Aleksander's POV:

Nox Haven was an intricate labyrinth consisting of more hidden chambers and skeletons in closets than the catacombs. I scoured every nook and cranny in the school. I found several small rooms that held nothing but a mop. I found old practice rooms that were contaminated with toxic fumes- my head was still spinning from that discovery- and I had found an abundance of secret passageways. But the one thing I wanted to find, the only thing I desired to stumble upon was missing. Caddie. I knew before I had began my hunt for her that my chances of merely stumbling upon her were slim. Through our connection, I could feel that she was somewhere far away but where I had no idea.

Alix and Jaxon were somewhere on the other side of the school, muddling in denial. They didn't want to believe that she would actually leave us. I didn't want to believe it as well but it was becoming a very real possibility. We pushed her too hard, I realized that, and forgot that even though she was one of the most powerful witches on the planet, she was still partially human. She could only handle so much.

Students gawked at me as glided down the main
staircase, lust permitted the air as girls sanctioned their stares on my broad chest and bulging muscles. I sighed, as several of them tried to stop me to say hello. They all seemed to be lovely girls with their high-society manner and pearl embroidered gowns but none of them were Caddie. It was such a miserable feeling, to fall in love. I always knew my feelings towards were heavily weighted but only when she was separated from my side could I feel the full extent of our bond. The never ending want and need of her sole attention was suffocating. I was going to drive myself mad with worry soon if she didn't magically appear out of thin air. The lapels on my coat jacket stood in a disoriented fashion as I flew down the steps, and into the main entryway. The eyes of the angels, on the ceiling, stared down at me almost in a accusing way, as if they knew what a mess my life had become.

"I'm guessing you haven't found her either?" Alix asked in a clipped tone.

I turned to the side of the staircase, both she and her brother were sitting on the bottom of the steps. Jaxon held his head in his hands, a groan of frustration fell from his lips as he pulled on the strands of his shaggy brown hair. Alix patted his back but her frustration and was equal to his. Feeling both of their anxiety mix with mine nearly sent me spiraling into a panic attack. I forced myself to calm down and remember the techniques of control my father had instilled upon me. It was often the job of the Heart Curator and Mind Manipulator to be the mediators in debates among the council members. Our powers kept the council members, from losing their tempers. Summoning my powers, I grabbed ahold of Alix and Jaxon's worry and sent waves of calm through their system.

Jaxon's shoulders slumped almost immediately as if the weight of the world had lifted off of his shoulders. He raised his head from his hands and offered me an uncharacteristically nice smile. It only lasted about two seconds but I still appreciated the form of gratitude. Alix, on the other hand, wasn't as kind. Her face remained contorted with frustration even though her emotions had mellowed.

"I didn't need your help," she hissed.

Jaxon rolled his eyes and placed a hand over hers. Their eyes met for a brief second, as they conveyed a silent message. Releasing an exasperated sigh, Alix snapped her eyes from him and focused back on me. She didn't anything but I could feel a sliver of gratitude surge through her muddled emotions.

"You're welcome," I told her in an earnest tone. "And no, I haven't found her. I don't think she's here anymore."

"I figured," Alix muttered.

"If she's not here then where can she possibly be?" Jaxon asked.

With Caddie, the options were endless. Her careless and almost reckless personality allowed her to flow with the wind. If possible, I'd like to think that she would be regularly traveling. Never staying in one spot for long, just observing everything at once. She was awfully good at observing. The only person who was better at that was Maddox but that was only because the art of being a fly on the wall ran through his blood.

"I can't imagine very far. Caddie wouldn't just leave us," Alix argued on behalf of her friend.

Though I hated to admit it, she would always know Caddie better than I did. I didn't know Caddie back when she was a mouse-like, child who was completely ignorant to her own power. I only knew the slightly confrontational, antisocial but benevolent Dark Witch side of her. And if I were to be honest with myself, I don't think I would have liked the old Caddie very much. She would have been too shy to tell me off or threaten my life and without those terrifying comments- how would I ever learn from my mistakes?

"If she did, it probably wasn't her choice," Jaxon added monotonously.

I tensed, knowing exactly what he was insinuating. Caddie wasn't the only one missing, his royal pain in ass had also disappeared. If it had been anyone else I wouldn't have been the least bit suspicious but it was strange how the guy who we were supposed to kill and the girl who had the power to kill him were both conveniently missing at the same time. I didn't think Bob knew about our plan but if he was suspicious of Caddie...

I shook my head, not wanting to go down that dangerous path. My heart constricted painfully in my chest. Losing Caddie wasn't an option.

"A-Aleksander?" A frail voice whimpered behind me.

