With Wolves

The Gardens (1)

Kassandra continued deeper into the garden, and Nero followed behind, his curiosity outweighing any reasonable caution he should probably be feeling about following a woman he'd just met into the darkness, the party noise had faded completely now, replaced by the quiet sounds of night—crickets chirping, leaves rustling in the gentle breeze, their own footsteps on the stone path. As the manicured sections of the garden gave way to wilder, less maintained areas, the darkness grew thicker, the decorative lights from the mansion didn't reach this far, and the moon was only a sliver in the sky, providing minimal illumination. Nero felt his night vision activate automatically, one moment everything was dark and indistinct, the next it was clear as day—every leaf, every branch, every stone on the path rendered in perfect detail. He'd been grateful for the ability when it first manifested, but he still didn't fully understand how it worked. That's when Kassandra stopped walking and opened her palm "forma ignis," she said, her voice clear and confident, Nero watched in complete shock as a blue fireball the size of a tennis ball appeared above her palm, hovering in the air and casting flickering light across her features, the flame didn't seem to burn her skin, didn't even make her flinch. She held it casually, like it was the most natural thing in the world to have fire floating above your hand "what the—" Nero started, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing. Kassandra looked at him with an expression that suggested she was trying to gauge his reaction "you seem surprised" "surprised? You just made fire appear out of nothing!" Nero gestured at the floating flame, "how are you doing that? Is it some kind of trick? Special effects?" "It's magic," Kassandra said simply "real magic, I'm a mage, Nero. My whole family are mages, we manipulate magical energy through incantations and will" Nero stared at her, then at the flame, then back at her. Questions exploded in his mind, tumbling over each other in their urgency to be asked. "Magic is real? Like, actual magic? Not stage tricks or illusions?" "Actual magic." "And you can just... create fire? Out of thin air?" "Fire, water, wind, earth—different mages have different affinities" Kassandra tilted her hand slightly, making the flame dance "though I can do other things too, my family has been practicing magic for generations, it's what we are" Nero felt like the ground had shifted beneath his feet. Magic was real, actual, genuine magic existed, and this beautiful woman he'd just met could conjure flames with a few words "how many people know about this? Does everyone at HavenClaw know about magic?" "No, most students are completely ordinary, they have no idea the supernatural world exists alongside theirs" Kassandra started walking again, using the fireball to light their path "but some students are different, some are like me—mages, or werewolves, or vampires, or other things. HavenClaw exists partly as a place where supernatural beings can attend school alongside humans without arousing suspicion" "werewolves?" Nero repeated faintly "vampires?" "They're real too, along with a lot of other things you probably think are just myths or stories" Kassandra glanced back at him "you really didn't know any of this?" "No! I thought I was just... I don't know, weird, different" Nero ran a hand through his hair, trying to organize his thoughts "I've been having these dreams, and I keep waking up with new abilities, but I didn't know magic was real or that there was a whole hidden world of supernatural beings" "tell me about your abilities," Kassandra said, genuine interest in her voice "what can you do?" Nero hesitated, years of keeping secrets making him cautious even now but Kassandra had just shown him magic, had trusted him with knowledge about herself and her family and the least he could do was be honest in return "I'm stronger than I should be," he said slowly "a lot stronger, I can lift things that would normally require multiple people, and I heal faster than normal—cuts and bruises disappear in hours instead of days and there are other things too, smaller things like enhanced hearing, better sense of smell" "and these all came from dreams?" Kassandra asked "Yeah, I've been having the same recurring dream for six years, but it gets longer each time, and every time I wake up from that dream, I have a new ability or an existing one gets stronger" Kassandra was quiet for a moment, processing this information "that's not how mage powers work. We're born with magical potential and we learn to control it through study and practice, but what you're describing sounds more like..." "Like what?" "I'm not sure yet," Kassandra admitted "but I want to help you figure it out, your abilities, your dreams—they mean something. You're not just weird or different, Nero. You're something specific, something with a name and a history and wee just need to figure out what" They'd reached the very back end of the garden now, where a high stone wall marked the boundary of the estate, ancient ivy covered most of the surface, and massive bushes grew wild against the stones Kassandra extinguished her fireball with a gesture, plunging them back into darkness—though Nero's night vision meant he could still see everything clearly. She reached into one of the bushes, her hand searching for something "ah, here it is" Nero heard a soft click, followed by the sound of stone grinding against stone as a section of the wall swung inward, revealing a doorway he never would have seen if he hadn't been watching Kassandra open it. Beyond the door was another garden, more intimate, with plants that seemed to glow faintly with their own light, It was beautiful and strange and unlike anything Nero had ever seen "wwhat is this place?" he asked "The inner garden," Kassandra replied "it's a secret part of the Ravensong estate, very few people know it exists, it's where my family grows rare magical plants and conducts other stuffs" Nero looked at the doorway, at the garden beyond, at Kassandra standing there waiting for him to make a decision. Every instinct he had was screaming that following someone he'd just met through a hidden door into a secret magical garden was a terrible idea as this was how people ended up missing or cursed or sacrificed to ancient gods, but curiosity was a powerful thing "I can help you understand who or what you are," Kassandra said, sensing his hesitation "the inner garden has resources that can identify supernatural bloodlines and abilities. If you want answers, this is where we'll find them" "I'm ordinary," Nero said, but even he could hear how unconvincing that sounded "you've been using night vision since we entered the dark part of the garden," Kassandra pointed out "I've been watching you and you haven't stumbled once, haven't hesitated or squinted or done any of the things people do when they can't see clearly which means you can see in the dark" "so?" "So you haven't used an incantation, no magical words, no gestures, no ritual components. Your night