Before You Read

Hello, my wonderful readers!

So, this is the last book in the series.

Unlike the first two, this is intended to be a low-angst book.

Also, the book is Rated R; not for violent scenes, but for cuss words and sex scenes. Enjoy!

Summary For The First Two Books

 

A.N: This could be read as a STANDALONE. 

I'm going to try to explain the last two books in case people get easily bored:

Emery Davis is a witch. Her parents were Susan and Michael Davis. However, Michael had been killed when Emery was just 12.

Emery had friends, Erick and Justin, who happened to be brothers. The two live in Crystalia with their parents, Elizabeth and Andrew. [Crystalia is on another planet, but the people don't know]. However, Andrew had been killed in the same attack that had killed Michael Davis.

In her first two high school years, Emery used to be bullied by five guys. Their names were Logan, Harry, Liam, Ethan and Zane. They took things way too far at one point and had Emery hospitalized for a month. Emery's mother had not known about this until she was told of her daughter being in the hospital. The two of them moved to New York. Emery enrolled into another school.

As a result of the bullying, Emery had gotten depressed, and so she started cutting herself. Emery's mother found out and had her daughter seeing a therapist when she was experiencing her last two high school years. Emery soon got better.

Selena Trenstone, a niece on Michael Davis' side, met Emery when they were both in high school. Her parents were abusive to her, and so they threw her out into the streets. More particularly, they threw her stuff when they dropped her off at her high school.

Emery befriended Selena, and she moved in with her and her mom. They discovered they were related, and they were happy.

So, Emery and Selena graduated from high school and immediately started working at a cafe to get cash for their colleges.

Emery ran into her former bullies at her cafe. The five were in a famous boy band called The Ordinary Brothers. They had gone to Emery to ask for her forgiveness, but Emery did not relent. She wanted them gone, but an evil witch (erwich) decided to attack. The guys didn't know much about their witchcraft, and so they knew when Emery had to take them to Crystalia.

The guys find out more about who they are and witches from Selena. Emery is mad that her cousin wants to spend time with them in spite of her confession that they bullied her. Selena also explains to the guys that the coming week was the selection of the next crystal. 

A crystal is the most powerful witch in the universe. Emery's father was a crystal, but he had been killed by another evil crystal called Eva. At that time, the evil witch was thrown into a portal that could cage her for an eternity. 

Anyway, Emery was chosen as the next crystal, and she was not happy about it. 

What the witches didn't know was that the erwiches had a plan of their own. They were soon becoming a significant problem, especially after almost exposing magic to the whole world in an incident, and Emery had to see what was happening on their side. She goes along with Selena, Erick, her mother, Liam and Ethan.

The erwiches were expecting their arrival. Emery, her mother, Selena and Erick head towards the erwiches' castle. They get taken, and the leader, Tevix, explains to them that they had fallen into his trap. Selena's parents had also been captured, and they were killed. Their blood was used to form a potion that would bring back Eva.

Eva comes back and she kills Emery's mother. Emery gets angry, and she later burns Eva in revenge. She believes she had killed her, but Eva rematerializes. She plans to hide the fact that she was still alive from the witches.

Emery's mother and Selena's parents are buried. Emery stays at her home for three months, still grieving over her dead mother. Selena and Erick worry over Emery, and so they try to coerce her into going on a music tour with her ex-bullies. She is hesitant at first, but she later agrees. 

Emery and Selena get flown off to London. They both have fun with the boys as they tour around Europe. A truth or dare game has Emery kissing Zane, and she acknowledges her feelings for him. However, Zane reveals that he has a girlfriend, and this crushes Emery.

(A.N This summary suddenly feels like an unexpected essay)  

An opening artist goes absent on one of the boys' tours, and Selena fills the spot with an original song of her own. She gets noticed, and she is taken away from the Ordinary Brothers' tour to form her image as a musician.

Meanwhile, things start going awful for Emery. Erick has a nightmare of Emery turning evil; unbeknownst to him, Eva had manipulated the dream. Bianca, Zane's girlfriend, arrives and joins the boys on tour. She notices Zane's feelings for Emery, and so she tries to get rid of her.

Eva notices her, and during their first conversation, they agree to make Emery's life a living hell.

It starts with a fight that leaves Bianca looking like a saint. With Eva's help, it soon escalates when she sends someone to kill Emery in her sleep. Luckily, she survives. By then, Erick has told Selena, Justin and the guys of the dream. Emery blames Bianca, but they choose not to believe her, sticking with the notion that it had been an erwich. Emery loses her friendship with Selena, Erick and Justin over this.

Emery joins the boys on tour, and she immediately regrets it. She almost gets raped by guys sent by Bianca, she is blamed for posting mean tweets of her ex-bullies on Twitter, and worst of all, she gets arrested for trying to kill Liam. 

All in one day.

Emery tries to get everyone to see reason, but they are all convinced that she was an evil bitch. They don't help her as she gets escorted to a police cruiser and taken to the nearby prison.

A week passes, and it is hell for Emery. Not only has she lost her friends, but she has also become a punching bag for the prison inmates. Lucky for her, she gets bailed by Josh, a former crystal summoned to her, and Ashley, a girl she had met at an OBer (0rdinary Brothers') concert. Josh teaches Emery how to control her powers for seven months. 

During this time, erwich attacks increase. 

Emery hears about this from Ashley, and she is forced to help the witches; strangely, the erwiches target the members of the Ordinary Brothers, and Emery unexpectedly plays the role of a secret magical bodyguard on the merged tour of her cousin and the Ordinary Brothers. Much to her contempt, Bianca joins them as well.

They have verbal fights, and Emery is angry on how everyone is so quick to believe she is awful. She decides to give up on them, planning not to have any communication with them.

Emery later overhears a talk Erick has with Selena. She discovered the dream Erick had that involved Emery turning evil, but he had not checked to verify the dream was real. Emery gets angry, and she reveals the dream to everyone in Crystalia.

Erick and Selena later clarify the dream's originality, and they realize Emery was right. Dread and regret fill both of them. 

The guys, Selena, Emery, Justin and Erick get taken by erwiches. Through a plan that Emery had formed with the Queen, she gets rid of all the erwiches. Eva discovers this, and she is infuriated.

Erick, Selena, Liam, Ethan and Logan discover a video that showed a fight between Emery and Bianca. In the video, Bianca foolishly confesses to every crime she committed, and the people watching it feel awful. They beg Emery for forgiveness, but she is quick to shut them up.

Meanwhile, all those people who had helped Bianca in bringing Emery down are jailed one by one. Bianca is angry and scared that she is next. So she gets help from Eva and plants a potion in Zane and Harry's drinks one night. The two bandmates get angry, and so they go to Emery's suite where they proceed to abuse her close to death.

Emery wakes up later in the night after the abuse, and she feels completely broken. Eva appears, with Emery believing she is a hallucination and offers Emery a potion to tune out her pain. The potion works, but it turns Emery evil.

On the following day, during an Ordinary Brother concert, Emery exposes Bianca for her crimes. She also exposes Zane and Harry for abusing her. The three are arrested, leaving the rest of the bandmates shocked.

Zane and Harry feel horrible for what they did to Emery, especially because they still wonder how they could let their control snap like that. They also regret falling for Bianca's trap.

In Crystalia, Selena tells the Queen, Erick and Justin that Emery turned evil. They are quick to act, and so they have Zane and Harry teleported to the castle.

Emery had formed her own castle where Eva's once used to exist, and she makes her way towards Crystalia with many erboons. A fight ensues, and Emery ends up taking Selena, Erick, Justin and the members of the Ordinary Brothers as captives.

When they wake up, she tells them all what she had gone through with the promise of killing them afterward. After telling everyone what she had gone through, Ashley and the Queen appear. Ashley gets knocked unconscious, and the Queen uses her powers to get rid of the effects of the evil potion in Emery.

Emery wakes up in Crystalia the following day. She thinks she killed Ashley and that everyone else is angry, planning to kill her. That causes her to run out of there. She seeks refuge in a hotel where she spends the day feeling depressed. Emery later cuts herself, but she feels it is not enough. She climbs a balcony and tries to jump to her death, but luckily, Zane saves her from committing such a horrible mistake.

The two go back to Crystalia. No one hates Emery, even though she had tortured them. They want to help her, and so, on the following day, Emery gets admitted to a hospital so that she may get help.

THIS IS WHERE THE BOOK BEGINS. 

A.N: I hope the summary was comprehensible to everyone. Enjoy!

 

Chapter 01

Zane's P.O.V

"A month had passed since the biggest celebrity scandal of all scandals. Emery Davis, once known as the most hated person in the Ordinary Brothers' fandom, interrupted an Ordinary Brothers' concert and proved her innocence when she exposed the crimes that Bianca had committed in a video. The world was shocked. If that isn't enough, Zane's former girlfriend was immediately arrested in front of many OBers."

"Zane--"

"Immediately after, Emery Davis exposed bandmates Zane Marsh and Harry Parker as her previous high school bullies and for also abusing her on the previous night. She even had video evidence to support the latter."

"Stop it, mate!"

"Since then, the media has been riveting about them, and everyone is wondering who they truly are. It does not help that the two and the rest of their bandmates have disappeared without a trace. Their management team barely has any idea of their whereabouts, and this makes us question what will happen. Could it be that the band is breaking up? Are the speculations true about the rest of the bandmates abusing Emery while she was on tour with them? Was Selena even involved--"

"I told you to stop it!" Logan yelled as he switched off the TV, glaring at me. I was immediately infuriated. I stood up from the couch, sending him my own glare.

"Leave me alone, Logan!" I shouted at him, reaching for the remote that was on his hand. I went to take it, but he moved his hand away before I could.

"Zane, it's time to get out," he said, the glare turning into a look of concern. I sighed.

"Just leave me alone," I replied, going back to sit on the couch.

"I don't plan on letting that happen, buddy," Logan said, moving towards the windows. He opened the curtains, allowing the sunlight to enter the room. I narrowed my eyes on instinct, having gotten used to the once-barely-lit room. I looked through the windows and noticed it was still morning.

"Zane, look. I'm worried about you," he said, moving to sit on the armrest of the couch. "It's been a month. You haven't gone out, and you have barely eaten anything; you don't look like your usual self."

"How can I go back to being that awful person?" I asked Logan, glaring at him. "How can I go back to being that bastard? We were enjoying life while Emery was suffering, and I was ignorant about her. I was a major douchebag, Logan! How can everything go back to normal after knowing what I've done?"

"Zane, stop beating yourself up! Look. Yes, you messed up big time, but Emery is getting the help she needs."

"But I caused that to happen to her."

"We all did!" Logan shouted at me. "Whatever happened has already happened. You cannot change the past, but you can try to focus on it in a way that can help you get a peaceful future."

I tried to apologize to Emery. Oh, I tried. 

I had been going to visit Emery at the new hospital in Crystalia. All the time, my requests of seeing her had been rejected. I believed I had made a stupid mistake of revealing my name because the doctors had stated I would ruin her road to recovery. 

So I chose to stay near her ward without anyone knowing. Sometimes I heard her shout, cry and scream in emotional pain, and that tore my heart. I was stuck between leaving and staying there. I even wanted to barge into her room and make her feel better.

"They still won't let me in to see her," I announced.

"They won't let any of us in," he stated. Logan did not bother asking what I meant, and I was internally shocked. His words had also made me realize that I was not the only one who had been going to try to see Emery.

"Zane, we made the biggest of all mistakes, but all we can do is just wait. We wait for her to recover and then we could try to apologize, again, for everything we did to her."

Logan then laughed. I turned to face him, noticing that it was a pained laugh.

"I wonder how we are going to fix this, Zane."

I remained silent, agreeing with his words. The mess we were in was unexpectedly bigger than the high school incidents.

"Me too, Logan. Me too."

***********************************************************************************************

After a lot of persuading words from Logan, I found myself walking out of the castle. He even had me take a shower and change my clothes because I apparently stunk. 

The talk I had with Logan was weird, considering it was the first time I spoke to him in a month.

The guys were still angry with Harry and me after they had found out what we did to Emery. They avoided talking to us, and even though it hurt, I didn't bother talking to the guys. I believed we deserved it. 

I had no idea of what Harry was doing, having also not talked to him in the past month. My time was spent moping around and hating myself for what I did to Emery. I barely ate or slept. I also spent my time watching the TV to see what was happening on earth, crying for Emery and also sitting on the floor near her ward in the hospital.

The conversation I had with Logan had me thinking that he and the rest might have forgiven me, but I didn't want to believe that, especially after having ruined the band.

I brought my mind back to my surroundings. Crystalia had changed in the past month. After the death of all erwiches, the magical borders had been expanded to the distance halfway towards the mountains. Erboons were still present, and no one wanted to deal with them.

The newly acquired space had been turned into a small forest. The Queen enchanted the area to get rid of dangerous animals before chanting a spell to quickly grow the forest.

On my way towards it, I spotted Selena. She had her head down as she was walking towards the castle. 

Just like me, she was a mess. Her skin had lost a bit of color, and she had lost some weight.

"Selena?" I called out to her. She stopped in her tracks, raising her head to face me. I noticed her eyes had lost their usual brightness; they weren't as lively as they used to be and I knew she was feeling as bad as I was about Emery.

Or maybe, it was something else...

"Hi Zane," she said reluctantly with a hoarse voice. I didn't even try to smile at her. In fact, I was surprised she was talking to me. 

"How... how have you been?" I had no idea of how to approach her. 

Selena took her time to answer.  

I recalled seeing celebrity news about Selena and Justin. It was recent that Selena found out her boyfriend had been cheating on her. I had no idea if she was still feeling hurt. I wanted to know, but that seemed so private. I wanted to talk to her, but I was afraid she would lash at me for the shit I did. 

"I don't know. Great. How have you been?" Selena replied.

The conversation was turning out awkward. Just like her, I took my time to respond.

"Bad," I replied honestly. We remained quiet, staring at each other. Selena soon broke the spell as she began walking away from me.  

"I'm sorry about Justin," I said quietly. I had a feeling she knew that I knew. Selena stopped, having heard me. She just nodded without turning to face me before resuming her walk towards the castle.

With a sad smile towards her direction, I turned and continued walking towards the new forest. I walked past the hardwood trees, heading towards nowhere. I had no idea of how long I walked until I came to a stop at a river in front of me. I looked around, noticing that the area seemed abandoned. 

Crystalia's castle seemed to be the height of my index finger from where I stood.

I looked around, seeking to confirm I was alone. I soon came to that conclusion, hearing nothing but the sounds of birds chirping and the flowing river. It should have brought me a sense of calm, but it didn't. It was too quiet, and my thoughts about Emery were amplified. The voices from all the awful memories were louder than ever.

I couldn't take it, and I immediately collapsed on my knees before crying in my hands.

What had I done?

In all my life, I never thought I would ever hate myself as much as then. I never thought I would turn out to be such a horrible person.

I was an asshole. I was a douchebag.

My mind went back to the memory of seeing Emery almost killing herself. I was glad I stopped her from making such a huge mistake. If she had died, I would have no idea of what to do with myself. My world would have stopped without her in it. 

I had placed so much suffering on Emery. I bullied her in high school. I ruined her life. I made a lot of people become wary of trusting her. I pushed her to suicide. She was admitted to a hospital. 

I might as well have made her crazy!

I continued crying. 

Everything was my fault. I was the one to blame.

I remembered how mean I was to Emery. I was angry with myself for letting Bianca manipulate me. I hated myself for falling in love with the fake image she had created when I could have gone after Emery. 

How many times were the warning signs there to warn me that she was not good? How many times did Emery try to prove her innocence? How many times did I insult her as I turned my back on her?

The image of Emery crying came to my mind, and my heart broke. How many times had I made her cry? How many times had I ruined her life? 

Why was the universe so unfair? She was a good girl, someone who had dreams, whereas I... I was an asshole. I ruined her. I should have gone through what she had suffered. Emery did not deserve the hell I brought onto her. It should have befallen on me.

Memories of me insulting and yelling at Emery came to mind again. I had hurt her so much. I... I didn't deserve to live.

The pain was too much. The memories were too much. The weight on my conscience was heavy. Voices were inside my head, asking me in hatred why I was enjoying life when I should have been suffering.

I looked at the river in front of me. The voices increased in volume at that precise moment. 

Without thinking, I jumped in. 

There was a loud splash as I felt the sudden change in atmosphere. I closed my eyes, and the voices were silent. I only heard the sounds of the river flowing above me. I waited and waited for the pain and awful memories to end, but nothing happened. My heart still hurt, and I realized the pain could not end. In fact, it became physical when I started gasping for air. I moved around, foolishly trying to escape the feeling, but nothing happened. 

I couldn't handle it any further, and so I teleported out of the river and landed on the ground beside it.

I coughed out water as a chilling breeze brushed past me. I landed flat on my front, not caring about the exploding pain on my chin, and began crying again.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't find it in me to kill myself. That was one thing I could do to make Emery's life more bearable, and I chickened out.

"Zane!" Erick's voice had me still for a moment. My cries came to a stop. His rushed footsteps became louder as he came towards me. I immediately got up from the ground and turned to face him.

He looked pale, just like Selena. Moreover, he had an angry and scared expression on his face.

Before I could speak, he came towards me and enveloped me in a hug. I was shocked for a moment. Seconds later, I found myself welcoming the hug and crying on his shoulder. Erick started rubbing my back, choosing to say nothing.

 

Chapter 02

Eleven months later

 

Emery's P.O.V

"So, Emery, tell me about your music," Charles asked, staring at me with an expectant look. I took a moment to think about my answer, narrowing my eyes in thought.

Charles was my therapist; he told me so a day after I was admitted in the hospital. 

We were both in my assigned ward in the hospital. White concrete walls surrounded us. The ceiling was painted a pale yellow, and there were bulbs on it that were currently off. There was even a glass window that showed the starry sky and a vast green grassland. The doctor and I had occupied two wooden chairs that were positioned near my bed. 

I recalled the day Zane took me to Crystalia after he stopped me from killing myself. I also recalled the silence and the questions that ensued when we went into the castle. Then on the next day, I was ambushed by paramedics. It seemed like a surprise to me, and I believed the people whom I once trusted were going to kill me for torturing them. 

One could imagine my surprise once I found myself in a padded room.

As stupid as it seems, I thought I was in heaven. Then came Doctor Charles. It then dawned on me that I was not in heaven but in a psychiatric ward. I tried to escape, but my magic could not work. I realized the place was enchanted to block the use of magic. In anger, I ignored the therapist for some time. I cried, feeling helpless as I thought how much I hated myself and the people who had me institutionalized.

The awful thoughts lasted for a while. I soon believed I had nothing to lose, and so I started talking to Doctor Charles. Our approaches were slow at first, with him just asking questions about small subject matters. 

As I got to know him, I found him to be a respectable and nice person. In fact, we were friendly enough for me to call him Charlie. What also had me feeling calm around him was the fact that he had told me that everything we would speak of would remain a secret. I found myself enjoying the conversations we had, and I started opening myself to him. 

He helped me realize that some of my thoughts about certain issues were wrong after telling him what went on in my life and the secrets I held inside.

Every secret.

We continued talking, and months later, I was deemed sane enough to be moved to another room- the current room I was in. Everything looked okay, and it increased the hope that I would soon get out of there.

"It's not something special," I shrugged off Charles' question about my music. "Everyone can sing whether they want to or not. I just used to do it because it was a hobby to me."

Charles furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at me.

"I would come here in Crystalia. You know the theater that exists around..." I trailed off, having no idea of how to explain my thoughts to him. Fortunately, Charles showed he understood me when he began nodding.

"I have no idea if it's still there. Anyway, I would go there, cast a spell on the musical instruments, then pretend to be some kind of famous musician."

"How did you feel?" Charles asked with an interested look. I was the one to furrow my eyebrows at the moment.

"Awesome," I replied. "I felt like all the troubles I had were gone. It was an escape for me. More importantly, it was fun."

"Why did you hide it?"

"It was my own secret. Besides, I wasn't sure I could sing well. I wouldn't want people to make fun of my voice if I didn't have the talent."

Charles nodded in understanding. "I would want us to talk about the time you performed in the American Idol."

I wanted to groan once he asked that question. "How is that relevant?"

"What pushed you to go on that stage?" he asked, ignoring my question.

"I wanted to show them that I too could sing." Charles already knew who I meant by 'them'.

"I don't think that is it," the therapist replied, shifting to get comfortable on his seat. "I think you did that because you wanted to."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Think about it. You felt alone, and you believed that everyone hated you."

"Everyone hated me," I confirmed.

"Regardless of that, you did it because you wanted to know if you had something you were good at."

"Not really, no," I replied. Charles stared at me with a raised eyebrow. "Alright, fine. Maybe a little."

"I can also say that you were afraid of losing yourself to all the awful things people thought you were. Your singing might have been a way for you to find out if your true self was still there."

"I'm not sure if I'm still myself. In fact, I don't know who I am," I emphasized as I stared at Charles. He was quiet as he looked at me in concentration.

He then said: "I know we talked about how people's words were probably what influenced you to take the potion to turn evil. And your song... I'm guessing the people you love were the inspiration for it, weren't they?"

"You mean the people I loved, and yes, they were. I wanted everyone to realize they didn't know me at all. I wanted them to have doubts about me and Bianca."

Charles remained silent for a while.

"Okay, why is this important to you?" I questioned.

"I'm trying to figure you out."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It had been almost a year, and he still hadn't figured me out? What was wrong with him?

Before I could speak, Charlie beat me to it.

"I want you to rest. I'll come again tomorrow."

He abruptly stood up and exited the room, leaving me with an open mouth, not knowing what to say.

That was weird.

Erick's P.O.V

I looked through a monitor, watching Charles leaving the room. He exited Emery's ward that was far in the hallway and came to me with an angry expression.

"I don't think I can do this again," he said once he was a few feet in front of me. "This goes against my morals as a doctor and as a friend."

"But I want to talk to her," I insisted.

"And you think about doing that through me?" Charles asked, pointing his index finger at himself as he looked at me with a look of disbelief. "Your Majesty, this is wrong."

"She won't know a thing," I replied.

"Look at that," he said, motioning a finger to the large TV. It showed Emery still sat on a chair with a look of confusion.

"She suspects me already. Your Majesty, I advise that you back off. When she finds out that you are watching her, she will lose her trust in me, and that will ruin the progress I have already made with her treatment. Do you seriously want that to happen?"

"I understand, Doc, but listen to me. I made a big mistake by inflicting the problems that brought her here. I still feel guilty about them. I want to apologize to her, but she wouldn't want to see me. The only way I can talk to her is through you. So, please, Doc. Help me out."

Charles looked at me intently before sighing. I knew he was giving in.

"Fine," he replied. "But I advise it should be only once more. Emery will get more suspicious and might lose her trust in me."

I wanted to refute Charles' words, but he was right. The only choice I had was to make the next meeting count.

***********************************************************************************************

Zane's P.O.V

"Zane!" Ethan called out to me. I turned to face him, noticing that he was running towards me from the entrance of the castle. I stood to wait for him.

"What is it?" I asked him once he was near me.

"Erick wants us to go to him. He says we can go see Emery," he said. I felt a surge of happiness at the words he spoke. Then I immediately felt worried. 

I had no idea of how Emery would react at the sight of us.

"I don't think that is such a good idea," I replied. In the past few months, Ethan and Liam had somewhat forgiven Harry and me; they were still mad about what we did to Emery, and so they chose to have small talks with us. We weren't as tight as we used to be, but it was better that than nothing.

"Why not?" Ethan asked with a confused stare. "This is the only time that Doctor Charles will allow us to go see her."

It seemed weird that Emery wanted us to see her so soon.

"Fine, I'll come along," I replied. Ethan gave me a small smile. He grabbed my hand, and a few seconds later, we were at the hospital.

It was a hospital, but it did not look like one. It resembled a university campus. There were various gray buildings all around me of different sizes. I could even see a small park from where I stood!

My attention was brought back to a walking Ethan. I shot up before quickly following him. 

"We're here," Ethan announced once we reached a certain building. Just like the rest, it was gray, but it had the word 'MENTAL' on top of it. Ethan and I walked towards the entrance. It was a revolving door, and once I made it in, I mentally gasped at what I saw.

Ethan and I were met by an air-conditioned environment. We were standing on a maroon carpet. Lime-green walls stared at us, and there were plush pink couches in a large area that seemed to be a waiting room. Photos of inspirational words with cute animals were placed on each wall.

The area was the exact opposite of what I expected; it looked more of a hotel rather than a hospital.

"Hi," Ethan greeted, and I turned to see him speaking to a secretary who had her elbow supported by the glass-top desk. The secretary raised a finger as she continued talking to someone on the phone.

"Yes, how may I help you?" the secretary finally asked after her call ended.

"We are here to see Emery Davis," Ethan replied.

"I'm sorry, but no visitors are allowed to see her," she replied instantly without going through any documents.

"How do you certainly know that?" I inquired.

"Only five people are in this part of the hospital."

My jaw dropped in surprise.

"But the king sent us here."

"Upstairs, furthest room on the left," the secretary replied, directing her attention back to her phone.

We followed her instructions. The upper floor was composed of a hallway. Ethan and I walked through it, passing by white doors on either side of us. 

We turned and stopped at some kind of waiting room. It resembled the one we had just left, but the difference was the green couches and the blue walls. Erick, Selena and the rest of my bandmates had sat on the couches as they stared at a large 40-inch TV in front of them.

"Finally! They're about to start," Logan announced without even a greeting.

The screen suddenly came on as Ethan and I took our seats. The TV turned on, and I immediately spotted Emery. 

I almost tripped on my feet. It had been a long time since I had seen Emery. Even though she was in another room, I felt happy to see her. She looked better than the last time I saw her, and that brought a smile to my face.

But then, why are we not in the same room as her?

"Guys, I thought we were going to see her," I stated with a frown.

"We are, but not in the way you think," Selena answered.

"Well, what--"

"Ssh!" Logan silenced me as the doctor began talking to Emery on the screen.

On the previous day, King Erick had talked Emery's therapist into allowing him to see how Emery's therapy was faring. I was shocked by what he did, but I was more shocked by the fact that Erick suggested us going to see Emery. 

I was surprised, but I was more surprised to discover we were going to see Emery through a TV.

A freaking TV.

I wanted to protest, but hearing Emery's voice made me stop. My eyes zeroed in on her as she kept talking, and my heart thudded.

It didn't take me long to sit beside the guys as we silently watched the TV.

 

Chapter 03

Emery's P.O.V

 

It was another day in the facility, and Charles had come to see me for another therapy session.

"Emery, it has been a year ever since you were admitted in this hospital," he stated. My eyes shot up in surprise. 

I couldn't believe that much time had passed. It made me feel like most of the days had gone by quickly.

"Throughout the time, I must say that we have made a lot of progress."

A smile lit up my face.

"Now, today I want us to try something. I will need you to answer a couple of questions."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but I nodded nonetheless.

"Okay. Emery, I would want us to go back a year ago."

I frowned. I began shaking my head in a disagreement, hating to remember the awful events that had occurred.

"I would want you to go back months before you were arrested."

"Why are you asking me this?" I questioned. "Haven't we gone through that stuff already?"

"Yes, but I want to analyze how you are currently feeling about what had happened."
I narrowed my eyes at Charles.

"What do you want me to say? That was not a good time for me. Yes, I had fun, but things went wrong for me."

"Do you remember how you acted when I asked this question months ago?" Charles asked, and I nodded. "You yelled and insulted those who betrayed you while you had a crying fit."

"So? What does that have to do with anything?"

Charles smiled.

"You didn't yell or cry this time. I don't mind about the anger you still hold for them, but the fact that you are calm about it proves that it doesn't affect you that much."

My mind started going through all the possibilities of why Charles asked me such a question. Then my eyes widened in shock.

Was I being discharged?

"Have you forgiven them?" Charles asked, and my thoughts ceased immediately. I laughed at Charles' question.

"What? Are you kidding me?" I asked in between laughs. Charles' expression did not falter, and I realized he was serious.

"The answer to that question is  'no'," I replied. Charles seemed to frown before writing something on the papers clipped on the board he had come with.

"Why did you ask? How is that relevant to my treatment?"

"Emery, you are holding a grudge against the people who love you--"

"Loved me," I corrected.

"Anyway, that grudge may hinder you from making positive relations with other people."

"It won't," I answered with confidence. "I mean, how can it? They ruined my life, Doc. I'm angry with them and not anyone else."

"Emery, I can tell you are still angry about it," Charles insisted, and I snapped.

"What do you think, Charlie? Of course, I'm still mad at them! They watched as I was arrested for something I never did. They chose to believe I was an evil witch and made their own judgments without talking to me— me, the one who was their friend and by their side!"

Charles' eyes had widened at my outburst, and I did not care.

"What hurts worse was what Erick, Selena and Justin did. They believed a bitch they had just met in a few months and quickly decided I was a criminal. I've practically been around them enough to be considered family!"

"Zane, stop!" I heard a masculine voice shout before the door to my ward was forcefully opened. The person who entered was the one I least expected to see.

It had been a year ever since I saw him –ever since he stopped me from killing myself. I must say that Zane seemed the same, except for the fact that he had grown a slight stubble and that he was looking at me with a pained expression. He also looked pale and had possibly lost some weight.

"Emery--"

"The fuck are you doing here?" I asked him with a glare before turning to face Charles. "What is he doing here?"

"Emery, calm down--"

"How do you expect me to calm down when he's in here?" I asked my therapist, cutting him off with a glare. Then something clicked in my head.

"Wait a minute. Are they all here?"

Charles remained still for a moment before nodding his head.  "They wanted to come talk to you. I was just surveying how you would react and see if it was possible for you to talk to them."

Then other footsteps sounded before the others came pouring in. Zane's other bandmates, Selena and Erick entered the ward. To say that I was not pleased to see them would be an understatement.

"Emery," Zane called out to me again as he swiftly came towards me and embraced me in a hug. I got distracted by the warmth that I felt around him and the sudden eruption of butterflies in my stomach.

"I'm sorry," Zane chanted in my ear, rubbing his hands over my back. It felt good to be finally hugged by someone after a whole year, but then I remembered who I was hugging. I also realized I still had some feelings for him, and I recalled why I was furious.

I pushed Zane away from me before delivering a slap on his cheek.

"Don't touch me!" I had yelled.

Zane did not seem shocked by my outburst. It was like he was expecting it.

My eyes danced across the room, observing the others.

"You have some nerve showing up in here after what you did," I stated as calmly as I could, but honestly, I had ground the words through my teeth.

"Emery--" Liam went to speak, but I cut him off.

"Why the hell are you here?"

"We came to see how you were doing. We wanted to talk to you and possibly make up for all the wrongs we did," Selena said, standing next to Erick with an apologetic look.

I remained silent, blinking in disbelief at the people in front of me. Then I smiled.

"Really? You came to see me just for that?" I asked with a fake sugary-sweet voice. No one seemed to reply, seeing through my façade. I dropped the act and glared at everyone in the room.

"If you have forgotten, I'm still mad at you. A simple apology will not make things better again."

"Emery--" Erick started, but I ignored him.

"Let me remind you of every bad thing that you all did to me. Hmm, where should I begin? Oh yes. I told you all that Bianca sent someone to stab me in my sleep, but you all did not believe me. Instead, you stupidly believed it was an erwich who tried to kill me. And when I told you the truth, you refused to accept it."

With a roll of my eyes, I continued, "Then I was arrested for supposedly trying to murder Liam in a car accident."

No one replied. They were looking at me with hurt expressions as if they were the ones who went through all of it.

"I was beaten up in a prison cell because dear Erick decided to block my powers," I stopped for a moment, silently seething at the humiliating memory. I turned to Erick. "Dude, what the hell was going through your head? You should have locked me here in Crystalia, and maybe I wouldn't be this mad at you!"

"Bianca had already called the police. I couldn't bring you to the castle prison if I wanted to," Erick went to defend himself.

"And is that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked with sarcasm before looking at everyone else in the room. My eyes zeroed in on Zane and his bandmates.

"You idiots believed I would ruin my chances of getting into college by posting mean tweets about you. Do I seriously look like I have time for that? I had told you that Bianca hired someone to do it, but you all ignored me. I even exposed the person who did it, and you all still didn't listen. It took a freaking video recording of Bianca confessing to every crime she committed for you guys to believe me!"

I turned my attention to Harry and Zane. "The two of you decided to beat me up for all the trouble I 'caused'. You know, you should have just killed me while you were at it."

My eyes zeroed in on Zane's. "And you. Why did you stop me from killing myself? Why didn't you do it then? I wouldn't be here right now if you had not stopped me, and you wouldn't be here trying to get rid of the heavy guilt you feel for what you did to me."

My voice had calmed as tears clouded my vision. I shook my head as I laughed with bitterness.

"You know, every bad thing that happens to me seems to revolve around you and your friends. It's like you guys are my bad luck charm."

I wiped the tears away from my face.

"And to think I was in love with you..."

Zane's eyes widened with a mixture of disbelief and shock. Someone gulped while others seemed to take sharp intakes of breath.

"W-What?" Zane stuttered, but I didn't want to talk about what I just confessed.

I wiped some of the tears that had escaped my eyes.

"Tell me. How can we all move past this? How can everything go back to the way they were after all the crap you guys put me through?"

No one bothered to speak.

"Just get out," I ordered, not wanting to deal with the guys.

"Emery, we're all so sorry--"

"Just...just go. And take Charles with you," I said, walking towards the bed.

"Emery--"

"Didn't you hear me?" I cut off Harry with a glare. "Get out!"

I climbed the bed and lay facing away from everyone in the room. There were a couple of shuffling feet before I heard the door slowly close. I soon resumed crying.

I both reveled in and hated the negative emotions I felt around my former friends. It had been a year since I last saw them, and I was still affected by what they did to me.

Just because of that, I had a feeling that things had changed. I had a feeling that Charles would decide to postpone the day I would be released. Honestly, I did not give a damn. 

I mean, how could he have done that to me? Why did he betray me like that? I thought as a therapist, he would have known how much I didn't want to be near them.

Zane... he found out what I felt for him, what I still felt for him. I did not even know what had compelled me to confess my feelings for him. Maybe it was because I wanted him to hurt, but I was the one who ended up getting hurt. His reaction to my confession just broke my heart. He did not say anything about it, making it loudly known he did not love me.

Love?

I shuddered at the thought. It couldn't be love. It had to be something like a small crush.

Right?

At the beginning, I was certain that it was love. Maybe I was wrong.

By the way, why was I still dwelling on him If he didn't love me, well then good! It would just make our situation more messed up. 

I decided to tune out my thoughts as I closed my eyes. Immediately, sleep took over.

***********************************************************************************************

"Emery," a gentle feminine voice called out to me. I hummed, signaling to the person that they were disturbing me.

"Emery," the voice persisted.

"Emery." I turned on the bed, facing away from the source of the voice.

"EMERY!" I shot up from the bed, fully awake. I looked around my currently-darkened room, searching for whoever was calling me.

Then I noticed a floating figure in the dark. My eyes widened in recognition.

"Penelope?" I called out in disbelief. 

The figure approached me, her form giving out a little light that illuminated some objects on her path. Penelope's floating form came to a stop beside my bed. She looked just as she did the first time I saw her. However, what had me disturbed was that one of her eyes was missing. 

I could even see the skin in the socket and that made me visibly flinch. 

Whereas I was peeved by that, she seemed to be okay with it. She stared at me with a smile, not caring about my reaction to her missing eye.

"Hello, Emery," she said. Before I could reply, her smile dropped. She seemed to remain quiet for a few too many seconds.

"Penelope?" I called out to her just as she started to respond. She gave out a sigh of relief, and I was confused as hell.

"Emery, we need to leave," she said, reaching out for my hand and dragging me off the bed. It was weird to see her when I was awake.

"What?"

"Now," she said, still dragging me across the linoleum floor.

"Penelope, stop!" I yelled at her with a glare, snatching my hand away from her hold. She sighed.

"I haven't seen you in a long time. What is going on? Where have you been, and don't even get me started with your eye."

Penelope sighed again.

"Look. We don't have much time. I need to take you out of here. Once we reach a safe place, I can answer whatever questions you want to be answered, okay?"

Penelope's expression looked worried. I had no option but to agree. The door to my ward was unlocked, and she was leading us down a dimly-lit hallway.

"Be quiet," Penelope said, guiding us through the hallway. I looked around, finally familiarizing myself with the view outside my ward. 

For a hospital hallway, it felt like a hotel.

Penelope and I slowly descended down a case of stairs. There were two doors; one led to what looked like a waiting room, and the other was closed.

"Wait here," Penelope said, going through a closed door. I took that opportunity to plaster myself against a wall, moving slowly towards the area with the open door. I looked around, finally realizing it was indeed a waiting room. There seemed to be a woman who was busy on the phone. She had sat behind a large desk.

"...yes, Margaret. I told her that if she wanted to keep her man, she needs to lose some weight."

My face scrunched up in disgust.

"Emery," Penelope whispered. I turned to her, realizing that she had unlocked the other door. I looked around, checking for other people. There was no one but the secretary, and so I walked past the unlocked door. What I was staring at was some kind of small hallway that had an open door.

"Come on!" Penelope yelled. I slowly walked with her until we reached the other door. I was met by the beautiful sight of street lamps that illuminated the area.

"We need to run," Penelope advised. I nodded in agreement, following her orders. I ran through the open area, not paying any attention to the possibility of a night guard or the beautiful park we passed through. We suddenly came to a stop at a wall. I observed it, noticing it was way past my height.

"Emery, now would be a good time to use your powers."

I wanted to slap myself on the face. I couldn't believe I had forgotten about them! Apparently, staying a year in a magic-blocked area does that to people.

I used my powers to teleport away from the area. Seconds later, I found myself staring at a couple of trees. In my mind, I had pictured the open space near the castle of Crystalia. 

Maybe my powers had not worked.

I looked around. It was still night, and there was a large moon that provided light around where I was.

"There you are," Penelope said, appearing out of nowhere. "At least we are far away from that wretched place they kept you in. We still have to keep going--"

"Penelope, what the heck is going on?" I cut her off with a worried look. She remained silent for a moment, going rigid just like she did in my ward. Seconds later, she seemed to respond.

"Okay, I'll tell you. Eva is alive."

I seemed to remain quiet once she uttered those words. For a moment, I believed I had heard my own words. 

"I'm sorry, what?"

"She figured out that I was talking to you, and so she had me kidnapped--"

"Wait, wait, wait. That's impossible! I killed her," I emphasized.

Penelope shook her head. "You didn't."

"But--"

"Emery, have you ever wondered how easy it was for you to kill her? I mean, not meaning to bring this up, but she killed your father and the king. And your father was a crystal."

Penelope had stunned me into silence once again. She was right. Thinking about it, it seemed too easy for me to get rid of Eva! So...

Eva was alive? 

A feeling of dread took over my form. What had she been doing? How the hell had no one noticed she was alive? If she was alive, what the hell was she planning to do? 

It all seemed weird. I still could not wrap my mind around Penelope's words.

"So, what you are trying to tell me is that she has been alive all this time?"

Penelope nodded.

"That's not all, Emery. She has been carrying out her plans in secret."

"WHAT?" I yelled, and Penelope motioned for me to keep quiet.

"Look. We need to find a place for you to hide. I know Erick will send his guards to look for you once he notices you are gone. Once we are in a safe place, I can tell you what she has been doing."

I had no option but to agree. Penelope grabbed my hand, and we teleported out of there.

 

Chapter 04

 Five months later

Zane's P.O.V

"...The Ordinary Brothers!"

The guys and I were about to have an interview. The person who had just spoked was the interviewer, and that had been our cue to go to the stage.

"Go that way," a member of the crew directed us through an open area that was partially blocked by a wooden wall. As we made our way to the stage, the sound of applause echoing through the building got louder. 

Once we made it to the stage, I noticed there was an audience in front of us. Most of them had bright smiles, and they whistled as their eyes focused on us. Above them were cameras and a few lights that were hanging on some kind of black metal bars, all aiming towards my bandmates and me. Moreover, the word Ellen was seen almost everywhere in the area, written in a wonderful blue font.

The guys and I made our way towards a large couch. Beside it on a leather seat sat our interviewer, Ellen, and she greeted us with a grin. She was a blonde, beautiful woman with pale skin and a couple of freckles that made her look like a fun person.

The applause died down once we had settled on the couch. Ellen began talking to us about our music career. The boys and I announced that we were having a tour in Europe that would begin in the month of January, a couple of months from then.

Then the interviewer went towards personal questions. She asked us who we were dating. Liam and Logan were the only ones who were seriously dating. The crowd whistled when they noticed that Ethan, Harry and I were still single. Then Ellen asked us if we had contacted Emery after the drama surrounding Bianca's arrest.

"We haven't heard from her," Harry replied. Ellen just nodded, not pushing the subject. We played a game with her, and it was fun. We also performed on the show.

"Okay. That's all the time we have. Thank you for coming!" Ellen announced, signaling the show's end as the audience applauded.

My bandmates and I had gone backstage after we had performed. Once the show had ended, we started leaving. We met with our bodyguards, and they encircled around us, leading us through a throng of fans that had surrounded our tour bus.

***********************************************************************************************

It was hours later when my bandmates and I had teleported to Crystalia. We met up with Erick, Justin, Selena and the Queen in the main study room. 

"Hey guys," Ethan greeted them. It had been months since we saw them. Selena had cut her hair so that it reached her shoulders and Justin had gotten tattoos. Erick seemed to have grown taller.

"Any news about Emery?" Liam asked as we entered the room.

"None," Erick replied with a furrow of his eyebrows. "I don't get it. Where could she be?"

"More importantly, how did she escape?" I stated.

It had been five months ever since Emery had left Crystalia. Everyone had been baffled but mostly saddened by her sudden disappearance. Erick had people investigate on how she could have escaped, but no one came with a believable explanation. Most of the reasons that were told were deemed impossible. For instance, the institution was magic-free, and it was ruled out that Emery escaped with the help of magic.

Apart from worrying about Emery, the boys and I had been dealing with questions about Emery and Bianca. It was hard to come up with a lie that could not paint Harry and me in a worse picture than we already were in, especially after the incident where we abused Emery. 

It got out of hand when some people had attacked Harry and me in public. It had forced Erick to wipe out the memories of the events of our last concert; he only wiped out the part about Harry and me, not daring to change the fact of Bianca still being in jail.

"Okay. We have to leave it," Erick said, bringing my attention back to my surroundings.

"What?" the rest of us exclaimed in shock.

"Erick, we don't know where Emery is. She could be in danger!" I stated. Erick just shook his head.

"There is no other danger that affects us. Well, except for the erboons, but that's a minor issue. Zane, I know you want to find her, and so do we. But we have to let this go."

"But--"

"We have tried everything to find her, but she cannot be found. I have a feeling that Emery is okay, and she perhaps left the hospital because we approached her and reminded her of what we did to her. We have no option but to believe she doesn't want to be found."

Erick had stunned me into silence. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I had to let it go. We all had to let Emery go. I wasn't sure that I would see her again, especially because there was so much I wanted to tell her. There was so much I wanted to apologize for, but she was not around. Maybe it was for the best. Emery had once considered me her bad luck charm, and I realized that it was true. It was best if we stayed away from her.

Third Person's P.O.V

Eva yelled out in frustration as she threw a fireball towards the magic mirror. The fireball exploded on impact, sending flames that were close enough to reach Eva's form. 

She was in one of the chambers in the new castle that Emery had created, staring at Erick and his family as they decided to stop looking for Emery.

"I don't get it," Eva spoke to herself just as an erboon crawled towards her chamber.

"Get out!" she yelled at it with a glare, sending a fireball towards it. It screeched, quickly escaping before the fireball could hit it.

Eva sighed and rubbed a hand on her face. She pinched her eyebrows, walking around as she let her thoughts wander onto the possibilities of what could have happened to Emery.

She blamed herself for sleeping on that night. Ever since Emery had been admitted in the hospital, she had gotten bored of watching her through the magic mirrors. It was the same thing that she saw repeatedly; Emery walking, Emery talking with her therapist, Emery sleeping, Emery crying... nothing useful in aiding her plan to take over Crystalia and the whole world.

Eva wished she could have rewound time to see what had happened on that night, but she could not because there was no such spell.

She could plan to attack Crystalia and its people, but she was not sure if Emery was alive or not. She could only succeed if she was certain that Emery was dead.

Eva just had to wait and see.

***********************************************************************************************

Zane's P.O.V

It was morning in Crystalia. I had teleported away from the castle, walking into the new forest in front of it. Erick had finally decided to give it a name: Joshalia. I thought it was a weird name for a forest, but the people around seemed to accept it. Erick said that it was in honor of Josh, mostly because he was there for Emery when we weren't.

Over the past year, I had grown used to the sight of trees and green grass. Everything in the forest was always fresh and green, and that provided me a sense of tranquility.

My feet had stopped at a pine tree. Behind it was a clearer, less blue view of the large Crystalia mountains. The air was cold, but I did not mind it. My eyes traveled upwards, observing that some of the features of the mountains had been obscured by some of its contours.

At the moment, gray clouds had circled around the mountain peaks. It was such a beautiful sight.

A loud blast broke my reverie. I turned to the source of it, noticing some kind of large yellow portal opening up before spitting someone out of it. The person landed on the ground at the speed of a ball thrown by force.

I recognized that someone. Emery.

My eyes widened in shock. I could not believe what I was seeing. I went closer to the form to see if my eyes were playing tricks.

They weren't.

It really was Emery.

Then I noticed the bruises that had marred her form. In an instant, I knelt beside her.

"Emery! Emery!" I called out to her, gently tapping her face. She was unresponsive.

I leveled my arms under her back and knees then teleported out of the forest. Seconds later, I was in Crystalia's castle, moving quickly through the hallways with an unresponsive Emery. 

"Zane! Why are you--" Erick cut himself off once I entered the main study room.

"Emery?" he exclaimed in shock while I busied myself with placing Emery on one of the couches in the room. Erick moved with me. Sounds of footsteps had echoed before other people entered the room.

"Emery!" Selena and Elizabeth cried out, rushing towards the person who was unconscious on the couch.

"What happened?" Erick asked me.

"I don't know! I was just in the forest when a portal opened up and literally spat her out!"

Erick eyed me wearily. It kind of hurt that he was still suspicious of me with Emery, but I guess that was what I deserved after what I put Emery through.

"Trust me, Erick. That is all that happened! As soon as I saw her, I brought her back here."

Erick dropped the look of suspicion as he turned to face Emery.

"She needs to be healed," Selena said before she lay her hands on Emery's head. The bruises and cuts that were on Emery were soon disappearing.

A couple of seconds later, Emery gasped as she shot up from the couch.

"Whoa!" Erick said, almost close to butting his chin with Emery's head. Emery looked around in a scared way.

"Is he here?"

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Emery, what the hell? Where have you been? We have been worried sick and we have been searching everywhere for you!"

"Zane, now is not the time," she said with a serious look. "We can talk about that later because we have a bigger problem to deal with right now."

"What?" I asked as she got up from the couch. Emery sighed as she looked around the room.

"There is a new villain."

My eyes rose in shock. Emery looked scared, and it scared the rest of us.

"Who is it, Emery?" Erick asked.

"I don't know his name," she replied. "All I know is that after I escaped from the hospital, I stayed away for a couple of months before he got to me. He kidnapped me and held me as a captive."

Emery looked at us with frightened eyes. "Guys, this villain is more powerful than I am. What makes it worse is that he's a psychopath."

The rest of us were stunned into silence as we thought of what to do. Before anyone could speak, a sudden loud explosion was heard.

"He's already here!" Emery exclaimed with a high-pitched whisper. The rest of us did not waste time as we quickly walked out of the castle.

 

Chapter 05

 

Zane's P.O.V

"What the hell?" Selena exclaimed once we were outside the castle. I could comment the same, but I was busy observing what was happening in front of me with wide eyes.

The Joshalia forest was being rattled. A strong, thundering force was felling the trees in different directions, moving towards the castle. Then there was a loud thud that shook the ground beneath our feet. The rest and I were also shaken, and we temporarily lost our balance. 

I was curious yet scared to know who was causing such a fuss in the morning. I mean, we hadn't even had breakfast yet!

Selena, Emery, Erick, my bandmates and I walked towards the forest with quick steps. Out of the trees came out a clothed pale-skinned man, having us stop at the sight of him. He had weird orange hair and blackened eyes that resembled those of erboons. Moreover, he seemed to be in his mid-twenties.

We waited as the man continued to walk towards us. It took him a couple of seconds for him to be a few feet in front of us. He stopped and stared at someone on my right. I followed his gaze, noticing that he was looking at a frightened Emery.

"Who are you?" Erick asked the man with a glare. The man turned his eyes to the King, but he did not answer; he just smiled. Then in an instant, he had performed a kick that sent Erick flying backward.

"Erick!" the rest of us called out to him as we turned to face his flying form. Luckily, he had teleported before he could hit the ground. In an instant, he was standing beside us.

In fury, Erick hurled a fireball towards the unknown man. The creepy guy raised a hand, stopping the fireball from colliding with his form. He flicked his wrist, making the ball of fire swirl around him as it grew.

It was at that instant that I knew the man was truly dangerous. I watched in disbelief as the swirling flames from the fireball encircled him. The guys and I slowly moved back.

Then the flames were quickly coming towards us.

We all ducked, avoiding the flames that raged above us until they dissipated. Then we immediately stood up.

"That's it!" Selena yelled, pushing her hands out. The guy was pushed back by telekinesis. Selena was using a lot of her strength, but the man with ginger hair only moved a few feet. He smirked, clutching his hand to form a fist. Selena's form seemed to be instantly held in an invisible grip.

"Guys, help!" she yelled, and I sprang into action. I ran towards the man, successfully pushing him down with my weight. 

He grunted as we fell to the ground. In an instant, he was thrashing on my hold. My hands held onto his head and summoned fire from my palms. The flames, however, didn't reach close enough to touch his skin before I felt the man quickly move beneath me. He tilted us, and he had me under him.

His hands were soon on my throat as I watched his black eyes. The man was grinning as I choked on air.

I reached for his arm before summoning a small fireball. It was enough to have him release the hold he had on my throat. I moved quickly as I coughed, turning to kick the guy. However, he was faster, and he had flicked me from the ground with the use of his powers.

The view of the man and the guys seemed to shrink, and it was at that moment that I realized I was flying high into the sky. 

I was horrified.

The wind was blowing around my figure, and due to my frazzled emotions, I couldn't focus enough to use my powers. 

I thankfully didn't have to worry too much about it because Emery was flying towards me. She grabbed onto me before flying us back onto the ground. Once we landed, I spotted the rest of my bandmates trying to bring down the villain.

Logan, Ethan and Harry were trying to freeze the guy with a spell while the rest of us waited for anything unexpected to happen. The man, unfortunately, wouldn't stop moving.

"It's not working!" Ethan exclaimed in disbelief. He immediately stopped. We all stood on alert, waiting for the man to reciprocate.

He did nothing but smile. Emery told us he was a psychopath with powers, and the smile he was giving us did not alter that fact.

"What's wrong with him?" Liam asked in confusion. "He's not doing anything. He's just--"

Liam's words were cut off because we were all sent flying towards different directions. We were all caught by surprise. Before I could teleport, my back made contact with the grassy ground. My back seemed to be dragged against it for a few seconds.

Who was that guy? And why did he seem to have so much power?

It was hard to move due to the pain in my back, and I had a feeling that my clothes were torn. I wanted nothing but to lie there and recover. However, we had an unknown witch to deal with. 

In spite of the pain, I quickly got up and rushed towards the orange-haired guy.

I made sure he couldn't see me before I started sending fireball after fireball towards him. Each sent him moving back, and weirdly, none was touching his skin or clothes. They just hit a foot before him before spreading around him and quickly disappearing. I was befuddled, and I had to stop for a moment to know why. When I found out the reason, I was pissed.

He had an invisible shield around him.

"I got him!" Liam said just as plant roots started to grow from the ground and encircle the guy. They wrapped around his legs and were just about to go for his waist when they were immediately burned without the guy moving.

I frowned.

"Emery," the guy spoke slowly with that creepy smile of his. It was the first time he had spoken to us. "You've had your fun. Let's go home."

"Home?" Emery spat out the word. I turned to face her, noticing a glare plastered on her face. "That place was not home for me, and I'll be damned if I go back there!"

The guy shrugged, and I knew that was not good.

"I tried to warn you."

I was suddenly thrown back. Again.

"Zane!" everyone screamed out to me.

Third Person's P.O.V

"Who is this witch?" Eva asked no one in particular as she observed her magic mirror. She just caught the moment where Zane was pushed with quite a force. She watched as he continued flying through the forest, luckily missing trees until he landed in the river with a huge splash.

"He seems to be much more powerful than Emery."

Eva had witnessed the extent of Emery's powers when she had turned evil. She was scared about it, and she knew she had to get rid of her. 

As she watched what was happening in the mirror, a sudden thought came to mind. 

Maybe the new villain could do the job for her, and for once, complete it. Maybe she could also coerce the villain into helping her with her plans. And with the way things were going, that could actually happen.

Eva smirked, turning to face the mirror again.

Harry's P.O.V

"How do we kill him?" I asked everyone as we surrounded the new villain. The man seemed to be impenetrable, and nothing we were throwing at him was bringing him down. I looked around, noticing that the guards were not even coming to our aid.

What the actual--?

Oh, yeah. Erick told the guards to protect the people in the city while the rest of us dealt with the crazy guy. 

At the moment, I didn't think the plan was a good one.

"I'm thinking," Selena replied to my question, throwing a fireball at the guy. It just perished on impact, barely doing any damage to the clothes or skin.

"Guys! There is this enchanted knife I found in his layer," Emery suddenly said, throwing the knife to Selena. She caught it and held it high, ready to attack.

"Why the hell haven't you even told us you had it?" Logan yelled in exasperation, but we didn't dwell too much on it.

The man in front of us frowned.

"Emery, that is not nice. That was our secret. I thought I could trust you," the man said before shrugging. "Guess I'll have to make you pay for it."

Selena went to stab the knife into the guy's chest when he threw her back with his powers.

"Selena!" I called after her, moving quickly towards her form. She had hit the ground before she passed out, and the enchanted knife that she had been holding was feet away from her. I quickly went towards it, only to be forcefully flipped on my own feet. 

I made a sound of shock before quickly teleporting myself onto the stable ground. I reached for the knife and turned to face the man.

Emery was levitating, kicking the guy with her feet. The man growled and quickly held onto Emery's feet. She began to struggle against his hold.

"Let me go!" Emery yelled as she struggled to free her feet from the man's grasp. That was my opportunity to attack.

I went to stab him, but I was once again thrown back by his powers. 

It was seriously getting on my nerves.

The man spun for a couple of seconds before throwing Emery like she was a stone.

He was busy watching Emery with a smirk, and that was my time to move. I teleported to the guy, fearing he would throw me back again, before plunging the knife into his back. The guy had screeched before he remained still. 

His form quickly turned into stone, and it broke down into a heap of cement.

My ears perked up at the sound of something hitting a hard object with a loud thud. No one had seemed to throw anything. In fact, Emery—

Emery!

"Emery!" Zane shouted, confirming my thoughts. We all ran towards the direction Emery was thrown.

My heart was beating as worry pooled in my heart; usually, I would be calm, but something did not feel right.

We all rushed towards Emery, only to come to a stop at the front of the castle. Emery's form was on the ground with some blood oozing out of her form. She was frighteningly still with her leg bent, and a large crack had been formed on the wall behind her. She had hit a spot a few feet from the castle's entrance with the guards having surrounded her form. One was ordering a few before they all moved as we approached Emery's form.

"Emery," Zane spoke out as he knelt beside her at the same time that Selena and Erick did. They placed their hands on her and tried to heal her. The rest of us stood and watched in anticipation.

There were some stuff I wanted to say to Emery. Maybe I could befriend her again and—

"It's not working," Erick said after a while, interrupting my thoughts. I was confused for a while, but I instantly understood what he meant. That was when a feeling of dread took over my form.  

No, she couldn't-- I stopped myself from finishing the thought.

Erick and Selena continued trying to heal Emery. Some seconds had passed, and still, nothing was happening. I felt my heart thud at that moment.

I took another look at Emery's form. Blood had begun to pool from her head, and her eyes were wide. I looked at them, noticing that her irises had lost their color.

Erick and Selena tried to use their magic again, but nothing was working. Then it finally sunk in.

"No, no, no..." Selena trailed off as she continued using her powers. Her voice had sounded teary, and I felt the world stop at that moment.

Was Emery... dead?

I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it had actually happened. 

I was in a state of shock. I couldn't hear anything for a while as I watched Zane scream out in disbelief and loss. He also knelt beside Emery and tried to heal her himself, but nothing worked. There was no movement from Emery, and the blood kept on flowing from her head.

"EMERY!" Zane's loud yell brought the sound back to my surroundings. He had currently wrapped his arms around Emery's form as he cried on her shoulder. A hand was in her hair, not caring about the blood that was oozing from her head. Emery's eyes stared at nothing as Zane's body shook with hers as a result of the sounds of his cries and yells. I looked at Emery, hoping that some kind of miracle would happen, that her eyes would brighten up again. But my hope wasn't answered.

I couldn't believe it.

Erick went to pry Zane off of Emery's corpse.

"NO!" he yelled as he glared at Erick.

"Zane..." Erick trailed off, looking for the right words to say. "You have to let go."

Zane looked forwards at nothing as he shook his head. "She can't be dead," he whispered, and Selena broke down at that moment. Ethan wrapped his arms around her as she cried on his shoulder.

