I can feel the life slipping out of me, I wish the pain would just stop. Is there an on and off switch for the pain?

"Stop!" I scream for the figure in a black cloak. I can't make out his face because of his back is turned to me. "Pl..please," I beg in a broken voice. My hands and legs are handcuffed with my body laid down on an alter. More figures in black cloaks start walking around me, circling me like some kind of a ritual.

"Look at you!" One of them voices out.

"Weak!" Another adds.

"Pathetic!"

"A disgrace!"

"Miserable!"

They all stop at the same time and take a step closer to me, it is a coordinated movement. "Just like her Mother," they whisper.

I can feel my head aching, my body is burning up, I have no choice but to let go, I want to be strong, I want to take it all in but I can't. I can't. I just can't.

A low groan leaves my mouth as I feel a pair of hands on me. My eyes shoot open as the nightmare disperses into memory fragments. I'm hyperventilating and I can feel sweat dripping from my forehead.

I see the headmaster and Damian standing over me, looking worried as ever, well, the headmaster is. Damian is looking blank as always. "Are you okay?" The headmaster asks in concern.

I close my eyes and use my hand to rub my face. "Hmm," I hum, nodding before opening my eyes and sitting upright. "My head hurts," I slur, I think I'm still a little high from my dream.

"Look here," Damian says and I do as he says. "This will help," he offers as he places his hand on my forehead.

He murmurs something as I feel the headache slipping away until it disappears. "Thanks, I'm all right." I say as I pull my legs up, hugging it to myself.

The headmaster sits on the bed while Damian keeps his distance. I notice it's just us in my room, I don't see Jessica anyways as I look around for her. "Where is Jess?"

"She's in class, she wanted to stay with you but I convinced her to go," the headmaster answers.

I nod in understanding. "That's great. School is important. So what are you guys doing here?"

Father and son looks at each other, and then at me. "Tell us what happened. How did they get to you?" Damian demands in a very rude way, I'm too exhausted to fight him so I'll let it go.

"Ask Jessica," I huff. As much as I'd like to revisit that memory, I think I'll let it stay like as it is, a memory.

"We could, I mean, we tried to but none of them were able to give a clear story." The headmaster explains.

I frown at that statement. "What do you mean by that? They were there, they saw what happened." I'm raising my voice now.

The headmaster sighs. "I know but none of them were able to recollect the whole thing, not Jessica, Nate and definitely not Roman. They knew something happened but they just couldn't explain it," he says.

"We think the Chemistry Professor did something to their memories, so tell us what happened."

I lick my bottom lip as I recollect what happened, I don't even need to recollect it, it's stained to my memory like a virus.

"After my chemistry test yesterday, Professor Holme asked me to stay behind to talk. He asked about my visit to Australia and I told him I didn't go anywhere, I left his office to come to you and after I met up with Nate, Jessica and Alicia–"

"Alicia Savage?" The headmaster asks and I nod.

"I’ve had a few run-ins with Alyssa and Penelope, in case anyone reports anything to you. On our way to the dorm, I got a call from my someone that told me about their death. I got angry and stormed off to confront Roman. He denied it but with the way he behaved I felt like they have something on him. He told me to stay away from them and that's when Professor Holmes showed and almost vaporized my brain, I think I passed out."

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. "Woke up in the same place we saved Jessica, and I saw Arihmatheo, professor and George–"

"As in George Holmes, The High Lord?"

I nod. "Yeah that George Holmes. Said some stuff about my parents and the fact that they are alive. Is it true?" I ask.

He scratches the back of his neck. "I'm not sure. I can't feel him or your Mother," he says in a resigned tone.

"So they left you with Arihmatheo to die?" Damian asks.

"Arihmatheo wasn't trying to kill me, George's orders were 'Make her wish she was dead'" I quote and try to shake the memory away.

"He was forcing your soul out of your body knowing that the power damping cuffs won't let you go out," Damian shakes his head. "He knew that was the only thing that can make you wish you were dead," he adds, "Impressive."

Is it my hearing or did Damian just call my almost death experience impressive? Honestly, what is wrong with this guy?

"What kind of powers does Arihmatheo have exactly? I know he can steal people's powers by inviting them into his mind. I know he has monster as his beck and call."

"He's a very powerful occultist that dabbles in old and black magic. His powers is what makes him so valuable to George."

I knew there was darkness in him, just didn't think he used black magic.

"What about George? You called him high lord. What do that mean?" I'm curious.

"Just like we have mayor, governors, presidents, Prime Ministers, Kings and Queens. They have the wizard counsel. The coven court. A representative from each coven from around the world meet every now and then to discuss how the supernatural world can grow. George is the leader of the witch wizard world and he represent them in other supernatural gathering, hence the title High Lord. He's royalty in every sense just like you, Cami."

Please don't associate me with that monster. I want to scream at him but I realize he's right I am royalty. My grandmother is an alien queen from a world I know nothing of and my psychotic grandfather is a high lord. And that makes me what, an alien princess and a mini high lady?

"How did you find me, how did you know I was missing?" I ask curiously. No one knew what was going on except those of us present.

The headmaster looks at Damian. "I found you," he reveals. My mouth opens to talk but he beat me to it. "I was watching you," he says.

He is not making any sense. "What do you mean by that?"

He shrugs. "I was watching you the whole time, I saw Sebastian teleport you out of Roman's room. I should have done something but I couldn't interfere. I didn't know where you were at first, so I had the Gemini witches do a location spell for me, and that's how I found you," he confesses.

