Preston

Nash tasked me with talking to Castiel again. When doesn't he task me with anything that deals with spirituality? I'm beginning to think my family enjoys abusing my connection with the Lord.

I reached Castiel's office and released a breath before entering.

"Ah, Nixon. My favorite student. I was expecting you." Castiel sat behind his desk and smiled while he had different puzzles scattered.

I approached his desk and looked at the different items. I picked up a Rubik's Cube, which had the colors mixed up. "I didn't take you for someone who enjoyed playing games."

"Not games but puzzles."

I set the Rubik's Cube down and picked it up before grabbing a black checker from a checkerboard. "These aren't puzzles."

"Aren't they?" He raised his brow.

I squinted my eyes and studied him.

"Most people assume puzzles consist of pieces or writing. They negate all games as a form of a puzzle. Depending on your opponent, you're still figuring out how to solve it or win." His lips curved upward.

I placed the checker on the board and sat in a chair across from him. "You said you were expecting me."

Castiel nodded. "I figured you had questions. You've become my faithful student."

"My friend has an evil eye, but it seems broken."

"How so?"

"It doesn't seem to protect her and ward off evil."

"Are you sure it's broken?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"Or have you relied on the evil eye too much?"

"What?"

"He has issued challenges. It's time to pay attention."

"What do you mean he issued challenges?"

"The teacher is always quiet during the test."

Great.

******
Valentino

While Nixon checked with Castiel about Mags' locket, Mags kept making Bryce seem like he was crazy. It didn't help that Trixie kept pursuing me. I hated both aspects of this plan.

I heard the front door and came out of the kitchen, eating a sandwich.

"Are you eating again?" Nix asked me.

"I'm hungry." I shrugged, biting into my sandwich and chewing before swallowing. "What did Castiel say?"

"Where is your better half with the silent evil eye?"

"Making Bryce seem crazy."

"Figures." Nix rolled his eyes.

I raised my brow. "What did Castiel say?"

"Not much, except Maggie's locket isn't broken, and God is testing us."

"What?" I scrunched my face.

Nix nodded. "It seems he took our alarm away."

"We're flying blind."

"No shit." Nix glanced around at the empty house. "Where is everyone?"

"The demon spawn is on protection detail with Mags. Your better half is playing the doting 'fake' girlfriend. Nolan is taking his anger out on Trixie. The girls are in class. Diego is helping Emilio test out his equipment while Aiden works on the ring."

"At least the demon spawn will keep that twit from getting close to Maggie. We can't have her dying before you get your epic love story."

"Mags isn't dying if I can help it."

We heard a boom and felt the floor rumbled under our feet before exchanging glances and heading outside to the garage. We stopped when we saw Aiden waving his hand in front of his face and coughing.

"What the hell happened?" Nix asked.

Aiden lowered his hand with soot covering his face. "I hooked up a battery to part of the ring to see if I could power it."

"And how did that work out for you?"

"It didn't." Aiden raised his finger and coughed.

I walked toward the ring, saw burnt metal, and picked up a piece. The machine parts turned on, getting Aiden and Nix's attention. I dropped the part and stepped back. We exchanged glances.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, which I highly doubt I am, but we might have found our power source," Nix said.

I placed my hand on a ring piece as the lights turned on. We exchanged knowing looks, realizing why I was drawing energy from electrical sources. Shit.

******
Preston

I wanted to say I saw this coming, but I didn't. It did explain why Nash turned into a human power source where the rest of us didn't.

"What do we do now?" Aiden asked.

"We don't tell anyone about this turn of events," I said.

"How the hell do you expect us to keep this from everyone?"

"You keep your trap shut before I beat your ass. I don't need Maggie flipping out."

"Nix is right. We can't have anyone finding out I can power this ring," Nash said.

"You're not honestly thinking of powering it when it's time, are you?" Aiden asked Nash.

"I don't know yet." Nash shook his head. "But if it comes down to stopping whatever is coming from hurting my family, I will stop it." He turned and walked away.