vision just works, automatically, which means one of two things." Kassandra held up a finger. "Either you're a natural mage with such strong instinctive control that you don't need incantations—which is extremely rare and would still mean you're supernatural, Or—" she held up a second finger, "—you're something else entirely, something that doesn't use magic the way mages do"bNero looked back in what he thought was the direction of the mansion, though the garden walls made it impossible to see, he thought about Kiran back at the party, probably wondering where he'd disappeared to, he thought about his quiet life, his careful secrets, the years he'd spent trying to be normal, then he thought about the dreams that had haunted him for six years, about the silver-grey wolf and the grief in those golden eyes, about waking up with powers he didn't understand and couldn't explain. He wanted answers, he'd wanted them since the first dream six years ago. Nero took a deep breath and looked at Kassandra "if I wanted to know what those two things were—the two possibilities you mentioned—I should come along?" Kassandra smiled "yes" "then let's go," Nero said, and stepped through the doorway into the inner garden.

The council room was located in a building that existed slightly outside normal space—a neutral ground where the heads of the most powerful supernatural families could meet without fear of ambush or magical eavesdropping. The architecture was deliberately simple, with smooth stone walls and minimal decoration, because the real power in the room came from the beings who occupied it, not from any external source. Four figures sat around a circular table made of dark wood that was rumored to be older than most civilizations. Gillian Ravensong represented the mages, her silver hair was pulled back in its usual elegant knot, and her expression was calm and controlled, though anyone who knew her well would have recognized the tension around her eyes. She'd been head of the Ravensong family for forty years and had navigated more crises than most supernatural beings would face in several lifetimes but this particular situation was making her genuinely concerned. Hutz Brownfield represented the werewolves, he was a massive man with shoulders like a linebacker and hands that could probably crush stone. His dark hair was streaked with grey, and old scars crossed his forearms—evidence of battles fought and won over a very long life. He sat with the stillness of a predator at rest, but his eyes were constantly moving, assessing, calculating. Clement Valentino represented the vampires, he looked perhaps thirty but was actually closer to three hundred years old. Pale skin, dark hair, and eyes that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. He wore an immaculate suit that probably cost more than most people's cars, and he radiated the kind of cold elegance that vampires of his age cultivated like a weapon. And then there was Aretha, she was the overseer, and she was none of the three factions represented at the table, she wasn't human either. What exactly Aretha was remained a mystery even to the most knowledgeable supernatural beings, but everyone agreed on one thing: she wielded power that made even the combined might of the other three look insignificant. Aretha appeared as a woman with features that seemed to shift slightly depending on who was looking at her, her eyes were the only constant—silver and depthless, like looking into infinity. She'd been the one who helped them seal the great demon Vekroh decades ago, combining her power with theirs to create a prison that had held one of the most dangerous entities in existence, but she hadn't been the one who sent the prophecy on raven's wings twenty-one years as the message had come from somewhere else, from someone else "Gillian," Aretha said, her voice carrying a weight that made everyone at the table unconsciously sit straighter "you asked for this emergency session, please explain what has finally compelled you to bring this matter before the council" Gillian reached into her jacket and withdrew a piece of paper, preserved carefully in a protective magical sleeve. She passed it across the table to Aretha "Twenty-one years ago, on the night my granddaughters were born, this prophecy arrived at the Ravensong estate, it came on raven's wings, and the bird burned to ash the moment the scroll was removed from its leg" Aretha took the paper and read it, her silver eyes moving across the words, the room was silent as she processed the information. When she finally looked up, her expression was grave "when the King and the Maid kiss, the seal of Vekroh the Fallen shall be undone, and the King shall claim his kingdom by slaying the Fallen," she read aloud "this concerns the seal we created , the one holding Vekroh" "yes," Gillian confirmed Aretha's gaze hardened "why did you not bring this to the council immediately? If the seal is at risk, if there's a prophecy suggesting it could be broken, that concerns the entire supernatural community, every faction has a stake in keeping Vekroh imprisoned" "I understand that," Gillian said, her voice steady despite the rebuke "but I needed time to evaluate the threat and implement preventive measures, my granddaughters have been under strict surveillance since birth, they've been kept at the estate, their movements monitored, and their interactions controlled. Neither of them has been allowed to form relationships with anyone who might potentially be this 'King' mentioned in the prophecy" "and you think that's enough?" Hutz rumbled, speaking for the first time "you think you can prevent a prophecy from being fulfilled by simply watching two girls?" "It's better than doing nothing," Gillian shot back "what would you have had me do? Kill my granddaughters to prevent a prophecy that might not even be about them?" "No one is suggesting that," Aretha interjected, her voice cutting through the rising tension "but Gillian is correct that we need more information before we can act appropriately, I will take time to decipher this prophecy more thoroughly—to understand its origins, its conditions, and its potential outcomes" She stood, still holding the preserved paper "I will return when I have answers, until then, maintain your preventive measures, Gillian, but be prepared for the possibility that prophecy has a way of fulfilling itself regardless of our attempts to prevent it" With that, Aretha left the room, taking the prophecy with her. The three remaining heads of families looked at each other in heavy silence "if the seal breaks," Clement said quietly, "if Vekroh is freed..." "It won't come to that," Gillian said with more confidence than she felt "we have time, we have safeguards, and we will find a way to prevent this prophecy from being fulfilled" but even as she said it, Gillian felt a tremor of unease run through her. Prophecies were tricky things, the harder you tried to prevent them, the more inevitably they seemed to come true as she just hoped her granddaughters—both of them—would forgive her for what she'd done to protect them.

