Chapter 114 Clique Escalation
POV: Luna
The next day, magical practice class feels wrong from the start.
Cassandra's Circle is there. All of them. Watching me with calculating eyes.
They're planning something. I can feel it.
Professor Elara Moon announces today's lesson. "Advanced combination casting. You'll work in groups. Coordinate spells to create effects more powerful than individual casting."
She assigns groups randomly. Or what seems random.
But somehow, I end up in a group with three Circle members and two neutral students.
Not coincidence. This was planned.
"Begin with basic combination. Fire and air. Create controlled flames that respond to group will."
My group starts. The neutral students cast honestly. Trying to learn.
But the Circle members have other plans.
I feel their magic. Twisted. Enhanced beyond what the exercise requires.
They're not creating controlled flames. They're creating something dangerous.
"Stop," I say. "You're making it too hot. Too unstable."
"We're just following instructions," Claire says sweetly. "Creating flames."
But the fire keeps growing. Hotter. Wilder. Directed at me.
I throw up shields. Protecting myself and the neutral students.
"Professor!" one of them calls out. "Something's wrong!"
Professor Moon rushes over. "What's happening?"
"They're sabotaging the spell. Making it dangerous."
"That's not true," Cassandra says. "We're combining power like you instructed. Luna can't handle group magic. She's too volatile."
The flames intensify. My shields strain.
I need to stop this. Before someone gets hurt.
I let my wolf come forward. Partial shift. Enhanced strength and reflexes.
And I redirect the flames. Away from people. Into the designated practice area. Contained. Safe.
The Circle members look furious. I foiled their plan. Again.
"Luna Eclipse used wolf powers during magical practice!" Claire announces. "That's against protocol!"
"It was defensive," I counter. "They were creating dangerous conditions. I protected people."
Professor Moon examines the magical residue. Her expression hardens.
"I sense multiple signatures enhancing beyond safe parameters. Miss Blackwood, Miss Morrison, this is the third incident I've documented. One more and you're suspended from magical practice entirely."
They don't respond. Just glare at me.
The class continues. But I'm on edge. Waiting for the next attack.
It comes during partner work. We're supposed to be creating defensive barriers together.
But my assigned partner, another Circle member, does something different.
She casts a curse. Hidden within the defensive spell. Designed to look like an accident.
It hits me. Pain exploding through my mark. Through my whole body.
Dark magic. Blood magic. The same type Cassandra used during our fight.
I gasp. Fall to my knees. Fighting the curse's effects.
My wolf surges. Defensive. Trying to protect me.
But the curse is designed for this. Gets stronger when I resist. Feeds on my power.
"Luna!" Nova rushes over. "What's wrong?"
"Curse. Dark magic. Can't shake it."
Sienna joins us. Analyzing the magical signature. "This is Blackwood family magic. Sophisticated. Designed to corrupt Eclipse power specifically."
"How do we break it?"
"I don't know. I'm not familiar with this variant."
That's when Cole appears. Cutting through students. Reaching me quickly.
"Let me see." He examines my mark. The curse spreading through it like infection.
His expression darkens. "This is advanced dark magic. Illegal. Dangerous. Who cast this?"
"Her partner," Nova says, pointing.
The girl looks terrified. "I didn't mean to! The spell just went wrong!"
"Spells don't just go wrong in ways that perfectly target Eclipse marks," Cole says coldly. "This was deliberate."
He turns to me. "Luna, I need to channel counter-magic. It's going to hurt. But it's the only way to break the curse before it causes permanent damage."
"Do it."
Cole takes my hand. His magic flows into me. Not adding to the chaos. Fighting the curse. Pushing it back.
The pain intensifies. I scream. Can't help it.
But slowly, the curse weakens. Breaks. Disperses.
I'm left shaking. Weak. But alive.
"Professor Moon," Cole says. "This was attempted magical murder. The spell used is classified as forbidden magic. I'm reporting this to the Headmaster immediately."
