Hidden

(XVI.)

Fifteen minutes later, a Ferrari pulled up near her. The driver's door opened and a young man got out.

"Good afternoon, Miss Snowden. Sorry for keeping you waiting."

She rolled her eyes and moved past him into the backseat, while he shut the door which he'd held open. "This better be the last time."

"Yes, Miss Snowden." He got back into the driver's seat.

As they left the school compound, Jess checked her phone. She sighed when she saw Zoe's message.

"Guy, change of plans. Head to Eternal now."

"Yes, Miss Snowden."

*****

"How was the first day of the new semester?"

Eric trudged into the kitchen but his mom wasn't there.

"I'm in the den."

He frowned, wondering what she was doing there at four in the afternoon. "What's up?"

She was tying a knot on a green rope. There were several knotted ropes littered around her. "I had a vision."

"Of?"

"An attack. Benedict is coming for us." She picked up another rope and started a complicated knot.

"So," he looked around her, still frowning, "what's this for?"

"A barrier spell. It's a complicated spell Sophia taught me. This is just the beginning." She tossed the fiftieth one to her left, before facing him. "And school?"

"Great," he murmured distractedly. He was still surveying the green knots and reading their auras.

Chelsea cocked her head to a side. "Eric. What happened today?"

He snapped up his eyes at her and heaved a sigh. "Not typical."

"And?"

He slumped down onto one of the small coloured cushions on the floor. "We need to talk. Where's Dad?"

"Work."

"We'll talk later."

"I see a lot has happened." She leaned towards him and brushed back a stray lock of hair dangling between his eyes. "Hope you're okay."

"I'm fine, Mom," he grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "Stop worrying."

"It's my duty to worry about you." She pinched his left cheek lightly and he swatted her hand away.

"Even when nothing's going wrong?"

Chelsea frowned. "Did you hear my earlier words? Benedict Fisherman is hunting us down."

"It's not gonna be a problem, Mom. Trust me."

She looked into his eyes and sighed. "I always wonder when we'll be forever free from all this." She swept an arm over the mess she'd created. "But I doubt it'd be anytime soon."

"I'm glad you know that."

"This thing you want to discuss with me and your father, it must be serious."

"You have no idea," he muttered, rising to his feet. "My wolf needs a run. I'll be back."

She coughed behind him. "Be careful."

His body became instantly rigid and he slowly turned to face her with wide blue eyes. "Mom, what's wrong?"

*****

The blonde lady at the front desk looked up from the book in front of her. A bright, welcoming smile instantly slapped itself on her face as she saw the teenager who'd just come in.