Erick's eyes welled up with tears just as my vision seemed to be losing focus. I blinked, noticing that something was flowing from my eyes.

Tears.

I was silently crying.

It took a while to get Zane's hold off of Emery. The guards who were near helped in carrying her while the rest of us followed, crying as we shook our heads in shock and disbelief.

Out of all the things that could have happened, no one expected Emery's death. How could it have happened?

I thought it wasn't real. I thought it was a nightmare.

As I stared at Emery's form being carried on a gurney, there was no denying it. It wasn't a nightmare. Everything around me was real, and there was no way of changing what had happened.

 

 

Chapter 06

Days later

Third Person's P.O.V

It was noon. The afternoon sky was covered with white-gray clouds. The wind blew at a low speed, and the weather seemed to go with Crystalia's state of mourning. Outside the castle were gathered a group of witches, all wearing black, that had come to mourn the loss of the crystal.

An area outside the castle had also been occupied by many white plastic chairs and a brown wooden stage. On the stage was a microphone supported by a stand, along with a few people tending to the flower pots kept around the stage. Some of the witches had sat on the chairs, all waiting for the funeral service to begin. 

Moreover, there was an open golden-brown casket that revealed Emery's corpse.

At the entrance of the castle were Logan, Ethan, Harry, Liam and Zane. They had worn a variety of gray and black tuxedos. 

"I can't believe this has happened," Logan said before he started sobbing. The rest of his bandmates were saddened and mostly in shock by the recent events. It was like that for the few days that had passed. They barely ate, and most of their time was spent in their rooms as they cried.

"It happened so soon," Zane said to himself.

"We have to go, guys," Ethan said without emotion, trying to be brave for them. The rest nodded as they walked past the castle doors.

A couple of minutes later, the four were approaching the reception. Liam was momentarily mesmerized by the sight that met his eyes. Flowers of different colors were arranged in the form of a path that led to the stage. They were also hanging above him with the use of magic. For a moment, it felt like a wedding, but it was the opposite.

Zane and his bandmates still could not believe it. It was really hard to accept the fact that Emery was dead.

Everyone, particularly Zane, felt that it was a nightmare. Some time after he had accepted it, he felt it was so unfair. He had just gotten to see Emery after a year, and he had lost her within an hour. There was so much that he wanted to say. There was so much that he had to apologize for. However, he couldn't do either of those because Emery had passed away.

Just thinking about it made him tear up in loss and anger.

Zane and his bandmates continued their walk towards their seats. Harry's eyes roamed around, noticing that the people who had attended the funeral were occupying the empty seats they were passing. His eyes zeroed in on the open casket that was noticeable in front of him, and that brought tears to his eyes. He quickly wiped them away as he and his bandmates occupied the front row seats. Beside them were Erick, Justin, Selena and the Queen. They were also in mourning.

They shared looks and words of condolences before facing the front. At the moment, there were people who were sorting out the flowers that were near the casket. Emery's form, currently pale with her eyes closed, was lying on a large table at the front. Erick and the rest of the people sitting in the same row took another look at the casket, a harsh reminder that Emery was indeed not with them anymore.

A Caucasian man with white hair, who had also worn a tuxedo, walked towards the stand. "Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to celebrate the life of our fellow crystal, Emery Davis."

The man continued talking about Emery and the wonders of life.

"...this is not goodbye. Death is a stage that we all have to pass. Sure, it is frightening. We lose our loved ones on earth, but we get to see them again on the spiritual side..."

Minutes had passed. As the man continued to speak, Selena and the Queen silently cried. Zane's eyes had glazed over, trying so hard to listen to the ongoing service. However, his mind kept replaying the memories he had with Emery.

Most of them were not good.

He was angered but mostly ashamed by how he had left things between them.

The man, who was the service leader, began calling out to people to go pay their respects for Emery. Elizabeth was the first to go. She explained how she was glad to have Emery in her life. She also mentioned the wonderful times they shared before she started sobbing loudly. Logan went to her, and he escorted her back to the seats as she cried on his shoulder. 

She was followed by Erick, Justin, Selena and Liam. After them, Zane was the next one to go.

Once Zane was standing over Emery's open casket, he took a moment to observe her for the last time. 

There was a small sofa-like material where Emery's form lay in the casket. Her head was being supported by a pillow. Despite the slight makeup applied on her face, it did not stop Zane from noticing how her skin had lost a lot of color. Her vibrant pink cheeks were as pale as her skin. Her lips seemed to have partially whitened. Her black hair had also gained some whiteness to it, and it looked a bit gray.

Zane remembered Emery when she was alive. He remembered how she smiled, how she laughed and also how she lit up on things that amazed her. At the moment, he realized he will never see that again.

Not being able to take it, Zane let out a loud sob as he went to his knees. He lay his head on the edge of the casket, staring at Emery's form with sad eyes. He had a lot to say, but he couldn't get the words out. He couldn't get past where he currently was. Everything seemed to be an illusion. He wished what he was seeing was a nightmare, but it was a reality. Emery was dead, and there was nothing he could do to change that.

His mind went back to how Emery had died. It was such a tragic death, and it had been playing on a loop in his head. He wished he had paid more attention to her. He wished she was still alive, but there was nothing he could do.

"I love you," Zane said after he forced himself to stop crying. He let out a sad smile, staring at Emery's closed eyelids. "That was what I would have told you before you left the hospital. Honestly, I was too shocked by what you had confessed, and it had been in my mind ever since. I wanted to apologize and to say the words back to you, Emery, but it was difficult with no one knowing your whereabouts."

Zane let out a bitter chuckle before continuing, "I guess you could say I fell in love with you ever since high school. My mom was not lying when she told you this. I wanted to be a part of your life, and when my friends and I started bullying you, it was very hard for me to approach you in a good way. I had already messed up my chances of being with you the first time I hit you. In a way, I continued bullying you because I wanted you to acknowledge me. I'm sorry again for what I did to you."

Zane looked at Emery. "I know this is very weird. What kind of man proves to a girl that he loves her by beating her?"

He shook his head. "I'm going off topic. Look, I am very sorry for bullying you through high school and making your life hell after that. I know that sorry doesn't help fix the wrongs I committed. And you were right. I was a jerk. I was an asshole who had a crush on you since high school, and I was too much of a coward to show you how I felt about you. I also bullied you to hate me and then make the crush go away, but I ended up hating myself a lot more. I could see it in your eyes that you hated me. I was pushing you away from me, and that sealed the deal that I was an enemy to you.

You remember the apology I gave you when I saw you after high school? When you and Selena were working in the cafe? That was sincere. I wanted you to like me because I hated myself for what I did to you. I wanted to start over as friends with you. I wanted you to know the real me and not the fucktard who was nothing but an oppressor to you. Then Bianca came and you know the shit that happened next."

Zane remained silent for a while, looking at Emery with sadness. He hoped that Emery's hands twitched or something, but nothing happened.

"I'm also sorry for that too. Nothing can make up for all the wrongful accusations and the humiliating moments that you went through. Nothing can make up for all the insults I hurled at you. But even through that, I was still in love with you. I thought it was wrong for me to still have feelings for you, but when I found out what you were trying to tell me was the truth, I was happy. You were innocent. That meant that I could try to be with you. But then, I had messed up a lot more than I did in high school, and I have no idea of how to fix it. I have no idea of what to do but to apologize."

The tears were freely flowing from Zane's eyes.

"I regret every horrible thing I did to you, Emery. I was going to tell you all this once I saw you in the forest, but fate decided to take you away."

Zane let out a bitter laugh.

"I love you, Emery. And I wish things would have gone differently than how they did."

Zane cried as he slowly stood up from his knees. He looked at Emery's form on the casket. It was the last time he was going to see her in person, and the realization almost made him fall. He silently cried as he teleported a red rose. He took Emery's palm. It was cold, totally unlike how she felt when he held her a year ago. Zane opened the palm and placed the rose under her hand. He placed the hand back to its original position and took one long last look at Emery.

"Goodbye," he said with a pained voice as he slowly turned to go back to his seat. Ethan was the next one approaching Emery's casket. He gave Zane a sad look before turning his attention to Emery.

Zane took his seat beside Logan. The bandmate gave him a sad smile before enclosing his hand around Zane's. He clenched it, and so did Zane, in a manner of showing and accepting support. They both turned to face Ethan who was standing over Emery's casket. 

Before the blonde-haired bandmate could say anything, there was a rumbling sound in the distance.

Ethan furrowed his eyebrows as he looked around. It seemed like a storm was coming, nothing out of the ordinary. Ethan sighed, going to speak again, but he was cut off by the same rumbling sound.

The wind had suddenly increased its speed, blowing at a fast race within three seconds.

"Is it me, or does something not feel right?" Harry asked as Ethan walked down from the stage. The people who had attended the funeral service were talking amongst themselves, also wondering about the weird weather pattern. It was at that moment that the clouds that were close to the mountains were quickly darkening. The darkness spread all around, making it look like it was evening.

"That is not good," Erick stated just as a flash of lightning appeared at the edge of the Joshalian forest. The mumbling around the area grew louder.

"Everyone! Go inside the castle!" Elizabeth ordered in a shout. The people did not wait to even question what was going on. They quickly got up from their seats and made their way towards the castle's entrance. Elizabeth, Erick, Selena, Justin and the members of the Ordinary Brothers remained.

Another flash of lightning appeared at the same spot. Some people screamed and others gasped, increasing the pace at which they were moving.

A white glowing spot appeared at the point where lightning had stricken the Joshalia forest. Logan observed as freckles of golden stardust appeared then disappeared in milliseconds. He was confused at first, but then he noticed that the stardust seemed to appear around both sides of the city. His eyes shot up as he remembered something.

Crystalia's magical border.

"Erick..." Logan trailed off. Erick had seen what Logan had noticed.

"Get the guards," the King replied. Logan nodded before going towards the direction of the castle.

There was a loud explosion that was strong enough to momentarily part the clouds that were above the Joshalian forest. The ground shook for a few seconds just as the clouds quickly gathered together. The stardust then disappeared. 

Everything seemed quiet. Selena and Erick looked at each other with concentrated looks. Selena's ears then perked up.

"Do you hear that?" Selena asked. Erick furrowed his eyebrows, confused by what she was saying. But then, he heard it. He even found the source of it.

The dome was breaking into the form of glass shards. Erick and everyone in Crystalia watched as the dome dematerialized into glass, the sound of it shattering being heard all over Crystalia.

Not again.

Erick's eyes were widened with shock.

"This is impossible! Who could be doing this?" Liam asked with a frightened expression, not receiving any answer from the others because they were just as perplexed as he was.

"I think we--" Ethan went to speak, but he was interrupted by a loud feminine laugh. It reminded him of someone, and that made his eyes go wide with a mixture of shock and fear. He turned to look at the rest, noticing that Erick, Liam, Selena and the Queen shared the same emotions as him.

"Guys, what's--"

"It can't be," Selena cut Zane off.

The sound of shrieking erboons sounded throughout the area.

"Erick, I got the guards!" Logan announced, momentarily turning everyone's attention to him. Logan stopped next to Erick just as he saw an erboon fly above them. It shrieked as it looked down on them.

"What the hell?" Logan yelled. A thousand more shrieks sounded in the air as if someone had turned on their TV and had forgotten to reduce the volume. More erboons appeared in the sky like many leaves on a flowing river. The grayness of the clouds did not help because it made it very hard to notice each erboon.

"SHIT!" Ethan cursed.

"We need to move!" Selena said, already forming a fireball on her palms. She closed her eyes and chanted a spell before throwing the fireball up in the sky. It disappeared in the clouds before emitting a white glow that quickly dispersed the darkness in the clouds. The clouds became white, making it easier to see the erboons.

They were undoubtedly many.

"I can't believe this!" Erick yelled in disbelief as he summoned his own fireball and threw it towards the erboons. It hit one, making it screech as the flames quickly engulfed it before leaving soot as a residue.

"Couldn't they have waited until tomorrow?" Erick threw another fireball.

"This is impossible! They couldn't have come in on their own!" Justin exclaimed in disbelief.

"Justin, look out!" Logan yelled, jumping onto the boy. They both fell onto the ground, escaping the clutches of an erboon that was flying towards them. It flew past them, wind blowing over the two for a moment with the force at which the erboon was charging.

The guards finally appeared, rushing towards the King. They began throwing fireballs at the erboons. They managed to hit some of them while others swirled around, avoiding them.

Zane was looking about in shock. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He did not expect it to happen during a funeral.

Zane's eyes widened as he remembered Emery. He turned his attention towards the casket. He went towards it and stood by it, taking glances from Emery's form to the erboons flying around him, not knowing what to do. He was afraid that Emery would be snatched by the erboons and they would feast on her.

Then he came up with an idea of teleporting himself and Emery into the castle. Before he could do so, an erboon flew towards him and snatched him with its claws. Zane was caught by surprise as he saw Emery and the ground below him shrink.

The erboon screeched, the sound of its flapping wings a reminder that Zane needed to get back on the ground. He knew he needed to get to Emery quickly. He was not going to let an erboon take her body away. In anger, he summoned a fireball and shot it upwards. The erboon screamed, releasing its hold on Zane.

Zane quickly teleported and found himself near Emery's casket. What met him had his eyes widen in disbelief.

Her body was gone.

Zane stood in shock and horror, believing that an erboon had snatched Emery. In a panic, he looked around. However, many erboons were flying and blocking the view of others. It was impossible to find Emery with so many of them around the area.

Zane's thoughts ran wild. The erboons could have been fighting for her body, tearing her limb from limb as they fought to get pieces of her body. The image was revolting to Zane, and he was determined to find Emery before a lot of damage was done to her corpse.

Zane growled, firing fireballs from the palms of his hands. They each hit an erboon, making them disintegrate midair. He ran around, still throwing fireballs at the winged creatures as he looked around for Emery.

A few meters from Zane, Ethan was with Logan, using their powers to crash the erboons and make them fall to their deaths.

"There are so many of them!" Logan said as he sent fireball after fireball onto the erboons. Before he could say anything else, he noticed a shadow floating past him. He looked up, noticing a figure moving towards the castle. Logan and Ethan stopped what they were doing, too shocked by the person who was levitating above them.

"Eva?" Ethan commented in shock.

 

Chapter 07

Third Person's P.O.V

Eva had waited for a long time to attack the witches, and she was surprised that the day had finally arrived. She had been smirking ever since she had gotten out of her castle in a long blue velvet dress. The sight before her just fueled her joy.

Sure, her erboons were getting blown up, but she could summon more until the witches were exhausted. Now that Emery was dead, Eva could carry out her plans to take over Crystalia and the world. 

Her eyes suddenly zeroed in on a man throwing fireballs at quite a speed.

Eva frowned at Zane. With quick movements, she summoned a fireball before sending it flying towards Zane. An erboon had been inching towards him, and the fireball caught it, missing Zane. Zane had heard the erboon shrieking in pain and turned to face it, only to see Eva's form midair.

"Erick, who is that?" Harry asked the King after he killed an erboon with a fireball. Erick was confused as he turned to face whoever it was he was talking about. Erick stood still at the sight that met his eyes.

"Eva," he said. Harry was shocked into silence before fear grabbed his heart.

"Settle down my pets!" Eva shouted. The fighting immediately ceased once her voice echoed all around Crystalia. Every guard turned to face Eva, and they had looks of fear etched on their faces. The erboons flew higher in the sky, stopping at a point with their flapping wings as they waited for Eva's next orders.

"Eva?" The Queen shouted in disbelief. Eva smiled at her.

"Yes, it's me. How have you been, Elizabeth?"

Everyone who was in the castle had been notified about Eva, and they were all in shock. Just like everyone else, they couldn't believe she was alive. They mumbled amongst themselves, their voices heightening with the fear that Eva's presence brought. They were worried about themselves, especially since the crystal was dead.

Outside the castle, Eva flew towards Elizabeth, stopping a few feet in front of her.

"B-but... HOW?" Selena asked in a shout. Eva just rolled her eyes.

"It was easy," she replied, flying around for a moment. "I made you all believe that your precious crystal had killed me."

"Wait. So you have been alive this whole time?" Elizabeth asked in disbelief.

"Yes. And I'm quite disappointed you didn't figure it out, Elizabeth. You of all people should know that it's not easy to kill me. Ask your husband."

"You know he's not with us anymore," Elizabeth said in perplexion.

Eva smirked. "Exactly."

Erick felt shocked. The fact that Eva was alive made him feel that he had majorly failed as a ruler. He should have known that Eva was alive, and he could have possibly stopped the surprise attack from the erboons. But what was done was done. It was not time to sulk over what had happened. The only thing he could do was fix the problem.

"Are you kidding me?" Liam asked in disbelief. "Where have you been?"

"Oh! Here, there, everywhere..."

"Everywhere?" Ethan asked in confusion.

Eva gave out a loud chuckle.

"You people are all idiots," Eva said as she levitated a few feet higher into the sky.

Everyone was shocked and still trying to succumb to Eva being alive. It was a major turn of events; in one moment, they were burying Emery, and in the other, Eva and her minions had  shown up.

"You killed her," Zane said, having everyone turn their attention to him. "You killed Emery!"

Eva rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"I didn't send that... whatever he was... to kill her. That was a surprise to me, but the fact that both he and your precious crystal are dead makes it so much easier to take over Crystalia."

Dread filled everyone's heart.

"Now that we are done catching up, let's get on with the events! First things first: get rid of Crystalia's rulers."

Eva smirked with an evil glint in her eyes as she summoned a fireball. Before she could throw it at Elizabeth, a blast of cold air suddenly swept past her and distinguished the fireball. 

Eva was confused.

"I wouldn't be too confident about that, Eva," a feminine voice spoke as everyone turned to face who had spoken. They were shocked again.

It was Emery.

"Am I seeing what you're all seeing?" Logan asked.

"Yep," his bandmates replied, eyes fixed on Emery with a mixture of emotions that ranged from shock, anger, disbelief and gladness.

Emery was levitating, her hair being swept around by the wind, and a smug smile had been etched on her face.

"WHAT?" Eva asked in shock. "Impossible. You are dead!"

Emery laughed, and everyone was still in shock. They had no idea of what to do but to just watch.

Emery took that time to send some kind of enchanted chains around Eva. It wrapped around her, quickly blocking Eva's powers. With her powers blocked, Eva fell to the ground. She landed on her back, and pain quickly spread through her form.

Emery raised her arm, sending a raging flame of fire from her palms. It quickly reached the sky.

Crystalia had a sudden yellow glow as the fire that had reached the sky began to surround the erboons. The flames moved too quickly for the erboons to run, and they shrieked before exploding in the air. None were left alive. 

Eva watched what Emery was doing to her minions, seething and hating Emery all the more.

Once all the erboons had been destroyed, Emery levitated onto the ground. She started walking towards Eva who was still bound by the glowing orange chains. By then, the guards had surrounded her.

Eva could have easily thrown the chains off her, but because of the energy she had used to break the magical dome that had once surrounded Crystalia, she was too weak to do so.

"Hello, Eva. How does it feel to be outsmarted?" Emery stated with a victorious smirk once she was in Eva's field of view. Eva just growled in anger.

"I don't get it. How can you be alive?" Eva decided to ask as she was helped up from the ground by one of the guards. Emery went to reply, but she thought better of it and just smiled.

"You aren't getting any answers from me," Emery said, and Eva growled again. At the time, Erick and the rest had approached her.

"Take her away!" the King ordered without a second. Two guards had grabbed Eva, and three more went to surround her as they began taking her to the castle. A couple of prison cells were underneath the structure.

"Don't get rid of the chains off her!" Emery yelled at the guards.

"This is not the end, Emery! I will get you for this!" Eva yelled at her.

Emery just smiled as she watched Eva being taken away. She turned around, momentarily spooked by the sight of her former friends.

"Wha--"

"I know you have a lot of questions," Emery cut off Logan before adding, "We'll talk in the castle." 

She turned to walk towards the large building in front of her. The rest looked at each other in confusion before following Emery.

***********************************************************************************************

"...and so that sums up what Eva had been planning and what I had been doing," Emery was in the main study room of the castle with her former family and friends. She had just finished telling everyone what had happened in the five months that had passed.

She had told them all about Eva, her magic mirror, and her involvement with Bianca. To say that everyone, especially Zane and Harry, were pissed would be an understatement. They could believe the thing with Bianca and Eva, but what had them infuriated was the way she had snuck a potion to make them too angry to think. It had slightly calmed their hearts to know that they weren't in control of what they were doing. However, they still felt bad for all the things they had done to Emery. 

Emery had also told the guys about Penelope and how she had helped her escape the hospital. She had also told them about where she had been hiding: on another planet.

"Wait, wait, wait. So what you are trying to tell us is that a ghost contacted you and helped you escape from the hospital?" Liam asked with a raised eyebrow. Emery copied his expression.

"Is that all you have to ask? I just told you all the crap that Eva had been doing behind our backs, and that is all you have to ask?"

"I just find it hard to accept the fact that ghosts are real."

"So... we didn't abuse you out of our own..." Zane trailed off, finding it hard to look at Emery.

"No, you and Harry didn't. Apparently, Bianca had met Eva, and they were doing this grand plan of making my life hell." Emery rolled her eyes. "The dream Erick had about me being evil, the hate I received from your fans... it was all Bianca and Eva. Penelope told me that Eva gave Bianca a potion that would make your anger skyrocket through the roof and take control of your minds. That was what caused you to beat the hell out of me."

"And she planned to use it against us," Harry spoke. What Emery said was not very hard to believe, especially after discovering the crap that Bianca had been doing.

"And to think she almost had you commit suicide..." Zane trailed off with a look that contained a mixture of sorrow and anger.

"We are very sorry, Emery," Harry said.

"It's not your fault."

"But we--"

"Again, the potion clouded every emotion you could have felt; it only allowed anger. Guys, it's okay."

Emery had sighed before saying, "Thank you, Zane, for stopping me from killing myself."

Zane was dumbstruck by her words. He couldn't speak, and so he just nodded his head before looking away. He found it hard to look at her.

"That bitch, Eva, is clever," Selena commented with a huff. "But then, there is something I don't understand. The man who you told us was after you--"

"He wasn't real," Emery cut her off. "He was actually part of the plan I had formed with Penelope. We wanted Eva imprisoned, and so we planned to fake my own death. Soon enough, Eva was charging towards Crystalia with her army of erboons."

Everyone's eyes widened in awe.

"Because she had exhausted herself from using her powers to break the magical barrier around Crystalia, it was easy to lock her without a lot of fussing from her."

"And no one knew about this plan?" Erick asked, still shocked.

"No one did," Emery answered.

There was a short moment of silence before Selena questioned: "Why didn't you even consider telling us your marvelous plan?" 

Emery blinked at her and at the rest in the room.

"You all don't know how to act."

Gasps filled the room and Emery rolled her eyes.

"I wanted all of you to act the part. I wanted you all to believe that I was really dead. If you knew what I was planning, Eva would have never bought whatever acts you would portray."

Everyone remained quiet, silently agreeing with Emery.

"How was the planet?" Ethan asked. Emery proceeded to fill him and the rest in on how the planet she had discovered resembled earth. It was bigger than the earth, and it was lightyears away. It would have taken about eighty years to reach it by spaceships, and so Emery had used magic to get there.

"Well, I don't know how to feel," Justin said, and every eye turned to him. "I'm angry that you left and had us all worried about you. I'm also angry about how you tricked us into believing you were dead!"

"Justin--" Emery went to speak.

"But then, I'm also glad. Emery, I somehow understand why you did it. I'm still mad at you, but in spite of all that, I'm glad you are okay."

Emery decided to give Justin a small smile.

"Okay! After a long day, I believe we should get ready for lunch--"

"I'm not staying," Emery cut Erick off. Everyone looked at her in confusion.

"What? Why?" Logan questioned. Emery looked away before facing him.

"You know why. You all know why."

"But, Emery--"

"I'm sorry, Erick, but things can't go back to the way they were."

"Emery, you can't possibly mean that. Things can be okay again."

"Tell me how!" Emery spat out in fury. "Tell me. After everything I have gone through, after all the shit I endured from you guys, how can things just go back to normal?"

No one knew what to say. They thought they could slowly make up for all the things they had done, but it seemed impossible.

"This is why it's just better if I left."

"Emery--" Ethan started as gasps sounded across the room.

"I should just disappear. I can't be around you guys anymore. What you all did to me still hurts, and I wonder if I could ever move past this."

"Please, Emery," Zane pleaded, wanting Emery to stay.

"I know what you want to tell me, but I don't think I could ever forgive you for this."

Emery soon teleported out of the room, and everyone experienced a sense of loss.

 

Chapter 08

 

10 years later

Emery's P.O.V

"Hey!" Rachel greeted me as she entered the house. I turned to face her with a smile.

"Hey," I replied, turning my attention back to the dishes I was about to wash. 

"Zack's coming over later," Rachel informed me as she moved past my form, going towards the wooden cupboards on my side. She opened one, taking out a bag of chips before heading out of the kitchen.

Ten years ago, after Eva had been captured, I had decided to leave Crystalia. I was still hurt by those who had betrayed me, and I planned to stay away from them. I had not seen them ever since.

Okay, I had not personally seen them. Everyone was still buzzing about how I had Bianca arrested during an Ordinary Brothers' tour. I thought people would also talk about how Harry and Zane had abused me, but I later came to find out that everyone's minds had been wiped off of the incident.

At first, I was pissed, but I later came to somewhat understand why it was done. It saved me the trouble of talking to anyone about it. I would have also hated myself for ruining the guys' music career.

Anyway, it took a couple of months for people to stop pestering me about Bianca, and I was glad I could finally live my life as a normal person once again.

The guys were still making headlines on celebrity news channels. Upcoming tours, upcoming music, new boy/girlfriends, etc. They didn't try to come after me. I believed they would try to seek me out, but they didn't. In fact, the only people I had been making contact with were Elizabeth and Ashley.

I had been conversing with them in the past years in the human world. We usually met at restaurants. Elizabeth at times told me how her sons, Selena and the boys were doing. Not wanting to talk about them, I would change the subject onto other things. I hated talking about them, and it was a reminder of my horrible past. This went on for a year until the Queen decided to completely drop any topic regarding them.

"What are you making for lunch?" Rachel asked as she entered the kitchen again, still feeding herself with the bag of chips. I playfully rolled my eyes at her.

Years ago, I had attended a college to pursue a degree in Computer Science. Around that time, I had sought out Rachel. She was undoubtedly pissed off that Selena and I had gone on tour with the Ordinary Brothers without even sending her a ticket to join us. She was more pissed that we had forgotten her, seeing that she thought we were friends when we were working at Starbucks. She, however, felt sorry for me because of what had happened with Bianca, and later, we became friends again.

She was the only family I had, apart from Ashley and Elizabeth, that had attended my graduation ceremony four years later. I was happy then, especially since I had secured a job at a popular firm.

"Emery," Rachel called out, bringing me back to my current surroundings.

"What?" I asked.

"What are you making for lunch?" she asked, and then I recalled she had asked that.

"Oh! Sorry, spaced out again. Lasagna," I replied. Rachel shook her head at me with a smile, and then she went to leave the kitchen.

After I had graduated, Rachel and I decided to get a house and live together. We got one in New York that was spacious but a bit expensive. It was in a large apartment complex with eight floors. Fortunately for Rachel and I, we were able to cater for the rent and other house bills. 

The doorbell sounded through the house. I left the kitchen to head towards the entrance.

I opened the door, surprised to see another friend of mine.

"Ashley!" I yelled out her name with a smile before engulfing her in a hug. She hugged me back.

Ashley had found out about Eva and the evil potion she coerced me to take. She had forgiven me for almost killing her, and we were back to being friends again.

"Is it Zack?" Rachel yelled as she ran towards us. She had a smile that swiftly turned into a frown when she noticed it was Ashley.

"Oh. It's you," she said with a fake disappointed look. Ashley playfully rolled her eyes before walking past me and engulfing Rachel in a hug.

I went back to the kitchen to continue dealing with the dishes. Meanwhile, Ashley went to the dining room with Rachel, and they talked while I let my thoughts wander again.

A couple of minutes later, I was done. I turned, coming to a stop when I spotted Ashley coming towards me.

"Hey, can we talk?" she requested with a serious expression, and I had a feeling that what she planned to tell me was not good. 

"Sure," I replied anyway. Before Ashley could talk, she looked around the kitchen. I raised an eyebrow in confusion. Ashley motioned for me to be quiet before walking towards the kitchen door. She slowly closed it, making sure no sound was heard as the door lock clicked in place.

"Emery, I know this may be hard for you to understand."

"What?" I asked, even more confused. What the hell was she talking about?

"You had just gotten your friend back and you're living a life that you wanted--"

"Ashley, what are you talking about?" I interrupted her, wanting her to cut to the chase.

Ashley remained quiet.

"You do know that you are turning thirty this year, right?" Ashley asked, and I nodded. She gave me an expectant look while I just stared at her blankly.

"You are not getting what I'm saying, are you?" she asked, and I just shook my head in acceptance of her statement.

"Emery, you are turning thirty. Have you forgotten that you, my friend, are a witch?"

"No, I haven't. What has that got to do with anything?"

"Emery, while your friends will be growing old and having babies, you will slowly age for the next 169 years. Have you forgotten?"

My eyes shot up in shock and disbelief.

No...

Ashley was soon giving me a sad look.

I smacked myself in the face. How could I have forgotten such an important thing? I couldn't believe I had forgotten that witches could live up to 200 years!

"I'm sorry, Emery. I didn't want to spoil your mood. I thought you knew, but it seems that you had forgotten."

Crap, crap, crap! I was turning thirty. I wasn't going to age like other humans. If I decided to stay, people would wonder some years later how I could still look the way I currently was. 

What Ashley meant was that I had to leave. It would mean I had to also leave Rachel.

I had not noticed that my eyes had started to tear up.

"Emery..." Ashley trailed off as she walked towards me and embraced me in a hug. I hiccupped a sob on her shoulder while she rubbed my back.

"You know, most people who hear they could live for two centuries would be happy."

I laughed before retracting the hug. I was not like most people, especially since I had grown used to Rachel. And earth.

"Are you okay?" Ashley asked with a sympathetic smile.

I shook my head in denial. "No." Wiping away the tears, I continued, "I can't believe I had forgotten that."

"I know," Ashley said.

"Now I have to go back to Crystalia," I said, fighting the urge to cringe.

Sigh, Crystalia. A beautiful place to live in but a place I would love to avoid because of my past.

There was something about weird accidents occurring around the continent, but the police never found the bodies. Ashley had explained to me that some witches were packing to move to Crystalia for good. They were to leave no traces of their whereabouts, and so they decided to fake their deaths.

There was also something about the Ordinary Brothers. About a year ago, they had retired. That was quickly followed by them meeting together and boarding a plane with Selena and Justin that disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle.

Since Ashley told me about going back to Crystalia, I was certain that Selena, Justin and my ex-bullies were there. The thought of going back had my stomach in knots.

"You can go back to Crystalia, or you could live a life of changing your identity over and over again. That way the FBI or some secret government agency doesn't find out where you are and kidnap you for testing."

"We have no proof of that ever happening," I told Ashley.

"I know," she said, "but that could still happen. Haven't you watched movies?"

I rolled my eyes, but I thought about what she said. It seemed ridiculous, but she could be right. I doubted I could keep up with the decision of always changing my identity and moving all the time. 

The option for me was clear: I had to move to Crystalia and live there forever.

The sound of the doorbell interrupted my thoughts. That was followed by the sound of rushing footsteps.

"Zack!" Rachel screeched once the door was opened. A smile lit up my face, and it was immediately taken down by a frown.

I may never get to see them again.

"You don't have to move to Crystalia now," Ashley said. "But it will be much safer if you do that soon."

Ashley walked towards the kitchen door. She opened it, and the sight of Zack and Rachel kissing met us.

"Oh my--!" Ashley screeched, interrupting the makeout session.

"Ashley!" Rachel yelled. I just shook my head with a smile as I watched Rachel blush and Zack smirk.

"What? It's not like you've never seen us do that," Zack teased Ashley, getting a roll of the eyes from her. Then he pretended to be in thought.

"Maybe you'd like to see us kiss some more? What if we give you a show?"

"Zack!" Rachel screeched.

"I'm kidding, babe," he said with a chuckle before delivering a peck to Rachel's lips.

Zack was Rachel's long-time boyfriend, hopefully soon to be fiancé. He looked like any other Caucasian male, except for the fact that he had blonde hair and that he was toned. He was handsome; Rachel had definitely scored with him.

"Hi Em," Zack said before hugging me in greeting. I always insisted that he call me by my full name or else people would think my name was Emma. He always forgot, or so I thought. I decided to stick with the nickname because it was tiring to remind him to call me by my full name.

"Hi, Zack."

"Emery, would you like me to help you in the kitchen?" Ashley asked. I narrowed my eyebrows at her in confusion before nodding along.

"Sure!" I needed the break from the two of them to collect myself. If I didn't get into the kitchen, I was afraid I would break down and have to answer to Rachel and Zack.

Ashley had actually wanted to help me with the food. She didn't bring up Crystalia as she helped me make the Lasagna dish, and I was glad.

About an hour later, Zack, Rachel, Ashley and I had sat around the dining table enjoying the lasagna I had cooked. Not to brag, but I was a talented cook.

"...and then he said..." Zack was leading the conversation as we ate our lunch. He was telling us funny stories about people in his workplace, and we were having a good time.

My smile instantly turned into a frown as I surveyed the room. I looked at Rachel and Zack, the wonderful couple that I had befriended and grown to hang out with in the past years. They were basically the only family I had on earth.

I could not believe I had to leave them.

"Emery, what's wrong?" Rachel asked, shocking me back to my surroundings. She was looking at me with a frown, while the rest were staring at me at confusion.

"Nothing," I replied, managing to a fake smile.

"Seriously? It kind of looked like you wanted to cry," Rachel said. I was momentarily shocked by her observation, but I quickly made up a lie.

"It's just the lasagna. I was staring a bit longer at it."

"Okay..." Rachel trailed off, continuing the conversation she was having with Zack. Ashley gave me a worried look, but I shrugged my shoulders in response before going back to my lunch.

"Emery, can I talk to you for a second in the kitchen?" Ashley asked me with a fake smile.

"There is no need. I've already made the food, and I've planned to go grocery shopping later," I replied.

"It's not about that. It's something else," she said. I went to speak, but Ashley narrowed her eyebrows at me, kind of ordering me to follow her.

"Fine," I said, getting up from the seat. Ashley gave me a smile as we turned to head towards the kitchen. Once we were in it, Ashley locked the door behind her.

"You need to deal with this," she said.

"What?"

"You know what!"

I sighed.

"I don't think I can just up and leave. Rachel needs me, and Zack may be planning to propose to her soon."

"What?" Ashley's eyes widened in shock.

"It's just a hunch," I said with a shake of the head. "Either that or he is planning something big that I have no idea about."

"Emery..."

"Would it be bad if I stayed another year?"

Ashley looked at me with a mixture of sadness and disbelief.

"Alright, fine. You can. But I think a year will be all that you have. After that, you have to come back to Crystalia."

Ashley's words hurt with the truth, but I was happy that I had at least a year with Rachel and Zack. 

The thing about Zack was actually not a hunch; he had told me a month ago that he would like my blessing in asking Rachel to marry him. I was shocked, but I soon replied with a yes. I had also found out that he had asked the question to Rachel's parents, and they were quick to agree.

I couldn't just leave without seeing Rachel getting married to Zack. I wanted to be there for that moment. 

Also, seeing that I had about a year before I would leave for Crystalia, I planned to make the most of it.

 

 

Chapter 09

 

One year later

Emery's P.O.V

A whole year had passed by rather quickly, and it was pretty eventful. Zack had decided to pop the question three months later after the talk I had with Ashley. Rachel had been a happily-sobbing mess when she told Ashley and me the news about her engagement. Zack had done it in a restaurant, and it had been a perfect night for the both of them.

A lot of planning followed after that, all led by Rachel and her mother. Rachel had been a bossy bitch because she wanted to have the perfect wedding. She had Ashley, some of her relatives and me take trips around shops that had the perfect wedding gown and stuff. 

We were all glad that she found something or else we would have spent the whole year planning everything for the wedding.

The ceremony was held in a church, and we had the reception in a hotel. It was a wonderful time for everyone. Honestly, I had never seen Rachel so happy. I was glad that she had found her true love, but like the other single women, I was jealous of her. 

After the honeymoon, Rachel had decided to move out of the house. Her moving had been planned a week before the wedding, and the news was hard to take in. I was sad, but it took me a short while to be okay with it. After Rachel had moved, I had the house to myself and sometimes Ashley. Rachel and Zack had moved into a house an hour away from mine. 

I thought that should have been the point for me to move into Crystalia and slowly break the connection I had with Rachel.

Ashley had repeatedly pointed it out.

However, I had a history in that place that I did not want to remember or even want to repeat. More importantly, I would feel like a dick for leaving a week after Rachel and Zack had moved into their house. So I delayed the departure.

I spent some time visiting Rachel and Zack. They were happy despite a few arguments I witnessed when I was around. Meanwhile, I retired from my job. I had a lot of cash stored in my bank accounts, and because I knew I would soon leave, I had hired a lawyer who would give the money I was saving to Rachel and a children's charity when I would 'die'.

Thank goodness the lawyer did not suspect a thing.

My time on earth was nearly done. A year had passed, and it was time for me to go back to Crystalia. The thought made me sad, and it took everything in me not to break down on the spot.

I forced my mind back to my surroundings. I was at home, cleaning the kitchen with music softly blaring from the nearby small speakers. A couple of seconds later, a knock sounded at the door. I walked towards it with gloved hands, wondering if Ashley or Rachel had come to visit. With a smile on my face, I opened the door.

It was neither Ashley nor Rachel. Two men were in front of me. They both had black hair, and they had both worn black tuxedos. They had also worn black shades over their eyes, and so it was difficult to see their eye color. They were about the same height, and it made it impossible to tell them apart.

"Can I help you?" I asked with an uneasy smile. My eyebrows furrowed after seconds went without the men answering my question. I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine.

"Hello," one of the men finally replied. "Is this where Ashley Corrins resides?"

"Um, no," I replied. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before the man continued with another question.

"Have you seen her around?" he asked. I went to speak that I knew her, but something about the men seemed completely off.

"I don't know who she is," I replied with a calm smile. I felt the gazes of the men on my form. It was hard to maintain a pose of confidence even when I was internally freaking out. If they were to attack, I wouldn't think twice about lighting them on fire.

"I'm so sorry for wasting your time, ma'am. Have a great day," the man spoke with an emotionless voice before he and the other man walked away. I stuck my head out the door, seeing the men heading towards the elevator that was in the building. I swiftly went back into my house and closed the door.

Twenty seconds later, I was in the kitchen and calling Ashley.

"Hello?" she asked with a low voice.

"Some men came here looking for you," I went straight to the point. There was a sudden sound of shuffling before a thud sounded. It seemed like Ashley dropped something.

"What?" Ashley asked in shock.

"Did you go to some kind of illegal bar or something? Did you get in trouble betting and lost the money?"

"Emery, what did they look like?" Ashley asked, avoiding my questions.

"They looked weird. They were both brunettes with black tuxedos. It's like they came straight out of Men in Black!"

"Emery, you need to leave."

I stayed rooted on the floor, not knowing what the hell Ashley meant.

"You need to come back to Crystalia," she said, and her earlier statement made sense. A mixture of emotions rattled through me. Fear, anger, unexpected longing and sadness.

"I can't do that!" I yelled.

Ashley sighed through the phone before continuing, "Last week, after I visited you, I went to a bar. I was having some fun on the dance floor, and I let some guy take me out to his place, or so he said."

"Ashley..." I grounded through my teeth, not needing to know any more details. I thought it was another one of her random hook-up stories, but what she told me next freaked me out.

"I thought he was leading us to his car, but he was leading us to an alley behind the bar. He wanted to... you know... but I stopped him. I mean, I was for the idea, but I didn't want to do it in public. Anyway, the guy was stubborn, and I was forced to use my powers to throw him away from me."

"Ashley!"

"He passed out on impact, and I didn't realize someone had seen everything. Okay, not even someone. A couple of someones. I guess they had heard my cries for help because they were there."

I wanted to reach through the phone and smack Ashley. I was so angry with her for what she had done, but I was also glad she pushed the guy away before he went too far.

"I told the King, and he is calling every witch who is still on earth to come to Crystalia."

My anger returned. If only Ashley hadn't used her powers to deal with the guy... I mean, other people were going to her aid!

For a moment, I felt selfish. Ashley thought no one was going to help her and she decided to help herself. I shouldn't have been angry with her.

"But why? It was just a couple of people who saw you! No one will believe what happened if they were to tell other people."

"Emery, listen to me. In the past, before we discovered Crystalia, we used to be killed. Have you forgotten that?"

"No, I haven't."

"What if it's happening again? That's why you need to come back to Crystalia. I'm worried about your safety!"

"Ashley, I can't!"

"Can't or don't want to? Emery, listen to me. Those people will probably realize that I'm tied to you, and the next time they come to visit you, they will come for you. They will do everything in their power to get me and you to them, even if it means threatening the lives of Zack and Rachel."

I felt like something had pierced my heart once Ashley finished speaking. Tears had started forming in my eyes and quickly blocking my vision.

"Emery?"

"I'm fine. I just... wow."

"Look. I know it's awful, and I know that you weren't expecting to have to leave so suddenly."

Tears kept flowing from my eyes as I struggled to pay attention to Ashley's words.

"It's okay," I spoke with a calm voice. "Look. I've got some stuff to do. Talk to you later."

"Emery, will you come?"

I breathed through my mouth as I tried to accept the situation. What Ashley said was true, and it was about time I returned to Crystalia. I had spent most of the past year pushing the day I would leave. I kept pushing it until I couldn't push anymore. Someone would threaten to kill Rachel and Zack to get to me, but if I had to leave to protect them, then I had no other option.

"Yes," I said. Ashley took some time before replying.

"Okay. I'll see you later?" she asked.

I nodded my head before realizing she couldn't see me. "Laters."

With that, I ended the call. I still clutched the phone as I stared at the wall in front of me. Milliseconds later, I began bawling my eyes out. I was thinking as I cried while pacing around the room.

Moments later, I dialed Rachel.

"Hey," she answered with excitement, a high contrast between our moods.

"Hi," I replied. She went to say something, but there was a pause.

"Did someone die?" she questioned. My eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.

"No," I answered.

"Then why do you sound gloom?"

I sighed.

"It's nothing. I was watching the Titanic."

"Ooh. That is a sad movie. Wonder why you decided to put yourself through such torture. Anyway, what did you want to tell me?"

I was the one who paused at that moment.

"Rachel, I'm planning to go away for some time."

"Oh," she said. "Where are you going?"

"Vegas; Ashley's joining me. She said something about me getting out and getting a boyfriend," I lied.

"Thank heavens she finally listened to me," Rachel spoke, and I laughed. It was moments like such that I would miss. It was the last conversation I was going to have with Rachel, and I felt like I was breaking in two.

"When will you be back?"

"I don't know. We plan to spend a lot of time there."

"Okay. I want you to have fun and get around with boys."

"Rachel..." I trailed off.

"You know what I mean. Have fun!"

"Thank you," I said just as a tear escaped my eye. The waterworks were coming again. "Rachel?"

"Yeah?"

"You've been a good friend to me. I love you."

"Emery, I love you too. But why are you making it sound like the last time we would see each other?"

She had no idea.

"Just wanted you to know."

"Okay... Love you too, and so does Zack. You will call me when you get to Vegas, right?"

"Yeah. I'll call you. Laters."

"Laters!" Rachel ended the call. I stared at the phone for a while before springing into action. I cleaned the house as a manner of calming the nerves I felt for what I was about to do. Once I was done, I wore a heavy coat before walking out of the house. I closed the door behind me and locked it, knowing that Rachel also had the keys to the apartment.

With a leisurely pace, I began walking out of the apartment building. I walked past the hallway and entered the elevator. Once I was outside, I took a moment to observe my surroundings.

The weather outside was cold as New York was still experiencing winter. The sun was setting, partially blocked by a couple of cirrus clouds. 

I moved towards the back of the building where the parking lot was located. I greeted the guard, showed him my ID and filled a couple of forms before heading towards my car.

***********************************************************************************************

Hours later, the sun had set with the night having rolled in. I decided then to think of how I could fake my own death, but with everything around me, I couldn't come up with an idea. 

There were no city buildings. The only light that was available was from the moon and my car.

I looked sideways, noticing that I was in an empty, forestry area. There was snow all around, and there seemed to be nothing to show there was civilization. As I continued observing my surroundings, something caught my eyes. I narrowed my eyes to focus on it, seeing a bridge that curved to the left. There was likely frozen water that was about ten feet below it. 

An idea came to mind.

I stepped on the gas pedal with my heart beating fast. My eyes widened as I began having quick thoughts of chickening out. I shook them away, telling myself I needed to do it. In an instant, I was driving along the bridge.

I went to turn the car, but I didn't need to. The road was slippery, and I was sent spinning for a few seconds, the car wheels screeching along the road. Having endured enough, I quickly teleported from the car just as I heard a loud smash. I teleported onto the ground, seeing the point where I hit the bridge rails. I walked onto the bridge with rushed steps, coming to a stop at the missing rails. I looked down, observing as my car sunk into the water. It kept sinking until I couldn't make out the shape of it.

Then I cried. I sobbed out loud, hating myself then for what I had done. Rachel and Zack were going to be crushed, but it was what was best for them. If I stayed, their lives would be ruined before I could even run away.

I spent more time on the bridge as I watched the spot where my car had sunk into the water. I had no idea of how deep it was, but I was hoping it was deep enough to make it hard for the police to get it.

It was soon time for me to go to Crystalia. Being uncertain of how the place currently looked like, I went with the traditional way: I chanted a spell that had a door materialize in front of me in the form of stardust.

It reminded me of the first time I led my ex-bullies to Crystalia. That was months before everything went so wrong for me.

I felt hesitant for a moment, but after some minutes, I took hold of the door. I sighed, opening it wide to see darkness. With quick steps, I walked into the darkness, accepting that my life on earth was over.

 

Chapter 10

 

Emery's P.O.V

Everything around me was dark. I could make out some shapes, but they were barely lit. I looked around, trying to spot anything that looked familiar. However, I could hardly see anything; I could only hear the wind softly blowing around me as something kept falling onto my skin.

Oh crap. I hoped I had not ventured into an unknown environment. That would be what I would get for not going to Crystalia in the past 11 years.

My vision suddenly improved, and I began to get a clear picture of my surroundings. It was like a light had suddenly appeared. I turned to the source of it, and I noticed that there was a full moon. Gray clouds had encircled it, threatening to cover it again in a short time. Stars were also present to illuminate the night.

I looked around, noticing there were a couple of trees around me. They had no leaves. I also spotted something white slowly fall onto the ground. I focused on it, noticing it was snow. The ground was white and cold as the snow continued to fall on it. More snowflakes were falling, and I knew I had to quickly move to my home before I caught a cold.

I walked forwards through the snow, looking around and wondering where the hell I had teleported to.

After a while of walking, I stopped and took another look around, noticing something large on my left. 

It was the castle of Crystalia. For a moment, I just stood in the cold as I stared at it. There was no noticeable change at the moment. Two figures, probably the castle guards, were stationed beside the entrance, and they did not seem to notice me.

Thank God.

I moved forwards. After a while, I found myself stopping at the entrance of the castle. The guards looked forwards, still ignoring my presence. 

I stared past the guards, noticing the castle hallways and the busy castle workers moving about with their jobs.

The interior of the castle hadn't changed, and it was a reminder to me that I was back in Crystalia.

I didn't plan to stay there for long. 

I turned to walk away from the castle, staring at the direction of my home. I took a look at the guards, noticing they were still ignoring me. With a shrug, I began moving towards the direction where I believed my house was. 

I had passed a couple of people who gave me curious looks before going back to their conversation. After the recent events, I wanted to lock myself in my home. I wouldn't like it if people were to notice my sudden return.

I kept walking until I came to a stop at the house I had conjured up thirteen years ago. It was still the same, and it seemed as if some kind of spell had been placed over it to maintain its look. I walked towards the house, eager to enter it. Once I touched the doorknob, I felt a strong force push me away. I was sent flying, still shocked by the push, until I landed on the snow.

I was annoyed. My own house wouldn't let me in. I looked around and remembered I still had my phone. In an instant, I took it out and dialed Ashley.

"You're here!" she yelled through the phone, making me wince at her loudness.

"Yes. How did you know that?" I asked as I got up from the snow.

"Because I'm right here," Ashley spoke over my shoulder. I screeched in surprise before turning to face her.

"Welcome home!" she said before quickly coming towards me and enveloping me in a hug.

"Yay," I said with little enthusiasm. "Why is my house not letting me in?"

"Oh!" Ashley said before quickly going to the said house. She chanted a spell that was too quick for me to comprehend.

"You can now go in."

I sighed in relief before practically running towards my home. Once I was inside, I observed my surroundings. I felt around for the light switch, flicking it on a few seconds later. White light was emitted from a bulb on the ceiling, illuminating everything in the room.

I observed it and the other rooms, realizing that the house did not go through changes after I had left it. I walked towards the fridge, noticing it had a few food items left.

"I planned to do a bit of shopping this afternoon, but I talked myself out of it because I wanted to show you around," Ashley said.

"It's okay," I told Ashley before tears started to brim in my eyes.

"Emery?" Ashley asked cautiously. I walked towards her and hugged her before I started sobbing.

"There there," she said as she patted my back.

"I am the worst person ever!" I spoke onto her shoulder, knowing that it sounded muffled before retracting the hug. "I practically drowned the car in a frozen pond to make it look like I died."

"You did what you had to do," my friend said.

"It's... so hard. I feel extremely bad for leaving Rachel like that," I said as I looked down, shaking my head in regret.

"Emery, you are practically saving Rachel's life!" Ashley said. 

It was weird. What kind of person saves another by feigning their own death? But replaying the circumstances that led me back to Crystalia reminded me that she was right. I was keeping Rachel and Zack safe, but I was still in doubts about my actions.

"Look. You need to eat--"

"I'm not hungry," I interrupted.

"Okay, then you need to rest. You've had a long day, and you need a break from everything that happened today."

I nodded in agreement, allowing Ashley to take me to what seemed to be a bedroom. The only source of light was the moon, coming from the window and partially illuminating my bedroom. I lay on the bed as Ashley moved around to cover me with the duvets. She then covered the windows with the curtains.

"We'll talk tomorrow," Ashley said as she left the room. I spent some time in the room tossing and turning, remembering how I had been forced to leave Rachel. After an indecipherable amount of time, sleep took hold of me.

***********************************************************************************************

The next day

Zane's P.O.V

"Good morning, Mr. Marsh," a couple of my students greeted me as they entered the classroom.

"Good morning to you, too," I replied with a smile. I looked around the large classroom with delight, observing with excitement how my life had turned.

I felt like it was only yesterday that I was a musician. I was sad once I had to retire because I had no idea of what to do when I would come to Crystalia.

When I moved to Crystalia, I had taken a course on becoming a teacher. It seemed like a totally unexpected thing for me to do, but I thought it would be great. The course lasted a year, and I was immediately enrolled as a music teacher in one of the few schools in Crystalia. It was not like I needed a paying job while I was around; I already had a lot of cash stored up from my career as a musician, but I wanted to do something to occupy the lots of free time I had.

The classroom I was assigned to was designed to provide comfort and a sense of home to the students. There were a couple of music instruments present; a few plush sofa sets and chairs were spread around the large room. Large windows that provided the view of the Crystalia Mountains were also present.

At the moment, the class had already begun filling up. Minutes later, as I was about to start the lesson, a knock sounded on the door. I turned to find Logan at the entrance.

"One moment," I told the students as I made my way to my former bandmate. 

A couple of years ago, the band had split up. We all felt like we needed to form our own image, especially since we were getting tired of the boyband thing we had going on. It was hard for everyone at first to grow their own independent image as musicians. We pushed through, and in spite of all that, we managed to remain friends.

"Hey, Logan. What's up?" I asked him with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, Liam sent me here. He said something about reminding you to go shopping for your place."

My eyes widened in shock.

"That can wait. I'll go later, okay?"

"Erick also needs you and Liam's help with something. I don't know what it was, but he said it is very urgent."

"Okay. I'll go."

"I can take over for now," Logan offered. He was also a teacher in the school, but he mostly focused on literature.

"Okay. Thanks," I told him.

"No problem," he replied, walking towards the classroom with a smile as I quickly left.

 

Emery's P.O.V

The smell of eggs and bacon woke me up. I immediately got up from the bed, only to be momentarily stopped by the growl of my stomach. It was slightly painful, a reminder that I had not eaten anything on the previous night.

I ruffled my hair as I slowly walked towards the kitchen.

"Good morning!" Ashley greeted with a loud voice. If it weren't for the delicious breakfast she was cooking, I would have been annoyed.

"Mmm," I mumbled lazily as a reply, walking towards the shelves of stacked plates and cups. Minutes later, Ashley and I had settled in the dining room. We slowly ate our breakfast as we engaged in conversation.

"So, are you ready to go out today?"

I scrunched up my eyebrows.

"No. I planned to just lie here and watch movies all day," I replied. Ashley rolled her eyes at me.

"You can do that later. After breakfast, I want you to go shopping with me. We need to fill this house with important stuff, like a freaking TV."

I blinked my eyes at Ashley. She was about to swallow a forkful of an egg when she noticed my look.

"What? I told you that Crystalia had advanced in the last years."

Ashley had indeed done so, but I had no idea of how advanced Crystalia currently was.

"Crystalia? Advanced?" I asked her, not bothering to hide the shock in my voice. "I find that hard to believe."

She furrowed her eyebrows at me.

"Didn't you see the huge city on your way here?" she asked.

"What city?"

Ashley stared at me with a confused expression.

"You must have come through the Joshalia forest. No worries. You'll see it when we get out."

Joshalia? What?

An hour later, we had finished breakfast. I took a short while to get dressed up.

"Ready to go?" Ashley asked. I nodded and we exited the house, locking the door behind us.

I looked around, noticing only the castle and the forest far behind the house.

"Seriously. What city?" I asked just as Ashley grabbed my hand. In one moment, my surroundings changed from that involving my house to that of a city. My eyes widened at the view.

Tall buildings were erected almost everywhere around me. A road was even placed a few feet away from us, but it seemed like nobody was utilizing it. There were also street lights that were currently switched off. A few people were walking along the pathways, busy with their own matters. I looked behind, noticing more buildings and the Crystalia Mountains. They seemed to be the height of my thumb from where Ashley and I stood. What shocked me more was the fresh air rather than that of smoke.

"Wow," I spoke.

"I know, right?" Ashley said. "And to think that this is ten miles away from the castle."

"What?" I asked in shock.

"Come on. We have a lot of shopping to do," Ashley said, practically dragging me with her to buildings I did not know.

She took me here, she took me there, she took me everywhere! – That is how I can explain the first part of the shopping. She decided to go clothes shopping, saying that I needed new stuff and to avoid dependency on the old ones I had left at Rachel's. My mood was suddenly brought down by the memory, but I quickly shook it off.

"We are done," Ashley said after about three hours of constant movement across four buildings. I sighed in relief.

"Now it's time to go grocery and electronics shopping," she said, making me widen my eyes in incredulity at her.

"What?" she asked with a furrow of her eyebrows.

"Haven't you seen these?" I questioned, raising the six bags that were dangling on my arms.

"So? I'm still up for more stuff," she said. "Now come on."

I let out a low groan as I let Ashley lead me through another building. I decided to go along with her because she was the only one I could depend on to show me around. Who was I to complain to her if I didn't want to have a reason to leave the house for a while?

"But where do we put these?" I asked her with a frown. Ashley rolled her eyes before waving her hand in the air. In an instant, the shopping bags were gone.

"They are now at your house. Let's go," Ashley said. I rolled my eyes at her before following her lead. We went past an open area with a signboard having the word 'GROCERY STORE'. Ashley and I entered and took out a trolley before moving around the store.

"I don't know about you, but I'm thinking about ordering two large pizzas for myself after this," I told Ashley as I looked around for the food items I would like to buy. My trolley was getting full, and I wasn't even done with the shopping.

"I'll get another one," Ashley announced once I voiced out the problem, leaving me with the trolley full of foodstuffs. I looked around, noticing that other people were in the store.

The store had yellow cream walls with white lights on the ceiling. At a far point on my left was a dairy aisle that had milk products and packaged meat items. There were also large shelves that had other food items. It looked like a basic grocery store.

In all my life, I never expected to see such a place in Crystalia. Most witches bought items on earth before bringing them to their homes in Crystalia. The city had really improved.

A sudden jab on my back had me slightly pushed forward. I winced, reaching to rub away the pain.

"Sorry," a deep voice with a British accent apologized. I stopped breathing at that moment, seemingly frozen in shock. I had no option but to turn to the owner of the voice.

It was Zane.

 

Chapter 11

 

Emery's P.O.V

"I'm sorry," Zane said with a smile as he nervously looked around before meeting my eyes again. "Are you okay?"

I didn't do anything but stare at the person in front of me in shock. 

I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't believe my luck! A day hadn't passed since I got back in Crystalia, and fate just couldn't wait to bring Zane into my path again. I knew I was going to see him, but I did not expect to see him so soon.

My eyes skimmed over his features as I thought of what to answer.

He had definitely grown; Zane was no longer the growing teenager I had known. He had become a full-grown man. A stubble adorned his chin, and his voice seemed to have gone slightly deeper. I hated to say that it had an effect on me. 

