The Cursed Diamond

|22|

My cell phone's ringtone fills the silence of my room. A photo of Talia pops on the screen.

"What's up?" I question.

"I'm going to book the tickets tonight for Friday."

"Yea, that sounds good."

"So did you find anything in that spellbook of yours?" Talia asks

"I think I found something."

"What did you find?"

"Invisibility spell. It says that it allows witches to render a being, location, or object undetectable by a locator spell. So Ignatius won't be able to track us."

"That's great! I'm going to the store to stuff for the trip, so text me what you'll need."

"Okay, thanks Talia, I will. "

"We'll do the spell before we leave the school."

"Okay, bye, Talia," I tell her. I throw my phone next to me on my bed.

The familiar butterflies awaken in my stomach. I look up, waiting for Caelum to show up.

"You're going on a trip?" he questions leaning on the doorway frame of my room.

"Talia and I are," I respond as he comes to sit next to me. I get a whiff of his cologne mixed with his sweet scent of pine.

My heart races a million miles an hour. My hand brushes against his as I push aside the spellbook.

The memory of our forbidden kiss comes to mind. I quickly look down to hide the blush that slowly creeps onto my face. I shake my head, trying to clear my mind.

"I'm coming with." he declares.

"It's really not necessary." I shake my hand, trying my best to avoid eye contact.

"I won't be able to live with myself if something were to happen to you. Or Talia. " he continues.

"Well, I clearly won't be changing your mind on this." I shrug, giving in, and look at him which was a huge mistake. Those oceans for eyes mesmerize me making it almost impossible to look away, but his gaze doesn't falter. He seems to be just as mesmerized.

"I can feel how nervous and scared you are," he says with worry in his eyes.

"How does that work?" I ask, wondering if he can also feel the happiness he makes me feel when he is near. How for a moment I forget about all of my problems.

"Yes you can but if you stop fighting the bond," he says casually.

"Cause you're not fighting this bond! You're engaged to another." I growl and quickly cover my mouth.

"The engagement has been arranged since I was young. My father wants to unite all of the species, making me the ruler of all. He never asked me what I want."

"Looks like I'm not the only one who's going through a lot." I take a deep breath. "So what do you want, Caelum?"

"No one has ever asked me that before," he says, surprised. He runs his hand through his hair. "You know, every year I would wish that when I find my mate they'll miraculously be more powerful than Vera. That way I won't have to go through with the engagement. I won't have to choose between my happiness and what's best for the people."

Thoughts of being the first and only tribrid twin come to mind. Wouldn't that make me stronger than Vera?

"So you don't want to marry her? "I ask, needing to hear him say it out loud.

"I don't want to marry her." He says, his voice holding so much emotion. "So what was that earlier? I thought you were just a witch?" His eyebrows furrow as he asks.

"So I can tell you what that growl was about but you can't tell anyone." I quickly tell him.

"You already know that you can trust me."

Our eyes meet and I swear I forgot how to breathe.

"I would never do anything to break your trust, Freya."

"What I'm about to say sounds crazy and impossible but true."

He nods his head, so I continue. "I'm a werewolf, witch, and a vampire."

"You're a tribrid!" he tries to not shout, his eyes wide open with shock.

"But that's not all. Apparently, I'm also a twin. This is why the trip is happening. The last place my twin sister and aunt have been seen was in New Hope, Pennsylvania. We need to find my sister before something bad happens to her."

Caelum shakes his head in disbelief. "So you're stronger than Vera," he says, a smile slowly creeping onto his face.

"So I tell you I'm tribrid twin, and that's what you get out of all it?" I laugh.

"You're my dream come true." he smiles, putting his hand on my own. My heart pounds. "I'm going to break things off before the trip." he smiles.

I smile for a moment. Taking in this moment of happiness because deep down, I feel trouble coming our way.