About sixty people were having the meeting, including women, but they had nothing to worry about since they are not alone either. Emerald and Ella had given them twenty warriors. Anna gave them ten. Kelvin's warriors were here to help too including Ryan's. Anderson has spoken to his dragon friend, Draco and he had sent out two hundred men. They were sure this battle is going to be a success.
As they surround the room, they could tell from their auras that there are witches, wizards, werewolves, and vampires in the room. They wondered why there are no demons and goblins, as well as dragons.
Maybe they were not invited? They had thought. Or maybe they had disagreed with the plan. Or they are yet to arrive. They had so many thoughts running through their mind. Especially Kelvin. He wondered if he was going to meet with his uncle. He knows how much his uncle will want the book since the book can give him the powers he desires.
"Should we listen to what they have to say first before attacking?" Jasmine asked Ariana.
They were standing beside each other.
"Do we have the time to do that?" Ariana whispered back.
That wasn't a part of their plan. They planned to take them by surprise and find out what their next plan will be.
"Won't it be nice if we hear what they plan to do? We might get the shock of our lives"
Ariana nodded. She kind of supports Jasmine's idea but the rest doesn't know about it and that will make it difficult. There is no way to get the message across to them. If she succeeded in mind-linking Jabal and Jasmine succeeded in mind-linking Kelvin, then what will happen to Ryan and Jamal? There is no way they can get in touch with them.
"It would have been a good idea if we are all together" Ariana muttered.
"I have an idea," Jasmine said with a smile.
Ariana stared at her. Jasmine is good at getting ideas so quickly. And her ideas have always been good, but why does she feel like this idea isn't a good one?
"Jasmine, I think we should go on with the other plan. It doesn't make sense changing it with the others"
Jasmine shrugged. "Maybe you are right"
Ariana gave the signal as they have planned and they entered the room. Those having the meeting were shocked to see them and thought immediately that they had been fooled.
"You better not try anything funny. You have been surrounded" Kelvin told them.
They wondered if they had gotten the wrong information or if they were been fooled by the others.
"Who gave us out?" one of the women shouted. "Who?"
"Do you want to know?" Jasmine asked with a smirk.
A day ago, they had caught one of them who happened to be the one that set up meetings for the other. Jasmine saw it as an opportunity to get the rest once and for all.
"Let him set up a meeting in a place we will choose" she had told the rest.
"Isn't that risky? What if he tries to send them a signal that he had been caught?" Jabal asked.
"I have thought about that too. Ariana and I will take care of that" she assured them.
Ariana agreed to it and of course, they kept their promise and were able to set up an emergency meeting here.
A few of them looked worried while the rest looked assured that these little children here can not defeat them. Those that were worried were the ones that had heard about their battle with Rose and some were there when it happened.
Another woman stared at Jasmine with burning rage. "What insolence!" she yelled. How dare little children as you come into our meeting place?"
Ariana scoffed. She could tell the woman is a witch. "You are a witch like us" she muttered, pointing at herself and Jasmine. "But I don't think you are strong enough. You would have known those you are talking to"
The woman stared at Ariana and made to say a word but someone spoke up before her.
"She is a red-haired witch" she pointed at Ariana. "But why do I sense the blood of an earth witch in her?"
"Someone finally recognize me," Ariana said.
"And she" the woman continued, pointing at Jasmine. "Also have the blood of an earth witch. I can also sense a wolf in her"
"There is a wizard here too," a man said.
"And a demon bear," a werewolf said.
"I can smell the presence of a demon too" another man said.
"No one sense a white witch here?" a woman in her late thirties said and Jasmine stared at her.
It has always been difficult for her white witch power to be detected. Though she has white hair like her mother. A lot has thought it was because she has a white wolf.
The woman pointed at her. "She is a white witch" she announced and everyone gasped.
With a white witch, a red-haired witch, a demon bear, and a demon present here, their chance of survival is very slim. But they won't give in without a fight. They decided it was best to die fighting for their escape rather than to be humiliated by the ones they considered little.
"Attack!!!" someone yelled and the children presumed her to be the boss.
Jasmine immediately set up a barrier that prevents any one of them to use their powers except her. Soon, the warriors began to troop in and they were surrounded. They realized that there was nothing they could do.
The battle was a fierce one as a lot of them were killed. Those who thought they could run away were caught by men already waiting in an ambush and were killed. In the end, just two were left. The one they considered their boss and the other who surrendered. It was easier than they had thought it would be. The first attack on them wasn't like they had expected. They had thought it will be difficult to defeat them since a lot was after the book but it was so simple they could not help but acknowledge that Jasmine is smart. Smarter than they all had thought. They wanted to know how she did it, but there was no time for that.
None of them was hurt, not even the warriors.
They took the two remaining to the warehouse for further questioning. The boss would not accept defeat so she killed herself before Jasmine could set up a new barrier at the warehouse.