His skin had gained some color, making it look a bit golden. The long-sleeved sweater he had worn did not hide the fact that he had grown more muscle. 

Just looking at him was hard at the moment. I didn't want the feelings I had for him to come back and haunt me again.

The awful past I shared with him came to mind, and so did the good moments we had. I had no idea of what to feel about our past because I always viewed him and the rest as villains. I didn't think much of it because I was certain I wouldn't talk to them again. However, being back in Crystalia meant that I had to revisit those thoughts and take another look on how I felt.

"Hello?" Zane said as he waved a hand over my face, drawing my attention back to the present.

"What?" I inquired.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I blinked my eyes, mad at myself for letting Zane have such an effect on me.

"I'm fine. It's okay, I'm not that hurt. I was just looking around for stuff to buy," I said, and Zane smiled at me. 

Damn, that smile.

I just hoped he didn't notice how flustered I felt in his presence. 

"What's your name, love?" he asked, and that had me pausing for a moment. I furrowed my eyebrows at him in confusion.

Didn't he recognize me?

I wouldn't lie if I said I felt kind of hurt he had forgotten me. I then decided to shake off the feeling and give him a smile. If he had forgotten me, it was good. I would get more time to prepare myself for a conversation until he realized who I was.

"Emery!" Ashley called out. I turned around to face her, noticing she was reading something printed on a large bag of chips as she walked towards me.

"I thought you would..." whatever Ashley was going to say ended up incomplete because she noticed I was with Zane. Her eyes widened, and she looked like a girl caught by her parents sleeping with her boyfriend.

"Zane!" Ashley called out to the guy behind me with a high-pitch tone. It was obvious that she was faking her excitement, but Zane did not seem to notice.

"Hey Ashley," Zane replied with a smile. "You are a friend of hers?"

"Yes," my friend replied with an uneasy smile.

"Why haven't I ever heard of her before?" Zane asked, his eyes capturing mine. My eyes widened in shock as I turned to Ashley, noticing that she also had the same expression as me.

"Well..."

"I spent most of my time on earth," I cut off whatever Ashley was going to say.

"But still, why hasn't she ever mentioned you before?" Zane asked with a furrow of his eyebrows as he turned to face Ashley.

"Emery...umm... she loves to remain private. That's why she hasn't been here for a long time."

"Seriously?" Zane asked with raised eyebrows. "You don't strike me as a woman who keeps to herself."

I needed to get out of the store. It was getting too awkward to be around him.

"Umm, Zane, we have a lot to do today. Could we maybe talk later?" Ashley asked as she grabbed my hand and forcefully pulled me away towards her direction. She didn't bother to wait for Zane's reply. She didn't even let me finish my shopping!

"Ashley, what the hell was that?" I questioned as we quickly walked out of the grocery store.

"I just had a mental conversation with Ethan. He said he would be happy to do your shopping and bring it to you later," Ashley said all of a sudden, shocking me to the point that I stopped following her.

"No! Don't tell him to do that."

It would be too soon. I had just seen Zane. Seeing Ethan would be too much. There was a possibility that he would recognize me, and I did not want to talk to him or the others.

"It will be there in about an hour," she continued, completely ignoring me. By then, she was feet away from me. With a sigh of exasperation, I took off towards her. In the middle of running towards her, Ashley decided it would be fun to just teleport.

Without telling me.

I suddenly stopped and rolled my eyes. I was annoyed, especially since Ashley was dodging my questions. In a click of a finger, I was back at my house in Crystalia.

I had no idea of where Ashley went to. She could run, but she couldn't avoid my questions forever.

I came to a sudden stop at the dining room. Ashley had sat on a sofa chair with the Queen beside her.

"Hello, Emery," she greeted with a smile.

"Elizabeth!" I greeted with a smile, going towards her to hug her. She hugged me back, and seconds later, we retracted.

I was smiling, and at the corner of my eye, I spotted Ashley trying to make an escape. I had momentarily forgotten about her, and seeing her reminded me of why I returned to my house.

"Ashley!" I yelled her name, making her almost jump to the roof. She sighed.

"Emery, don't do that! You almost gave me a heart attack."

"What the hell is going on? Is it normal that Zane didn't recognize me? It's not like I wanted him to remember me. It was great he didn't recognize me, but I want to know why."

"Emery dear, you have to sit down for this," Elizabeth spoke as she summoned a cup of tea on her hand. 

I eyed her and Ashley with suspicion. Nonetheless, I took a seat on a wooden chair opposite them.

"Emery, do you remember what happened the last time you were here?" Elizabeth asked, and I nodded.

"You left."

Well, it looked like we were going to talk about everyone who had mistrusted me; it also looked like we were going to argue on my first day back to Crystalia.

"Yes, I know that. My sons and their friends did hurt you, but they wanted you to stay with them."

"Elizabeth, you know how much I had suffered in their hands. I wasn't planning to stay."

"But you could have, Emery! The guilt over what they did to you was eating them up. All they wanted to do was to apologize and make up for all the stuff you went through because of them!" Elizabeth shouted, momentarily startling me.

"I knew, but it didn't matter. I didn't want history to repeat itself. I had been burned twice, Elizabeth. TWICE! And that was in a matter of months. I wasn't willing to trust them again, knowing that the shit that happened to me could happen again."

"It won't happen aga--"

"Emery," Ashley interjected what the Queen went to say, "I understand. But Bianca is still in jail."

"Yes, she is. But still, there could be other people who could be willing to trash my name all because they wanted to get to my cousin and the Ordinary Brothers."

"Emery, you said the word 'could'. They wouldn't even dare betray you again even if such people came back. Trust me; they had learned their lesson."

I huffed. "I'm not sure if you know this: Zane and his bandmates said they were sorry for bullying me in high school, but months later, I ended up being accused and arrested for shit I didn't do! So excuse me if I didn't feel like being near the people who hurt me. I was afraid of going through that shit again. I was extremely hurt, Ashley, and being near them had me thinking of other ways I could suffer in their presence."

By then, I realized I had started tearing up. I quickly wiped away the tears that had formed in my eyes and focused on the people in front of me.

I sighed. "What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

There was a moment of silence before Elizabeth talked.

"Erick, Selena and the rest were hurt after you left. They wanted to talk to you, to change your mind into staying. Emery, they hated themselves. They ended up blaming themselves for what they did to you. They had you on their minds most of the time, and it was getting hard for them to focus on their lives. 

I noticed this after Zane had stopped you from committing suicide. They couldn't focus on their careers, and so Justin, Selena, Zane and his bandmates took a year off. They wanted to be around you, but at the same time, they were feeling awful over what they did to you."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I did not know that everyone had me in their minds for most of their time. I expected their guilt to come and go, mostly to remain hidden; I didn't expect it to affect them that much.

"Then you escaped. They wanted to stay, but they had to go back to their jobs. On the bright side, their music career was a distraction for them, but when they came to Crystalia, they were reminded of you. 

Emery, Erick was worse. He was depressed and worried about you. He couldn't even be a ruler for the people! I had to take over. It was hard to see the people I care about grow to hate themselves and feel depressed as the days passed by."

The Queen gave me a small smile.

"Everyone was happy when you came back. It was the first time I saw them genuinely smile in a while. Then I had to see them break down again when they thought you were dead. I hoped it would be the last time I saw them like that. After you had revealed that you were truly alive, they were relieved, Emery. But then, you left, again. I spent a couple of years watching everyone ruin themselves over what they had done to you. It even reached a point where Erick almost lost his title as ruler, and the others were close to losing their music careers. It was too much for me, Emery. That's why..."

"She chanted a memory spell over them," Ashley interjected. "Their memories of you were wiped out. We even got rid of evidence of your existence."

My eyes widened in shock.

"YOU WHAT?" I didn't mean to shout. I had no idea of what to feel about the news I had received.

"I had to," Elizabeth said. "It looked like you were never coming back. I was stuck with people who were guilty and angry with themselves, and it didn't look like it would leave soon. I just couldn't let them ruin their lives because of you."

I was still in shock as I tried to process Elizabeth's words.

"Are you saying I ruined them because of something they did to me?" I questioned, angry that the Queen would consider them over me despite all the crap they made me go through.

"I considered all of you. I'm not saying that you're responsible. It was their own fault, but you know I can't choose between them and you. I had grown used to your presence and I consider all of you as my family. 

Please, Emery. They were very sorry about what they did to you. They had no idea of what to do to fix the mess they made. I could see that they were going to spiral out of control. You weren't going to forgive them anytime soon, and that's why I did it."

I remained silent, thinking over what she said, but it was hard with everything I had learned.

"I need to think about what you just told me," I said. Elizabeth went to speak, but she stopped herself. She just nodded her head.

"Yes, that will be great," the Queen said. "I also think it will be great if I leave you alone."

I just nodded as Elizabeth started to get up from the couch. Ashley did not need me to motion for her to go; she had stood up from her seat with the Queen, also planning to leave the house. They both gave me sad smiles before walking towards the door. They didn't say anything else as they exited the house, leaving me with my thoughts.

I shook my head as I decided to get busy with other stuff. I started cleaning the kitchen and the windows. As I went to exit the house so I could clean the windows outside, a knock sounded on my door. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, wondering what Elizabeth or Ashley could have forgotten.

I should have checked who it was before opening the door. In front of me was a smiling Ethan.

He seemed to look like he did years ago. The only difference was that he had grown a small mustache above his lips, and he had also gained some muscle. He was handsome, but not as handsome as Zane.

Wait, what?

Behind him were eight large grocery bags floating in the air.

"Hi! You must be Emery, right?" he asked. I blinked at him before slowly nodding.

"Yeah. Ashley told me something about you needing some stuff for your house. I don't know if you need everything here or if I got everything you want. If there is something I have missed, you can tell Ashley to call me. Or you can call me yourself," Ethan informed as a small piece of paper teleported in his hand. I took it, noticing that it had his digits on it.

I moved back, allowing space for the bags to enter my house. Once they were all in, I went towards Ethan.

"Um, thank you, Ethan."

He did not seem bothered by the fact that I knew his name.

"You're welcome. Hope I'll see you around," he said with a smile before walking away from me. I blinked, my form feeling suddenly heavy. 

I had just seen Ethan and Zane in one day. I could only imagine how I would feel when I would see the rest.

With quick movements, I closed the door behind me and moved farther into the house. I needed to do something to distract me from the events of the day, and so I began arranging everything that was bought.

I opened one of the bags, only for something large to pop out of it. My eyes widened at the sight of a large flatscreen TV. It was floating in the air by magic, taking most of the space in front of me. With furrowed eyebrows, I took my time observing it. There was also a stamp with its specifications. It was a 60-inch TV, and I was surprised by the specification of 8K support. I mean, I could have been okay with a regular HD, QHD or 4K screen, but an 8K screen? Who had a storage device with lots of memory for that?

With a shake of my head, I moved the screen forward with my powers. Using telekinesis, I moved it around the house, looking for a room for it. I decided to put it in an empty room I had forgotten existed in the house. It was a large one with a window that faced the way to Crystalia's castle. Then I went to deal with the other electronics that were bought, like the home system. Afterward, I went to arrange the groceries.

My mind went back to the conversation I had with Elizabeth and Ashley. I still found it hard to believe what they had told me. I had no idea they cared so much.

It was then that I remembered to do some serious thinking about the issue. It was a good thing that I had finished arranging everything.

I walked towards the room with the TV and plastered myself on a seat near the window. I fixed my gaze on the snowy ground and the clear sky.

My mind replayed the events and the memories that had me hating Erick, Selena, Justin and my ex-bullies. It was hard, and I was reminded of every awful emotion I felt during those times. I even recalled the things that led me to the mental hospital and the therapy sessions I had with Charles. More importantly, I recalled the lessons I had learned.

Charles had told me about how those who betrayed me had felt. They wanted to make things right and talk to me, but I still hated them at the time. 

I mean, eight people had betrayed me; eight people who I once considered my friends and family had betrayed me. The memories of the awful tour I was forced to go to still made me angry and sad, but the emotions were not that strong like they used to be years ago.

I felt like I had grown and had come to accept what had happened. There was nothing that could have been done to fix the past. I just had to focus on the future.

However, I was scared. The thought of accepting everyone's apology and befriending them again was the kind of mentality that had ruined my life. Years ago, I had decided to do the same thing with my ex-bullies, and months later, things had gotten worse for me. I was scared that if I were willing to forgive everyone who hurt me, I would be opening myself to emotional and physical scarring again.

I sighed just as I thought of the words Elizabeth had told me. Those who hurt me had learned a huge lesson. Hearing about how depressed they had been did not make me glad. It did not even bring satisfaction. I thought I would be happy they had suffered. 

Okay, I was happy at first, but as Elizabeth further explained to me what they had gone through, I became sad.

Why did I feel sorrowful over what my ex-friends had been going through? They were the ones who betrayed me, and they had no reason to feel bad over what they did to me. They knew what they were doing, and they should have just gone on with their lives as if I didn't matter.

Things would have been a lot easier if they didn't care. Justin, Selena, Erick and my former bullies could remain the enemies I believed they had become and I could go on with my life without feeling bad for them. However, that was not the case. The things they had done to me had only made them depressed and angry with themselves. They couldn't handle what they had done, and Elizabeth had to wipe out their memories of me for their sake.

The situation was undoubtedly difficult for me. I sighed, rubbing a hand through my hair to release some of my tangled curls.

I began thinking again. I had indeed gone through some emotional crap, and honestly, it made me stronger. It got rid of the shyness and fear I felt around people; it had made me the confident person I currently was. In a way, I owed everyone— No, I did not owe them anything. It was just an advantage I had gained over the years.

I continued sitting there, thinking of what to do. Sometime later, I looked out the window, noticing that the sky had been covered by gray clouds. The evening had come, and it looked like it was going to snow.

I could not believe I had sat on the chair and thought for that long. I felt an ache on my back as I slowly stood.

My mind had been made up; I knew what I had to do. I had to go to the castle and face everyone who betrayed me. We needed to have a long talk.

I just hoped it would not be another mistake.

 

Chapter 12

 

Zane's P.O.V

I stared at the new girl, Emery, as she rushed out of the store with Ashley. I thought of the exchange that had happened between us, and it was then that I noticed how she had looked at me. Emery showed shock, and surprisingly, fear. I could tell she was not expecting to see me, and I wondered why. 

Did I know her? And if I did, what did I do to gain the look she had given me when she saw me?

It seemed impossible to know her. I was sure that if I did, I wouldn't have let her out of my sight. We would have been in my bed...

Zane, focus, I chastised myself. 

At that moment, the emotions I was feeling towards Emery seemed so sudden and very familiar. 

Too familiar.

My mind went back to how Ashley had greeted me before practically running away from me with Emery. I realized she was hiding something about Emery that involved me. I could visit Ashley later and find out more about the mysterious girl.

Whatever it was, I hoped it wasn't something bad.

I turned my attention back to the grocery list. A few things were left uncrossed before I could check out. I pushed the trolley as I moved around the store, looking for the items I had not obtained. 

My mind went back to the conversation I had with the gorgeous girl. Particularly, I remembered her features. Emery was the most beautiful girl to cross my path. I had dated others, but something I couldn't identify made her stand out. She was like a rare flower in a valley of weeds. Her irregular blue eyes with dark streaks around her pupil just accentuated her beauty; they reminded me of the ocean. Her skin looked smooth and creamy. I recalled the smell of her perfume from where I stood, and as weird as it sounds, I wanted to sniff her. 

Just like that, I found myself wanting her.

That was weird. I didn't even know the girl well enough to make plans of dating her. I hoped the thoughts I had would stop and not make me some kind of stalker.

I shook my head, turning to look at my list. Having gotten everything, I went towards the cashier. 

Emery. It was quite a beautiful name for a gorgeous woman. 

Crap. I did it again!

I had a feeling it would be hard to stop thinking about her. 

I wanted to know more about Emery. Ashley was a friend of hers, and so I had to visit her to get more info about her. Maybe Emery had traits I wouldn't like, and they could stop me from thinking about her.

"Sir, your items are packed," the cashier told me with a bored look. That brought my mind back to my surroundings. I smiled apologetically to him, gave him the cash and quickly went to get my things.

The good thing about Crystalia was that we did not have to pay much for anything. The price of a US-dollar item sold on earth would be a hundredth of it in Crystalia, and people did not have to worry about costs. In fact, the King was working on making everything free for everyone.

I left the grocery store and headed for my home. It was located inside the Joshalia forest. It wasn't that far in the woods; it was near the end that was close to the castle.

Living in a forest may seem scary to others, but I found it relaxing. I got the view of the trees and the Crystalia Mountains as a bonus. In fact, my home was a few meters from one of the rivers that flowed past the city.

After walking for a while and finding that the goods I had purchased were getting heavier to carry with every step, I decided to teleport away to my house. I went to the kitchen to arrange the groceries before spending the rest of my day watching movies.

I had just watched two movies when I heard a ringing sound. I took out my iPhone 14 that I had unconsciously placed under one of the couch cushions and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Zane! The Queen wants us to see her now," Ethan had called. He spoke with a voice that told me something was wrong. Without wasting time, I switched off the TV and teleported to the entrance of the castle.

"Hey, Joe!" I greeted one of the guards as I entered the massive structure. He just nodded, not turning to face me. I looked around the hallways, searching for the door that led to the main study room. It was open, and I found myself entering it.

The Queen, Erick, Selena, Ashley, Justin and my former bandmates were there. Unexpectedly, so was Emery.

I hadn't moved since I had spotted her because I was busy staring at her. Emery met my eyes for a second before quickly looking away. I wanted to smile because she blushed when I caught her looking at me.

Stop it, Zane!

"Zane, sit down," Liam said. I turned to him, noticing that he had sat with the rest of my former bandmates on the couch. Selena, Justin, Erick, Ashley and the Queen had occupied the other sofa, and Emery was standing in the middle of the room. I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering what was wrong.

"There is something I have to tell all of you," Elizabeth said as I took a spot on the couch where Liam and my former bandmates were sitting.

Elizabeth went to speak, but she stopped herself. Instead, she began chanting a spell as she waved a hand around in the air. I was more confused. 

In an instant, specks of orange stardust were emitted from her hands, and they were coming towards us at a fast pace. A few of them hit me. It brought a headache that was strong enough to have me collapse onto the floor, and suddenly, I began seeing videos of me with Emery and the others.

Not videos. Memories.

I knew that I had seen Emery in my past. It was then that I was able to focus on the memories quickly flashing in my mind. I recalled spending time with her and the rest of my bandmates. I also saw parts of me that I didn't like and actions that I wished I never did. 

Seconds later, the memories stopped. 

I was confused at first, not knowing what to do. It took me a couple of seconds for me to feel shocked and angry.

"What was that?" Selena asked, voicing out the question that we all wanted to be answered.

"All of you knew Emery. Nine years ago, I had wiped out your memories of her," Elizabeth said.

Emery.

In the past nine years, I felt like I had been missing something. However, I never paid too much attention to it. It did not seem very important then. My mind had blanks, but at the moment, those blanks had been filled. 

I could remember every memory I had shared with Emery. I recalled all the good things we did together, the heat-scorching kiss, and the bad things I had done to her. I also remembered moping about Emery having gone after Eva was captured. It went on for a while until it suddenly stopped.

"Mother! Why did you do that to us?" Erick asked the Queen with a loud voice. His mother looked taken aback by the loudness of his voice. Erick was angry, and I was sure he was not the only one.

"Erick, you don't have to yell at your mother," Emery spoke, and we all turned our attention to her.

The memories of the last time we talked came to mind. I remembered how she felt in my arms. I remembered the addiction that was her lips...

So that was why I felt like I knew her. That was why my mind was conjuring up thoughts of dating her.

I was in love with her.

"Emery..." I called out to her, trailing off with no idea of what to say to her. She met my eyes, and then she swiftly turned her attention to something on my side. I couldn't believe it had been eleven years ever since we last talked; eleven long years that I was without her.

I wondered how I could have survived without her, but then I recalled that the Queen had wiped out the memories we had of Emery.

"She told me how you guys were when I was gone, and she told me she did it because she couldn't handle seeing all of you depressed," Emery continued.

"Emery, I don't care! I don't think we all do." Justin spoke. "We were sad that you were gone, but it didn't give my mother the right to wipe our memories of you."

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth decided to apologize. "I knew it was not a good idea, but I wanted to see all of you happy. I did it for all of you!"

"Guys, don't take it out on her. She was right to do so," Ashley added, shocking the rest of us.

"You knew?" Selena yelled at Ashley. Now everyone turned to the blonde. "You knew and you didn't freaking tell us?"

It was suddenly a lot to take in. Eleven whole years...

"Some friend you are," Ethan said in anger, making Ashley drop her jaw in shock.

"Shut up, Ethan. It had to be done!" Ashley replied.

"Seriously?" Harry joined in. "Who the hell are you to control our lives and memories like that?"

"We care about all of you! You were all sad that Emery was gone. Honestly, no amount of begging or apologizing could have made things better years ago. You had your lives ahead of you, and you could have lost your jobs!"

"We wouldn't have minded if we lost our fucking jobs!" Ethan yelled. "How the fuck could we have continued with them if we had not made up for every wrong thing we did to Emery?"

"Okay, enough!" Emery shouted. "Shouting at each other is not going to make things any better. It isn't going to change what happened. You guys should know that Ashley is right. I was still angry with all of you, and I definitely wouldn't have listened to whatever apologies you were brewing in your minds at that time. I was hurt, and as selfish as it is, I wanted all of you to hurt the same way I did."

"Emery, ever since you tried to kill yourself, we had been hurting," Logan spoke softly.

"You don't get it," Emery interjected. "I wanted you to experience all the pain I went through; the humiliation, the emotional abuse, the betrayal, everything. Your sadness seemed like a grain of sand to what I went through."

"You were gone, Emery," I responded, choosing to ignore the words she had just said. "You were gone for so long. Why did you stay away for all these years?"

"I couldn't allow myself to be around you," she replied. "I was still angry with you, and I didn't want you to break my resolve."

"We told you we were sorry," Selena said with a hurt expression.

"It wasn't enough. I was still hurt, and I wasn't planning to see all of you again. That was until yesterday," Emery huffed.

"Emery, we are so sorry for what we did to you," Logan spoke. "I know we should have listened to you. Maybe we wouldn't have wasted a decade if only we had believed you."

"We wouldn't have wasted a lot of time if only we had believed you," Liam deadpanned, making the truth sink in all of us.

"It's okay, Logan. That is particularly why I'm here. I know that since I'm back, I can't avoid you guys forever. The Queen came to visit me today, and she told me what had occurred when I was gone. I did some serious thinking that took hours, and I have made my decision. I wanted to tell you that I've put the past behind me."

I blinked my eyes and shook my head in case I misheard what she said.

"Wait. What?" Selena asked, and that confirmed I had not misheard what Emery said.

"I wouldn't want to hold a grudge against you guys forever. Despite what you did to me, you were there for me as a family."

I blinked my eyes in shock at Emery. Was she high? Was she literally on drugs?

"Why?" I questioned with every ounce of disbelief I could put in my voice. "We put you through hell. We ruined high school for you, and we made many people hate you! I abused you, Emery! How can you say you forgive us?"

"Zane!" Logan and Liam yelled, silently saying that I should not jinx what was going on. It wasn't like I didn't want Emery to forgive me for all the shit I did to her. The words were practically music to my ears, but it did not feel right. I was a horrible person to her, and she should not allow me in her life again.

"Because I'm tired of holding this against you. Don't you know how exhausting it can be to carry a grudge over you guys for years?"

"Emery--"

"I also don't want to avoid you guys every time I see you. I wanted to deal with the problem, and the only way to deal with it is to face it. I have already faced it, and I've decided to forgive all of you for all the crap you had me go through."

"I don't understand. You forgive us?" Logan asked, and Emery slowly nodded. Nobody moved for a moment, and then Selena practically jumped on Emery.

"Emery!" the rest called out to her as they went towards her and shared prolonged hugs.

I noticed Emery's reaction to everyone hugging her. She was smiling, but it did not seem to reach her eyes. She seemed tense and not at ease.

Maybe she really hadn't forgiven us.

"Zane?" Emery called out to me once the rest had finished hugging her.

It was suddenly a lot to take in. Emery did not need me to dampen the mood. I had ruined her life twice, and I wasn't going to do it again. I needed to get out, but Emery's eyes held me in a trance.

I don't know why, but I found myself changing my mind as I moved towards Emery. I wanted everything to be quick, and so I hugged her.

Fuck.

She felt perfect in my arms. I was reminded of the time I had held her when we kissed. I wanted to remain in the position longer than the rest. Her chest was pressing against mine, and I couldn't help but realize how her breasts had grown. 

I retracted the hug, making sure she did not feel how much I wanted her. It would have been a very weird welcome.

I mean, who gets aroused over a hug?

"Will you stay for dinner?" I heard Selena ask.

"Umm, I don't know. I already have my own dinner--"

"Please?" Erick stretched out the word.

"Fine," Emery relented.

About five minutes later, we had all gone to the castle's dining room to have dinner. The room had plain apricot walls and gray cemented floors. The ceiling was painted gold with a pebble-like texture, and small bulbs were hanging from them. The room was also large with a huge French window placed in front of us, showing us the balcony and the view that led to the city. It was already evening, and there were gray clouds all over. It looked like it would snow again in a few.

I had just taken a bite out of the lasagna when Liam asked: "So, Emery, how was your life on earth?"

Emery then proceeded to tell us what she had been doing. She told us about her course in Computer Science and the programming job she had earned from it. She also told us about how she had been living with Rachel, a girl she used to work with at a Starbucks café years ago. Selena was shocked that she had forgotten Rachel.

"She was mad at us," Emery said as Selena shook her head in regret.

"Oh crap! I was so busy! I feel like such a bad friend," Emery's cousin replied.

"It took me a month to get back on her good side. I wonder how long it would have taken for you."

"It would have taken longer... and a couple of concert tickets to my show or any other singer she wanted to meet," Selena said before she and Emery guffawed with laughter.

Emery also told us about how Rachel got engaged and married to a guy named Zack.

"I had to leave," Emery said after telling us about the guys who had visited her in search of Ashley. I felt her sorrow, and I wanted to make her happy again.

Then Liam, Logan, Ethan, Selena and Erick led the conversations. They told Emery about our music careers and the dreaded events that happened on tour.

"You cannot believe the drama we got after that simple kiss," Liam said, making Emery laugh. He had told her about a picture he had posted on Twitter with him kissing Ethan's cheek. Our fans went crazy and they had begun the ship name Letham. They even photoshopped Liam and Ethan's faces to make them look like they were kissing and doing other stuff.

"Can you believe they even wrote smut books about them?" I said, gaining a look of disbelief from Emery. Ethan and Liam shot me deadly glares.

"No," she said as the rest of us laughed.

"You are one to talk," Logan said with a smirk.

"I don't know what you're smirking about. Have you forgotten about Larry? Or was it Hogan?"

The smirk on Logan's face was instantly dropped just as Harry glared at me.

"Who?" Emery asked. We continued telling her about our wonderful fans and how they thought it would be fun to make romance stories about us. I love my fans and all, but I didn't love my bandmates that much.

"They were of so many varieties. Vampires, werewolf mates, and the dreaded fivesome that featured all of us.Oh Liam, right there !" Harry imitated Ethan's voice, earning a shoulder punch from the lad. Emery laughed so hard that she clutched her stomach. The laugh was a wonderful sound that I wanted to treasure in my mind.

The conversation went on, and I stared at Emery as she reacted to the questions she was asked. I didn't bother asking anything as I was busy studying Emery again. My mind then went back to the hug I shared with Emery and how good it felt, a reminder that I was going to have a hard time sleeping.

We had all finished our meals as we still continued catching up with Emery. Then it was finally time for all of us to head to bed.

"Guys, let's call it a night," Liam said, and the rest of us murmured in agreement.

"Emery, where do you live?" Logan asked.

Emery went to reply, but Logan interrupted her, "Never mind. I remember. Would you like me to escort you to your home?"

"Uh, sure," she replied.

I found myself suddenly glaring at Logan. Emery was mine. Logan should have known not to flirt with her because I still had feelings for her.

However, I couldn't allow myself to want her. Emery deserved someone else; someone who could treat her better than I did. I was still mad at myself for abusing her, and I didn't want her to befriend me again. I was afraid I was going to hurt her much worse than I did. I needed to stay away from her so she could be safe. Besides, she was right to say I was her bad luck charm.

 

Chapter 13

 

One month later

Emery's P.O.V

In the past two fortnights that had passed, things had been okay for me. Nothing interesting happened, and honestly, I was getting bored. Sure, I had the option of staying in the house and watch the sun rise and set. I also had the option of watching movies, series and YouTube videos. But I was still bored.

That was why I was invited to a girl's day out with Ashley and Selena.

To be honest, I questioned how it would be to just return to being friends with everyone after twelve years. A long time had passed, and on the first dinner that we had after their memories were returned, I found it hard to cope with them. Yes, I had a great time catching up with everyone, but I had doubts about letting them in my heart again.

I told myself I shouldn't be scared of things going wrong again, but that was easier said than done. So I began spending time with everyone individually. I had gotten to know more about Liam, Logan, Harry and Ethan. They were Erick's loyal advisors, all except for Logan, who was a teacher. I was surprised about that. Erick had even offered me a spot on the job, but I was quick to say no. I doubted I would be very good at that.

Anyway, I was reintroduced into Crystalia as the crystal. Just like before, there was a grand party. I greeted witches that I could honestly not remember their names. There was a Gretchen. Or was it Hansel?

Wait. Weren't those characters from a book?

The unease I felt around everyone decreased with time. But then, I had not gotten to speak to Zane. I was told that he was busy, but I had a feeling that it was a lie. How could he be busy for more than two weeks? Was Zane avoiding me?

A loud knock sounded at my front door. I groaned, bringing the duvets further above my head. The same knock sounded at the door, but I chose to ignore it. Couldn't people see that I was sleeping?

I waited for five seconds, and I sighed in relief when the annoying noise did not sound again.

Just as I was about to go back to sleep, the duvets were pulled off of me. I shivered due to the cold, mumbling cuss words at whoever teleported into my bedroom and forced me to wake up.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty! The sun is up, we are up, and so you must be up!" Selena yelled with a loud cheery voice, pissing me off. I ignored her, continuing to sleep without the duvets.

"Emery!" Ashley's voice joined in. I had no option but to get up, especially since my sleepiness had evaded me the moment Selena spoke.

"You people are a-holes. I was sleeping!"

"Probably even having a certain sex dream."

My eyes fully widened in shock at what Ashley said, and I found myself gagging.

I shook my head in disagreement as I said, "No. Not for me."

Not after what happened.

Ashley gave me a weird look before dropping the subject.

"You have to get up!" Selena yelled.

"I'm up already!" I yelled back at her, grumbling loudly as I made my way towards the bathroom. I was seriously thinking of chanting a spell to block anyone from entering my home.

Staring at my reflection, I started to regret accepting to spend some time with Ashley and Selena. They had woken me up very early in the morning when I thought we would be going out in the afternoon. Next time, I wouldn't be quick to agree to an outing.

A whole millennium later, I was dressed and ready to go.

"What took you so long?" Selena asked as she narrowed her eyebrows at me. She and Ashley were in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

Crap. I had to go grocery shopping too.

"You waking me up when I was sleeping. And it had only been an hour."

We took breakfast, and fifty minutes later, we were out of the house. 

The sky was filled with white clouds, and it was the last month of winter in Crystalia. Snow was everywhere, and we all had to wear cold weather gear to venture outside.

Selena had told me about the forest I could see from my house, otherwise known as the Joshalian forest. I thought it was Joshalia since Ashley mentioned it during one of her visits when I still lived with Rachel. I told her it was a weird name and that it should be changed, but she told me that everyone in Crystalia had gotten used to the name.

"Where should we go first?" Ashley asked as we began walking away from the house.

"I need to get groceries for my house," I informed her. Selena groaned.

"Just let Erick do it for you. He sometimes does the grocery shopping for me," she said.

"Okay?" I stretched out the word. I was surprised by what she said. I didn't expect a king to even have time to do house errands. But I guessed that was how Selena was with Erick.

Ashley never told me of Selena and Erick's wedding. It apparently happened as soon as Selena retired from her career as a musician and faked her death. I didn't ask for many details because I would have gotten more jealous for missing out on such a big thing.

"Emery, it's our girls' day," Ashley whined.

"Well, I could have done the grocery shopping myself before you all decided to wake me up so early in the morning."

"Emery, it was ten," Selena deadpanned. "And do you know the way to the city?" I shook my head in disagreement. On my first day back, Ashley had teleported us to the city. She told me something about the castle and something about miles, but I forgot the rest.

"Great! We'll take a walk there," my cousin replied.

"What?" Ashley asked, and Selena rolled her eyes.

"It's not that far. Just a 20-40 minute walk, depending on how fast we move."

"Selena!" Ashley and I yelled. I was not looking forward to walking on snow for forty minutes. As much as I loved it, I didn't want to get cold feet. Literally.

"Fine. We'll teleport there."

We grabbed each other's hands, and in a second, I found myself staring at surroundings that were similar to the ones I went to with Ashley.

"Ooh! I have an idea. What if we go clothes shopping?" Selena asked, making me widen my eyes in disbelief.

"No. Let's just finish with the groceries. We can send them when we're done and have the rest of the day to ourselves."

"You know, I agree with Selena," Ashley said. I narrowed my eyes at her. "Let's go shopping!"

She did a wriggly thing with her fingers as she and my cousin squealed in excitement. I sighed, having no option but to follow them.

We walked around the city, entering malls as we shopped for our clothing items. It took a while, and by a while, I mean six hours.

By four in the afternoon, we were all exhausted, and we had not even done the groceries.

"I'm beat," Selena said as we all walked into a food court. The place was mostly full, and I was glad people did not pay so much attention to Ashley, my cousin and me.

We found four unoccupied plastic chairs surrounding a white plastic table, quickly settling on them. We used the extra seat to place our shopping bags, but after a while, we gave up trying to fit all of them on one chair. We placed some on the ground, not worrying about anyone trying to steal stuff from us.

"Hey! What can I get you?" a waitress asked as she approached us. We all ordered French fries with burgers. Ten minutes later, we were all silently munching and groaning at the delicious fast food.

"It's been so long since I've had these," I said, taking a bite out of the burger.

"How long?"

"A week," I said, and Ashley rolled her eyes at me.

"Anyway, how do you like it here?" Selena asked.

"Are you kidding me? It's great! Almost makes me forget that earth still exists."

We all laughed before launching into a set of conversations. Selena then told us about her and Justin. It was also something that Ashley didn't know.

"That a-hole!" I commented, referring to how Justin broke up with her.

"I thought that too, but he was not in love with me. He wanted me to hate him so that I could get over him so quickly, and it worked."

"How do you know all this?" Ashley asked with a furrow of her eyebrows. "Are you even sure about what you're saying?"

"He told me some years back. We decided to be friends, especially since I was dating his brother."

Selena had told me of her relationship with Erick a few weeks ago. To say that I was shocked would be an understatement. I was happy for Selena, but I was mostly happy for Erick. That dude had been pinning over my cousin for years.

"Really? Justin sacrificed his image so that you can get over him?" I inquired, earning a nod.

"I know, right? It was so weird. He said he read some romance books about unrequited love. He didn't want me to stay in love with him, so he did what he did."

"Wait, wait, wait," Ashley interjected. "Justin was reading romance novels?"

"He was. I was as surprised as you are, and don't tell anyone about this," my cousin warned, and Ashley and I imitated a zip on our lips.

I took a sip of my smoothie as I gained a concentrated look, trying to remember something.

"I think Erick fell for you the first time he saw you in Crystalia."

"Really?" Selena asked, and I nodded in agreement.

"Wow. I feel like an ass for not noticing."

"Oh, it's okay. I was hoping he would move on from you because you were dating Justin," Selena shot me a glare, and I backtracked quickly, "but things turned out great for you guys."

Selena hummed in agreement. 

"So, what about you?" she asked. I had been chewing a couple of French fries before I answered her.

"What about me?"

"Stop it!" Selena said with a curious smile. "Who have you dated?"

"Oh," I said before looking down at the table. "No one," I whispered, but she heard it.

"What? You're joking," Selena said, but with the silence that followed for three seconds, it dawned on her that I was telling her the truth.

"How come I never knew this?" Ashley asked as she looked at me in shock. I just shrugged my shoulders.

"It's no big deal," I replied.

"No big deal?" Selena questioned me with a raised voice.

"Ssh!" I motioned for her to be quiet as I noticed a couple of heads turn towards us.

"How could you not have dated? You are sexy, Emery. Were all the guys around you gay?"

"I turned down any guy that approached me. I just didn't feel anything for anyone."

"You sure you aren't gay?" Ashley asked seriously, and I narrowed my eyes at her.

"I'm not a lesbian," I deadpanned.

"Didn't you have a crush on Zane?" Selena asked with a raised eyebrow. I just cleared my throat.

"I had a thing for Zane, but stuff got in the way."

"But now that stuff is gone. You can date him."

I stared at Selena with wide eyes.

"I can't do that!" I replied.

"Why not? He's obviously still into you, or have you forgotten that he still loves you?" Ashley interjected.

"Ashley!" I yelled in mortification. I could not have that conversation then, and I was not planning to let it go any further. "Years have passed, guys. He must have gotten over the feelings he had for me."

"Oh, please. He has the hots for you, you have the hots for him. It's about time the two of you have wild monkey sex and getting freaking married," Ashley spoke. 
The image came into mind, including the sounds a monkey would make.

I shook my head no.

"I call bridesmaid!" Selena yelled, making me drop my mouth in shock at her.

"There will not be a wedding, and I don't like sex," I spoke, saying the last part with a low voice. There was a moment of silence as I ate my lunch. No one spoke, and I had to look at them. Selena and Ashley were looking at me with shocked faces, and I realized they had heard everything I had said.

"What?" they both asked.

"You don't like sex? It's the most natural, pleasurable thing humans can share with each other."

I rolled my eyes at Ashley's definition of sex.

"To you it is."

"Emery, haven't you lost your virginity?" Selena questioned.

"I did," I replied, earning shrieks from her and Ashley. I rolled my eyes at them as I blushed furiously in embarrassment.

"So, how was it?" Selena asked with an expectant look.

"Ew, no! Not at the table!" I said in hopes of changing the subject.

"You are not getting out of this one, Emery," Ashley spoke. "This is too juicy to drop."

I sighed.

"It was... eh?"

They both blinked their eyes at me.

"Eh? Seriously? That is all you have to say?" Selena asked in disbelief.

"We want details," Ashley deadpanned. I shook my head as I took another bite of my food. No one said anything, and it looked like I had to tell them the dreaded night of what I regret to call my 'first time'.

"I went with Rachel to a club. Some cute guy came to me and asked me if I wanted to dance. We did, and I was grinding against his...umm..."

"Dick. The word you were looking for is dick. Now, tell me more!" Ashley said as she and Selena both looked at me with grins. By then, we had finished our meals. A waitress came and took the empty dishes. As she was doing so, we ordered ice-cream. Once the waitress left, we continued with the conversation.

"Anyway, he asked if we wanted to get out of there. I knew what it meant, and I decided, what the heck? I had been a virgin for so long. I was twenty-eight years old, and I wanted that title stripped off of me. I wanted to know why everyone was fussing about sex. So we went to his house. It was a small apartment, and he hadn't even bothered cleaning up the place."

"Oh, why am I not liking where this is going?" Ashley asked with a wince. Oh, she wouldn't like where I was going with the story.

"He moved me to his bed and practically ordered me to strip. I thought it was something men told women to make them hot. I had read it once, accidentally, on a book. So I followed along. A minute later, we were both naked. We kissed and kissed and kissed."

"How good was it?" Selena asked.

"Eh," I said with a shrug, earning a sad look from her.

"He got out his dick--"

"How big was it?" Ashley asked.

"It was small," I replied, earning another wince from her. "Probably the size of my thumb. Or maybe it was the lighting, because I could barely see anything that was happening."

I was making up reasons to protect the guy, and Ashley and Selena saw right through it.

"What happened next?" Selena asked.

"He wore a condom and was--"

"Wait. That's it?" Ashley asked, confusing me. "No foreplay? No dirty words? No pinching, licking... anything?"

"What?" I asked her. "No. He just wore the condom and jammed it in."

Ashley and Selena stared at me in disbelief.

"It hurt."

"Of course it hurt. It was your first time," my cousin said.

"Hold up. He just jammed it in?" Ashley asked. "He just jammed his dick in you?"

I looked around to see if anyone had heard, and luckily, no one was focusing on us.

"I thought that was how it was supposed to be."

"Emery, did you tell him you were a virgin?" Ashley asked, and I paused in silence.

"Was I to tell him?"

"Oh my--"

"That explains everything," Selena and Ashley both said.

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter. I thought I was going to feel something. The guy kept pushing and pulling. It hurt a lot, and after a minute, he made a noise. Something between a groan and a grunt."

"WHAT?" Ashley asked. "Wait. How did you know it was a minute?"

"Umm, I was kind of counting."

"Emery!" Selena exclaimed.

"It was painful, and I wanted it to end. Then he asked me if I had finished. I had no idea what he meant, but I didn't have time to answer because he fell asleep. On. Top. Of. Me."

"Emery," Ashley spoke with a sympathetic tone in her voice.

"I quickly got off of him, got dressed and practically ran off his home. If that is what you guys go through when you have sex, then I don't want to do it."

"Emery, that was not sex," Ashley said. "That was a lazy fuck. The dude was selfish and didn't even try to make you feel good!"

"He was a horrible lay," Selena added.

"Guys, it doesn't matter. I don't mind if I didn't get to experience the pleasure of 'sex' as you would all like to put it. Can we just change the subject?"

Zane's P.O.V

It was past three in the afternoon, and I was in my classroom. The students had gone home, and I was left to enjoy my lunch before I packed up and went. In the middle of my lunch, my phone started ringing. I glanced at it, spotting Ashley's name flashing on the screen.

I found it weird that she was calling me. I didn't expect her to call me in the middle of the day.

"Hello?" I replied, only to hear Emery's voice. It took me a while to realize that she was talking to Ashley and Selena.

"Hello?" I repeated, but neither did Emery nor Ashley reply. Emery was still talking to Ashley and Selena. 

I then realized that Ashley had accidentally called me. I felt bad that I was listening to their conversation.

With a sigh, I went to end the call. However, before I did, I overheard something that I knew I shouldn't have. Selena asked Emery about her virginity. 

It was not good for me to listen in. I should have ended the call, but I was curious. I nonetheless decided to listen in.

I was shocked and sad when Emery confirmed she had lost her virginity. I wished it could have been me, but then I reminded myself I did not deserve her. That sadness, however, turned into anger when I heard about her first time. It wasn't special but with a stranger who did not even treat her right. He just came and passed out.

I was jealous and angry at the guy yet I had never met him. Emery was precious, and the guy had been a lucky bastard to even take her virginity. He did not know how lucky he was. I had been wanting to be the one to show Emery such pleasures, but the idiot ruined it for her. 

What an a-hole.

If it had been me...

No. No. I should not have thought about that. I went to focus on something else, but my mind went back to Emery.

Images of dating Emery painted my mind. I wanted to shake them off, but they quickly turned into lustful ones. I pictured how Emery would look like naked, and the image practically came to mind. Particularly, an image I hadn't forgotten, even if it was of thirteen years ago.

I had accidentally entered Emery's bathroom when she joined the band and me on our second tour, and I had seen a lot of her on that night. She had been naked, and foam had covered parts of her breasts. Her nipples were a light pink, and I found myself wishing to put them in my mouth. I would even bite and kiss her gorgeous breasts before kneading them in my hands. I would have even loved to hear her moan out in the pleasure I wanted her to feel. I pictured pistoning my hips into hers, watching her mouth open in a moan as she shouted my name, close to orgasm. I could even suck on those beautiful boobs of hers and make her come for many, many times. I even wondered how her pussy would taste...

I shook my head, hoping for the image to disappear. I looked down, noticing a huge tent in my pants. I was not allowed to think of Emery like that. She deserved better, not a person who made her life hell. I needed to stick with the plan of avoiding her.

 

Chapter 14

Emery's P.O.V

Ashley, Selena and I ended our time together later in the evening. Selena had some errands to do as the future Queen of Crystalia, and Ashley had some kind of dinner with Ethan. I had some free time left, and watching a couple of series was out of the question. I decided it was time to visit Zane.

I doubted him ignoring me was true, especially when I was told he had been busy. Ethan had told me about Zane being a music teacher, and I found myself thinking hard about it. How busy could a music teacher be? Did he even have night classes? I doubted it because Ethan added that Zane was a teacher for high school students.

That was when my doubts were cleared: Zane had really been ignoring me. I had no idea why. Nonetheless, I was determined to find out.

Ethan had given me directions to Zane's home. Minutes later, I found myself standing in front of a large house that looked like a mini hotel. It was located meters past the castle near the Joshalia forest. The outside was composed of neatly-stacked gray bricks walls and white cement plastered around the front mahogany door and windows. The windows themselves were clear and large like those of my home.

Moreover, the roof had a metallic railing that surrounded all corners. I could also spot a brick structure similar to the house's exterior with a small door. I assumed it led to the roof of the house.

I moved towards the entrance, coming to a stop at the door seconds later. I was nervous, and I wondered why. I did not know what to expect when I would ask Zane why he was avoiding me. I guess I was preparing myself for the worst. 

With a sigh, I went to knock on the door. Before I did, I realized there was a doorbell on the right. I pressed on it, hearing nothing. Normally, I would be able to hear the doorbell from outside. Maybe it was faulty. I went to press it again, but I was stopped when the door opened.

Zane's form appeared. Moreover, he was shirtless.

His torso was right in front of me, and I couldn't stop myself from looking at it. His tanned skin was mesmerizing. If I had doubts about Zane having a six-pack, those doubts had quickly perished. His abs were defined and right there for me to see. I had an urge to touch them and feel how hard they were on my fingers. What was even weirder was that I also wanted to get acquainted with his body.

Zane's arms were bare for anyone to see, and so I took a good eyeful. They had definitely gotten bigger, the muscles practically making themselves evident as he breathed. I itched to touch him. All of him. However, what made me want to lose my mind was his black boxer briefs. They were hanging low on his waist. I could spot the V that led to his groin, and I noticed a small patch of black hair near his--

Hot damn!

I gulped, wanting to fan myself. My body felt hot just from looking at Zane. 

"Emery!" Zane called out in surprise, bringing my focus back to his face. I hoped the night sky could hide the embarrassment flushing in my cheeks. "Um, I wasn't expecting you. Maybe Liam or the guys."

That explained his state of partial nudity. I didn't mind it one bit.

Zane took hold of his boxers, bringing them high as he evidently blushed. My eyes automatically glanced at the V of his hips, and I swiftly looked back up as I blushed in embarrassment. I heard Zane gulp as he shifted on his feet, noticing his abs clenching with the movement. I looked up at Zane, noticing he was scratching the back of his head as he stared at me.

My mind went back to the dare he and I did thirteen years ago. I recalled the kiss and the effect it had on me. My eyes darted to his lips, noticing they were slightly plum and pale pink.

Do not kiss him!

"Can I come in?" I asked him, trying to focus on his eyes and only his eyes. That too was a bad idea because I found myself being pulled in.

"Sure," he replied. "Just give me a moment to get dressed."

I entered the house and he closed it behind me. His arm was near my head, and I could feel the heat of his body from where I stood. Zane walked away from me, and I could see his back muscles moving as he went. My eyes drifted lower, and I saw his clothed ass.

Focus Emery!

I was already regretting coming to see him. Getting a good eyeful of Zane roused feelings that I thought I had gotten rid of. It seemed like I still had a crush on him, and I suddenly felt awful.

It couldn't happen. It just couldn't happen. I was sure Zane did not feel the same way, and so I should not pursue something that could leave me broken. 

With a shrug, I decided to focus on my surroundings. I was in a large room that had gray walls and granite floors. A couple of mahogany chairs were placed around a large wooden table. There was a window on my left that was covered with gray and black-stripped curtains.

It was then that I realized I was in a dining room.

I looked at my right, passing the wide hallway in the middle and instead paid attention to the wide space that was the kitchen. It had the same wall color as the dining room. There was a fridge positioned at a far corner with an oven opposite it. A large island was placed at the center. There were also wooden shelves that were placed near the top of the fridge.

I turned to face the hallway that Zane had recently entered. I walked through it, and after taking about five steps, I came to a stop at some kind of entertainment room that was on my left. There was a large TV that I suspected was the same size as mine. Large sofas also decorated the room. They were on opposite sides with a white maple table at the center.

I looked forward, seeing that the hallway led to what I guess were the bathrooms and other rooms. I squinted my eyebrows, noticing a set of stairs that took up part of the hallway at the far end. That must have been the entryway to the roof.

Zane came out through a door I didn't notice in the hallway wearing a gray T-shirt. I felt like frowning because his naked torso was hidden.

"What would you like to talk to me about?" he asked, grabbing my hand as he led me to the entertainment room. I shivered, feeling a jolt of electricity that I so wished could disappear. 

Zane and I went to the entertainment room, taking a seat on one of the sofas. "Are you avoiding me?" I asked him, and I noticed the expression of fear that lingered for a second.

"What? I'm not avoiding you."

I could see that Zane had been lying, and I felt hurt for a moment.

"Well, it sure feels like it. Your friends told me that you have been very busy. I know you are a high school teacher. How busy can you --"

"Alright, fine. I have been avoiding you," he replied, deciding to drop the lie sooner than I thought he would.

"Why?" I asked with a furrow of my eyebrows. "Is it something I did? Look. I have no idea of what I've done, but I'm--"

"It's not you, Emery," Zane spoke. "It's me."

It felt like the usual thing someone would say to end a relationship, but I felt that Zane had a different meaning. I urged him to go on.

"I don't deserve you."

I needed to take a moment to digest what he told me.

"What?" I was confused as I stared at Zane in befuddlement. It was not what I expected him to say.

"I don't deserve to be around a wonderful person like you," Zane continued. I was slightly flattered that he thought I was wonderful, but I was worried about him.

"Zane, why are you saying that? What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean!" he yelled out in anger. "I'm not a good person, Emery. I bullied you, had you taken to jail for something you never did, and I didn't believe you when you had warned me about Bianca. How can you still want to be around someone like me?"

Zane's outburst was not what I expected. It clued me in that he still regretted what he did to me in the past.

"Zane, that's all in the past--"

"You called me your bad luck charm," he interrupted. "I didn't understand what you meant then, but I finally figured it out. I bullied you in high school. I tried to make amends, but things went worse for you."

"Zane..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say because all he said was true.

"You were almost killed in a freaking hotel room. You went to jail for crap you never did. I insulted you and beat you up to the point that I almost killed you. How can you still want to be around me?"

Tears had started to form in my eyes. I wasn't crying for only myself, but also for Zane. He had to stop thinking of the past.

"My mind is still fixated on all the crap I did to you. I wish I could rewind time and slap some sense into myself. I would have stopped all this mess, and I wouldn't have stayed thirteen long years without you."

My heartbeat increased with every word that Zane spoke. The tears also kept on flowing.

"Z-Zane..." I hiccupped. "I want you to forgive yourself."

Zane shook his head as he too began crying. I moved towards him and held onto his shoulders. I grabbed them and forced him to stare into my eyes.

"Look. It wasn't easy to forgive all of you. Honestly, I don't know if I truly have."

"Emery--"

"Forgive yourself, Zane. I want things to be okay between us. All the shit you did to me was of the past."

"Emery--"

"Everyone deserves chances. I know you regret what you did. I may not be able to forget it, but you can make up for all of it."

"H-How?" Zane asked as he wiped the tears from his eyes. I walked forwards and embraced him in a hug. He did not return it, and I understood.

"I want us to hang out together," I whispered in his ear. "I want to know the person you currently are. I want to be friends with you. I want to know the true version of you that cares so much about me. But for that to happen, I want you to forgive yourself."

I retracted the hug and faced Zane. He had closed his eyes, not daring to look at me. 

"Think about what I've told you," I said before I started making my way towards the door. 

I didn't think continuing my stay would help matters. Zane needed to ponder over my words. Hopefully, he would get over our past and then we could focus on the present.

 

Chapter 15

 

Three weeks later

Zane's P.O.V

"So far, it has been three weeks. I am glad to say that you have been making progress," my therapist congratulated me with a smile. I smiled back at him as I sunk into the comfortable sofa, feeling glad about the report.

"Thank you, Charles," I replied. 

I was in a therapeutic room with Emery's previous therapist, Doctor Charles. After Emery visited me and told me how she wanted things to be okay between us, I found myself sorrowful and still unworthy of being around her. I questioned myself and began wondering if what I believed was true. 

That was then the idea of seeing Doctor Charles came to mind.

He didn't mind my unexpected visit, and he was willing to help me with my emotional problems. I told him of my current situation with Emery, and we came up with a plan comprising of hourly sessions that would be done three times a week. He also advised me to stay away from objects and people that could trigger the past. That included my former bandmates, Erick, Selena, Elizabeth, and Emery. 

I told the guys of my therapy sessions, and they were okay with it; they agreed to keep their distance to help with my recovery.

As a surprise, Charles had told me that my former bandmates also went to him for therapy when Emery was still in the mental institution. He suspected I had the same problems as they did, and that made me feel more comfortable around him.

At first, Charles concentrated with the bullying I did to Emery. I always thought I did it because I thought it was fun. I believed I was nothing but a jerk, but Charles proved me wrong. He had me examine every part of my teenage life, discovering the hidden anger issues with my family and friends. That had played a part in making me a bully. My father had been caught cheating, and he had left before I enrolled in high school. I was furious with what he did. I wanted to expel the emotions in me, and I, unfortunately, did so on Emery. Charles also talked about the feelings I evidently still had for Emery. He also told me that my love for her could have played a part in the bullying I did.

The talk about the abuse had made me angry and sad with myself. I had spent the past therapy sessions with Charles as he tried to make me come to terms with what I did and how I felt in high school. I didn't think it was important, but apparently, it was. 

Weeks later, I came to understand and accept everything I did in high school.

At the current time, Charles was going to ask me something somewhat expected.

"On our previous sessions, we focused on your teenage years and the emotions you felt and wrongly vented on other people. Zane, Emery told me of how you and your friends used to bully her. I helped her get over it, and I told her that you and the rest of the guys had issues in your lives."

I was surprised that Charles was bringing up the past, but it did not hurt like last time. I believed that Emery had forgiven me, and I was trying to make up for every bad thing I did to her. I still had the thoughts that I was not worthy of being her friend or lover, and I guessed Charles was going to talk about that.

"Zane, how did you react when Emery returned to Crystalia?" Charles asked. The answer was obvious to the both of us, but I guessed he wanted me to voice it out. I couldn't because tears were threatening to leave my eyes.

"Let's talk about Bianca," he said once I didn't reply to his query.

"Charles--" I spoke despite the heavy weight in my heart.

"I'm doing this for your own good. I need you to tell me about Bianca, from the moment you met until the moment she was imprisoned."

I sighed before slowly talking about everything that happened around the questioned period. It was hard to relive all the mistakes I had done: yelling and cursing at Emery, not being on her side as she was being escorted by the police, and, worst of all, not believing her when she told everyone about Bianca. I was also angry with myself because I was still in love with Emery and I was using Bianca to get over the love I had for her. But that did not turn out so well because I still loved Emery.

"I can understand the whole dream Erick had and how all the evidence pointed to Emery, even though she didn't do anything. Zane, what I'm picking up is that you wanted Emery to be wrong. You wanted her to be the bad guy."

"I did," I replied.

"Why?"

The tears flowed from my eyes. I quickly wiped them off with the left sleeve of my shirt and took a deep breath.

"I still had feelings for her, and that was bad for me. I wanted to get rid of them by falling for Bianca. It didn't work. I still loved Emery even though I was under the impression that she would turn evil. At times, I even found myself believing Emery's words were true about Bianca. There was an interview we had where Emery exposed a guy who had hacked her Twitter account and was using it to post awful things about the Ordinary Brothers. I didn't want to believe it because... because..."

"If she was right about that, then she was right about everything else," Charles replied with a sympathetic stare. I looked at the floor as I hugged my head between my thighs, vigorously shaking it in regret.

"She was right about everything else," I said with a sarcastic smile as tears kept flowing. "I looked like a complete asshole. I had made the biggest mess in my entire life, and I did not know how to fix it. How can I correct every bad thing I did to her?"

"You can't," Charles said. I smiled despite the tears, finding myself stuck in the same shithole after Emery exposed Bianca.

"And if you're thinking about killing yourself, it will not do you any good," I winced, remembering what I had tried to do years ago, but Charles ignored it. "You will just end up making everyone who loves you grieve and wonder why you left. Some might blame themselves for your death, and unsurprisingly, the memories of what you did will stay with you, and you will be doomed to spend eternity with them. But Zane, you can show everyone, especially Emery, that you can be a good guy. You don't have to let the past affect you so much. I talked and helped Emery with her version of what you told me, and now, she has gotten over it. She wants everything to be okay between the two of you. You are making that hard by blaming yourself and relieving the awful past the two of you shared."

I had stopped crying and was staring at my therapist.

"Zane, you love Emery, and I believe she loves you."

"I doubt that."

"The heart does not forget that easily," Charles persisted. "She may still love you. You have to stop regretting the past and focus on your future, the future you would want to share with Emery."

