Six

Margo

Someone once told me that a great way to get the things you want is to be so miserable...you don't want them anymore.

It's just easier said than done.

"I hate the cold." I preferred the tropics, the warmth. The irony is not lost on me that my power is manipulating ice.

"Suck it up, darlin'," Eliot said, crossing his arms to try to hide his shivering. I wasn't sure who to blame right now. I should be in Ibiza right about now, having fun. And yet, here I am, in South Antarctica.

Thanks to Eliot's boyfriend going batshit crazy, we had to follow him here with Penny's help.

I was brought up to be vocal but classy...not whatever this is. And especially not in the cold. I shook my head, trying to pay attention to what Penny was saying.

"..then she disappeared. I don't know where she went. What if that Mike freak got to her?"

"Okay, so where is everyone?" I asked.

"In the school building."

"Then let's go." We all started to walk into the school building. We opened the door and closed quickly to keep the cold out, and found ourselves in the dark.

"One helluva welcome," I said sarcastically.

"Hello? Kady?" Penny said loudly, making me jump.

"Shhh..." We all started to tip-toe, barely seeing the ground. The moonlight illuminated the place with a blue glow, but it wasn't nearly enough for proper vision.

I spotted what looked like a long table that went on forever. Was this the dining room?

"Mhmmm.." We heard a sound and looked around, trying to find where the voice came from.

"Professor?" I whispered, walking close to a figure on the ground. He didn't get up. Didn't even move. I leaned down and nudged his shoulder. He mumbled something, but it was like his throat was closed.

I pulled him up, trying to see if I could catch any words that he was trying to say.

"What's he saying?"

"Bmmmm."

"What?" Penny looked down at him, his brows furrowed.

"Loath as I am to admit it, I don't have a clue what he's saying," I said, sounding tired.

"Professor?" I said, shaking him.

"Is he dead?" Eliot asked, the first time speaking since we'd come in.

"He's dead," I announced, after checking his pulse. I could feel something sticky on his neck. He probably choked on his own blood.

"What the hell is going on?" Penny asked, almost yelling from anger.

"I don't know...but I suspect we should keep looking."

We left the professor on the floor and kept walking around the long table, looking for signs of a struggle, or anyone.

I gasped, stopping. I didn't have the voice to say anything, so I just pointed and Penny and Eliot followed with their eyes. There, at the edge of the table was a chandelier.

And underneath the chandelier, was a body.

This time, I didn't walk towards it; Penny did. I waited as he reached the body, checking to see who it was in the dark. We could have used magic to put some light in this room, but I suspect we were all scared of bringing attention to ourselves.

"It's Julia. She's dead." Penny's shoulders dropped as he stepped back.

"Do you think...it's the Beast? Maybe that's what Professor Maykoyvsky was trying to say?"