*Hecate*

"You sure you're ready to go?" Nique asked, leaning against the bar. She slid me a new set of car keys, for a bigger car. "You barely stayed the night."

"Yeppity yep yep. I'm sure. I got places to be, magic to discover, and a student now." I shrugged. "That's still weird, having another student so soon. Ugh, I don't like saying student. He's like, my age so it feels really weird. Apprentice? How about I just say I'm teaching him magic? Ooh! How about padawan? I like that." I lowered my voice and lifted my chin in a high class manner. "I shall teach thee, young padawan."

Niquie covered her mouth to quiet a laugh. She let out a sigh before talking again. "Wynnie isn't happy about you leaving so soon either."

"I know," I said, tracing the thin scratch marks in the cold steel counter. "But none of them are really comfy here and," I lifted my chin again, "I wish nothing but the best for my young padawans."

She tipped her head, raising an eyebrow. "You wish nothing but the best? You, the queen of magic, the most wanted living creature in just about the whole world, are taking two normals, a weak magician, and a newbie with you. Yeah, that doesn't sound dangerous at all."

The scratch marks suddenly seemed interesting again.

Niquie kept going. "And about that. You never really took anyone with you until now unless you knew they could defend themselves. What's changed?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, just felt like it I guess."

She was quiet for a terrifying moment. "Is this because of her?"

She didn't have to say her name for me to know who she was talking about. She was referring to the strongest fire magician on the North Continent, Inferni. Savanah. My last student and my closest friend. My last padawan.

I shrugged.

She let out a long sigh. "Listen, Majesty, I know you don't really get the concept of betrayal, but she betrayed you. I didn't think she would do it either, but she did. You need to get-"

I looked up at her, and she stopped, her mouth half open. "I know more about being betrayed than you could ever imagine. Niquie, listen, don't go blaming Savanah for this. There's more to it than you think."

We sat in silence. Niquie's mouth still hung open before she snapped it shut. She gave a small nod and-

"Majesty!"

I turned to see a flurry of neon green flying at me. Limbs tied themselves around me, pulling me into a body.

"Hey, Wynnie," I said, laying my hand on her back. "You changed your hair again?"

She nodded into my shoulder. "I can't believe you're leaving already. We didn't even get to talk a lot. You know I miss you when you're not here. I need another girl to talk to."

"You're girlfriend's right here," Niquie said, both arms resting on the bar.

"I know, but who do I go to when I need to talk about you?"

"I assume good things?"

Wynnie perked up a little, looking at the olive skinned bartender. "Of course. What else you I say?"

Smiling, Niquie leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on Wynnie's forehead.

I turned in the chair, shaking the neon haired girl off me.

The bar was empty now, since it was still kinda early. I pulled the iPhone out from my pocket to check the time. One thirty-five. In a few hours, this place would be jam packed with magicians and normals and Wynnie would be flicking through music. Literally flicking. That's how she magically changes the song, by flicking her fingers.

From the corner of my eye, I could see the others making their way through the back door. Hatchet, Jacin, Heather, then Quin. Quin had the beach bag awkwardly hanging in his hand, bumping into his leg.

"Ready?" I asked, drumming my fingers against the metal bar. "Cause I'm ready. I wanna get going. I miss home."

Jacin let out a little laugh, walking over to where I was sitting. "I've never seen you're house. What's it like?"

"Messy." I jumped off the bar stool and landed on the ground, sliding the key into my free pocket. "Now let's get going. I wanna make sure no one broke in and stole my stuff."

The others nodded. I gave a final hug to Niquie and then Wynnie, who had a puckered bottom lip.

"Don't get yourself killed," Niquie yelled, watching us walk through the back door.

I pulled the hoodie tightly around me, shielding myself from the breeze.

Digging through my pocket, I pulled out the car keys and pressed the unlocking button. Does the button have a real name? Cause I've always just called it unlocking button.

A beep came from the back.

I scowled at the sight of the Ford. I was really looking forward to a convertible. At least it was black, I guess. It could've been like, beige or something.

"Alright," I said, motioning to the car, "hop in. We got a long road ahead of us."

---

I hooked my phone up to the cars Bluetooth system. 'I Got the Magic' blared through the cars speakers.

"Really?" Heather asked from the very back row.

Glancing into the back mirror, I could see she'd taken full advantage of her two empty seats. And, she also stole a pillow.

"What?" I asked, smiling. "It's a good song."

The multicolored New York lights were blurred line when we pulled into the two lane tunnel that lead to the surface. The car started leaning up.

The sun's bright light was a dot at the end of the road. It grew bigger and bigger as the hatch opened.

Finally, we shot into the suns light, and were immediately blinded.

I slammed the brakes and rested my head on the cars steering wheel.

"Forgot about this," I mumbled. "Its still hurts."

"Imagine me," Jacin groaned from the back. "I haven't been to the surface in over a year. How do you people deal with this?"

"Dammit, Hecate," Quin mumbled from next to me. "How about a warning?"

"Oh, okay. Uh... Beware the sun might burn out your retinas? Was that okay?"

"I meant- You know what, never mind."

I twirled my finger and pulled shade into the car.

"Alright, we're good."

The others looked up, their eyes adjusting to the light.

Taking in a breath, I opened the car door and slid out. I shaded my eyes before finally adjusting.

"Hecate?" Quin's voice called from the cracked window. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I yelled back. I raised my hands and let magic flow through them. "Just putting up a barrier."

The magic flowed, enforcing itself in the already present, but weak barrier. It pulsed green for a millisecond.

"What the hell was that, Hecate?" Heather yelled.

"A barrier. Not like to keep people out barrier," I said, popping back in the front seat. "It'll keep people uninterested in the place. Not out, but they won't think it's important. That kinda thing. How do you think no one's found this place? It's not like cars randomly disappearing in this spots not noticeable. I just give people a sense of 'who really cares?'. Ya know?"

"No," Hatchet replied, "not really."

"Well, that's fine. I'll make you learn it later anyways, Padawan?"