"Logan," Naomi smirked, "don’t you believe in fate?"

  He shot her a sharp look.

  "Fate and omens are crap for fools and hippies. I decide what my tomorrow looks like."

  "A commendable opinion," Naomi replied. "Well, if I understand the nature of this Phoenix correctly, it’s a being tied to the desire to restore, not destroy. It seems like… a cosmic force rooted in the pursuit of absolute bance."

  "At first, I was afraid," Jean said quietly. "This thing looked terrifying. But then… I started to feel warmth, like it wasn’t an enemy but something familiar, almost… kindred. It feels like it’s promising me something incredible—power, freedom… But at what cost?"

  "That’s the right question, dear," Naomi said, pausing briefly as if gathering her thoughts. "Now I see why Doctor Strange sent you to me. Let me tell you the story of my family."

  Naomi briefly recounted the family curse, skillfully avoiding details reted to the Bible and Cain. Johnny already knew the story but noticed how the guests’ expressions changed as they listened.

  “So, each of you carries this so-called Spirit of Vengeance?” the professor asked, squinting thoughtfully.

  “Not exactly,” Naomi crified. “The Spirit is tied to our bloodline. Try using your abilities on me or Johnny, and you’ll understand what I mean.”

  Charles pced two fingers on his temples, closed his eyes, and directed a mental wave toward them. Within seconds, he recoiled sharply, as if burned. His face turned pale, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

  “Fire… It envelops your thoughts, much like the Phoenix does with Jean’s mind. But this fire is different—more dangerous, more cruel.” Charles ran a hand over his forehead, catching his breath. “It’s the same fire that consumed New York yesterday when an entire district was destroyed. Tell me more about it, Mrs. Bze.”

  “You want to know what kind of power can stand toe-to-toe with Juggernaut?” Naomi asked knowingly.

  “Im preparing for an unwanted visit from a retive,” Xavier nodded slowly.

  “His opponent was the current host of the Spirit of Vengeance—my retive, the Phantom Rider Carter Sde.”

  “Sde? The one who was a sheriff near Devil’s Tree?” Logan asked, raising a surprised eyebrow.

  Naomi smiled.

  “That’s where he accepted our family curse.”

  “I met him a long time ago. Sde’s sense of justice is... unique, and I had the misfortune of experiencing it firsthand,” Logan chuckled. “Is he still alive? Don’t recall him being a long-lived mutant like me.”

  “Our special blood extends lifespans,” Naomi expined.

  Since the discussion of the family tree began, Wanda hadn’t stopped casting strange gnces in Johnny’s direction. Finally, she took action.

  Wanda suddenly stood.

  “I need to use the restroom,” she said, pointing at Johnny. “You’re coming with me.”

  Johnny stifled a sigh and got up.

  “Let’s go.”

  As they left, Naomi offered the others tea, and the quiet clinking of cups filled the shop.

  Johnny and Wanda walked down the bookstore’s corridor in tense silence. Only the sound of their steps on the wooden floor broke the oppressive atmosphere. When they reached the door marked “Restroom,” Johnny stopped and coldly said:

  “Say whatever you need to here. If we’re caught together inside, it’ll look even worse.”

  Wanda folded her arms and narrowed her eyes.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about your curse, Mr. Inquisitor?”

  Johnny let out a faint scoff and replied in an equally icy tone:

  “Probably for the same reason you didn’t tell me about your mutation, Miss Soothsayer.”

  Wanda leaned forward slightly, her gaze darkening, but she didn’t reply. The silence between them grew heavier with every second. Finally, Johnny decided to break it.

  “When you set up that date of ours, you knew we’d meet again, didn’t you?”

  “Of course not!” Wanda reacted quickly, her voice trembling for a moment before regaining its firmness. “We weren’t supposed to meet again. This is just a coincidence!”

  She stepped closer, almost closing the distance between them. Her face turned serious, almost predatory. With delicate fingers, she grasped the lobe of his ear and leaned in until her lips were near it. Her warm breath brushed against his skin, sending a pleasant shiver down his spine.

  “It’s in your best interest to keep our past a secret,” she whispered so quietly that he barely caught it. “If my father finds out, he’ll kill you.”

  Before he could respond, a rustling sound came from around the corner. Wanda immediately let go of him and turned. Johnny saw Jean stepping into view, wearing a broad, slightly theatrical smile.

  “Already sneaking off to a private corner?” Jean said with a smirk. “I knew there was a spark between you two! Good job, Wanda—if you like the guy, kiss him first!”

  Wanda frowned, her eyes narrowing. A faint, malicious smile pyed on her lips.

  “Jean, if you have time to spy on me, do me a favor and feed my pet spider.”

  She extended her hand, and a massive spider with gleaming bck eyes crawled out from her sleeve, lunging straight at Jean.

  “Aaah!” Jean screamed, stumbling backward.

  Jean bolted back to the main hall, shrieking and desperately trying to shake off the predatory creature, but the spider clung tightly to her sweater with its legs.

  Johnny gnced at Wanda out of the corner of his eye.

  “Do you always carry a spider in your sleeve?”

  “That’s part of my mutation,” she replied calmly, a faint smile pying on her lips. “Before you go, let me do one more thing.”

  Before he could process her words, her lips met his. The kiss was fiery, almost aggressive, yet there was a strange tenderness to it. Her lips were soft, her breath scorching like fire. Johnny froze. The unexpected sweetness, her closeness—it was intoxicating. He wanted more, but she abruptly pulled away.

  “Don't imagine too much,” she said, the satisfaction on her face quickly repced by icy indifference. “It's over between us. It's just that if Jean is going to gossip anyway, at least let it be justified.”

  She turned on her heel and walked back to the hall, leaving him utterly stunned.

  “She threatens me, then kisses me,” Johnny thought. “This girl is a complete puzzle. Her gaze softens for a second, but then she’s cold again. I feel like she’s pying games, but her game is too unpredictable. Or… maybe she’s confused herself?”

  Johnny stood there for a few more seconds, still feeling the warmth of her lips. He exhaled and followed her, trying to compose himself so no one would notice.

  They returned to the reading hall just as the tea had steeped, and the conversation could resume over a fresh cup. Logan shot Johnny and Wanda a wolfish grin, as if he knew exactly what had happened but chose to say nothing.

  Jean, still catching her breath from her earlier screams, stormed into the hall and pointed at Wanda.

  “She’s insane! Who in their right mind carries around fat, disgusting spiders?”

  Wanda calmly crossed her arms, her eyes full of amusement.

  “Poor thing, that was just an illusion. If you’d developed your telepathy even a little, you would’ve noticed. But no, you were too busy spying on me.”

  Jean’s face turned bright red as she clenched her fists, but she said nothing.

  /////

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