CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:
❝︎Kai Parker❞︎

HOPE KNOCKED ON HARPER'S DOOR. Hope had been studying the ascendant all day and a new guy named Joshua had just walked in, telling her there was a linking spell on the ascendant that actually led to another prison world that held Kai Parker, also known as Josie and Lizzy's crazy uncle that had killed their real mom. After everything that had happened a few days ago, Hope had been trying to leave Harper out of it. The girl was upset. She hadn't left her room. Hope had been bringing her food so that she would eat something, but half the time she pushed it away, claiming she didn't have an appetite.

"Harp?" Hope asked, carefully opening the door. Harper was laying in her bed, staring blankly at the wall. "Hey." Hope closed the door, walking over to the bed and sitting on it. She looked at Harper and softly sighed. "We might know where they are." Harper turned her head at the news. "It's not good. Alyssa attached the ascendant with a linking spell, so they actually went into another ascendant, a different prison world." Hope paused. "The same world Kai Parker has been trapped in."

Harper sat up. "They're in there with a psychopath?" Harper ran a hand through her hair. "I at least thought they were in a safe prison world. Now they're not. Hope, what are we going to do?"

"Hey, we're going to figure this out." Hope assured her, gently grabbing her hand. "Everyone's working on this, okay? We're not leaving them behind. Even if it means we have to bring Kai back. . ."

"We can handle Kai." Harper waved her off. "I just need them safe. I need them back. I need Josie back. I'm going crazy here."

"I have a plan." Hope told her. "Landon's out with Dorian trying to find some flower that will get Alyssa to tell us her deep secrets and where the other ascendant is. I'm going to astral project and try and contact them from the prison world. I need you there just in case. . ."

"To pull you out." Harper finished. Hope nodded. "Okay."

They went back to Hope's room, setting the candles and everything up. Harper sat there and nodded at Hope. Hope closed her eyes and did the spell, not a few seconds later a gasp left her lips and she was back. Harper came closer to her, grabbing her hand to let her know she was back. Before Harper could say anything, a voice grabbed their attention. "How'd that go?"

The two girls turned to see Joshua, aka Kai Parker, standing there. Hope looked at him. "It didn't. I couldn't reach them." Harper visibly deflated. Kai hummed and Hope stood up, Harper following her. Hope moved to stand slightly in front of Harper, holding out a hand and Harper understood. "Did you need something?"

Kai started sniffing the air. "It's not you. It's not me."

"Excuse me?"

He sniffed her bed before sniffing her stuffed animal. "Yes. There it is." He picked the stuffed bunny up. "Oh, why is it always stuffed animals?" He walked towards them. "It's the weirdest thing. He tipped the bunny in half and in it was the ascendant.

Hope looked at it wide eyed. "How did you know?"

"Oh, Alyssa Chang just needed a, uh, a compassionate ear to bend. Hey, I'm sorry to, uh, stick my nose in, but she doesn't really like you people." He put on his glasses. "Any who. . . now all you need is something that has the equivalent power of a celestial event. Do you have any ideas?" He pressed a finger to his lips.

"I do." Hope nodded. "But we have to go off-campus to get it."

"Who doesn't love a field trip?" He walked out of the room.

"Hope. . ." Harper started but Hope shushed her.

"You stay here, alright?" Hope said.

"Hope, if he's dangerous," Harper whispered.

"It's Kai," Hope mouthed. Harper's eyes widened and Hope grabbed her hands, looking at her. A silent conversation passed between them and Harper finally sighed before nodding. Hope walked away and Harper stood there with fear coursing her veins. She knew that Hope had made it to the prison world, that she knew something, but Kai's presence was preventing her from sharing it.

Harper sat there for a little while and for a little while Hope didn't come back. Night fell and Harper was becoming restless. She left Hope's room, bounding down the stairs and stopping when she saw Hope standing there with Alyssa Chang kneeling on the other side of the barrier. Alyssa Chang stood up, looking down at the ascendant that she was about to preform a spell on that would separate Kai from the prison world and kill everyone inside.

