Page 150 of How to Flirt with a Witch

Chapter 36

CSAMM’s Darkest Corners

“How are Sophia andOaklyn still standing?” I shout as we race back to the lobby, fear turning my voice raw. “We outnumber them, and onlyonehas full magical abilities!”

“Sophia’s power is… concerning,” Natalie replies, her mouth turned down. “But people with brains like hers tend to become powerful witches, so I guess we shouldn’t be surprised. More importantly, they’re fighting dirty.”

As we burst through the crumbling barricade and back into the lounge, it’s clear what she means. Everything from the stone chimney to the willow tree in the corner is in shambles, smoke rising into the air. I cover my mouth, my eyes burning. Something about the broken, splintered tree, with its beautiful green leaves sprawled across the bookshelves and bean bags, puts a lump in my throat. That the Madsens would destroy so much in the name of getting to magic…

But more people have arrived, and it’s the glimmer of hope we need. Sky, Hayley, Neil, and the other Shadows stand with the others, fists clenched, expressions fierce. My heart lifts to see them all.

I scan the crowd, a chill sweeping over me. “Where are the Madsens? And Sebastian and Millie?”

Natalie shakes her head slowly. The room is a haze, debris obscuring the air like fog.

They’re nowhere to be found.

My stomach churns at the memory of Sebastian’s mangled arm.Please be okay.

Sky shouts orders. “Hayley, take four people down the Alchemy wing. Neil, Chambers…”

Group by group, the Shadows and Alchemists take off down the corridors.

And once again, our team breaks apart. A chill ripples down my spine as the crowd in the lounge dwindles, leaving only Fiona, Agnes, Amir, and Sky. “I don’t like this,” I murmur. CSAMM’s vastness, the maze of halls… It all feels like a giant security problem.

As we approach, Fiona addresses Natalie, her face smeared with dirt and blood. “They scattered. Did you lose Freddie?”

My breath catches, his name already haunting me. The image of his body is right there as if imprinted on my eyelids, his blood splattered across the stone floor, his eyes glassy.

“He’s dead,” Natalie says.

Sky’s mouth falls open.

“It was an act of self-defense,” Natalie adds firmly.

Through the brain fog, I recall her explaining how complex laws prevent members of CSAMM from harming ordinary people. She’s protecting me from their justice system—from the consequences of my actions. I won’t get a thank-you for what I’ve done, nor do I deserve it. I shudder and fold my arms over my stomach as if to hold myself together.

“Well, we’ve lost the others,” Fiona says, her voice tight with frustration. “Sophia raised a cloud of dust, and they vanished behind it. They’ve likely split up in the corridors in search of you-know-what.”

“Or they’re waiting for the chance to capture Fiona,” Sky says. “They clearly want to question her, and—”

“And what about theotherDirectors?” Agnes snaps. “Are we not important too?”

Sky rolls her eyes. “They don’t seem to know who else is a Director. So unless you’re willing to volunteer yourself as someone who has the information they’re after, I suggest you shut up.”

I step forward, my heart pounding. Enough beating around the bush. “We should be focusing our efforts. Forming a defensive barrier in front of the bio magic. Fiona, where’s it kept?”

Fiona and Amir stiffen. Sky grimaces.

Agnes’s face turns a blotchy pink, and her eyes narrow to slits. “That isclassified!”

“This isn’t the time for secrets,” I argue. “We have to know where it is if we want to protect it!”

Agnes steps closer. “How do we know you don’t want to help them get it?Someone’sbeen feeding them information, in case you didn’t realiz—”

Abruptly, she’s launched backward, her cry echoing beneath the cavernous ceiling. Roots wrap around her throat, midsection, and limbs, yanking her away from us. She roars and thrashes, but with her hands engulfed, she can’t do magic.

The dust and debris clears, revealing Sophia and Oaklyn. Every inch of their skin is scratched and bruised, Sophia’s hair is tangled and singed, and their clothes are torn and covered in blood. This fight has taken its toll, but they aren’t giving up.