"If nobody starts talking then I'm leaving. I don't have all day, you know." Oh right, Azura was standing right in the middle of the room looking intimidating. None of us here has uttered a word not even uncle Russell. I looked at uncle Russell's direction expecting him to start explaining our situation but he was just mouthing something, can't he talk? I looked at him confusedly and he gave me a signal showing that he couldn't speak. I turned to Scarlett and I saw her signalling me to say something.

"Um.. hi?" I said more like asked. Azura raised her brow at me and I cleared my throat, "y.. you know Fredrick right?" I asked her nervously, scared even.

"I know a couple of Fredricks, you have to be more specific darling." Azura said rolling her eyes and I gulped in fear.

"Um.. Fredrick Willard, the man that made the photocopying machine that makes clones." I answered and Azura's face changed to that of pure anger.

"Why are you asking about that ingrate?!" She asked furiously and turned towards uncle Russell and Fredrick's direction and glared at Fredrick.

"I.. I ju.. just want to know what the curse you placed on him and his generation is?" I stuttered.

"Why do you think I'd answer that?" Azura asked sensibly and my mind became blank, I couldn't think of an answer so I turned to Scarlett for help. Scarlett cleared her throat and stood straight.

"You can either give us an answer or I'll report you to the council of Elders" Scarlett said confidently, "Everything you wrote in your book clearly shows you've been using black magic. If you are reported then you know what punishment awaits you". Azura looked at Scarlett, not at Scarlett but beside her and scoffed.

"Are you serious, Yeong-joo?" She asked, who is she talking to? "After all these years, we meet here. Who would've thought you'd be behind this?" She asked again, who is she talking to? Who is Scarlett looking at? What's going on?. "Make her visible. I don't want to look like a crazy witch." Scarlett looked at whatever was beside her and whispered.

"Are you sure?" She asked and muttered something and...

"Oh shoot!" Sean exclaimed and I was equally shocked, beside Scarlett was an old woman not too old. The woman looked like Scarlett and I wondered if the woman has been there all along.

"Let's not get too wrapped up here." Azura said snapping us all back to reality, "once Fredrick or any of his sons reaches the age of forty, then they'll die as simple as that" she said casually and we all looked at her in shock, "what? It's not that big. I mean the machine does worse than my curse." as soon as she said that my entire attention went to her.

"What does the machine do?" I asked her, a little scared of what her answer will be.

"The number of clones one makes determines the person's life span. This is to say that the more clones you make the shorter your life span is." Azura ended and I felt my blood run cold, the hair at the back of my neck stood up. Azura looked at me and smirked evilly, "oh poor kid." she mocked, "how many clones did you make?"

"F.. fo.. four" I stuttered.

"Look at me." Azura commanded and I looked at her, "Since you have just about hundred years to live, just divide it by five and voilà, you have till twenty years to live." Azura said laughing.

"How is that possible? I.. I" I asked in a quiet voice, I can't believe this.

"That's what happens when you play with black magic. Oh well, look at the time. Bye..!" Azura said and once again, black smoke filled the room and she was gone. I dropped on the floor and hugged my knees to my chest, I..I can't die at twenty, I haven't even graduated from college yet. Someone came closer to me and I recognized the funny scent of Sean's cologne. He hooked his hand under my legs and the other hand on my back. He carried me up and I placed my head on his shoulder wiping my tears.

Sean placed me on my bed and I looked away from him. I almost never cry, regardless of my current situation, me crying in front of Sean is just embarrassing.

"Should I get you a glass of water?" Sean asked me in concern and I shook my head refusing, "ice cream?" He asked again and I refused again. He stayed silent for a while before asking, "a hug?" And I nodded in agreement. Sean engulfed me in a big hug and I sobbed on his shoulder, wetting his shirt. He tightened his hold and was muttering words of encouragement. "I'll never let anything happen to you" he said quietly making me smile a little.

*******
A couple of minutes has passed since my breakdown. Sean and I were watching a movie in my room when I heard a knock on the door.

"Who's there?" I asked, my voice cracking a bit because of all the crying I've done.

"Um.. its Scarlett." I totally forgot she was here. I sat up from my current position which was beside Sean , I didn't want any complications in case of the future.

"Come in." I replied, the door opened only to reveal Scarlett with my phone in her hand.

"Your mum called and I didn't know if I should disturb you so I picked it and told her you were taking a nap. I hope you don't mind." Scarlett said, was she nervous?

"I don't mind at all. Thanks anyway." I said taking my phone from her.

"Can I ask you something?" Sean asked sitting up.

"Sure." Scarlett said tightening her hold on her bag.

"Has your grandma always been invisible?" Sean asked and I nodded in agreement, I was also wondering if she has always been there.

"Since I was ten," she said shortly before looking at us, "my mum died immediately she gave birth to me. My grandma took care of me till I was ten." she took a sharp breath in, "She had a car accident and died. Then i went to the morgue to see her, oblivious of my dad's warning, I cried a lot when I saw her body. The morgue attendants tried to pull me away from her. A bright light filled the room and I blacked out. When I woke up, I saw my grandma beside me. At first I thought I was hallucinating but over time she explained everything to me. The fact that I was a mage and the fact the women in my family are mages, everything."

"That's why she was there. Wait.. is she here now?" I asked alarmed.

"No, she's not here now" Scarlett said.

"It's like you have your own guardian angel." Sean said and I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah." Scarlett responded before clearing her throat, "I got to go. Dad will be worried." she said leaving the room.

"Your mum sent you a text." Sean said holding my phone and took it from him and opened the text.

"Hey honey, you are probably up from your nap now. I just wanted to apologise for not calling sooner. The hotel looks so amazing and luxurious. I hope you are ok. Call me as soon as possible. Love you xoxo."

"Love you too mum" I whispered even though she was not here now. Tears was starting to cloud my vision and Sean pulled me to his side.

"When did you become such a cry baby?" Sean asked jokingly and I sighed.

"People change you know." I replied, when did I become a motivational speaker?

*********
Sorry for the late update. Dont forget to vote, comment and share.

Thanks for reading.

-Korisa