Aiden ran his hand through his hair, hand on his waist, and blew air past his lips. "Nixon, if Nash uses his energy, it could kill him."

"This thing hurting his family could kill him. Isn't it time for the family to find peace?

"At what cost? You're asking him to sacrifice his life for us. Is that fair to you?"

"Was it fair for these things to hurt his family?"

Aiden couldn't answer me because I was right. God gave us a second chance to stop what was coming. With great sacrifices come greater rewards, and whatever the reward was, it was important.

But what was it?

*******
Misty

The demon spawn doubled as my bodyguards and fake boyfriends for Kat and me to drive Bryce crazy. He kept telling that nitwit I was cheating on Nash. She kept trying to convince Nash that I was lying, hoe bag.

The problem with these two is they looked like the biggest fools on the planet. I couldn't make this shit up if I wanted to.

"You would think the twat would give up," Nathan said, sitting in the coffeehouse with us.

"Have you ever known desperation to give up?" Noah asked.

I drank my coffee, savoring the caramel-flavored taste.

"What about homecoming?" Kat asked.

"We keep playing as we have," Nathan said.

"Won't those two idiots realize we've been playing them?"

"Not if Nash and Maggie play along," Noah said.

"Doubtful. Nash already hates this plan and has voiced it repeatedly," I said.

"Nash needs to suck it up and take one for the team. It's not any of us enjoy this plan." Nathan gave me a pointed look.

I pushed out my lips, understanding Nathan's point. The plan was getting old by the minute. It was only a matter of time before the tables turned. I would rather not be on the receiving end when it happens.

"We should call it off," I announced, surprising everyone.

"Really?" Noah asked.

I nodded. "I don't want to keep my distance from Nash anymore to fool someone. I would rather deal with them while having Nash with me."

"We were wondering when you would wake up and realize what you had," Nathan said.

"What?" My brows pinched in confusion.

"Maggie, you still mention the past mistakes with Nash. We wanted you to see the reality of holding onto the past when you should let it go." Noah turned his head. "You can come out now!"

Bryce walked toward us and stopped when he reached the table. I moved out of my chair quickly and put distance between us.

"Relax, Maggie."

Then Nash and Nixon walked toward us.

"What's going on?" I shook my head in confusion.

"Bryce isn't who you think he is. It took some time, but we figured it out after the demon spawn deep-dived into his background," Nixon said.

"I don't understand." I shook my head slightly.

"Take a seat, and he can explain it to you." Nixon pointed to the chair I had vacated.

I sat down with Nash, moving a chair beside me and sitting. Nixon and Bryce joined us.

"My name isn't Bryce, but it's not important what my true name is. He sent me to help you," Bryce said.

"What?"

He nodded. "He had issued challenges this year."

"What kind of challenges?" I knitted my brows in concern.

"The kind that you will need to survive another test coming."

I glanced at everyone as they knitted their brows.

"I also bestow blessings. You will receive the greatest blessing when you finish your final test."

"What about Trixie?"

"The answer is right in front of you."

"But you told her I was cheating on Nash."

He shook his head. "I never told her that. I kept minimal contact with her. He frowns on adultery. It's one of his Ten Commandments. You will need to stay steadfast not to break this commandment."

"I would never cheat on Nash."

"No, because you're pure of heart. Others, not so much. A woman protects her home from others who choose to dismantle it. A queen protects her king since she's the strongest piece." He smiled and winked at me.

I studied Bryce. Something seemed familiar about him.

Bryce stood up from his seat.

"Are you leaving?"

"I'll be around when the time comes." He gave me a slight nod before leaving the coffeehouse.

I looked at Nash. "I'm sorry for rehashing the past."

"Mags, I'm the same person as I was. You're the only one who has my heart," Nash said.

"The heart wants what the heart wants," Noah said.

My lips curled upward because Noah was right. The heart wants what the heart wants, and my heart wants Nash.