"You are sure of this information, Damian?" The Headmaster asks for the umpteenth time since we've arrived, having skipped the pleasantries and gone straight into business. It's not like the headmaster doesn't trust Damian on his intel, he just wants to be sure before we do anything rash.

Damian nods his head, not looking away from the map of the country spread out on the coffee table in the headmaster's office. The three of us with Jessica and Nate are inside his office. He originally didn't want them involved but Jessica wouldn't leave my side and Nate isn't going anywhere without Jessica.

"Should I start plotting my revenge?" I joke. I know it's not really a good time to joke but I need to ease the tension in the room. I think what I really need is nepenthes to make me forget everything.

Damian has already confirmed that my parents are indeed alive and they are in The Holmes Compound with George. It's kind of a relief to know they're still alive and the anger I felt when George told me they're alive, and to think they didn't look for me neutralized. If they are with George, it means they're his prisoner. Right now I just want to really understand what happened those years ago. I need to know what George did to them.

We don't know where the Holmes Compound is but we know that's where they are, well, Damian is sure that's where they are. We've tried locating them using a common location spell but we couldn't find them. I didn't tell them about what happened the first and last time Nate tried to help me find them using my blood. We shared a look when the suggestions came up. I think Nate has always known that they're in trouble. The energy blast was evidence enough.

I know the Headmaster wouldn't allow dark magic but if there's a way to find them, then we have to do. Bringing up the suggestions and asking the permission is one of the most reckless things I've ever done in my life and somehow he allows it. I guess he is as desperate as me. I mean, the guy is the all seer of his planet and yet he can't find his prince.

I move away from them to breath. These past weeks has been the most stressful of my entire life and what I'm about to do next would be much more worse. If we're able to pinpoint the exact location my parents are, I will go after them. I don't care that I'm not powerful enough to face The High Lord and his followers. I don't care that the only powers I have are useless and defenseless against coven of dark witches and wizard. I just want to get them back and revisit the thought of finding peace.

I don't turn back as footsteps approaches me, I know it's the headmaster. He comes to stand in front of me and places his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry," He whispers.

I frown. "For what?" I dare ask him. "It's not like any of this is your fault." He already blames himself enough, he doesn't need that shit from me because in the end it doesn't matter who fault it was.

"It is my fault, I should have protected him, it was my job," he replies. Heard that one before, it's done and over with.

"We can't change the past but there's so much we can do for the future. Thanks for saying yes to black magic, I wouldn't have ask if it wasn't important."

"Just this once," he says and sighs before adding, "I'm sorry for everything. You're sixteen, you should be enjoying your life, not solving mysteries about yourself. I take full responsibility and I'm sorry."

"Like I said, it's not your fault. I'll go see where they are with the search." I tell him.

He sighs and takes his hand away from my shoulder and nod, silently giving me his 'I don't like this plan' look. I smile and return with a 'we don't have any choice' look.

I go to stand beside Damian. Jessica and Nate are standing opposite us with encouraging smile plastered on their faces.

How do I know this wouldn't give the same reaction it did the last I did it? I know this magic is darker than the one Nate did, so I'll be holding my breath until it works.

Nate's eyes are glued on me. I know he's thinking about the same thing. I give him a wink and take the knife on the table. I sigh and bring the knife to my palm before slicing the skin, I wince. I drop the knife and squeeze my hand over the map to get enough blood on the map.

I let a few drops of blood land on the map before removing my hand which almost healed immediately. Staring at my healed palm, I smile. Impressive. "Now what?"

Nate clears his throat and precedes. "Close your eyes and try to visualize them," he orders.

I swallow. "That's the problem, I can't. I don't even know them." The more I try to remember them, the blurrier the faces get in my head. I can visualize their bodies but the faces are off but if I see them I know it's them.

He nods. "That's okay, place your hands on the map then, and I'll help you cast the spell," He orders and I nod my head. "The spell is powerful, it will drain you, you need an anchor," he announces.