Professor Moon looks shaken. "Agreed. Class dismissed. All Circle members report to the Headmaster's office. Now."
Students file out quickly. Whispering. Scared.
My pack surrounds me. Protective. Supportive.
"That was too close," Aria says. "They're getting bolder. More dangerous."
"Because they're desperate," Sienna adds. "The attack is tomorrow. They know. They're trying to weaken Luna before it happens."
"Or trying to force me to lose control now. Create evidence for the Council before the attack even occurs."
Cole helps me to my feet. "Can you walk?"
"I think so. Just weak."
"I'm taking you to medical. No arguments."
We leave together. Cole supporting me when I stumble.
In the hallway, away from others, he speaks quietly.
"That curse was designed to kill you, Luna. Not weaken. Kill. If I hadn't been there, if I hadn't known the counter-spell, you'd be dead."
"How did you know the counter-spell? That's Blackwood family magic. Specific. Secret."
"I've studied dark magic. To understand it. Fight it. Protect against it." He pauses. "My ancestor created variants of these spells. I learned them to ensure no one could use them against people I care about."
"People like me."
"Especially you."
We reach the medical wing. Nurse Willow examines me thoroughly.
"The curse is gone," she confirms. "But it left residue. Dark energy corrupting your magical channels. You'll need cleansing rituals. Multiple sessions."
"How long will that take?"
"Days. Maybe a week to fully purge it."
"I don't have a week. The attack is tomorrow."
"Then you'll fight with compromised magic. At reduced capacity. That's dangerous, Luna."
"Everything is dangerous. I'll manage."
After Nurse Willow leaves, Cole sits with me.
"You can't fight tomorrow," he says. "Not at reduced capacity. Not while they're specifically targeting you."
"I don't have a choice. My pack needs me. The Academy needs me."
"What you need is to survive. To not throw your life away trying to prove something."
"I'm not trying to prove something. I'm trying to protect people."
"By sacrificing yourself?"
"If necessary."
He stands. Frustrated. "Luna, you're important. Not just as Eclipse. As a person. Your life has value beyond your power. Beyond what you can do for others. Don't you understand that?"
"I understand I have responsibilities. Duties. People depending on me."
"And what about people who care about you? Who want you alive and safe? Do we get a say?"
The question hangs between us. Heavy with implication.
"Cole—"
"I'm not just your teacher. I thought that was clear. I care about you. Genuinely. Deeply. And watching you throw yourself into danger repeatedly is..." He struggles for words. "It's terrifying. Because I can't stop you. Can't protect you from your own determination to sacrifice everything."
"I'm not trying to sacrifice everything. Just doing what needs to be done."
"And if what needs to be done kills you?"
"Then I die protecting people I love. That's not a bad death."
"It's not a good life either."
We're both quiet. Neither knowing what else to say.
Finally, Cole speaks. "Tomorrow, when the attack comes, I'm fighting beside you. Staying close. Using our magical resonance to amplify defensive capabilities. And you're not arguing about it."
"I wouldn't dream of it."
He almost smiles. "Good. Now rest. Recover what you can. Tomorrow is going to test everything we've got."
"Cole? The magic the Circle used today. The curse. It was more dangerous than their previous attempts. More sophisticated."
"I know. They're being taught. Someone with extensive dark magic knowledge is training them."
"Who?"
"I don't know. But I intend to find out. After we survive tomorrow."
He leaves me in medical. And I'm left thinking about everything.
The escalating attacks. The growing danger. The impossible odds.
And Cole. Always there. Always protecting. Always caring more than a teacher should.
The romance between us is undeniable now. Real. Deep. Complicated.
But survival comes first. Has to.
Tomorrow, we face the predicted attack. Multiple enhanced creatures. Coordinated assault. Specifically targeting me.
And I'll be fighting at reduced capacity. With dark magic residue corrupting my channels.
The odds aren't good. Aren't even reasonable.
But I don't have the luxury of good odds. Just determination to survive them.
Whatever it takes.