful gaze to Marcus.

It takes me a moment to realize what it means. Oh. This is a command. There’s no way Marcus will turn his future lune down in his future alpha’s presence. He has guts, but he’s not stupid. He knows what that would mean.

So, he grits his teeth together and moves inside, pushing past me with bumping into me a little more roughly than necessary. I stumble a little, surprised by the action, but I don’t say anything. However, Cyrus isn’t having it with him anymore.

“You could at least show her some gratitude for trying to keep you safe. You can save the bitterness for later, when you’re all out of danger,” he lets my ex-boyfriend know, staring after him with his eyes narrowed. I’m just closing the door behind the other boys, freezing as I hear my mentor defending me.

For f**k’s sake, this is the moment he decides to be so damn righteous? I watch as Marcus freezes, stopping in his tracks. When he turns around, his blue eyes are burning with hatred. “You keep that filthy mouth shut,” he growls at him, making me feel like building a wall in here. So I don’t have to listen to this crap.

Before I’m able to scold them both for even opening their mouths, I already get interrupted unexpectedly. I simply blink and there he is, standing between them with his arms crossed against his chest. My father. Like this couldn’t get any more awkward.

“Boys, boys. Let’s get real here. Neither of you is going to have my daughter, so let’s tone this down, alright?” he patronizes them in a cold tone, making my face fall. I can’t believe this is happening. “Right, Evelyn?” he then addresses me, turning towards me with a meaningful gaze.

Cyrus and Marcus both look at me in expectation, making me stiffen. In the next moment, my dad walks over to me, slowly this time, and puts his arm around my shoulders in a protective way. Then, he looks back at them like he’s daring them to try coming closer to me. I smile sourly, almost regretting that I came up with this idea. “I’m not going to comment on that,” I murmur, then look at him. “You know now, why you’re here, right?” I ask him, hoping that he'll stay.

He nods, looking a little more like a caring father now than he did a moment ago. “I’m not going anywhere, if that’s what you’re asking,” he lets me know. Then, he leans towards my ear, probably so no one else hears what he has to tell me. “It’s flattering that I made your list of persons you care about.”

I can’t help but smile at him, before turning towards Cyrus with a little more serious gaze. “You can seal us in now,” I let him know. He nods in understanding, but seems a little restrained as he moves towards the middle of the room, requiring some space from my friends.

Marcus jumps away, avoiding him like the plague, and also moving as far away from me as he can. Katie glances at me fearfully, trapped inside Jake’s arms protectively. I notice him staring at my dad in a distrustful way, reminding me that he doesn’t stomach vampires. Judging by most of the looks on the other boys’ faces, I realize they don’t either.

“Interesting friends you still have … Or should I say again?” my dad murmurs, making them all stiffen, including me.

I glance up at him in a warning way. “Play nice, dad. They’re all here out of the same reason you are,” I let him know. In the next moment, I hear a sigh coming from his mouth and he nods.

Katie watches me with a worried gaze, but the moment I smile at her, she returns the gesture, making me feel at least a little bit better about this awkward situation. It’s okay. I know they don’t all like each other, but I’m keeping everyone that means something to me, safe. And that’s all that matters in this moment.

“There. We’re sealed in. Now all we have to do is wait,” Cyrus lets us know after a few moments of silence. I give him a grateful nod, knowing that whatever I say, someone else is going to react to it. And I really can’t listen to that in this moment.

But still, someone just has to open their mouth. “I’m sorry, wait for what?” Marcus asks bitterly, glancing at me before turning his angry gaze back to him. Then, he seems to change his mind and looks back at me, addressing me next. “To get killed? Or did you have us all trapped in here, so we can kill each other before that warrior witch comes for us?”

“Marcus, I swear on my crazy mother, if you don’t shut up, I’ll make you,” I speak up before Cyrus can. Everyone stares at me quietly, but not in surprise. It’s like they’re waiting for me to declare who gets to talk and who doesn’t.

“Well, well, you can’t talk about your mother like that,” my dad suddenly says, with his arm still hanging around my shoulders. I freeze, closing my eyes for a moment before I snap. “I mean, it’s not her fault that she became a psychopathic b***h,” he then adds, making everyone look like they’re not sure if they should be glaring at him or laughing.

But I don’t have to decide. I look up at him again, patting his shoulder in an approving way. “I’m glad we finally see eye to eye.”