"I'll be your anchor," Jessica volunteers, and I smile.

"No." A determined voice protests besides me. "I will be her anchor." Damian offers.

I shake my head. "It's okay, Damian. I prefer Jessica." I reply, offering him a small smile in return.

He places his hand on my shoulder. "Do your thing, Nathaniel," he orders and I scoff.

I mouth an apology to Jessica and she shrugs. Damian can be so annoying and rude sometimes. I look at Nate to see him doubting if he should proceed or not.

"Hit me." I wink at him.

He smiles, taking that as a go ahead. He pulls his girl to his side gives her a quick kisses on the side of her head. "You are my anchor?" He asks.

She rolls her eyes and nods. "Always."
Yuck, they are both gross. I still have bone to pick with them for having sex in my room.

"Can we get to it now?" Damian sounds annoying as ever.

I roll my eyes and nod. "Okay, this is going to be one hell of a ride, painful too," Nate warns.

I look at the headmaster for reassurance. I'm good to go. I look beside me to see Damian staring down at me. "I will look out for you, Camille. Never doubt that," he whispers.

One final nod and we are crushing it. "Now Nate, do it now."

The main reason I agreed to do this spell is that it'll physically transport me to the place they are after locating it on the map which means we have a better chance at finding them and knowing how they are, if they are still alive.

"Ulrik, Sabine. No rettam erehw uoy era no rettam tahw kcolb em su morf difn uoy wohs flesruoy wohs em erehw uoy era. Levro serorina intenal radras in finita delan de mea na adis siz."

I can feel the energy draining out of me, but it's bearable. The blood on the map is moving really slow, too slow for my liking.

"Is it–is it working?" I need to know if there is any chance they are alive.

Nate nods. "Yes, it's working but it's faint. They are alive, don't disconnect yourself from the map, almost there, almost there," Nate assures me.

Nate extends his hand over the map at the same moment I feel Damian's hand covering mine on the map.

"No rettam erehw uoy era wohs flesruoy wohs em erehw uoy era." He repeats the spell over and over again, the blood starts moving quicker. Both drops stop at one point, the same place.

I breathe heavily, still trying to recover from the spell. "Di...did we... Did we do it?"

Nate smiles. "We did, and we are going in," he says. Without warning, we find ourselves in front of a mansion.

The same mansion I saw when I went to the past. Damian is right, they are with George. "Do you get the location? Where are we?" I ask but when I get no reply, I look around for Damian but he's no where to be found. There is no we and it's just me.

The spell isn't supposed to work like this.

"You are right." I yelp and turn around in fright when an unexpected voice says.

I raise my eyebrows in question. "Professor Holme, what are you doing here?" I demand.

He shrugs. "Now I know you are on to us. You don't know where we are Cami, no one does. See, your friends are just risking your energy for nothing because you'll never find your parents." He laughs as if what's happening is funny. "And as for your precious friends, I'm coming for them. I'm coming for the whole school. I'm giving you a headstart, time's running out," he smirks and pushes me out before I get the chance to react or say anything.

I open my eyes and slump on the ground, with the map still clutch to my hand. Everyone rushes to my side.

"Camille, what's happened?" Damian asks, and his eyes are full of concern as he places his hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine." I think I am suffering from a temporal stroke. "There's trouble. You need to evacuate the school."

*****

Jessica and I stay back in the dorm kitchen at the students building while the headmaster makes arrangements for the kids to go home after his very convincing speech about renovation, apparently we have a deadly mouse problem.

I take a spoonful of coco crunch and chew loudly. I'm not exactly thrilled but I need all my strength to be able to face them. The Holmes Compound is in New York. The Headmaster and Damian should have remembered the location but it's like the high lord is using some kind of glamour spell to hide the house in plain sight.

"What will you do after everything is over?" Jessica pulls me out of my thoughts.

