017

~ROOK~

The chaos of the battle between Catriana and Sharella had barely begun to settle when Reif had strolled into the room, all smirks and swagger. I’d felt a rush of surprise, then an oh-shit moment hit as he took in the scene of destruction. Splintered wood and dark magic residue still decorated the room and I’d known instantly I had to wipe Reif's memory clean of everything he was seeing. 

But, after taking a deep breath, preparing myself to weave the spell that would erase the events from his mind, I reached out with my power and encountered something unexpected. His thoughts weren’t the usual jumble of images and emotions that filled humans' minds. Instead, they were sharp and focused, with a hint of...something else. Magic. Pure, unadulterated magic. And not just any magic—it was the kind that didn’t belong in this world.

I stumbled back, my hand dropping. "What the fuck are you?" I managed, the words thick in my throat.

Reif's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with a knowing amusement. "Now, now," he said, his voice low and smooth, "let's not get ahead of ourselves." But I was already racing ahead, the pieces of the puzzle snapping into place. He was more than just a teenager I’d formed a friendship with a few years ago—he was something other; something that could either be a powerful ally or a dangerous enemy.

For a moment, we just stared at each other, the air heavy with the unspoken understanding that had passed between us. Then, with a nod, I decided that for now, we had to trust him. Or at least, pretend to.

"Alright," I said, my voice steady once again. "Let's get some pancakes."

And with that, we turned away from the battleground of a room and walked downstairs, leaving the dark secrets behind us, for now.

Thankfully, as we made our way toward the kitchen, the coven members we encountered didn’t appear to have noticed anything amiss, only gazing at Reif with curious gazes, allowing me a little breathing room that it was possible they hadn’t heard a damn thing. The kitchen was a beacon of warmth and normalcy after the chaos we'd just left behind, and soon, the smell of coffee filled the air. As the aroma enticed, I found myself craving a cup more than I ever had before. 

Keeley quickly set to work mixing batter and heating the griddle, and Reif, leaning against the counter peered around at us, then finally addressed the elephant in the room. "You guys going to fill me in?”

"Not now," I said firmly, pouring us all a cup of coffee. "First, we eat."

Reif gave a nod, accepting my denial of his curiosity for the moment. 

The pancakes sizzled and filled the room with a warm, sweet aroma, but it couldn’t completely chase away the coldness that had settled in my gut. I studied Reif from the corner of my eye as he chatted with Keeley, his movements relaxed and easy. There was something about him, something that didn’t quite fit the mold of a typical human. His eyes had that same piercing quality that Cat’s did when she used her magic, and the way he’d so casually picked up on the dark tendrils in the room had not gone unnoticed.

As we ate, the conversation remained light, but the weight of the unspoken hung heavy over the table, a silent reminder of Sharella’s visit.

Once we had finished and cleared the dishes, I turned to Reif, unable to ignore the question that had been burning in my mind. "How did you know what I am?" I asked bluntly.

Reif's smile never wavered. "Let's just say I've had my fair share of... encounters with the supernatural," he replied, his tone enigmatic. "But that's not why I'm here."

His eyes held a seriousness that sobered me up from the lingering haze of our battle. "You’re going to need my help.”

My hand clenched around my coffee cup, the porcelain cracking under my grip. "What are you talking about?" I demanded.

Reif leaned closer, his expression grave. "Cat, there's more to your heritage than you know," he said. "And unless you learn to harness the dark magic within you, you won't just be fighting witches like Sharella. You'll be fighting creatures from the darkest corners of the Otherworld."

The room went quiet as his words sank in, and I felt the first real stirrings of fear. 

"What do you mean by that?" Cat asked, her voice trembling.

"Your ancestors weren't just witches," Reif continued. "They were necromancers. And you hold the kind of power that can either save us all or destroy everything."

The gravity of his revelation hit me like a sledgehammer. If Sharella had already caught wind of what Catriana was, we were in far more trouble than I had ever imagined.

"So what do we do?" Keeley spoke up, breaking the tension.

Reif's smile was grim as he looked at Catriana. "We need to make sure you’re ready for what's coming. And we need to find a way to protect you, without you becoming the very thing we are trying to save you from."