A Class of Conjuring
Chapter 20 — Braeden

I sat next to Cassandra on the couch while the others chatted around us. The conversations were all over the place: Challis and Edius, what to do on spring break, how to cast a shapeshifting spell, even some talk about dark magic. Headmaster Eliphas had been insistent, and we both knew he would send Cassandra away if anything else happened. I couldn't let Casandra go. We moved as a team.

"I'm sorry," Cassandra said and leaned her head against my shoulder. Her hair smelled of strawberries, and her breath was warm and enticing. She laid her arm across mine, feeling her touch nowadays so much different than it had been in the past. "I never meant for you to be involved in the trouble I get into. Headmaster Eliphas should not have spoken to you like that. You were only trying to help. I don't want things to be hard on you because of me."

"We're a team,” I said. "Things that affect you affect me." There's actually more than us. "Things that affect you affect the four of us." She smiled as if she was relieved to hear me say those words. "Headmaster Eliphas was only doing what he was told to by The Council. But we need to make sure it doesn't come down to any of us, including him, being sent home."

Though the chatting around us continued, I felt eyes bearing down on us, so I gave Cassandra a gentle kiss on the forehead and held her close. I seemed to be the one everyone had doubts about. The warmth of her next to me sent a tingling sensation through my body. Things were rapidly changing between us, and I was confused on how to deal with them. I'd honestly done everything over the years to help her understand her powers and to help her stay out of trouble. I thought about what happened in training and what happened earlier. What could I have done to stop the chaos? What could I have done to stop Challis from cursing her powers? In no way did I think Cassandra failed. We were supposed to protect her, and we didn't.

"Look," I said. "I'm going to fix this. We're going to fix this so you can stay at the academy. This is on us as much as it is on you." I nodded at the others in the room. "We live as a team, and we die as a team. I think what you need to do now is talk to Aurelius. He was at both battles. See what he has to say. He has to have some kind of insight into what happened. I'm not sure he'll talk to us both at the same time. I think he likes you and wants to see you do well." Cassandra felt the pendulant in her pocket and nodded. "You're right, as always," she said. A weak smile crossed her face. "I'll see what he has to say. And, by the way, he loves you guys. We need to make sure he's kept safe, and maybe we can get him put back on The Council.

"No, we're right. A team, remember?" he said. "Talk to Aurelius. Take his advice, and we'll figure out what to do next."

Cassandra hugged me and then worked her way around the room, hugging the rest of the group. She was the common link between us. "I'll be back."

As soon as Cassandra closed the door, I gathered everyone around the table. The only way to fix what we had messed up was to do it as a group. I quickly went over what the headmaster's plans were for Cassandra. Then I told them about Guildmaster Ren, emphasizing Cassandra would have no place to go if Headmaster Eliphas expelled her. "She'll be absolutely miserable if he sends her away," I said. But I also knew another failure would not only kill her dreams, but she would feel even worse that she made me a part of her failure. I didn't want that for her.

"We need ideas," Ruby said. "We can't sit around waiting on the academy to fix this." She looked around the table. "Say something, you guys. Don't you have anything, Oliver?"

"Challis' spell was wicked," he said. "I need time."

"Time we don't have," Ruby said.

I turned to Dash. "You and Cassandra both have fire magic," I said. "Is it possible for you to transfer any of that power between the two of you? Not all of it, but enough for her to regain her confidence and be prepared the next time Challis or Edius attack?"

Dash shrugged. "I've never tried it before." He raised his hands, and two tightly wound fireballs appeared above his palms. He juggled them between hands. "I don't know."

"It has to work," I said. I dreaded bringing up what was going on between Cassandra and Dash, but I needed to do whatever in order to help her regain confidence. "What is the connection between you and her? I've known her for over ten years, and yet you have this strange tie to her. Why?" I glanced at Kyler and Oliver. "I can sense the anxiety in all three of you. Why is there this connection amongst us?"

"All we know is that when she arrived on campus, we were immediately drawn to her," Oliver said. "Believe me, we've discussed this a dozen times, and none of us can figure it out." He looked at the other two guys. "And it's more than just a connection of magic." He swallowed hard, and his face began turning red. "There's an intimate connection as well. Like each of us is meant to be with her." He turned red and looked away.

I sat back for a moment. I glanced at Dash who had been with her. I couldn't deny I noticed the intimate connection between them and her. But I also didn't want to discuss it right then. "What about transferring powers? If we all have a connection, surely one of us can?"

