Skyler had every intention of forgetting her irritating encounter with Noah, the smug
warlock from the Obsidian Circle. She told herself that his presence was a minor nuisance, a distraction she could brush off as easily as the autumn leaves falling in the Vale. But as she prepared her spell supplies the next evening, selecting moonstone dust and bundles of lavender, she felt a nagging thought pull her in an unwanted direction. Her mind drifted back to his mocking voice, his infuriating smirk, and the way he'd lingered, as if he owned the place.
She convinced herself it was caution driving her back to Moonstone Vale. Who knew if he'd try to bother her again? She didn't want to be caught off guard. But if she was honest with herself, there was something else. A twinge of excitement in her chest, a feeling she quickly squashed the moment it surfaced.
As she stepped into the Vale, the moonlight draped over the forest in soft silver, casting long shadows across the ground. The trees whispered in the gentle wind, and the air held that rare, crisp stillness that always made her feel like the whole world was holding its breath. Skyler inhaled deeply, letting the serenity of the place settle over her like a protective cloak. This was her sanctuary, her escape, and she wouldn't let some self-important warlock ruin it.
She set down her bag beside the pond, the soft murmur of water blending with the rustling leaves. Humming to herself, she began gathering herbs, her hands deftly plucking moonflowers from their stems. As she worked, she felt her mind settle, her thoughts drifting away from Jasper Coven rules and the responsibilities that awaited her back home. Here, she could focus on the simple magic of the earth.
But just as she knelt to pick a cluster of sage, a familiar voice sliced through the quiet, smooth and dripping with that unbearable sarcasm.
"Back so soon? Or is this where all good witches come to play?"
Skyler's shoulders tensed. She turned slowly, already feeling her annoyance simmering beneath the surface, and found Noah once again leaning against a tree, arms folded, his smirk as insufferable as ever. He looked completely at ease, like he belonged here just as much as she did, maybe even more.
She let out a frustrated sigh. "Don't you have anything better to do?" she asked, her voice colder than the night air.
Noah chuckled, pushing himself off the tree and taking a few steps closer. "Oh, plenty of things. But I figured watching you play with moonflowers was as thrilling as it gets over here."
She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "I wasn't aware the Obsidian Circle had so much free time to waste."
"We're full of surprises," he replied smoothly, stopping just a few feet away from her. "But I'm curious—what's a 'good' witch like you doing sneaking off here every night? Bit rebellious for the golden girl of the Jasper Coven, isn't it?"
Skyler held his gaze, refusing to let him get under her skin, though she could feel her patience thinning with every word he spoke. "If you must know, Moonstone Vale has resources my coven needs. Not that you'd understand; dark warlocks are too busy with curses and shadows."
His eyebrow arched, and his smirk deepened. "Oh, is that what they say about us? You Jasper witches really think you're so pure, don't you? All light and goodness." He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "I wonder... does that get boring?"
Skyler's annoyance flared, and she met his gaze with a fiery glare. "Maybe some of us prefer balance over chaos. We don't need to mess with people's lives to feel powerful."
"Balance?" He let out a mock yawn, as if she'd just told the dullest joke in history. "If that's what helps you sleep at night..."
Skyler's fists clenched, but she forced herself to stay calm. "And here I thought the Obsidian Circle prided itself on mystery and power. Turns out, it's just bad humor and dark eyeliner."
Noah let out a genuine laugh, his smirk softening into something almost... amused. It caught her off guard. "You're quick, I'll give you that." He tilted his head, studying her with something that felt like admiration mixed with intrigue. "Maybe you're not as boring as I thought."
She raised an eyebrow, fighting the flicker of satisfaction she felt at his reaction. "And maybe you're even more annoying than I imagined."
He grinned, a devilish glint in his eye. "Oh, I'm full of surprises, Skyler."
His use of her name sent a strange shiver down her spine, and she mentally scolded herself for letting him get to her. He was infuriating, self-centered, and exactly the type of warlock her coven had warned her about. And yet... there was something magnetic about him, something she couldn't quite brush off.
"Look," she said, gathering her herbs and standing, "it's been... enlightening. But I have real spells to work on."
"Don't let me stop you." He stepped back with a lazy grin, but his gaze never left her. "In fact, I'm looking forward to seeing what you Jasper witches call 'real magic.'"
Skyler shook her head, brushing past him without a second glance, determined not to let him rattle her. But as she walked away, she could feel his eyes on her, the weight of his gaze lingering in the air. And, despite her best efforts, a small part of her couldn't help but wonder if he'd be back tomorrow.
She hated that thought... and maybe, secretly, she didn't mind it.
As she left Moonstone Vale, Skyler tried to push the encounter from her mind, focusing on her tasks, on the herbs she'd collected, on anything but the irritating warlock who seemed to live to get under her skin. But the memory of his laugh, his teasing voice, and the way he'd looked at her stayed with her, gnawing at the edges of her thoughts.
For reasons she couldn't explain, she found herself glancing back over her shoulder at the dark trees, half-expecting to see his shadow lingering there. But there was nothing—only the quiet whisper of the wind through the leaves.
And as she walked back to her coven, a nagging thought slipped through her defenses, as persistent as it was unwelcome: Did she want to see him again? And if she did, what did that say about her?
Pushing the thought aside, she quickened her pace, trying to ignore the pull that kept bringing her back to that clearing—and to the warlock who, despite everything, seemed determined to carve a place in her thoughts.