CHAPTER 8: A PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

After a long, stressful and what a supernatural would call a normal day, Quincy retreated to her room. As soon as she got in, she lit up candle, just as she exhaled and started to sit, a knock on her door broke the silence.

"Quincy?" Brandon's voice was low but tense. He opened the door, stepping in quietly. His eyes, though serious, softened as they met hers. "Got a minute?"

She sighed, allowing a small smile. "Is this about Brayden?"

"It's... complicated, it's about... the three of us, " he said, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I know what happened between us when you two were dating. And I know you broke things off with him afterward. But I can't have him finding out—he's still my brother. Just... don't make it harder."

Quincy's expression flickered with a mixture of guilt and defiance. "You think I want to make things harder, Brandon? That kiss... it just happened. But I ended things with him for a reason, which isn't you. I'm not here to play games with you or with him."

Brandon's jaw tightened. "Fine, just don't make it obvious. He still doesn't know about it and I want to keep it that way. You might say you didn't end things with him because of me but that's what he'd think."

Quincy paused, studying him. "Did you think i'd go around telling everyone you and I kissed? You two aren't the only ones with emotions. This isn't easy for me either, you know. I didn't plan any of this."

Brandon only nodded, the strain evident. With a final look, he turned and left, closing the door behind him. But just before it clicked shut, Quincy spotted a figure lingering down the hall. Brayden, his face hidden in shadow, glanced in their direction. Quincy tensed, feeling the undeniable spark of tension in the air.

Ignoring everything that just happened and trying to focus on what she was planning to do before Brandon's interruption, she lit a new candle.

The dim, amber glow from the candle in Quincy's room flickered as she carefully placed a few dried herbs around its base, whispering ancient words under her breath. Her eyes were half-closed, her breathing deep and rhythmic as she sank into a trance. Tonight, secrecy was paramount; if anyone caught her, especially the head of the academy, she'd be in more trouble than she could manage.

With a final whisper, she opened her eyes, now glassy and vacant. Her spirit lifted from her body, leaving it perfectly still as her astral form moved, gliding through walls and weaving through shadows, until she reached a secluded, stone-walled room lit only by an eerie, blue glow. Figures cloaked in black waited there, their faces obscured by shadow.

One of them spoke, a voice that hissed like the edge of a blade. "You're late, Quincy."

"I'm here now," Quincy replied coolly, steadying her voice as she floated forward. "What's so urgent?"

The cloaked figure stepped closer, his eyes glowing beneath his hood. "Your academy, your council—they are moving faster than expected. We need that weapon before they realize what we're planning. Time is against us."

Quincy hesitated, feeling the weight of her dual life closing in on her. "You told me I had time to earn their trust."

"And you have," another voice interrupted. "But the clock is ticking. When will you secure the amulet?"

The tension in the room was thick, and for a brief second, she considered backing out. But she nodded instead, masking her hesitations. "I'll find it," she promised. "Just be ready on your end when I do."

Quincy's room returned to silence as her spirit rejoined her body. She blinked, feeling the lingering pressure from her encounter, her mind racing with the weight of their demands. 

"What are you doing here?" Quincy asked shocked but composed after noticing someone was standing at the door. "I locked it"

"Really?, we are in a school filled with kids with powers, what's a lock gonna do?" Anika said walking fully into the room.

"That's breaking and entering, I could report you"

"Not if this is also my room. Yep, we are roomies now, yay!!" Anika said sarcasm clear in her voice. Tossing her bag to her side of the room. "So.... what's the candle for, praying?"

"Roommates, not friends " Quincy simply said as she packed up and went to bed

---

Later that night, the academy halls were silent as Tim wandered, restless. He'd tried every trick he knew to sleep—counting sheep, reading his old jokes scrawled on paper scraps, even pacing his room. Nothing worked. So, he'd decided to roam the academy, searching for a way to distract himself.

His aimless wanderings led him to the kitchen, where he grabbed a couple of snacks, stuffing his pockets with enough to last him a small journey. "Midnight snack session is officially underway," he muttered with a grin.

