That spell had a devastating impact on the town.
I could see the regression etched into every face—if we had never performed that ritual, none of this would have happened.
Sir Benjamin stepped inside again, and we followed. The mansion was in complete disarray. He began restoring it with magic, but then fell silent. I could tell he suspected something, though he kept it to himself.
"It's more serious than I thought," said Syle.
"Why is it that every time we try something, they always attack?" asked Samuel.
Sir Benjamin turned to us and said gravely, "The culprit is stalking you. He's watching your every move. We must be more cautious from now on—and we must find him as soon as possible."
"We don't know anything about the culprit. We don't even know where to begin," I said. "But he's definitely after the last page of the ritual. He might already have it and be waiting for the blood moon."
"I don't think he has it yet," said Syle. "If he did, he would've already kidnapped May. No one can enter Shaedorin easily."
Sir Benjamin interrupted, his voice sharp. "Stop! We shouldn't discuss this here. The culprit may have ears nearby. We'll speak somewhere safe. For now, you should all leave."
Syle returned to his shop, and we made our way home. The town was in chaos—ambulances and police cars raced through the streets. There were thirteen casualties, over a hundred injured, and countless homes destroyed. People were bewildered, unable to comprehend how an earthquake and a storm could strike simultaneously.
We rushed home to check on our families. Thankfully, our houses had suffered no serious damage. Gavin Thorne, May's father, was waiting anxiously. He had no idea where she'd been. The moment he saw her, he ran to her and embraced her tightly.
"Where were you? I was worried sick," he said.
"Don't worry. I'm fine," May replied.
I glanced at Samuel. I could see the worry in his eyes. We'd protected May this time, but the threat she faced was growing darker. It was best to leave her with her father for now.
As we turned to leave, Samuel suddenly staggered, nearly collapsing.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
"I'm fine," he replied, though I could see the pain in his eyes.
He was still recovering from the attack at the Glided Guard, and now he bore fresh wounds.
"You can't go back in this condition. Let me drive you. Where are you staying?"
"Bonnie Inn," he said.
Bonnie Inn was just outside Saint Harley. I grabbed my car keys and drove him there.
"Are you enjoying your stay at Bonnie Inn? The owner's a bit grumpy," I said as we drove.
"Yeah, he's grumpy, but the rooms are comfortable and the food's good. Just ignore him and you'll be fine," Samuel replied.
"He used to be the watchman at my old school. Always scolding and chasing kids. He chased me once too," I said, laughing.
We both chuckled, but then Samuel grew quiet again, his thoughts drifting back to May.
"We can't let her die," he said.
"We won't," I assured him.
Suddenly, the car sputtered and came to a halt. We stepped out to investigate. Samuel opened the bonnet—smoke billowed from the engine.
"We need a mechanic," I said.
"It'll be hard to get one, given the state of Saint Harley," Samuel replied.
"Let's try magic," I suggested. I waved my fingers over the engine, but instead of fixing it, the spell triggered a small explosion.
I checked the time and sighed. "Now what?"
Samuel looked around. "We're too far from your house, and the inn is only five minutes away. You should stay there tonight."
"I'm a witch and a police officer—I can get home on my own," I joked.
"Well, there are plenty of werewolves near the woods. You'll have fun with them—they're quite friendly," he said then I asked
" Are you sure you can walk " he replied
"I'm fine really. Then I said
" Sound like fun , I'm in .
We began walking. We were nearly at the edge of town when someone shouted, "Look out!"
We turned to see Shaezraks attacking Samuel from behind. A panicked man nearby pulled out a gun and began firing wildly. Samuel summoned his fiery sword once more, his strikes scattering the creatures. The gunfire added to the chaos, and the Shaezraks fled into the shadows.
We turned to the man—it was my fellow officer, John Will. He was stunned, having just witnessed magic and monsters for the first time.
"What's going on here?" he asked, bewildered.
"Let us explain—" I began, but he cut me off.
"What was that!? Tell me what's happening!"
"We should sit and talk," I said calmly.
We had no choice but to bring him with us to Bonnie Inn. Another mundane now knew the truth.
The inn was crowded—mundanes and supernaturals mingled, indistinguishable to the untrained eye. But as a witch, I could sense who was who. Samuel led us to his room, and we sat down.
"This is going to sound insane," I began, "but what if I told you witches, warlocks, and werewolves are real?"
John stared at me. "Either you're mad, or I'm losing my mind."
Samuel leaned in and whispered, "A word, please."
We stepped outside.
"Who is he?" Samuel asked.
"He's my colleague. He's a good man. Should we erase his memory?"
"I'm not sure. Usually, wardens handle this sort of thing. I'll ask Sir Benjamin."
Samuel went to make the call, and I returned to the room. John was still trying to process everything.
"If what you said is true," he asked, "then what are you?"
"A witch," I replied.
"I still can't believe this," he murmured.
Samuel returned and said, "Sir Benjamin has a task for him."