Dash sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. It was obvious why Cassandra had been attracted to him. "I've never heard of it being done successfully." His eyes shifted around the table, his face showing fear. "Transferring that much energy could kill one or the other. Is that something we want to risk?"

“He's right,” Kyler said. "If it goes to shit, it may affect everyone who has a connection to her. Hell, it could destroy the connection." He shook his head. "We can't risk all of us losing our power. Then there'd be no one to protect her." Oliver laid down the book he'd been reading and nodded, his brain obviously working in overdrive. He was the only person I knew who could read a book and keep up with a conversation at the same time. "There is a way," he said. He let the comment hang in the air for a moment while he looked at each of us. Darkness fell across his face. "But I don't know that any of you are prepared for such an adventure."

"Out with it," Dash said. "Drop the drama."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "There's a forbidden spell," he said, happy to show his knowledge of such a thing. "Taboo even. One only a master witch or warlock can perform. None of us."

"At this point, I'm willing to try anything," I said. "I promised her we would fix this. It's not fair to her to not try everything."

"I don't agree," Cassandra said. We turned to replace her at the open doorway. "I can't ask you guys to risk your life and your powers for me. It's not fair to you." She joined us at the table. "Headmaster Eliphas was right. I'm useless without my powers and should go away." She looked down at the table, dejected, having already accepted a fate only she could decide.

"You can't do that," Dash protested and stood.

Kyler stood as well. "We won't let you!"

"All we need is a plan," Oliver said. "A solid plan. Besides, you're one of the most powerful witches we know."

Cassandra scoffed at the thought. "If I were as powerful as you say, I wouldn't be in the situation I am now." She raised her hands and closed her eyes. Nothing happened. "See? Don't risk your powers on me."

I stood and put my arm around her, but she pulled away, the move shocking me. We had been friends for much too long for her to ignore my help. "We just want to help you. That's why we're all here."

"Leave me alone, Braeden," she said, a sadness in her eyes I'd never seen before. She'd given up. "This is something I need to sort through on my own. I can't always have someone else fixing my shit. I need time to think, alone." We watched Cassandra turn away and leave the room, Ruby following close behind. Ruby looked back at us, her face full of confusion.

"That went to shit quickly," Kyler said. "What do we do now?"

"We need to replace answers," Oliver said. "I swear I'm in love with her."

We all stopped and stared at Oliver. "Everyone's in agreement?" I asked.

"What about you?" Kyler asked. "I thought maybe you were onboard, but then I couldn't see how someone who had so much time invested in her could let three guys walk into her life."

"Because everything I do is for her, not for me. No, I didn't think she'd ever fall for four men at once, but since she sees us as equals, she's not choosing one over the other. I can deal with that. I just want her to be happy." Then I shrugged. "Besides, I know where I stand. It doesn't matter that Dash slept with her first. If she had to make a choice, I know what she would do." I motioned at Kyler. "What about your commitment?"

Kyler shrugged and chuckled. "Trust me, my commitment to her is ironclad. I'm like the rest of you. I want her to be happy and will do everything within my power to make that happen. I'm not afraid of it."

"Well, I'm glad we had this little talk," Dash said. "But it doesn't change the fact she's gone back to her room to beat herself up over what's happened. We can't let her do that." He pointed at me. "You need to go after her," Dash said. "She trusts you. She'll listen." He shrugged. "What're you waiting for?"

I stared at the group for a moment, their heads nodding. I tore away from the table and rushed from the room. I knocked on the closed door, and Ruby answered, her face a field of frustration.

"She doesn't want to talk to anyone," Ruby said. "Let her have some time, Braeden."

I shook my head. "No way. She's had years to think, and through those years she's had time to think alone. I'm not letting this go. You know what we have to do." I pushed my way past Ruby and entered their room. She let out a loud sigh, but I thought it was more for show than her frustration. She knew what we needed to do.

"You better fix this," Ruby whispered.

"That's why I'm here," I said. "She say anything to you?"

"Not really, just that she didn't mean for any of this to happen. I think she's lost her confidence in herself. The only way she gets it back is if she gets her powers back and is able to prove herself. That's what you guys have to do." "Of course," I said.

The room looked just like the one I shared. There was a living room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom. One of the bedroom doors was closed. "Cassandra," I said as I knocked on the door. "You can't just walk away from me like that. We're friends, remember?" She said nothing, so I took the low road. "You owe me, Cassandra. I've always stood by you no matter what."

"She's ignoring you," Ruby said as a warning. "You're lucky she has no powers."

"I'm not leaving," I said to Ruby, and then the door opened.