My heart thudded as an image popped into my mind once Charles finished speaking. I saw myself with Emery, smiling with happiness as we kissed. I also saw myself in a wedding venue, seeing the woman I love approaching me in her white gown. My mind went further with a vision of me entering a house and finding Emery on a couch with her protruding stomach.

A family and children.

I never thought I would find myself picturing that. I was suddenly happy. I smiled as I thought of making that future become a reality. I wanted to be the best for Emery, and I wanted her to be completely mine.

What if she doesn't love you back?

My smile immediately turned into a frown. It would be hard if Emery did not share the feelings I had for her, but I would try to accept it. My heart clenched as a thought of Emery with another guy entered my mind. 

If that were to happen, I would have to try to be happy for her. I would try to make the rest of her days filled with joy, laughter and happiness. Emery deserved that and much more.

***********************************************************************************************

Emery's P.O.V

A knock sounded on my door. I walked away from the dining room, heading towards the origin of the sound. I swiftly opened it, surprised to see Ethan and Liam in front of me. They had both worn heavy clothing since it was still winter in Crystalia. The sky was cloudy, and luckily, it was not snowing.

"Hey!" I greeted them with a wavering smile. I was worried that something was wrong.

"Hi, Emmy," Ethan replied. I lost my smile.

"Call me Emery. You'll give everyone the impression that my name is Emma," I said as I moved back, letting Ethan and Liam enter the house.

"So, what brings you guys here?" I asked, walking towards the dining room. Ethan and Liam were following me. They shrugged off their heavy clothing as they took seats around the dining room table. I checked that the heater was running before I went to the fridge that was in the kitchen.

"Need anything?" I questioned.

"We're good," Liam replied. I shrugged my shoulders, taking out the box of mixed fruit juice that was in the refrigerator. I walked around, looking for a glass.

"We wanted to see if you would like to hang out with us," Ethan said, and that made me pause. I furrowed my eyebrows as I turned to face the two.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, Crystalia has changed in the past years. You haven't been here in a long time, and you are considered a guest."

"Are you offering to take me out?" I was still surprised. "No offense, but don't you guys have anything else to do?"

"Erick and Selena are busy with royal stuff. You know with Selena's coronation in a few weeks," Liam said. I nodded my head in remembrance.

Selena was about to become Queen. Elizabeth was retiring, and her ruling title was going to be passed onto Selena. Elizabeth told me she was happy she was retiring because the job was a bit tasking at times. She also warned me not to tell Selena. I wanted to know how tasking a job as a Queen could be because very few people lived in Crystalia. 

We weren't even a thousand!

"Logan is still in school. You know he is the substitute music teacher at the school Zane teaches," Ethan informed, and I nodded again. Zane had told Erick that he had been seeing Charles. He told Erick that he needed a clear head and a break from everyone to help him. Erick spread the news to the rest of us, and we were willing to help wherever we could.

"I miss Zane," Liam suddenly said.

"I miss him too," I said before taking a quick gulp of my juice. "I hope we don't have to stay away from him for so long."

"I don't think we do," Liam stated. "Charles spoke to Erick, and Erick told me that Zane is making progress. Looks like we don't have to keep away from him for so long."

"Really?" I said, with a little bit of too much enthusiasm. Liam and Ethan gave me weird looks.

"What?" I inquired with a furrow of my eyebrows.

"You still have a crush on him, don't you?" Ethan said, making me drop my jaw in shock.

"What? Who told you that?"

"Selena and Ashley, but it's okay. He feels the same for you."

"Ethan, I don't have feelings for him, and he doesn't have feelings for me."

"Keep lying to yourself..." I thought that was what Liam trailed off in a whisper.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said before clearing his throat. "So, are we heading out?"

 

Chapter 16

 

Emery's P.O.V

"So, where are we going?" I decided to break the silence minutes after we had left my house. We were walking towards the right, the direction that was opposite the castle. There were a few scattered leafless trees that had a bit of snow on them. 

I had never been on that side of the area.

"We don't know," Liam said, and that had me suddenly stopping. Liam and Ethan continued walking, and that baffled me.

"What do you mean 'you don't know'? Aren't you the ones who said I needed to be shown around?"

Ethan started laughing, earning a playful glare from Liam.

"Fine. Where do you want to go?" Liam asked. I blinked my eyes in confusion at him.

"I don't know. I'm a guest," I said, making Ethan laugh harder.

"How is that funny?" I questioned Ethan, who replied with more laughter. I shook my head as a smile took over my features.

"There's the city," Liam spoke while pointing at something behind me just as Ethan's laughter started dying down. "There is also the Joshalia forest, and then there is the mountain."

"What mountain?"

"Oh, yeah. I meant to say those mountains," Liam said as he pointed a finger towards the Crystalia mountains. I widened my eyes in shock and disbelief.

"Since when? Isn't it cold enough down here, and isn't that area forbidden?"

"Emery, you destroyed all erboons! That area is free for anyone to pass through without worrying about being snatched from the ground."

Oh, right.

I smiled.

"So I take it you want to go to the mountains?" Liam questioned as he squatted on the ground, placing his hands above the snow. In an instant, the snow was blasted from the ground and sent towards every direction, revealing a round glassy surface that glowed blue on the sides, emitting stardust.

"What is that?" I asked in amazement.

"Well, witches have been working in the past years to revolutionize magic. This is like a flying carpet; the only difference is that we plant our feet on it and use our minds to control it. Currently, we are trying to find ways to talk to the dead."

I blinked my eyes in shock at Liam.

"Okay, but not through evil. We wouldn't want to sell our souls to evil spirits or something."

Crystalia had really advanced in the past years. Not only had it improved urban-wise, but it had also improved on the magic sector.

Ethan copied Liam's previous actions, touching his hands on the ground as he formed his own... whatever. I had no idea of its name.

"What do you call it?" I was curious to know more about it.

"We don't know. It has some complex chemical name, but we call it a flysbee."

"Flysbee?"

"It looks like a Frisbee and it can fly."

Crystalia really needed to work on its naming process. I hoped flysbee had not caught up with everyone. However, I had a feeling that everyone had already accepted the name.

I watched as Ethan and Liam climbed onto their, uhm, flysbees. I was new to it, and so I was frightened of trying to fly on either one of them. They turned to face me.

"Aren't you going to hold onto one of us?" Ethan asked just as he and Liam were brought up by the flysbee. They were soon hovering above me as they stared down at me.

"I think I'll be okay with flying." I did not want to risk falling off of those things. Liam and Ethan didn't falter on the levitated flysbees, and it showed that they had mastered using them.

Ethan and Liam shrugged before they went high and swiftly flew towards the direction of the mountains. I was surprised and annoyed that they had taken off so quickly without giving me a notice. With narrowed eyes, I levitated up in the air and tried to catch up with them.

The air was cold, almost freezing my face. I could hardly breathe it, and I had to teleport and tie a scarf around my nose. I was glad that I had gotten out with my weather gear or else the cold would have been hitting other places.

I looked below me and saw that the trees, bare of any leaves, were passing me in a blur. The ground was covered in snow. I took a peek on my right, spotting with surprise that one of the Crystalia rivers were still flowing.

I managed to catch up to Liam and Ethan. The mountain was slightly larger from where we were but still a bit far, meaning we all had a lot of distance to cover.

Some time passed. The mountain was larger by then, and I realized we were close.

"Aren't you frightened?" Ethan asked me. I had no clue of what he meant. "About flying. How can you be in the air without anything to support you? How are you not afraid of heights?"

I gave out a low chuckle. "Trust me, I was. That was before Josh came into my life and helped me get better control of my life."

"Who's Josh?" Liam asked.

I went to reply, but he stopped me. "Oh! Nevermind."

Thank goodness. It had been years, but I was still sad that the former crystal had to go back to heaven... I think that is what he said. Also, I had been around Josh during the time I wanted to avoid everyone who had betrayed me.

"I do mind. Who is he?" Ethan asked. I went to speak, but Liam beat me to it.

"We haven't met him and we never got a chance. He's the guy who was sent by Elizabeth to bail Emery out of jail."

"What? Oh," Ethan spoke, and there was silence between us. I did not want us to bring up the past, especially since it made things awkward between us.

"So, how do you like it in Crystalia so far?" Liam inquired, and I was glad he changed the subject.

"It's perfect," I replied. "I have always loved the mountain scenery. The Joshalia forest makes the view better."

Liam smiled at me before facing forwards.

"We're here," he said, making me stop in shock. I staggered in the air, almost dropping onto the ground. I managed to gain back control of my powers, still holding myself up in the air.

Indeed, we had arrived. The mountain up close was larger than the thumb-sized version from my home. It was mostly covered in snow with the rough gray rocks barely visible. In fact, gray clouds were slowly gathering around the top and light snow was falling.

Liam, Ethan and I landed on the snow-covered rocks. Once I landed, my feet sank a little in the snow. I had already known that it was dangerous to even be there. Who knew how much snow had actually covered the rocky surface? Moreover, what were the chances of an avalanche happening?

"It's beautiful," Liam said. I turned around, noticing that he and Ethan were looking towards the direction we came. My eyes widened at the view in front of me. It was indeed beautiful.

The Joshalia forest began from the area near the castle towards the mountains. All I could see was white and patches varying between black and brown. I looked forwards, unable to notice Crystalia. The afternoon sky was blue with the sun in front of us. The sky was partially covered with gray clouds that originated from where the three of us stood, stopping around the area I believed Crystalia was. The ground away from the mountain had been partially darkened due to the shadows formed, and that still made the view look magnificent.

I spotted something glistening on my left. I turned to it, spotting the rivers that came from the mountains. One of them led towards Crystalia, and the other led towards unknown territory on the west. They looked like curved lines from where I stood.

"Can you believe how high we are?" Ethan questioned. I faced him, noticing his head was pointed downwards. I looked down, trying to see what he was observing. Something else caught my attention.

"Ethan!" I yelled his name as I quickly moved towards him. I grabbed a shoulder, pushing him back to the snow that seemed safer than the far ground below us. He moved back with the force and stared at me in confusion.

"What did you do that for? I could have fallen!" Ethan told me in disbelief.

"You were standing too close for your own good. Didn't want you to fall to your death."

Ethan said nothing, seeing that I was right. I turned my attention away from him and to the area behind me. I recalled what lay on the other side of the mountain. It once belonged to Eva, and I was curious to find out how it had turned out after all the past years. I began walking towards it.

"Emery? Where're you going?" Liam asked, but I ignored him. I walked to the high point of the mountain, almost slipping on the snow. The view of the other side slowly became visible as I climbed higher.

I came to a sudden halt as I saw all of it, and it shocked me.

"Is this normal?" I asked Liam and Ethan, hearing their feet approaching as they walked towards me.

"It is," Ethan said once he was next to me.

The other side, otherwise known as Eva's domain, was not affected by snow. The forest in front of me seemed the same. In fact, it seemed like it had grown denser over the years. Although weirdly, the side was being affected by heavy rainfall. Lightning flashed in front of me as thunder sounded through the area, making their vibrations known through. I moved back a foot as I observed my surroundings.

"Wow," I said. I thought that the ever-present stars were weird, but what I saw was the weirdest.

"This side, also known as Andreladia, is a bit different in times of climate. It's usually cold and rainy for most of the time," Ethan informed me.

"Andreladia?" I questioned.

Really, Erick? Joshalia, flysbee, and now Andreladia?

"Yes. Would you like to go see it?"

"Is there anyone living here?" I inquired.

"Yes," Liam said. My eyes blinked as I expressed my shock to Ethan and Liam.

"We grow our food here. There is a road some miles in front of us that circulates your left of the mountain, leading to a processing industry that is environmentally-friendly."

Crystalia continued to amaze me as I learned new improvements about it.

"Then there is another road that originates from the processing industries that lead to the city. Would you like to go visit some?"

"Let's go see the farms," I said. Ethan and Liam smiled at me.

"You may want to use a magical umbrella," Ethan said.

"What?" I asked just as I saw him emit stardust from his hands that went above him and Liam. The stardust formed a pale blue translucent cover above him.

"Another one of Crystalia's improvements," Liam explained as an answer to my shocked expression. He helped me form my own magical umbrella before he formed his. Then he and Ethan formed their flysbees. Soon, we were taking off towards the forest.

It was a good thing the 'umbrella' wasn't affected by the wind around us.

About five minutes later, Ethan, Liam and I had landed on a large plantation. It covered a very large field. It was still raining, and we still had our magical umbrellas. Ethan, Liam and I spent a long time touring the area. I was surprised and amazed with the changes Erick had included in Crystalia.

The plantation included flora that we could eat. That included vegetables and fruits. I was informed of a livestock ranch a mile away from the plantation, but none of us were too eager to go there.

At least I knew the means through which Crystalia was able to get food in winter.

Ethan, Liam and I had spent a lot of time in the field. We went around, asking for more information about the crops. One of the workers told us that the field was designed for irrigation purposes. In case there was no rain, they would use a large pipe that would suck water from one of Crystalia's rivers.

Hours later, Ethan, Liam and I had explored most of the area. By then, the rain had stopped, but the gray clouds were still around. We were flying, going towards Crystalia when I spotted a gray building below me. I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering how I couldn't have noticed it before going to land on the earth beside it.

I couldn't believe I didn't notice it. Maybe we had used a different route, or maybe it was because of the forest that was around. The building had been surrounded by brick walls that had an electrical fence. I looked at it in curiosity, and I quickly realized what it was.

It was a maximum security prison.

"Emery, there is no need to go in there," Liam said, almost shocking me to death. I also spotted Ethan looking at me with concern.

"When was this here?" I questioned. I never knew Crystalia had a prison.

"It never was. It was quickly created after you defeated Eva."

What Liam said made sense. Then I caught up on the last part of his sentence.

Eva.

I had not seen her in quite a long time. I didn't plan to see her anytime soon, or ever. Facing the prison made me curious to know how she had turned out over the past years.

"She's in there, isn't she?"

"Yep," Ethan replied, knowing exactly who I was talking about. "Look. You don't have to..."

I found myself changing my mind as I walked towards the entrance of the maximum-security prison, not listening to what Ethan was saying. The building looked like a normal prison building, but I knew it had different methods of imprisoning criminals.

I mean, we were witches! We could teleport, chant spells and form fireballs. A normal security prison would not be enough to hold us.

I heard feet behind me, and I knew that Liam and Ethan were following me. I passed the guards who were stationed at the open wired gate after going through the security procedures. I walked forwards and entered the main building.

I soon found myself in some kind of waiting room that definitely looked like some kind of hotel lobby. A large brown table was placed at the left where blue sofa seats surrounded it. A large flat-screen TV was placed on the right of the room with a blue couch below it.

In front of me was a large desk where a secretary was busy on the phone. Liam, Ethan and I approached her.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Yes. We're here to see Eva."

"No one is allowed to see her," the secretary replied.

"I'm the one who brought her here."

She looked at me with narrowed eyelids. Then she shrugged before handing Ethan, Liam and I some forms to fill.

Five minutes later, I found myself staring at a large clear window positioned at the center of the wall. I could see some bars that resembled prison gates. However, what garnered my attention was the woman on the other side of the room. 

"She can't see or hear us," Ethan said. The space on the other side looked like some kind of a padded psychiatric ward. Eva still looked the same as I had left her, except for her clothes. She had worn a long-sleeved gray shirt and gray trousers that definitely looked like pajamas. Her skin was as pale as usual. She had laid on the concrete ground, and it looked like she had fallen asleep. I spotted orange rocks placed around her, and I knew she was being kept in the cell because of the rocks' powers.

I did not know what possessed me to go see her. I thought it was because I needed to see for myself if the bitch was around. Seeing her confirmed my thoughts. 

I did not know how to feel about it. I was glad that the bitch was in her cell, but I was not happy that she was alive. I was also not happy that she was close to Crystalia. Would it have been bad if I wished she had died?

"Let's go, Emery," Ethan said. I took one long glance at Eva before nodding. I followed Ethan and Liam out of the room, glad that I was not the one in the cell.

 

Chapter 17

Eva's P.O.V

"Eva," someone spoke through the walls just as a plate of food was teleported in front of me. I got up from the floor and looked around, seeing no one and practically marveling at the kind of magic that had been used.

It had been like that ever since I was locked up. I recalled the first time I woke up in whatever prison the witches had placed me in. I was shocked, but anger took over and remained ever since then.

That crystal bitch brought me here! 

I had tried to get out, but I soon experienced a lot of pain that had me collapsing onto the ground. I couldn't get up for a while, and when I did, I looked for whatever it was that had stopped me from using my powers.

I spotted orange rocks that had been placed in the four corners of the room. I was doubtful at first before I tried to use my powers again, but the same pain came back. It was then that I noticed the orange rocks glowing until the pain in my form stopped.

It hadn't taken me long to realize they were caging my powers. 

I had to give it to them; Elizabeth and her family were smart.

I kept trying and trying, but nothing seemed to be working. I was stuck in the small wretched place with no way out of there. There was nothing that I could do, and so I started counting the days and hours in my mind. I had quickly lost count, and so I stayed there without an option.

Who knows how long I've been in here?

I grabbed the teleported plate and practically dug into the food.

The crystal thought she had outsmarted me. She thought she could get away with what she did to me.

I smiled as I thought of what I would do to her when I would escape. I planned to kill her family and friends. Certainly, that would bring her down. And then I would go after her, take pleasure in torturing her to death before going to take over the world.

The best part is that I would be the world's ruler for all eternity.

My gaze turned to the stones in front of me. If two of them could be destroyed, then I would be able to escape.

That was another thing. The witches thought the stones could keep me in the cell forever.

They were wrong.

Didn't they know that everything that was earthly could break down? More importantly, didn't they know that the rocks could lose their power?

I knew they didn't know, and so I began to form an escape plan. I knew the witches were determined to keep me locked up forever. Getting rid of the rocks would also take long, but that period seemed shorter compared to forever.

Time and time again, I would try to escape. The price would be dizziness, headaches and sometimes unconsciousness. However, the more I used my powers, the more the rocks would get weaker. One of the rocks had a particular crack that ran down through the half of it.

That one was as good as destroyed.

To my delight, no one seemed to notice! One more rock to continue breaking, and I would be freed from my prison. The moment I would be out, there would be hell to pay.

***********************************************************************************************

One week later

Emery's P.O.V

It had been another uneventful week for me. I had spent most of my time indoors either on YouTube or watching movies. I was also able to visit Erick, Justin, Selena and Ashley, but they were busy most of the time.

A knock sounded on my door, making me pause the movie I was watching. I sighed as I got up from the couch. 

It was still morning, and I wondered who it was that wanted to see me then. I opened the door and stood still in shock at the person in front of me.

It was Zane.

He was staring at me with those brown orbs of his, and I felt my heart clench with an emotion I wanted to push away. He had worn the same gray shirt I had seen him with at the grocery store with a pair of black denim jeans.

It had been a month ever since I saw him. I wouldn't lie if I said I missed him.

"Emery," he said my name as if he was in a daze. Or maybe it was my ears playing tricks on me.

"Zane... wow!" I said, still in surprise. "Is everything..." I trailed off, not wanting to pick up on his therapy sessions.

"Emery, it's okay. You don't have to feel bad about mentioning my counseling sessions. I believe I've gotten better. Doctor Charles has been a wonderful therapist."

I smiled at him.

"As a matter of fact, I'm done with counseling."

"Really?" my eyes shot up at the news.

"Yep," he replied with a smile.

"That's great!"

There was a moment of awkward silence that lasted a couple of seconds.

"Do you want me to come in or..." Zane trailed off. I realized we had been talking on the doorstep, and I felt myself blush in embarrassment.

"Oh, sure! Sorry," I moved back, allowing space for Zane to enter. He brushed past me, and I felt some form of electric shock run over my form.

Damn it!

Zane and I walked towards the room with the view leading to the castle. We sat on the couch, facing each other. I decided then to switch off the TV so I could focus on Zane.

"So, how have you been?" I questioned, and then I realized it was a mistake. Zane did not need to tell me how his therapy sessions had been.

"Bad at first, but things got better," Zane replied, much to my relief. I thought he was going to frown or give me a look of disappointment.

Wait. Why did I care if he did that?

"How about you?" he asked, bringing my focus back to him.

I told Zane about my mostly-boring month. Then I told him about the time I spent with Ethan and Liam visiting Andreladia.

"You have to agree that that is a weird name for a place," I told him.

"Actually, Erick wanted to name the place after his father."

I frowned in sadness, remembering how I was told of King Andrew's death. It had been a sad month in Crystalia. It took longer for us who were close to him to move on.

"Why call it Andreladia? Why not Andrewson or Andrew City?"

"Elizabeth wanted to make the area more formal," Zane said, using air quotes at the last word. I laughed out loud, earning a smile from him.

"Well, if Andreladia is formal, what about Joshalia?"

"Let's not even go there," Zane said as he chuckled. "I think they were too lazy to give names to the areas. Might as well give the children a laugh and create a job vacancy for naming places."

I laughed with Zane, noticing how he smiled and how his eyes lit up in front of me. We continued talking about random stuff.

"I'm bored," I said after spending some time talking to the hunk in front of me. 

Stop thinking like that, Emery! I chastised myself.

I had laid my head on one of the armrests. My legs were on the floor, and so it was an uncomfortable position. Zane playfully rolled his eyes at me.

"But you have been watching so many series," he said.

"Still bored," I replied, not even concerned with the irony of my situation.

"Okay. If you are so bored, then we could both get out for a while."

I immediately sat up on my chair.

"Where else could we go? I spent most of the month with Liam, Ethan, Ashley and my cousin."

"Who?"

"Selena," I replied, knowing he was confused about my cousin.

"Oh."

"Anyway," I continued, "I was given a tour around Andreladia and the city. I even stood on the Crystalia mountains last week."

"Emery, have you been to the forest?" Zane asked, earning a snort from me.

"Hell no. What if there are dangerous animals in there?"

Zane looked at me in disbelief.

"The dangerous animals are only located in the forest near Andreladia. The Joshalia forest only has birds, squirrels and sometimes deer."

I blinked in shock at Zane.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Why didn't anyone tell me that?"

"You didn't ask!"

I sighed.

"We can go now if you want," Zane said. "Oh! We could even have a picnic. I promise that you will love it."

I went along with Zane's plan. We headed towards the kitchen where we helped each other prepare a meal that we could eat outdoors. Ten minutes later, we were walking out of the house with a picnic basket in my hand.

"Let me carry that for you," Zane offered, taking the basket out of my hold as we went towards the forest that was currently filled with green.

Spring had come to Crystalia. The snow had melted to reveal large patches of growing green grass, and green leaves practically sprung out of the trees. As we walked, I heard the sounds of birds that I had no idea existed.

Zane and I headed towards the back of my house where I suddenly noticed the many trees that existed. They were currently what I could see from my bedroom window, and I had no idea if I should have felt safe about them. Zane had told me how safe it was, and so I wouldn't have to worry about man-eating creatures breaking through my window to eat me.

The sun had been beating down on us, and we were suddenly in the shades provided by the tree leaves. Crystalia was still cold, but it was a lot less cold than it was in winter.

All I could hear were the sounds of birds and the crunching of our feet on the grass.

"Zane, where are we going?" I questioned the person who did not bother turning to look at me when we were walking further into the forest. I guess he was focused.

"You'll find out," he replied.

"Where is it?"

"You'll know when we get there."

I decided to drop the subject, seeing that Zane was not going to answer my questions. Maybe he didn't even know where we were going. He said he knew some spot in the forest. What if it had disappeared? Was it even possible for Zane to forget this 'place'?

I wouldn't have blamed him if he did. If we were lost, it would have been a big issue if we were powerless. It made me glad I was a witch.

About thirty minutes filled with small conversations later, we arrived at a small clearing. The area was partially covered with trees, but what had my attention was one of the Crystalia rivers that was flowing on our right. A couple of flowers were growing on one of its sides, much to my astonishment.

"Oh my," I commented at the beautiful view in front of me. The trees encircled the clearing in the form of a 'C'. On the other side of the river, there seemed to also be another clearing before it disappeared within the many trees.

"It's beautiful."

"I know," Zane said as I felt his eyes on me. I turned to face him, and I thought I saw him move his head to face something on his left. May have been a trick of the eyes.

Or maybe...

No. I did not want raise any expectations of something that may not be true. I didn't want to hope because that would spare me the embarrassment of being turned down.

"I never knew this place existed," I said.

"It has been my private sanctuary. It's practically where I go to think and stuff."

"Wait. No one knows about this place?"

"No one but you," Zane stared deeply into my eyes. A warm feeling I quickly regretted ran through my form. I took a large gulp, fearing that I may lose control and melt in front of him. 

I couldn't believe Zane still had such an effect on me. What was worse was that they had grown stronger.

"Wow. Thank you," I had no idea how I found my voice, but I was glad I did not make a fool of myself. Zane smiled at me as he walked towards the basket.

About five minutes later, we had both sat on a blue-checkered blanket that covered a fraction of the clearing. We took out the meals we decided to bring for our lunch. They were comprised of chicken sandwiches, two apples, and four small boxes of juice.

By then, I was sure it was afternoon. Zane and I slowly ate our lunch as we talked about other stuff. 

"How many girlfriends have you had?" I asked, and I immediately regretted it. Zane coughed after I had asked. He looked at me in surprise.

"Nevermind," I said, wanting to end the awkward conversation.

"Four of them. You, unfortunately, know one of them," he said. "There was also Perrie, Gigi and Simone."

I nodded along, wanting the conversation to end.

"So, anything else interesting in your life that I should know about?"

Zane expressed a look of thought.

"None," he said, and we were back to silently eating. I glanced at Zane, noticing that his focus was on something beside me.

That made me frown, and I wanted to smack myself for wanting him to look at me.

We soon finished our lunch. Somehow, Zane and I found other things to talk about. It was okay until we started running out of things to talk about again. I had thought we were going to head to our own homes afterward. However, the former musician had a different plan.

"Do you have any plans for today?" he asked. I furrowed my eyebrows in thought.

"No," I replied. Zane smiled at me.

"Good. I was thinking we should go swimming."

I suddenly felt like Windows 7 running on 250 megabytes of RAM and a CPU of 500 megahertz. That is my way of saying that my brain momentarily stopped all processes.

Ah, the perks of being a computer scientist.

"What?" I questioned. Swimming with Zane...

My mind went back to the last time I had seen him. Zane's shirtless torso had been visible for me to see and it had affected me a lot. I feared that if I saw him without a shirt again, I would lose it.

"There is a river right there," Zane said, motioning to the river that was on my right.

"Zane..."

"You don't know how to swim, do you?"

"I do know how to swim!"

"Well then, what is stopping you from doing so?" Zane asked as he reached his shirt. I went to speak before he did anything else, but I was too late.

He quickly tugged off his gray shirt. Zane had not worn anything underneath, and all I could see was his naked torso. I could only stare at his form. The lighting in the area did nothing to hide his handsomeness. His light pectorals were out, casting small shadows at the start of his defined abs. The muscles of his arms bulged as he moved, and his abs clenched as he bent to reach his trousers. 

Zane looked like a piece of art. I wanted to put frosting on him and lick them away.

The image came into my mind, and I felt momentarily lightheaded. My heart was beating faster, and I felt a sensation in between my legs. It was some kind of throb, and I could have sworn I felt something wet in between my legs.

It made me feel weird.

My eyes focused on Zane as he reached for his trousers. He quickly tugged them off. He was soon left in a pair of white boxers that hugged his thighs and... crotch.

I had to look away before I embarrassed myself.

Seconds later, there was a loud splash.

"Well, are you going to join me or what?" Zane asked as he roamed around the river, looking at me with a daring smile.

I had to act normal. It was just a swim.

With a sigh, I quickly tugged off my own clothes, only leaving the bra and panties I had bought. Out of all the things I expected to do with Zane, swimming was the least of them.

I jumped into the river, the water splashing as I dived in. The water was cold, but it was not cold enough to have me swimming back to dry land. I took my time to feel the river's coolness invade my form, and seconds later, I swiftly got up to take a lungful of air. Wiping the droplets from my eyes, I looked around in search for Zane. I spotted him a few feet in front of me, splashing as he went around the water.

I shrugged, deciding to just have fun. We didn't talk, but it wasn't awkward. We were too busy enjoying the river, laughing as we swam in the water. 

It was honestly the best fun I'd had in a while.

I had been under the water, observing my surroundings. For a moment, I pretended I was Ariel from the Little Mermaid. I didn't dare speak because that would require me to breathe and would quickly deplete the oxygen that was being absorbed into my blood. 

I looked around, noticing that the river was not that deep. It was around the height between two floors, leaving space for someone to kick their legs.

I swam back up, taking another lungful of air.

"Zane?" I called out as I wiped the water from my eyes again. I had gained no answer. I frowned, looking around for the guy. He wasn't up on the water. The only things I could hear were the birds in the air and the flowing river, including the sounds I made as I moved about searching for Zane.

My eyes widened as I thought of the horrible things that could have happened to him. I knew we shouldn't have gone into the river! What if he had drowned?

But then, didn't he tell me he knew how to swim?

Suddenly, something grabbed my leg. Before I could scream, I was dragged back into the water. I looked around with wide eyes, spotting Zane looking at me with a smirk. It seemed like he wanted to laugh. I narrowed my eyelids in annoyance, swimming after him. He quickly went up to the air, and I followed.

"I'm sorry!" Zane yelled as he laughed, not sounding sorry at all. He kept on swimming around as I chased him, splashing water towards him.

"I was worried about you!" I shouted back. Zane kept laughing, still swimming. After a while, I realized I couldn't reach him. He was faster than I was. 

An idea soon formed in my mind. With a smirk, I swam back inside the river. 

I opened my eyes, quickly spotting his legs. I swam towards him, ducking under his dangling feet.

They were being turned sideways, and I guessed he was looking for me.

With a victorious smile, I pounced.

Zane screeched as I jumped onto him. My legs wrapped around his waist for support as he began pushing me. I laughed at him as he noticed that it was me. He gave me a frown, but I didn't care. I still laughed.

Zane rolled his eyes at me with a smile before wrapping his arms around my back. Immediately, the laughter stopped.

I had not noticed the predicament we were in until then. Zane's arms were around my torso, his biceps clenching and pressing onto my sides. My legs were around him, and the heels of my feet were pressing onto the area close to his ass. 

I looked up, staring at Zane's brown orbs. They seemed to have gotten darker. My breath hitched, and I felt undecipherable emotions going through my body.

My gaze turned to Zane's pink lips, and I pictured myself kissing them. 

For a moment, I thought I would slip. This forced me to wrap my legs tighter around his waist. Zane was still holding onto me, and his gaze was piercing my head. I felt heat travel from my form, going to my core. My heart beat faster if possible, and I felt my nipples harden like beads.

It was weird. I only experienced the hardening nipples when I was in the shower. I shifted a bit, suddenly gasping at the sensations that went to my core. Something hot was pressed against my form, rubbing at my sensitive nipples. But how could that be?

I looked down, noticing that I was braless and that I was shamelessly pressing my breasts on Zane.

 

A.N: The next chapter is Rated R. Skip to Chapter 18 if you wish :)

 

Chapter 17B

Read the Author's Note!

Read the Author's Note!

 

 

 

Read the Author's Note!

 

 

Author's Note: This chapter contains scenes of sexual nature. In fact, this applies to every chapter that will follow with a 'B' in it. Please skip such chapters if you feel uncomfortable with such themes. Enjoy!

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At the moment, I felt my nipple pebble further against Zane's flesh. The light hairs on his torso were not helping matters as they continued to tickle the tips. 

I felt myself blush as I looked up to stare at Zane. Much to my surprise, he seemed to be frozen. In fact, he was looking at me with his brown orbs having darkened. There was a strong emotion in them, and the only moments I had ever seen that was when he was angry or passionate about something.

Oh crap. Was he going to yell at me?

That thought had me worried. I mean, I wouldn't blame him. What kind of person doesn't tighten their bra around their boobs?

I bit my lower lip as I thought of what to do. Hopefully, we could make the situation less awkward than it already was. 

I heard a tortured sound, and that had my eyes snapping to Zane. He was in the process of moving his head towards me. 

I was not prepared for the sudden contact of his lips on mine.

I gasped on instinct just as a sensation that felt like electricity began running through my form. For a moment, I felt goosebumps on my skin. My body felt suddenly hot even though we were in the river. It spread everywhere, making me aware of every part of my body. 

Zane's lips rubbed against mine, the friction delicious and making me lose my focus. He hummed as he continued to kiss me.

I was surprised by what was happening. A part of me urged to push him away, but most of my form was busy experiencing his touch.

There was a lot of unexpected pleasure in kissing Zane. It accidentally came out as a moan, and I felt myself blush in response. I decided then to push my thoughts away.

Zane was controlling the kiss, and our lips made light sounds as it continued. 

I earned a groan from him as his arms tightened around me, bringing my form closer to his. The vibrations of the sound spread through my form, and I felt tingles everywhere. I even felt them on my breasts, and with the way they were currently pressed against Zane's chest, it didn't cool down my pebbled nipples. 

Zane shifted me slightly in his hold. My nipples rubbed against his chest once again. It was then that I realized a feeling starting from the pebbled nubs and ending at the space between my legs. 

Zane's hands moved around my form as he kissed me. He caressed my exposed back while his other hand grabbed my ass. He squeezed, earning a gasp from me as he urged me forward, trying to bring us closer as if there was space left between us. I had no option but to press myself against him, gasping when my nipples trailed against his hard chest and moaning when I felt something hard press against my crotch.

Zane continued kissing me, his lips touching mine and molding as if it were a puzzle piece. His hands moved higher, and it didn't take long for the fingers to delve into my hair. His kiss turned hungry, seeking more of my mouth. 

The sensation between my legs increased. My arms tightened around his exposed muscular back.  

Zane continued kissing me, and after a while, I felt like it was not enough. It was as if he knew because I soon felt him opening his mouth. A set of teeth gently bit my lower lip. It had taken me by surprise, and so I opened my mouth in a gasp. Zane took that as an invitation to drive his tongue in.

For a moment, I wasn't sure of what to do. I soon moved my tongue against his, bucking at the sudden onslaught of sensations that took over my form. I rubbed my tongue against his, trying to match his speed. 

Zane was skilled and moving quickly. His tongue caressed mine and twirled it in his own mouth, making it hard for me to breathe. The sensations from his lips and tongue made my body feel hotter. Zane moved his lips and tongue faster against mine.

I shuddered as I felt his tongue deliciously rub against mine once again. I think I even moaned a bit.

The kiss went on for a bit until he moved his lips away from mine. I gasped in air, feeling that my lips were full, but that was stopped when I felt teeth at the juncture between my neck and shoulder.

"Emery," Zane groaned against my neck, quickly using his teeth to tug at the skin. He had found a bundle of nerves that had me twisting in his hold.

My hands grasped on Zane's hair, earning a groan from him. He didn't stop with the teeth, and I found myself mewling each time I felt pleasure shoot to my core. Zane's hold tightened around my form, bringing me closer to him. 

A moment later, he stopped. Zane moved his mouth back on mine, and I moaned once again when his tongue found mine. The hands that were on my back started moving to the front. Fingers soon caressed my stomach. Zane stopped kissing me, moving his lips along my cheek.

"Emery..." he moaned my name as he kissed my neck. His lips left pleasurable heat everywhere he kissed me. 

The hands that were on my torso started moving up. 

Oh no.

My breath quickened when I felt Zane tenderly grasp my breasts. 

At that moment, I realized they felt heavy. The heat from his hands made me realize how there was also heat in my breasts. They felt full, and with the way I was aware of them, there was no doubt of their sensitivity. My nipples were standing out, erect from all the kissing and touching I was doing with Zane. 

I looked at Zane, noticing he was looking at my breasts with a heated look. What was going on in his mind? Were my breasts ugly? Did they look weird to him?

"Zane!" I shouted when I felt his fingers on my nipples. His calloused fingers rubbed the tips, and the contact sent heat to my core. Something pulsed in my pussy, and I felt a sudden heat on the area.

I reached out to grasp Zane's shoulders. All the while, Zane was staring intently at my bosom. I went to speak again, but two fingers captured each nipple. The contact made me moan, and I was bucking when he started playing with them.

Zane rubbed the teats in between his fingers. Each time, I felt electricity run through my form and end up at my core. I threw my head back in a moan, moving closer to Zane as he continued to tease me.

"You look so hot, Emery," he suddenly said. I was barely thinking enough to feel embarrassment over what he had said. He kept rubbing my nipples, making me mewl each time.

"Fuck," he commented, leaving the nipples to gently squeeze each breast. I almost shot up from the action.

"So sensitive," he commented, moving to kiss my shoulder. He lowered his head, each time leaving a scorching feeling on my skin. I shuddered each time, wanting him to touch me everywhere.

Seconds later, his mouth was under my left breast. I felt his breath on it, and it had barely grazed my nipple. He kissed the underside, moving up and around my breast. He avoided my nipple, choosing to suck and gently tug at the skin he found. 

It almost made me cry in frustration. 

Zane moved to the unattended breast, and he did what he did to my left breast. He hummed every once in a while. The vibrations went to my nipple, but it was not enough.

"Zane!" I whined, realizing that I wanted his mouth on me. 

He had heard me, and his mouth was soon hovering over my left nipple. I felt the hot air breathing on it, and it had me moving closer to Zane. One of his lips teased the tip, rubbing it sideways. I grasped Zane's back, wanting him to put it in his mouth.

His mouth soon covered my nipple. I moaned at the relief and pleasure I felt.

Zane's mouth was a warm cavern over my breast. He breathed hot air on it before he tightened his lips around my nipple. He groaned as he sucked it in. His lips rubbed it back and forth, making strong sensations shoot to my core. He gently pulled the nipple back with his lips, humming as he did so.

I was a moaning mess, pressing myself closer to him. 

His teeth and tongue soon joined in.  His teeth grazed the nub, raking across the tip and soon tugging it into his mouth. His hot saliva had coated the tit, and it sent pleasure all over my form.  

Zane groaned as he rolled the nipple with his teeth. His tongue then made an appearance, lapping at the nub and rolling it around in his mouth. His lips soon tightened around the nipple, and he sucked it while his tongue played with the tip. 

I was moaning, and other sounds started coming from me when one of his hands reached for my unattended breast. He squeezed it, and it didn't take him long to tend to the nipple. I felt a finger caress around it before two others joined. They clutched the nub, rolling it in between them and tugging them back. A fingernail soon grazed the tip of the nipple, making me scream in pleasure. The pressure in between my legs was increasing as he did this.

Zane moaned in my breast, and the feeling starting at my core threatened to overtake me. In fact, the pulsing feeling I felt was strong then. My heartbeat had surged, and I was afraid of what would happen.

"Zane... I'm... I'm going to..." I didn't know how to explain it to him. The feeling in my crotch had increased, and it was threatening to overtake me. He should have taken my words as a signal for him to stop, but he didn't. In fact, he switched his mouth to my other nipple and started sucking furiously. He tugged with his lips and teeth, humming and groaning while he did so. The one he had sucked was trapped in his fingers once again, being pulled and rolled.

I tried to squeeze my legs to stop the feeling, but Zane's form blocked me from doing so. In fact, something hard was still poking against my crotch.

Soon, I felt the walls of my cunt continuously squeeze at nothing. The sensation between my legs suddenly overtook me without notice. I cried out as my vision was immediately blocked by a haze of white light. I shook in Zane's hold as I felt something spill out of my crotch. My abs clenched as the feeling continued to wash over me, making me moan again. 

After some time, once the feeling had ended, I was able to focus on my surroundings. Zane had stopped tending to my nipples, and he was looking at me in awe.

"Emery, did you just come?" Zane exclaimed. During the intense pleasure I had felt, I had momentarily forgotten he was still with me. I would have moved, but his hands had caged themselves around my back.

"What?" I asked him, clearly not understanding him. His brown orbs were still dark. His form moved, and it was then that I noticed he was breathing heavily.

"Fuck!" he said before smashing his lips against mine again. The kiss had taken me by surprise, but I didn't hesitate to reciprocate it. 

Zane wasn't slow at that time. He was quick to open my mouth and ravish it.

The pleasure I had felt quickly returned at the feel of his lips.

"You don't know what I mean, do you?" Zane roughly asked. I shifted in his hold, gasping when I felt something hard press against my cunt.

"You just had an orgasm, Emery," Zane continued, kissing my neck. "You just came. All from my mouth and hands on your breasts."

His words instantly clicked in my brain. Before I could say anything, his lips found my nipple again.

I cried out, holding his head towards my breast. I was surprised by how I was acting. Zane had told me I just had an orgasm. I thought it would take time to start feeling another one coming, but my nipples tingled with the attention Zane was giving them. My core was heating up again, and my cunt walls were squeezing at nothing. 

"Look at you. So beautiful, so sexy, and so horny," Zane stated while one of his hands moved to my back. It was then that I felt it grasp the hem of my panties.

I gasped at the sensation of his hand. It quickly dug into my panties, caressing my ass.

"So gorgeous," Zane said while his hand moved downwards. My breathing started picking up again. His other hand joined too, and they both grasped my hips. Zane guided me to open my legs wider to him. He moved closer to me, pushing his hips so that they could press against mine.

I soon felt fingers cover my cunt. I gasped at the feeling, not knowing whether to accept or escape the pleasure. 

"You're hot for me," he said, quickly lowering to grasp a nipple in his teeth. I mewled, bucking into his mouth as he continued to torture the teat. The hand that was under my panties moved forward, parting the lips of my cunt. The feel of his fingers on my cunt increased the heat in my core.

"Zane..." I trailed off in worry, but he just groaned in pleasure. His fingers had parted my lips, and it was then that I felt one entering my cunt. It felt long, and my walls clenched on it on instinct. I gasped when I felt tingles run through my form.

"Your pussy is tight," Zane groaned on my nipple, moving his finger deeper into my cunt. I gasped at the intrusion, astonished by it and by the fact that I was heating up again.

One of Zane's fingers, possibly his thumb, found a nub that was near the lips of my cunt. He tapped it once, and I felt pleasure rake through me. I moaned out loud, my form shaking in Zane's hold.

"That's right, Emery," Zane said as he looked at me, the finger that was in my cunt pushing out. He quickly pushed back in, and he started moving it along the walls. He felt around, but it was still enough to have me mewling and bucking for him. It was as if he was looking for something.

What was he trying to--

My thoughts were cut off when a moan escaped my lips. Zane's finger had pressed against something that had me curling my toes. For a moment, I could have sworn he smirked against my breast.

Zane pushed the finger out, and it didn't take him long to push it back in. He had turned it at an angle that hit the spot that sent heat throughout my form.

"Zane!" I mewled and moaned his name. From that point, Zane started a rhythm that continued adding the hear in my core.

He went to suck on my other nipple as he looked at me with heat in his eyes. The muscles in his arm were pronounced as the finger moved around my core, the water around us splashing as he did so.

In. Out. In. Out.

Without fail, Zane kept hitting my pleasure spots. At one point, after he had pushed out the finger, he surprised me by adding another one.

I thought it wouldn't fit in. I was right, but when his thumb found my clit again, I felt pleasure. Somehow, that had helped in opening my cunt further for the digits. His fingers entered me again, still maintaining the angle that kept hitting my pleasure spot.

I bent my head towards Zane, moaning and making undecipherable sounds on his neck as he kept banging me with his fingers.

Something was building up inside me again. I was getting close to it, but then, Zane retracted his fingers. 

I mewled in protest, wanting him to continue. It was then that I noticed he was shifting. The water splashed around us as he moved me towards him, his fingers opening the lips of my pussy.

It was then that I felt something that was hot; it was hard and hot while it pressed against my opening.

I moaned out loud, realizing it was his penis.

Somehow, Zane had shifted the angle, and he started thrusting his cock against my pussy. I mewled and moaned at the contact. 

Zane's hips pistoned against mine, sending water splashing around us. Each thrust kept hitting the nub that made me shudder in pleasure. My walls contracted in pleasure.

"Zane!" I grasped his shoulders as he took the nearest nipple in his mouth. At the same time, he continued rubbing his cock against my pussy. It left my form shaking, and I felt my release closing up.

"Zane... I'm, I'm..." I couldn't finish the thought. Zane shifted again, and I started feeling his cock harshly press against my pussy lips while the head kept hitting the nub. My eyes closed on their own accord when I felt another orgasm begin.

"ZANE!" I yelled out as I felt my walls clench around nothing. Zane groaned my name, still moving his hips against mine as he shuddered. His cock kept pressing against my crotch as white light danced across my vision again. Just then, I felt something hot and wet gush out of my pussy.

Zane's cock slowly rubbed against my pussy lips until he stopped. 

The pleasure soon reached its end, and our forms had stopped shaking. Zane and I were breathing heavily as we tried to bring our focus back to our surroundings. My head was on his bare chest as his arms tightened around my form.

We stayed in silence, enjoying the sounds of the river and of the birds in the air. It was then that everything we had done came crashing into me.

I quickly got off Zane's embrace, and he looked like someone had kicked him. 

"Oh my--" I couldn't finish the sentence as I made my way towards the grass.

"Emery, it's okay," Zane said. I didn't look at him as I quickly looked around for my shirt. I spotted it along with my jeans. With a quickness I never knew I had, I wore my clothes.

"Emery--" Zane went to speak, but I had to cut him off. I had no idea of what to tell him, and I needed space away from him to figure out what to do after what we had just done.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. There are some things I have with Selena and Ashley."

It was a lie, and I guessed that Zane also knew that.

"Emery--"

"Maybe we can talk later?" I said just as I turned to face Zane, only coming to regret that decision. Zane was standing on the river, naked. His hair was disheveled and plastered against his forehead with water droplets flowing across his form. They were moving down his pecs and his abs. They even trailed downwards, and that was when I saw his cock. It had been erect, and it was in the process of going down.

I felt a sudden bout of arousal take over my form.

I felt my cheeks turn red, and I quickly turned to run. Once I was at a distance where Zane couldn't see me, I teleported to my house.

 

Chapter 18

 

Emery's P.O.V

A day had passed after I had awkwardly left Zane in the river. Ashley, my cousin and I were in the castle, having been invited for dinner by Elizabeth. The three of us were in the main study room while we waited for the others to arrive. 

 "No. Way," Selena commented after I had told Ashley and her about the afternoon I had spent with Zane.

A pleasant shudder went through me as I remembered what had happened once again. Zane had shown me things I never expected to have felt in my body. Even though we didn't have sex, what we had done was close to it.

His hands, his lips... I had experienced my first two orgasms with Zane. What frightened me was that I wanted more.

"So, did you feel his cock pressing against you?" Ashley asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"Ashley!" I chastised the blonde who just replied with a shrugging wave of her hand.

"You already told us how you felt. What about him? How did he react? Did he say something dirty to you?"

I contemplated before saying, "Yes."

Ashley and Selena shrieked as if I had told them something exciting.

Actually, it kind of was. My first true sexual experience.

"Emery, Zane has the hots for you," Selena said.

"No, he doesn't," I denied. "He's a guy. He's just like all the other guys. Once a woman presses herself against them, they get horny."

That thought had me frowning. Was Zane sleeping with other girls? If so, was I one of those girls? Was I only something for him to use and dispose of?

"He doesn't act like that around all girls. Trust me," Selena corrected with raised eyebrows. "When I had visited him on tour after Simone broke up with him, it was like he lost all interest in girls. Even the freaking models!"

"You're lying," I said, not wanting to believe her. Her words had me hopeful, and I didn't want to be disappointed.

"Of course I'm lying!" Selena stated, much to my disappointment.

What?

"Sure, he has his needs. But with you, it's like he wants you to know him as the two of you... you know..."

"I know."

"You can date, get married and live happily ever after and then--"

"Selena, I don't think that is going to happen."

Ashley sighed before saying, "Emery, Selena is right. That guy looks at no other girl but you. He has a crush on you, and he might as well fucking love you so much. Why not ask him directly?"

"I'm scared, okay?" I roared, making her flinch. I sighed.

"I'm sorry, Ashley. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just... I kissed Zane on a dare years ago and started developing a crush on him. Later, he confronted me and told me about it. He was dating Bianca at the time, and he told me not to tell her about it. He obviously had no feelings for me."

"Emery..." Selena trailed off with a sad tone.

"I was crushed, but I got over it. I just don't want to raise my hopes up over something that may not actually happen. I could even bet Zane wants to forget about yesterday. I mean, come on. It's me."

"Emery--" Ashley went to speak, but I cut her off.

"Let's just drop the subject, okay?"

Ashley and Selena quickly looked at each other before turning to face me. They nodded their heads.

"So, what series have you been watching?" Selena asked, and it was as if we didn't have the conversation about Zane.

***********************************************************************************************

Zane's P.O.V

"This 'A' character is an asshole. Doesn't he/she/it/bitch have anything better to do than to terrorize these girls?" Ethan commented as "Previously on Pretty Little Liars..." sounded through TV speakers. We were in my home, preparing to attend the dinner we were supposed to have with the Queen.

"Ethan, you could watch that later," I told him, buttoning up the red shirt I had chosen to wear.

"I seriously think that A is that Andrew guy. He looked suspicious on the last episodes of season 5."

Ethan had started watching PLL, and he had immediately gotten addicted to it. He basically spent most of the previous week watching the series. I had seen the series, and I could agree that it was pretty addictive. Don't even get me started with Uber A, but I was sure Ethan would be shocked to find out who it was. 

"Ethan!"

"Fine," he grumbled, switching off the TV and practically marching towards me with a frown. "What's with you?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Ever since yesterday, you seem to have been in a bit of a mood. What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Zane..." Ethan trailed off as we walked out of my house. I sighed as I proceeded to lock the door. Might as well tell Ethan about everything that happened.

As we walked, I told Ethan of what happened with Emery in the river.

"Damn!" he said, and I nodded in agreement. I was sure that Emery had planned to avoid me. I could understand, but she had nothing to be ashamed of. She had the same effect on me as I had on her. 

My mind couldn't help but think back on the previous day. I recalled Emery's almost-naked form pressing against mine. She was soft and sexy as hell. Her breasts... I had felt many boobs, but honestly, hers were different, especially pressed up against me. I had never met someone who could come just from having their nipples sucked. I wanted to do it again, and I wanted to see Emery explode on my dick like she had done on my fingers.

"Zane," Ethan spoke, snapping me out of my trance.  It was a good thing the path was barely lit. I didn't want him to see the raging erection I had just from thinking about Emery.

"Hmm?" 

"What are you going to do about this?" he questioned.

"I don't know."

"Well, here's an idea. Go to Emery. Confess the feelings you have for her, and then practically stay out of communication for a whole week as you have romantic and hot, dirty sex with her."

"Ethan!"

"What? I'm just trying to help you."

My blood had been pumping ever since the river incident. I was still aroused by the river incident, even though I had come alongside Emery. 

That showed there was no doubt about my intense feelings for Emery. What I had felt, touched and tasted was not enough. I wanted Emery. I wanted her naked and under me, screaming out her pleasure as I forced orgasm after orgasm from her body.

The way her mouth had opened when I teased her tits, the way her cunt clenched around my fingers...

Fuck!

I wanted to feel Emery, and I wanted to mark her as mine forever. 

I thought of ways of approaching her when I would see her. Hopefully, she wouldn't reject me when I would confess my feelings for her. 

"We're here," Ethan said. I looked at the front, noticing that we had indeed arrived at the entrance of the castle. 

"I advise that you should just go and fix this mess. You wouldn't want to spend more time away from her. More than a decade was enough," Ethan had said before he proceeded to enter the castle hallways, leaving me at the entrance as I thought over his words. 

The blonde was right. I needed to fix the mess or else I would stay longer without talking to Emery.

***********************************************************************************************

Emery's P.O.V

Dinner with Elizabeth and her sons had gone great. There was the awkward silence between Zane and me, but it wasn't noticeable to the others. I made sure to avoid any conversations that would involve me speaking to Zane. I had barely even looked at him throughout the night. Everyone did not seem to notice, and I was glad. About three hours later, we were all going to our homes.

After bidding everyone goodbye, making sure to not meet Zane's eyes, I began walking towards my house.

I was approaching the door to my house when I heard his voice.

"Emery!" Zane's voice called out, making me stand still.

No, you idiot! Run!

I was starting to think of how to respond. I mean, what would someone say to a person after having kissed them and done stuff with them? 

However, time was not on my side. Before I could think of quickly unlocking the door, Zane was facing me.

"Look. We need to talk."

I blinked at him in confusion.

"I shouldn't have--"

"No. I'm sorry," I interrupted him. "I basically spend most of my time alone, which means freedom to dress however I want. The bra had been loose because I had expected to be alone before you came. I'm sorry about the boobs thing."

I didn't want to address what occurred afterward.

"It's okay. I didn't mind."

My eyes shot up as I faced him. I felt myself blush in embarrassment as I began looking at anything but him.

"Why are you not facing me?" Zane questioned as he slowly walked towards me. His eyes had gotten the same heated look that he had before he kissed me.

"You are thinking about yesterday, aren't you, Emery?" Zane backed me to the door as he approached me. There was nowhere else to move to, and so he moved until his form was pressing against mine.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, if you would let me, I could do it again."

My mind went back to the previous day's events. Just from that, I felt a small throb start in between my legs.

"Zane--" I spoke, cutting myself off with a gulp. His proximity was sending butterflies in my stomach and heating my form at the same time.

"I loved watching you come. Those sounds you made when I had my mouth on you, that heated look you get when you are aroused..." Zane trailed off. Meanwhile, I felt my clit throb at his words.

I squeezed my legs, trying to suppress the heat from him.

"And those breasts of yours... I've never seen anyone being so responsive from having their nipples sucked."

I almost went to my knees at the imagery he painted in my mind. Zane was quick to grasp me. His touch increased my levels of arousal.

"And that tight pussy of yours, Emery..." he trailed off with a growl. A look passed between us, and in an instant, Zane had grabbed my buttocks.

With a yelp from me, he raised me until I had my legs wrapped around his back. In the next moment, we had teleported into my house.

 

Chapter 18B

A.N: This is a repeat of what I had said in 17B. The chapters with a 'B' will contain sexual content. Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emery's P.O.V

Once we were in my house, Zane's lips quickly found mine. Any thought I was planning to tell him was wiped away by the mere feel of his mouth. 

Zane shifted me in his hold, and that was when I felt something hard poke against my crotch. It made me moan in his mouth as I felt heat spread to my core.

"This is what you do to me, Emery," he confessed, thrusting his hips up against mine. The motion made his clothed erection rub against my crotch, and it was still enough to have me aroused.

"Zane..." I trailed off, stopping when his lips found mine again. Zane groaned against my mouth, using his hands to caress my back before pressing my form onto his.

I couldn't believe we were doing it again. I couldn't believe Zane was holding me, kissing me like he was starved. 

"I missed these lips," Zane spoke against my mouth, and I could only hum in agreement. I tightened my legs around his waist, seeking more of his touch.

Zane moved us toward a wall. I slowly opened my eyes, noticing for the first time that the house was dark. The only source of light available was from the moon outside. It barely lit everything in our path, but it was enough to have us see each other.

"Zane... Zane..." I trailed off, wanting him to stop. There was some stuff we had to discuss. He seemed to have understood me, because he soon detached his lips from mine.

"We need to talk," I told him as I lowered myself onto the ground to stand. I could see his darkened brown orbs, and they didn't change color.

"What is there to talk about?" he said, grasping my shirt and teleporting it away. The only thing I was left with was my bra.

"Zane!" I exclaimed, feeling a cool breeze caress my torso. Weirdly, he took that as a sign for him to take off his shirt. His bare chest was soon visible, and it made me clench my gut in appreciation.

Zane looked hot, especially with the current lighting in my home. The light from the moon showed off parts of his pecks and his abs, stopping at the button of jeans. 

With a growl, Zane walked towards me and pressed his form against mine. His hard naked flesh was flush against mine, and it didn't stop the arousal I was feeling in front of him. In fact, it just raised it higher.

"What is there to talk about?" he gently whispered in my ear, taking the lobe in his mouth. It was shocking, and I was surprised by the tingles that spread through my form. His teeth gently tugged at it as his tongue caressed it.

Holy cow! I didn't know I could feel pleasure from that.

"I... I like you," I managed to tell him. Zane stopped playing with my ear and turned to stare at me. "If we are going to do this--"

"I like you, too," Zane cut me off, much to my surprise.

"What?" My reaction made Zane smile.

"Emery, listen to me. I can swear to you that no other girl makes me feel the same way that you do."

"Zane--"

"No one makes my heart thud and my blood pump like you do. Just the mention of your name has me wanting to nail you on the wall and mark you as mine."

That had me momentarily frightened. Zane looked at me in shock.

"No! As in, take you right here and right now."

Zane grasped my back, bringing my form closer to his.

"It makes me hard. Do you feel this, Emery?" Zane grasped my hand, bringing it to the bulge in his jeans. I gasped at the size, but more so gasped at the heat coming from the area. It was as if it was bare for me to touch.

"This is all because of you. This is all for you, and no one else," he said in my ear, grinding his hips into my hand so I could feel his shaft. It made me clench my legs together as I felt a pulsing sensation in my crotch.

Zane's mouth went back to kissing me, and I moaned. His teeth tugged at my lower lip, forcing my mouth to open so that he could dart his tongue in.

I was so lost in the sensations of the kiss. Zane's hands were roaming around my back as mine were around his. I loved the feel of him, and I couldn't wait to feel our naked skin pressed against each other.

Zane's hands reached higher on my back, and he was soon unclipping my bra. The bra fell, and I found myself pushing my front against his, seeking his lips once again. 

Zane released a pleasant chuckle, and I blushed when I realized what I had done.

