Julia sat on the edge of the table, arms crossed, watching Marina sift through ingredients for the ritual. Her impatience was practically vibrating in the air.
"So," Julia finally said, her voice was sharp, "what are the actual probabilities of this spell working?"
Marina looked up with that sly grin Julia hated so much, the one that carried more arrogance than reassurance.
"This?" Marina gestured at the scattered tools. "It's a gamble, babe. Nothing more, nothing less a 50/50. There's no real guarantee."
The smile that followed made Julia's jaw clench. "You think that's funny?"
Before Julia could unload, Marina lifted a finger and added, "There's also no reason to believe it won't work exactly how we want it to. So calm your panties, lover girl. We'll get your boyfriend back… eventually."
Julia sighed, running a hand through her hair. "You're infuriating, you know that?"
"Mmhm." Marina smirked. "And irresistible."
Before Julia could retort, the door opened. Pete stepped in, froze mid-step, then blinked twice. His eyes darted from Marina to Julia, and his face twisted in disbelief.
"What the fuck is she doing here?"
Marina rolled her eyes. "Oh god, here we go."
Pete jabbed a finger toward Julia, voice rising. "Do you know what she and that psychotic maniac of her boy toy did to me?"
Julia's frown was immediate. "Don't call him that."
Pete turned on her, ready to spit more venom, but Marina cut him off sharply. "Enough."
The air went still for a moment. Marina rose smoothly from her chair and closed the distance between them, her gaze turned cold and sharp. "She's here because I want her here. You don't like it? Too bad." She leaned in, her voice a whisper edged with steel. "Now go get me a bowl, Pete."
Pete blinked, his face a mixture of anger and disbelief. "You're serious?"
"Yes, boss." His voice dripped sarcasm but lacked bite. He shot Julia one last annoyed glare before stomping out of the room.
Julia exhaled. "Well. That went well."
"Men," Marina muttered, tossing her hair back. "All ego."
Julia arched a brow. "You've got an ego too."
Marina gasped in mock innocence. "Who, me? Oh, darling, I'm just a girl. And girls gotta stick together."
Julia rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. Before she could respond, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, hesitated, then pressed decline.
"Another family drama?" Marina asked, a little too smug.
Julia ignored the jab. "How does the spell even work?"
Just then, Pete reappeared, carrying a bowl filled with dark, powdery ash. He set it down a little too hard.
"What's that for?" Julia asked.
Pete's tone was curt. "It's a binder. Used in spellwork."
Julia stepped closer, crouching to touch the ash lightly.
"Hey, no touching," Pete snapped.
Julia's patience broke. She stood sharply, glaring. "Okay, I've had it with you—"
But before she could finish, her body went rigid. Then, as though pulled by invisible strings, she collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud.
Pete jumped back. "Oooooookay. What the fuck just happened?"
Marina dropped to Julia's side, checking her pulse. "I don't know. But she's still breathing."
Pete pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning. "Great. Just great."
---
Alternate Universe
It had been two days since Kai killed Beast-Fogg.
Kai sat cross-legged with a bowl filled with blood in front of him. Across the room, leaning against the doorframe, stood alternate Alice.
"You sure that's gonna work?" she asked. "Because I've never heard of a spell like this. The best I know is Teslaflection I told you about. It can create a foggy little window into another reality, but nothing solid."
Kai didn't look up, just kept mixing. "Yeah, well, my spell's better. In Teslaflection you can't touch or interact. Mine? You can."
Alice pushed off the frame, holding out a bundle. "Brought what you asked for."
Kai opened it and raised a brow. A tie. A hairpin. A torn book page. A cigarette lighter. A bra.
"Seriously?" he muttered.
Alice smiled mischievously. "What? I couldn't find anything else that screams her."
He sighed, reluctantly taking them. "And you?"
She plucked a strand of her own hair and dropped it into his hand. "Happy now?"
"Thank you," Kai said simply, placing it into the bowl.
"So what is this?" Alice pressed.
"Representation magic," Kai said. "Like Teslaflection. Only more. I'm hoping it works."
He took a deep breath, then began chanting:
"Locus sua mortenduis la chambre, Locus sua mortenduis la chambre…"
---
Quentin's eyes snapped open. He was lying on a classroom floor which was odd seeing as he was in the common room previously, the light overhead was far too bright. Groaning as he sat up.