But after leaving the kitchen, Tim continued his stroll until he found himself in the library. The towering shelves and rows of leather-bound books didn't hold much appeal, but something about the quiet was strangely inviting. "If books can't put me to sleep," he chuckled, "nothing can."

He roamed between the shelves, casually scanning titles, when his hand brushed against a cold metal handle hidden in the back of a shelf. "Hiding a lever in a library, that's kinda smart" Tim said curiosity piqued, he pulled on it, and to his surprise, the shelf swung open, revealing a narrow staircase descending into darkness.

"Whoever decided to hide another library behind a library has serious issues," Tim muttered, smirking as he stepped into the passage first spotting some books. The air grew colder as he descended, his footsteps echoing. Just as he reached the bottom, he heard faint whispers and saw a flicker of light down the corridor. Startled, he ducked, but in his haste, his foot caught on a loose stone. He stumbled forward, hit his head with a thud, and everything went dark.

---

The next morning, sunlight streamed through Tim's window, but the dull ache on his forehead pulled him from his sleep. As he rubbed his head, his roommate's laughter filled the room.

"You run into a brick wall last night, or what?" Brandon snickered, leaning against the doorframe. "That's some serious bump."

Tim groaned, feigning dramatics. "Guess the library has it out for me," he replied, rubbing the sore spot. "Do you know how I got here? "

"What?"

"I mean was I like passed out in... like I don't know like a library or something and someone brought me up" 

"What? Oh my God, are you feeling alright" Brandon said laughing a bit "Should i alert a doctor"

"Yeah, yeah, enjoy it while it lasts" Tim said and Brandon laughed some more.

Later, he found Anika in the academy courtyard and shared his strange experience, complete with exaggerated details. "You're telling me you found a hidden library behind another library and got knocked out cold? Tim, maybe you just had too many midnight snacks."

"Hey, I don't joke about secret passageways," he replied, frowning. "And I definitely saw something suspicious down there."

Anika raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Suspicious how?"

Tim shrugged, realizing he had no actual evidence. "I don't know. But I think it's worth checking out."

"Speaking of suspicious, Quincy —"

"Hidden library, then jealousy speeches" Tim said interrupting Anika and dragging her to the library

Reluctantly, Anika followed, her curiosity getting the best of her. As they reached the library, they moved quietly, searching for the hidden passage. But unknown to them, Quincy, who had overheard part of their conversation, trailed them, her presence masked by shadows.

After several minutes, Anika began to think just made it all up "Are you sure your hidden passage is real bec—" She stopped as Tim finally found the cold metal handle, and the shelf swung open. As they stepped down the narrow staircase, Quincy slipped into the darkness behind them.

The trio entered the hidden library, and as Tim and Anika moved between shelves, they suddenly felt a chill behind them.

"Why would they go through so much trouble to hid a library, I mean who even goes there?" Tim muttered as they got to the bottom of the stairs

"Wow!" Anika exclaimed 

"Wow what, wow more books?"

"What are you doing here?" Quincy's voice rang out, cutting through the silence.

Startled, Anika turned. "Quincy! Why are you sneaking around?"

"I could ask you the same question," she replied, crossing her arms. But as Quincy and Anika argued, Tim's attention was drawn to an ancient book lying open on a nearby table. A small, folded piece of parchment peeked from its pages, catching his eye. As the girls continued their tense exchange, he pocketed the paper.

Before he could examine it, though, footsteps echoed down the passage. Quincy, Anika, and Tim froze, caught in their tracks.

MEANWHILE 

"let's see what you got brother" Brayden challenged throwing a fireball at Brandon who quickly dodged it.

"Dude we are sparring not competing." Brandon said regaining his stance

"Can't it be both?" Brayden said immediately launching at Brandon various attacks. Good thing Brandon wasn't a newbie, as he summoned the speed and agility of his animal sides. 