"I would love to continue kissing you, Emery, but I have been dying to taste you," he said, reaching for my jeans and unbuttoning them. He started helping me out of them, but it soon proved problematic. Zane became impatient, and so he teleported the jeans away, leaving me in my panties.

"I want to see you come, Emery: On my tongue, on my fingers, and on my cock. Maybe not all today, but some of them."

The way he said those words had me clenching my gut.

Crap. Zane had quite an effect on me.

"I want to see you buck under me. I want to hear you beg me for more. I want to kiss you and every part of your body. I want to see you part those beautiful pink lips of yours when I fuck you. I want to hear you moan my name when I fuck you. I want to see your eyes and your face when you come, Emery. I want to feel your pussy walls contract around my cock as I fuck you. Emery, I want to fuck you everywhere, and I want to watch you spill on my cock over and over again."

My heart was thudding as a huge bout of arousal swept through my form. My exposed breasts suddenly felt heavy, and with the way Zane was staring at me, I was sure my nipples were hard.

Zane's hand dug into my panties, much to my protest.

"Hey--!" I went to speak, but he ignored me. Soon, his fingers were cupping my cunt.

"You're wet for me," he cut me off, using his fingers to part my pussy and to run one over the seam. I almost buckled onto my knees were it not for his other arm.

"W-what?" I stuttered. Was that normal? 

"You are very wet for me, Emery. You're practically dripping for me," Zane continued talking, diving his finger deep into my cunt. He looked at me as I bucked under his touch. Fearing a loss of balance, I reached out to hold onto his shoulders. His arm tightened around my back as he watched me. 

I soon felt the fingers leaving my crotch. Zane brought them to his mouth, and that was when I noticed a glistening wet substance on them. I watched with wide eyes as he looked at me with his darkened orbs, tasting the liquid on his fingers.

"Zane--" I cut myself off, not knowing what to say. How could he do that? Why did he put that in his mouth?

"Mmh," he groaned, staring at me. "You taste better than I imagined."

In an instant, he had both of his arms wrapped around my form. His lips quickly found mine again. 

"Wrap your legs around me," he breathed on my lips. I did as he asked. While we kissed, Zane started walking. I was scared for a moment, but Zane's tongue found mine, effectively getting rid of every thought.

We were in the kitchen. Unlike the other room we had been in, there was a lot of light coming from the moon.

Zane cupped my ass, bringing me closer to him so I could feel his erection.

"Oh!" I gasped in the kiss. Zane's lips left mine and descended downwards; he kissed my neck and my shoulders before turning to my breasts. 

He quickly lurched his mouth onto a nipple and his fingers on the other, groaning while he did so.

"Zane," I warned with a breathy moan, almost close to having an orgasm. Zane nibbled and tugged at each nipple, switching sides at one point. I became lost in the pleasure, but to my disappointment, he stopped touching my breasts. 

He held onto me and walked until I was sitting on the kitchen island.

Zane's lips continued trailing downwards. He kissed my stomach, and seconds later, he was kissing the top of my crotch.

"I need to taste you," Zane said as he grasped my thigh. It sent desire straight to my core, but it didn't stop the thoughts that came from his words.

"Zane, I--" I cut myself with a moan when he started trailing his hands along my thighs. He pushed them back, and I started trying to close my legs.

"Let me see you, Emery. Let me see your drenched pussy," his words turned me on more, and I let him part my legs.

With a groan, his lips found my left thigh. He started at the underside of my knee with a kiss, and he was soon trailing his lips across the skin. His hands on my legs sent heat to my crotch, and his lips had me trembling in pleasure. Some points had me feeling ticklish, and I could have kicked him in the head were it not for his hands. 

A while later, he was close to my crotch. I trembled in pleasure, confused about wanting him to reach my crotch. I had no idea of what to expect, and that had me momentarily scared. However, Zane quickly switched to my other thigh.

"Zane!" I mewled in protest, and it shocked me. Did I really want his mouth there?

He continued with his ministrations, taking his time. A while later, he was soon facing my panties. I felt a cool breeze on my cunt, and it was then that I noticed my panties had been teleported. 

I wanted to close my legs, but Zane's hands blocked me from doing so.

"So beautiful, Emery," Zane commented. "You're so drenched for me. You are dripping wet. All this cream for me..." he trailed off, his breath huffing across my exposed pussy lips.

A finger found my pussy, and I cried out in pleasure. Zane trailed the finger along the lips of my cunt, and I found myself grinding into it. He, however, wouldn't allow it to pass past the opening of my cunt.

"Your clit is hard," he said. I was confused at first, but I stopped thinking when he started playing with the nub near my pussy. He rolled it with his fingers, and I felt like I was losing control of my body. I was breathing hard, trying to understand all the pleasure that I was feeling.

His finger soon left the nub. Zane turned me to lay on the island. He was still facing my crotch, and that had me blushing in embarrassment.

Unexpectedly, Zane's mouth was on my pussy. I gasped at the sudden contact, wanting to pull away. However, his hands found my hips. He pinned me to the island, exploring my cunt with his mouth and tongue.

His tongue traced the lips of my pussy. Zane was groaning in appreciation as he did so, and I felt something wet collect at my cunt. His teeth gently pulled at the lips, and to my surprise, I bucked with a groan. 

It didn't take long for Zane's tongue to enter my pussy.

Groans and moans spilled out of me. I would have felt embarrassed were I not preoccupied with everything Zane was making me feel. I twisted on the island, feeling at first tickled before a lot of sensations kicked in.

Zane groaned as he lapped at my walls. That had me unintentionally bucking towards his face. My hands roamed behind me, trying to look for something to hold on to.

Zane didn't give me time; his teeth found the nub that was my clit, gently tugging it into his mouth. His tongue soon followed, rolling the nub and flicking it back and forth.The roughness of his tongue on my clit had me moaning. All the while, Zane was groaning into my pussy.

It all felt dirty and arousing at the same time. Zane's groans vibrated through my form, not helping with the heat I was feeling from his touch.

"Oh, Oh, Oh!" I started chanting once Zane started stabbing my walls with his tongue, lapping the cream and hitting the same pleasure spot he had discovered on the previous day.

It was hard for me to stay still. The wetness that was in my cunt was spilling on the kitchen island, marking my skin as it did so. Zane's tongue had me instinctively grinding into him. At one particular point, I had forgotten myself far enough to place my hands over his head. I tugged at his hair, making him groan as he continued to move his tongue in me.

"Zane... Zane..." I trailed off, earning another groan from him. He rubbed his face into my crotch. One of his fingers stretched out to flick my clit. He toyed with it hard, and the speed at which he was using to lap at my walls increased. I soon felt the walls of my cunt contract on his tongue.

"ZANE!" I screamed out while I arched my back. Tremors took hold of my form as my orgasm kicked in. It was strong enough to have me momentarily lose consciousness.

Zane groaned under me, licking up my cum. He continued to tongue me after my orgasm had ebbed.

"Zane," I called out, wanting him to stop because my pussy was starting to get sensitive. He slowly stopped, ending it with a slow kiss of the lips before his head tilted to look at me.

"You are so delicious, Emery," he said, making me blush.

Zane started kissing me up from my stomach. He kissed each of my pebbled nipples, startling me before finding my mouth again.

We kissed again, losing ourselves in the passion. It was weird at first because his mouth tasted... I couldn't describe it, but it was good. At that point, I decided it was my turn to please him.

My mouth left his, and I started leaving kissed across his neck. I wasn't so good with the teeth-on-the-neck thing. 

My hands raked across his muscular torso, and I mentally mewled at the tingles I felt when I touched his skin. I moved towards his torso, kissing his pecs. I thought about experimenting something, and so I kissed the nearest nipple.

"Emery," Zane groaned above me. I looked up, seeing his handsome face in the moonlight. Zane's lips had parted with his eyes closed, and that made me smile and more aroused. My mouth descended lower, turning my attention to his defined abs. I kissed each one, licking them with my tongue and probing the valleys in between.

Zane was breathing hard, and so his abs were clenching and relaxing before me. It was quite an erotic show for me that barely helped with the heat in between my legs.

I continued moving downwards, kissing his belly button and soon making my way to the defined V of his crotch. Zane's form shook at my touch.

Soon, I was staring at his erect cock. Precum was already oozing out of the slit, and it shone in the moonlight, indicating how it had reached his balls.

Zane was well-endowed. His dick was large and girthy as it stared at me. I was scared of it. Particularly, I was scared it would hurt if it were to enter my cunt and that I wouldn't be able to come on it.

Either way, the sight was mesmerizing, and so I moved my lips to capture the head.

"Emery!" Zane exclaimed above me, his head thrown back. I moaned on his cock, moving to take him further into my mouth. I stopped when the head was close to touching the back of my throat.

Zane's dick tasted... strange. The head itself was hot in my mouth, spilling some kind of salty liquid on my tongue. My lips were around his cock. It felt weird. 

More liquid was pouring into my mouth. I flicked my tongue, finding the slit of Zane's cock to take more of the liquid.

"No," Zane said, grabbing my head as he moved his cock out of me with a 'pop'. "I'm not going to spend in your mouth."

"But--" 

"I will show you on another day," he suggested, and that suited me.

I stood up to face him, and his lips quickly found mine. It was as if the electricity between us had not died down.

Zane grabbed my bare ass, having me wrap my legs around his waist. My nipples brushed against his bare chest, making me moan in his mouth.

"Zane--" I cut myself off with a moan when I felt his hard cock press against my pussy. The head was nudging at my clit, and his shaft was rubbing against my pussy lips.

"This is what you do to me, Emery," he said, bucking his hips hard into me a couple of times. Each time, his cock teased my opening and rubbed against my clit. Wetness had gathered on my cunt, and I felt some of it ooze onto Zane's shaft.

"Where's your bedroom?" he asked, kissing me on my neck. It was hard to concentrate, but I managed to teleport us onto my bed.

Zane gently lay me down. I looked up at him in the barely-lit room, the light from the moon showing his lower face and part of his torso.

"I'm going to take you, Emery. I'm going to make you come on my cock."

Zane's lips found mine. He had my mouth open, rubbing his tongue against mine. Meanwhile, the head of his cock was pressing against my entrance.

"Zane..." I trailed off in the kiss as his fingers found my nipple. He rolled and tugged it between them. His lips left mine to quickly tend to the nipple. He did the same to the other, and it had me moaning in pleasure.

It's okay, Emery. I've got you. He spoke in my mind. I opened my mouth, ready to tell him about my horrible first time when his cock slowly entered my pussy.

My mouth widened in shock. I found myself clenching my gut, involuntarily clutching the walls of my cunt around Zane's cock. The intrusion hurt a little, but it was overclouded by the feel of Zane on my form.

It was then that I realized he had not worn a condom.

"Zane!" I gasped in shock, not knowing whether to push him out or to encourage him to continue pushing his cock in me.

"Don't worry, Emery. I drank a pregnancy potion," he told me with a groan.

Pregnancy potion? Oh, yeah. The new invention Ashley had told me that was like a birth control pill, but for men. It was said to last a month.

Zane's groan made me shift my eyes to him. His cock was still in me, large as it was with its impressive girth. His dick had spread the walls of my pussy apart, and the heat radiating off it left me feeling dizzy with arousal. 

"I don't think I can- Ah!" I cut myself off with a gasp when he continued pushing his cock into me.

"Zane, I may not be able to orgasm!" I finally yelled, and embarrassment took hold of me. His lips soon found mine, capturing them in a heated kiss.

"With the attraction between us, you will come for me, Emery," Zane stated, pushing his whole dick into me. It didn't hurt, but it still had me arching towards him. "I will make sure you will spill on my dick, Emery."

"How sure are you?" I asked him with a breathy voice. Zane looked at me, and a smirk took over his features.

"I'm very sure. I mean, if you were able to come on my tongue, what makes you think you can't come on my dick?"

Zane's words had me silent in thought.

For a moment, we stood still in an embrace. Zane had moved his arms around me, and my front was pressed against his. His cock was still in my pussy, throbbing and thudding from his heartbeat. The difference in our body temperatures seemed to heighten my arousal. Zane's cock stirred inside me.

I found myself doubting my own words. Could Zane possibly force an orgasm out of me with his cock?

Wow. Never thought I would be having such thoughts, ever.

"You feel so good, Emery. It's like your pussy was made for my cock," he told me.  

Zane pushed his cock out at a slow rate. I felt every part of it, particularly a vein that was threatening to pop out. Once the cock head was in my pussy, he slowly pushed his whole shaft back in. He continued like this, starting a slow thrusting motion between us.

At first, I felt nothing. It was kind of comfortable to feel Zane's cock move and pull against the walls of my cunt. Then, everything was getting heated. I was feeling something in my pussy. In fact, it seemed to get more intense as Zane kept thrusting his cock in and out of me.

I looked up, seeing Zane staring right at me.

"I can't believe I have you under my arms," he said, pushing his dick into me. "So many wishes... so many fantasies... so many years, and now..."

Zane threw his head back as he pushed his cock deeper into me. The action had me gasping in pleasure.

"You are the tightest I have ever hard, Emery. Your pussy is magic." He pushed out before pushing back in. "I'm not going to let this go."

Zane barely picked up the speed. He was moving slowly, and his eyes were staring into mine as he fucked me. With the way he was holding me close to him and watching me, fucking did not seem to be the right word.

No, he was making love to me.

The thought had me surprised and vulnerable for a moment. I thought we were going to go wild and fast, but he was going slow and gentle. I was confused at first, but then I recalled he had confessed about him liking me. 

Zane's cock found a spot that had me bucking underneath him. It sent pleasure shooting all over my form.

"Zane!" I gasped as he pulled out.

"Found it," he said with a grin as he changed the angle of his thrusts. When he dove in, he managed to hit that same spot. His hands soon reached for mine, stretching them as he clutched my fingers into his. I arched into him, feeling his front press against mine and my nipples rub against his chest.

"I want to see you come," he said, still looking at me. I raised my legs to tighten them around his waist, urging him closer. My heels dug into his ass, and I felt them clench as he moved back into me.

Zane looked down, capturing my nipples to tease them with his mouth. That just fueled the pleasure that was building up in me.

I currently understood why Ashley and Selena had been shocked about me not wanting to have sex. I just had the wrong person to show me. With Zane, it was spectacular.

I kept moaning and mewling as Zane kept thrusting his hips into mine. His cock was pounding against that one spot, and I soon saw stars dance across my vision.

"Keep your eyes open," Zane ordered, and I did. It didn't take long for my orgasm to take hold.

I grasped onto his back, my hold tightening as Zane continued thrusting his hips into mine. Unlike the others, the orgasm was longer and more pleasurable. My cunt clenched around Zane's cock, holding him like a glove.

"Fuck!" Zane gasped, picking up his speed as he thrusted his hips into mine. The orgasm ebbed, and as he continued thrusting his hips into mine, I felt the beginning of another one. 

It didn't take me long to clench my hands hard onto Zane's shoulder and to my arch myself towards him. My toes curled at the intensity of the orgasm. 

"ZANE!" I couldn't stop myself from yelling out his name. The second orgasm had me closing my eyes, the sensations that he was stirring inside of me taking a hold of me. Zane also yelled above me, and it didn't take long for me to feel him pumping his seed into my cunt.

The sensation was weird, but I found myself liking it.

Once we were done, Zane lay on the bed beside me. His cock was semi-hard and still in my cunt. He turned to me and slowly captured my lips with his in a kiss. 

It was a slow kiss, but it didn't stop me from feeling tingles from it. In fact, it made me feel something tug in my heart. 

Minutes later, we were softly moaning and breathing each other's names while we continued making love. Zane's hands roamed around my form, caressing me and spreading heat all over. I did the same with him, still marveling at the strength in his arms and the muscles of his torso.

Zane's cock had gotten hard, but he was not moving it. We were in an embrace, kissing and touching each other. He kissed my lips, my neck and my shoulder, and I did the same to him.

Much to my surprise, an orgasm had been slowly building. I was in no hurry to rush it, and so I took my time to feel Zane. While he kissed and tongued my nipples, I let my hands roam around his muscular form. I felt his chest, his arms, his abs and his ass. I also felt his face, caressing the slight stubble that was growing.

The third orgasm took me by surprise. I just held onto Zane as he kissed me, swallowing the sounds I was making with his mouth. And that was when he started thrusting again.

He was still moving gently, kissing me as he used his cock to slowly bring out another orgasm from me. We kissed, we touched, we made appreciative sounds of pleasure. We held onto each other in an embrace and the next orgasm that came rolled out the same time as another one of Zane's. He groaned out my name, emptying his seed into my cunt.

Zane and I continued kissing. One of his hands moved to my back, gently trailing across it. Our kisses started feeling lazy, and it didn't take long before sleep took over.

 

 

 

Chapter 19

Emery's P.O.V

I woke up to the sounds of birds chirping. After a while of lazily lying on the bed, I realized that I was naked.

With a gasp, I shot up from the bed. I looked around, noticing how disheveled my bed was.

"Zane?" I called out, but I received no answer. It was then that I noticed a note lying on the bed.

Gone to work. Made breakfast for you. See you soon ;)

The note made me smile, and I was groaning a few seconds later.

I couldn't believe the predicament I was in. Zane and I had slept together on the previous night. He was the only guy who had managed to get to me like no other one had.

I closed my eyes as I recalled the feel of him all over me. His voice, his hands, his tongue, his lips, his teeth...

I released another groan of frustration.

I couldn't believe I had let him have sex with me. What did it mean for us? Were we friends with benefits? Were we dating? Was he using me to see if he had feelings for me?

The last thought made me sad. I wouldn't know what to do because after what had happened on the previous night, I was certain I had fallen for Zane.

Hard.

The way that he had taken me was slow and gentle. He had rained kisses all over me, and he had surprisingly drawn out multiple orgasms from me. 

Getting rid of my new feelings for him would be harder than it was the last time. The only thing I could do was hope he would reciprocate them.

But then, didn't he say he felt the same way about me? Didn't he say I had such an effect on him that no other woman had?

I shrugged the thoughts away, going to the bathroom to sort myself for the day. Hours later, I had heated and eaten the breakfast Zane made for me, and I was making my way out of the house.

The morning met me with an unexpected task from my friends living in the castle. Erick and Elizabeth had invited me to hang out with them. Since I barely had anything to do at my home, I decided that it would be a good idea to go see them.

I entered the castle, passing the guards and looking at the familiar hallways. My feet led me to the main study room.

I entered it, surprised that no one was inside.

Okay...

"Emery!" Selena shouted. I swiftly turned, seeing her run towards me. Her hair was pinned into a bun, and she had worn a pink velvet dress that had chiffon sleeves of the same color. Moreover, she had worn makeup as if she was going on a date.

"Selena, what's going on?" I asked.

"I'm sorry about this, but you are currently needed."

Selena led me—sorry, rushed me—towards the room that we stayed in for dinner. I entered it, and instead of seeing the dinner table and chairs, I saw the castle servants moving about. There were also decorations.

Decorations everywhere. There was light pink all over the freaking room! Roses of colors varying between white and red were everywhere, and that included light pink sheets pinned near the ceiling around every corner of the room.

"Selena, what the hell is going on?" I asked her once we stopped running.

"You know that I'm about to be Queen. My coronation is in two weeks, and I have no idea of what to do."

I furrowed my eyebrows at her.

"What do you mean? You just stand with a smile as someone says 'blah, blah, blah, queen!' What else do you have to do?"

"I thought so, too! But apparently, there is a coronation party. People expect me to look poised and wise and use big words. They even want me to make a speech. A speech, Emery! They want to see that I am worthy of being their Queen."

"Whatever the jolly do you mean?"

"See? That's what I need!" Selena said, pointing her finger at me with her eyes widened.

"Selena, I'm not an English guru."

"What do you mean? Ashley said that you learned Computer Science."

I blinked my eyes in confusion at Selena.

"Yes, I learned CS. But that doesn't mean I'm an English guru. The words I learned will not help you win over the hearts of other people. It's like another language, and I don't think people will want to hear you talk about processors and multithreading."

Selena whined. "What can I do?"

"Well, you can just be yourself," I said. It was Selena's turn to blink her eyes at me. Afterward, she laughed.

"Very funny. But seriously, what can I do?"

"Well, if you can't be yourself, I advise that you should watch Princess movies. That includes Princess Diaries and any Barbie movie that has Barbie as a princess. And Downtown Abbey... no... I don't think it has anything to do with kings and queens. I should start watching it though..."

"Thanks, Emery. You're a great help!" Selena said before quickly dashing away from me.

Wait. She knew that I was kidding, right?

I then realized there was no meeting with Erick or the Queen. Then why did they lie about it?

My gears started turning, and everything began to click. They thought I was advanced in the English language, and so they tricked me so I could not escape helping Selena! Too bad for them.

I never thought I would be glad I didn't know that much grammar until then.

With a sigh, I turned to exit the castle.

Might as well go back to my home and watch Desperate Housewives.

***********************************************************************************************

 

Emery's P.O.V

Two days had passed ever since I went to see Selena. The days left to her coronation were reducing, and Crystalia had been in a buzz.

The next queen of Crystalia chose to stay in the castle to prepare for her coronation. I just hoped Selena did not take me seriously when I told her about watching princess movies.

On other things, the crystal was considered royalty, even if he/she may not be a ruler. I was apparently needed for the coronation for stuff I was about to find out. I realized that was something Selena had failed to mention when she had asked me about helping her improve her vocabulary.

The coronation was going to be held after two weeks. I was back in the castle, observing as the servants moved about as they prepared the rooms with the appropriate decorations.

That still included flowers and decorative sheets hung near the ceiling.

"Emery! There you are!" Erick shouted my name as he and another lady with gray hair approached me.

"Erick! What a pleasant surprise to see you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We already saw each other five minutes ago." I rolled my eyes at what he said.

That was a thing I liked about Erick. He was Crystalia's king, and he rarely forced others to treat him as such. He wanted people to talk to him as if he were an old friend or brother. However, that would not be expected during Selena's coronation.

"This wonderful lady here," Erick continued, motioning to the smiling woman with gray hair, "is Madam Lavigne."

"Ooh! Like Avril Lavigne?"

"No," Erick deadpanned. "She is a famous stylist from earth."

I blinked my eyes, expressing shock to the King.

"Don't worry. She'll forget this ever happened when we return her."

"Huh?" Madam Lavigne said in shock, but Erick ignored her.

"Anyway, she is going to help you with your hair and dresses for the coronation."

"Erick, shouldn't that be done on the actual coronation day?" I asked. It seemed to make sense to me, but Erick looked at me as if I had asked a dumb question.

"What?" I queried.

"Girls can take hours on deciding what to wear. I'd also rather you get prepared as if the coronation is today. Then on the actual coronation day, you will just teleport the dress and whatever hairstyle you pick. I even wrote a spell to help you with it."

Erick gave me a small piece of paper with some words written on it.

"Did you actually write this?"

"Don't worry, Emery. I had the spell tested. It works. Now, go along with Madam Lavigne. I have work to do," Erick dismissed me as he went towards the hall.

"See you later," I replied before turning my attention to the stylist. She had a focused look as she gazed at me. It had me furrowing my eyebrows at her.

"Can I help you?"

"No, darling," she said with a low voice. "Don't mind me. I'm just making observations and picturing the type of dresses that can go with your figure."

"Oh," I said, feeling uncomfortable. The woman spent a minute walking around me. I felt as if I was being checked out.

"Okay," Madam Lavigne finally said. "Follow me."

The woman quickly walked along the hallway that was opposite the hall. I almost gasped, surprised by her quick speed. I followed her, going past the entrance hall of the castle. Madam Lavigne had us climb the stairs.

I soon found myself on a familiar floor. I followed the stylist, and she took a sharp right turn to an open room. I entered it, coming to a stop as I realized why the hallway had looked familiar.

It led to my room.

Why didn't the woman say we were going there?

It's like everything I had left was still there, untouched. Nothing seemed to have been moved or replaced. However, the room was weirdly clean.

I thought the guys hated me enough to throw out my stuff.

Wait. Selena did sell the house we shared with my mom in New York years ago. Maybe Elizabeth had intervened when they tried to dispose of my stuff in the castle room. The more I thought about it, the more I believed it was true.

I shook my head, not wanting to focus much on the events of the past. I turned my gaze to the windows where I could see the Crystalia mountains. They were a beautiful sight that I got accustomed to when I stayed in the castle.

"Hey! Girl!" Madam Lavigne's voice echoed in the room, forcing my focus on her. Servants were currently entering the room. They were bringing in dresses that were placed on a clothes rack.

Pink dresses.

"So I heard the theme color for this coronation was..." Lavigne trailed off.

"Pink," I finished for her.

"Yes. So here are the dresses," she said, taking one of them and bringing it to me. It was sleeveless and made of velvet. I frowned in confusion, seeing that the dress looked familiar.

"Isn't this already taken?" I asked.

"Oh," Madam Lavigne said, taking the dress from my hold and throwing it unceremoniously on my bed. She took out another dress, and she brought it to me. It still looked like the other dress.

I was more confused. I walked towards the rack of dresses, perusing through them and looking for one that was different from the other.

There was none. The color and design of each dress were the same.

"There must be some kind of mistake," I said.

"Really?" Madam Lavigne spoke. "I don't see it."

"They're all pink! They all look the same!"

"No. This one," she picked the first one," is light pink, this one is a lighter pink, this is white pink, this is pink-pink..."

"Seriously?"

"I am so sorry," a woman servant entered with a man, taking the clothes rack.

"We made a mistake. These are meant for the princess."

"It's alright," I said, the servants giving me a smile as they took the dresses. Other servants entered, bringing dresses that were of a variety of colors. The dresses were also placed on my bed.

Madam Lavigne had me try all the dresses. My hair had gotten in the way when I tried the first three dresses. It was so irritating that I had to pin it into a bun. The dresses were a variety of green, orange, red, blue, yellow and purple. Weirdly, they were all chiffon.

"You look gorgeous!" Madam Lavigne commented once I tried a blue chiffon dress. It was sleeveless, exposing part of my upper back. It hugged my torso and it reached past my knees.

"Thank you," I replied.

"Great! Now let's get started with the face."

"What?"

"Makeup. I am a stylist, you know."

Oh crap.

*** Thirty minutes later ***

"And we are done!" Madam Lavigne said after applying the finishing touches on my face.

The woman had me sit in front of a mirror that had to be brought into the room. I stared at my reflection, finding it hard to believe that who I was looking at was me.

Madam Lavigne had me wash my face before she started applying the makeup. I had applied mascara first, and then I lost the order of everything else that was applied. All I knew was that I looked beautiful. My skin looked so smooth that I could barely see the blemishes! My lips seemed bigger with the red lipstick I was told to apply. My eyes were accentuated with eyeliner and mascara.

"Thank you," I said after a while of staring at my reflection.

"It's what I do. Feel free to wait as I write a list of every makeup item we have used. You know, just in case you lose them."

I nodded, getting up from my seat and walking towards the exit. Before I could leave the room, Erick appeared in front of me.

"There you are! I have been looking all over for you."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "Didn't you know I would be in my room?"

Erick went to speak, but he stopped himself. He instead gave me a smile that told me he had forgotten.

"You look beautiful," he commented.

"Thank you," I replied with a smile.

"Zane is not going to resist you." That had me drop my smile.

"I'm not wearing makeup for Zane. It's because of your damned coronation that I have to look like a clown," I joked.

"Mhm," Erick humphed, not buying it. "Anyway, what did you tell Selena?"

"About what?" I inquired.

"She basically spent most of the week watching princess movies, including Barbie."

I choked on a laugh that was threatening to escape.

"It's bad enough the coronation's theme is pink. Why do I have to hear Barbie every time I enter her room? You have no idea how annoying it had been to hear 'I have magic!'on repeat. We too have magic! So what?"

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I laughed so hard that Erick gave me an annoyed look.

"I didn't think she would listen to me. I was joking!"

"Obviously. But my wife thinks that you were serious. She is running out of ideas for the coronation."

"At first, I told her to be herself."

Erick blinked his eyes at me with an emotionless stare.

"Of course that would be a horrible idea," I stated.

"Exactly!" Erick said.

"Here, darling. This is the list of every makeup to use and application procedures," Madam Lavigne spoke as she went towards me, handing me a small piece of paper.

"By the way, why are you wearing a blue dress?" Erick suddenly asked. "You do know that the coronation's theme is pink, right?"

I frowned in disbelief.

"I thought Selena was the one who would only wear pink. The servants got it mixed up."

"Emery, everyone is expected to wear pink or anything that matches the color. Blue is not one of them."

Madam Lavigne sighed behind me.

"Come on, dearie. We have more work to do."

I groaned, following the woman back into the room. Erick gave me a sympathetic smile before turning to leave the room.

About an hour later, I was done with the coronation preparation procedures. I had decided on a thistle dress, and I was glad I was done with everything. I quickly exited the castle, not wanting to be pulled back for more unexpected preparations.

I had changed back to the clothes I had entered the castle with, and I was looking forward to seeing Zane. When I first went to Andreladia, Liam had told me that Zane was a teacher. I found it hard to believe, but apparently, it was true.

That explained why he had to leave in the morning. It was hard to picture Zane as a teacher, and so I planned to see it for myself.

Liam gave me the name of the school that Zane taught in, and so I went to it. It looked very much like an ordinary high school. Not knowing the school, I had been forced to ask the Principal about Zane's class. She gave me directions, and I followed them.

Seconds later, I was standing in front of the entrance to Zane's class. At the time, the hallway was empty, and the only thing I could focus on was the door. It had a wooden exterior with a translucent rectangular glass frame at the front. All I could make out were silhouette shapes. 

I was suddenly nervous. What if it was a prank? If it was a prank, Liam was going to get it.

But then, why would it be a prank?

With a sigh, I knocked on the door. If it was another teacher, I would have no idea of—

The door suddenly opened midthought. I came face to face with Zane.

Oh. So he was a teacher.

He seemed equally as shocked to see me. His eyes darkened a bit as he stared at me, and I felt a familiar pulsing sensation in between my legs.

Oh crap.

Zane had worn a blue checkered shirt and a pair of blue denim jeans. It did nothing to hide his form.

"Emery!" his face broke into a grin as he said my name out loud. The way he had said it sent tingles down my spine, and I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks. I heard shuffling behind him, no doubt his students trying to see who was at the door. At the moment, his form blocked the view of his class. He turned, and I saw that some of his students were curiously looking at me.

"Wow. You really do teach!" I said. Zane smiled at me, opening the door wider. He backed into the class as I stood there, only meeting his gaze and seeing the stares from some of his students.

"Would you like to enter and meet everyone?"

My eyes widened in shock. "Oh, no, no. I was just coming to say hi before I went to... uhm... this thing with Ashley."

"It's okay, Emery. My students don't bite like those dreaded piranhas from Piranha 3D."

Zane shuddered as if repulsed by the memory of the movie. That earned him a few chuckles.

"Okay," I entered the class with Zane closing the door behind me.

I was surprised once I entered it. It did not look like an ordinary class. There were some wooden tables, sure, but the class was filled with sofas and mats. It almost felt like a comfortable home.

I momentarily stood still as I looked at the occupied seats. Zane's students were not many. They were around 10, and that made me calm.

"Hi!" I greeted with a smile that I hoped did not look creepy.

"Hi!" the class spoke in unison. Nothing else was said. I could hear a clock tick as a second passed.

With a smile, I looked at Zane's students for a while and then looked at Zane.

"Okay. Now I have to go," I spoke, going for the door.

"Are you Emery?" a deep voice inquired, stopping me in my tracks. I turned to face the guy. He was still in his teen years like most of the class, and he had blonde hair. He was looking at me with a smirk as he stared at me.

I cautiously nodded my head in response to what he asked. "Yeah."

The guy smiled before saying, "Zane talks about you sometimes."

"Luke!" Zane shouted with a censoring voice. I turned to face him, noticing that a blush had started to form on his cheeks.

"Ooh! Can you sing?" Luke asked.

"Uhm..." I trailed off as I tried to come up with a lie. I didn't expect Zane to be a teacher, let alone a music teacher. It was all shocking to me, and so I was still trying to come to acceptance with it.

"Please?" the other students pushed, making it hard for me to say no.

"I could suck," I said as a warning.

"I have a feeling you won't," Zane said as he stared at me with a smile.

"You won't," the guy whose name I learned was Luke replied.

"Yeah," another girl spoke. "We saw your performance on the American Idol! What was the song called again?"

"Umm..."

"Could you also make a digital copy so I could listen to it?"

The girl suddenly gasped.

"Can you sing it? Oh, and another one?"

Everyone including Zane was staring at me with expectant eyes.

"Fine," I sighed. 

I sang the first song I ever wrote: Mr. Know It All. Everyone was silent, and I felt as if I was on stage. The class had enchanted the nearby music instruments to come up with the tunes that were similar to those I used in the song. When I was done, everyone applauded me.

"Thank you, thank you. Now I--"

"Another one!" The girl who told me to sing had shouted, earning sounds of agreement from the rest. I sighed. It looked like I was not going to sneak away so soon.

I looked at Zane for help, noticing that he was smiling at me. He just shrugged his shoulders.

The class was suddenly quiet as I thought of a song.

"Fire and ice..." I began singing Ellie Goulding's 'Still Falling For You.'

Once I was done, the whole class applauded again. I heard a bell suddenly ring.

"Alright, everyone! That was the end of our class," Zane shouted as the students began packing their stuff. "Make sure you do your assignment!"

"What assignment?" I asked Zane.

"Picking a song about love and coming to sing it in front of me."

Before I could say anything, some of Zane's students gathered around us. I thought they wanted to talk to Zane, but they apparently wanted to know more about me.

They acknowledged that I had a beautiful voice. Some even asked for opinions on how to maintain a tone, even though I was not a professional musician. That was quickly followed by them begging for me to visit them again. I promised to visit again, and they were happy. Then they bid Zane and me goodbye as they left the class.

"How did you like them?" Zane suddenly asked. I faced him, noticing that he was packing a small brown leather suitcase with some documents.

"They're great," I replied, earning a pleased smile from Zane. He took his suitcase as I opened the door before we were walking out of the class.

"You will come again, wouldn't you?" Zane continued. We were passing the empty open classrooms. A janitor made himself visible with a bucket of water and a mop.

"I shall."

"Great! My students love you," he continued, and I blushed. 

He suddenly grabbed my waist, pulling me towards him as his lips started devouring mine.

The kiss had taken me by surprise, but it didn't stop all the wonderful emotions I felt around Zane. 

After what felt like a long time, he ended the kiss and grinned at me. I felt my cheeks turn a deep shade of red, making Zane chuckle.

I really needed to sort out my feelings for Zane.

 

Chapter 20

 

Emery's P.O.V

A week had passed. Selena was still busy with stuff involving her upcoming coronation. Zane and I had been hanging out some more ever since I went to his class. In fact, I had visited his class on two other occasions. His students were great and also fun to hang out with. During the week that had passed, I got to know more of Zane. However, my feelings for him were growing as the days passed.

Any doubts of Zane having changed his previous outlook on life had been completely erased. It was like he was a new person I got to know every day, and it was getting harder and harder not to let my crush on him affect my judgment. 

Especially since he found every opportunity to confuse me with his kisses and to make me lose my mind with his fiery touches. 

I was afraid I had already gone too deep. What would I do?

I was at my home when I decided to call Zane and ask if he was free. He said he couldn't do anything because he had some work to do. I did not know how to feel when Zane told me that. I was happy that I got a break from the onslaught of emotions I felt when I was around him, but I was also sad that I wouldn't get to see him.

It was very confusing. I needed to deal with my feelings before they took total control of me.

A knock sounded on my door, bringing my attention to my surroundings. Since Zane was busy with work, I planned to spend the day watching Disney animated movies. Unfortunately, the knock on my door signaled that it would not happen.

With a sigh, I headed towards it. I opened it, surprised to see Logan and Harry.

"Hey..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Hi, Emery! What are you planning to do today?" Logan asked with a smile as Harry looked everywhere but at me.

"Movies. Why?"

"Well, we thought you might want to go shopping with us--"

"I just went shopping yesterday," I interrupted.

"Not for you," Logan said with narrowed eyes. "Harry and I need help with grocery shopping, and I thought that a woman knows what to get for a house."

"Why didn't you ask--"

"Selena is busy with the coronation, which, to my surprise, is in a few days. Ashley and Elizabeth are helping her with the preparations while trying to calm her down."

I smirked, knowing that I was fortunately not included in the current mess that was Selena's coronation. I quickly wiped the smirk off when I remembered I was free, which meant spending time with Logan and Harry.

It wasn't that I hated them. I only spent time with them when we were in a group like during the dinner we had with Elizabeth and Erick. It would seem awkward for me to be around them. Also, I was feeling particularly lazy on that day.

"We'll even buy you two boxes of pizza," Logan added. "And Harry can cook for you."

"What?" Harry asked Logan in disbelief.

"No backsies," Logan replied.

"Fine," I replied, getting out of the house. "But you don't have to cook for me, Harry. The two boxes of pizza will be enough."

Harry did not reply. I chose not to think about it when I spotted Logan's eyes observing me.

"Aren't you going to change?" he asked. I had worn a brown shirt with a blue pair of jeans. I had straightened my hair, and I had applied a decent amount of makeup.

"No. Why?" I asked him. Logan took his time to reply.

"Doesn't matter," he said, walking towards something on his left. I turned to the direction, noticing a black car had been parked there.

"You guys came with a car?" I questioned.

"Yep," Logan replied.

"Why? If we can teleport, why can't we just do that to the city?"

"Do you know the way to the city?" Logan countered. I went to say yes, but I stayed silent as I thought about it.

I didn't. The only times I went there was through the power of teleportation.

"There you go. Now, come on. We have some shopping to do," he said as we approached the vehicle. Logan opened the door near the back seats. 

The car had black leather seats and tinted windows. I entered and situated myself on the back seats. Logan and Harry walked to the front seats and closed their doors once they had sat. Harry started the engine, and we were soon on our way. 

I observed as Harry drove the car towards the direction opposite the one that led to the castle. The ground was populated by grass and dirt, and I was surprised that the vehicle could even move.

"You should tell Erick to have some guys tarmac a pavement for you," Logan said minutes later when we began going through a rough patch on the ground. I looked to my right, noticing that the nearby surrounding trees completely hid my home. I then looked forward, seeing that we were approaching a six-lane tarmacked road. It was smooth sailing from there.

It honestly did not feel like we were driving to the city. There was barely any sign of civilization as the vehicle covered more distance. The only things I could spot were the trees and fields of green all around.

About twenty minutes later, I spotted some signs of civilization. It first started with some houses. I could then spot familiar buildings in front of me that showed we were close to the city. A short while later, Logan, Harry and I were driving through the city. We soon packed near a large building with blue glass-tiled walls that reflected the sky and nearby buildings.

"We're stopping here," Logan said as Harry stopped the engine. I opened the door beside me, slowly getting out of the car as I looked at my surroundings.

I felt suddenly lost.

"Come on, Emery!" Logan said as he and Harry began walking forwards. I followed them as I began memorizing the sights around me.

Logan started making small conversations.

"So, Emery, are you and Zane already dating?"

"What?" I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, thinking I had heard what he said by mistake. I looked at him, but Logan was facing forwards, not turning to see me.

"Am I the only person here who remembers him confessing his love for you when you were in the mental hospital?"

What is it with everyone talking to me about Zane?

"He didn't."

"That's what you think. Zane may not have said the right words, but you could see it in his face. Everyone could see it in his face." Logan stated. 

I sighed, realizing we were not going to drop the subject anytime soon.

"I don't want to raise my hopes over something that may not be true."

"What?" Logan stated, forcing Harry and me to stop as we all turned to face each other.

"Have you forgotten that he went to see a therapist? There might have been some issues that might have made him think he was in love with me. Maybe the doctor helped him overcome those issues, and so he might not love me anymore. That is if he loved me in the first place."

"Maybe," Logan said. "You said maybe."

"Maybe. But I don't want to confess my feelings to Zane and just end up with him turning me down."

Logan gave me a sad look.

"Okay. Oh! We are here!" he said, pointing to something on his right. I turned, noticing that we had indeed arrived at a grocery store. It wasn't the one I went to with Ashley. It looked big enough to be a mall.

"Let's go," Logan said as he entered. Harry followed, and so did I. A few minutes later, we had taken two shopping carts.

"I need this; I need that..." Logan trailed off in front of Harry and me with his own shopping cart, dropping some of the goods arranged on the shelves.

I smiled, turning to look at Harry. He was looking away from me as if he was also looking for something.

My smile turned down, and then I realized something.

I had hardly talked to Harry ever since he and Logan visited me earlier.

"Harry?" I called out, having him face me in shock.

"What's wrong?"

"You're talking to me?" he asked. Not in a rude way, but in a way that surprised him.

"Yes... is everything okay?"

"Yes," he lied through his teeth. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Okay, fine. There was an incident with Ashley."

My eyes widened as awful thoughts began to invade my mind.

"Oh no. Is she okay? Why did you wait so long to tell me?"

"Emery, she's okay. It's just..." Harry trailed off, scratching the back of his head in what I thought was discomfort.

"I slept with her last weekend," he said, earning a gasp of shock from me.

"No," I said, my eyes widening in disbelief.

"We were both drunk--"

"How the hell did the two of you get drunk?"

"We were in a club--"

"There's a club in Crystalia?"

"Yes. We got drunk, started making out with each other, and then we went to her home and... you know."

I said nothing for a while, blinking as I stared at Harry who refused to meet my eyes.

"Oh my goodness. This is juicier than her stories of her random hookups," I commented, watching as Harry blushed in embarrassment.

"I woke up the next day and found myself naked with her. I panicked and teleported away from her home."

"What?" I was shocked even more.

"I was afraid she would tell you and Selena. I even believed that the three of you would join forces and attack me with torches and pitchforks."

I laughed out loud at what Harry said, earning a small uneasy smile from him.

"You don't have to worry, Harry. Worry... Harry... Ooh! That rhymes!" I cleared my throat. "Anyway, Ashley has her random hookups. You were one of them, and so you do not have to overthink about it."

Harry's shoulder's sagged in relief.

"Unless," Harry stood straight, "she happens to have fallen for you. That is when Selena and I will come for your ass. Are we clear?"

I gave Harry a small smile, but he seemed scared. I laughed out loud.

"I'm kidding!" I said, watching him smile in relief. "Honestly, the things you do with Ashley are between the two of you."

I will only come after you if you break her heart, I added in my mind.

"Thanks, Emery," Harry said.

"No problem. So, what else are we looking for?"

Harry and I continued shopping for the next hour. When we had placed everything that they needed in the trolleys, we met up with Logan at the counter. Some minutes later, we were done. Logan and Harry teleported their groceries to their homes as we exited the grocery store and headed to Pizza Castle.

It was a nearby restaurant that specialized on pizza.

Logan, Harry and I entered it and were met with the aroma of pizza cooking somewhere in the building. My stomach grumbled as we made our way towards two leather seats that had a high-density plastic table in the middle. The three of us settled down before ordering a large pizza and drinks.

"So I had a chat with Zane," Harry spoke once the waiter left. "He told Ethan about the river incident, and Ethan told me."

"What river incident?" I asked at the same time as Logan. The gears in my head clicked, and my eyes widened as I realized what Harry meant.

Un-be-freaking-liveable!

"No..." I trailed off in disbelief. How could he? How could Ethan do that?

Okay, I was also mad at Zane. Maybe he was confused on what to do and sought out help from Ethan. That was not a great plan. Zane was going to hear from me.

"What?" Logan asked, still confused.

"Well, Emery and Zane were--"

"STOP!" I ceased Harry from continuing, placing my palm on his mouth. He bit it, and I flinched.

"You bit me!"

"You had your hand on my mouth. What else was I supposed to do?" Harry defended himself, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Anyway--"

"Harry, if you dare tell Logan what you're going to tell him, I will make sure to chop you up into pieces of meat and use them as my homemade pizza meat."

Harry looked shocked, and he immediately stopped.

"I want to know!" Logan whined.

"By the way, Zane said he likes your boobs," Harry added, and I gasped in shock.

"Harry!"

"What boobs? Why does Zane like your boobs?"

"You know that I now have to tell Logan what happened, right?" Harry said. Logan looked at me with pleading eyes, and I sighed in agreement.

"As long as no one else finds out about this," I warned just as Logan grinned in excitement. I covered my ears for a while as I watched Harry's mouth move and Logan' expression change.

"Are you done?" I asked once I saw Harry keep quiet.

"Yep," he said.

"You were swimming in a river with Zane?" Logan asked me, and I nodded my head.

"Why didn't you jump on him?" he asked, making me drop my jaw in shock. 

At that moment, I realized the guys didn't know everything that had happened in the river. It brought a slight sense of relief to my form.

"I mean, he got a boner over what happened," Logan added.

"I know that," I stated before shaking my head in disbelief over what we were talking about. "If you must know, we didn't have sex, but we did do some stuff."

"Oh. So you'll jump Zane's bones the next time you see him?"

Logan had no idea that I had already done that. In fact, Zane and I had done it again and again during the times we spent together.

I narrowed my eyes at Logan who was smirking at me.

"Aw, true love's fuck," Harry commented, and he and Logan laughed. I rolled my eyes at them. Our food came, and I was glad that I had some time left before I was ridiculed again.

Logan and Harry did not bring up the river incident again. Instead, they bought me two boxes of large pizzas. We exited the restaurant and made our way towards their parked car. Luckily, Logan and Harry did not bring up the river incident again. We kept the conversations around small topics.

Logan and Harry dropped me off at my house. I bid them goodbye as I took my two pizza boxes, entering the house. Harry yelled that we would talk later before the car drove off as I closed the door.

I moved towards the kitchen with the pizza boxes, thinking of where to put them.

Jumping Zane's bones... what the hell?

The image came to mind. I remembered the river incident and the first time we made love. His kisses, his caresses, his touch...

Oh, the feel of him. 

I was reminded of the pleasure that I felt when my bare torso was pressed against his. I also pictured him touching my breast, dragging the nipple into his mouth as he —

An image of Zane pistoning his hips into mine appeared in my thoughts.

I felt heat shoot towards my core. I almost collapsed onto the floor, and so I held fast on the dining table. It almost toppled over when I steadied myself on my feet, my heart beating fast.

Oh no.

I needed to get my mind away from Zane. More importantly, I needed to see what my feelings for him were. Maybe it was only lust. If I did love him, I would have to find out how he felt about me. We couldn't continue our affair if he didn't feel the same intense feelings I had for him.

The thought made me sad and had me almost tearing up. I gasped, surprised by my emotions. I never thought I would feel such strong feelings over someone else.

Could it be possible I had already fallen in love with him?

 

 

Chapter 21

Emery's P.O.V

It was that time of the month. It was the moment everyone was expecting, and it was the moment everyone was dreading.

Yes.

Selena's coronation was happening.

The whole of Crystalia had been in a buzz, especially during the last seven days. People were excited. Others were nervous as they thought the day would be a disaster. I even heard from Logan that some witches gossiped about Selena ruining her coronation. That was not something the future Queen of Crystalia wanted to hear. In fact, she couldn't afford to or it would mess with her nerves. Similarly to the previous week, she had locked herself up in the castle, preparing for the day she dreaded.

And the said day had finally arrived.

In my mind, I pictured a screaming Selena as she crazed around the castle because, in a few minutes, the coronation would begin. It was funny at first, but I started to worry about her and how people would react if she made a mess of herself.

There were ways of that happening. That included not showing up or doing anything else that would make her seem unfit for the intended title.

"Do you think she will be calm?" Ashley asked me as we made our way towards the entrance of the castle.

"I hope so," I replied as I glanced at other people walking towards the castle. Noon was approaching, and so was the hour when the coronation would begin. The area around the castle was filled up with a large crowd of people waiting to enter the castle. Everyone had dressed up for the occasion, including Ashley and me. I had worn the orange-red dress that Madam Lavigne had helped me pick out. Ashley had chosen an apricot dress of the same material as mine.

"A thousand bucks says she will fall on her ass and embarrass herself," Ashley suggested as a bet, making me turn to face her with a shocked look.

"What?" she asked with a furrow of her eyebrows.

"What will you do with a thousand bucks?" I asked her as she frowned in thought.

"Buy more beer," she replied. I nodded with a smile, knowing she was joking.

We walked forwards, approaching the entrance of the castle.

"Beer? Really?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "With a thousand dollars, you are practically rich in Crystalia."

"Exactly. Can you imagine the amount of beer I can drink? Might as well even buy those expensive alcoholic drinks," Ashley replied with a wink. I frowned as I recalled that she mentioned beer, and my mind went back to what Harry had told me. With a knowing smirk, I looked at Ashley.

She didn't turn to face me for a couple of seconds, and I stood, waiting for her to meet my eyes.

"What?" she finally asked. The people in front of us were moving, and we were soon in the castle, making our way towards the large decorated hall.

"Are you into Harry?"

"What?" she questioned, confused.

"He told me the two of you slept together last weekend," I whispered in her ear. She faced me with a shocked expression as I stared at her with a smirk.

"It was nothing," she replied with a shrug.

"Uh-huh," I replied with a smile in my tone.

"Emery, drop it. Nothing happened, and nothing will happen."

"Sure," I replied. "Whatever you say."

Ashley's eyebrows furrowed as she went to reply, but someone interrupted whatever she was going to say.

"Hi guys," it was Ethan. "You two look beautiful," he added as he looked at Ashley and me.

Ethan had worn a bright pink long-sleeved blazer that had a light-pink shirt underneath. He also had a long pair of trousers that were the same color as his blazer.

"And you look..." Ashley trailed off, her lips forming a wince.

"I know," Ethan replied with a bored look. "Pink does not go well with most guys."

I chuckled for a second, but that was enough to have Ethan face me with a curious look. I didn't want to tell him that he looked like freaking cupid.

"It's nothing. I just remembered a scene from a movie I saw yesterday," I lied. Ethan said nothing as he nodded before conversing with Ashley. I took that moment to look around my surroundings.

I was surprised we were in the ample space that was allocated for the ceremony. People of different ages were present, all wearing clothes that matched the coronation theme. The hall was filled with pink decorations. There were also leather seats that were either a variety of pink or white.

Why the hell did the planners pick pink? Why didn't Selena choose black or white? Any other color goes with those!

Right?

I suddenly felt like I was in some cliché princess movie.

"Hi, Emery!" the soon-to-be-former Queen of Crystalia spoke as she made her way towards me. I turned towards her, surprised by the fact she had attended. I thought she wouldn't because Selena was taking the crown from her, but I was wrong.

"Elizabeth!" I said her name in surprise. I walked a few feet towards her and hugged her. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"Don't you see everything around here?" she asked with a furrow of her eyebrows. "I forgot how tasking planning a coronation could be."

"Thank heavens I'm not involved," I commented.

"Oh, you're involved."

I blinked my eyes in shock for a moment.

"Wait. What?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"You are a crystal, Emery. Your presence is needed in such ceremonies because we believe you bring good luck."

I snorted in disbelief. "Yeah. Our history is right about that."

Elizabeth chose to smile in reply.

"Don't worry. The only thing you have to do is sit with Erick and me."

"Oh," I spoke. That wasn't so bad.

"You also have to place the crown on Selena's head."

"Okay."

"And you also have to say brief words when you are placing the crown over Selena's head."

"What?"

"No worries. You just have to speak of things relating to the coronation and the future Queen. Talk about blessings and how Selena will be a good queen--"

"Elizabeth!" I cut her off with a shriek. Thank goodness everyone was too busy talking to each other to notice the rise in my voice.

"No one told you about this?"

I went to reply with a 'no,' but then I recalled Erick telling me that I was involved with the coronation. I thought he meant dressing and showing up, but apparently, he also meant participating in the actual ceremony.

Why didn't he tell me that?

I planned to go and search for Erick. I was already panicking because I had no idea of what to say when I would place the crown on Selena.

"Erick was supposed to tell me that, but he didn't. I'll go look for him," I told the Queen. She nodded as I turned to roam around the hall. I had just taken a couple of steps when a voice broke out through the nearby speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats as the coronation ceremony will begin in a few minutes."

Oh crap.

"There you are!" Erick shouted as he approached me. He grabbed hold of my hand as he led us through the crowd that was settling itself on the seats.

"I have been looking for you," Erick said as we walked forwards.

"Why didn't you tell me I was to give a speech as I crown Selena as Queen? In fact, why didn't you tell me I was to crown Selena as Queen?"

Erick paused his steps for a moment before saying, "I forgot."

My mouth dropped open in disbelief as Erick led us to the front of the hall.

"You forgot?" I asked Erick in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Emery. In my defense, it has been busy these past few weeks," Erick replied. Before I could think of hitting him, he turned to the left, and I realized we had arrived at our seating area. There were five large red seats positioned in a way that would face everyone in Crystalia. Elizabeth had already sat on one of the chairs as she tried to calm a nervous Selena.

I made my way towards the seat that had a small paper with the word 'Crystal'. I took off the paper and sat on it, turning to face Selena.

"Why didn't anyone tell me I would be crowning you?" I questioned.

Selena looked shocked when I spoke, and she seemed to have gotten more nervous.

"You weren't told?" she whisper-yelled with wide eyes before turning to face Erick. The King noticed her look, facing her in confusion.

"What?"

Selena chose to slap him on the arm.

"Ow!" Erick whisper-shouted as he grasped his arm. I covered my mouth before I could laugh, glad that Selena had hit him for me.

"Why didn't you tell her she was crowning me?" Selena whisper-shouted at him.

"I thought I did," Erick whispered back. I looked at the front, noticing that many, many people had already settled in the seats. There was no one standing or hanging about the hall except for the guards.

"Guys, it doesn't matter. I'll just wing it," I replied as I spotted Erick and Selena whisper-bickering like school kids. Erick and Selena immediately stopped, turning to face me with shocked looks.

"We're doomed," Erick said, just as Selena's face crunch in near-crying.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Guys, don't worry," I said, earning a whimper from Selena. I rolled my eyes, deciding not to say anything in worry of making Selena have a nervous meltdown in public.

A couple of seconds of silence had passed before a pink-tuxed man with a microphone appeared. He stood a few feet in front of us. I looked around, realizing that there were a couple of wooden stairs that led to where the royal family and I had sat. I looked down, noticing that the seats were on a wooden floor. In fact, we seemed to have seated higher than everyone else.

We were on a stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Presenting his highness, the king!"

Applause rang through the room as I observed Erick. He sighed before showing a smile, slowly getting out of his seat and making his way towards the platform. The guy who introduced him handed him the microphone before walking off the stage.

"People of Crystalia, I appreciate your presence today..." Erick trailed off as he gave out a speech about unity and happiness in Crystalia.

"...and it is with great pride that I welcome Selena, my wife and the future Queen of Crystalia."

Applause rang through the room again as Selena got up from her seat. She was shaky at first, and so I grabbed her hand.

"You can do this," I told her, and she nodded her head. She released my hand, seeming to have maintained a calm posture. She walked with what anyone could mistake as confidence towards the stage. The applause was ongoing as she gave Erick a peck on his lips. Erick mouthed something to her, and she smiled.

"Thank you, Erick," Selena said once the applause died down. Erick made his way to his seat as Selena started speaking whatever speech she had prepared.

"Hello everyone," Selena started. "Some of you may know me, and others may not."

Then Selena began telling everyone her autobiography. I didn't know if that was necessary, but with the reaction from everyone, it didn't matter.

"I was born in Crystalia, but I was raised on earth. I didn't even know that this place ever existed until I met my cousin, Emery."

At the mention of my name, some eyes turned to me. I pretended to be calm even though the attention affected me. Fortunately, it lasted for a few seconds.

Selena continued with her speech, luckily without nervousness being detected in her voice. She didn't mention the past she shared with her parents. She was glad about everyone in her life and she was also proud of the accomplishes Crystalia had made in the last ten years. She even mentioned that Eva had been captured and had been imprisoned in Andreladia, much to everyone's delight.

"Being your Queen means a lot to me. I will try my best not to be a disappointment to all of you. I will work hard to maintain the peace and to improve our lifestyles. Thank you."

A louder applause soon followed as whistling was heard in every corner of the large hall. Selena remained on the stage, and I quickly realized why.

It was then time for me to crown the new queen.

I was nervous as I stood from my seat. I had walked a few feet towards Selena when Elizabeth patted my back for a moment in comfort. I glanced at her with a smile before making my way towards my cousin. The guy who had begun the ceremony handed me a red pillow that held a diamond crown.

That was the crown? Why would anyone even trust me with that?

I took the pillow as I slowly made my way towards the future queen. Selena then knelt on her knees as she faced everyone in the crowd.

I nervously looked around for a few seconds as I thought of what to say. Thankfully, it did not take long.

"With this, I now crown Selena Trentstone Thames as the new queen of Crystalia. May everyone experience peace and may your wisdom be recognized and appreciated during your reign," I announced, surprisingly calm, as I placed the crown on Selena's head.

She slowly stood up as everyone applauded again. There were a few loud whistles heard that made Selena grin.

Just like that, Crystalia had acquired a new queen. 

 

Chapter 22

Emery's P.O.V

After the actual coronation had happened, Selena, Erick and Elizabeth exited the hall for a few hours. They were followed by Ethan, Liam, Harry and three women. I recalled they were Erick's advisors and that they were going to put in writing that Selena was the new queen of Crystalia.

During those few hours before they returned, everyone exited the hall and went outside the castle. There was a party being held to celebrate Selena becoming queen. Music and chattering filled the air. A large umbrella-like structure was placed outside the castle to protect everyone from the afternoon sun.

