My Secret, My Bully, My Mates

I blink and the figure is gone, but the people on the ground remain surrounded by the velvety dark blue ink swirling just off the ground unchanging, motionless. "I got you Smalls."

"Take a deep breath Bitty."

"Come on Tiny, some back to us."

I hear the words, but I can't believe them. I'm still staring at their unmoving forms. It's their voices in my head because I want to hear them so badly. I can feel pressure on my arms, but I can't look down. Why can't I move? This isn't right. Something is off. I focus back on my three guys lying on the ground, but their voices are all around me.

"That's it, blink, look at us, focus, Tiny."

"We're right here." I feel hands on my cheeks, but no one is there. What is happening? Is the Rogue King using magic to disorient me? Magic. Wait, what was I doing before this? Magic, Gentry and Elena were doing magic. I'm part of the spell. It's not real. But, if it isn't real why can't I look away? I can't turn off the vision. I try to pull away.

"No, Bitty. Stay here. Don't move. Breathe. Listen."

"Tiny, let me have some of the fear. Let us help you." Dakota is talking to me, but he can't be. He's in front of me shredded and not moving. "I'm here, let me help." I feel arms tighten around my waist and my back is flush with a broad taught chest. I take a breath in. Cinnamon. I smell Dakota right behind me. "That's it, Smalls. Let us help."

I lean back, I hope my instincts are right. This whole thing is so strange I have two realities going on. The one I can see and the one I can hear and I can't make the two match up.

"We're still here Bitty. Think and look, control it. See past the illusion."

can't" It's all I

can, Tlny. We're here, feel it." I can feel large fingers

is taking so long?" Someone behind

to have more layers, multi purpose. This is one being used to control you boys as well as whatever illusions have been keeping everyone under control. There is a lot to unpack. Skylar, I need you to fight this with us. Wherever you see, whatever

and learn as you go? I can't seem to open my mouth to make words come out. She said see through the illusion. I can hear Oliver and Cam talking to me. I know Dakota is behind me, his arms around me. So he can't be the bloody mess in front of me. I focus on that. I tilt my head back. He's still there, his chest is supporting my head. His heartbeat is fast though. Does he see what I see? Or maybe his version of his loved ones dying? I breathe deep, warm, spicy Cinnamon. I squeeze my right hand still laced with Cam's. My left is engulfed by Oliver's. I flex those fingers too. Another deep breath, Honey and Citrus join the mix. They are here with me not on the ground. I can see the navy mist start to thin. I see Sierra and Sam, then Lil and Jena and Mateo. All my friends are looking at me with varying degrees of worry. The vision tries to pull me back in and it hurts, like ice burning my skin it prickles everywhere and I struggle to hold my focus, but if

bubble and siphon the navy mist inside where it can't harm anyone else. My breathing is tabored and I am sweating now, but it is working. The visualization is helping me clear my vision. The whole clearing is in my view now. One more surge of ice

then my

for the first time since we started doing this, I

am sure the Hemlock will be much of the same. Do you still want

Cam sounds appalled. "Look at

is the first time she has come out of the spell conscious and she dispelled this one herself. This is her decision to make, not

"We have to."

are you sure? That

as rough as the first