"It is not over yet," she told them before she breathed her last breath. "It is not over. No matter how many of us you kill. More will rise". She laughed. "You think I am the boss? You think my death will end this?" she laughed. "It won't. This is just the beginning. He won't give up until he lay his hands on the book. He won't. And when he lay his hands on it, his identity will be revealed and he will come after you". She pointed toward Ryan. "He is here among you"
Those were her last words to them before she finally gave up the ghost. Those words got them very worried. They trust every one of them. Could she be saying the truth? Or is she trying to cause distrust among them?
"We should not mind what she said," Ryan said. "We should not". They stared at themselves, each of them, wondering who it could be. "How about we ask the last one some questions? Maybe this will help us," he said trying to lighten up the mood but no matter how much he tried, he did not succeed.
**
After the death of those who started the rumor, the rumor ended. And for a long time, no one spoke about the book. Everything returned to normal, except for the fear among them. Every day, they wondered which of them was after the book and why? The witch had pointed toward Ryan, which made them think he could be the one. Jasmine was the only one who thinks Ryan could be innocent. They kept it among themselves and could not speak to Emerald and Ella about it either.
Ryan was more worried than the rest since it was easier to suspect him. He had betrayed them once. His father had worked with Rose the last time. Unlike Kelvin who had done nothing. They will not suspect Jabal or Jamal nor will Ariana or Jasmine be suspected. Every time he sees the others, he tried to read their countenance towards him but could not.
But somehow, he feels they have changed towards him.
"Who do you suspect?" he had once heard Jabal asking Jamal.
"I do not have anyone in mind" Jamal had said. "You don't think Ryan will betray us again? Do you?"
"I hope he doesn't. That will break Jasmine and I don't want that"
"But the witch pointed at him"
"I do not want to believe she meant it"
"I do not want to either"
Hearing them say that made Ryan feel bad. He could tell that they all suspect him but they are trying to hide it. He could also tell that they want to avoid him as much as they can too.
"When are you going to the Munar pack?" Ariana had asked him a day ago. From her voice, he could tell she desperately wanted him to go.
Maybe they have something to talk about and they do not want him there, he thought. And that made him decide that he will return to the Munar pack and won't be returning. He has plans to stay away from them and lock up the gate to his territory. He wanted to be away from the world and ask Stella for help. If Stella can lock up the gate, he or any member of his pack wont be able to leave. That way he won't go after the book and maybe that will stop the rest from suspecting him.
"I will be going back to the Munar pack" he announced and no one asked why he was suddenly leaving. Kelvin did not ask to go with him either, so he decided to ask. Not because he wanted him to go with him but to confirm his suspicion. "Will you come with me? Kelvin?" he asked.
"No. I have decided to attend a school in human territory. I will be staying with Jamal and Jabal" Kelvin answered.
Ryan sighed. "Then I will leave alone," he said.
"I will go with you," Jasmine said suddenly. "Can I go with you?" she asked.
Ryan wondered if Jasmine wants to go with him so she can monitor his movement.
"You should not. You should stay back. Nothing is interesting about the Munar pack"
"But you will be there. Won't it be lonely for you over there"
"It's my pack. I am used to living there but you are not"
"I want to go with you. We can go to school together" Jasmine insisted.
"I will be changing my school," Ryan said, hoping Jasmine will change her mind.
"Examinations start in two days. Isn't it too late to do that?"
He groaned. "Jasmine, stay back please"
"I am going with you. It's my decision. I won't let you go back there alone. I won't"
Ryan stared at the faces of the others. They looked surprised. He wondered if they did not know about Jasmine wanting to go with him or if they have decided to pretend. He sighed. If they do not trust him and want Jasmine to go with him to monitor him, he doesn't have an option but to accept. He will find a way to send her away before locking up the pack. He stared at Kelvin who looked angry.
"But isn't Kevin going to be against..."
Kelvin cut him short. "I don't mind. She can go with you if she wants to" he said with a smile.
Ryan sighed. "Then we leave by tomorrow," he said and left the room.
After he left Ariana dragged Jasmine out.
"What are you doing?" she whispered. "Why will you go to the Munar pack with him"
"Do you also believe Ryan is the one?" Jasmine whispered. "Do you believe he is the one after the book?"
Ariana sighed. It is not easy to believe that Ryan is innocent in this matter. She can still remember how he joined them. How they found out he was working for Rose. What if he planned to get the book? "I...". She groaned slightly. "When did you begin to trust him. I thought you were the one who never trusted him before?"
Jasmine sighed. "Yes. I might not have trusted him before but now I have no reason not to trust him. He has proved how trustworthy he is"
"What if he is pretending? What if..."
"There is no what if. Any one of us can be the one. Do we have to nail him without proof?"
"The witch pointed at him"
"He wasn't the only one there. Kelvin was and I was too. Doesn't that make us a suspect too"
"I understand that you love him but..."
