CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:
❝Sand Clock❞︎

"YOU'RE MOVING BACK IN!" Harper yelled in excitement, squeezing Hope tight with a wide smile on her face. Harper pulled back, letting Hope continue to decorate her room―︎a room that she now shared with Alyssa. "How does it feel to have a roommate?"

"I hate it already," Hope muttered.

Harper rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But, you're back, that's the important part. That and the fact that you and Landon are back together."

"And you and Josie finally got together." Hope smiled. "It took you two long enough."

"Did everyone seriously know but us?" Harper frowned.

"Yes. It was so painfully obvious. I seriously have no idea how you two didn't catch on like five years ago."

"Ya could've told me."

"I tried that approach. You denied me the right to speak." Hope gave her best friend a sarcastic smile. "I guess I'm going to finish setting all of this up. I'll see you later?"

"Of course." Harper walked out of the room.

She sat on one of the couches in the lounge, a book in her hand. She had a small frown on her face as she read. She was never one to read memoir's, but the one in her hand gave her nothing but anger. She was so invested in the book that she didn't even notice the approaching footsteps coming her way, jumping when arms came from behind her. She closed the book and looked up, a wide smile pulling on her face when she saw Josie standing there. The brunette leaned down, giving Harper a kiss.

"I have some errands to run," Josie said. "I'll see you later tonight?"

Harper smiled and nodded. "Tonight."

Josie gave her a kiss before walking away. Josie made it into her room, checking the hall before closing the door. She pulled out the sand clock that held the dark magic she'd used and placed it on the ground, surrounding it with candles. She sat on the ground, taking a deep breath before closing her eyes and muttering a spell. She saw flashes behind her eyes. The sand clock shattered on the floor. The school was on fire. Dark veins covered her face and her eyes were black. But the one that brought her from the vision was Harper's bloodied lifeless body that laid on the ground. Josie's eyes snapped open and she gasped. Fear pulled through her body as she quickly blew out the candles, stuffing the dark timer back into her bag. She had to find a way to get rid of this thing. If something happened to Harper. . . Josie wouldn't be able to live with herself.

Josie made her way into the library, pulling out books and notes, figuring out what she needed to do. The sand clock was sitting on the table, the dark magic swirling inside. All she could hear was Harper's voice in her head, telling her how wrong this was. She didn't want Harper to be disappointed in her, but Josie just couldn't help herself. Something inside of her was yearning to use that magic again. She was trying so hard to fight it, but she wasn't sure that was a battle that she was winning.

Dorian spotted the girl from across the room, making his way over to her. His eyes immediately landed on the sand clock. "What's that?"

Josie quickly put her pen down, stuffing the object back into her bag. "Um, an assignment that Clarke had me working on when he was pretending to be Headmaster Vardemus." Josie moved her bag to the other side of her, away from Dorian.

"Well, Clarke's dead, so I'm pretty sure you don't have to turn that in."

"I was actually just working on getting rid of it." It wasn't a complete lie, she told herself. "So, should be easy."

"Magic nullification?" Dorian questioned. "Those are advanced chain spells. You would need another witch. What kind of assignment was it?"

"I can help." Hope came around the corner, causing both Josie and Dorian to look at her. Hope gave Josie a smile. "I'm sure we can handle it. I mean, it could be good practice for us."

Josie looked back at Dorian with a smile. Dorian nodded. "Have fun." Dorian then walked away.

"Thank you," Josie said as she gathered her things. "Uh, but I don't actually need any help so. . ." Josie stood up, but Hope stopped her.

"Lizzie told me about the sand clock. She thought I could help."

"How?" Josie asked.

"My friend Vincent told me a story about Mora Miseriums that hold the effects of black magic, and how dangerous they can be if they break. Look, you can't nullify the black magic inside, but you can put a protective barrier around the outside." Hope held up a paper. " And I know a good spell for that."

Josie stood there for a moment before nodding her head. "Okay."

They went into Josie's room, doing the same thing Josie had done earlier before joining hands. When the silent spell was done, Hope pulled her hands away and looked down at the sand clock. "It's actually kind of beautiful."

"I guess." Josie frowned. "If you can look past the visions of doom." She looked at Hope. "Thank you for doing this. I couldn't have done this without you."

"No, thank you. This is the most normal I've felt all day. You should know Vincent also told me that the sand clock degrades over time. At some point, it will break down from the inside no matter what we do. But this will at least give us some time to figure out how to defuse it."

Josie nodded. She hesitated before asking in a whisper, "Why did Clarke choose me?"

"You're a trusting person." Hope answered. "And you're more powerful than you know."

"I don't want to be either of those things." Josie shook her head, tears in her eyes. "The second that he had me doing black magic, my head. . . it's like it's not mine anymore. I get upset more easily, I'm on edge. Jealous. Harper helps me some, but I even see another girl look in her direction and I get almost angry."

"It's not all the magic." Hope said. "When I got out of Malivore, um, I came here. It was the first place I wanted to be. You guys were the first people I wanted to see. I snuck onto campus. You and Landon were having a movie night, or something, at the mill. I saw you. . ."

"Hope," Josie interrupted.

Hope continued, "You both looked so happy. And I was so jealous. If the wrong person crossed my path in that moment, I can't imagine the damage I would've done."

"How did you move past it?" Josie asked.

"I tried to move on. And I got a lot of that wrong, too. Obviously. But that doesn't mean we can't try again." Hope gave Josie a small smile, and Josie smiled back. Hope paused before carefully asking, "Does Harper know?"

Josie looked at the sand clock before glancing back at Hope, shaking her head slightly. "No." Josie looked at Hope with begging eyes. "Don't tell her, please."

"It's not my place to tell her," Hope whispered. "But don't keep this from her. All she ever wants to do is help. She loves you, Jo. She deserves to know that you're trying to find a way to get rid of it. She's smart, she could help."

"I know." Josie nodded. "I'm just trying to protect her."

"I know you are." Hope nodded. She gave her one last smile before standing up and walking away.

As it got later, Harper sat in her room with a book in her hand as per usual. She'd waited in Josie's room for an hour before deciding she would just go to her own and get some rest. After reading one more chapter in her book of course. . . she'd gotten a little carried away and was now almost done with it.

"Harper," Josie knocked on the door before entering.

Harper gave her a small smile, closing her book. "Hey, Jo."

"Harp, I'm so sorry." Josie frowned. "I got carried away. Landon and I were trying to make Hope's room feel more at home, especially now that she has to room with Alyssa Chang. I was doing my own errands and I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize." Harper shook her head. She patted the spot beside of her and Josie walked over before climbing onto the bed, kicking her shoes off and placing her head on Harper's chest. Harper played with her hair and smiled down at her. "How was your day?"

This was it, Josie thought. Tell her now. "It was okay. Hope and I talked. We're really okay now."

"Good. I can't handle my best friend and my girlfriend fighting."

Josie smiled. "I like it when you call me that."

Harper chuckled, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"What about you?" Josie asked. "How was your day?"

"Oh, you know, I've been reading this all day." Harper held up her book. "I finished right when you walked in."

"I'm sorry I left you alone all day." Josie frowned, grabbing Harper's free hand, playing with her fingers.

"It's okay. I've got you here now, that's all that matters."

Josie smiled at her, leaning up and pressing a kiss to her lips. No one had treated Josie with such kindness and gentleness, she loved it. She loved Harper and that's why she chose to keep the sand clock quiet. "I love you."

"I love you too." Harper smiled. Josie held onto her close, wishing that this could last forever.