Hell

-Jo-

I walked into school the next morning, my eyes immediately finding Muriel. I ducked my head, gripping Bonnie's hand and tugging her away from a conversation. She looked at me, but I said nothing as she complained loudly. I turn into an empty hallway, and stop her, covering her mouth and pressing her against the hallway wall, "Stop. I'm trying to help." She shut up, giving me a look. I let out a sigh, biting my lip. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded and I took my hand off her mouth. She whispered to me, "Are you okay?" I sighed, letting go of her and shaking my head. "Not really, but it's a lot to explain and there's not enough time. Just, stay away from the new kids, got it?" She looked at me, and whatever the reason was, she nodded.

"Okay." She said. I relaxed, hugging her.

"Tell Ms. Sanchez that I'll be late for class, but not by much," I said. She nodded, squeezing my hand as she walked down the hall, hurrying to class. I leaned against the wall, pressing my head against my arm. A voice scared me, and I jumped, turning to face whoever it was.

"If you don't return to me what you stole," She said. "They will have a lot more to worry about than the new kids." My eyes widened. Muriel's eyes glowed. Literally glowed a bright neon shade of blue. Around me, the lights flickered. On and off they went, some that were closest to her sparked.

I gasped, pressing my back against the wall. stuttering, "W-what?"

She hissed, walking right up to my face, "The book you stole, give it to me. Or I will do far worse than what my sister did to this entire town until I find it."

My eyes widened. "T-the book, w-what-" Suddenly, I remembered the book that had fallen out of Bonnie's backpack. "Bonnie has it, but I'll get it back for you. Just stay away from her." I said desperately. She stared at me, her eyes going back to normal and the lights calming. For a second, I was scared she wouldn't change her mind, then she whispered so low, only I could hear it, "Very well. She will be safe but to you, I will not grant the same pardon." She said. "I warned you, and you did not heed it. For that, you will pay dearly." She hissed the words into my face before turning right around, her heels clicking against the hallway tiles and I watched her walk away. I stood there, frozen against the wall and barely able to catch my breath.

My face flushed and my breath for a minute, fogged and then dissipated. What was that? I thought, staring after her. Suddenly, I got control of my lips again, and fear pulsed its way through my veins. Adrenaline coursed through my body and I lurched from the wall, sprinting through the hallway and ignoring the yells of the teacher's protests. I tried to breathe, running straight to my next class. By the time I got there, I burst through the doors, my back slick with sweat and my face red from running. My legs burned and my lungs screamed. While the room spun, the teacher stared at me, her eyes wide. "Are you alright, Ms. Anderson?"

I gasped, struggling to speak. I nodded, gripping my bag, and went to take a seat. The simple exhaustion of energy made my vision blotted with black dots and my foot tripped. I fell to the floor and the class roared. A surge of students filled my vision and my ears barely picked up my teacher yelling at them to give me space. The ceiling became a blur of white and black dots and my body felt exhausted.

Tired, I realized. I'm tired.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, and fell into the lure of sleep.

-Muriel-

Pinning her against the wall was too easy. But the simplest brush of her skin against mine made my devil go wild and before I could control it, I felt my power pour through me and into her. She froze, her face flushing and her eyes widening.

"T-the book, w-what-" Her eyes somehow widened further, and then she continued, stuttering pathetically over her words. "Bonnie had it, but I'll get it back for you. Just stay away from her."

I stood there for a minute, contemplating this in my head. How could this go wrong? I thought. I uttered slowly, narrowing my eyes at her, "Very well. She will be safe but to you, I will not grant the same pardon." I said. I didn't care enough to listen to what she could have to say so I turned around, my heels clicking down the hall as I walked.

Stepping into the hallway, I realized I didn't have a class period this hour. So I grabbed my bag and walked to the library portion of this useless building. Dropping my bag onto a table, I sighed and relaxed against a chair, smiling at the familiar smell of paper and ink. Though it lacked the usual smell of fire and ash from home, it was better than the smell of sterilizer and pungent body odor. The mix of those two strong smells gives me a headache. I rubbed my temples, getting up and walking up to a desk. The same woman from yesterday looked up at me and for a moment, I saw a flash of recognition in her eyes. Then I just felt a wave of fear. I sighed, giving her a pitiful smile. "Do you have any mythology books?"

The woman nodded, then pointed to a section of the library. Walking through a few aisles, I held a large stack of books that I had surprisingly not gone through while at home. Most of my time was committed on becoming a queen, which consisted of reading a lot of Demonic books and exercises, like curtsying and smiling, and even sneering.

Here, I could just sit and read.

It couldn't have been much long after I had sat down that a smell from earlier caught my nose. Is that...? I lifted my head, catching a glimpse of the Joannae girl. She sat down, pulling out a notebook, and started writing. I glanced around and then closed my book. Focusing on her, I opened my mind to hers and listened.

