No one talks about the prom. 

Those who stayed out longer than me don't explain much. Scar tries to tell me, but even he wasn't there when Ren was really taken, later on in the night. When one of the guards lost their temper and shot towards Lizzie, badly hurting her and causing Joel to freak out. She'd returned from the medical room alive a few days later, shaken with a scar running right along her cheek. She refuses to hide it. Martyn snuck back inside as well, not talking about it. 

News spread quickly that Impulse was to blame. Skizz let the information slip in an open hallway, though Cub was already threatening to write an article in the Hermiton Herald about it. And then the rumours spread, that he got Stress killed as well. Which causes a second outrage. 

Lessons are lessons, including magic lessons in which we've all taken to asking what happens when someone's taken for having magic every five seconds until we're handed out textbooks and told to copy out sections of it. Even Keralis, our building teacher, starts a module on building trees, which only Scar enjoys. The only fun lesson left is PvP, and some fun games on bow skills cause the name Hawkeye to stick with Scar, which he doesn't have a problem with. 

It's early on another regular Saturday and I've just woken up, sitting up and seeing Scar awake too. 

'Hey, Grian.' He greets with a yawn. 'Good sleep?'

'Well, I slept.' Is the best I can reply with, stretching my wings. 'You?'

'Yeah... decent...' He lies, standing up. I follow suit, and am around to leave the room to get changed when he continues speaking. 'Hey...Grian? I was thinking.'

'That's a bad sign.' I reply. 

'I know, but... I was thinking that we should tell BigB and LittleB about... our magic?'

'Who's LittleB?'

'Bdubs.'

'Oh. Alright.' Scar's complete Scar-ness stops me from realising what he's actually asking for a moment. 'Wait- you think we should tell them?' 

'Yeah... I mean, I trust them. And it would make mornings a lot easier without having to hide it.

'They might tell someone else. Like Impulse.'

'I trust them.' Is Scar's stubborn reply. 'If you don't want to, we don't have to.' 

'It's just... too dangerous right now. With Ren... gone. And Impulse still able to tell on us. The less people that know the better.' 

'Fine... it was just an idea.' Scar leaves the room with a shrug, and I follow out. 

'Look, Scar. At any other point I'd agree with you. It's just... paranoia.' The word comes to me, and my wings sag down with the thought.

'I understand. Impulse is causing a lot of stress right now.'

'Was that an unintentional pun about Stress being gone?' Is all I pick up on. 

'Oh- I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to...'

'Don't worry. It's not a problem.' 

'Oh phew... anyway, I won't say anything to them... Hey LittleB!' Scar waves over at Bdubs. He doesn't notice, staring at me, groggy eyed. 

'Am I dreaming?' Is the half-cryptic reply. 'Or do you...?'

I forgot to hide my wings. 

Oh crap.

'We have magic.' Blurts out Scar, his idea instantly becoming a reality. 'Both of us... have magic.'

No reaction except a frown back, before realisation.

'That's what the magic toast was about!' 

I have to laugh, unable to stay worried at Bdubs's first thought. 

'Exactly. Scar was being an idiot.'

'...as normal.'

'... and almost revealed that he made toast with magic.' I finish. 

'What's this about toast?' Is BigB's signal of arrival, noticing my wings with a nonchalant 'Nice wings!' 

'Surprise! We have magic!' I fake a smile.

'I do to.' Replies BigB. Me and Scar look between each other and then at him. 'I'm a watcher, I guess.'

'Wait- you're a watcher too?!' 

'Yeah, I'm a watcher. I have... watcher powers.' 

'I'm a vexling.' Explains Scar. 'It's... complicated.' 

'Well...' Bdubs begins. 'I also have magic. I'm part phantom. That's why I go to sleep quickly each night, to avoid doing phantom... things... My eyes start glowing green, and I can tell who hasn't slept for a while... and I can make people fall asleep.'

'Do either of you want to meet other people with magic?' I offer before I can help myself. 'There's a whole group of us. Students.'

'Like Ren.'

The conversation skids to a halt. Looking over at Scar, I nod

'Like... Ren. We knew he had magic.' 

'What happened there? I left the prom early and heard a commotion in Ren's room... and then everyone was saying that he was taken, Martyn went mad, and one of the people hurt Lizzie.' Asks Bdubs, fidgeting. 

'A lot of stuff. Scar told everyone... we ran outside... Ren turned into a wolf and ran away. Martyn tried to fight the people taking him, then ran off. Then there were just a few of us left when Ren returned, still a wolf, and was properly caught and taken. We decided to stay and ask where he was being taken... and they shot an arrow at Lizzie as a warning. That's when I decided to go.' BigB explains. 

'That's a lot of stuff.' Is the only thing Bdubs can reply with. 

'Yeah...' 

There's a silence as we ponder it, lost in thought. Eventually Scar excuses himself to get dressed. I remember I'm still shirtless with my wings out, and decide to grab clothes to do the same. It doesn't take long for us all to be ready for the rest of the day, whatever it will entail, and meet again in the kitchen. 

'So, when does this group meet?' BigB questions interestedly. 

'It changes. To keep us all safe. And if you tell anyone else about us having magic, even other friends, we're telling back on you.'

'Oh, of course. We'd never.' Assures Bdubs.

'Don't worry about LittleB. I trust him.' Replies Scar, walking over to him and putting an arm around his shoulder.

'LittleB?! What?!' Chokes back Bdubs, escaping quickly.

'Yeah! BigB and LittleB! It makes sense and I'm bad with names.' I laugh at Scar still being Scar.

'Come on, let's head over to the shopping district and stop squabbling.' With an eyeroll, I head off, opening the door out of our room with only a glance back to check the others are coming.