Emery hadn't even heard his footsteps. She had no idea how he'd managed to get so close without her noticing.

Though, that didn't matter now; the sour feeling in her gut was more important. The key in her hand burned harshly, but she dared not let it go. It was almost like it was warning her. She needed to think fast. This guy was bad news.

Before he made a move, Emery rolled to her side and swung her leg against his lower calves. He fell on his back with a thud, while she scrambled to her feet, squaring up. 

Her eyes narrowed at the boy, whose dark-grey hood had fallen back, revealing a youthful face. His smooth skin glistened under the setting sun—the color of sand. Strands of straight hair fell and skimmed his forehead, its color almost as dark as hers. 

The boy cursed as he opened his eyes, allowing her to see the light color of his irises, tinged the color of a vivid sea-green. He didn't seem like he wanted to make conversation anymore. His straight nose flared, as he let out an angry huff of air. "I thought this one would be easy," he growled. 

He pushed himself away from the floor, lunging toward her, with his fist curled up. Emery didn't move until he was close enough for her to dodge out of the way and throw her elbow toward his face. He ducked before she could hit him, but that gave her the opportunity to jam her knee against his jaw. The boy stumbled back, with his hand on his chin. 

"Didn't expect you to put up a fight," he spoke once he'd regained his composure, spitting up blood to his side and wiping his lips with the sleeve of his hood. Out of nowhere, he straightened up and raised his free hand toward her. "My name's Theodore, but I go by Theo."

"We're a bit past pleasantries," she told him, gesturing for him to put his hand away. "What do you want?"

Theo let out a low chuckle, lowering his hand. "I'm the son of Vareus," he told her as if that was an answer. His lips twitched up into a smug smile.

But she just furrowed her brow in confusion. Vareus? 

Theo raised a dark eyebrow. "Nothing?"

"Am I supposed to be surprised?"

"Yes," he replied, his green eyes wide as if it was entirely obvious. He studied her, running his gaze up and down her body until it rested on the key in her grip. "Then, I suppose you don't know what that key is either?"

Emery flinched in surprise, flashing her eyes to the mystical object in her hand. She returned her gaze to him in a pointed glare. "Were you the one who stole the box?"

"This one?" Theo stretched his arm in front of him, his palm facing upwards. Sparks flashed out of his hand, igniting a fire. Emery gasped at the sight, her defense stance faltering. What was this guy?

The flame quickly disappeared as soon as it came, revealing the music box in his hand. "Careless of you to leave it unguarded. It's your only job."

Her job?

"I could help you understand," Theo offered. "You just have to hand me that key." He took cautious steps forward, his face entirely calm. He looked confident while Emery glanced at the box in his hand, then back up at his eyes. 

At his closeness, the metal key once again glowed and burned. Her skin was beginning to sting. 

Even if he did hold answers, she had a gut feeling he wasn't to be trusted. 

Before he could think to act, Emery sprinted forward, tackling him to the ground. She pinched his torso with her thighs and grabbed the box in between both of her hands. Theo raised his hands above his head to try and move the box out of her reach, but Emery's grip was strong. No matter how much he struggled and thrashed, she didn't let go. 

With no more options, and with his face barely a foot away from hers, she was forced to throw her head back and thrust it forward against his face. Theo groaned in pain, letting go of the box to grasp his nose. Emery took the opportunity to stand and make a run for it, but he didn't let her get far.

He gripped her ankle just before she was out of his reach, making her fall forwards against the grass. The box fell a few feet away from her clutch. She tried dragging herself toward it, but Theo was quicker, grabbing her arm and holding her back while he reached for it. 

Emery turned, lifting herself on her elbows to look at Theo. His eyes went wide as she lifted her boot and slammed it against his shoulder. Theo once again fell back, letting her reach for the box and have it in her grasp once more. 

"That's it!" Theo yelled. 

Emery began to stand up, looking over her shoulder, but Theo wasn't there. She turned her head forward as she ran. A yell erupted from her throat when she saw him in front of her. In his hands, there was a clump of fire, slowly growing in the shape of a sphere. Emery extended both her hands up in defense, trying to shield her face from the incoming blow. As soon as Theo thrust the ball forward it crashed against the box and key, shattering the fire all around Emery. The embers rained around her, but never grazed her skin. 

"Oh, fuck me," he complained, his shoulders slumping in annoyance. "It protects you too?"

She'd almost been hit by a fireball. A fireball. A ball of literal fire. 

While Emery tried to get over the shock, Theo walked forward, forming another ball in his hand. The fireball flew her way. 

Again, Emery lifted both objects up, but the defense was not nearly as effective. She felt something snap and crack under her grasp. She looked as the key deflected the fire, bouncing it back toward Theo. 

His green eyes went wide at the incoming blow. He waved his hand in a strange way and disappeared in the blink of an eye. The flaming orb kept flying straight through the air, its flames getting smaller and smaller until it turned into a puff of smoke. 

