(HI, OKAY, SO I KNOW I ALWAYS POST AT THE END OF CHAPTERS, BUT I'M SO EXCITED BECAUSE I FOUND HARRY'S THEME SONG FOR THIS BOOK AGFGKDFKJHA.

IT'S ATTACHED ABOVE AND IT'S CALLED "Any Other Way" by We The Kings AND I'M SO EXCITED BECAUSE IDK, I THINK IT FITS HIM SO WELL OMG.

OKAY, I'LL HUSH NOW, CARRY ON x)

✖ Chapter 20 ✖

 ROSE'S EYES SWEPT across the scene, taking in Harry's stiff posture right next to her. There was a part of her worried he would give up again, turn himself in, but by the stern look in his green eyes, she didn't think he would. Especially not with Raven yearning protection right behind him.

Cecilia's eyes locked with Rose's for all of two second before Rose had to look away. She couldn't stand the sick amusement that lingered in those dull gray eyes. She couldn't stand the elder's immense desire to watch them all perish before her like wilting flowers.

Rose reached for Harry's hand, clasping it tightly and he did not argue, only matching her strong grip. Daniel grabbed her other hand, looking angry and anxious all the same, his eyes warily following the old woman as she continued to skim them over.

"Glad to see the gang is all here," said Cecilia, folding her hands in front of her as if trying to remain proper. "Thank you, Fredrick, for tracking this lot down."

The shapeshifter beside her still held an entertained grin, tipping his head just the slightest in acknowledgement.

"I plan on this being the last we meet," the elder continued. "I'm quite exhausted from our silly games of you escaping and me hunting. It's like a mouse and a cat going in circles." She shook her head, as if genuinely sorry. "Anyways, shall we end this?"

Before anyone had the chance to speak, the ground shook below them all. Cecilia held her hands out to her sides, palms facing the grass as it slowly cracked into a circle. A circle only wide enough for a fight, Rose thought.

Harry pushed Raven gently out of the circle, along with Jane and Fay. The rest of the townspeople stumbled backwards, shrieking and tripping over themselves. Cecilia flicked her right wrist just the slightest, but fire blazed around them, trapping them in her makeshift arena.

Cecilia let her hands fall to her sides, a proud smile gracing her wrinkled lips. But then she furrowed her brow, shook her head a little. "Why, there's only one of me and five of you. Perhaps we should make this more of a fair fight."

Rose felt the control seep into her the moment the words fled Cecilia's lips. She fought against it the best she could, grabbing the sides of her head as if she could squeeze it out. Harry seemed to catch on quicker than anyone, a different kind of flame flickering behind his eyes.

Utterly numb, losing the internal struggle, Rose was forced to walk over to the old woman and stand beside her. Even in her controlled, hazy state, she was shocked when the next person followed.

Megan—and she came willingly.

Harry's eyes widened, Daniel gasped, Jessie seemed confused, but Aiden appeared the most heart broken. "You... you've been helping her?" he squeaked, eyes almost appearing to be glossed over.

Megan folded her arms across her chest, slight guilt crossing her face but she hid it quickly. "I'm sorry it has to be this way," was all she managed to say.

Rose had never thought about what Aiden's power was. It had never once crossed her mind. But it was soon blatantly obvious with crackles of electricity filled his palms, sparking from his fingertips. He seemed to be hyperventilating from anger, the sparks only growing.

Cecilia was laughing, pulling the others from their shock. "Betrayal is a man's worst heartbreak. Hilarious how deceiving a woman can be and how foolish a man."

Aiden threw his hand out, electricity flying for Cecilia's face, but she merely waved her hand and it struck down a tree instead. Without speaking, she conjured up more flames, in rows this time. Daniel and Fredrick trapped in a row, Jessie and Megan in one, Aiden in Cecilia in the next, and of course, Rose and Harry in the last.

"I sure hope your brother remembers how to fight," said Cecilia, laughing at Harry. "He was quite fun to mess with."

Harry muttered something under his breath, but Cecilia was calling out someone from in the trees. Everyone fell silent, especially Harry, when Gunner appeared, the ex-criminal who showed up out of nowhere in the asylum. Of course he was part of the wicked woman's plans.

He switched places with her, now facing Aiden, and the elder took a few steps back, walking through the fire and out of the circle. The flames had parted for her, but fell together just as quickly. She held her gaze on Rose, no doubt trying to maintain her control.

