- Gabriella -

"Hey." I said as I sat down on my seat next to Claudia in art class.

"No matter what happens you have to request that boy to bring you there."

The woman's strange voice echoed in my mind. "The boy"... I knew exactly who she was referring to. There wasn't anyone else who could hand out permissions for me to join a S.P.A.D. mission. If things came to that, maybe I would at least try to convince Damien to let me follow them.

Yesterday, after Res' confession, I thought I would feel something. Shouldn't I be glad that he has feelings for me?

But somehow I just can't bring myself to say yes. There was something stopping me and I don't even understand why. Something that made me lose sleep thinking about how I ended in S.P.A.D. and what is my connection to the Faerie World, before I lose consciousness to strange dreams.

"Are you feeling better now?" I asked as I studied her. Claudia looks well, in fact better than ever. Her face is slightly rosy, her eyes bright and she was seated with a straight posture. But she kept her eyes focused to the front without giving any inclinations of acknowledging me. Not the least bothered, I continued on. "You know yesterday I had another dream. This time it was all dark and blurry but there was this woman's voice."

Claudia blinked once before turning to me with a blank expression. "Oh you were talking to me?"

"Obviously. Who else am I talking to? Do you still remember you left early last week when we met with Shayla and the rest? You said you were unwell. I texted you but you never replied."

Claudia stared at me with an empty look and for one moment something like irritation flashed across her eyes. "Did I? I must have forgotten then." She said flatly. I sat there staring at her with my mouth slightly opened, until I realize I hadn't spoke for a whole minute. By the time I've recovered, Claudia had already turned to look to the front as the professor continues with the lesson. I've never seen her paying that much attention in class before. Her eyes tracked the professor's movements as she explained about art pieces of ancient myths.

"Was this because of me or because of Res?" I wonder if she knew Res confessed to me. Though I doubt Res would tell anyone.

"Res?" She echoed blankly, her eyes were fixed upon the professor. There was a strange intensity in her gaze, like a mix of fascination and disgust. She seems to have dry lips because I caught her licking her lips occasionally.

"You know Res, tall, dark hair? The cute science guy you had a crush?" I frowned. Did Claudia catch a mild amnesia or something?

Whatever I said must have interested her greatly that her eyes immediately zeroed to mine. "Is he a male? Does he taste delicious?" Her nostrils flared and she scanned the air beside me as if expecting Res to materialize. Her pupils dilate with anticipation.

I closed my mouth with an audible snap as I fought to control my last semblance of normalcy. Not Claudia too. Not her.

"He definitely belongs to the specimen called male. Hey Claud, you okay? Did you knock your head or something?" I bit my lip and scrutinised her to see if I could discern what's wrong. The Claudia I know is funny, loyal and sweet. But the girl sitting beside me, isn't the Claudia I know at all.

Realising my rising suspicion, Claudia turned to the front and pretends to listen to the class. The lesson passed with the her ignoring me. The change in Claudia was too sudden and it was starting to grate on my nerves in a bad way. Right when the class ended, Claudia left without bothering to say goodbye.

***

"Who are you?" I said to the empty darkness that yawned in front of me. I found myself back in the very same dream I had yesterday night.

"Who am I?" The woman's lyrical voice laughed. "I am a Queen! A queen who has been chained to this place that is nowhere." My feet brushed against soft and dewy grass as I stepped closer to the source of her voice. This time I could barely make out the silhouette of a platform in the darkness.

"What do you want?" I asked her, as I took a step forward before I was knocked into an invisible barrier. Unlike the first time, I'm able to converse freely and this time I will not let her take the reins.

"Foolish child. Stay where you are if you don't want to be swallowed into the abyss of the In-Between." I can feel her smiling dangerously behind her words. A pair of eyes seemed to be watching me from across the chasm between us.

After a beat of silence, seemingly satisfied that I was not going to move, she spoke.

"You will go forth with them. If you refuse my offer, you will bear the rest of the faerie world upon your shoulders. And I for one, do not wish to see my court forsakened in this war. You hear me, child?"

I nodded not sure what to say.

"Very good. Mark my words child of the Old, for only those who are deserving will receive help when they need it the most." With that, the powerful presence of that voice faded along with the sound of trickling water. The darkness of my dream world envelops me once again, tugging me back into my body.

I rubbed my eyes and peered at the darkening sky from my open window. Ugh. I just napped for three hours straight after I got back from class. Res' confession yesterday made me lose sleep. I kept replaying the conversation in my head yesterday as I laid on my bed thinking. With a sigh, I rolled off my bed and headed for the girls toilet.

One thing I like about having an only-girls room, is that the toilet will always smell good like honey and lavender. I don't have to be afraid of sharing soaps because there will be extra pieces stored neatly in the small cabinet above the tap. The communal toilet on the guy's side smell of sandalwood... well let's say it isn't that bad, but the soaps are half-used lying on the rack. There won't be conditioners or lavender soaps. I'll have to take some from the girls toilet if I ever want to use the communual one.

With a quick splash of water, to make sure I'm well awake before I dry myself and join the squad for dinner.

Let's do this Gabriella. Failure is not an option.

***

"Guys. I have something important to announce." Damien said as he crossed his arms and leaned against the sofa.

"What?" Fenrys asked, mimicking Damien as he leaned on the other couch. He sketched a brow expectantly, and Damien rolled his eyes.

