The Legend of the Eight: The Wicked (Book 2)

1: The Things We Lost in the Fire

ONE: THE THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE

MARCH 12
NICOLE BRADLEY

THE NIGHT AIR WAS SOFT AND sweet. A summery breeze blew the smell of pineapples and flowers through open windows into the four-bedroom suite where Nicole Bradley was staying over the course of her Spring Break. She was staying with the Diamonds in an effort to escape the madness that followed the old boarding house and to make the most of their vacation, the Diamonds also invited the Heart brothers and Montgomery West.

The trip was vastly different than any Nicole had taken before—with copious amounts of alcohol, no adult supervision, and plenty of late nights. The Royal Resort was a beautiful, private, and elitist resort island and when the Diamond & Co arrived, Nicole got a taste of royalty.

Since transferring to the Academy of Magic & Magical Studies, Nicole didn't keep in contact with her parents as much as she would've liked. They were busy mourning her sister—who died at the end of November after a Dark Wizard killed her to complete some kind of spell—and Nicole was terrified that if her parents knew what was happening, they would force her to come back home.

She grew up in the Mortal World, in the bustling city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For as long as she could remember, magic was a fantasy—it wasn't real. But after her sister's death, she learned the truth. She was a wizard—from a long line of wizards—and magic ran through her veins like blood. So she transferred to the Academy and her entire life changed.

So she couldn't leave the World of Magic, not yet. There was still so much that she needed to know. Not just about the Eight but about Bartemius Thawne and the Darks. If she went back to the Mortal World, she'd never know the truth.

So she left her parents a brief voicemail that she was spending her break with her roommate (who had also quickly become her closest friend) and then packed a bag some bikinis, a good book and plenty of sunscreen. Then before she knew it, she was boarding a private plane and being treated to a week of luxury with her friends.

On that particular night, the Diamonds and their guests were in the kitchen with a bottle of tequila that was older than them. Levi Heart was laughing at the twisted pout on Kate's face, her reaction to the shot she'd just downed. Then he pushed a shot glass to Nicole.

"Okay, now remember. It's: lick, drink, bite."

He licked the back of his hand and sprinkled salt on it before offering it to her. Nicole made a tight face and then did as she was taught—first, licking the salt off of Levi's hand, downing the shot, and then biting into a lime wedge.

She winced as the juice rushed into her mouth which was already tingling from the tequila. She coughed through a hard swallow and the others around her laughed while applauding her success.

"I can't believe you've never done a tequila shot before," said Wil Diamond, pushing her long chestnut hair off her shoulders and then tipping a shot back as easily as if it were water.

"I can't believe you guys drink as much as you do," countered Nicole with a chuckle and then another cough. "Doesn't anyone care that you guys are underage?"

Levi traded looks with Monty and Leo before gesturing to the twins and Liam. "I think that's directed to you lot," he teased. "The three of us are legal."

Wil shrugged her shoulders casually and rolled her striking green eyes. "No one asks questions if you're a Royal," she answered easily. "Or if you run in the same circles as one. So congratulations, Bradley. Looks like you made it to the inner circle."