As their friendly sparring escalated, Brandon unfurled massive wings from his back and flapped them once, sending Brayden flying meters away. "Dude, what's your problem?" Brandon asked, retracting his wings.

Brayden stood up, rubbing his shoulder. "Nice," he muttered. "Good to know you're not all talk."

Brandon looked puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

Brayden's eyes blazed with anger. "You and Quincy. I saw you leaving her room last night."

Brandon opened his mouth to defend himself, but Brayden cut him off.

"It's exactly what I think it is," Brayden snarled, flames erupting around him. "You're a backstabbing, lying son of a bitch, you will pay for this!"

Just as Brayden launched at Brandon, teachers intervened, preventing the fight from escalating further.

---

An hour later, Tim, Anika, Quincy, and the fighting brothers sat glowering in detention, locked in a room enclosed by a glowing barrier meant to keep them from escaping.

"Okay, Quincy's the reason you two fought, and we got caught," Tim said, a grin spreading across his face. "I think we know what our problem is."

He poked the barrier trapping them in the classroom. "But what kind of punishment is this? We're stuck together in one room. What happens when we go at each other's throats?"

Anika's expression turned cryptic. "We can't... Let's just say it'll come as a shock."

Tim eyes widened "Wow, gnarly"

The room once again fell into silence

Tim broke the awkward silence with a wry grin. "Well, if we're stuck here, I might as well make it interesting." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the folded parchment.

Unfolding it, he revealed a drawing of an amulet, marked with symbols representing each of the eight supernatural powers. Beneath it was a riddle:

"In lands where the sun sets low,

Find the shadows where memories flow.

Beyond the place where mortals tread,

Lies a path to the ancient dead."

Brayden and Brandon exchanged glances, the tension momentarily broken by intrigue. "An amulet…," Brandon murmured. "I've heard whispers of a weapon the council mentioned—a sword powerful enough to bring an end to the evil organization. This amulet could be part of it."

Quincy's eyes narrowed as she recognized the description, realizing with a flash of fear what her organization was after. "The amulet... it's real?"

But before she could protest further, Tim, his face half-lit by the glowing barrier, read the riddle aloud again. "Sounds like the human realm to me." He smirked, crossing his arms. "Of course it is, even when Quincy tries to steal the spotlight, the world wouldn't let her."

With a mix of eye rolls and reluctant nods, they agreed to let him try.

After a moment of contemplation, Tim looked up. "It's pointing to an old graveyard in my hometown."

"Mmmgh, of course it is " Brayden muttered 

"Oh I know it is probably the cemetery behind an old church, emmm, the...emmm... The Saint Annes" As he spoke the words, the parchment caught fire and crumbled to ash, the air filled with a faint, mysterious energy.

"If Quincy stole the spotlight light, you stole the freaking sun." Brandon said as shocked as the others.

Brayden, visibly troubled by the discovery, looked to the others. "We need to tell the council."

With Quincy's reluctant help, they overloaded the barrier with their combined powers, creating enough of a disruption to slip out.

Moments later, they reached the head of the academy's office. Brandon activated a hidden passage that led directly to the council chamber, where they found the council already in session.

Though they presented their findings, the council dismissed it as little more than youthful mischief. However, each of them sensed the council's masked anxiety.

"So, you're just going to sit here like—" Tim began.

Anika swiftly intervened, "What Tim means is that we understand, we won't interfere, and we'll keep this discovery confidential. We'll return to our rooms to reflect on our actions."

Tim scowled. "That's not what I meant at all."

Anika firmly pulled him by the ear, leading him out of the council hall and back to the school. "You can't speak to the council with disrespect," she admonished.

"Come on, they're supernaturals, not gods," Tim protested.

Brandon chimed in, "Actually, Tim's right. This discovery is too significant to ignore. The amulet could help us eradicate the evil organization from the supernatural realm once and for all."

Brayden nodded in agreement. "We need to retrieve it."

Quincy suggested, "Then let's do it."

The group nodded in unison.

"Human realm here we come"