Gunner was the first to start the fight, leaping at Aiden who had remarkably dodged out of the way and barely missed the flames holding them in the row together. Cecilia wasted no time weaving back into Rose's brain, taking over her rational senses with irrational thoughts and actions.

Still trying to resist, Cecilia forced her to flick a hand, sending Harry tumbling backwards. He got up quick enough to grab his wits and avoid the flames, but still seemed trouble and conflicted when his eyes met hers.

"I've talked you out of this before," he mumbled, mainly to himself. "Let me do it again."

But Cecilia already had Rose lunging, her eyes clouded over to where she could no longer have any control over herself whatsoever. She felt her heated palm connect with skin, but then she was the one flying backwards. She landed on her feet, somehow miraculously, and Cecilia had her charging again.

Harry ducked and dodged and avoided as many blows as he could, but her hands were aiming too quickly. Twice he was burnt on either of his sides by fire and four times he was nearly thrown into the flames behind him. He wanted to make sure everyone else had their own conflict under control, but Cecilia simply wasn't giving him any time.

He had to stay focused. He couldn't keep holding himself back just because this was Rose. It wasn't Rose. Not really. She had her face and her body, but her mind was being manipulated. Harry tried to tell himself that he wasn't hurting the real Rose, but he had struck her on the arm once and the blisters terrified him. He didn't want to hurt her.

"Rose, please." He was exhausted, fallen on his butt once more as he tried to catch his breath. Her eyes were black, her hands on fire and ready for more destruction. Even then, her face was emotionless, but out the corner of his eyes, he could see Cecilia grinning outside the ring.

"You know you don't want to hurt me," he tried. What had he said before that finally struck down to the real her? God, he couldn't remember. Not to mention he was too flustered and tuckered out to try. "This isn't you, Rose."

He heard Raven's soft voice shout from behind him, but he couldn't make out the small girl's words. Not over the crackling of the fire and the rippling of electricity and the thousand other sounds running through his ears. The entire clearing was the epitome of utter chaos.

Rose dived for him, but he rolled over just in time and hardly missed the flames to his left. He was on his feet again, stumbling away from her as he held his hands out, as if trying to tame a lion.

"Remember what you said about a future?" he tried again, hoping the words she whispered earlier would soothe her the way it had him. "About all those cheesy, ridiculous normal things."

Harry dodged a blazing ball of fire, but it was obvious that the resistance was seeping back into Rose. He glanced to Cecilia and could see the strain on her features, her eyebrows dipped and lips pursed. She was struggling to keep her hold on Rose.

"Normal things like getting a house and getting married and having a family," he rambled, getting slightly more panicked as she continued to walk towards him.

But the word family seemed to strike through her, her feet halting where they were. She blinked multiple times, full black eyes melting back to her bright brown ones. Harry couldn't believe that such a simple thing had broken through Cecilia's control, but he knew Rose was stronger than she looked.

He would never forget the horror in her eyes, how petrified she seemed. Her lips parted, eyes wide as she took in the minimal damage she bestowed upon him. It was merely a few scratches here and there, along with some burns that hurt like hell, but nothing that wouldn't heal.

Right when Rose looked as if she were about to speak, thunder boomed overhead. It even knocked Cecilia off her feet. Rose stumbled into Harry, clutching onto him just as lightning broke through the sky. Harry looked to see if it had been Aiden, considering he manipulated electricity, but he was on the ground as well.

"What's going on?" Rose yelled, terror lacing her tone.

Harry tightened his arms around her just as rain began to pour down on them. "I don't know," was all he could think to yell back.

The rain put out the flames, leaving a charred smoke behind but even that dispersed within moments. The rain slowed to a sprinkle, and then left altogether just as quickly as it had come. It left everyone soaking wet, and Harry was surprised to see majority of the townspeople had stuck around for the show.

Cecilia was on her feet, her own eyes widening as she looked up at the sky. "Oh no."

Harry frowned. Rose saw in his eyes that he was more confused than scared, but she saw the total opposite in Cecilia's. Cecilia looked as if she could've hunched over and vomited, her skin blanching more than usual.

The ground healed itself, cracks no longer remaining. Rose took a quick moment to scope out everyone else. No one was severely injured, having put up a good fight, but it would all take them quite a while to regain the strength they lost.

