And Then There Were Four by Lilith Carrie

Cassie.

I couldn't believe they didn't believe me. No matter what they said, I knew what I saw. The connection between Inanna and Lucas wasn't like a normal teacher-student relationship. She was controlling him, making him dark... and I would fix that. Making my way across the courtyard, the calls of my friends rushing after me could be heard clearly through the softly blowing wind. Part of me wanted to stop and see what they wanted, but the other part of me was just too eager to continue. "Cassie, stop for a moment," Pollux said harshly as he grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks. "Look, I don't know what's gotten into you, but you need to chill. You're worrying people, including myself."

"No, Pollux. You may not want to believe it, but I'm not lying. Something is wrong, and he isn't acting the way he is because he wants to. It's like his judgment is clouded."

Running his hands through his hair, he scoffed again. "You're delusional, Cassie. Lucas rejected you, and you need to let him go. You can't force someone to be with you and think it's because someone else is clouding their mind." His words hurt, and after he spoke, Trixie quickly smacked his arm and glared at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Ouch, what the hell is wrong with you? Why did you hit me?" He whined as his eyes darted toward her.

"Because she's your sister no matter what has happened in the past, and she is trying to save someone she cares about. Just because you don't believe in it doesn't mean you can't support her until she figures out what she needs."

Once again, Trixie was sticking up for me when didn't know how. It wasn't like me to be weak and unwilling to stand up for myself, but since I came here, I had felt myself grow and change slowly into someone I wasn't sure I wanted to be

Taking a deep breath, I composed myself, unwilling to allow myself to falter, unwilling to allow tears or any emotions to fall, even though the little girl in me that had once always dreamed of a mate like my mother had was breaking inside.

Yes, I had said once upon a time I didn't want a mate. That I never had wanted it, but honestly... it had only been because I was scared. Because I was worried my powers would be to much to control, and I would end up killing them. Now I see the idea was ridiculous, and even though it's to late to fix my mistakes, it wasn't to late to save Lucas and allow him to make his own choices.

"Pollux, maybe you're right, but I

have to make sure. I can't explain it to you, but deep down inside, I can、 feel him. He isn't the Lucas we knew back home. Something has changed in him, and you saw the darkness in his eyes that day in his room. You can't tell me that the entire thing felt off."

Pollux stood there, staring at me for a moment as if searching for the truth in what I was saying. After a moment, it seemed to be he finally accepted what I said because I wasn't going to back down.

"I have never seen you so determined before, Cassie," Pollux whispered as he glanced over his shoulders to look at them, "they are both worried about you."

I understood his concern, but I wasn't going to just let it go. There was something seriously wrong going on, and the more I thought about how Inanna acted, the more I wondered what kind of person she really was. "I have to do this."

My soft response seemed to settle within my brother as he sighed heavily and nodded his head. "Okay... well, how are you going to prove any of this?"

I didn't have the slightest clue how I would prove anything if I had to be honest with myself. I barely knew my way around this place. Which was a problem if I wanted to snoop around or learn anything about this place that could help me.