Hello Lovely Reader,
I thought this would be a cute read just in time for the spooky season. This story is the final installment of a story that I started a while ago. If you want to start from the beginning, I recommend reading Hazel, Magical Desire, and Hazel Ch.02. If you prefer only the male-on-male stories then at least read Magical Desire for context. As always, please enjoy and leave comments!
XOXO SkylerLuv
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[Everette]
My eyes burn from staring at this screen for the past seven hours.
I ask myself again: is this really worth it?
Reluctantly, I come to terms with it, of course, it is. Who am I kidding? Being a Star Dust member is a life goal. Something no one outside of their coven has ever had the virtue of imagining. My fate has been sealed and the ancestors are all rooting for me. I feel like a first gen college student making his family proud. Except this isn't college. This is the most powerful coven in the US. I am doing something that none of us ever thought we would be able to achieve. No one in history has ever been asked to join their coven. I just have to keep reminding myself of that. I'm doing this for my coven and our ancestors almost as much as I'm doing it for myself.
I don't feel them around right now. Usually, the spirits do a good job of announcing themselves when they want to get in touch. And I mostly only hear them, never actually see them. The only time I saw two of them was when we took down Elise, the wicked witch of the damn, and even that was enough to keep me up at night. They are dead but they are here to guide us. Having them talk to me is one thing, seeing them in person is quite another. And it's not like there are others that I can compare notes with besides the Knight's Coven leaders. As second in command, I need to be available to them at all times. It still sucks that I'm feared because of it sometimes.
No one wants to talk to the guy who hears voices.
"How is the studying going?" Paul walks into my room.
I snap my fingers to brighten up the room. The tan clay walls soothe my anxiousness. They are primitive, calming, just what I need. Paul doesn't come by my room unless he needs to talk about something that can't wait.
Both he and Gina give me my personal space without asking for much in return. As their successor, I owe them a lot for taking me in as the son they never had and guiding me through my journey here. I don't know anything about my birth parents. Only that I ended up on Paul's doorstep and had magical powers which meant I had to be part of the Knight Coven. To this day no one has had any information about who left me here. I was destined to be the next Knight leader but everything got turned upside down after a special request from the Star Dust Coven leaders. I wonder whom they will pick to take my place.
"It's going. Who knew being a Star Dust member would require so much knowledge?"
He smiles at my lame attempt to joke. We both know it is not a light task.
His skin is light brown, he is mixed. Gina's skin tone is shades darker than his but still not anything close to my dark complexion. He's wearing jeans and a green t-shirt with black sneakers. Paul looks too young to be my dad but he has earned my respect and our coven's. He has done a lot for us and has always had our best interests at heart. I can't imagine anyone better for Gina, who is the kindest woman I have ever met.
"I think you should take a break. We're in need of spare hands if you're up for it?" It is not really a question. A leader will not demand anything from their people that they are not willing to give.
"Sure." I close my laptop screen and stand. He doesn't move as I expect him to and he places a hand on my shoulder.
"We are very proud of you."
And just like that, I know everything I'm doing is absolutely worth it.
***
It is a month before I am set to leave.
My nerves are starting to get the best of me. I have had a month to think about the big change in my life and get comfortable with the idea of being a Star Dust member. But it is just not possible. Star Dust members are born into the coven. They have never looked outside of their coven to find others. This is an exception. Taking down Elise, the biggest and most powerful Rebel, gave me, Leo, and Hazel the privilege to be asked. But I knew they wouldn't take it. Leo has Jake and Hazel has Amelia. They have their soulmates and being a Star Dust member means you cannot have a soulmate. Soulmates are for other covens who are not overseeing the whole US.
I have no one, so my choice was easy.
I look in the mirror one last time. My black shirt and dark jeans are comfortable, probably not as comfortable as my cloak but I don't think they would appreciate it if I showed up in that. I'm not Jake who has a muscular body from playing football or Leo who is lean and all muscle. I am somewhere in between. I like my body just the way it is. I'm average height, dark-skinned, with dark eyes. My hair is cut very close to my scalp. Nothing special.
I sigh. Maybe I should stay in. Being around humans is weird for me. I already feel like I don't belong within my own clan, I can't find any reason to feel better around humans. They like standing out but not too far out. They like being the center of attention while also fitting in even if it is with just a small clique. I thought I had found my small group of friends but now that I am leaving, I will have to start all over again.
I have to go. They are doing this for me.
I shake my shoulders and wave my hand in the air. In a matter of seconds, I'm outside the small bar they asked me to meet them at. Transporting used to take longer, but with some inside help from the study guides the Star Dust Coven has provided me, I am getting better at it. I look around to make sure there are no wandering eyes and remove the invisibility cloak spell. This would be easier if we had just met back at my own coven but I guess dating humans makes you do things like this. Hanging out with other humans is a must. I don't know how they can do it. Especially Leo, who hated humans for a very long time.
I spot his soulmate, Jake, first. He's wearing a creme white top and dark jeans. The colors compliment his dark skin. He's standing by the pool table talking to another buffed-out guy. They're probably on the same football team. Leo is not too far away from them. He's wearing his usual dark colors that bring out his gold eyes and blonde hair. He's leaning down focusing on the cue ball. He looks up for half a second at Jake and I see the heated stare between them. He misses the ball completely.
I chuckle and make my way over to them.
"That was impressive." I slap Leo on the back. He rolls his eyes but daps me up. Jake sticks out his hand as well. The guy next to him nods in my direction as a greeting, I do the same.
"Nice of you to join us." Hazel steps out of the corner table and hugs me. She's wearing a flower dress that lightly brushes the floor, her hair high up in a ponytail. Her skin is glowing almost as much as Amelia's, who follows close behind to hug me too. Amelia's skin is a few shades lighter than Paul's but her curly hair highlights her mixed race. She's wearing it down tonight. It's hard to miss the strong smell of tropical hair products.
"Sorry, I was studying." And debating if I should come out tonight.