Raziel is absent. He's covering extra shifts at his bar because they lack staff. At first I thought it would be awkward for me to face him again since I'm pretty sure he knows who just eavesdropped on his personal conversation. But since Raziel isn't around, I don't see the need to sit on it and worry.

Isabelle crosses her legs before sitting on the couch Fenrys was leaning on, and Jonathan joins her. Qas, on the other hand, was too busy frowning at his phone. I peeked over his shoulder, wondering what has gotten Qas' attention, and saw a page about abandoned pets and animal abuse. Vesna was the last to saunter in and folded her arms, waiting for the news, as sassy as her usual self.

"So I know this is a little last minute, but I received a text from an unknown person who calls himself the Beast. He has been asking for an audience with us. The S.P.A.D., and yeah I know it sounds fishy." He said as Vesna was about to point that out. "Just hear me out before you give your inputs."

"At first I thought this person was just an acquaintance of dad, but thing is, he's asking for all seven of us. The S.P.A.D.'s full strength. I'm beginning to think that maybe the meeting is something else. Maybe we should all give it a try."

"Wait." Fenrys raised his arm. Damien nodded at him to go on.

"Raziel isn't here and I doubt he can make it. It's not full strength anymore."

"Right. We could always come up with an excuse and say he's unavailable for the moment." Damien shrugs. "Anything else before I move on?"

"Yes. Details of the meeting?" Isabelle says as she gives a pointed stare at him.

Damien shot her an apologetic smile. "Yeah, sorry Izzie. 12 am at the Royale Le."

I glanced between the two of them. If it was Fenrys or Vesna, maybe even anyone of us who voiced that, I doubt Damien would smile and say it that nicely. It seems Isabelle was the only exception.

"Erm guys..." My first time speaking up in a S.P.A.D. meeting. Immediately, all eyes fell on me. I smiled and gathered my courage. "Let me join... that is, it's just a meeting right?"

Damien blinked once and then again. He didn't expect me to show interest in their missions. In the days I spent with them, I've never once shown a single interest in their affairs except for the time when I asked Damien about the suicide cases. And that was because I knew if I acknowledged this other part of me, that I'm not truly human, then I can no longer live a normal life. I can't hang out with Claudia or my friends and I can't drag Rebecca into this mess. However, there's no running away this tike.

Damien opened his mouth and then closed it again. Before frowning and answering with a resolute "No."

"Why not? She can represent Raziel. The client wouldn't know how we look exactly anyway." Isabelle spoke as she appraised me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "C'mon Damien, it wouldn't hurt." She folded her arms and stared at him impatiently. The rest of us held our breaths.

"But..." Damien eyed me doubtfully. He sighed when Isabelle glared. "Alright fine. Jeez. Just don't turn to me when things go south."

"Are you trying to imply that I'm a liability?" I blinked trying not to appear too shocked or hurt.

"I...I mean you're not trained yet. If something were to happen I can't guarantee your safety. What if everything was a trap designed by the sly faeries?" Damien waved his hand agitatedly. "I'm not willing to bring in a wild card when we're going in blind. I can't afford if something happens to my team, especially Izzie."

"Stars. Was this how you've been leading your team?" Isabelle stared at the boy in shock and disbelief. "Have you always used me or your team mates as an excuse for anything and everything you deem dangerous?" She paused and closed her eyes.

"Izzie, I-"

"Damien, when you started your first mission, you should've already known that danger will be our constant. When will you accept this through that stubborness? I thought you've changed. I thought that maybe it was worth leaving for a few years..." She swallowed as she blinked back her angry tears. "But not a single year got through! It's time we end this between us."

Isabelle stood up. "I can't do this any more. You're the leader. Stop running away and start acting like one. Life isn't just about the both of us. Please at least do it for the rest." With that, she left the living hall.

"Isabelle! Don't go." Damien trailed after her, determined to stop her but the door slammed shut in front of his face.

"Oh mother of stars. What have I done?" He stared at us in horror before his lips trembled.

"Let's go." Vesna says gently as she takes my hand.

"Go where?" I asked her, still shocked by the rawness in Damien's voice. Damien is always calm, composed, sometimes infuriatingly stubborn, but never had he cried in front of us. The S.P.A.D. leader has never shown a hint of his weaknesses even if he had any. He's the Prince of Soren for a reason.

"Go find Isabelle of course. He will be fine by himself ." Vesna nodded at Fenrys as she hooked an arm over mine and led me away.

I looked back to Damien wondering what she meant and saw Fenrys and Jonathan there beside him. They are patting his shoulders. Qas hovered near them with a worried expression.

I followed Vesna back to the girl's room where Isabelle's bedroom door was closed and locked. Vesna cursed when she tried to open the door. "Open the damn door before I melt the entire lock !"

"Go away. You're being noisy." Came Isabelle's voice followed by a loud sniff. Vesna bit her lip as we traded glances worriedly. Isabelle doesn't sound okay at all.

Vesna let loose a string of words that even I think twice before using. "I will count from three and I'm kicking this door open, even if you're naked or not. 3, 2...1 anddd...."

The door swung open with a bang and Isabelle glared with her hands folded in annoyance. At the sight of her, I gasped. Black streaks of mascara ran down her tear-stained face, her puffy eyes were red and swollen from crying. She resembles nothing of the social butterfly on the Net but a trainwreck. Wiping her snot off her face, Isabelle huffed, but it sounded more like a sniffle to me. "What do you guys want?"

"Wow you look like an absolute wreck." Vesna breathed those words, much to Isabelle's frustration. The door was promptly closed at us.