Margo blinked around. "What the fuck?"
Eliot rubbed his temples. "Where are we?"
A voice cut in, sharp with confusion. "That's what I'd like to know."
They all turned. Julia stood at the back, wide-eyed.
Quentin's breath hitched. "Julia?"
Eliot gawked. "What the hell is the hedge bitch doing here? Is this your doing? Did you hijack our minds again like you did Quentin?"
Julia's hands shot up. "What? No! No, this isn't me. I swear!" She turned desperately to Quentin. "I was trying to get through to Kai. I haven't spoken to him in weeks."
Alice frowned. "Same here."
"So if it's not you," Margo said, "then who—"
"I did."
The familiar voice came from the corner.
They turned, and there he was. Kai, leaning casually in the back, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Well," he said, dripping sarcasm, "don't you all look cute with your confusion faces."
Penny shot to his feet. "What the fuck, dude?! We've been tearing the world apart looking for you!"
Quentin looked at him and said, "Yeah, we tried sending a message to you did you.. did you get it?"
Kai looked confused and then said, "No, I didn't receive anything."
The others added their own exclamations, voices overlapping.
Kai raised his hands in mock surrender. "It's a long story."
Before he could say more, Julia lunged forward, throwing her arms around him. "I thought something happened to you, you idiot!"
Everyone stared at them. Alice's brow rose.
"Where have you been?" Alice asked.
Kai chuckled. "Funny story. The button… dumped me in an alternate universe."
Eliot's jaw dropped. "What?"
Margo blinked. "Alternate what now?"
"Yeah, I was surprised too," Kai said. "And trust me this universe? Completely fucked."
Quentin leaned forward. "How fucked?"
Kai hesitated, glanced at Julia, then shrugged. "Long story. You might want to sit for this."
---
An hour later, Margo stared at him, eyes wide. "Dead. As in dead dead?"
"Yup," Kai confirmed. "All of you."
Alice's voice was hushed. "Except… my alternate self."
Kai nodded.
Quentin rubbed his face. "Fogg was the fucking beast here? What the actual fuck…"
"Tell me about it," Kai muttered.
"Fuck," Penny said bluntly.
Eliot tilted his head. "Wait. Margo and I were together?"
Kai smirked. "Yup."
Eliot turned, dramatic as ever. "Margo, darling. I love you, Bambi."
Margo rolled her eyes. "Guess that was literal in that universe."
"So you're a vampire," Julia cut in suddenly.
That froze everyone.
Kai winced. "Yeah. Technically. But I'm not your average neck-biter. I'm… more. An original vampire-witch hybrid. A heretic."
Eliot let out a low whistle. "Well, that explains the weird vibes. I thought it was just your cologne."
Alice nodded slowly. "Your magic always did feel… different. Especially when the first time the Beast attacked us and you used those weird spells."
Kai glanced around nervously. "Wait. So you're not… freaked out?"
Margo laughed loudly. "Please. If you knew half the guys I've been with and some weren't even human."
Quentin smiled faintly. "At least you're safe. That's what matters. What you are doesn't."
"Yeah," Penny agreed.
Everyone looked at Julia.
She met Kai's eyes, then leaned in and kissed him.
The group's collective gasp was audible.
"What the hell?!" Quentin sputtered.
Kai chuckled. "Uh… another long story."
"Yeah," Julia said, smirking.
Alice cleared her throat. "You still haven't told us where we are."
Kai gestured grandly. "Welcome to the Chambre de Chasse."
They all looked at him blankly waiting for him to elaborate.
"It's an elaborate spell," Kai explained, pacing. "Creates a localized astral plane. Usually a prison. You can drag targets here for… well, mental target practice. It's based on representation magic that is held together by totems. If the totems are destroyed or inaccurate it unravels."
"Meaning?" Eliot asked.
"Meaning I screwed it up. A lot. Five times, actually. Got different versions of you each time. One time Eliot was bald. Another, Penny had massive tattoos. Quentin was a girl once. Alice was… let's just say not herself. And Margo…" He paused, smirking. "Margo could have passed of as a nun."
Margo's jaw dropped. Then she grinned. "Okay. I'm impressed."
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