Make sense. "So..." I release the hold on my leg and tuck it crossed under my butt. "You were stalking me the whole time?"

"With my permission of course." the headmaster says.

I scoff. "What about my permission? I understand that you both have a sacred role to protect the members of the Royal family of Di–wherever you come from but you don't have to invade my personal space to do that. You saved me, and I thank you for that but I don't need you guys to save me all the time." I tuck the loose strand of hair behind my ear as I talk. I know I sound like a broken record because all they want to do is help me. But it's hard to trust the people that keeps lying to me.

I feel the headmaster's hand on my knee. "You are one of the strongest person I know, Cami. I'm sorry if I showed you otherwise. I watched you grow and all the time you were always fighting, standing tall for what you believe is right."

My eyes becomes blurry from the tears threatening to come out. "Can I go somewhere? I need to think," I ask.

He raises his eyebrows in question. "What... what do you mean?"

"I can't be here knowing Roman and the professor are around watching my every move. I'm a danger to you, to everyone. I need to leave and go somewhere far from here. I need to think." I announce.

"You want to run?" Damian asks.

I shrug. Do I want to run?

"I guess."

"Run now and you'll always be running," he says.

"Thank you for the unsolicited advice, Damian but I need to think, so if you want to call that running, I guess, I'll take my chances."

"They found you after sixteen years, Cami. Trust me they'll do it again. You are not safe here."

"What do you want me to do then?" I throw my hands out in clear frustration. "I'm not powerful enough to stop them, I can't even control my powers. I don't know anything about my powers, how they work, I know nothing. I can't even defend myself properly in combat." I complain.

"You should have just said all you needed was more training." Damian smirks. I raise my eyebrow at him. I sense something mischievous. "I know a place," He offers.

The headmaster looks at Damian and at me. "You're not seriously considering what I think you are?" He asks Damian.

"She wants to train, and I know a place," he repeats.

Dean groans and shakes his head. "Are you sure?"

I nod. "I mean I can train and think at the same time."

He closes his eyes. "You don't even know where he is taking you," he reminds me and he has a point.

"I'll take my chances."

****

I zip my backpack and sigh. "All set to go?" Jessica asks behind me.

She is sitting on her bed, looking really sad. She keeps using her hand to tame her curls and it's fun to watch. I know she wants to follow me and it took a lot of convincing to get her to stay. She has a whole bright future ahead of her, I won't be the one standing in the way of that.

Mid term is next week and I know I'm not in the right head space to write the test. I need this time to work on myself and I hope wherever Damian is taking me will do that for me. He said it's some kind of Monastery. Honestly, I don't care if it's Antarctica, I just want to learn more about my powers and how to control them. Maybe learn to defend myself too.

I nod. "Yes." I place my backpack on the floor and sit on my bed.

She sighs and tucks the loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "Do you know when you'll be back?" I know she's trying everything in her power to keep herself from crying.

I shake my head. "I don't know but I guess it's when I'm good and ready to return," I answer her.

She nods. "What if you are never ready?"

She's right. I'm going there to heal, what if I never heal? What if I never get better?

"We'll deal with that when the time comes." I whisper.

She jumps out of her bed and rushes to my side. "Then let me come with you, I don't care about school or anything, just let me come with you and we'll figure it out together," she begs.

I remove my hand from hers and shake my head. "No! Jessica, please let me do this alone, and I promise to talk to you every day. We can Astral Project ourselves, that way we can talk face to face, Jessica-"

"I understand that you need to do this on your own but you'll be alone there, wherever there is."

I take a deep breath and say. "I won't be alone, I have Damian and I know I am safe with him," I assure her.

She smiles sadly. "If you say so," she whispers.

I smile. "Do me a favor and don't tell anyone including Nate, I don't want them to know where I am, if anyone asks where I am, just tell them to ask The Headmaster," I say.

She nods. "I'm really going to miss you, this place will be so empty and boring without you," she jokes.

I chuckle. "More room for you and Nate, just don't get your shit on my bed," I tell her and she laughs.

The door of my room opens, revealing Damian and the headmaster. Jessica sighs as she sees them. "Guess it's time to go."

I nod and stand up from the bed. "This isn't goodbye, I'll be seeing you soon," I inform Jessica as I pull her into a tight hug.

She wraps her arms around me and sobs quietly. "Don't ever forget me," she tells me.

"I won't," I whisper and pull away from her, trying my best not to laugh at her. It's not like I'm going forever and she's making it sound like she's never going to see me.

I sigh as I stand in front of the head. I have so many things to say to him but I have no clue where to start. "I'm still mad at you." I tell him.

He chuckles. "I know," he replies curtly.

I smile. "I'll miss you," I don't know what I was thinking saying such cheesy stuff.

He sighs and pulls me into a hug. "You are not going away forever. We'll be here waiting."

Damian clears his throat, obviously irritated by what we are doing. I roll my eyes and pat the headmaster's back.

He pulls away from me reluctantly. I pick up my backpack from the floor and sling it on my shoulder and approach Damian.

"Ready to go big guy?" He nods and holds his hands out.

I take Damian's hand and raise my head to look at Jessica and the headmaster, she is wiping her tears while he is just standing there looking at us sadly.

"Do it." Damian orders his Father.

He sighs and raises his hands forward like he did with the sisters of the dark, and a portal is open. I look down from where Damian and I joined hands over to Jessica as we step into the portal.