"Hope?" Harper questioned, coming up beside of her. "What's happening?"

"This isn't me." Alyssa said as the ascendant started to activate.

A bright light shone and a girl Harper didn't recognize appeared on the floor behind them. She had dark curly hair and she looked about their age. She smiled. "Holy crap. It worked." There was another light and then Lizzy appeared. Right after came Alaric and then one last light came and there was Josie, kneeling on the floor.

Harper stared at her. "Josie?" She whispered.

Josie turned to look at them and the dark version of her that Hope had seen was no longer there. "It's me guys. I'm back." Lizzie and Hope ran forwards, pulling her into a hug. Alaric hugged the three of them but Harper stayed planted, frozen. She couldn't believe that Josie was standing right there. They pulled away and Josie looked at Harper. "Harper." She whispered her name and tears sprang to Harper's eyes and she quickly ran forwards, pulling Josie into a deep kiss. Josie smiled against her lips, kissing her back. She'd missed her so much.

Harper looked at Josie and smiled shaking her head. "You're back. I was going crazy."

"Don't worry, you were all she talked about." Lizzie rolled her eyes but there was a smile lingering on her lips.

"I hate to break the moment, but Landon's in trouble." Hope told them and without hesitation Josie and Harper followed her. They made it into the middle of the woods.

"What happened?" Josie asked.

"I had to make a choice." Hope answered her. "And. . . I didn't choose Landon. But it's okay because he's gonna come out any second, and-and if I. . ." She closed her eyes. "When I open my eyes, he's gonna be there." She opened her eyes. "My God. I don't see him."

"I do." Josie whispered, looking up. The other two looked up and they saw wings, wings on fire. It was Landon. He lowered himself to the ground and in his arms was Dorian. Alaric came running, immediately going to Dorian as Landon laid him down. Josie joined her father's side and Harper followed Josie. Dorian was hurt. They brought him back to the school to get him taken care of. MG, Kaleb, and Jed all came back with Rafael who had been missing for weeks.

It had been an exhausting day for Harper, that was for sure. Josie was setting the unknown witch and vampire up into their own little area out in the woods, putting up a barrier spell so that they wouldn't escape. All Harper wanted to do was lay in her bed and go to sleep. She'd been so overwhelmed with worry these past few days and she was absolutely and utterly burnt out. And she was hungry. She stopped by the kitchen, making herself a sandwich and a glass of water. She made her way back to her room, eating the food and drinking the water. She quickly got dressed for bed, sitting on her bed and placing a book in her hands. Through all of this chaos, she hadn't had a chance to read.

She was only going to read a chapter, she was exhausted and knew she wouldn't be able to read more than that. A gentle knock came at her door and Harper mumbled a soft come in. The door opened and Josie popped her head in, smiling when she saw Harper back in her natural habitat. She entered the room, closing the door behind her. Harper looked up and was surprised. She closed her book, setting it to the side.

"I thought you would've been with Lizzie." Harper softly said as Josie approached her.

Josie nodded. "I was. She fell asleep. I came in here to see if you were still up, and clearly you were." She chuckled and Harper managed a small smile. Harper moved over and opened her arms. Josie went to her without hesitation. Josie nuzzled into her. "I missed you so much."

"I was so worried," Harper told her, messing with her hair. "I thought. . . I don't know what I thought. I just can't lose you."

Josie looked up at her. "I can't lose you either." She pulled Harper to her, pressing a kiss against her lips. Harper kissed her back.

"It's been a long day," Harper whispered.

"I know." Josie nodded. "Let's get some rest." Harper nodded, turning off the light. She and Josie crawled under the blanket and Harper wrapped her arm around Josie, holding her tightly, not wanting to let her go. Josie basked in the comfort.

Harper pressed a kiss to her temple. "Goodnight, Jo."

Josie smiled and inhaled in content. "Goodnight, Harp."