The immediate threat was gone; she lowered her hands and readied herself for another attack. Her box and key were pressed tightly to her chest while she haphazardly glanced around her. Theo was nowhere to be seen. 

The key's heat diminished, easing up the stinging burn in her hand. She took that as a sign to seize the moment. Emery took off in a quick sprint back toward the town. As he'd proved to be persistent, she expected to hear his footsteps cascade behind her, but no sound followed her escape. 

With a hasty look over her shoulder, she found the mysterious man calmy rolling up his sleeves in the middle of the clearing. Her pace faltered, slowing down before she met the trees. 

Wasn't he going to chase her?

She flinched when instead of running after her, Theo shoved one hand in his pocket and dust off his clothes with the other. 

Though she was confused, she had to seize the moment. Emery sped up once again and disappeared beyond the cover of thick pine and maple. 

⤝◈◈◈◈◈⤞

"Seth?" Emery whispered, looking in through the small opening in his bedroom door. "Did you fall asleep?" 

Mrs. Baker told her he'd gone to his room to rest, but he couldn't have fallen asleep. At least, not until Emery had come back home. 

The red-head settled down a large history book over his chest and met Emery's gaze. "I'm awake," he replied, but his voice sounded hoarse and tired. "Come in."

Seth sat up, swinging his legs off the edge of the bed while Emery sneaked in and closed the door behind her. There wasn't much light in the room, except for a dim bulb by his bed. She was thankful for it. By the way her face itched, she was sure she'd scratched her cheeks while fighting Theo. Her clothes must've been dirty as well. She was thankful Seth's eyes were focused on the objects in her hands and not in her disheveled state. 

Her peace was short-lived as she stepped into the light, and Seth's eyes grew in panic. "Em, what—"

"I was just attacked by a wizard," she blurted out, sitting by his side and spilling the box and key on the bed. 

"What? What are you—" Seth flinched. "Did you have another hallucination?"

"No, no, no. Listen. Hear what I'm saying." She tapped her ear. "I was sitting on a hill and was attacked by a magical man who had fireballs, like . . ." she stopped to mimic Theo's actions. 

Seth leaned forward, resting his elbow on his knee, his gaze following her hand gestures. As soon as she stopped, he grabbed her wrist and stretched out her palm in front of him. "You're burned."

"Forget that. Just look at these." 

Seth pushed her hand away and reached for his phone at his bedside. His eyebrows were furrowed, but she couldn't tell if it was from worry or anger. His fingers fiercely tapped at the screen. 

"What are you doing?" she asked, leaning forward to peek. 

"Calling the police."

Her eyes widened in fear. She harshly ripped the phone out of his grasp and held it tightly against her chest. "You can't!"

"Why?" he asked, his tone getting increasingly aggressive. "Why can't I call the police about how you were attacked and burned by some lunatic?"

"Because he wanted these," she explained showing him what she'd brought. 

He scanned the two items and then stared back at her. "And what are those?"

Seth was clearly annoyed, which made it made so much harder to say, "The magic music box. . . ."

"The magic music box? From the library?" he asked, his words were slow, as he tried to make sense of it. "So, you stole it?"

Emery groaned in annoyance. If only he could see . . . Wait, that was it! 

"Just look." She grabbed the key and inserted it into the box's lock, but when she turned it, there was no winding sound. The lock popped open on the first try. When she opened the lid, no music came out. "Wait, no . . . Something's wrong."

"Em, give me the phone," he ordered, ignoring her demonstration. 

"Seth, please believe me. You can't just call the police. I need th— No!" she exclaimed. Even though she tried to stretch it far away from his grasp, his arms were longer, and he managed to rip it out of her hands. 

"I'm not calling the police." Again, he tapped his phone for a few seconds, before bringing it to his ear. 

Emery's nostrils flared as she took furious breaths. "Who are you calling?"

"Hello," he spoke into the phone, "Dr. Lloyd?"

Dr. Lloyd?! 

Rage took over her senses. In a flash, she stood up and grabbed the phone back from him. He tried pulling back, but Emery was stronger. She could faintly hear the doctor ask, "Who's this? Hello?" before she hit the 'end call' button. 

"I am not crazy, Seth. You have no right to call my therapist about this."

"What do you want me to do? Are you hearing yourself? How am I supposed to believe you?"

"You just have to trust me."

He stood up, running a hand furiously through his hair. His voice faltered and broke as he asked, "What if I can't?"

"Emery!" Mrs. Baker sang, opening the door to Seth's room. Both of them froze as they turned to face the old woman standing in the doorway. "You have a visitor. They'd like to take you to dinner."

Emery's blood went cold. Who would invite her to dinner? Everyone in Bellenau thought she was cursed. 

A tall, strongly built woman stepped into view from behind Mrs. Baker. Even under the little light provided, her golden skin glowed. Her long brown curls were tied off into a thick side braid, whose ends got lost behind her dark pantsuit. She moved her dark eyes from Emery to Seth, and to the music box on the bed, before turning back to her in a fierce glare. 

"Hello, Emery," she greeted. "I'm Melinda Simmons."