What will I do after this is over? I can't say I haven't thought about it. First I get my parents back and try to build a relationship with them. I go back to school and everything becomes normal.

It isn't as simple as that but it's a start.  The high lord doesn't strike me as someone that likes to lose and he's very powerful. He's got Arihmatheo, professor Holmes, the sisters of the dark, who knows what else he has? I know we can't win this fight but I will try my best and do everything I can.

"Share your thoughts with me Camille, what happened back there?" Jessica knows me too well. I can't believe this is the same girl I used to smoke pots with. That's just over two months ago and it feels like a lifetime. Wow.

I know what she means, but I won't give her the answer she wants, not when I'm not sure of what I know. "What are you talking about?" I play dumb and take a spoonful of milk.

She sighs and pulls her stool closer to mine and leans in. "After Nate located your parents, you just froze and completely spaced out for like ten minutes and when you regained control, you fell and told the headmaster he needed to evacuate the school. Your lies might fool them, Cami, but not me. I know you better than that. Now tell me what really happened," she demands like dear old granny.

They didn't know I went in.

"You can't even begin to understand even if I tell you," I whisper and drop my spoon in the empty bowl.

"Try me," She whispers back as she places her forearm on the counter. "I can see how this is affecting you, share your burdens with me and let me help you shoulder some."

I can't look at her right now. I feel so pathetic and weak. "Do you think I'm broken?"

Is that why you are always trying to help me? I want to ask, but deep down I know she's only trying to help because she cares about me but she should've been bored by now.

Her mouth drops open in shock. "Of course you are not! Why would you think that?" She shakes her head in disappointment.

I sigh and stare down at my empty bowl. "Remember the day you were abducted by Arihmatheo?"

She nods and pouts her lips like what has that got to do with anything.

"I thought it was just merely a coincidence that you happen to walk right in the middle of our conversation with him. I was really mad when he took you and when I found you. I thought he kidnapped you because of me but it wasn't. He needed something from you. I don't know what it was and I have feeling that he's going to get it soon."

She blinks, trying to digest my words. "Ah... Me? Why would he... I don't have anything that's useful to him."

"Something isn't right about him. He has always known about me but he never came for me. He came for you. He was upset when he saw me arrive to rescue you. He was more mad that I didn't know anything about my past. He took me to the past to see my parents. He was honest with me. I was in his mind and I saw that he isn't a bad person. He could have showed me something different but he didn't. Instead he made me see my parents as a happy couple. Something about him and how he's connected to the high lord isn't right. I know it."

"Are we still talking about the same maniac that almost killed you?" She asks, reminding me of the time.

I shrug. "That aside."

"When I said share burdens, I meant tell me what's really going on in your mind. You're exhausted, I can see it."

I sigh and look at her, my stare is hard. "What do you want to hear, Jessica? That my existence is causing people pain. My parents died because of me. My biological parents are prisoners because of me. The entire school is closing because of me–"

"None of that is your fault, Cami," she says. "You never asked to be born."

I scoff. "Yet here I am. Corrine and Richard made a mistake of striking a deal with the devil. Well, I'm the devil's granddaughter." I offer her a weak smile.

"What happened today?" She repeats herself.

Honestly I thought all my stories would distract her from asking further questions about today but I guess she's not giving up.

"After Nate found their location, I was thrust into the location. Damian is right, they are in George's mansion, the same mansion I saw in Arihmatheo's mind. Professor Holmes saw me, he knows we're onto them and he's coming."

"So that's why you asked the headmaster to evacuate the school?" Jessica asks.

I nod.

"Professor Holmes is leading an army here. The fight is already on it's way, we just have to wait for them to get here." I say.

I don't think there's much we can do.

"Let them bring the whole coven, we'll give them hell and they'll be sorry because they picked the wrong crowd to mess with." Jessica adds.

I admire Jessica's spirit but even I know when to admit defeat. We won't win that fight.