Raven ran up to Harry and Rose, hugging them around their waists tightly. They tried to hug her back, but the trees ruffling to their right drew their attention away from the small girl.

A woman stepped through.

Cecilia caught a small glimpse of her and immediately started to run, but the woman raised a single hand and Cecilia froze.

The woman was young looking, a little younger than Jane, Rose would say. She had long black hair that cascaded down her shoulders, bright emerald eyes that stuck out the most out of her entire appearance. She wore a raggedy floor length dress, holes covering various parts of it and even an entire sleeve looking as if it were ripped off.

Rose noticed she was looking directly at Harry, a ghost of a smile on her lips, but she quickly turned to Cecilia, still frozen in step. The woman raised her hand again, spinning Cecilia around to face her, and then made her kneel.

Rose was amused when the elder woman started rambling.

"Your Majesty, do forgive me. We have been looking everywhere for you, the Council and I. I was so worried—"

"I'm not interested in lies, Madam Larkin," the woman said, her voice soft and smooth like silk. "What happened to me was far too obvious who the perpetrator was."

Harry nudged Rose and she looked to see everyone was kneeling, taking her off guard. Even Fredrick and Gunner were on one knee, bowing their head to the lady before them. Megan followed suit, then Jessie and Aiden and Daniel. Harry and Rose went to follow, but were interrupted.

"Oh, please. There's no need for such formalities." The woman smiled, everyone rising to their feet once more. "I do hope Madam Larking hadn't troubled you all too much."

Harry scoffed, Rose elbowing him in the side, but even she wanted to laugh aloud.

The woman turned her soft gaze to Harry. "Has Madam Larkin caused you any troubles?" Rose caught a knowing look in her eyes.

Harry cleared his throat, unsure of how to answer. He shot a glare at Cecilia and said, "More than I'd like to remember, uh... Your Majesty."

The woman made Cecilia rise to her feet. "Madam Cecilia Larkin, would you mind doing the honor of informing these people of who I am and why I disappeared. It appears some of them have no idea."

Cecilia looked ready to scream, but looked directly at Harry as she spoke. "This woman is Leah Styles, the queen of the witches before the Council was formed. Twenty years ago, she disappeared."

"Please elaborate." Leah was grinning, as if enjoying Cecilia's discomfort.

Rose noticed how stiff Harry had become again. She grabbed his hand, hoping it would help settle him, but he didn't squeeze her hand in return. He was in shock, of course, for his true mother was real and standing right in front of him. Rose couldn't imagine what that could feel like.

Cecilia muttered under her breath, but continued. "Rebels attacked the queen's headquarters, kidnapped her, and locked her in a magic-proof cage so they could take power."

"Who were those rebels, Madam Larkin?"

"Me," Cecilia spat, not seeming to like being used. Rose felt immense gratitude for Leah for giving Cecilia a taste of her own medicine. "I was the leader of the rebels. But I don't regret a damn bit of it."

"Oddly enough, I believe that." Leah glanced around at the townspeople. "From the bottom of my heart, you have my condolences for whatever way this woman and her lackeys may have mistreated you. Now that I have returned, I plan on walking back over her tracks and cleaning up her messes. Please return to your homes and have a nice evening."

It seemed hysterical that she was telling everyone to have a "nice evening" after everything they'd just witnessed in the past twenty four hours, but Rose still felt gratitude for the lady. She seemed genuinely concerned about what Cecilia had done in her absence.

Leah happened to have guards with her as well, informing them to escort Megan, Gunner, Fredrick, and Cecilia back to the "palace", which Rose assumed was the Council's headquarters. It did, now that she thought about it, resemble something a castle may be.

When it was just Daniel, Jessie, Harry, and Rose left, (Harry had to persuade Raven to go home by saying he'd see her as soon as he could, and Jane still had to drag her away) Leah gave them each a small smile, Harry in particular.

"You all have been incredibly brave, so I've been informed. I can't apologize enough for everything you've been through."

But her eyes fell on Harry, and Rose couldn't help but notice how he backed away just the slightest.

Leah said the precise words Rose was sure Harry was dreading: "Harry, may I have a word, please?"

(pardon mistakes, no time to edit—BUT HOLY COW GUYS, I JUST HIT 17k FOLLOWERS. WHAT EVEN IS LIFE ANYMORE, I LOVE YOU ALL SO FREAKING MUCH <3333)