What is that book worth for them? What had it meant by forbidden secrets?

My eyes widened and I jerked away from her mind. I got up, strutting over to her, and gripped her shoulder. She jumped, nearly squealing. She covered her mouth with shock, glancing at the woman at the desk. "How can you read Domonic Scripture?"

She blinked, staring at me. "D-demonic what?"

I tilted my head. "Are you an angel?"

She shifted, glancing around again. "An angel? L-like... Gabriel from the Bible? No, w-why would I be an angel? Angel's don't exist- or well they used to but not anymore I think-" She started getting flustered, barely able to get a word out without scrambling over it. I covered her mouth and her eyes went wide. Something in me pinged from the recognition of fear in her eyes. I let go of her, sitting down next to her. "You don't know anything, but you can read Demonic Scripture. Who are you?" I asked. She blinked again.

"I have no idea what you are or who you are. I will get you the book you're looking for because it was stolen. Not because of what's inside of it. After that, you leave all of us alone." She whispered. Her eyes were blown wide and she stared at me. "I have no idea how to get the book back, but I can tell you Bonnie has it. I don't know what to do so tell me how I can get it back without you hurting her again."

I look at her, thinking for a minute. "You think I hurt her?"

"I think your friend could have. You stopped it but I don't doubt you will." She said. She leaned forward, whispering to me, "Tell me." My eyes widened at the order and for a moment, I sat there. Then I laughed.

"Wow, that's the first time any human has had the gull to stand up to me." I snorted, watching her reaction shift from horrified to confused. "You are strong. It's a wonder..." My laughing slowly rolled to stop and I leaned back, smiling widely at her. She visibly shivered and I smiled wider at the reaction. Her eyes flickered to my teeth and for a second, I saw the fear flash through her eyes again. "Alright, fine. But on my terms and my way." I smirked, crossing my arms. "And in my image."

She narrowed her eyes. "Image meaning?"

I smirked, leaning forward. Slowly, my breath feathered across hers. Her eyes widened and she blatantly stared at my lips. Without a word, I got up and walked away. Grabbing my books and putting them up, I walked out of the library.

Back at the house, Glasya was rolling her eyes at me. "What is with you and pitiful creatures?"

My eyes flashed and I growled. "Do I need to remind you how you are dangerously edging towards disciplinary actions? Back off. I'm working on this case. Your job is to protect me IF it comes to that. Know your place Glasya, or I will have father remind you of it." I hiss at her. Her eyes widened, then narrowed at me. I stared, keeping her gaze. She snarled at me, then turned around and left. I listened to her walking down the hall and her door closed. The protection spell on each room took shape and everything went silent. Sighing, I sat down and clutched the necklace around my neck. The small little acorn clicked against my Heiress ring, soothing my wrecked nerves instantly.

In a raspy whimper, "(1)Ao rlmglih lm, re n anii oep. (2)Zegvnwl al. (3)Vpnrl al, bncl oep rmwl mbmoi." I whispered, looking up at the ceiling, falling onto my beck. "(4)Rmh ma n reniv? (5)Rmh sepbr n rmwl aniil? (6)Rlbw al." I let out a sob, my voice cracking as I continued. "(7)N bewl oep bnhhbl rlmgh."

My mind barely kept itself from racing as I kept thinking to myself, Is there anything else I could be doing? Anything other than betraying you? Listening, I got no response. Like normal. I sigh softly, getting back up.

After taking another few breaths, I grabbed one of the books out of my backpack and started reading. It must have only been a couple of hours later when I heard a knock on my door. Calling out, I continued the sentence, "Who is it?"

The door opened and one of the triplets walked in. Lima looked at me, tilting her head. "There's a girl behind me, she asked for you. Do you want to see her?"

I gave her a confused look, nodding, and standing. "Let her in."

She nodded, turning to look at the girl. She walked in, and I recognized Bonnie. Jo's friend. "Hello," I said, faking a smile. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

She smiled back at me. "We go to school together. Um, we throw a ball for Halloween every year and it's coming up. Anyway, I thought it was a great way for you to get to know the entire town and have a little fun."

I dismissed her with a strained thank you and fake smile. She walked away, giddy and basically hopping. Sighing heavily, I watched her. Glancing at the invite, loopy writing that wasn't a part of formal typing of the invite. I read it, confused. It'd be Jo's first...

Slowly, a smirk grew on my face and I tapped the invite on my fingers in thought. "You know what," I said to no one in particular. "This will be fun."

-Chapter Information-

Translation

(1) My dearest Fae, how I miss you.

(2) Forgive me.

(3) Guide me, like you have before.

(4) What am I doing?

(5) What could I have missed?

(6) Help me.

(7) I love you, little heart.