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  “It’s clear. Send out a Hunter,” ordered a gruff male voice that sent a shiver down my spine. I didn’t want to find out what a Hunter was. “If anyone is in the building, that will locate them.”

  “Yes, sir,” another creepy voice said, and a crack like thunder sounded behind me. I scanned around wildly and spotted an alcove. The second I slid into it and wedged Nine and myself into the corner, a charge of white energy flew past. The sound it made was deafening, like a freight train. I threw my hand over my mouth to block the scream that was threatening my life. If Nine made a peep, I had no clue.

  The energy rounded in the hall and made its way back—not stopping in front of us. I glanced down at the hand covering my mouth and saw that the ruby set into my mother’s ring was glowing. My body was semi-transparent . . . sort of blurred. Just like Magnolis said, the ring must have offered some form of protection, making my presence difficult to detect or something like that.

  “Nothing sir,” the second voice finally said. “We’re wasting our time.”

  “Affirmative,” the first answered. “Unless the Directorate arrives soon, our army will be able to break down the Academy’s defense. That should be our focus in case we are forced to leave.”

  The echo of the footfalls grew quiet, and I finally brought my hands down from my face.

  We’re not dead yet?

  I shook my head but didn’t answer Nine. Instead, I unstuffed myself from the corner, teeth gritted, and inched from the alcove, hoping with every inch of my being that there was not a massive dog in the hall about to bite my head off.

  I whispered, “Keep quiet, Nine.” Tucking the bag’s strap over my head, I tiptoed from my hiding place and continued down the corridor, jiggling the doorknobs until by some stroke of luck one of them twisted. The room appeared to be a faculty lounge, complete with several leather sofas, a table and chairs, a fancy silver coffee maker and a refrigerator.

  Moonlight shone through the large window above the counter and spilled over the room. Through it, I could see that this room faced the back of the building, and just beyond that was an area thick with trees. I hunched down and drew closer to the window, muttering to the shadows that I hoped there were no Morelli prowling about.

  Once there, I peered outside, and as I’d hoped, it was clear. I unzipped my bag slightly and whispered inside. “I’m not staying in here when the auditorium might be under attack.”

  Doesn’t mean you have to take me!

  I sighed and placed the duffel bag with Nine inside onto the counter. “Fine, you can hide in the trees just behind this building. I don’t want you trapped inside here if something happens.” I reached toward the latch on the window and unlocked it, then slowly slid the window back in its track. Using a chair from the table as a stepstool, I crawled onto the counter and wriggled through the opening. Reaching back in, I snagged the duffle and jumped to the ground. I did a quick scan of the area and dashed to the tree cover.

  I unzipped the bag. Nine leaped from the opening and shook his entire body.

  You should just hide here with me. Other than that ring, you have no magic, and Magnolis brought you to the building for a reason. He was completely unbothered that the still-glowing ring was making me semi-invisible.

  “With the ring on I can get in and out of the auditorium. The students need to know what’s going on and be given the chance to fight.”

  Even if you get to the auditorium, the students are going to take you for a Morelli. You could end up dead.

  I pulled the hood of my sweatshirt from my head and allowed my white hair to spill out over my shoulders. “I am Morelli, Nine. You even told me that my mother was. But when does the color of a person’s hair force them to be bad or good? That is a choice. And if I can help the other students to live through this, I need to do it.”

  Nine glanced around and took off up a tree, settled on a low branch and crouched down. Well, I know my limitations as a cat.

  “Fine,” I said. “If I don’t make it out, just find Magnolis. She’ll figure out a place for you.” I reached up and stroked his fur, and he leaned into my touch. “You’ve been a good friend.”

  Nine blinked slowly. You have, too.

  Without looking back, I dashed through the darkness toward the auditorium, barely even noticing the relentless siren warning us that we were all in danger.