Dozens of tables filled with food and drinks were had been already stationed outside the castle. There were also other small tables and chairs placed near them. They too were organized in a form that would leave an empty circular space in the center for anyone to dance.

"This is great," Ashley commented as she took out a plastic plate from a stack. "I never thought Selena was going to be queen."

Ashley and I were standing near a table with food, moving to pick a couple of plastic plates arranged in a stack.

"I did," I replied, taking out my own plate. "It all mattered if she would end up marrying Erick which I thought was impossible."

"I'm glad we didn't make the bet," Ashley said, making me laugh. "You also have to promise not to tell Selena about it."

I laughed harder.

"I promise," I relented. We moved towards an end of the table, selecting the meals we wanted to eat and placing them on our plates. Ashley chose to go with French fries and a burger while I decided on spaghetti Bolognese. My stomach even grumbled at the smell of the food.

Ashley and I proceeded to move towards a table with seats surrounding it. We settled and began diving into the meals we had chosen. I took a small glance at the people dancing and talking to each other.

"I didn't realize how hungry I was," Ashley commented before continuing to devour her meal. I said nothing, silently agreeing with her. The food was so delicious that I even considered packing another serving for supper.

Once we were done with the meals, Ashley and I went to get some sodas. We were in the middle of drinking them when I spotted Selena making her way towards us. She still had the same clothes she had worn in the morning, except for the crown.

"Hey guys," she greeted as she approached us. "How are you enjoying the party so far?"

"There is no alcohol," Ashley deadpanned before taking another sip of her carbonated drink.

"Of course there is no alcohol. There are kids here," Selena replied with an obvious tone. "You should wait for the evening party."

"Evening party?" Ashley and I questioned at the same time.

"Wasn't this enough of a party?" I asked. It was still afternoon, and it definitely looked like the party wasn't going to end anytime soon.

"Nope," Selena responded. "As I said, there are kids here. The evening party will be small. I'm sure the children will be gone by then, and so you guys and the rest of the adults could have all the alcohol you want."

"I'm not a fan of alcohol," I replied. "Juice, sure. Soda, okay. Vodka, whiskey, dirty martini or whatever those other drinks could be... no."

Ashley and Selena rolled their eyes at me in a joking manner.

"Just my opinion," I replied.

"Let's show her the dark side," Ashley spoke to Selena who was quick to nod her head.

My eyes widened.

"No. No. I told you guys I'm not a fan of alcohol."

"Come on, Emery. Live a little," Ashley said as she teleported a glass of a transparent substance onto her hand.

For a moment, I thought she was going to urge me to drink. However, she took the glass and drank the contents.

"Ashley!" Selena and I spoke, both horrified.

"What? It's just water," she said with a shrug. "There are kids here. I wouldn't want them to see me do something stupid, and I wouldn't want to be thrown out of this party because of my drinking."

I narrowed my eyelids at Ashley before drinking the last sip of my drink.

"Emery!" a person I had been trying to avoid since the day began had shouted my name. My form tensed as I turned around, momentarily shocked at the sight of Zane.

He had worn a red suit with a red bow near his collar. His hair was styled into a classic crew. 

Even in red, he looked fine.

Zane seemed excited to see me as evidenced by the smile that was etched on his face.

I was not sure on how to feel about his presence. Ever since the talk I had with Logan and Harry, I had been having thoughts about Zane. I recalled what we had done on my bed, and I found myself missing him.

"Zane," I said his name once he was a hand's distance close to me. He stared into my eyes for a moment, and I was entranced in those brown orbs of his.

For a moment, it looked like he was going to kiss me, but then someone cleared their throat.

Zane's eyes jumped with an emotion that looked like shock before directing his attention to my side. I turned, noticing and remembering that Ashley and Selena were there. The two of them were giving us knowing smirks.

"Hi Ashley, Selena. Oh, my apologies. Queen," Zane greeted as he bowed. Selena rolled her eyes at the action.

"Don't bow, Zane. You'll have everyone turn to face me, and I don't want to talk to many people right now."

"Sorry," Zane replied with a sheepish smile.

"You have no idea how many people had bowed before me in the past few hours," Selena added. Zane then turned his attention to me.

"Would you like to dance with me?"

A thousand thoughts flew through my mind after he made the request. My heart began to beat so quickly, and I momentarily felt out of breath.

"Umm..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say. Zane furrowed his eyebrows at me.

"It's a yes! She will like to dance with you," my cousin decided to answer for me. My eyes had widened before I turned to face her.

"Okay. Then let's go," Zane spoke as he grabbed my hand. I felt electricity zap through my form at the mere contact. I turned my gaze to Selena as Zane and I made our way to the dance floor, narrowing my eyes at her. She just sent me an air kiss.

After a short while, Zane and I had reached the dance floor. At that moment, a pop song was being played. I looked around, noticing other people dancing on the grass with smiles and excitement. My gaze went to Zane, and I was momentarily shocked to see he was staring at me with a smile.

"So, are we going to dance?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. I gave him a smile in return as I started making my own moves. I even thought I did a dab during the middle of the song. Zane was busy break-dancing, or in his case, trying to break-dance.

I smiled at him, glad to know I was not the only one who didn't know how to dance.

"I love this song!" I commented once Rihanna's Where Have You Been sounded through the speakers. I even tried to do the dance moves from the music video, making Zane laugh at me. I wasn't offended. In fact, it urged me to keep on dancing. I soon started waving my hands sideways in the air. I even included a little hip action that had Zane stop laughing for a few seconds.

As if on cue, once the song ended, a slow song began to play.

Oh crap.

I turned my gaze to Zane. He seemed to act like a deer caught in headlights. I looked around, noticing people in groups of two dancing in an embrace.

I was afraid of doing that. It would remind me of how hard I had fallen for Zane. I didn't want to fall any harder if the guy wouldn't reciprocate the feelings I had for him.

I wasn't given enough time to choose because Zane walked towards me. He slowly wrapped his arms around me, bringing my form close to his. Having no other option, I wrapped my arms around his back and slowly started bringing them up to his shoulders.

We stayed like that, swaying to the slow song that was being played. I couldn't recognize the song. It must have been a new one. However, the words sounding through the speakers and the tune made me feel weird. The song was saying something about love. My gaze turned to Zane, and I noticed his eyes were boring into mine.

"Have you been thinking about me lately?" he asked with a low voice, and my eyes widened in shock. I had no idea of how to answer his question.

Of course, I had been thinking of him. I had been missing his presence, his words. his touch and his kisses. I also missed the look he was currently giving me.

"Yes," I replied. Zane's lips turned into a smile.

Before I could think too much about it, I moved my lips onto Zane's. He made a surprised sound, but he soon accepted the invitation.

Zane tightened his arms around my form as we shared a slow, gentle kiss. We were in no hurry, and the way that he was holding me made me feel explosions in my stomach.

Zane soon ended the kiss as we moved to the slow beats of the song, staring at each other.

"Hey, guys!" someone greeted, ending whatever trance Zane had on me. It was Ashley. She was dancing with Harry, and that made my eyes widen in disbelief.

"Ooh, Emery. Selena wanted to talk to you about something important."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I turned to look at Zane, spotting a frown on his face.

"Zane..."

"It's okay," he replied with a smile. And with a growl, he said, "We'll catch up later."

His voice alone made me tingle with want. I chose instead to give him a bashful smile before making my way through the crowd. My eyes danced across my surroundings as I searched for my cousin.

Someone forcefully grabbed my arm. I quickly turned to face the individual, momentarily startled and quickly relaxing when I noticed it was Selena.

"Emery, what the hell were you doing?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

"I was dancing with Zane."

"Yes, you were dancing with Zane. But then, you were kissing him."

My eyes widened in surprise.

"You noticed?"

"Of course I noticed," Selena replied. "Anyone with 80/80 vision could notice. I had Ashley and Harry go to you and stop you two from tearing your clothes off on the dance floor!"

"It was just a kiss," I defended myself. Selena raised an eyebrow as she stared at me in disbelief.

"Seriously? Emery, you didn't tell anyone you were seeing Zane."

"I didn't?" I questioned.

"You didn't," Selena deadpanned.

"I thought I did. After I had told you and Ashley..." I trailed off, realizing that I actually had not told them or anyone that I was seeing Zane.

We stood for seconds without speaking before I said "Surprise?"

Selena looked at me without displaying any emotion on her face. She soon started jumping up and down in joy while clapping her hands in excitement.

"I'm so happy for you!" she said, making me groan. "So, when did this start?"

"When did what start?" Ashley said as she joined us.

"Emery is seeing Zane," my cousin informed her before I could.

"WHAT?" Ashley reacted rather loudly, staring at me in shock. "When did this start?"

There was no way I would be able to escape their questions. When together, Ashley and Selena were capable of annoying someone until they were told what they wanted to hear.

"Umm, the day after the river incident," I confessed. Selena and Ashley screeched. To my surprise, they started enveloping me in hugs.

"I'm so happy for you!" Ashley said as she embraced me. "So when is the wedding?"

That made me silenced in shock.

"What?"

"You know," Ashley stated. "The two of you have been wanting each other for years, Emery. Years. We thought that if the two of you ended up together, you would get married immediately."

"We would not!" I stated. "Besides, I'm not sure if Zane--"

"Emery, stop," my cousin stated. "Zane loves you."

"He doesn't," I replied.

"Oh?" Ashley said with a raised eyebrow. "Then why is he always looking at you?"

"He doesn't."

"He is right now. Look behind you."

With a sigh, I turned to search for Zane. My eyes soon spotted him. He was talking to Harry, exposing his teeth as he laughed about something he told him.

Zane's eyes soon found mine, promising me something with the look he gave me before turning to Harry.

I turned to Ashley and Selena.

"I'm scared, guys. It may look like it, but what if he doesn't love me?"

"The answer to your question is simple, Emery," Ashley stated. "You'll have to ask him."

Her suggestion had my nerves firing up.

"But--"

"The two of you have to talk," Selena stated. "That way, you'll get rid of any confusions you have about each other. Talk to Zane, Emery. We are both sure he feels the same way towards you. And the sooner you confess your love for each other, the sooner you start your happily ever after."

 

 

Chapter 22B

A.N: By now, you should know what is in this chapter. 

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Emery's P.O.V

It was the beginning of another day. I had slowly gotten up from my bed, yawning as I made my way towards the bathroom.

I took a peek through the window, noticing that the sun had risen. It looked to be either nine or ten in the morning. I directed my attention to the bathroom mirror where I proceeded to place toothpaste on my toothbrush.

While I brushed my teeth, my mind went back to what had happened during Selena's coronation party. I recalled the slow dance I had enjoyed with Zane. I recalled the way he had kissed me. I also remembered what Ashley and Selena had told me.

My feelings for Zane had grown; there was no denying I had fallen in love with him. I was hopeful he was feeling the same, especially because of the look he had given me while we were dancing. I wouldn't know what I would do if he couldn't reciprocate my feelings.

I shrugged the thoughts off before making my way towards the bathroom. Suddenly, a hand grasped onto my waist, pulling me back towards a hard form.

I had already lit a fireball when a voice stopped me.

"Good morning," Zane's rough morning voice greeted me, calming the fear of an attack. I extinguished the fireball before turning to face him.

"Zane! You almost gave me a heart attack!" I yelled at him, and he chuckled. 

"I'm sorry for frightening you," he said, turning me so that my back was once again pressed on his front. 

"I've just missed you," he said, bringing back his hand on my stomach to trail downwards. Zane pushed me firmly against him, making me feel his bare torso.

My eyes quickly darted around, and that was when I found the bathroom mirror. Zane was looking at my neck, holding me to him. He was indeed shirtless, and the only thing he had on were boxers that were threatening to slip to the floor. I could see the V near his pubic area, and I could make out a light patch of hair towards his crotch.

"Zane," I moaned, feeling my arousal start just from seeing him in the mirror. By then, his hand had slipped past my shorts. His fingers moved towards my pussy until he had cupped it.

"Emery," he groaned behind me, using his fingers to part my pussy lips. It didn't take long for two long fingers to enter my cunt.

I bucked, arching my back towards Zane as he pushed his fingers deep into my pussy. By then, his knuckles were brushing my clit, sending pleasure all over my form.

"I have missed you, Emery," Zane reminded me as he used his unoccupied hand to delve into my shirt. The hand moved upwards, and it had soon grasped one of my breasts.

"I have missed this pussy of yours, your breasts," Zane pinched a nipple, making me mewl, "and your mouth."

Zane's lips found mine, and he started kissing me with a passion. I gave into the kiss, my arousal rising as his fingers played with my nipple and the walls of my cunt. I felt a wetness gather on my crotch, and with a groan, Zane's knuckles brushed along my clit.

I bucked again, and he groaned in my mouth. His tongue found mine, caressing it in a battle of control as he deepened the kiss. Tingles rose up and down my body, heating my skin and thus making me more wet for him.

Zane's lips left my mouth, and he started kissing and nibbling on the skin of my neck. I threw my head back to him, giving him more access to it. His hands were still on my breast and pussy, heightening my pleasure with such quick precision.

"Zane," I moaned, close to having my walls contract around him. I thought he noticed, because he swiftly removed his hands from my cunt and my breast.

"I've got to taste you," he said. I went to protest as he knelt on the floor. He grasped my shorts, teleporting them away to who-knows-where and thus exposing my bare pussy to him.

"Fuck! You're so wet for me, Emery," Zane's words made me feel embarrassed, but that was changed when I felt his hands grasp my thighs.

"Zane, I'm--"

"Emery, your words are not going to stop me from devouring this sweet wet pussy of yours," Zane groaned out, and before I could protest, his mouth had covered my cunt.

I screamed out at the action, backing myself against the wall. There was nowhere for me to go, and I was only left with the direction towards Zane's mouth.

He grasped my thighs again, wrapping them around his head. He hadn't started kissing my pussy.

Zane got up to a standing position, making me have nowhere to support myself but the wall.

"Zane, are you--"

I screamed out when I felt his tongue on my cunt. It lapped at one of my lips, dragging across it and flicking it. His teeth soon followed, gently tugging at the skin while sucking it in his mouth like some kind of lollipop. I felt pleasure wrack through my form, making me tighten my legs around Zane's head.

Zane copied the action to the other lip, dragging his tongue against it. The roughness of it had me bucking towards the wall, and my hands were stretched out, reaching for something to hold on to.

The moment that Zane found my clit had me moaning in shock and pleasure. Zane toyed with the nub, rubbing it in between his lips and pulling it back with them. His tongue soon followed, darting in precise movements that flicked my nub back and forth. 

I clenched my legs, but Zane's shoulders supporting my thighs made sure my legs were wide open for him to explore my cunt.

"Zane... Z-Zane!" I was stuttering, and his tongue hadn't even entered my cunt. His teeth gently tugged at my clit, and I screamed out in aroused excitement.

Zane hummed at the opening of my pussy before darting his tongue into my cunt. His tongue lapped at the walls that were drenched in my juices. Zane groaned, and I felt his tongue licking across the walls. His mouth moved, and I was shocked to see he was drinking what he could find.

I knew it wasn't the first time he was fucking me with his tongue; nonetheless, the sight of what he was doing made me amazed.

Zane's tongue moved out and darted deep again, hitting the spot that had me shuddering in pleasure. On instinct, I grasped onto Zane's head. He groaned, and that had me retreating my hands.

"I'm s--" I went to apologize, but Zane's hands left my thighs to grasp my hands. He led them to his head, signaling for me to hold on before returning his own hands back onto my thighs.

"Z-Zane..." I stuttered and trailed off in pleasure as he continued to dart his tongue into my cunt. He was moving quickly, swiping his tongue around my walls to collect my wetness. His head moved as he did so, and it was as if he was trying to push himself further.

At one point, his tongue left my pussy walls to toy with my clit. I screamed as Zane groaned. My pussy was contracting at nothing, and I felt as if I was going to come.

In fact, I was going to come; the telltale signs of an incoming orgasm were there. Zane could tell too because he delved back into my pussy. He used his teeth, gently nibbling on the skin while alternatively probing my cunt with his tongue. His head moved, and the action caused his skin to rub on my clit.

"Zane, I'm--" I cut myself off with a scream when he quickened his pace. The orgasm didn't take long to arrive; I felt my pussy walls clench around Zane's tongue as I cried out. I felt my juices flow out of me and into his mouth. Tremors took hold of my form as white blinding light momentarily blocked my vision.

All the while, Zane kept fucking me with his tongue. He prolonged the orgasm until the tremors had stopped. He licked and sucked the juices that had escaped, giving my pussy a long, lingering kiss.

I felt sensitive, and I shivered at his touch. Zane looked up at me, and the look in his eyes told me we were far from done.

My shirt was teleported away, and I was fully naked in front of Zane. He groaned before slowly lowering me to the ground.

"I can swear you tasted better than last time," he commented, and that was when I noticed the area around his mouth was a bit wet.

His hands soon grasped my waist, bringing my form to press against his. My breasts smashed against his chest, the erect nipples sending small jolts of electricity towards my groin area.

I couldn't believe I was ready to go again.

Zane moved closer, parting my thighs with his form. I gasped when I felt the erect head of his cock through his boxer shorts.

"I can't wait to be inside this pussy again," he said before placing his lips on mine. His arms wrapped around my form, pulling me towards him. My legs wrapped themselves around his waist on their own accord, and it wasn't long before Zane started thrusting his clothed cock against my pussy.

"I can't wait to feel your walls clench around my cock," Zane commented, still thrusting his hips against mine. "I can't wait to feel your cunt pulse as you coat my dick in your cum."

It was on one particular thrust that I felt the naked head of his cock on my pussy lips. I guessed he had teleported his boxers away. Either way, the feeling of his bare cock had me gasping, arching myself towards him.

"Oh, you want it, Emery. You are already wet, all because you want my cock again."

Zane was right. It hadn't taken me long to feel aroused in front of him. The realization made me feel surprised and scared at the same time.

My thoughts were cut off when Zane's cock found its way into my pussy. He had aligned his cock and was quickly pushing it in. I cried out at the sudden intrusion, feeling myself get wetter.

"So tight," Zane said, his hands moving downwards to grasp my ass. "I'm going to fuck you against this wall, Emery, and you are going to come on my cock."

I moaned, and a gasp escaped my lips when his cock slowly moved out of me. I felt all of it rub against my sensitive walls, making me want it back in.

Zane pushed in again, and his cock hit my G-spot. I mewled for more.

"That's right, Emery. I want to hear how much you love my cock in your wet cunt. I want to hear you scream my name as I pound this pussy of yours," Zane said as he started a steady rhythm of pistoning his hips against mine.

Unlike last time, he was speeding things up. He was barely giving me time to breathe because his cock would be in and out in milliseconds. The head of his cock kept hitting the right spot. His shaft was wide, and it had my walls stretched and contracting around him as he kept pistoning his hips in and out of me. The heat was something else, and the way his cock moved against the muscles of my cunt had me moaning louder.

Sounds of skin smacking against skin filled the bathroom. What also had me shocked was the sound of something slurping from somewhere. 

A minute later, my arousal was heightened. I felt that I was so wet for Zane, and I made indecipherable sounds each time he pushed his dick in and out of me. I groaned, I moaned, and I screamed at one point.

"So wet for me," Zane murmured, still pounding his cock into me. "You are drenched, Emery. You haven't come yet, and you have still bathed my cock in your juices."

"Zane..." I trailed off with a pleasured moan. As he kept pistoning his hips in and out of me, my breasts bounced with the movement. As they bounced, my nipples never failed to graze against the skin of Zane's pectorals.

"You are dripping for me." he groaned beside me. "Your pussy juices have coated my cock and my balls. I even feel your juices moving down my thighs."

The arousing image came to mind, and I found myself tightening further around Zane's cock. Zane stopped his thrusting motion with a grunt, his form shaking before he resumed pistoning his hips into mine.

His lips found mine again as he suddenly increased the speed of his fucking.

In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. The motion was dizzying. All the while, I felt the usual tingle that started from my cunt that spread through my body.

"I'm... I'm--"

"Come for me, Emery," Zane whispered in my ear. He moved closer to me, grinding his groin area against mine as he pushed his cock in and out of me. The movement reached my clit, and the hairs of Zane's pubic zone tickled my clit. It was pleasurable, and I was soon seeing white.

"ZANE!" I yelled out his name just as my pussy clenched on his cock. My orgasm had me moving closer to Zane. All the while, he was pistoning his hips in and out of me.

The orgasm was so pleasurable that it lasted for a while. Zane was prolonging it with his cock, and with each thrust, the head kept hitting my G-spot. 

Seconds later, another one was threatening to appear.

"Crap. Zane-- AH!" I cried out when the orgasm took over. Zane still thrust his hips into mine as I felt my juices pour out of me. My hold on his back tightened as I screamed.

Moments later, I was gasping for breath. Zane was still pushing and pulling his cock in and out of my cunt. He suddenly stopped with his cock still in my cunt.

"What-- what are you doing?" I asked him. Zane didn't answer as he started walking towards the bedroom. I landed on the bed, and his mouth was soon on mine again.

Zane moved me to a sitting position. We were on my bed, and with the way we were positioned, I seemed a bit taller than him.

"Ride me," Zane ordered before attacking my nipple. I gasped and moaned when his tongue lapped at the peak. His lips sucked it in, and his teeth started nibbling on it.

"Zane-- Ooh!" I cried out when he raised his hips into mine. His cock felt deeper in the position, and it brushed against my pleasure spot.

My eyes widened as I realized the kind of situation I was in.

He was going to kill me with orgasms.

Zane left my nipple, and he looked up to watch me with a heated expression.

"Ride me," he said, moving his hand to grasp my hip. I shifted to sit comfortably on his thighs. Soon, I used my feet to propel me up. 

Zane's mouth attacked my other nipple, and it surprised me up to the point that I lost momentum.

I slipped on his dick, and the head hit my G-spot again. I felt like I was impaled on his dick, and I screamed out loud as bouts of pleasure shook my form. 

That movement had almost forced an orgasm out of me. How was I going to ride Zane? Was it possible for me to do so without coming too quickly?

Zane's other hand grasped my hip as he left my breast.

"Ride me, Emery," Zane repeated, using his hands to guide me up. His cock was coming out, and only his cock head remained inside before he started pushing me down. I mewled again, my cunt getting wetter at the pleasure.

"Zane, I'm--" I went to speak, wanting to warn him about a quick orgasm, but he interrupted me by grasping my hips.

"Fine. I'll make you ride me," he said before starting to piston his hips in and out of me. His cock repeatedly massaged my walls and hit my pleasure spots. 

I couldn't speak then. The pleasure was so intense that I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head. I could only moan, mewl, groan and make inhuman sounds for a moment.

"Come again for me, Emery," Zane ordered, and his words alone made me gasp as the floodgates opened. Zane kept pistoning his hips in and out of me, and I felt like a flood was coming out of my pussy.

"ZANE!" I screeched, the orgasm taking such a hold of me that it had me curling my fingers and toes. Stars danced across my vision as I felt a lot of liquid spill out of my cunt.

"FUCK! FUCK!" he screamed, and it was at that moment that he left his hands from my hips. However, he used his powers to piston my hips to his.

The pleasure was not stopping. Even though I had come, another orgasm was building in a few seconds.

I couldn't warn Zane, and so I arched my back as the orgasm took hold of me. Zane's lips and hands found my breasts and nipples.

My pussy tightened around his cock as he attacked them with a fevor.

Zane used his hands to guide my legs around his waist. It was then that he laid me on the bed and took control once again.

That didn't stop me from having another orgasm. I clawed at his back, kissing him as I felt his torso rub against mine. He kept kissing my nipples and my mouth. His tongue and teeth never failed to make an appearance, and it made me lose my mind.

Minutes later, another orgasm was coming. That one took my breath, making me squeeze the walls of my cunt around Zane's dick. Zane yelled out as he pumped his hips into mine, spurting stream after stream of his come into my pussy. The action prolonged the orgasm, and once it had ended, I was a gasping and sweating mess.

"Mmh," Zane hummed before capturing my lips with his for a kiss. "I'm not done yet, Emery," he mumbled on my lips, and that had me freezing in shock.

Oh crap.

Zane's words both frightened and excited me. I wasn't sure if I could go through another round of multiple orgasms. The ones I had endured had my pussy pulsing as if his cock was still in it.

"I'm going to take you everywhere, Emery. Might as well cancel any plans you have made because we wouldn't be leaving this house anytime soon," Zane promised before his lips attacked mine once again.

 

 

 

Chapter 23

 

Emery's P.O.V

It had been two days after the coronation. Selena had begun her duties as the new queen of Crystalia, and Ashley had been helping her. Also, since Crystalia had gained a new queen, the area was to experience two weeks without magic.

No one had the power to change that. It was an ancient Crystalia tradition brought on by the first rulers. They decided to chant a spell over every witch and future witches with the help of the crystal at that time. It had something to do with protecting the queen from evil witches and such. Times had changed, but the spell was unfortunately binding. 

It was a good thing it only lasted for two weeks.

On the previous day, gray clouds had covered the sky. It had rained heavily all around Crystalia. The plan of confronting Zane had to be postponed. I stayed indoors and watched movies, but my mind would drift to thoughts of how Zane would react when I would confess my love for him.

I still recalled what had happened two days ago. He had surprised me by teleporting into my bathroom. It didn't take long before the two of us...

My form shuddered in pleasure at the memory of what happened in the bathroom and in the bedroom. Zane had managed to make me feel things I had never felt before; it was without a doubt that he was good in bed. We had stayed in my home for the whole day, and we were either eating, talking or having sex. The latter was the constant of the day until I begged Zane to stop when I couldn't handle more multiple orgasms.

A throbbing sensation had started in my groin, and I had to shake the memories off to focus on my surroundings. Fortunately, there were no clouds on the current day. I had been a nervous wreck ever since I got up in the morning. One would think I was going to apply for a job interview.

Anyway, I had gotten up and prepared to head out that morning. I thought of the words I would say to Zane.

I wanted to tell you that I love you.

You make my heart soar.

My heart beats like the African tom-tom drums... wait. That is overused.

I sighed, picturing myself confessing my love to Zane. What if it wouldn't work?

I was in the middle of a mental debate that was against my plan when I found myself standing in front of Zane's house.

With a gulp, I pressed the doorbell. Just as I pressed it, the door began opening.

Oh no.

To my surprise, it wasn't Zane. It was an elderly woman. She had black hair with light streaks of gray.

"Emery?" the woman greeted in disbelief. My eyes widened in shock.

"Do I know you?" I questioned.

"Yes! I'm Zane's mother."

My eyes widened.

Zane's mother...

My mind drifted back to the time thirteen years ago when I was on tour with the Ordinary Brothers. Around that time, bitchy Bianca had joined us. There was a time she paid a bodyguard to block me from entering the boys' hotel suite. After I forcefully teleported myself inside, a woman had come to visit Zane. She and I talked and...

"Oh!" I commented, having remembered her. "Trisha!"

My eyes had widened before I closed my mouth with a hand. Trisha rolled her eyes at the reaction.

"You can still call me Trisha," she said.

"But...how?" I was surprised. I thought she was human. How could she be in Crystalia?

"Do come in, Emery," she said as she went back to the house. I followed her, closing the door behind me.

"If you are looking for Zane, he's not in," Mrs. Marsh said. I momentarily stopped walking, a frown etched on my face. We then made our way towards Zane's dining room.

"No offense, but how are you here?" I asked Trisha once we were seated.

"I'm a witch," she replied as if it was obvious. "Emery, do you remember the first conversation we had?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, not sure about my memory.

"I told you I had a bad feeling about Bianca. Emery, I'm an empath."

My mouth widened in the form of an 'O'.

"Wait. If you were a witch then..."

"I wasn't a witch by then. I was still human. Or I believed I was."

"What?" I was confused.

"I was born a witch, but most of my powers had been taken away. I was only left with empathy."

"Who took your powers?"

"Eva," Trisha replied in an instant. "That happened about thirty years ago. She also took away the memory of her taking my powers."

I was still in shock as I stared at Trisha.

"I know you are in shock. I too was in shock, perhaps more shocked than you."

"How did you know you're a witch?" I questioned.

"When you brought down Eva, you weakened her. That was enough to destroy whatever evil her powers had done. Unfortunately, it couldn't bring back the dead."

I wondered who Trisha meant as she stared into the distance with a sorrowful look. She then physically shrugged her shoulders as she turned her attention to me.

"So, what brings you to my son's house?"

That question was bound to be asked. Hearing it out loud reminded me of my intentions, but I wasn't sure about telling Trisha about them.

"I was, umm... looking for him to talk about something private."

Trisha eyed me for a second.

"Okay. I get that you don't want to talk about whatever it is you don't want to talk..."

I quickly thought of telling her. Trisha seemed like a wise woman, being older than me. She looked like the type who could keep a secret. More importantly, she was Zane's mother. Maybe she could help me with my plans.

"I'm in love with your son," I spoke.

Mrs. Marsh stared at me in shock, but it slowly transformed into a smile.

"Really?" she asked. I was surprised by her reaction.

"That is what I wanted to talk to him about. I'm not sure--"

"He loves you back," Trisha interrupted.

"You can't be sure about that."

"I'm his mother, Emery. When the two of you were in high school, you have no idea of the times I heard him moaning your name in his sleep when I entered his room to pick up his laundry."

I held in a laugh with my hand as I tried to fight off the blush that was threatening to appear on my cheeks.

"I'm also an empath, remember? Do you even recall what I told you years ago?"

"Trisha--" I said with an uneasy smile.

"I told you that my son had born a crush on you since you were both in high school," she interrupted,

I did not want to talk about it.

"Trisha--"

"I know the history the two of you share, but in an extremely weird way, he was trying to show his love for you. He thought he ruined his chances, and so he started dating that bitch, Bianca."

I hated the memory of the said bitch, especially the things she had put me through. Thank goodness she was rotting away in jail.

Mrs. Marsh gained a faraway look.

"I hated her ever since Zane brought her to my house. He wanted me to get to know her. I did, but I ended up disliking her more whenever she opened her mouth. I thought something was wrong with me, but then I realized I was right. I also knew the bitch was stealing from my son."

My eyes widened in shock.

"She took his silver watch when she was at my home. That thing was expensive. About four hundred euros. I told Zane, but he believed that I was trying to drive a wedge between them."

I was silent for a while. I raised my head to face her, ready to ask a question that had been on the tip of my tongue, but she beat me to the answer.

"I was confused at first, but I later realized you were innocent. I'm sorry, Emery. I am so sorry for the hell my son and his friends had put you through."

I didn't want to remember the past. Even though I had gotten over it, the memory was strong enough to make me tear up.

"I tried to tell him that you were right about Bianca, but he didn't listen. I knew it would kill him when he figured out how wrong he was about you. And it almost did."

I hiccupped a sob, quickly wiping away the tears that had started to form. I was saddened by what had happened to me, but I was also sorrowful over Zane. We could have avoided all that mess. If only...

"You had my son and Harry arrested for the awful things they did to you."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"One cannot easily wipe away the memory of a witch," Trisha answered with a small smile as she stared at me. "I also know what you did to him and his friends. I want you to know I am not mad. I know you were under the influence of Eva's potion. They deserved whatever you did to them. And now, I'm glad you both found a way to let go of the past."

The chair squeaked, and I heard Mrs. Marsh's footsteps as she made her way towards me. She stopped beside me, wrapping her arms around me in a hug. The sobs were ceasing, and Trisha decided to rub my back in comfort.

"He loves you, Emery. He just feels he doesn't deserve you at times. He is truly sorry for what he did to you."

"I know," I whispered, referring to her last statement as I started calming down from my tearing episode.

***********************************************************************************************

After the unexpected emotional talk, Trisha and I spent hours talking about other things. I found out the rest of Zane's family was also in Crystalia. We talked about them and Trisha convinced me to make plans of visiting them. We talked about how I had been doing in the past years, and we chatted about other stuff that came to mind.

It was, however, time for Trisha to go. She waved me goodbye, making me promise to visit her and her family. She also reminded me with confidence that Zane certainly had feelings for me before she left.

I stayed at Zane's house for a while as I waited for him to arrive. I raided his fridge and prepared myself a little snack to eat as lunch, reminding myself to tell Zane about restocking his foodstuffs. I could even go grocery shopping for him if he wanted on another time. 

An hour had passed, and it looked like Zane wasn't coming. It was past noon by then, and I had been waiting for quite a long time after Trisha had left.

I suddenly felt like an idiot. What if he was avoiding me? Was it the intense emotions I had felt for him the last time he visited me?

Maybe he was still in school.

Oh crap. Why did I forget the school?

I made a quick exit out of Zane's home, locking the door behind me. Then I proceeded to make my way towards Zane's school.

When I had arrived, the students were in the process of leaving the premises. I waited for a while for the departing students to reduce in number before I made my way towards the building.

I passed hallways and classrooms, trying to recall the path to Zane's class. After a minute of walking around, I came to a stop in front of an open classroom. I entered it, looking around and realizing it looked familiar.

It was Zane's class.

I sighed in relief as I turned to face his desk, noticing I wasn't alone. There was a girl who was standing in front of the desk, watching me with a frown.

Okay...

"Hi! Have you seen your teacher?" I asked as politely as I could. The girl had worn an outfit that seemed to expose the lower half of her torso and her long tanned legs. 

She gave me some kind of inspection, letting her eyes run up and down my form.

"Who are you?" she questioned. I narrowed my eyebrows in confusion. 

"Emery. I'm a friend of Zane's. And who are you?" I knew she was a student, but I wanted to find out her name.

"None of your business," the girl replied, making the smile on my face immediately drop.

Oh my—

"Look. I noticed how you were staring at my teacher on the other day. I know you like him, probably even want to keep him for yourself. You should back away from Zane. He's mine!"

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. That girl had no idea of how many insults I could fire at her.

"Umm, you are a teenager. Zane is practically a decade older than you. You're like a baby to him! How can he be yours?"

"He will be mine. And if I have to get rid of a bitch on my way, then so be it."

I blinked quickly without replying for a moment.

"Did you just call me a bitch?" I questioned with a low voice, not even focusing on the threat she made. "Listen here you ugly, flat-chested, small-boobed, definitely-doesn't-know-how-to dress--"

The girl cut me off with a slap. Obviously to my face.

My head had turned on impact as a stinging sensation began on my cheek. I was quickly infuriated as I turned to face the bitch with rage.

I raised my hand and quickly slapped the bitch. It was a hard slap, and she yelped in pain.

"Bitch, I've gone through worse shit than the insults you have probably been saying about me with your friends," I slapped the girl again, making her cry out. "You have no idea of the shit-storm I can unravel on you. Next time think twice before insulting someone twice your age," I commented. The girl did not reply. In fact, her shoulders shook as she sobbed harder.

What the hell?

I instantly felt something wasn't right.

I turned around, noticing that Zane was looking at the two of us.

At that moment, I felt the blood drain from my face.

Oh crap. Not again.

I knew how it looked like, and I knew that I had made a mess of things. Zane had caught me slapping a student of his, and by the glare etched on his face, I knew he was angry.

He was silent for a moment as his eyes jumped between me and the bitch.

"Emery," he spoke my name in a scary calm voice, and chills ran up and down my spine. "I need you to back out of the class."

"Zane--"

"Back out," he ground out, and I quickly shut up. I moved towards the exit, feeling tears threaten to sting my eyes.

I couldn't believe it. That crap had happened to me again. It first happened with Bianca, and it happened again with the girl.

Unbelievable.

I had to get out of the class and avoid whatever accusations Zane would throw my way.

"Stop crying, bitch!" Zane shouted. My vision was clouded again, but I refused to accept the insults. I quickly wiped the tears away, turning to give Zane a piece of my mind.

I momentarily stopped, seeing that he wasn't talking to me. He had grabbed the girl's arm, forcing her to face him. The girl had a frightened look etched on her.

"Mr. Marsh. It's not my fault. It's Emery! She--"

"You are suspended for two weeks," Zane interrupted the bitch.

My eyebrows raised in surprise as the bitch yelled "What?"

"You heard me. I don't want to see you in my class for the next two weeks. You'll be lucky if I'll want you to continue being my student."

"But Mr. Marsh... she slapped me!" the girl tried to defend herself.

"After you slapped her first."

"B-but..." the girl stammered.

"It looks like you haven't heard what I have just said. Do you want me to expel you or to slap you myself? I don't like hitting women, but I can make an exception for you."

The girl's eyes widened before she quickly scurried off the room. My attention had been on her as she ran out of the class. My gaze turned to Zane. His back was to me. He ran his hands through his hair as he turned to face me.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I didn't reply at first, my eyes still wide in surprise.

"I'm sorry about that. I am so sorry..." Zane trailed off, coming towards me and embracing me in a hug.

"I'm sorry for making you cry," Zane said next to my ear. He raised a hand to caress my cheek, and butterflies exploded in my stomach. I hugged him back as I felt my tense shoulders drop in relief.

"Emery?"

"I'm okay," I said as we retracted the hug. Zane stared at me with an apologetic and concerned look.

"I thought you were going to take her side."

He gave me a small smile before shrugging his shoulders.

"Do you remember what happened the last time I did that? I don't want anything to come between us."

My heart thumped when he mentioned 'us.' I decided not to think too much about it.

"Do you want to go out? I haven't eaten anything since morning, and I could really use the company."

I knew I had planned to talk to Zane about my feelings. After the drama that had just occurred a few seconds ago, I needed a break from the emotions to regroup. Zane looked like he too needed a break, and so I decided to postpone the talk. I wanted to have it in a private place, most likely his house or mine.

"Sure," I replied with a smile.

 

Chapter 24

 

Emery's P.O.V

"So, where do you want to eat?" Zane asked as we left the school. He was leading us towards a gray parked car. 

"Pizza Castle?" I recommended in a question, remembering Logan and Harry taking me there and the wonderful pizzas we ate.

Zane smiled as we got into his car. We then proceeded to drive towards Pizza Castle where we spent hours talking about anything that came to our minds. Afterward, I requested Zane to go grocery shopping with me. At first, he declined. I mentioned his empty fridge, and that had him changing his mind.

Zane and I spent more than an hour at the grocery store. When we were done, we packed the stuff in his car and drove back to his house. It would have been easier just to teleport there, but we couldn't use magic. 

Two weeks suddenly felt like a month.

Zane used a route that led to the back of his house where, unknown to me, a garage was located. Zane parked the car in the garage. We had exited it before taking the groceries out of the trunk. I helped Zane with carrying and arranging the groceries. A while later, we were done.

"So, what do you want to do?" Zane asked with raised eyebrows.

"We could watch a movie," I suggested. Zane and I then proceeded to prepare the popcorn and drinks for the movie. We agreed to watch the 2017 version of Beauty and the Beast in 3D 8K. We slipped on the 3D glasses, and I was amazed I couldn't see the pixelated screen. The scenes were very realistic, and I felt like I was in the movie.

I guess that was the point of 3D and many pixels on a screen.

The movie was about two hours long. Zane and I watched it, at some points singing along the songs that played. That included, if I got the titles correct, Aria, Bonjour and Gaston. There were also songs I barely knew the lyrics to, including the one called Evermore. Zane apparently knew it.

"You know that song?" I asked.

"Yep," he replied. I was stunned for a moment.

"Why?"

Zane took his time to reply.

"I just do. It's emotional. It shows the feelings the beast has for Belle."

"Really? I find it kind of depressing; loving someone who you fear will never love you back, and then being stuck with those unreciprocated feelings."

I felt chills run along my spine as I realized what I had just said. I might as well have been the beast in our scenario with Zane being Belle.

How awkward.

"Did you know that the character that plays LeFou is Olaf from Frozen?" I attempted to change the subject by asking another random question. Wonderfully for me, it worked.

We were then quiet, only talking when exciting scenes had started. The movie soon ended, and I began cleaning up the mess of the popcorn that had formed on the couch.

"What's the time?" I asked as I got up from the couch. Zane furrowed his eyebrows as he took out his phone.

"Whoa! It's eight," he said, making me widen my eyes in disbelief. I couldn't believe time had flown so fast. Then I frowned when I realized I had to leave.

"Well, I guess it's time for me to go," I said as I got up from the couch, heading towards the exit. Zane followed me, not saying a word. It bothered me a little. Once we were at the door, I turned around to face him.

"I had fun today," I told him.

Zane gave me a small smile.

"Me too," he replied, staring at me. I shuffled my feet for a while, glancing at the door and back at him.

The memory of what I had planned came back to my mind. I couldn't believe I had forgotten to talk to Zane about my feelings for him! 

I decided to push that forward, again. I was leaving anyway, and I didn't want to depart with such a conversation.

"Well, see you tomorrow," I told him as I turned to reach for the door handle.

"Okay. Goodnight," Zane replied. I turned and swung the door open, only to be met by a cold breeze and the wind loudly blowing into the house. My eyes closed on instinct as I felt streams of water pouring onto my form. I wiped my face before forcefully opening my eyes to see what was going in.

There was a storm.

Thunder rumbled in the distance as lightning flashed in the clouds. The light produced from the bolt of lightning gave me a glimpse of my surroundings. It was raining hard. The ground was wet with water everywhere. The nearby trees were bent towards the direction of the loudly-blowing wind. Also, there seemed to be small rivers being formed around the house.

I felt movement behind me as an arm wrapped around my waist, pushing me back. Zane quickly moved forwards, reaching for the door handle and closing the door. He turned to face me with concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I touched my face, noticing it was wet. I looked down, seeing that my clothes had also been soaked.

I groaned, realizing I had been rained on.

Just my luck.

Even though I loved the rain, it was currently a bitch. Why couldn't it wait to pour until midnight? I couldn't even use my powers to get to my home because of that freaking ancient spell. That meant I was trapped with Zane.

I couldn't spend the night with Zane. There was a possibility we would have sex again, but I wanted that to happen if he would reciprocate the feelings I had for him. 

"Oh shit," Zane commented as he looked at me. "Let me get you a pair of clean clothes." He went towards his hallway, disappearing as he turned towards an open door.

I frowned, moving forwards and quickly stopping when I recalled my wet state. A cool breeze passed me, making me shiver. Zane quickly came back with a towel, a blue shirt, and dark blue boxer briefs. My eyes widened in wariness.

They were his clothes.

"Zane..." I trailed off.

"I checked the weather, and it doesn't look like the rain will stop anytime soon. You may have to stay here for the night."

I groaned.

"It's okay. I brought you a pair of fresh clothes. You could even take a bath and change into these. I can even stay in another room," he added.

"Zane, it's not that I don't want to hang with you. I just can't," I tried to reason.

"What?" he inquired, confused.

"I feel like a disturbance."

Also because I don't think I'll be able to keep my hands to myself.

"Emery, don't be ridiculous," Zane said with a smile. "You are not a bother. Now, take a shower and change into these clothes. We can then have dinner and watch another movie. This could be like a sleepover."

I stared at the clothes. Realizing I had no other option, I nodded my head in agreement. Zane smiled at me before walking off to the kitchen. I sighed, getting rid of my wet shoes before turning to head towards the hallway.

I looked at my sides as I tried to find the bathroom. I only knew my way to the toilet, the dining room, the entertainment room and the kitchen. I was very glad the toilet was in a small room of its own. I finally stopped at an open door that led to the shower.

Zane's bathroom had sky-blue walls. Roughly patterned tiles were on the floor while smooth white ones were on the walls around me. There was a large empty tub on my right. On my left was the shower, surrounded by tall translucent walls that made it hard for anyone to see what was inside.

I turned to lock the door. Then I proceeded to go into the shower.

The hot shower was wonderful. After an indecipherable amount of time, I got out. I dried myself and changed into Zane's clothes. Zane's shirt reached past my hips, and his boxers covered my knees. They smiled like him, and they were comfortable.

It was then that I realized I had no bra or panties to wear. I soon decided not to think too much about it. I was just spending the night, and it looked like we would soon be asleep.

I quickly got out of the bathroom. My feet led me to the dining room. I moved around as I walked towards the window, moving the curtains to the side and inspecting how everything was outside.

A flash of lightning appeared, giving me a glimpse of the still-pouring rain. Zane was right about it not dying down anytime soon.

I drew back the curtains as I turned to go towards the kitchen. Zane was already there with an apron and oven mittens.

"Dinner will be ready in about half an hour," he said as he took off the oven mittens, making me widen my eyes in shock.

"What? Already?" I asked, getting a nod of the head from him. "How long was I in the shower?"

"About an hour," he replied, and I just blinked in shock. "No worries. I understand how relaxing a hot shower can be."

I decided to just nod my head.

"I need to take a shower. Feel free to do as you please," Zane informed me before leaving the kitchen.

I moved towards the oven. I looked at it, spotting the food that was made visible by the internal orange light. I was surprised to notice it was lasagna.

My stomach grumbled at the smell, startling me. I was surprised that Zane could cook so well. I just hoped the thirty minutes would soon pass. Hopefully, I could find something to do as the food continued cooking.

That reminded me of my phone. With wide eyes, I searched for it. It took me a long while to which my frustration increased, but I finally found it in the entertainment room, buried under a couch.

Really? You were here all along? I thought as I stared angrily at the device. I switched it on, realizing I had three missed calls. I decided to phone the caller.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"I'm okay, Ashley."

"I'm at your house. I called the rest to ask where you are, but nobody knew. Where are you?"

"I'm with Zane."

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

"What?"

"It's okay. I'm at Zane's house. I'll be sleeping here tonight."

"Ooh," Ashley gushed. "By sleeping, do you mean..."

"Ashley," I chastised.

"Okay. I won't tease you... for now. Anyway, I'm glad to hear you're okay. I'll be staying at your home for tonight."

"It's fine. I don't mind."

"Great! See you tomorrow."

The call ended after that. I stared at the phone for a while, thinking about what else to do.

"Who was that?" Zane's voice carried in the room.

"That was Ashley. She's staying at my house. Wow! That was a fast..." I trailed off as I turned to face Zane.

He was shirtless again, showing off his muscular form that appeared golden-brown in the lighting. His six-pack clenched as he shifted on his feet. He had worn a white towel around his waist that showed off a bit of the 'V' of his hips. He wasn't facing me, busy wiping off the droplets off his chest with another towel that dangled around his neck. His pecs moved, and his arm muscles bulged and contracted as he continued wiping himself. Zane had bent his head to concentrate on his wet torso. His hair was also wet, some strands sticking onto his forehead. I immediately felt a jolt of electricity run through my form.

"A fast what?" Zane asked as he raised his head to face me. I quickly diverted my eyes to his face, a blush forming on my cheeks as I hoped he had not caught me ogling.

"Shower. I thought you would take longer," I replied as calmly as I could. Zane gave me a look of confusion.

"I think ten minutes have passed," he said with a smile. My eyes widened in disbelief.

"What?" I asked. Had I been looking for my phone for that long?

Instead, Zane grinned before turning to head towards the hallway. As he walked, I took a good, long look.

Even his back is sexy.

I couldn't believe the effect he still had on me. I thought I would be used to seeing him half-naked by then, considering we had had sex a couple of times, but I was wrong. He could still make my crotch throb with need.

Zane later returned to the dining room, thankfully having worn clothes. He had worn black boxers and a gray shirt with sleeves that barely reached his elbows. That meant that I got to see his arm muscles. I guess it was something I could bear seeing.

"So, what about that dinner?" Zane said. I had smiled before we proceeded to prepare the dining room table. We conversed as we did so, and the food in the oven was soon ready. Zane and I settled ourselves around the dining room table with our plates of lasagna and garlic bread. As we ate, Zane and I talked about stuff that came to our minds.

We had finished our meals, and we began preparing to go to bed. Zane led me to the bathroom. He handed me a new toothbrush that he had stored in case a guest planned to spend the night. We brushed together in the bathroom without saying a word, and about five minutes later, we were done.

"Alright. Do you mind if we call it a night?" Zane asked me. "I'm not sure, but I may have to go to the school tomorrow."

"It's no problem," I replied.

"Okay. Let me lead you to the bedroom," Zane spoke. We entered his hallway again, and after covering a few feet, we stopped at a closed door. Zane pushed it open, and I was momentarily stunned in surprise.

Zane was not a slob, and the room in front of me proved it. It was large. A king-sized bed was positioned on my right. A mahogany desk was on my left with two monitors on it, a keyboard and a mouse. A wardrobe was placed on its side, and in front of me was a window that was blocked by thick gray curtains.

"Wow," I said, moving into the room and sitting on the bed. The bed was a bit cold, but I found it comfortable. "I like your room."

"I'm glad," Zane replied. I was feeling the sheets when I turned to face him, giving him an appreciative smile.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

That was followed by a moment of silence, the both of us not knowing what to say. The only things I could hear was the thunder, the wind blowing outside and the rain. The volume of our external environment was thankfully low.

"Well, good night," Zane said, turning to leave the room.

"Wait," I said, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to face me. "Where are you going to sleep?"

"Emery, don't worry about me. I can take the couch."

My mouth dropped in disbelief.

"No. Come sleep with me," I said. A few seconds later, it dawned on me what I had requested. I thought over it and quickly agreed with the suggestion.

"That's the problem, Emery," Zane told me with a groan. It was then that I realized his eyes had turned a dark brown. "If I share the bed with you, none of us are going to sleep anytime soon."

Zane's voice had deepened, and with the way he was looking at me, I couldn't help but feel the start of arousal.

"What if I want to share the bed with you?" I said, much to Zane's surprise. "What if I want you to touch me..."

"Emery--"

"...and to feel you all over me. What if I want your cock inside me, making me crazy with need until I come?"

"Emery, I'm begging you to stop. I am literally seconds away from taking you. I won't be able to stop until you lose consciousness."

I shuddered at his words. They produced an image in my mind of Zane in between my legs, pistoning his hips into mine at a fast rate and drawing out orgasm after orgasm out of me within seconds. I was forced to clench my legs as I felt a dripping sensation on the inside of my thighs.

"Are you sure you can do that?" I teased, kind of breathy from the arousal I was feeling.

I anticipated what came next. With a groan, Zane had backed me into a wall and placed his lips on mine.

 

Chapter 24B

Emery's P.O.V

Zane pressed my form against the wall as he continued kissing me. I thought I would have gotten used to the sensation of his lips on mine by then, but I was wrong. Fiery tingles ran through my form, and they became stronger when Zane wrapped his arms around my waist. 

His lips rubbed against mine as he continued the passionate kiss. The sound of the rain became tuned out as my senses shifted to focus on Zane. It made everything intense for me.

Zane groaned as he urged my form closer to his. His hands cupped my butt, pushing me closer to him. His tongue soon probed my lips open, attacking mine in a sensual caress. I moaned in his mouth, reveling in the feeling of his tongue deliciously touching mine. As he did this, his hands moved to roam around my back.

"Zane..." I trailed off in a moan, and Zane groaned in my lips. His hold on me tightened, and it didn't take seconds before his hands reached into my shirt.

Zane's lips trailed to my cheeks and to my neck, kissing the susceptible spot near my shoulder. His hands that were in my shirt caressed my skin. The texture of his fingers and the heat coming from his hands made me feel goosebumps on my flesh.

"Emery..." Zane groaned on my neck before placing his lips on mine once again. The hands in my shirt trailed higher, and it didn't take long for them to caress my back.

Zane momentarily stopped kissing me. He looked at me with lust in his eyes.
"You're braless?" he asked huskily. I went to speak, but his hands found out the answer. They quickly grasped my breasts, squeezing them and sending heat to my core. His fingers rubbed against the tip of my nipples.

I gasped at the action, feeling a throbbing sensation in my pussy.

"I want it off," he said, grasping parts of the shirt in his hands. He quickly tugged it off me, leaving my torso bare for him to see.

"Fuck!" he commented before attacking my lips again. My form was soon pressed against his. My breasts were flush against his chest, and the heat that was coming from him made my nipples pebble.

I mewled, rubbing myself against him. The texture of his shirt teased my nipples, making them pebble further.

Zane groaned before reaching for his shirt. He quickly tugged it off, exposing his muscular chest.

He pressed himself against me once again. I moaned when my nipples made contact with his heated skin. The light hairs tickled my nipples, and the delicious feeling spread to my core, making me want to squeeze my legs in want.

Zane's hands reached for my waist. He wrapped one of his arms around my middle, and he placed the other one on my front. Soon, the hand on my front was starting a journey going downwards. Zane's fingers tugged at a nipple, releasing a moan from me. The hand went lower, caressing the skin of my stomach as it did so. 

"Zane-- Oh!" I cut myself off with a moan when his fingers found my cunt. He moved his hand further so it could cup my pussy. The hand gently rubbed against the lips, and it soon grasped the inside of my thigh. I felt a warm wetness on the skin.

"You're wet for me, Emery," Zane whispered on my lips, still giving me his dizzying kisses. Three of his fingers delved into my cunt, making me moan in pleasure. I felt the throbbing sensation in my pussy increase.

"So wet..." Zane trailed off, ending the kiss to observe his fingers exploring in my shorts. The sensations in my core threatened to make me lose control of my limbs, and so I moved to place my hands on his shoulders. Zane's fingers went further in my cunt, and it forced me to clench my fingers around his shoulders. The heat of his fingers made me aware of my crotch, and that was when I felt more liquid gather in my channel.

Wanting to reciprocate the feeling, I reached between us to grasp on Zane's tented erection. He bucked at the action, groaning as I felt his cock twitch in my hold. The cock was hard and firm in my grasp, and I could feel its heat.

"Emery--"

"I want to taste you," I cut him off. Zane stopped kissing me, and his fingers stopped playing with my pussy.

"What?" he looked surprised.

"You always go down on me, and I wanted to try it out. I want to suck your cock, Zane," I explained, lightly nibbling on his lower lip. The heat in his eyes increased as his darkened orbs stared at me.

"Emery," he moaned, using his hands to press me further against him.

"Please? You told me I could do it one day. I want to try it," I told him, placing my hands on his shoulders.

Zane stared at me with indecision. With a groan, he kissed me.

"It won't be easy, but I'll help you," he said in between kisses.

I left Zane's lips to kiss his cheek. The rough hairs of his stubble tickled my skin, but they did not deter me from my mission. My lips moved down to his defined jaw, and it didn't take me long to reach his neck.

Zane sighed, tilting his head back to give me more access. I trailed my lips over the skin while I gently nibbled on small areas. I even kissed his Adam's apple, causing his form to tense in front of me. 

My lips continued, coming to rest on his shoulders. Zane's skin was smooth yet firm. I moved forward, caressing the skin and trailing my hands over his arms. Zane's form tensed at my touch, making some of his muscles expand as a result. 

My lips found his neck again as my hands trailed over his shoulders and arms. The light hairs on his skin did not help in quenching my hunger for him. My hands moved back to his shoulders, and that was when I started a slow caress downwards.

My hands lingered on his pectorals, and my mouth opened in a silent moan. As my fingers trailed further downwards to his defined abs, a pleasured gasp escaped my lips.

Zane released another groan, pushing himself into my touch. I looked up at him and witnessed the storm of lust in his eyes. It made me squeeze my legs in need.

With a sigh, my lips moved to kiss Zane's pecs. I squeezed them with my hands, feeling how firm they were before I started lightly tugging at the nipples with my teeth. That earned me a gasp from Zane

I hoped it was a pleasured gasp.

I directed my gaze up, seeing that he had titled his head back. His lips had parted, and it seemed like he wanted to moan.

So far, so good.

I faced quite a battle with my arousal when my lips finally reached his abs. I had to kneel on the ground so that I could give them my attention. 

The muscles expanded and contracted before me as I kissed each one of them. I stuck out my tongue, feelings the rises and dips of them. I even tickled his navel.

"Emery..." Zane gasped out a groan, and his abs clenched in front of me. I continued kissing the muscles for a while, moaning out my pleasure as I watched how they contracted for me.

"Emery..." Zane moaned, and I took it as a sign of continuing with my ministrations. My mouth left his abs, only to trail downwards.

My pussy clenched in arousal as a result. I looked at Zane's skin, seeing the defined V of his hips. His boxers were hanging low enough for me to see the start of his pubic area. Light black hairs were peeking out of the black boxers he had worn.

My lips kissed Zane's hips, feeling his erection slightly nudge at my throat. The action had Zane buckling, and I got an erotic show when his abs contracted again.

My hands reached for his boxers. I grasped the hem, feeling my fingers brush against his skin. Slowly, I lowered them, silently moaning as his cock finally made an appearance. The clothing pulled at his erection, and once it had reached his thighs, his dick slapped against his abs,

I could do nothing for a moment but stare in wonder and in a huge state of arousal. The sight of Zane's dick had me clenching my legs in want. I felt the pulsing sensation between my legs increase, and if possible, I felt my juices start trailing along my thighs.

Zane's cock was a bit darker than the rest of him. It had a nice girth and it was long, about eight inches in measurement. Precum was oozing out of the slit, sliding down his shaft and dripping onto his balls.

Crap.

I continued to stare at it, capturing the full picture of the appendage that had caused me a lot of pleasure every time Zane made love to me.

I reached out a hand to grasp the organ.

"Emery..." Zane trailed off with a rough voice. I clenched the hand around him, making him slightly buckle in my hold. I moved the hand down his shaft, seeing the skin pull as I did so. That was when I noticed the few veins on his cock.

I released my hold on him, only to stick out my tongue to lick at the cock head. Zane groaned as his cock twitched on my tongue. I went for the slit, gathering the precum that was still oozing from his shaft. I darted my tongue back into my mouth, feeling the taste of the clear liquid.

I moved forward while opening my mouth. I took deep breaths before placing the cock head on my lower lip.

"Emery!" Zane yelled out in a groan. His cock bobbed, the head hitting my lips. I moved forward, taking the full head into my mouth. Zane's form trembled as he tried to stay still.

