The Phoenix (Undying Series #1)

Epilogue

2011
When she returned home from school and checked mails, Charlotte didn't expect to find the initial 'B' along it. She thought they knew where they stand against her. But when Barsolino threatened to expose her to Brandon, it appeared he didn't understand just who Charlotte Drizzle is.

She wasn't exactly at her best mood that day, especially since Brandon finally caved in to his desires and took Latrell in, his son from another woman. He had him before Charlotte happened. It was an accident he most pleasantly accepted. He hid him until Latrell has had enough and showed himself to Charlotte a year ago. A year later, he's finally going to live under his father's roof.

She left a message on the newspaper she threw in the garbage can. She knew they were going to check it, after displaying her power on the road. The doombringers were eager to act and followed her instruction to go to the temple.

"The phoenix sent us here offering a parley," Barsolino personally came. He wears a fur coat and a top hat, seemingly royalty.

That's when realization dawned on Antonio, "Wasn't anyone watching her?!"

The day ended with the temple turned to ashes. No one survived. Not even Kal.

"I'm putting an end to this bullcrap. No more of my unwanted tasks. And no more to that friggin' tree," Charlotte stood meters from the temple. She killed the fire she ignited before it spread throughout the forest and turned away.

"Stop!" someone shouted. She faced Barsolino and his gun sympathetically. His face was ashen with the remains of the place and his other arm was badly burned.

"No more," she walked away from all of it. He dropped to his knees. The long history of the brotherhood of Char-An was no more.

Present. 2014. Sydney, Australia
"How long will you be staying, sir?" the desk clerk asked politely. The guest, a one-armed man, arrived with no baggage, she observed. It wouldn't be long.

"I have no idea. Must be long. I'm searching for my soulmate," the guest winked, making her feel giddy.

"Sure thing. Let me list this down," she recorded his check-in to a Vladimir Marx.
* * *
"So Char, how do you feel about attending that orientation?" a nameless acquaintance asked. After everything she's been through, detachment is as easy as breathing.

"Not my cup of tea, friend. I don't think I'm joining anything, not even a club."

"Boohoo! Come on! Even campus paper's recruiting. See?" Dianne Paulie, who she reunited with at their current school, urged, her mouth pouted to a group of girls.

"Who's that?" Charlotte feigned interest.

"You don't know her? That's Aries Weslock, our senior. She's quite famous, y'know?" one of them said. On cue, the topic of the day turned to look at them and approached.

"Hello! Here, we have a workshop this afternoon, you might want to come," she gave each of them a flyer. She has a long, black hair held by a clip, tall and slender, with long eyelashes and high cheekbones, skin as fair as milk and her big, curious brown eyes with a glimmer of red. The ruby-eyed demon. When their skin touched, cold wrapped itself around Charlotte's usually warm body. She knew something was wrong, "Take it from me. Co-curricular activities greatly aid not just your school records, but your personal growth. So yeah. Sayonara!" she ran off back to her friends.

"Thanks," Charlotte uttered just as Aries left, watching her back with interest.