Back at the party, Norman Fischer was feeling the pleasant buzz of alcohol and the considerably less pleasant sting of wounded pride, he'd watched from across the room as Kassandra Ravensong—the mysterious, beautiful second Ravensong that nobody ever saw—had danced with Nero. The same Nero who'd turned down Norman's offer to join the football team without even considering it, the first person to hurt his ego like that in years. Norman was willing to do a lot for Roxy, he'd help her search for the two people who'd disappeared from her party, he'd use his connections and his pack senses to track them down if needed but he wasn't stupid enough to want to lose the opportunity of scouting Nero for the team just to make Roxy happy. The guy clearly had physical abilities that were off the charts, Norman had felt the solidity when he'd clapped Nero on the shoulder earlier—like touching a wall of muscle that didn't give at all, someone like that would be an incredible asset to the team, supernatural abilities or not. So Norman needed to come up with something, a plan that wouldn't make him lose face in front of Roxy while simultaneously giving him credibility with Nero. A way to help Roxy find them without completely burning his bridge with the most promising recruit he'd seen in years, that's when he thought of Kiran. Norman had noticed that Nero had arrived at the party with Kiran, and the two seemed close, if he could get to Kiran, maybe he could work out a deal, find Nero for Roxy, but frame it in a way that didn't make it seem like Norman was working against him. He found Kiran near the bar, talking to a group of girls who were clearly enjoying his attention, Norman approached carefully, respectfully, he knew better than to trifle with Kiran even though the guy seemed approachable and friendly on the surface, Kiran might look like a normal college student, might drive a nice car and wear trendy clothes and charm his way through social situations, but Norman's werewolf senses had picked up something else, something that made his instincts scream at him to be very, very careful "Kiran," Norman said, interrupting the conversation with an apologetic smile to the girls "can I talk to you for a minute? It's about Nero" Kiran's expression shifted immediately, the easygoing smile replaced by sharp attention as he excused himself from the group and followed Norman to a quieter corner of the party "what about Nero?" Kiran asked Norman explained the situation quickly, Roxy looking for Nero and Kass, the search party being organized, the tension building "I'm supposed to help find them," Norman said "but I don't want to make an enemy of your friend, so here's what I'm thinking: I find them, I signal you, and you come quickly to... manage the situation, prevent anything unnecessary from happening" Kiran studied him for a long moment "and what do you want in exchange for this information?" Norman had been ready for that question, "make Nero join the football team" "I can't make Nero do anything," Kiran said flatly "he's his own person" "then convince him, talk to him or whatever" Norman tried to keep the desperation out of his voice "the guy has talent, real talent, he'd be amazing on the team, and I think he just needs the right person to explain why it would be good for him" Kiran was quiet, considering, finally, he nodded "I'll talk to him, I'll make the case for why joining the team might be beneficial, but he has the final decision in the matter, if he says no again, you accept it and leave him alone, deal?" "Deal," Norman agreed quickly. They shook hands, and Norman felt a small surge of satisfaction, this could actually work, as he could help Roxy, maintain his relationship with Nero, and possibly get the recruit he wanted all at the same time but now he just had to find them. Norman stepped away from Kiran and pulled out his phone, texting the other werewolf boys who were helping with the search: I've got an idea, meet me at the back entrance in 5. He looked out toward the dark gardens beyond the mansion's lights, his werewolf senses already starting to pick up traces of scent that didn't belong to the normal party attendees. Two people had definitely gone that way recently. One smelled like Ravensong magic—Kassandra. The other smelled like... something else, something that made Norman's instincts prickle with recognition he couldn't quite place then he smiled to himself and headed toward the garden.