With a moan, I continued to move the cock into my mouth. Seconds later, a problem ensued when Zane's cock head hit the back of my throat.

I soon felt hands on my cheeks. Zane tilted my head up so that I could see him. 

The storm in his eyes had not dimmed. In fact, his form shook a little when his eyes found mine.

"Breathe through your nose, Emery," he informed me with a rough voice. "It will help with your gag reflex."

I did as he had advised, and slowly, I moved my mouth to have his cock nudge at my throat. I breathed again before I brought my head forward, pushing the cock into my throat.

Slight tears blocked my vision as I felt immediate discomfort.

"Breathe, Emery," Zane said, still caressing my head. My hands that had been clenching on my sides moved to grasp his thighs for support. I did as he advised, and a while later, Zane's cock was pushing into my throat.

"Emery..." Zane trailed off in a groan with his form trembling again. I continued pushing the head into my throat until I reached a point where I had had enough. 

By then, almost all of his cock was in my mouth. There were a couple of inches left before my nose could hit his pubic area.

I tightened my lips around Zane's shaft, moving backward. My throat muscles clenched around Zane's cock as it left my throat, and Zane moaned above me. Once the head was touching my lips, I moved back in.

It was difficult at first, but I managed to start a slow rhythm with the dick. I experienced discomfort several times, but I was able to please Zane without a lot of problems.

"Fuck!" Zane yelled as his form trembled again. I looked up at him, seeing his abs clench and his eyes close in pleasure.

The sight had my cunt clenching in need. Juices trailed along my thighs, and I wouldn't be surprised if I were dripping on the floor.

The pleasure of having Zane's huge cock in my mouth had me moving my hands higher. I was confused on whether to hold onto his waist or still onto his thighs. Zane aided me by guiding his hands towards his ass.

I would have gasped out loud were it not for his dick in my mouth. 

Zane's hands urged me to squeeze mine on his ass cheeks, and I did so. Zane moaned above me as he bucked his cock into my mouth. I did it again, and I reveled in the feel of his buttocks on my hands.

We continued like that, and at one point, Zane decided to take control. He held onto my head as he started thrusting his dick in and out of my mouth.  It seemed problematic once again, but I was able to cope with it. 

I loved the feel of him moving in my throat. It made me moan in pleasure as my arousal heightened. 

"Emery..." he trailed off with a groan at one point. He was shaking a lot by then, and his abdominal muscles were clenched. I already knew what was going to happen. 

With a moan, I clenched my hands on his ass cheeks as I bobbed my head faster on him.

"Emery!" Zane yelled as he threw his head back. His hands clenched around my head as his orgasm took over. His cock twitched in my throat before I felt something salty and hot hit my tongue. It came out in streams, filling up my mouth with its heat. Some of it spilled out of my mouth, coating the sides of my cheeks.

I traced part of the liquid, coming to realize it was his cum.

I looked up at Zane as his cock bobbed in my mouth in after-orgasm. I tightened my lips around his cock, sucking and forcing the cum out of him. 

Moments later, I swallowed. 

"Fuck," he commented as he looked down on me, grasping my shoulders and helping me stand. It didn't take long for him to wrap his arms around my form.

I yelped when he suddenly grabbed my butt, hoisting me up so I could wrap my legs around him. Zane walked us over to his bed, and he gently placed me in a sitting position.

Zane's naked form came behind me, and his hands instantly went for the shorts. He hoisted me up to sit on his bare thighs. 

"That was very great, Emery," he told me while his lips trailed across my shoulder. His hands then teleported my shorts away, and I was naked like he was.

Zane's hands trailed along my thighs, and he gathered the evidence of my arousal.

"You loved watching me come in your mouth, did you?" Zane whispered on my shoulder. Before I could reply, his hands went for my cunt.

"Zane!" I screeched when three of his fingers delved into my pussy.

"Fuck! You're so wet, Emery," he commented with a groan, delving his fingers deeper into my cunt. I went to close my thighs together, but Zane tangled each of his legs around mine. The action caused me to sit on the bed, and as Zane widened his legs, he widened them with mine.

His thighs were practically pressing against mine, stopping any motion of my legs wanting to close themselves.

"Zane..." I mewled, feeling pleasure each time his fingers moved in my cunt. The fingers rubbed against my walls and hit my G-spot. Another one of his fingers was playing with my clit, twirling around the nub and tapping it. 

Zane pistoned his fingers in and out of me, each time never failing to make me moan. He was fucking me with them, and I could do nothing but enjoy the sensations.

Zane's lips soon found mine, and I moaned when his tongue joined in. Pleasure shook my form as he kept kissing me and pistoning his fingers in and out of me.

Sucking his dick had made me so aroused. Zane didn't have to wait long for me to have an orgasm. 

I cried out when it took control of my form. My pussy walls contracted around Zane's fingers as he kept on fucking me with them, squeezing as my juices came out of me. 

I looked down, gasping at the amount of cum that had escaped my cunt. The sheets were partially drenched with it, and it made me blush.

"Fuck, Emery," Zane roughly whispered in my ear as he used his fingers to prolong my orgasm. Once it had ebbed, he turned me so that I was lying on the bed.

Zane moved up and hovered over me. I soon felt his cock at my entrance. 

"Zane..." I trailed off with a moan when the cock head started teasing my opening. It nudged my clit a couple of times, and it didn't take long before I started feeling aroused again.

Zane then lowered his head to my breast and tugged at the nipple with his teeth. I gasped just as he rubbed the head along my lips and on my clit. 

"Fuck, you look beautiful," he said as he looked into my eyes, slowly shoving his dick into my cunt. I arched up to him in pleasure, moaning in shock when his mouth found my breast again.

Zane moved forward as he grasped my thighs, widening my legs so that he could push to the hilt. The base of his cock rubbed against my pussy lips, and the hair on his groin brushed against my clit.

"Ooh," I moaned, feeling a sudden heightening of my heat.

Zane shifted, making the hairs of his groin rub against my clit. I silently moaned as he took his cock out, only to quickly shove it back in. 

Zane kept the pace, starting a slow thrust that intensified my arousal. Was it normal to be ready to go off again so soon? 

Because it felt like I was about to do so.

"Zane..." I trailed off with a gasp as more electric shocks ran through my form. I felt wetness around my crotch and increased bliss with the way Zane's dick was twitching inside me. I didn't want to have a quick orgasm, and so I started taking deep breaths to control it.

At one particular thrust, Zane pushed his cock deep inside me, making me gasp out loud.

"Emery? Oh shit. I'm sorry. Did I hurt you? Oh crap..." Zane trailed off as he apologized while I closed my eyes and clenched my fists, trying to control the large bouts of pleasure I felt. 

I was trying to hold off my orgasm, but it was getting harder by the second.

"Emery?" Zane called out to me. I could feel his heartbeat through his dick, and as a result, his dick slightly twitched inside me, rubbing at my sensitive nerves. It was like the head was right at my G-spot. 

I felt like a ticking time bomb; any further movement and I would go off.

"I'm okay," I replied after a while. "I just..." I trailed off as I thought of ideas to tamper the pleasure. I decided to clench around him. Maybe that would help.

Bad idea.

"Fuck!" Zane yelled, involuntarily pushing his cock deeper inside me. His dick twitched as it hit my G-spot hard. The thrust sent tingles all over my form that almost made me orgasm.

Zane was trying to control himself, but his dick twitched again. He went to move back as I unconsciously clenched around him. 

"Fuck!" he yelled again, involuntarily pushing his dick back into my needy pussy. The hairs on his groin rubbed against my pussy lips and my clit.

"Zane--" I cut myself off when he shifted again, rubbing the head of his cock against my pleasure spots. His movement also had him grinding against my clit, and I wasn't able to hold it in anymore.

I gasped as an orgasm took me by surprise. 

"ZANE!" I clenched my walls hard around him as pleasure ran through my form. I involuntarily arched my front to press against his, rubbing my nipples against his chest. The pulsing sensation in my pussy continued as my juices oozed out of me.

"Emery, fuck!" Zane commented, hunching forwards with his eyes closed. After my orgasm had dissipated, still breathing hard, Zane opened his eyes and stared at me in surprise.

"Did you just come?" he asked. A blush formed on my cheeks. 

"Zane, I-ah!" I gasped as I felt another bout of pleasure when Zane pulled his dick out.

"Zane, s-stop. I may go off again--"

"Did you seriously just come?" he asked again, cutting me off before pushing his dick back in. He hit the spot, and I arched my back as a reaction. Zane took that moment to palm my breast and pinch the nipple.

"Zane, I'm sorry," I said with a moan when he pulled out again before pushing back in.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of, Emery. I never thought I could make you come so quickly! Your face when you clenched your pussy around my cock, that sound you made when you came... I want to see you come again," he said, and I clenched around him in reaction.

"Fuck!" Zane yelled out loud, biting his bottom lip and closing his eyes.

"What?" I questioned, and he picked up the pace. His dick was hitting the same spot, bringing me higher and higher towards another orgasm.

"I love to see your orgasm face. I want to hear you lose your mind in pleasure, and I want to feel you gush over my cock. I want to watch you come over," he drove in, "and over," he drove out, "again."

Zane was moving quickly. His dick was in and out of me in milliseconds, hitting the bundle of nerves that would make me explode again.

"Zane..." I trailed off in a warning.

"Come for me, Emery," he said as he tugged on a nipple. My back arched as another orgasm shook my body. I gave out a keening cry, my muscles contracting around Zane's cock that was still moving in and out of me.

"Fuck!" Zane commented before grabbing my hands. He pushed them forwards, stretching my arms out as he kept on jabbing his dick in me. I wrapped my legs around him, feeling more pleasure take over me.

In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. Zane was merciless. My breasts bounced with the motion, the nipples grazing themselves on Zane's chest. Zane's mouth found mine, passionately making out with me and increasing my arousal.

We stayed like that for a while. I couldn't keep time because I was moaning, mewling and crying out Zane's name in pleasure. A hand soon reached down between us, and Zane found my clit. He quickly rubbed it, increasing the pleasure by a tenfold.

"Come for me again," halfway through Zane's demand, my back arched, and my pussy contracted around his dick as the orgasm rolled in. I gasped for breath, slightly shaking at the intense amount of pleasure I felt.

"Zane..."

"I'm not done yet," he said as he grabbed a pillow. He momentarily stopped his thrusting motions.

"Up," he said. I arched my back, allowing him space to position the pillow underneath me. He placed it so that I could lie on it, and it raised my lower form up a bit.

"Zane--" I cut myself off as I felt the change in angle. Zane resumed his thrusting. 

I felt as if his dick had reached further into my pussy, and he was fully hitting my G-spot. His dick was directly rubbing and hitting the pleasure spots, not even going anywhere else. My walls spasmed around him as I felt an approaching orgasm.

The pleasure was too much that I started tearing up. I didn't think I would be able to come again, but I was proven wrong when I felt my arousal increase. Zane moaned my name.

I looked up at him. His hands were at my sides. The muscles of his arms had bulged out, his abs expanding and contracting as he moved his hips against mine.

"I'm close," Zane said, somehow increasing the speed and the forcefully stabs of his cock. I was sobbing in pleasure by then, too taken over by the bliss to react.

Zane stopped for a moment, and I gasped in a lungful of breath. He then continued but at a slow rate. His hands caressed my face, wiping the tears away as he stared at me.

He moved back, grabbing my breasts and sucking the nipples. I was a moaning mess, and all I could do was just react. Then Zane moved to my lips and kissed me.

"I'm almost there, Emery," he said after our lips parted, slightly increasing the velocity of his penetration.

"I want you to come with me," he said, pushing and pulling his dick in and out. I felt the signs of my impending orgasm.

"Zane..." I trailed off in a gasp.

"NOW!" he yelled, increasing the speeds of his jabs. I cried out, arching my back as my pussy contracted around Zane. I came on his cock, shaking as the sensation remained for quite some time.

"Emery!" Zane yelled out my name as I felt jets of his cum filling up my pussy.

"I love you, Emery!" Zane said to me as he jabbed his dick in and out of me during his orgasm. It forced another strong one from me.

"Zane..." I trailed off as my cunt spasmed around him again. The orgasm had me instantly passing out.

 

 

Chapter 25

 

Zane's P.O.V

"YOU DID WHAT?" Logan asked me just as Harry spat out the coffee he was drinking.

I had woken up that morning and decided to meet up with Harry and Logan. I left Emery on the bed even though it was tempting to stay with her. After the events of the previous night, I thought I had made a big mistake. And so I went to seek advice from the wisest people I knew.

Okay, the only people who were awake at eight in the morning.

Harry, Logan and I decided to meet at a café. We had ordered our drinks and snacks that we would eat for breakfast, and I wanted to talk about what happened between Emery and me.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait," Harry spoke quickly. "You and Emery had sex last night?"

"Yes," I replied. Harry and Logan eyed each other before looking at me with expectant eyes.

"How was she?"

"What did you do to her, and what did she do to you?"

"How many times did you make her scream your name?"

"GUYS!" I yelled, startling the rest of the customers in the café. I gave everyone an apologetic smile before turning my glare to Harry and Logan.

"That information is between her and me. It's not something I'd like to share with everyone."

"So... none?" Logan asked with raised eyebrows.

"Guys, I told her I love her."

There was quietness that followed. Harry and Logan stared at me in shock. I sighed.

"It was in the middle of you-know-what. I was approaching my release. She got hers..."

"How many?" Logan asked, but I chose to ignore it.

"...and I told her I love her."

"Wow," Harry said as he stared at me with wide eyes. "Did she say it back?"

"No. She passed out," I replied.

"Either she passed out because you weren't doing anything or it's because you were rocking her world, which is highly impossible," Logan joked, but that still made me glare at him. "Seriously, how many orgasms did you give her?"

"Why does it matter?" I asked.

"Well, it will help us help you. Maybe she was faking the tiredness, or maybe she was tired."

I sighed, realizing that weirdly, Logan was right.

"I'll tell you as long as you don't tell anyone else," I bargained.

"It's okay with us," Harry said while Logan nodded in agreement.

"Okay. I gave her..." I trailed off as I tried to remember the events of the previous night. I shifted in my seat, trying to calm the erection I was getting from the memory of Emery.

"I think four. Or was it five?"

Logan and Harry blinked their eyes at me with bored looks.

"Yeah, right," they both said.

"What?" I asked, shocked. "You don't believe me?"

"Dude, you do remember we spent time together on a tour bus, right?" Logan asked with a raised eyebrow. "That meant your awful, asshole and bitchy ex of a girlfriend sometimes joined us on tour. Everyone heard the two of you having sex, and it occasionally lasted a few minutes."

I gasped in disbelief. I went to say something, but then I realized it wasn't worth it. I didn't like Bianca. I loved Emery.

"It is true. You guys lasted a short time. The rest of us even wondered what the two of you were doing alone," Harry added.

"I thought she was a quick peeker."

"Or maybe she was faking it," Harry suggested before taking a sip of his coffee, eyeing me warily. I looked at him with disbelief.

Could he be telling the truth?

My mind ran wild with the memories that included Bianca. She lied about everything, and she lied about her true self when we were dating. My eyes widened when I realized something.

Harry was right. She could have been faking her orgasms!

My mouth dropped in shock.

"Zane, it's okay. It's a thing of the past."

"Unbelievable!" I whisper-yelled to myself. How could I have missed that?

"Zane, that was Bianca. She was definitely faking her orgasms, but this is Emery. With the way you love her and how you get intense about her, I somewhat believe you," Logan commented.

"Lucky girl," Harry said with sarcasm before he and Logan chuckled to themselves.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. But what do I do about it?"

"Well, if you indeed made her come five times..."

"I did," I interrupted Logan.

"...then it is highly possible that she passed out from exhaustion."

"Sorry if I'm coming off as too nosy, but how was she towards the last orgasm?" Harry asked, and I glared at him. He raised his hands in surrender as he stared at me with wide eyes.

"What? I just want to know if she was speaking or if she was a blubbering mess."

"None," I replied. Harry and Logan winced. "She was a sobbing mess."

The two of them turned to face me in shock.

"Maybe you're lying. But if it's true, then it is exhaustion. Definitely exhaustion," Harry said as he hit the table.

"Okay. But what do I do?" I asked.

"You do nothing," Logan replied. "Just go to your class. Avoid her for a while. Wait for her to come to you. You told her you love her, and so let her figure it out. I know Emery feels the same way for you, and I am certain she will come to you eventually."

I sighed, hesitatingly agreeing with Logan's advice. If Emery would not approach me and tell me she loved me, I would have to confront her myself. The feelings I had for her had increased recently up to the point where I got jealous of another guy being around her. Emery was mine, and I hoped she felt the same way as I did.

Emery's P.O.V

I woke up with a start.

I looked around my environment, realizing I wasn't at my home. A gray curtain was on my side, partially opened to allow some light to enter the room.

I got out of the bed and walked towards the windows. I felt a sudden cool breeze and went to pull down my shirt. My eyebrows furrowed when I realized I felt nothing but my stomach.

I looked down, seeing that I was naked.

I jumped with a screech.

What had happened? Where was I? And why the hell was I nude?

The memories of the previous night finally hit me. I was in Zane's home. Zane didn't want to sleep in the same bed as me, warning me that he wouldn't be able to control himself. I teased him, and then...

My eyes widened as I remembered what happened afterward.

Zane and I had sex.

The memory sent a small bout of arousal through my form. Even though I was slightly sore from the previous night's activities, I was ready to go for another round. The orgasms he had pulled out of me, especially the last one that made me black out—

My eyes widened as something else came to my mind.

I love you, Emery.

I shook my head, wondering if I was hallucinating Zane saying it or if it was a memory of a dream. Tears began to form in my eyes as I thought of what he said is a dream. It would hurt so much if it were a dream.

Then I recalled I was in his room. I could see him clearly and remember when he said it. After he did, I came and fell asleep. A grin then broke onto my face.

It certainly was not a dream.

Zane was in love with me.

I gasped, realizing I didn't get the chance to say it back. He had made me so high on sexual ecstasy that I became a sobbing mess. The last orgasm practically sent me to sleep.

I looked around for a pair of clothes. I found the clothes that Zane had given me on the previous night and quickly put them on. In an instant, I was heading towards the kitchen.

"Zane?" I called out, but I got no reply. After looking around the house, I realized that he was not inside. I frowned, heading towards the kitchen. I stopped at the fridge, seeing a gray note plastered on the reflective surface.

There are milk and eggs in the fridge if you want to eat anything.

    Zane.

I was so confused and hurt. Didn't he say he loved me? Why was he not in the house, and why did he seem to be avoiding me?

Because you never said it back you idiot.

I widened my eyes before I quickly exited Zane's home.

I returned to my home to take a shower, get dressed and eat before going to see Zane. 

Just as I was almost done with my breakfast, Ashley made an appearance. I told her what had happened with Zane. I also told her about his love confession, and she practically had me rushing to go see him. After the talk and the preparations that lasted for about three hours, Ashley and I left my house and headed our separate ways.

I had no idea why, but I felt nervous. It seemed so simple. Zane was in love with me, and I was in love with him. What was there to be nervous about?

With a sigh, I continued my walk towards the school. Luck was on my side for it was a clear day.

About twenty minutes later, I was standing in front of Zane's class. Most of the students in the school had already left. I didn't bother to know why, especially since I had to deal with an important issue.

I took deep breaths to calm the nerves that were trying to jump out of me. I then proceeded to knock on the door.

The door slowly opened, revealing an emotionless Zane. His eyes slightly shot up, surprised to see me. I turned my attention away from him, looking at the empty class behind him. Then I turned my attention back to him.

Unexpectedly, tears had started to form in my eyes.

I couldn't believe I was going to do it. I wanted it to be real. Despite the talk I had with Ashley, I was still worried about Zane's love confession. I didn't want it to be fake; I wouldn't know how to handle that.

"Emery?" Zane questioned in concern. I directed my gaze to the floor. A short while later, I looked back at Zane. I hoped what I planned to say would be reciprocated.

"I love you too," I replied, wiping the tears that had were streaking down my face. Zane's lips parted as he stared at me in shock.

Oh no. Was I wrong?

My heart clenched, and I was close to sobbing out loud.

"Say it again," Zane said, surprising me. His eyes seemed to be getting glossy, and a smile was threatening to break onto his face.

I couldn't help but hope. Could it be?

"I love you, Zane Marsh," I spoke again. Zane walked the few footsteps between us, wrapped his arms around my form and kissed me.

It caught me by surprise. I felt as if a thousand pterodactyls were flying around my stomach, threatening to burst out. Zane pressed me closer to him, never breaking the kiss and pouring out every emotion he felt for me. I finally settled and poured out my love for him in the kiss, and my heart was soon calm.

I could no longer worry about my feelings for Zane. He was mine, as much as I was his.

"I love you, Emery Davis," Zane said as he stared at me with a smile before directing his lips onto mine again.

 

Chapter 25B

 

Third persons POV

Emery was happy that Zane was in love with her. After spending time eating lunch outside, Zane drove Emery to his home. Some minutes later, the two of them had arrived. Zane laughed at something Emery said, grabbing her hand and leading them inside.

"What do you want to do?" Emery asked once she and Zane were inside. Zane was locking the door when Emery spoke. With a smirk, he slowly walked towards her. Emery shrieked as Zane wrapped his arms around her, lifting her before twirling them on the floor.

"Zane!" Emery yelled her new boyfriend's name, clutching hard onto his shoulders with her heart beating fast at the possibility of being dropped. Zane just laughed, tightening his hold on Emery. He then pushed Emery to the wall beside them. With a smile, he moved to place a gentle kiss on Emery's lips. A jolt of electricity was felt between them at the contact. Zane almost shuddered at the arousal that threatened to take over his form.

"You love me," he said, giving Emery another peck. He tried to look affectionate, but his erection was slowly rising, and his brown orbs darkened with desire.

"I love you," Emery replied, kissing Zane back. Zane couldn't believe what had transpired in the last hours. It wasn't a dream. He was happy that Emery loved him. He at first felt undeserving of her, but when he made love to her and saw how responsive she was to him, he kicked the thought out of the window. Emery belonged to him, and he wasn't going to let anyone or any thought convince him otherwise ever again.

"I love you too," Zane replied before fully launching the kiss to a make-out session. He was hungry for Emery. The kiss was an appetizer, and he was itching for the main course.

Emery gasped, much to Zane's delight. His hands wrapped around her as she slowly began falling into the kiss. Emery's lips felt perfect to Zane. They were soft, a small contrast to his. The kiss was electric, and it increased the arousal Zane felt for Emery.

Emery wrapped her legs around Zane's waist. Zane cradled Emery's head to his, feeling her soft cheeks, a huge difference to his own skin. Holding onto Emery with his hands, Zane moved to the dining room, still kissing Emery. She was addictive to him, and he found it hard to stop kissing her.

Luckily for them, the dining room curtains were closed, only bringing a little light from the afternoon sun. The light was enough to illuminate everything in the room.

Emery moaned as Zane stuck his tongue into her mouth. The difference in textures and heat turned Emery on. She arched into the kiss, encouraging it. Zane smiled, caressing his tongue against Emery's. His arms tightened around Emery's waist, pushing her closer to him.

Emery dug her hands into Zane's hair, grasping and tugging it at the kiss. Zane barely felt the pull of his hair, too busy preoccupied with Emery's lips. He dug his own hands into Emery's hair, grabbing her head as he loudly kissed her. Emery gasped and moaned in pleasure, feeling wetness beginning to pool between her legs.

After a while of kissing, Zane realized it wasn't enough. He was itching to feel Emery's bare skin against his, and he wanted to hear Emery scream his name in pleasure again.

He recalled what happened on the previous night, and his cock jumped at the memory.

Zane guided Emery onto the dining room table, making her lie down and successfully maintaining the kiss. He then ended the kiss, deciding to nibble Emery's bottom lip. Emery's eyes were closed, her gasps and pants of pleasure being the sounds that urged Zane on. He then directed his kisses to her cheek, going towards the spot on her neck.

"Zane," Emery whimpered in pleasure. Zane found the spot that drove Emery crazy, finding the hickey he had left as a mark on the previous night.

She's mine, Zane thought. I can't believe she's mine.

He left it, staring at a panting Emery. Her lips were full and thoroughly kissed with her hair uncombed from Zane's hands.

"Zane?" Emery asked with a smile.

"You're beautiful," Zane stated before kissing her. He wrapped his arms around her, hauling her form to his. At first, he planned to take her on the table. But then, he changed his mind, wanting Emery to experience pleasure without things getting in the way.

Emery wrapped her legs around Zane again. She shifted a little on his hold as Zane walked with ease towards the bedroom. He kicked the door open as he entered, kicking it close after they had entered before gently placing Emery on the mattress. Zane ended the kiss for a moment to stare at Emery. He then proceeded to unbutton his shirt. His shirt was removed, and he quickly pulled off his white undershirt, revealing his sexy torso that held Emery in a trance once again.

Emery stared at the muscular guy in front of her. The light in the room brought out the depths and curves of Zane's torso. His abs stood out, and so did his pecs. Light hair decorated his torso, barely seen because of the lighting. The sight aroused Emery.

Zane looked at Emery, smirking when he caught her unabashedly staring at his chest. It made him proud he had that effect on her, and he was going to make sure she only wanted him.

Especially with how much he wanted to make love to her at the moment.

Zane then quickly reached for Emery's shirt. Emery tried to help, sitting on her tailbone and raising her arms to help Zane get rid of it. As the shirt was being taken off, Zane unsnapped Emery's bra, letting it sit on her chest. When the shirt was off, he grabbed the bra and threw it off.

"Damn," Zane commented, entranced by Emery's bare torso. Her skin was pale-yellow, and her breasts were exposed for Zane to see. He remembered the time he had seen them covered in soap. The nipples were the pink color that he remembered, standing erect for him to touch. He also recalled touching Emery's breasts and eliciting moans from her. His erection grew as he anticipated touching them again.

Zane stared in hypnotized silence as Emery's chest heaved, her breasts rising and falling. He pictured spraying whipped cream on her breasts and the nipples before sucking on them until Emery came untouched.

Zane wanted to see more. In an instant, he reached for Emery's jeans before pulling them off her. Emery's blue panties were left. Zane had them off of her within seconds.

The lighting brought out Emery's nakedness. He stared at her, making sure he had the image stuck in his mind.

In an instant, Zane was on Emery. He wrapped his hands around her, bringing her flush against him. He kissed her passionately, his arousal spiking once his lips touched Emery's and also at the feel of her breasts. The nipples grazed his chest, and Emery gasped in pleasure.

"You like that?" Zane asked, reaching with his hands to grab at her boobs. Emery wrapped her legs around Zane. Zane then recalled that he still had his jeans. With a cuss, he released one breast to tug off the rest of his clothing quickly. Seconds later, he was naked.

He forced Emery's legs around his waist, pushing his hard cock against Emery's cunt. The head dragged against her clit as his shaft dragged up across her slit. Emery moaned in pleasure as she threw her head back, showing Zane the breasts he loved. He lapped at one of them, slowly dragging the tongue around the nipple. He tickled Emery's areola, watching the beaded nipple and ignoring it. Zane reached for the breast with a hand, squeezing it as Emery moaned again. He opened his mouth, encasing the nipple, making Emery buck beneath him.

Zane had never seen someone so responsive during sex. He was even surprised that Emery could get wet from having her nipples sucked. He liked it, and he hoped that wouldn't change. It excited him to see Emery experience so much pleasure because of him.

Zane tightened his mouth around the nipple as his other hand reached for the neglected breast. He rolled and squeezed it before trapping the nipple between his index finger and thumb, rubbing it like someone spraying salt on food. His lips rubbed the other nipple. Emery moaned out in shock, grinding her pussy against Zane's dick. She was wet, and her juices were covering Zane's cock.

Zane gently bit on the nipple in his mouth, making Emery buck before yelling his name. He thought of making her come like that, but the wetness that reached his thighs reminded him of something else.

He wanted to eat her out.

His cock jumped at the thought, and he soon let go of Emery's nipple with a pop. He momentarily forgot what he remembered when he saw the pink flesh. It was hard, pointing out for his attention. He blew on it, and Emery shivered. He then directed his eyes to the one he was rubbing with his fingers.

Maybe her pussy could wait, he thought. In an instant, he shifted his attention to it.

His mouth enclosed onto it as his other hand rubbed the one he had just sucked. His finger got a little wet, but he ignored it, pinching and tugging at the nipple. His mouth focused on the other one, sucking and making it wet as his teeth gently pulled it. Emery kept moaning, gyrating her hips against Zane's. He felt a warm pool of wetness on his cock, and he stopped teasing the nipple. He looked up at Emery, seeing her cheeks flushed and her mouth opened in an 'O' with her eyes closed.

He smirked, placing kisses on Emery's stomach. He kept his gaze onto Emery as he went lower, seeing the nipples he so wished he could suckle again. Probably even draw out an orgasm from just doing that.

Maybe later.

His gaze then turned to the center of Emery. He grabbed her thighs, urging her to open her legs wider. That had Emery open her eyes as she stared at Zane in surprise.

"Zane..."

"Open your legs for me," he ordered with a deep voice. He couldn't forget the taste of Emery's juices. He wanted more, and he was going to get it.

"But--"

Zane knew Emery was going to feel embarrassed about her pussy. She shouldn't have been because Zane loved all of her.

Instead of waiting for her to talk about how she felt about him seeing her, he forcefully opened her legs, revealing her pussy.

Fuck, Zane thought, observing Emery's cunt. She wasn't just wet; she was drenched. In fact, he saw a drop of her juices trailing onto the bed. He even spotted a spot on the sheets slowly getting damp.

Emery blushed as she began thinking of what Zane was thinking about seeing her.

"Fuck, Emery. Your pussy is so gorgeous," Zane commented, making Emery blush. He darted his tongue to her clit. He lapped at it, and Emery bucked on the bed.

"Look at how wet you are. I swear you taste better every day," Zane continued, and with an excited groan, he delved with his tongue to explore her juices.

Zane wanted to shudder in bliss at the taste. Emery was sweet, and he couldn't help himself as he licked her juices. More kept coming, and he groaned at the taste. Zane was like a thirsty man in a desert, lapping away at droplets of water that were in a cactus. He licked and lapped at Emery's walls, making sure to get more of her juices in his mouth. Meanwhile, Emery's thighs jumped with a pleasured scream threatening to escape her lips. She closed her eyes at the incredible bliss that she felt. Her legs wrapped around Zane's head.

Zane groaned before practically fucking Emery with his tongue, lapping and sucking at the juices that kept on flowing. He withdrew his tongue, quickly jamming a finger in her as his mouth found her clit.

Emery tossed and turned. Zane grabbed one of the legs near his head, placing it on his shoulder as he delved deeper into her pussy. He then grabbed one of her breasts, squeezing and playing with the nipple.

Emery's orgasm was building up. Zane lapped at her pussy, tracing the slit with his tongue and plunging it into her again. He groaned, the vibrations being felt by Emery. They increased the arousal in her. She was a moaning mess by then, her pussy being eaten out and one of her nipples being played with.

Zane decided to nip at her clit gently, and that sent Emery over the edge.

"ZANE!" she yelled as her back arched, her orgasm hitting her hard. Zane groaned as he looked at Emery, lapping at her juices in excitement. He sucked and licked, drinking the droplets and making sure he got her juices in his mouth. Once the orgasm had ebbed, he began tracing the lips of Emery's pussy with his tongue. He wanted her to orgasm again, and he wanted another taste of her essence. She was sweet, and he wanted to drink her juices again.

"Zane," Emery whispered in uncertainty as Zane gently probed his tongue into her. He let go of her breast, using both hands to grab her thighs. Emery thought she had hurt Zane when she wrapped her legs around his head, and so she went to open them wider.

"I- I don't want to hurt--" before Emery could continue spilling her worry about the position, Zane jabbed his tongue in her pussy. It was not supposed to be possible, but Emery's arousal was stirring again at the mere touch. It shocked her.

But then, she knew she was responsive when it came to Zane.

Zane nipped at her clit again, making Emery toss her head back and her body arch as she moaned. Zane stared at her form, pleased that he could arouse her within seconds. With a groan, he pushed his tongue further as if trying to seek something that would escape. His tongue licked around her walls as the juices started flowing into his mouth.

Zane mimicked the action as if he was giving Emery's pussy a kiss.

A dirty kiss.

He rolled the clit between his lips, making Emery toss her head sideways as she moaned. Zane ate Emery out with little moans and groans, licking and sucking her juices. They were spilling again, and so Zane released his mouth from Emery's pussy and stared at it. It was wet with the clit hardened. He noticed her walls expanding and contracting, seeking his tongue into her.

Zane's cock jumped, leaking more precum at the sight. He pushed a finger, and Emery gave out a low moan. He pulled the finger out, seeing it coated with Emery's juices. He brought the finger to his mouth, closing his mouth at the taste.

He looked up, watching Emery's legs tremble. 

With quick motions, he reached for Emery's ass. He pushed her form towards him as he delved his tongue into her pussy once again. He licked, sucked and nipped at her walls, her lips and her clit. Emery's orgasm was building fast, and it surprised her.

Zane noticed Emery's legs had not wrapped themselves around his head, and that was fighting off Emery's impending orgasm. He looked at her legs, seeing them still tense as they strained to hold themselves in position. With a growl, he slapped a side of her ass. Emery gasped, and that was enough to make her lose concentration on her leg.

"I have had this mouth in your cunt before, Emery. Don't be afraid to wrap your legs around me," Zane said before delving his tongue into Emery. Emery did what Zane requested. Her thighs locked Zane's head between them, but he didn't mind. She soon gasped and moaned, her orgasm quickly approaching. Zane mimicked a kiss on Emery's pussy lips, diving his tongue again in fast jabs, licking and sucking on her juices. He reached for her clit, rolling and rubbing it with his fingers.

Emery cried out as another orgasm overtook her. Her juices came out in jets, bathing Zane's tongue, mouth and parts of his face in it. Zane opened his mouth, licking and sucking all of it. He still jabbed his tongue in her, wanting to prolong the orgasm as he drunk Emery's juices.

Emery's form trembled as her orgasm subsided. Zane nipped at her clit again, and Emery whimpered as she flinched in sensitivity. Zane looked up at Emery.

"Please. No more," she said, closing Zane's mouth with one of her hands. Zane gently nipped at the skin, making Emery draw back her hand. He rose up from below her, looking at her in want. Emery's gaze lowered, and he noticed what she saw.

Zane was hard. He didn't realize he had leaked a lot of precum until he saw the clear liquid's trail. It started from his cock's slit, running along his thick, hard length and stopping at his balls. He looked up at Emery, seeing her blush as she stared at it.

Emery inched closer, kneeling on the bed.

Fuck, Zane thought. He wanted Emery to suck his cock, but he didn't want that then. He wanted in her.

Emery's hand grabbed Zane's cock, making him almost jump at the contact. The hand was soft and warm, trying to cage the cock between fingers. Zane's dick throbbed, jerking out more precum. Emery stared at it, licking her bottom lip. She reached out for the slit, dragging her thumb below the head.

Zane bucked into the hand, his cock pushing itself between Emery's clenched fingers. Emery gasped at the unexpected thrust, seeing more precum coming out of the head.

"Not now," Zane said, reaching for Emery's hand that was on his cock. He urged her to release it, crawling onto the bed so that he was above her. That forced Emery to lie on the bed. Zane caged her between his arms, lowering his form so that he was between her legs.

"You can suck it later. Right now, I just want this," Zane added, covering Emery's pussy with his hand. Emery gasped as she arched into him just as he pushed in his middle finger. It didn't reach far, but it was able to feel everything that was inside.

"You're wet again, aren't you?" Zane asked with a smirk, slowly fucking Emery with his finger.

"You're wet for my cock now, aren't you?" Emery moaned, and that was the answer Zane needed.

He pushed the finger out, directing his cock towards her pussy. He ran the head up and down her slit, teasing her.

"Zane..." Emery trailed off in a shudder as Zane's cock brushed her slit. She was panting, her chest quickly rising and falling, raising her boobs to Zane.

The sight almost sent Zane over the edge. With a groan, he pushed his cock deep into Emery. Emery arched her back at the unexpected action, her pussy muscles contracting around the long, thick cock that was inside her. She felt unexpected pleasure at the fullness. Just like before, there was barely any space for her to shift. If she moved, she would only get more aroused.

"Zane!" Emery yelled just as he pushed out. Zane looked at his dick, seeing it covered with Emery's juices. He grabbed Emery's legs and placed them on his sides. Zane quickly pushed in, and that had Emery wrapping her legs around him.

Zane liked the position. He looked down at Emery, seeing her eyes flutter close as she moaned in pleasure.

"Look at me," Zane demanded, forcing Emery's eyes to open. He stared at her blue orbs as he drove in again. Emery gasped as he pulled out. Then he was inside her once more. He drove out and then back in. Emery felt great around his cock, and he believed her pussy was meant for him.

Emery reached for Zane's back, running her hands around his muscles. Zane smiled as he stared at her, pushing in and out of her in quick jabs. Emery grabbed at Zane's back, arching into Zane as he hit her G-spot.

"There?" Zane asked, tilting his hips so he could hit the spot. Emery gasped, her eyes suddenly closing.

"Eyes on me," Zane reminded her, her eyes suddenly widening. Zane could see the battle in them, but he wanted Emery to acknowledge who was giving her pleasure.

"You are mine, Emery," Zane spoke, driving his hips in and out of her. Emery just moaned.

"Oh my..." she trailed off in another pleasured gasp, her eyes threatening to close. Zane stopped all of a sudden. Emery's eyes opened in shock, and then he started plunging his dick in and out of her.

Emery felt her juices trail down the insides of her thighs. Her pussy contracted around Zane's cock, closing to milking it as he hit her pleasure spots.

"Zane. I-I'm..." Emery trailed off as she moaned.

"Me too," Zane said, increasing his speed. Emery suddenly arched her back, eyes opened as she stared at Zane. Her nipples brushed against his chest, and she was close to lying back down on the bed. Zane quickly grabbed onto her back, making her maintain her arched position. He continued to thrust in and out of her, making sure her nipples grazed his torso. That sent Emery over the edge.

Zane thrust in deep as his own orgasm took over. His cum came out in jets, bathing Emery's cunt with it as Emery's pussy clenched around him, drawing out her own cum. He tried to stare at Emery, seeing her shake as an aftereffect of the orgasm.

Emery lay back on the bed, taking deep breaths as the effects of the orgasm slowly subsided. Zane then shifted in front of her, seeming to pull out his dick. Emery thought they were done, but instead, he grabbed her again. In an instant, they were in a seating position. 

Emery gasped at the sudden feeling of fullness in her cunt. There was barely any friction, seeing that her juices and Zane's were still coming out of her pussy. Weirdly, it aroused Emery. Zane's cock was deeper in that position, the head pressing at one of her pleasure spots. Her pussy contracted, and Zane's cock stirred.

"See what you do to me?" Zane asked, taking one of Emery's nipples into his mouth. Emery mewled in pleasure as she arched her back, driving her breast into Zane's face. Zane nipped at the stiff peak, rubbing his tongue over the tip. He let go of it for a few seconds, rubbing it against his cheek. The hair on the skin tickled the nipple, and it made Emery clench her cunt in need. Pleasure shot through Emery, and her arousal was back in full swing.

Zane turned to suck on the tip, lapping at it with his tongue and gently tugging with his teeth. He moaned, and Emery bucked her hips into his due to the vibrations. His cock was slowly getting hard again.

"Ride me," Zane told Emery, raising his hips lightly to push his cock into Emery. As he went to lie on his back, his cock went deeper with the angle. Emery gasped as she felt Zane's cock rub her pleasure spots.

"I feel you everywhere in me," Emery commented with widened eyes once Zane lay on the bed. He faced her, giving her a reassuring smile.

"I know. How does it feel?" Zane asked, raising his hips a little to push his cock deeper into Emery. She gasped as his cock grazed her G-spot again.

"So good. I think I'm going to come just sitting like this," Emery confessed as she tilted her head back in a moan.

Emery lifted her hips, drawing Zane's cock out of her cunt. Then she went down, gasping as shocks of pleasure ran through her body. She tightened around Zane, trying to hold off what she thought was another orgasm.

"Oh no," Zane said, raising his hips slightly into Emery. That had her gasping, feeling the hot dick graze her G-spot. Zane was not even fully hard, but his state of semi-hardness still brought Emery pleasure. Her cunt tightened unconsciously, trying to ebb the pleasure.

"Don't hold yourself back," Zane spoke.

"I might come," Emery warned with a pleasured whimper.

"That's the point," Zane said, reaching for her hips. He grasped onto them, guiding Emery off his dick. Then Emery went down on him again. The head hit her G-spot, and Emery arched her back with a cry. Her fists tightened on the sheets on her sides as she tried to control herself.

"Oh!" Emery shouted with a gasp as Zane moved his hips on the bed. His cock rubbed at her pussy walls, and that aroused her more. Emery slowly rose up again, then brought herself back down. She clenched her toes in pleasure.

"Zane..." she whimpered her lover's name as she slowly rode him. She went up, and she brought herself down on his cock. He was fully hard by then, and the head was pushing insistently on her G-spot. Emery clenched around him again, and Zane's dick jumped inside her. She almost sobbed at the small pleasure it brought.

With a deep breath, she continued. She quickened her pace, and she was surprised by how fast her orgasm was approaching. She then began slowing down. That didn't work because it was intimate and the pleasure was becoming too much for her to handle.

Emery wanted to blush. She couldn't believe she was about to have another orgasm so quickly. She was ashamed that she couldn't control the pleasure she felt around Zane.

A smack on her ass had her facing Zane.

"I told you not to hold yourself back," Zane said, deciding to take charge of the situation. He flipped Emery to the side, making her land on the bed in surprise. Zane grabbed onto one of her legs, raising it high with his dick still inside Emery. Her lifted leg was bent, the foot lying on Zane's shoulder.

No, Emery thought with a gasp. This is worse. I might--

A hand on her breast and another on her clit interrupted her thoughts. Her nipple was pinched and rubbed, and fingers toyed her clit. The orgasm Emery was trying to control was quickly approaching. Zane's cock wasn't even moving inside her! 

With a shocked cry, Emery arched her back to Zane as she orgasmed. She trembled as her juices coated Zane's cock. Zane nipped at her neck, groaning at the feel of her pussy walls contracting.

Within seconds, Emery had her elevated foot back on the bed.

Zane wrapped his arms around Emery, his dick still inside her. He held onto her ass as he stood with his knees on the bed. Before Emery could speak in worry about Zane hurting his knees, he began pistoning his hips. It was like Zane had lost his control.

He had. The last orgasm almost made him come, and he was itching to feel Emery coming on his cock again. Emery wrapped her legs around Zane's waist. He moved at a fast pace, shoving his dick in quick jabs into Emery.

Energy grabbed onto his back, arching into him as waves of pleasure followed.

"I love this pussy of yours," Zane said, pushing his dick into Emery. Emery just moaned out in bliss. She was wet again, and she was past the point of being surprised about that.

Zane punched his dick in and out of Emery's cunt, barely giving her the thought that his cock had left her. The two of them maintained the position. Emery had fisted her hands on the sheets below her. Her back was arched, and her boobs bounced with every jab of Zane's cock. Zane looked at Emery, loving the look on her face. He didn't want anyone to take her from him, and he was going to spoil Emery for any other man.

She was his, and he would be damned if anyone were to take her from him.

Seconds later, Emery's moans had stopped. Her mouth was wide open as she breathed.

"You are mine, Emery," Zane said before lowering his head to capture a nipple in his mouth. He nipped, licked and sucked. Emery was soon releasing little moans.

"That's right. Moan for me," he said, still fucking her.

"These are mine," Zane said, slowing his pace to grab a breast and to suckle at the other. Emery tightened her legs around his waist. Her arms wrapped around his back as Zane tended to her breasts. He continued to tug and nip at the nipples, sending electric shocks straight to her core.

"Your lips are mine," he added, giving Emery a passionate kiss. He stopped, staring at Emery's kissed lips.

Fuck, Zane thought. He wasn't going to last any longer.

"And this wet, hungry pussy of yours," he touched where they joined, making Emery shiver in pleasure, "is mine."

He then grabbed onto Emery's back. Emery arched into him as she wrapped her arms around Zane. Zane increased his pace, hitting Emery's G-spot continuously. He continued to lap and tug at her nipples with his mouth.

Emery's orgasm took her by surprise, her cunt clenching around Zane, and her juices flowing onto Zane's dick. Her hold on him loosened, and Zane tightened his hold on her as she continued to fall in the throes of orgasm.

With a growl, Zane kept fucking her. He fucked her through the orgasm, stirring another one. As soon as the first one had ended, another orgasm took seconds to follow. Emery gasped out with a weird sound, clawing onto Zane's back.

Zane still fucked her through the orgasm. He arched his chest into hers, making sure her nipples rubbed on his torso. He captured her lips with his in a heated, passionate kiss. 

Another orgasm was approaching as Zane continued pounding into Emery. Emery wrapped her legs tightly around Zane, fearing she may lose herself.

Zane's thighs began to quiver as his orgasm took over. He drove his hips harshly into Emery's, his dick hitting Emery's G-spot hard. Emery's orgasm started at the same time as Zane's. Her juices came flowing onto his dick and spilling onto their legs. Zane groaned as he came, also jabbing and prolonging Emery's orgasm. His juices mixed with Emery's. The orgasm continued for a couple of seconds. Zane slowed down, still feeling the shocks of the orgasm.

He slowly pulled out of Emery, seeing their mixed juices flowing out of her cunt. Emery collapsed on the bed, taking in deep breaths.

With unsteady legs, Zane walked to the bathroom. Minutes later, he returned to clean up Emery and the mess they had done. Emery had fallen asleep when he was finished. 

Zane returned to the bed as he wrapped his arms around her. Emery turned to his hold, mumbling as she enjoyed the comfort of Zane's naked form on hers. 

Zane stared at Emery with love in his eyes. He closed his eyes, making a silent prayer to whoever was listening for nothing to come between their love for each other. 

He tightened his hold around her, and he soon fell asleep.

 

Chapter 26

One year later

Emery's P.O.V

It was another season of spring, and the months that had passed after Zane and I officially started dating had been mostly peaceful. While Selena was adhering to the duties of a Crystalia queen, Zane and I got closer as the days went by despite the few arguments we had along the way. Not so surprisingly, Ashley and Harry started dating.

Indeed, a good year had passed with barely any drama.

I remembered how Zane and I had confessed our feelings for each other until a loud knock interrupted my thoughts. I got up from my bed and headed towards the entrance of my house with a bored look. I swung the door open, only to be surprised by the sight of my cousin.

"Selena!" I said her name in surprise, and she grinned at me. Ever since she had been crowned queen of Crystalia, we barely got time to hang out with each other. Her presence was unexpected, but I was glad to see her.

"Hi, Emery," she greeted with a smile. "What are you doing today?"

"Um, nothing," I replied with a furrow of the eyebrows.

"Great! I wanted to see if we could hang out."

"Sure," I said without hesitating. I headed back into the house to get ready for whatever Selena had planned. A short while later, I went back to the door. Selena was on her phone when I approached her.

"Ready!" I yelled, having her focus turned to me.

"Okay. Let's go," she said. Some minutes later, I was locking the door to my house. Selena and I began walking towards the direction of my boyfriend's house, and it was then that I realized I didn't ask where we were heading.

"Where are we going?" I voiced out my thoughts.

"To the castle," she replied, and that had me stopping in my tracks. Selena stopped too and faced me.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to trick you into helping me with some of my duties."

I narrowed my eyebrows at Selena in suspicion.

"I promise," she added. The tone of her voice told me she was telling the truth, and so we continued walking. I looked around, noticing the always-marvelous blueness of the sky and the vast green vegetation surrounding us.

"So, how have you and Zane been?" my cousin questioned.

"We're okay," I replied with a smile. "A few arguments at times, but we're good. Why are you asking?"

"Oh, nothing. Just making small conversations."

I just nodded my head, even though the question seemed weird.

"You know, Ashley told me that you spend most of your time at his place. Is there anything that is happening? Anything interesting?"

"Selena, we are dating. What else could be interesting?" I questioned, looking at my cousin in confusion. Selena's eyes widened a fraction before looking away from me.

"Never mind," she said with a shake of her head. "Let's just go to the castle."

The way my cousin dismissed the subject confused me, but I decided to drop it.

***********************************************************************************************

Eva's P.O.V

With a grunt, I tried to use my powers to break out of the prison. Pain shot through my form, hurting me to the point that I collapsed onto the ground.

My eyes shot towards the direction of the rock: the one rock I needed to break so I could be free. A large crack had already been formed, and by the looks of it, it could take months to break its power.

I could handle a few more months. It was short in comparison to the amount of time I had spent locked up in the chamber.

It was a good thing the guards were stupid enough to think the rocks could hold me forever. When they would crack, and I was sure they would, I would be able to escape. I planned to exact my revenge on everyone who placed me in my cell, especially that crystal.

She won't see it coming. Nobody will. The next time I attack, I'll make sure for certain that she dies.

***********************************************************************************************

Emery's P.O.V

I spent most of the day with Selena and Elizabeth. We talked, and in the afternoon, Selena left me to do her royal duties. Erick came in at the time, and it felt like he switched places with my cousin. Anyway, we talked with his mother for the rest of the afternoon. When the night was approaching, I bid everyone goodbye and exited the castle to head towards my home.

Along the way, my phone dinged with a notification. I took it out and unlocked the screen, seeing that it was a message from Zane.

I have a surprise for you. Could you come over to our spot?

I grinned as I texted my reply:

What? No 'hi' or 'love'?

Then Zane quickly posted:

Hi, my love. I have a surprise for you. Could you come over to our spot?

I chuckled at the message and typed my reply.

Sure. But when?

Zane replied:

Now, if possible.

I was hesitant at first because of the odd request. Then I replied with an 'okay'. Zane said it was a surprise, and I was curious to find out what it was.

The spot that Zane was referring to was the place where he first took me out for a picnic. He took me there around the first time I saw him after he had completed his therapy sessions with Doctor Charles. The spot was a beautiful place, and so, Zane and I made a habit of going there every moment we could.

I looked around, observing my surroundings. The sky was darkening as night approached. The sun had set, and the stars were becoming more conspicuous as the minutes passed. There was a large white moon present, making the evening look even more beautiful.

I recalled the way to the spot, and so I took a turn towards the Joshalia forest. I then began wondering what Zane had in store for me. Why did he want me to see him at our spot when it was getting dark? Even though the moon was present, it barely illuminated the objects around me. For instance, I almost tripped on a root I had hardly noticed.

After a few minutes, I saw a yellow light glowing from a distance. It was weird, and I concluded that it was a firefly. However, the source of light was neither moving nor flickering. With furrowed eyebrows, I walked towards it. When I was near it, I realized it was a small spherical bulb. It had been pinned high on a tree.

I looked around, noticing that I was on the path to the location Zane had requested to meet him. I continued forward, seeing another spherical bulb.

It was then that I figured it was something planned by Zane.

My feet covered more distance as I was reaching closer to the spot, smiling as I found other bulbs hanging on the trees. Minutes later, I came to a stop when I was in a clearing. There were more bulbs placed on the surrounding trees. They were many, and they were bright enough to illuminate the grass and the river flowing beside me.

I stood in silence, only hearing the sounds of birds as they went to settle in their nests and the flowing river.

"Zane?" I called out.

Then suddenly, a piano was being played. A couple of voices followed that.

"♪Oh no,

Did I get too close?
Oh,

did I almost see

what's really on the inside?
All your insecurities
All the dirty laundry
Never made me blink one time♪"

The song was being played slowly, unlike the dance version by Katy Perry. 

Confusion settled in for a while, but then I soon realized I heard Selena's voice. She was the one singing the slow version of the song. Like, she was right there. Moreover, there were male voices that sang the song with her. I looked around, my eyes searching for her or whoever was hiding in the trees.

"Emery," Zane's voice broke through the music. I turned to face him, finding him standing and staring at me. He had worn casual clothes, but the atmosphere felt anything but relaxed.

"Zane...hi. What's going on?" I asked him with a confused expression. He just smiled at me as he began to approach me.

"I thought about doing this on a fancy date, but your cousin told me it wouldn't matter to you. All that matters is what I plan to tell you right now."

"Okay... Zane, I'm confused," I replied with an uncertain smile.

"Of course you are," he said with a grin before pecking my left cheek with his lips. I blushed as I felt electricity run through my form from the contact, a reminder of how Zane still affected me.

"Emery, I remember the first time I saw you."

Huh?

"The only thing I could think about was how beautiful you are. You were the girl who kept to herself, and I admired that about you. I wanted to get to know you, but I couldn't. I was scared to admit the feelings I have for you, and I was afraid that you would reject me."

"Zane--" I went to speak, but he cut me off.

"I loved you then, and I still love you now. After the crap I pulled on you in high school, you disappeared. I was sad and angry with myself, but I felt glad when I saw you in the Starbucks café years ago. I felt like the universe was giving me a second chance. I thought I could show you the real me, but I ended up ruining that too. In fact, I still can't understand how I created a bigger mess than I did when we were in high school."

"Zane--"

"I regret the thirteen years that we spent away from each other. I regret all the crap I did to you, and I mostly regret making you shed a tear because of what I did to you. You didn't deserve it. No woman deserves that."

"Zane--"

What the hell is going on?

"In spite of all the things I did, I got to be near you again. You being the beautiful, wonderful person you are, you decided to forgive me."

Zane chuckled.

"I didn't expect that, and I believed I was a ticking time bomb for you. But you showed me that I wasn't, and you were willing to give me a chance that I still don't believe I deserve."

"Zane--"

"I was determined to stay away from you, but I couldn't. I am a selfish person when it comes to you, Emery. I decided I couldn't escape wanting you. I couldn't avoid you and the feelings you invoke in me. We had been separated for more than a decade, Emery, and I did not want to see that happening again. I wanted you to be mine, and I am not planning to let you go. I want everyone to know that you are mine. I want everyone to know that I am deeply in love with you, Emery."

Zane then knelt with one knee on the ground. I gasped, and so did someone in the background. I didn't turn, too focused on Zane as he took out a small blue box from his pocket.

"I love you so much, Emery. There is no other woman for me but you."

Zane opened the box, revealing a diamond ring that glistened in the light produced by the surrounding bulbs.

"Will you marry me?"

Oh, my. Oh, dear. He did not. He did not just--

BUT HE DID!

My eyes focused on Zane before drifting to the ring.

Was I ready for this? Was I ready and certain about spending the rest of my life with Zane?

As I thought about it, the immediate answer was 'yes'. Zane and I had declared our love for each other in the previous year. We had started dating. I had spent most of my time at his home ever since we became a couple. We knew everything about each other, and we were comfortable around each other. Zane was there for me as I was for him.

Was I really ready for a future with Zane? Was I ready to be his wife and to have kids with him?

An image regarding the last thought formed in my mind. Instead of being scared, I was happy. I pictured living in a house with Zane, and I pictured having little versions of us running around the house. I was being offered that at the current time.

I had no idea of how long I stared at the ring, and so my eyes shot up when I brought my focus to my surroundings. Tears had started to form in my eyes, and I was startled that I missed them disrupting my vision. I soon found myself nodding as a smile took over my features.

"Yes. Yes, I will marry you," I replied as I blinked the tears away. Zane too had been tearing up, and so he took my right hand. He helped me put on the ring before he stood up. He was smiling as he embraced me in a tight hug.

I wrapped my arms around his back as he spun us around on the grass. He was laughing with happiness. He stopped moving, staring into my eyes.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," I replied before we kissed.

"I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU GUYS!" Selena yelled. Zane and I abruptly ended the kiss, turning to see her come out of the forest with Ashley, Harry, Erick, Elizabeth, Ethan, Liam and Logan.

"You knew about this?" I asked Selena once they were a few feet in front of us.

"Of course we did," Ashley replied. "Selena was meant to distract you while the rest of us helped Zane plan how he would propose to you."

"Aw, thanks, you guys," I said, going to embrace everyone.

"Congratulations, Emery," Harry said with a grin. "So, when's the wedding?"

 

 

Chapter 27

 

Months later

Emery's P.O.V

I was in my former room in Crystalia's castle with Elizabeth. Ever since Zane proposed and the news about our engagement spread throughout Crystalia, Trisha, her daughters, my cousin, Ashley and the former queen of Crystalia had been in an excited buzz. A week had not even passed before we started planning for the wedding.

I thought about having a simple ceremony with close friends and family, but the said people denied the idea. They wanted the extravagant kind of planning. Guests, waiters, sitting arrangements, food, the dresses... everything. It was slightly annoying, but I found it great to be the bride. I was mostly excited that I got to be a bitch and to get away with it.

Ha-ha, just kidding. I only acted like a bitch when something I wanted was not happening.

"You look gorgeous!" Elizabeth complimented me as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I had worn a white, flowery organza wedding dress. It had sleeves that reached my wrists, and it barely hid my figure. I had applied a decent amount of makeup, and my hair had been curled, reaching my shoulders.

At the moment, I had worn high-heel shoes. I knew it would hurt later, but I told myself it was worth it for the wedding.

"Thank you," I replied with a smile, making a few spins as I observed how I looked in the dress.

I indeed looked beautiful.

The sound of clicking heels distracted my focus on the mirror. The door leading to the room opened, revealing Selena and Ashley. Ashley was the maid of honor, and Selena was one of the bridesmaids. When we were planning the wedding, I told them to decide among themselves who would be the maid of honor. I did not want to be included in a fight that could have happened.

