Monster High: Season of the Witch

51. Memento Mori

Grey pinned Astar against the wall. "You've had a busy afternoon."

"Whoah! Grey, we can talk this out!" Jackson exclaimed, but hesitated to intervene.

"What conspiracy do you have this time?" Astar spat. He struggled against Grey's hold.

"You're pulling the strings somehow. Starting fires. Hurting Beatrix," Grey accused, voice dripping with disdain.

Astar gave a smug grin, flashing his razor-sharp teeth an inch from Grey's face. "Oh no, did I hold her hand too hard?" Suddenly, the devil swung at Grey, who jerked back, shielding himself with a raised arm.

Autumn remained huddled by the side of Astar's bed, too shocked to move. Beatrix reached over, pulled Autumn to her, and they lingered near the door.

With a forceful shove, Astar broke from Grey's grip.

"I know you were involved somehow," Grey said.

"You need to get your creepy black eyes checked," Astar scoffed, "'cause you keep missing things, numbskull."

Grey lunged forward, aiming to deliver a blow, but Astar evaded it, using Grey's own momentum to throw him off balance.

"Grey! Astar's not the problem!" Jackson shouted. "It was your kind out there!"

"Stay out of this, four eyes!" Astar snapped, as if he didn't want Jackson to reveal what had happened in the forest.

Grey paused. "My kind—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Astar charged. Grey found himself on the defensive as Astar attacked with a flurry of swift and relentless punches. Again and again, Astar lashed out, agile and light on his feet, trying to overwhelm Grey with sheer speed.

"You really think—you can waltz in here—and pull this crap?" Astar seethed between each strike. "I'll get you—expelled for this."

Grey blocked every swing Astar threw. However, Astar managed to land a quick jab to his ribcage that nearly knocked the wind out of him. This didn't slow Grey down, though. While Grey wasn't as graceful as Astar, he was undoubtedly stronger. He retaliated with a blow that sent Astar back.

"Jackson! Watch out!" Autumn cried, prompting Jackson to jump back to avoid getting hit by Grey's swinging elbow.

Jackson hurried over to where Autumn and Beatrix stood. Beatrix noticed him fidgeting with his headphones, a clear sign that he was about to turn them on and let Holt handle this mess. Beatrix signaled for Jackson to stop; adding someone as unpredictable as Holt into the mix was a recipe for disaster.

Astar and Grey collided into a side table, sending a small lamp crashing to the ground. If it weren't for the fire raging on the south side of campus, Beatrix knew the entire boy's dorm would have gathered to witness this fight.

In Astar and Grey's wake, a waste basket toppled over, its contents spilling out onto the floor. Amongst scattered garbage and crumpled wrappers lay a small package. Its label read: B. donna ingredient. Rapid shipping. New Salem Preparatory Academy.

Beatrix's eyes darted from the box to the brawling boys again.

"Do something!" Autumn urged Beatrix.

Beatrix then recalled she had at least some authority in the situation. She yelled, "Astar! I command you to stop!"

For a brief second, Astar halted, his yellow eyes whipping over to Beatrix. But before anyone could react further, Grey seized the opportunity and landed a blow to Astar's jaw, sending the devil stumbling to the side.