  I stayed in the shadows as much as I could and made my way through the maze of campus buildings. Bursts of white light lit up the sky and went out as quickly as they came. Overhead the gigantic hawks flew in the same direction as I ran, still not detecting me. My pulse thrummed in my ears as my feet pounded over the grass and sidewalks. Finally, I made it to the dining hall across from the auditorium and hunkered low to the ground, peering around the corner. I gulped. What I saw made me want to turn back around and go hide in the tree with Nine.

  Before then, I wasn’t entirely sure about this place, about The Side of Magic. But suddenly, magic got real. If the Morelli won here, it meant that the Morelli won everywhere.

  A troop of at least thirty Morelli were on the ground preparing for an attack, their entire bodies glowing with white, sparkling magic. Five more rode giant, snarling dogs, and another handful dove through the sky on the backs of fierce birds, hurling balls of white flame toward the auditorium.

  School staff, including Professor Magnolis, Chancellor Sterling, my other teachers, and many others I didn’t know yet, all stood around the auditorium in a circle, each using their own special type of magic to defend the students inside the building.

  Ahead of them was a luminous blue shield of light they controlled with hands held high, but even from here, I could tell by the shield’s flicker that they were tiring . . . or that there simply were not enough of them to hold the shield in place. More witches and wizards fought with magical flames while others sparked with electricity and countered the attack with streams of energy. They were able to keep the Morelli a good distance away, but I had no idea how long it was going to last.

  My heart dropped into my stomach when I spotted the largest dog and its terrifying rider. A man with short white hair and pale skin shouted orders to the foot soldiers. It was the same man from my dream. I didn’t know how, but I knew we had met once before, in real life. A wave of fear rippled through my body, and instantly I became aware that the only chance we had to win this battle was with more power.

  The man glanced my way and seemed to hold his gaze on me for a brief moment before he turned back to the auditorium and waved his soldiers onward. Did he somehow see me?

  Holding my breath, I scanned the building and spotted an exit near the back. That was my way in. The faculty were spread far enough apart and distracted with their own defense tactics. This was my chance. Before I could change my mind, I bolted across the way, and as I ran, the ring on my hand glowed brighter. The solidity of my body flickered in and out, and I broke through the line of staff without them noticing me. When I got to the side door, I yanked it open and nearly ran right into an upperclassman standing guard inside.

  “Hey!” he yelled. He looked confused that no one was there and pulled the door shut, but I raced past him without stopping and simply followed the sound of the crowd of students.

  I quickly realized that I was backstage and popped out on stage right, just behind the curtain. Several students, including Rosalee and five upperclassmen, had obviously taken charge, but from their angry expressions, no one could agree.

  Many other students were huddled into groups, unsure of what was going on and obviously terrified, while others stood and argued. I quickly scanned the room for Emiko, Holly or Aspen but saw none of them

  “We were told to stay inside,” a tall, thin girl with freckles said. “And that is what we should do.”

  Rosalee stepped toward her. “We need to fight, or we’re going to die.”

  A strange calm flooded over my body, and for the first time since I arrived at the school, I actually felt like Rosalee might be rig
ht.

  My feet took over, and I stepped into the center of the stage. That’s when I saw Aspen at the back of the room, staring my way. He squinted in confusion as if he might see something happening on the stage but didn’t know what it was. At dead center, I grasped the ring on my index finger and slipped it off.

  The freckled girl was the first to notice me, and she screamed. “Morelli!” This brought a few more shrieks of terror from the audience.

  I held my hands in the air. “I’m not Morelli!” I was . . . but not the kind they needed to be afraid of right now.

  “She’s going to get us killed.” Rosalee formed a ball of flame in her hand and aimed it at me, but the second she went to hurl it, a black wolf slid onto the stage in front of me and snapped its jaws at her. “Aspen!” I shouted, and the flame dissipated from Rosalee’s hand. I turned my attention from the growling wolf to the crowd. “Stop it! We are not each other’s enemy. The enemy is outside. and they are likely to storm this place soon.”

  “Chancellor Sterling said that the Directorate was sending reinforcements,” someone from the crowd shouted.