The theme of the wedding was a mixture of colors between yellow and brown. Ashley and Selena had worn dandelion-yellow dresses, with Ashley's being a couple of shades lighter than Selena's. Both of their hairs had been styled into buns, with Ashley having placed a white hairband around her bun.

"Oh my gosh! That looks so cute!" Ashley gushed at the sight of me. With a smirk, I spun around, giving her and my cousin a good eyeful of my dress.

"Emery, you look beautiful," Selena said. "Wait until Zane sees you in that. Do you think he could faint in public?"

I rolled my eyes at her with a smile.

The door was pushed open, and in came Zane's mother.

"Trisha!" I greeted her with a smile.

"You look beautiful, Emery."

"I know, right?" Selena stated. "Could your son faint in public at the sight of her?"

I couldn't believe Selena repeated the question, but I remained silent, watching as Trisha gained a thoughtful look.

"It is possible, and it would be funny if he does."

We laughed as I turned to look at my reflection.

"Emery, how are you feeling?" Elizabeth asked. She had settled on the bed that was behind me.

"Currently a mixture of emotions. I'm nervous, excited and happy at the same time."

"We know. You are getting married!" Ashley yelled before squealing in excitement.

"Okay, okay," Elizabeth spoke. "We only have a few minutes left before the ceremony begins."

"WHAT?" I shouted as my eyes widened in disbelief.

"Relax, Emery. You just have to wear the veil, and you are all set," Ashley said as she walked around the room to get to me. Once she was close, she took the veil that was hanging on top of the mirror and handed it to me. She also helped me put it in place.

"There. Now let's go and get our wedding on," Ashley stated as she made dance moves, making the rest of us turn to face her with weird looks.

"What?"

"No," we all said at the same time, referring to her dancing. Ashley chose to roll her eyes at us.

"Are you ready, Emery?" Trisha asked. My heart thudded in excitement, and I felt another dose of nervousness run through my form. Despite the anxiety, I was sure about my answer.

"Yes," I responded. "I still can't believe I am here, right now with every one of you. I'm getting married!"

I felt tears begin to cloud my vision.

"Oh, no you don't!" Selena said, hearing her heels click on the floor as she rushed towards me. She patted my eyes with a white cloth, gently wiping the tears.

"We don't want you to cry on your wedding day. I knew we should have gone with the waterproof mascara."

"I don't think we have enough time to replace the mascara," Trisha spoke with a frown.

"Everyone, it's okay," I said with a laugh. Selena finished drying the tears off my eyes, and I could see clearly again.

"Thank you, guys."

"You're welcome," Ashley said. "Now go get your wedding on."

The rest of us laughed at what she said. Then we proceeded to get ready for the ceremony.

Speaking of which, the wedding was going to be held inside the castle. Many invites had been sent, and the ceremony was not mandatory for everyone in Crystalia to attend.

Ashley and Selena walked out of the room, leaving me with Trisha and Elizabeth.

"Well, I'll see you at the wedding," Trisha said with a smile before she too began leaving the room.

There was a moment of silence as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Tears started clouding my vision, but with a deep breath, I held them back.

"Your parents would be so proud," Elizabeth said as she too started tearing up. She walked towards me and embraced me in a hug, and I hugged her back.

"Now, let's go start your life as a married woman."

Third Person's P.O.V

Flowers of different kinds were placed on the castle ceilings along with white and orange-yellow decorative sheets. People were entering the castle hall, the same one where Selena's coronation was held.

Zane was anxiously standing at the front with Ethan, conversing as they waited for the ceremony to begin. He had worn a black tuxedo with a black tie and a brown undershirt, with Ethan wearing a white suit that had a yellow undershirt.

"I can't believe you're getting married before me," Ethan said as he narrowed his eyebrows at Zane. Zane chose to laugh at him, even though he was nervous about the wedding.

"It's okay, Ethan. With our lifespan, you have at least a hundred years to find your one true love."

"One true love? Oh no. I've already lost you," Ethan commented with a false scared expression, making Zane playfully roll his eyes at him with a smile.

"Well, the wedding is about to start. I'll see you later," Ethan said, walking away from the altar. Zane looked around, spotting the various wedding decorations and the people that were still entering the hall. By then, most of the room was full. He was surprised that many people turned up for the ceremony.

They may be here for the cake, Zane thought as he chuckled to himself. His eyes roamed around, and he could see the seats reserved for his family. Zane spotted his relatives on the front, and he smiled as he waved at them.

Suddenly, the wedding tune began to sound through the hall. Zane's eyes widened, shocked that the ceremony was already starting. He looked around, seeing that he was the only one standing on the podium. He took deep breaths and reminded himself that it was what he wanted to do. He was in love with Emery, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

Having calmed down, Zane looked forwards at the hall's massive doors. They opened, revealing the people who served as an introduction to the bride. He spotted the bridesmaids and the groomsmen. Surprisingly to Zane, Selena was one of the bridesmaids. He also spotted his sisters giggling and some even waving at him. Zane chuckled as he shifted on his feet. The bridesmaids took seats on the unoccupied left side of the aisle, while the groomsmen settled on the opposite.

Logan and Ashley soon followed, respectively being the best man and maid of honor. They walked forward and stood on Zane's sides, Logan being near him. He and Zane shared a smile before focusing on the aisle.

The ring bearer and the flower girl followed, both being young cousins of Zane. The two soon settled into their designated seats.

Then appeared Emery.

Zane lost his breath at the sight of her, almost collapsing on his knees. She looked beautiful in the wedding dress, even though he could not see her face through the veil. He spotted his future wife slowly walking towards him, one of her arms interlocked with Elizabeth's. Zane stared at Emery, his heart thudding as he felt love for her.

A while later, Emery was standing next to Zane. They were facing each other, but the veil Emery had worn was blocking her view of Zane. Zane took hold of the veil, flipping it over Emery's head to see her.

He smiled at the sight of her, losing his breath once again.

"You look beautiful," he told her. Emery smiled, and Zane could have sworn she blushed were it not for the makeup she had applied.

Elizabeth, who had led Emery to Zane, walked forwards and stood at the front. One of the wedding plans included requesting Erick's mother to officiate the wedding, and Elizabeth had agreed.

"Dearly beloved," Elizabeth started, her voice carrying around the room, "we are gathered here today to join these two, Emery Davis and Zane Marsh, in union. Certainly, their love is the kind that we all hope to have. Their decision to marry has not been entered into lightly, and today, they publicly declare their private devotion to each other. The essence of this commitment is the acceptance of each other in wholeness: as lover, companion, and friend. Marriage, ideally, is a sharing of responsibilities, hopes, and dreams. It takes a special effort to grow together, survive hard times, and be loving and unselfish."

Elizabeth continued with the speech, and soon it was time for the rings. The pageboy and the flower girl quickly walked towards the stand, carrying rings that had been placed on a pillow. Zane took one of the rings and grabbed onto Emery's hand.

"Emery, we have shared a lot of history with each other. I know that I made your life hell, and I still wonder why you want to marry me."

A few chuckles sounded through the hall.

"I expected you to be mad at me and to avoid me forever. I never thought I would get this chance: a chance I had been thinking about ever since we started hanging out again. Emery, I am grateful you forgave me for all the crap I did to you, and I am glad you have given me the chance to show you the true version of myself; to show you how much I love you. I promise that I won't hurt you or make you go through what I put you through. Okay, we may have disagreements along the way. I can't promise you perfection because nobody is perfect. However, I can promise to give you all of me. You hold my heart, Emery. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Emery silently cried as Zane helped her place the ring on her finger. Afterward, Emery reached for the ring that was on the pageboy's pillow as she grasped onto Zane's hand.

"Zane, I've known you as a douchebag and an as-- you know what I wanted to say," Emery started, making Zane wince and the others laugh. "But you've also shown me other parts of you. Despite the crap we went through, I still fell in love with you. You showed me a loving, caring and responsible person. You showed me an understanding person, a person I can trust and call a friend. You also showed me a part of myself that I never acknowledged. Zane, you made me strong. You helped me realize that I can be happy despite my awful past, and I thank you for it."

Tears started clouded Emery's vision once again.

"I love you too, Zane, and I don't want to spend another minute not being yours."

Zane blinked away his own tears as Emery placed the ring on his finger.

"I'm sorry I forgot this," Elizabeth interrupted. "Is there anyone who opposes this union?"

Nobody replied.

"No?" Elizabeth questioned. "Well," she turned to face Zane and Emery with a smile, "you may kiss the bride."

Zane didn't wait for Elizabeth to finish her sentence. He grabbed onto Emery and quickly placed his lips against hers. They both felt sparks as their mouths made contact. Cheering and applause ensued, making Zane and Emery smile as they continued to express their love for each other.

"I am so happy for you guys," Logan told Zane as he patted his shoulder. That reminded Emery and Zane where they were, and they were forced to stop kissing.

"Thank you," Zane said as he hugged Logan. He retracted the hug, only to embrace Emery. Emery laughed as Zane spun the two of them on the stand.

"I can't believe this has happened," Emery commented with a breathy voice.

"Me too, Emery," Zane said, kissing his new wife once again. "Me too."

"How touching," a voice loudly spoke through the hall. The mood was immediately brought down, and the happiness that everyone felt immediately turned to dread. The new couple stopped kissing and stood on the floor. The cheers and applause were immediately silenced, and everyone turned to face the source of the voice.

It felt as if a dark presence had entered the room, which was actually true.

Zane and Emery looked forwards with wide, disbelieving eyes. Far in front of them, right at the entrance of the hall, stood an enemy that everyone knew; an enemy that they thought they had imprisoned, but apparently had escaped.

Eva smirked at everyone who was looking at her with a mixture of shock and fear. Beside her was Bianca, and she was floating mid-air.

"Missed me?" Eva asked, walking forwards to the stand as Bianca levitated right next to her.

 

Chapter 28

 

A couple of hours ago

Third Person's P.O.V

Because of the soundproof walls that surrounded Eva's cell, people couldn't hear her screams as she tried to escape with her magic.

Eva screamed again as she used her powers to try to destroy the rock. It was getting too much for her to handle, and she soon stopped to take a break that lasted for a short while. After a couple of seconds spent taking deep breaths, she tried again. Eva felt a hot sensation on her hands and arms, jolting her form and making her scream out in pain. She immediately collapsed to the ground as she heaved in exhaustion.

I have to get out, she thought. I can't live like this forever.

Eva continued to lie on the floor as she slowly gained her breath and strength. With an irritated sigh, she rolled to lie on her back. She tilted her head to the side, her eyes focusing on the rock that was blocking her way out of the cell.

Eva had lost count of the number of days that had passed in the cell. She wanted nothing more than to escape from her prison. She couldn't continue living in the cell, and she feared she would lose her mind if she stayed a while longer.

Something then caught her eye.

The rock had a large crack on it, but the crack ended at a point; the rock was not completely split. Even though the crack signified how much power was left in the rock, it did not matter. It was still connected to the other uncracked rock, and the both of them were as strong as the original four. Eva just needed to exhaust the cracked rock's power. The other one would be useless without it, and that would be enough for Eva to escape.

Eva found a new sense of determination. She told herself to try again once more. She was certain that her next trial would set her free from the magical bondage of the rocks.

With a pained groan, Eva moved to stand. She swayed, her hands immediately reaching for the wall next to her. Eva groaned as she struggled to fully support herself on her feet. She took a couple of deep breaths as she stared at her one way out of the cell. Then she summoned her powers, focusing them on the cracked rock. An orange barrier instantly appeared as it fought against Eva's powers. With a yell, Eva used more force against the barrier that the rocks instantly placed. The powers of the rocks had reached her, making her scream out in agony as she felt her skin being burnt.

The barrier instantly disappeared, leaving nothing for Eva to hold on to. She collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily as her body throbbed with the impact. She lay for a while, trying to regain her energy. She soon stood up to observe what had happened.

The rock had cracked.

With a smile, Eva looked at her form. The bruises, burns, cuts and wounds she had gained from trying to break out of her magical prison were slowly healing. She raised her hand, trying to summon a fireball.

It did not work for the first couple of minutes, leaving Eva frustrated. She screamed out as she punched the ground. The action itself shook the ground and the building, making the lights inside her cell momentarily flicker.

Eva was confused, and so she raised her hand again. She summoned a fireball, and a green one instantly appeared on her palm.

Eva smirked as she walked around her cell. By then, her injuries had been healed. She extinguished the fireball as she extended her arm towards the wall in front of her. She balled her hand into a fist, and the wall gave a loud sound as it cracked. Eva waved her hand, making the cracked debris fly towards opposite sides, creating a path for Eva to pass through. On the other side of the cell, an alarm was blaring as the guards quickly rushed to the scene.

They all stood still at the sight of Eva. One guard went to throw a fireball at the villain, but Eva was quick. With a flick of her hand, Eva sent them all flying towards the walls near them. The guards hit the walls with loud grunts, some instantly passing out.

Eva teleported away from the prison building. She took a brief glance of her surroundings and gave out an evil laugh. She was free from her prison, and she could once again try to exact her revenge on everyone who placed her in it.

But first, she needed to know where she was.

Eva looked around, and it took her a moment to realize she was on her territory. The Crystalia mountains and her forest had not changed, but she did not spot her castle. In her memory, she recalled the castle being near the spot she currently was. She looked away from the mountains, spotting the building that had once been her home. Her castle was gone, and it had been replaced with the maximum security prison.

In anger, Eva threw a fireball towards it. Flames erupted once the fireball made contact with the building. The flames kept increasing in size, swallowing the whole building. Eva watched as the building's exterior swiftly turned black, and with a click of a finger, the building crumpled into a huge blackened heap of cement.

Once that was done, Eva started pacing as she thought of what to do next. She wanted to exact her revenge. She was still angry with what Emery had done to her, and she wanted her dead.

That gave Eva an idea.

In the blink of an eye, she teleported to the castle. Eva levitated above the building, and she was surprised to see well-dressed witches entering it.

Must be a celebration or something.

Eva levitated around the building after casting an invisibility spell on herself, trying to see where the witches were going. As she moved, something caught her eye.

She approached an open mirror, spotting Emery in a wedding dress. She was with Elizabeth, Selena, an old woman and Ashley.

Eva smirked, but that smirk quickly fell when she realized why the crystal was in a wedding dress.

She was getting married.

But to whom?

"...you think Zane would faint at the sight of her?" Eva overheard Emery's cousin. Her eyes shot up, quickly making the connection.

Emery was getting married to Zane.

She was quickly infuriated, and she almost threw a fireball at Emery. The bitch had been living a happy life while she had been kept in a cell for years!

Eva was really thinking about just throwing a fireball at Emery. But then, she thought better about it. It was not easy to kill a crystal, especially since Eva was alone against more than a hundred witches. They could definitely tire her out and capture her again. She needed help from an outside source.

The right person then came to her mind, and Eva quickly teleported to get her.

***********************************************************************************************

"Enjoy," a gray-haired woman who had worn a hairnet and a white apron said as she placed the green mushy substance called a meal on the tray of the criminal. The inmate scrunched her eyes at the sight of the disgusting meal, shrugging her shoulders at the awful smell as she went to sit beside a couple of women her age.

"Next," the cook said with a nasal voice. Bianca walked forwards, her eyes narrowed in boredom as she waited for her food. The woman placed the food, and Bianca fought the urge to puke at the sight of it. She quickly walked away from the woman as she went to take her usual seat.

Bianca was going towards the back of the cafeteria, her head kept down as she tried to avoid her inmates. Some of them could be easily provoked, and she wanted to avoid the possibility of a fight with them.

With quick footsteps, Bianca reached her table without looking at anyone. She sat on the plastic chair, slightly looking up at her inmates who seemed to be enjoying life better than she was, even though they were all in jail. With a sigh, she turned to her food. She stared at it and decided to stir the food around with her spoon, mentally deciding whether to eat it or not. Bianca's stomach then grumbled as she thought about the meals she had missed. It had been years ever since she ate in expensive restaurants. She missed and wished for the food, but someone had ended her lavish life within a couple of weeks.

Damn you, Emery!

Bianca was still angry with how things had turned out for her. She couldn't believe she was imprisoned and that Emery had been smart enough to find evidence against her. If she had taken Emery's threat of finding proof against her seriously, she could have avoided the mess she was currently in.

Bianca also remembered how Emery had embarrassed her in public. She was still angry with what had happened, but at least something good occurred a couple of years later.

Thank goodness the bitch and her friends are dead, she thought.

A loud blast interrupted her thoughts. Every inmate in the cafeteria kept quiet as the nearest police officers rushed out of the room to inspect the damage. Bianca noticed her inmates looking at each other with questioning looks.

The sounds of yelling and grunting were heard, and every inmate stood to their feet. A woman was soon seen walking into the cafeteria. She had worn a long black dress, and her black hair had been styled into a bun. She had a pale complexion, and Bianca immediately realized who it was.

"Who are you?" one of the inmates dared to ask. Eva turned to face her with a smile.

"None of your concern," Eva said just as she placed her hand on the inmate's head. The inmate gasped as her eyes lost their color, and seconds later, she collapsed on the ground, dead. The others gasped in shock.

"Anyone else?" Eva asked with raised eyebrows at the other females. They were wise enough to stay clear of her path. With a smirk, Eva made her way towards Bianca.

"I need your help," Eva spoke, and that had the other inmates talking to each other as they witnessed the exchange between Eva and Bianca.

"Why?" Bianca asked in anger. "You betrayed me! You used me for your own gain, and then you let me rot in this jail for the last 14 years. Where have you been all this time?"

Eva smiled.

"The witches found out about me, and they had me locked up in a cell. By the looks of it, this prison of yours looks like a freaking room in a castle."

"What is it that you want, Eva?" Bianca asked.

"Zane and Emery are getting married."

Bianca widened her eyes in shock.

"Bullshit! Those two are dead!"

"Oh, please. You know about magic, and you of all people should know that witches don't die as easily as humans do," Eva corrected.

Bianca remained silent as she pondered over Eva's words. She was quickly infuriated when she realized Eva was right.

"They are getting married today, and I need your help to ruin their wedding."

Bianca rubbed the back of her head.

"That is it? What's in it for me?"

"Of course that's not it. You also get to help me kill every single witch in Crystalia. And when we come back, we will come as rulers. You will get to rule beside me."

"I don't want to be a ruler," Bianca spoke with narrowed eyebrows. Eva chuckled as she looked at Bianca.

"I know what you want, Bianca," Eva said before chanting a spell. She raised her hand, revealing unnaturally white sand particles. She blew the sand towards Bianca. Bianca gasped as the sand seeped into her skin, smoothening it and getting rid of whatever wrinkles and pimples she had gained in the past years.

The inmates could only look at her in shock and fear.

"You'll get to remain young for the rest of your life. You will be freed from this wretched place. You will be rich. Also, don't you want revenge on everyone who placed you here?"

Bianca did not need any more words from Eva.

"I'm in," she said. "What do I have to do?"

Eva smirked at her in reply.

 

Chapter 29

 

Emery's P.O.V

For a moment, I could only watch like everyone else as Bianca and Eva approached the stand. I was surprised that they had escaped from their prisons, and fear quickly gripped my heart.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Selena asked with a glare once Eva and Bianca were a few feet in front of us.

"Well, Selena--"

"Not you," my cousin cut off Eva. "You," she said, directing her gaze to Bianca. "I thought we got rid of you a decade ago! And how the hell are you levitating right now?"

Bianca just smirked. She had worn a bright yellow dress, and what was weird was that she looked unbelievably young. She was in her twenties when I last saw her, and I expected her to be older with wrinkles. As I continued to think about it, I concluded that Eva must have chanted a spell to revive Bianca's beauty.

Typical.

I still could not believe what was happening. It was my wedding day, my freaking wedding day, and Eva had to appear. It was supposed to be one of the best days of my life, not my worst!

"What were the chances of this happening?" I heard Logan ask. I turned to reply, but someone else beat me to it.

"I thought it would be none, but apparently, the universe likes to play games with us," Ashley replied as she kept her focus on the two villains in front of us. I looked forwards, spotting Erick quickly approaching the stand.

"What are you doing here, Eva?" Erick inquired.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here for revenge," Eva replied just as she summoned a fireball and threw it at a couple of people seated in a row beside her. Everyone screamed as the people in the row ducked, gladly escaping the damages of the fireball. The fireball erupted into flames that licked the wall before they quickly dissipated.

"Everyone! Get out!" Elizabeth shouted with a loud voice, and the people did not need to be told twice. Within seconds, dozens of witches were teleporting away from the scene.

Eva looked around, and she was not pleased with the mostly-empty hall that greeted her eyes.

"Bianca! I need you to go after any witch you can find outside the castle."

"Sure thing," Bianca replied as she turned to leave the castle.

"Oh, no you don't," Selena spoke as she rushed towards the flying bitch. I turned my attention away from her, choosing to focus on Eva.

"Well, well Emery, I must say that you look beautiful," Eva commented before a smirk took over her features. "Too bad you would die before the day ends."

"Wanna bet?" I asked Eva with a raised eyebrow. We soon locked eyes, levitating off the ground. I felt movement below me. I tilted my head to face downwards, only to see Zane, Logan, Ashley and Erick quickly moving towards the exit of the hall.

I was glad, but then, I felt a burning sensation on my shoulder. I screamed out in pain as I looked at it, seeing a charred part of my wedding dress and an ugly burn form on the skin as blood slowly started oozing from it.

Eva had hit me with a fireball.

"Emery!" I heard Zane yell.

"Go!" I yelled as I turned to face him. "I can deal with this."

Zane looked hesitant at first, but he soon left the hall.

With a glare, I turned my attention to a smirking Eva.

"It's not nice to be proud, Emery," she said as she rubbed the fingers of her right hand.

"Yes, and it's not nice to cheat," I said as I immediately extended my arm out. Eva was sent flying backward, and her back made contact with the wall behind her. Eva had gasped out a breath before her face contorted into anger.

She waved her hand, and I felt an invisible force push me to the ground. I immediately channeled my powers, and I gasped as I realized I was a few feet from hitting the ground. I stabilized myself in the air, facing Eva with a glare.

"Is that all you got?" I taunted her, and she immediately looked angry. Eva began sending fireball after fireball at me. I quickly took off, flying in evasive action as I tried to escape the wrath of the balls. They all hit the walls and some seats, leaving a mess of my wedding ceremony.

At least I wasn't hit again.

I looked around, and I realized I was trapped with Eva in the hall. It was a good thing that it was large.

"You are going to pay for what you did to me," Eva said as she flew towards me. With a quick movement, I sent a fireball towards Eva. She, however, turned to her side and avoided it.

I wanted to groan out in frustration.

Okay, Emery. Think.

I went towards the ground, quickly passing under Eva's form. Once I was behind her, I swiftly went towards her.

Eva was in the process of turning to face me when I hit her back, sending her flying towards the exit of the hall. She collided with the wall above the hall doors, and I soon teleported us to the outside of the castle where I let her go.

"You bitch!" Eva screamed at me before clenching one of her hands into a fist. I soon felt a force grasp onto my form, tightly caging me as it slowly tried to crush me.

"You think you've won?" Eva asked with a smirk. Within a blink of an eye, I had astral projected and flown right behind her. My hands grasped her neck, instantly choking her.

Eva gasped a breath as my hands caged her neck. Her own hands immediately reached for mine, trying to release them.

The hold that was on my other form was released, and that form joined with the one I was using to choke Eva.

I soon felt a kick onto my stomach. I cried out just as Eva grasped onto my hair. She was yelling by then, trying to attack me once again. I summoned a fireball onto my hand, instantly placing it on Eva's thigh. Eva screamed out in pain, releasing her hands from my hair.

With a shout, I kneed her stomach. Eva was sent flying backward. She soon stopped herself, looking at me with anger.

"Bianca!" Eva yelled. I looked around, spotting the bitch trying to fight off Logan and Selena. The two had climbed upon the bitch, trying to stop her from leaving. However, Bianca teleported to Eva's side, making Selena and Logan fall onto the ground.

I looked at Eva and Bianca, both staring at me in anger.

"This is not over," Eva said just as I threw a fireball at her. Eva and Bianca disappeared, leaving the fireball to fly through the air.

I yelled in anger as I began lowering myself onto the ground. I looked around, seeing that nothing had been ruined. A sharp jolt of pain had me wincing, and my eyes turned to the source.

Oh, yes. My shoulder had been hit by a fireball.

I heard the sound of quick footsteps rushing towards me. I turned, coming face to face with a concerned Zane.

"Are you okay?" he inquired.

"No," I replied, moving to walk past him. I groaned out in pain as I clutched on the spot below the burns on my shoulder. Zane saw it and his eyes widened in concern. He soon placed his hands over the distorted skin, healing it. The pain that I once felt quickly vanished, and I could move my shoulder without expecting pain.

"Emery--"

"Zane, I'm sorry. I know this was supposed to be our big day, but with what has happened, I doubt it will be."

"She's right," Erick spoke as he, his wife, his mother, Ashley and Justin approached us. "A couple of guards have just told me about how Eva had escaped from her prison. Fortunately, no one had died."

Erick shook his head before adding: "I thought the rocks we had placed around her would guarantee our safety for a long time, but she found a way around them."

"Erick, don't beat yourself up," Selena said. I soon spotted Logan, Ethan, Harry and Liam walking towards us.

"Well, what do we do?" Ashley asked with raised eyebrows.

"We send the guards after them," Elizabeth thought.

"We don't even know where they could be right now," Liam said.

"If I know Eva, it is that she barely has anywhere to go. She only sticks to one place."

"That may be true, mom, but she now has Bianca on her side. The girl lived on earth, and there are many places they could choose to hide. Who knows where they could be right now," Justin replied.

"Okay. Then we prepare for battle," Erick replied, and we all stared at him in shock.

"WHAT?" Selena questioned.

"We know how Eva works. She will go away, and the next time she attacks, she will have reinforcements."

"I thought we killed all of them. Eva had erboons and erwiches. There is no way she can get more of those," Liam stated.

"She can," Elizabeth opposed. "She is a crystal you know. She is older than us, which means she knows some stuff that we all don't know. I am certain she will plan to get help from the spirit world. And this time, she could plan to get a lot of help. We may have to include every witch to help us."

"WHAT?" I shouted in disbelief.

"It's either that or we act like sitting ducks as we wait for Eva to come kill us and take over the universe."

"Guys, stop!" Ethan interrupted the conversation. "Your plans are okay. They are efficient, but I have a couple of questions."

"Okay..." Selena stretched out the word. "What do you have to ask?"

"Does Eva expect you to spend some time regrouping so that you can attack her?"

"Yes," my cousin replied. "We have that time now, and it's wise we get to it. Elizabeth is right about including every witch to help us."

"Okay, but I don't think you have to," Ethan stated. The rest of us blinked our eyes in confusion.

"What?" Ashley asked.

"Well, do you remember the time when Emery faked her death? She knew Eva would come to attack us."

"What is your point?" the king questioned.

"Eva did not give us time to prepare for her attack. I'm saying we shouldn't give her time to prepare for her own."

"What?" Logan asked.

"Guys, Ethan is saying that we should go after them right now!" Justin said as he stared at the rest of us with wide eyes.

"Oh..." I trailed off in understanding. "Okay. But we don't know where she is."

"Well, let's start searching. The sooner we find her, the quicker we stop the possibility of a full-blown war from happening," Ethan stated, and the rest of us nodded in agreement.

We soon started making our way towards the castle, the only thoughts in our minds composed of finding Eva and Bianca.

 

Chapter 30

Third Person's P.O.V

"What are we doing here?" Bianca asked once she and Eva teleported to Andreladia. They landed on the same exact spot where the maximum security prison once existed. "Wouldn't everyone discover our whereabouts?"

"No one will," Eva said as she closed her eyes, levitating to the air. A strong gust of wind swept past the area, blowing away the blackened heap of cement that was in front of them. As soon as that had happened, the ground momentarily shook as a portion of it disintegrated into sand particles. Eva started chanting a spell as the sand blew around her. Bianca watched with widened eyes as the particles moved in front of her and morphed to form a yellow-bricked well.

"Eva, what are you planning?" Bianca asked as she witnessed the portion of the ground encased around the well disintegrate. It broke out into sand that poured into the earth, and the wind picked up its speed as a black pit appeared.

"We need help," Eva said once she finished chanting the spell.

"You still haven't answered my question. Wouldn't everyone know we are here?"

"No, they wouldn't."

"Why?" Bianca questioned.

"You are with me. You know your way around the human world, and they believe we are hiding there. So right now, as they waste their efforts looking for us on earth, we get a lot of time in our hands to prepare for war against the witches."

"Oh," Bianca commented in surprise.

"I will destroy them all. Once they are dead, no one will be able to stop us. We'll both get what we want."

Bianca grinned as she rubbed her hands in excitement.

"So, what do we do now?"

"You will keep watch."

"What?" Bianca stated in disbelief.

"I will start chanting a spell that will summon beings from the evil world. As I said, we need help. The witches are many, and we cannot fight them all on our own."

Bianca gained a thoughtful look.

"Okay," she said.

"Good," Eva replied before closing her eyes. She extended her arms over the well as she started chanting another spell.

The wind continued to blow around them, and the clouds above them began to swirl. Bianca watched as a flock of birds flew away from the nearby trees, and she couldn't help but worry that someone would realize where she and Eva were.

In Crystalia, some of the guards were moving out of the castle in preparation to search for Eva and Bianca on earth. Emery had teleported outside, and with the help of Ethan and Erick, she chanted the spell that would reform the dome that had once been around Crystalia.

Everyone watched in their homes as golden stardust appeared in numerous quantities. They swirled around Crystalia, stopping their motion within a few seconds as they joined to form an invisible magical dome.

"Well, that is done," Emery said as she turned to face Ethan. Emery and everyone else had changed out of their wedding clothes. There was nothing to celebrate about since Eva had disrupted the wedding.

"At times I forget I am a witch because I don't use my powers that often. Seeing you use yours reminds me of the beauty of magic, and it also reminds me that it is dangerous," Ethan commented with a thoughtful expression.

"Wow," Emery said in response to his words. "Okay, that seemed to hit me deep."

"I know, right? I should be a freaking poet."

Emery rolled her eyes at him with a smile as she shook her head. She took a look at him before looking at everything and everyone around her.

"Do you think we will win this time?" she asked as she stared at Ethan. Emery was worried about what would happen when they would confront Eva and Bianca. She thought it would be harder to get to them than it had been fourteen years ago.

"I don't know. The only thing we can do is hope," Ethan replied. Emery just nodded before turning her gaze to the castle. She spotted her husband, Logan and Liam approaching her.

"We've found her," Logan said once he and the others were a few feet from Ethan and Emery.

"What?" Emery asked, and Liam just pointed at something behind her. Emery turned, and she was shocked she hadn't noticed the change in the weather.

Emery had felt the wind picking up its speed, but she mistook it to be a regular occurrence in the spring. However, when she spotted the black clouds peeking over the mountains, she realized it wasn't normal.

Eva and Bianca were in Andreladia.

"I'll get the guards," Erick said as he teleported to the castle.

***********************************************************************************************

Bianca moved about as she watched for any incoming attack. As she moved, she became more and more worried about the effects of Eva's spell. The wind was blowing rather harshly around her, and there were clouds above them that had an unnatural dark color. Bianca believed that the witches would soon discover their location, and she began to get agitated.

"Would you hurry up?" she yelled at Eva with a glare, but the woman was too engrossed in the spell she was chanting to even respond. Her hair and dress were being blown towards the direction of the wind as she continued her chant. 

Bianca sighed as she turned to face towards the mountains. It was at that moment that she noticed thousands of figures teleporting in front of her.

It was the guards of Crystalia.

"Eva..." Bianca trailed off with wide eyes as she saw the figures march towards her.

"Eva, they have found us! What are we going to do? I can't go back to prison!" Bianca yelled at the woman, but Eva did not reply.

In an instant, a person she was familiar with teleported in front of her.

"Hi, bitch," Ashley greeted Bianca before delivering a punch to her face. Bianca's head turned to the side as blood began to ooze from her nose. She swiftly turned to face Ashley with a glare.

"I am done with your games," Bianca yelled before using her new powers to push Ashley. Ashley screamed as she was sent flying backward. Lucky for her, Harry teleported just in time to catch her.

"Thanks," she told him before delivering a kiss to his cheek. Harry gained a confused look as he watched his girlfriend run towards Bianca. With a shrug of the shoulders, he went to help her.

Emery, Selena, Zane, Logan, Ethan and Erick soon teleported to the scene. They noticed Harry and Ashley trying to fight off Bianca. They realized the couple could handle Bianca, and so they turned their attention towards Eva.

"Emery..." Erick trailed off once he noticed Eva chanting a spell and the big pit she had formed.

"I know," the crystal replied. "We need to deal with this now before it gets out of hand."

Emery and Erick ran towards Eva. Mid-run, Emery levitated off the ground and flew towards the villain. She collided with Eva, stopping her mid-chant. Eva gasped in shock as she was sent flying to the ground with Emery on top of her.

Erick reached the pit, and he had no idea of what to do.

The wind had reduced its speed, but the black clouds were still in the sky.

"It's over, Eva," Emery yelled. Eva just laughed and smirked at her.

"You may have stopped me from finishing the spell," Eva said, using all of her force to push Emery off of her. Emery was sent flying back, but she soon found herself in someone's embrace. She looked at her savior, noticing it was Zane. 

"But that didn't disrupt me from getting what I need," Eva continued as she extended her arms towards the sky. The wind picked up once again as the clouds resumed their circular motion. Lightning flashed above everyone as a small tornado was soon under formation. It was gray as it touched the earth, quickly moving forwards before the guards could reach Eva and the rest. The tornado maneuvred around in a circle, digging a bit into the ground before dissipating moments later.

The guards went to approach Eva, but they couldn't reach her. A yellow transparent wall momentarily appeared when they tried to move through the border that had been formed by the tornado. The glow of the invisible wall went around the people trapped inside the dome, taking the shape of a hemisphere.

"You see, you may think you had outsmarted me with your magical dome, trying to keep me out. But now, you are all trapped inside with me. I will enjoy seeing your faces as you die," Eva said with an evil smile.

"Not on my watch," Emery said as she threw a fireball towards Eva. Eva flew high into the air, avoiding the fireball. The fireball hit the dome, making the yellow glow reappear for a second. With a smirk, she extended her arms towards the crystal.

Emery was sent flying backward, but the king stopped her from colliding with the ground.

"You okay?" Erick asked.

"Yeah," Emery replied. When she had steadied herself, she and Erick went after Eva.

Eva spotted Bianca trying to fight off Harry and Ashley off of her. There was no one to distract the rest, and she felt highly unprotected. If she was going to seek help from the forces of evil, she needed everyone distracted until she finished chanting her spell.

"Enough of this!" Eva said as green stardust came out of her hands. They came out like a sprinkler, each disappearing into the ground. Emery and Erick ceased their movement towards Eva as they watched her send the stardust onto the earth.

"What did she--" Zane was in the middle of asking when the ground below him started shaking. Everyone moved aside as five plants began growing at a fast rate. Within seconds, they had become full-grown trees.

For a moment, there was silence. Everyone stopped moving as they stared at the trees. Emery was confused as she looked at Eva, but she saw a smirk on the woman's face.

"Trees? What can she possibly do with--" Liam was cut off when something hard smacked him across the chest. He was sent flying, and his back collided with the ground, instantly passing out.

"Liam!" Logan yelled as he went after him. Before he could take another couple of steps towards him, a groaning sound alerted him as a branch appeared in his way. It came fast, hitting the ground with such force that a cloud of dust appeared. Logan gasped as he stopped himself, seeing the branch as it retook its original position. Meanwhile, the other five trees that had been grown started moving.

"Enjoy my creations, darlings!" Eva yelled as she turned to the well she had formed. She closed her eyes as she resumed the spell she was chanting.

"We need to stop her," Selena yelled. She went to go after Eva, but a branch smacked the ground a few feet in front of her. She shrieked in fear before moving back to avoid the tree from doing damages to her like it had done to Liam.

"He just had to ask," Zane told himself, referring to what Liam had said before he lost consciousness. In an instant, everyone was battling the moving trees and Bianca.

In the midst of the fight, Logan managed to approach Liam. He quickly placed his hands on the lad to heal him. Seconds later, Liam gasped out a breath as he quickly got up.

"What did I miss?" he asked, and his question was answered by the sight of the moving trees.

"Oh," he said.

Ethan was running towards one with fireballs flaming on his hands. He jumped with a yell, throwing the balls of fire towards a tree. The tree turned as if going to use its branches as a baseball bat. However, the fireball exploded as it made contact with it. Flames quickly erupted and licked the tree. It soon stopped moving, staying in a stagnant position as the fire consumed it.

Ethan smiled at himself in victory as Selena ran towards another one. She jumped onto it, her hands and knees clutching onto the hard surface. The tree had felt her presence, and so it turned with its branches, trying to swat Selena off of it. It was moving with a fast motion that almost made Selena lose her grip.

Maybe this was not such a good idea, Selena thought as a branch hit a spot that was a few centimeters below her feet. The tree made groaning sounds as it moved, and Selena began screaming.

Another tree maneuvered as if turning to face Selena. It loudly groaned as it moved, its branches turning towards her. Emery's cousin quickly climbed up the tree she was clinging on just as a branch turned towards her. It hit the tree with a force that shook it.

"Selena! Get down from there!" Erick yelled at his wife, immediately ducking when a couple of thick branches were sent towards him.

Selena looked around in helplessness, thinking of what to do. An idea soon came to mind. With a smirk, she climbed down to her original position on the tree. The other tree that had hit hers was coming towards her once again. She quickly teleported to the ground just as the other tree attacked.

The tree that Selena had climbed on shook at the force of the hit. Soon, loud creaking sounds could be heard. The tree tilted to its side as it broke, revealing unexpected black wood in it.

"Ugh," Selena muttered in disgust.

Logan and Liam thrust their arms out, sending fireballs from their palms. The fireballs hit the remaining trees, making them cease movement as fire consumed them. The rest shortly stopped what they were doing to face Liam and Logan.

"Thanks, guys," Ashley thanked the two before turning her attention to Bianca. The bitch yelled as Ashley punched her in the face.

Bianca grasped onto Ashley's shoulders, dragging her as they flew upwards.

"Let's see how much you like heights," Bianca said as she continued to fly high into the air.

"Hmm. Not as much as I like doing this," Ashley commented as she delivered a kick to Bianca's stomach. She cried out as Ashley teleported safely to the ground. Bianca soon flew down to the ground, searching for Ashley.

A hand soon grasped her foot, and a force pulled her to the ground. Bianca cried out as she landed onto the ground.

"Hey, whore," Selena greeted with a falsely sweet voice as she climbed onto Bianca's form. Before Bianca could speak, Selena punched her in the face before clawing at her.

Emery noticed that the others were taking care of Eva's distractions. The evil crystal was once again exposed, and Emery found it to be a free pass towards Eva.

"We need to get to her," Emery told Zane. He nodded, and the two of them were soon running towards the floating witch.

A loud screeching sound carried through the air, and that momentarily stopped the fight. In an instant, two erboons came out of the well.

With a surprised sound, Emery and Zane teleported to Eva. Emery flew towards the old crystal, hitting her hard on the chest. That stopped Eva's spell once again.

"Well, it looks like I have to deal with you first before I can take over the world," Eva said as a third erboon came out of the well.

"I'm okay with that," Emery said before delivering a punch on Eva's cheek. Her head turned to the side, and she chuckled as she faced Emery.

"You hit like a child," Eva commented, and that angered Emery. She went to punch her again, but Eva held onto her fist. Eva pushed Emery off of her. The crystal was sent upwards. She used her powers to stop the motion, and she was soon flying towards Eva. She turned, aiming her feet towards the evil crystal.

Eva was caught unaware, and she cried out when the kick was delivered to her back. She collapsed onto the ground due to the force, and anger took over her form. She had gotten up just as Emery went to kick her again. Before Emery could do so, Eva had grasped onto her legs. Eva summoned her powers and spun on the ground for a second, throwing Emery with as much force as she could muster.

Emery thrust her arms out once again as she used her powers to stop herself mid-air. She turned to face Eva, flying towards her.

An invisible force sent Emery flying to her side, making her lose control of her powers.

"Oh, no you don't," Emery said before she astral projected behind Eva. She kicked her back, making Eva scream in pain. Eva turned to face Emery with a glare before sending a fireball towards her.

Emery flew high in the air as her other form joined it, thrusting her hands out towards Eva as she sent a fireball to her. The fireball hit Eva, making her cry out in agony as she was thrown towards the ground again.

Meanwhile, two of the erboons had been killed. Selena, Ashley, Logan and Ethan were dealing with the remaining one that was quite aggressive. Emery was preoccupied with defeating Eva, and that gave Harry, Erick and Liam time to close the portal. They quickly went towards the well.

"We need to close this now," Erick said.

"How do we do that?" Harry asked. Erick began pacing as he thought of what to do. He closed his mind, trying to remember all the spellbooks he had been reading since he was a young child. A specific grimoire came to his mind, and he remembered a spell for closing portals.

"Okay, we need to say this," Erick said before telling the guys what to chant. They nodded, and seconds later, they were chanting the spell.

Liam spotted a figure in the well coming upwards as they chanted the spell. He sent a fireball towards it, and he heard shrieks. The light from the fireball illuminated the shrieking figure, revealing an erboon. Liam's eyes widened as he watched the erboon fall, making him realize how deep the pit was. He wanted it to be closed as soon as possible.

In the middle of her fight with Emery, Eva noticed what Liam and the rest were about to do.

"No!" she yelled as she sent a fireball towards them.

Luckily, Selena used her powers to send the fireball back to Eva. Eva moved to avoid it, and the fireball hit the ground.

Ashley, Logan, Ethan and Selena turned their attention to the last remaining erboon. It was shrieking with all its might, trying to distract them from battling it.

"Oh, shut up!" Ashley said as she threw a fireball towards the erboon. The erboon screeched when the fireball hit it. Flames soon engulfed its form, and seconds later, the erboon was reduced to a heap of soot.

Eva had seen what had happened to the erboon. With a shout, she turned to send a fireball to the people who were interrupting her spell.

However, it was too late.

Eva watched as the portal she had created was destroyed. The brick walls that were around the pit turned to sand as the wind reduced its velocity. Dirt was also coming out of the pit, filling it up and closing Eva's only current source of getting an army to defeat the witches.

"Damn you!" Eva yelled as she clenched her fist at Selena's direction. Selena immediately started gasping as a strong force began choking her.

"Selena!" Ashley yelled in the middle of fighting Bianca. Zane saw what was happening. He soon summoned a fireball, throwing it at Eva.

Eva saw it coming, and so she deflected the fireball with her mind. It was sent sideways as she continued choking Selena.

"NO!" Emery yelled as she flew towards Eva. She formed her own fireball and forced it right on Eva's neck. Eva screamed out in pain, letting go of Selena. Emery's cousin collapsed onto the ground, taking in deep breaths as Logan rushed to her side.

Emery planned to go to her cousin, but Eva interrupted her.

"Don't think you have won," Eva stated as she levitated high in the air. Emery looked at her, and she soon followed, resuming their fight.

It was time to end it.

The rest decided to focus on Bianca. Liam threw several fireballs at her, but the levitating witch flew and avoided them. She smirked, sending her own fireballs at him.

Liam's eyes widened in shock when he noticed the incoming fireballs. He began to run to avoid them, even though he could have just teleported to the side. One of the fireballs landed close to his foot, and the force sent him flying through the air and crashing onto the ground.

Liam quickly dusted himself as he got up. He observed his surroundings, seeing no fireball coming at him. With a shake of his head, he went towards Eva and Emery.

On the other side, Harry, Zane and Erick were trying to break the magical dome that Eva had placed upon them. Moreover, Bianca was fighting Ethan, and she seemed to be getting the upper hand. Ethan went to punch her, but Bianca grabbed onto his fist. With a smirk, she used her powers to throw him onto the ground. Ethan bruised his sides on impact, finding it hard to get up.

"Ethan!" Logan, Ashley and Selena yelled before sending fireballs towards Bianca. Bianca extended her hands out, pushing the fireballs so that they were going towards their sources. The three began running to move out of the way. The two fireballs, unfortunately, hit Ashley and Logan on their sides. They both cried out, falling face-first onto the ground.

Liam had witnessed what had happened. He decided to turn his attention away from Emery and Eva as he began running towards Selena and Bianca.

Selena yelled as she threw a fireball towards Bianca. Bianca smirked, flying sideways and thus avoiding the attack. She waved her hand to the side, throwing Selena off her balance and having her fall to the ground.

Selena tried to get up, but Bianca used her powers to cease any movement from her.

"You know," Bianca started as she flew to the ground, "I haven't killed anyone in quite a while. You are an excellent target, especially since I hear you are the queen."

Selena struggled against Bianca's hold.

"I wonder what happens," Bianca summoned a knife on her hands, "when I do this."

Liam teleported to the two of them, but Bianca had delivered the knife into Selena's chest by the time he was near them.

"NO!" Liam yelled, and that had a few heads turning to face him. With a glare, Liam used his powers to throw Bianca off of Selena powerfully. She went with a scream, hitting the ground hard with her head and instantly passing out.

"Selena!" Erick yelled, running towards the sight of his stabbed wife. Ashley and Ethan soon followed, surrounding the bleeding queen.

Emery had been fighting Eva, and Liam's shout had distracted her. Eva took that as an opportunity to attack. 

While Emery was looking at her friends, wondering what was going on, Eva came at her and jumped on her back. Eva clutched onto Emery's neck, trying to strangle her. Emery thrashed her head from side to side, trying to lessen the grip on her throat.

"Selena!" she heard Erick scream out before loud sobs echoed around the area. That had Emery ceasing movement for a moment.

Selena? Was she—

Emery could not finish the thought. She refused to accept it. There was no way her cousin was dead. It couldn't be true.

Could it?

In anger, Emery brought her head back, smacking it hard onto Eva's forehead. Eva immediately let go as she soon felt pain. Emery quickly turned to face her. She punched her cheek. Not giving Eva time to recover, she delivered another blow.

Eva extended a hand, having Emery sent backward. Emery fought through the force of the push, throwing fireball after fireball at Eva. Eva tried to avoid them, but a couple hit her form. She cried out, almost close to hitting the ground.

Eva turned to face Emery with a glare. She waved her hand, and an invisible force tried to throw Emery. However, it did not work, and that surprised Eva.

"You lose, Eva," Emery said, thrusting her hands towards the sky. Clouds gathered in the sky, and she used them to form a tornado. Eva looked at Emery in confusion, but that soon turned to shock. She went to escape, but the tornado was quick to trap Eva.

The evil crystal screamed as the tornado took her up towards the sky and spun her. A minute later, her screams had died down. Emery let the tornado do its work for another moment. Afterward, she summoned the tornado away. Eva fell and hit the ground like a heap of sand with no movement from her.

Emery flew back to the ground, taking deep breaths as she tried to regain her energy. She approached Eva and placed her fingers on her neck. The villain still had a heartbeat, and that angered Emery. She thought Eva would die, but apparently, the woman was indisposable.

Since Eva was unconscious, Emery believed she had some time until she would get up. Emery then recalled Liam's shout. She looked towards the direction of her friends who had huddled around Selena.

Emery hurriedly ran towards her cousin.

"Selena? Selena?" Emery called out as she forced herself into the huddled group that was staring down at her cousin. Liam and Zane had placed their hands over her bloodied torso.

"It's not working. Why is it not working?" Liam asked, but no one had the answer. Tears had started to form in Emery's eyes whereas Erick was sobbing.

"Wait," Ashley said as she pointed at Selena's chest. The blood on her shirt was slowly disappearing.

Breaths that everyone hadn't realized they were holding were released. They stopped worrying, and a couple of seconds later, Selena gasped in air. Erick immediately hugged her, kissing her passionately and making the rest feel slightly awkward.

"Guys, what do we do about them?" Logan asked, interrupting Erick's and Selena's kissing session. Everyone turned to look at Eva and Bianca, the two women who had passed out.

"We'll lock them up," Selena said.

"And have them escape again?" Logan countered with raised eyebrows.

"Well, we can't kill Eva."

"Yeah. She'll just heal and try to attack us again," Ashley added.

"Well, with Bianca, we can strip her powers and send her back to her prison on earth," Emery suggested.

"Speaking of which... guys, how did Eva get her out?" Ethan asked, and that changed everything. Everyone knew Eva's methods of getting what she wanted. That meant they had to go to earth and wipe the memories of those who had witnessed Eva help Bianca in breaking out of the prison.

"We'll sort it out later. Right now, we have to deal with those two," Erick said as he directed his gaze to the unconscious Bianca and Eva. 

 

 

Epilogue

 

Days later

Third Person's P.O.V

A groan escaped Eva's lips as she fluttered her eyelids open. After a while, she was able to focus on her surroundings. 

What met her eyes was white.

She slowly got up from the floor, cradling her head as she blinked her eyes, thinking she was seeing her own things. However, what she saw was still white. 

She soon realized she was in a large white room. The walls were concrete, and as she faced upwards, she noticed the white ceiling too was concrete. Eva looked at her form, and she saw she still had her long black dress.

She was confused as she looked around, and she soon spotted a figure lying on the floor a few feet in front of her.

Bianca. She still had her yellow dress.

What happened? Eva thought. She soon recalled the events that had occurred before she had passed out. They flashed before her mind, and she was shocked.

With wide eyes, Eva looked at her surroundings once again. She ran towards a white concrete wall, planning to break out. When she touched it, pain zipped through her form. It made her jump away, and Eva stared at her hands in shock. The pain was familiar, and Eva was shocked to the roots.

'No,' she thought as she looked around her enlargened room. There were two bulbs above her. One of them was off, and the other was currently emitting white light. Eva continued to look around. She soon spotted a metallic vent that was blowing air inside the room.

Eva tried to levitate towards it. She didn't get far enough because she soon felt hurtful shocks run through her form again. She fell on the ground, and her heart began thudding in worry.

'Not again,' Eva thought as she continued feeling her way around the area. She felt jolts of electricity as she touched the walls, and a sinking feeling grew in her stomach.

It took a short while for Eva to realize she was in her prison once again. The difference was that it was spacious, and she had a partner to share it with.

She tried to use her powers to see what was behind the white walls. It was hard at first, but she was able to see what was on the other side.

It scared and shocked her to her roots.

The orange rocks she had been fighting against were there, but at the time, they were many. In fact, they had been smoothened to form a thick wall. They were behind the white walls in the room. Eva started shaking in fear and disbelief. She looked at the ceiling, and she was scared when she realized that more orange rocks had been placed, also forming a wall above her. 

"NO!" Eva screamed, the sound traveling through the air pipe.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Do you think this will be enough to hold her off?" Emery asked.

"It is," Erick stated.

Emery was with Zane, Selena and Erick in the newly-constructed maximum security prison. The new one was built far away from Crystalia and Andreladia. At the current time, the four were in a room with monitors. They were watching Eva scream as tears poured out of her eyes.

It was not a pretty sight. However, it was a surprise to them. They had never seen her cry.

"When the cell was under development, I made sure the scientists and constructors worked together to melt the orange rocks to form thick walls. Apparently, the rocks can be discharged of their powers through fighting off their barriers. I told the constructors to use many rocks so that it would be impossible for Eva and Bianca to leave."

Emery continued to look at Eva's crying face. At another monitor, Bianca was seen getting up.

"Wow. I would hate to be on that side of the prison," Zane commented with wide eyes.

"It is bad, but those two are lucky I enchanted the place to provide for them with food when they ask for it."

Everyone was confused.

"I thought the magic doesn't work there."

"Oh, it does. The rocks just contain it in one place. Eva cannot teleport out of her prison, but she can use her powers in that vicinity. At least we can guarantee our safety for eternity," Erick added with a smile.

"Wow. I think that's a little too harsh," Selena said.

"Well, they should have thought twice before coming after the people I love, especially after what they almost did to you."

Selena thought about it, and she shrugged her shoulders in agreement. 

On the monitor, Eva was seen still crying. Despite all the crap that Eva had done to her and everyone else, Selena couldn't help but feel pity for her. However, Eva brought her punishment to herself. It was what was needed to be done to protect everyone from her.

"Okay then. Let's get out of here," Erick said, and the rest followed him. 

It was the last time they would all see Bianca and Eva.

***********************************************************************************************

After all the crap that had happened after the wedding, things returned to normal. Eva and Bianca were imprisoned, guaranteeing everyone's safety for, possibly, the whole of eternity. 

The wedding after-party had to be postponed due to Eva's return. After everything regarding her and Bianca had been sorted out, the celebration resumed days later. The after-party lasted a whole day, and it was beautiful. Many people had given a toast about the new couple and how their love was real. Afterward, Zane and Emery went on their honeymoon.

It was in Andreladia.

The royal family had given them a house on an elevated area as a wedding present. The new couple was to spend their honeymoon there, and it was to be three weeks long. The both of them had stayed inside the building for most of the time. Zane and Emery were too preoccupied even to contact their family and friends. They had made love almost everywhere in the house, and a day hadn't passed without them screaming each other's names in passion.

It was currently their second week. The house had a balcony that offered a magnificent view of the Crystalia mountains, the forest and some of the rivers that flowed through the area. Zane and Emery were on the balcony, seated on a bench swing as they enjoyed the view. Emery had placed her head on her husband's naked shoulder, and he had one of his arms wrapped around her torso.

"It's so beautiful," Emery commented as she marveled at the view.

"I know," Zane spoke before he started placing kisses on her ear. She giggled and turned to him, giving him access to her lips.

They continued for a while, and Zane's hand started going underneath her shirt.

"Wait," she said as Zane continued to place kisses on my cheeks. His hand went higher, grasping her breast and squeezing it.

"Why?" he said, trailing his lips onto her neck. Emery gasped as his teeth once again found a hickey he had gotten used to placing.

"Zane..." she trailed off as he continued to bite and tug on her hickey. He sighed, placing his head against hers and rubbing her cheek with the stubble he had gained. He removed his hand from her shirt to caress her cheek.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I think I may be pregnant," Emery informed him.

He stopped suddenly, and Emery began to worry.

"Really?" he asked with a smile, rubbing her lips with his thumb.

"Well, I don't know," she said just as he stuck his thumb in her mouth. Emery sucked on it, and he cursed.

Emery popped the thumb out of her mouth before informing him: "I'm late."

"Well, pregnant or not, I still love you, and I will love the child you might be carrying."

Emery laughed just as he stuck his hand in her pants. A gasp escaped her lips when his fingers found something.

Zane's eyebrows furrowed as he stared at his wife.

"What's in here?" he asked, grasping the object that was in her pocket.

"Zane..." Emery trailed off as he took out the small envelope. It was a gift from Selena, and it had a label on it.

"Pregnancy spell?" he asked as he stared at her in disbelief.

"It's not what you think it is. It's just a spell that is chanted to see if a woman is pregnant," she said.

"How does it work?" he asked.

"I have to chant the spell, and I will feel a ticklish sensation in my stomach if I'm pregnant. If I don't feel anything, then I'm not."

"Oh," Zane said as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Okay. Let's do it."

"Really?" Emery was shocked.

"Yes. You're my wife, Emery. Of course, I would want to know if we're going to be parents."

She chuckled as she opened the envelope, taking out the white piece of paper that had the spell written on it. Emery chanted the spell, and they both waited. After about a minute, Emery felt a weird sensation in my stomach.

She laughed out in surprise.

"Zane..." Emery did not need to say more. Zane was soon grinning at her. He quickly grabbed her, placing his lips onto hers. On instinct, Emery turned as her legs wrapped themselves around his waist. Her form pressed against his naked chest, and she enjoyed the warmth that seeped into her skin. Zane stood up before spinning them on the floor as he stared at his new wife.

"We're going to have a baby!" he yelled, and Emery laughed in happiness. Zane then stood with her in his arms.

He was staring at her again. Her heart thudded when she saw the emotion in his eyes.

"What is it?" she asked him.

"I love you, Emery Marsh."

Emery smiled in reply before saying, "I love you too Zane Marsh."

With a smile, Zane began kissing her. After a while, the kiss was becoming heated, and they were both itching to get out of their clothes.

"Zane..." Emery moaned out her husband's name just as he squeezed her ass. 

"We should celebrate," he replied, still kissing her lips. 

Emery already knew what that meant. Zane carried Emery back into the house, and they didn't get out for the rest of the day.

***********************************************************************************************

Months passed, and things had changed in the lives of Emery and her family. Ashley and Harry got engaged two months after Emery and Zane's honeymoon. It was barely a surprise to everyone since the two had started dating in the previous year. Liam, Logan and Ethan started seeing a couple of people in Crystalia, and things seemed to be going great for them.

Selena had born a son. She and Erick called him Andrew, after his grandfather. Emery gave birth to a daughter several months later, and she was named Susan. 

Things were great for everyone, and they all started their happy beginnings.

 

THANKS

 Hey, guys! Thanks so much for reading this book, and thanks also for reading the first two (if you did).

It took me about a year to write The Crystal series, and I am glad to have completed it.

 

I have ideas on other books. In fact, I've already gotten the characters and parts of the plots for them. The problem is, it will take me some time to finish typing and editing the books before I post them.

 

Again, thank you! Have a wonderful day!

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 07.11.2017

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Widmung:
This book is dedicated to the first readers of my books. Among them are Annelies, Jocelyn and Sharmayne. This book is also dedicated to a couple of friends from my high school. They helped by laughing at the chapters I had written on paper, and that innovated me to try more. I am also grateful for the novels I had read and still keep reading because those helped me in improving my grammar and creativity. Lastly, I would like to thank my family because the things I had listed above wouldn't be possible without them.