Spinning around, my eyes enlarged into wide saucers as I watched a disgruntled Caddie stumble in Nox Haven. Before she could to far, I raced to her side and pulled her into my arms. After a drawled out minute Caddie didn't respond, she was shocked. I sent soothing feelings of peace and tranquility, into her system and almost immediately her body slumped against mine. She wrapped her arms around my neck and held my close. I buried my nose into her neck and breathed in her sweet, delicate scent.

"Are you alright?" I asked, not moving an inch from our embrace. "What happened?"

My words drew Caddie out of her calm state. She pulled herself free from our embrace and gave me a glare. My heart ached painfully at that look. I didn't do anything wrong! Why was she glaring at me?

"What happened was, I was trying to get away from you guys and nearly got myself killed."

"How is that our fault?" I asked, genuinely confused.

Caddie's hands curled into fists, the veins in her neck  stood at attention  as she held back a frustrated scream. I truly had no clue where all of her pent up aggression was coming from.

"Caddie we didn't mean to offend you," Alix said. She materialized by my side, her emerald eyes were filled with sorrow. "This trip has made us all a little agitated and frustrated but we'll get through this. Everything will be fine as long as we work as a team."

"Well maybe I don't want to be a part of the team. Every time we do this, someone gets hurt. I'm tired of it. You guys play the heroes all you want, but I'm finding a way out of here."

With that said she began to walk around us. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Her blue eyes flashed with fury as she saw my grip on her arm. Normally, I would have heeded her warning and let go but not today. I wasn't letting her storm off and wallow in self-pity.

"Caddie, none of us are getting a choice in this. This is something we have to do. If we weren't meant to do this then someone else would have found the prophecy. We've all lost someone but we would have lost even more people if we didn't do anything at all."

She looked up into my eyes, a look of hurt flashed before her features. She knew exactly who I had lost. My brother, my twin. We were two halves of a whole. And though I loved to hate him, he was always the better
half.

"I'm not a child," Caddie said but there was no aggression in her voice anymore, "Do not chastise me as if I were one."

I stared into her eyes, silently pleading that she would listen to me. But the defiant tilt of her head and stubborn look in her eyes answered the question for me. She was not going to back down. If I continued to fight her than there was a very real chance that I could lose her- I couldn't have that. Though it killed me to see her make a decision that was so morally corrupt, I couldn't stop her. She was right, afterall, she wasn't a child.

"Alright, I respect your decision then." I told her and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

Caddie blinked disorientedly, her lips were still puckered when I pulled back. I bit my lip to hold back at laugh at her frozen expression.

"Oh, okay then," Caddie eventually said. She shook her head and spared me a suspicious glance. I made sure to not let any evidence of my true intentions slip through. When she was satisfied with my emotions, she nodded and said, "I'll talk to later tonight."

Caddie spared Alix and Jaxon a quick glance before bounding up the grand staircase. The second she was out of hearing distance Alix spoke.

"How could you agree to that? Thousands of people are going to die, if we don't get rid of Roberto," she hissed.

"I know that," I said, "Buf Caddie will only move further away from us if we continue to push her. We need to wait for her to come to her senses, and she will. It'll only take little time."

Alix grossed her arms over her generous sized chest and huffed. "You're only feeding into this delusion she has. She won't cave easily, she's the most stubborn person I know."

Jaxon gave his sister a pointed look, "She's definitely not the most stubborn person you know."

Alix didn't pay any attention to Jaxon's comment, her eye had been caught by the figure standing in Nox Haven's doorway- Roberto. He looked shaken, stripped of the cocky bastard attitude he wore like a coat of armor. The haggard look on his face only lasted a fleeting moment before he straightened his posture and regally strutted into school. I noticed his coat jacket was missing, it made him look slightly less aristocratic and more real- more destructible. He noticed our stares and changed his path of direction. A smirk toyed at the corner of his lips as his gaze caught mine. I had to force myself not to look away, that was a common sign of weakness. I couldn't afford to be weak, especially not so close to my enemy.

"Aleksander, right?" He asked in a joyous tone.

It was the kind of tone political figures would use at the balls my mother would drag me to. They all seemed nice, like the wanted to get to know you but in reality all the wanted to do was exploit you for their own game. I had never fallen victim such games but my brother had on multiple occasions. It was sad to watch.

Roberto continued to talk without waiting for my response. "Please tell Caddie, next time you see her, that I am forever in her debt now."

"Why?" I asked.

His smirk transformed into a mischievous grin. One that even the devil would shy away from. "Because, she saved my life."

What? Why? How? There were not enough question words to describe my confusion. Roberto walked away, satisfied with my dumbfounded expression. The cloud of questions, drifted to the back of my mind as the painful emotion of betrayal surged forward. Caddie had saved Roberto's life and in doing so she broke my heart.

**Thank you all for reading! I appreciate the support so much. I really wonder what's going on with Caddie. Last week I was feeling a little lost with my writing but you guys all gave me the direction I was looking for. Thanks again and I hope you guys keep reading.
XOXO,
Ro.**