  “They’re not here yet, and the staff is tiring. If we want to live, we have to fight now!” I glanced to Rosalee, and confusion blanketed her face.

  “She’s lying!” another person shouted. “She’s trying to drive us into a trap.”

  “No! We must act now, or the entire Academy and everyone in it will be destroyed.” I clenched my fists, and Aspen, still in wolf form, came to my side and sat.

  “I believe her.” A small voice came from the back, and I looked for the speaker. Emiko. “My family are well-known empaths. And I can tell you that Josy Barrows is not lying. She is not evil, and what she’s saying right now she believes to be true.”

  Holly stood behind Emiko, and after a second she spoke too. “I believe Josy.”

  Several others followed suit. “I’m an empath, too,” one even said.

  Tears stung my eyes and my chest tightened. I couldn’t believe any of these people were listening to me. But before I had the chance to reveal too much, an explosion rattled the entire building and debris fell from the ceiling. Shouts came from the crowd again, and Rosalee and the others who’d wanted to fight before stormed the stage.

  “Separate into the types of magic you feel are your strongest suit!” a well-built guy with dark skin and curly black hair yelled, but most of the crowd was still too stunned to move. “Come on! We don’t have much time.”

  “Fire, line up here,” Rosalee shouted and pointed below stage left. Several people came forward. Others congregated, showing skills of electrical impulse, wind, water, and many other types of magic.

  To my side, Aspen’s magic glitched for a second, and the wolf was gone. “How’d you get to the stage unseen?” he asked.

  I held out the ring to him. “You saw me from the back of the room.”

  Aspen shook his head. “I saw something, but I didn’t know what it was. So, it was the ring and not your magic?”

  I fumbled for the potion he had made, still in my pocket, and brought it out.

  He stared at the vial. “Do you have the spell book? We could try it now.”

  “No, I left the bag with Nine.”

  His shoulders slumped. “The potion is no good without the spell.”

  Disappointed, I shoved the vial back into my pocket, not quite knowing what to do anymore since the mission I had created for myself was done. I couldn’t fight.

  “You should go back to where you left Nine. This place is in danger—

  Another explosion of white light hit the building’s roof, but this time it took the back right off, opening the space to the dawning sky. Students screamed and scattered.

  Through the breach, a giant, screeching hawk dove into the auditorium. Aspen grabbed me and pulled me to the back of the stage.

  The wizards and witches with fire magic immediately sprang into action and thrust their hands into the air, throwing a lasso of fire at the bird and its rider. The lasso caught the beast around the belly and tightened. Several electrical impulse users delivered sparking bolts of energy at the tumbling rider, and both the bird and the Morelli crashed into the seats and vanished.

  The crowd cheered, but the excitement was short-lived.

  “Everyone outside,” someone shouted, and despite the fear that filled the room earlier, the majority turned and bolted for the exits, ready to fight.

  Three witches stayed behind and formed a glowing shield against intruders who might come through the hole in the ceiling again before everyone escaped.

  I pulled Aspen toward the back exit and wriggled the ring back onto my finger. My body tingled with magic and blurred in and out. We burst through the door and into the battle.

  “I can get myself out of here.” I quickly assessed the students and faculty fighting the Morelli. Several bodies lay dead on the grass . . . ours. My stomach clenched with guilt, but with no magic and no weapon, there was nothing else I could do to help.

  “Go.” Aspen released my hand. “I’ll find you when this is done.”

  I blew out a shaky breath and my feet went into action, straight from the battle into the forest behind the building. But I didn’t get twenty feet before a massive hellhound lunged in front of me. A hand swooped down and grabbed the back of my sweatshirt, yanking me in the air. Despite the ring’s magic, someone had seen me. A scream lodged in my throat and from behind, a black wolf flew through the air and attacked the dog. The hand dropped me in a heap on the grass, and the massive war dog clawed at Aspen, throwing him to the ground.

  “Aspen!” I cried. The man threw out a blast of white energy, trapping Aspen in place.