"This is not about loving him, Ariana. It's about trusting him"
Ariana stared at her." Are you not curious he might be the one?"
"No, I am not"
"Then why did you decide to go with him?"
Jasmine sighed. "I am not going with him because I suspect him. It's because none of you cared to go with him. I can not let him be alone there"
"You don't know what you are doing Jasmine"
"I know what I am doing, ok?"
Ariana sighed. "But what if he ends up being the one? What will you do?"
"I will kill him myself," she said and Ariana widened her eyes.
"Y-you will?"
Jasmine nodded. "I will. But before that happens, I will trust him that he won't do such a thing. And I won't let any one of you hurt him" she said and walked away.
Ariana stared at her. Why does Jasmine believe so much in Ryan? Why? With this question in her mind, she returned to the room. Ryan who had listened to their conversation ran after Jasmine.
"Jasmine?" he cooed.
"R-Ryan? What are you doing here? I thought you left for your room?"
"I did not" he answered.
"Is there something you want?"
"Why do you trust me when the rest doesn't?"
Jasmine sighed. "Don't ask me why. Just join me to prove to the rest that you are innocent and that you will never do such a thing"
**
Their examinations ended after two weeks and they could now call themselves high school graduates. All through the examinations, the rest had hardly seen Jasmine and Ryan and had wondered if they changed schools as Ryan said. But on the last day, they saw them.
"Jasmine" Ariana waved at her. "Thought you changed school," she said.
"Your wish" Jasmine replied.
"Hi" Ryan cooed, not like he wanted a reply.
"Ryan" Ariana said and that was all.
"I will wait over there," Ryan said to Jasmine and left.
He could tell Ariana doesn't feel comfortable with him.
"Are you still going to stay with him?" Ariana asked after Ryan left.
"You don't expect me to leave him. Do you?"
"Don't you think it is dangerous? What if you get hurt?"
"Ryan won't hurt me"
"You can't say, Jasmine. You should return home"
"As I have said before. I won't leave him alone"
"Jasmine, it's risky staying with him"
"I don't care. Even if there is a prophecy that says he will betray us. I will stay with him"
Ariana groaned. "You are very stubborn. Well, since there is nothing I can do to make you change your mind. I will have to leave you"
"Send my regards to the rest," Jasmine said and turned to leave.
"You won't say hi to them?" Ariana asked hoping she will say yes.
She hope the rest could talk her out of it.
She shook her head. "They won't welcome me," she said and left.
Ariana stared at her. She wondered why Jasmine insist on staying with him. Why will she leave the rest and go with him?
Jamal and Jabal walked up to her. "Where is Jasmine?" Jabal asked.
"She insists on going with him" Ariana answered.
"Isn't it two weeks already since she left?" Jamal asked.
"She won't change her mind," Jabal said.
"Should we tell mother about it?" Jamal asked.
He is so worried about his sister. He also worries about Ryan but he couldn't dare to show it, because of the rest.
"No. Let's give her some time. If she doesn't change her mind, we will go on with the plan" Jabal said and they left.
**
Ryan was beginning to worry about Jasmine. And he tried all he can to make her go back. He worries that the rest will term her a betrayal too.
"The rest will be worried about you. I think you should go back" he told her one night. "You should go back home tomorrow"
"I am not leaving. I am going to stay with you until we prove that you are not the one. I will help you find the betrayal among us"
"Don't you think that will be difficult to do? Everyone thinks I am"
"But you are not"
"How sure are you?"
"Because I know and I trust you"
Ryan sighed. The presence of Jasmine is preventing him from doing what he wants to do.
"Jasmine" he cooed. "I wish you can..."
"Don't tell me to go because I won't"
"Jasmine!"
"I know what you plan to do and I won't let you do it"
"Jasmine"
"If you want to do it. Then let me stay with you. I will cast the spell and lock the gate pack up. But I won't leave"
"I can't let you stay. I can't let you lock yourself up here"
"Remember what you told me about being your friend?". Ryan nodded. "If I leave, what kind of friend does that make me?"
"But I don't deserve you, Jasmine," Ryan said and Jasmine smiled.
"You deserve me more than anyone"
Ryan held her hand. "I do not want you to regret this"
"If you don't want me to regret this, promise me that you won't try to push me away"
Ryan nodded. "I promise"
Jasmine stood up. "I will lock it up now"
Ryan held her. "No. There is one thing I want us to do first"
"What is it?" Jasmine asked.
"I want to speak to your mother"
Jasmine furrowed her brows. "My mother?"
He nodded. "Yes"
"Why? Why do you want to speak to my mother?"
"About a dream" he muttered and Jasmine's eyes widened.
"What dream?"
"I had a dream. A witch asked me to tell your mother everything she had told me in the dream"
Jasmine furrowed her brows. Why will a witch send Ryan to her mother? "What else did she say?"
"That there will be a prophecy soon," he said and Jasmine blinked.
A prophecy?