Third Time's (Not) the Charm

Third Time's (Not) the Charm Part 2

"Remember, Quentin, we'll be tied to you. The access to our magic should be enough to bring The Beast down." Alice had gone over every point at least ten times, and Quentin thought he was going to lose his mind.

"I know, Alice. You don't need to keep telling me."

"I'm making sure we're on the same page. It's not like this could be the end of your life, or ours for that matter. If you fail, we're all dead, Quentin."

"No pressure," he mumbled.

Alice narrowed her eyes and turned on her heels.

"Q, you know you don't have to do this," Jules said.

"I sort of do. This is my chance. You know how much I've loved Fillory since we were kids. I can save it. I have to do it."

"I know," she whispered. Julia looked down for a moment before meeting his eyes again. "That's what I love about you, Q." She pressed her lips to his.

They were soft and warm, and they sent Quentin's mind spinning. He had no time to think or react. She was kissing him, Julia was actually kissing him. Something he had hoped for, for years, and there it was, right before his possible death.

Jules pulled back and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Just come back to us, okay?"

Quentin's mouth opened and closed, unable to say anything. He nodded his head quickly and she smiled.

"Let's go," Alice snapped."

Julia and Quentin joined the rest of the group in the middle of the library floor.

Alice drew the rune on Quentin's hand that would serve as the link between him and the others, tying them together.

Alarms sounded throughout the room.

"He's here. We need to do this now," Penny said.

They all took their spots, and Alice, Penny, Julia, Eliot, and Margo all picked up the glasses with a deep red liquid that was meant to enable the spell. They then began, their hands and fingers moving in sync as they worked through the spell to link their powers up inside Quentin.

"Now," Alice said.

Quentin ran through the doors and down the hall. He knew exactly where The Beast would be headed, straight to Henry Fogg.

He burst into the dean's office. Moths filled the room, and on the other side, he saw them. The Beast had his hands around Fogg's throat. The door slammed against the wall, and The Beast dropped Henry to the ground before turning to face Quentin.

"Well, well, look what we have here. Quentin Coldwater coming to rescue Henry Fogg. But you've come alone?"

"I'm never alone," Quentin said. His hands worked to form the shapes he remembered seeing in the books. Concentrating to make sure he didn't make a mistake. When he finished, the burst of power sent out in The Beast's direction, but somehow he deflected it. It was like the attack was nothing, but it had been unlike anything Quentin had ever done before.

"My turn."

It was like a wall slammed into Quentin. The air knocked right out of him and he went flying back.

He felt his friends' power through him, but somehow it still wasn't enough.

"How about we show you what it's like to be well and truly alone before I end you, Coldwater." The Beast sent another attack his way, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The attack sent a wave of pain through his hand. It was like flames on the rune, burning its way through him. The feeling of power slowly diminished inside him, like it was being ripped away piece by piece until there was nothing left.

"You should have known better than to try this, Quentin. You and your friends can't win. You can't beat me. Certainly not like this."

The moths dissipated and The Beast stepped forward, showing his face for the first time.

A gloved hand reached down and wrapped around Quentin's throat tightly, squeezing. "Let this be a lesson to your friends. Try harder, or stay out of my way."

The Beast twisted Quentin's head, snapping his neck before dropping his body to the ground. He then began whistling as he strolled out of Henry Fogg's office to finish the job.