  Time . . . the battle . . . seemed to slow, and my attention locked on my attacker.

  Through my brain flickered memories of this same man, but younger and threatening my mother for marrying someone who was not Morelli . . . Zayne Gabrick was my mother’s brother. My uncle.

  He glanced to the ring on my finger and back to my face and hair. He tipped his head just so. He knew exactly who I was, too. “You know that you are Morelli and using our magic. That ring was your grandmother’s, and I’d like to see it returned.”

  “My mother left this ring for me,” I spat.

  “Your mother was exiled.” He paused for a second. “And died without access to magic. But I might be convinced to forgive and accept you back into our family.”

  Although I already knew, hearing the words of my mother’s death sent panic into my chest, and my mind began to cloud. I cried, “I don’t have any magic. What would you want with me?”

  Zayne raised his eyebrows in a quizzical expression.

  Josy! Nine’s voice tickled at the back of my mind, but something forced me to focus on Zayne. The Morelli’s lips curled into a devious smile.

  Josy! the cat’s voice came again, and I whirled to see him bounding toward me despite the battle.

  “Get away!” I shouted, not wanting Nine to get hurt too. Why didn’t he stay where it was safe?

  My memories are back. The magic is not in the ring! Nine’s voice hollered in my mind. The ring only broke the spell. The magic is in you, Josy!

  I glanced at the ring, and the ruby shone brightly. On the band, words formed, and my eyes widened as I saw them.

  Let the magic of life guide your journey.

  Another dog and rider charged Nine, and the hound swiped a monstrous paw at the cat. Nine let out a yowl and was tossed through the air.

  A primal scream exited my mouth. My mind cleared, and my body instantly electrified like I’d been plugged into a light socket, without the pain. Reversing the energy, I felt every bit of magic around me—the Morelli, the staff, the students. I drew all the power into myself and locked eyes with Zayne.

  “My mother did not need your forgiveness, and neither do I.” With a flick of my wrist, I released the power, and everything lit up with a silent white explosion. The Morelli and all of their war beasts vanished, but an e
cho remained in my mind.

  “You will join us, Josephine Barrows.”

  My eyes rolled back into my head, and I fell to the ground in a heap. The dawn sky was swallowed by murky emptiness.

  Chapter 17

  My eyes fluttered open to a blur of white over my head. I tried to open my mouth, but a desert had taken up residence inside, and my tongue felt as if someone had sandblasted it. With a crack of my lips, I finally forced them open and groaned at the sharp pain and the flavor of tangy metal that flowed over my parched tongue. My body was sore in places I didn’t even know could be sore. Despite my best efforts to lift my head, it just lay in the same uncomfortable position, and the fuzzy whiteness above me remained.

  “She’s awake,” a male voice called, but it sounded as if I were inside a tin can.

  I knew she’d be fine. Nine’s sleepy voice came into my head. Relief that he was still alive relaxed my chest.

  Someone squeezed my hand, and I blinked several times to try to clear my bleary-eyed vision.

  “What are you talking about, Nine?” the voice said. “You were the one limping around the room two hours ago, ordering the doctor to do stuff you know nothing about.”

  I got tired . . . I was injured too, you know.

  Finally managing to lift my head, I saw a blurry, dark-furred animal that could only be Nine lying curled up at my right side. He raised his head to look at me with his topaz eyes. His back leg was shaved, and a nasty gash on his thigh was repaired with stitches. How you doing, kid?

  With all my strength, I pushed up on my elbows.

  A still-hazy Aspen appeared to my left, and I realized he was holding my hand.

  “I’m alive? You’re alive. Are you okay?”

  He released my hand and reached to the bedside, producing two fluffy pillows. “I’ll be fine. Here, let me help you.” He gently guided me to sit up farther and placed the two pillows under my head.

  I stared at his face while my vision cleared. Memories of the battle flooded my mind, sending shivers over my entire body. “You risked your life for me. Twice.”