TW: Some blood and depictions of violence. If you are not comfortable with reading it, then please do not read into the library scene!
I’d been walking in circles for too long, the carpet becoming more and more flat with each cycle I made around my room. I was in trouble. Again. And this had been the final straw for Madam Belle. My best friend, Maysie, from where she sat perched on my bed, watched me draw circle after circle on my chest and furrowed brow.
“Asajj, you’ve done some pretty dumb things in the past,” she tilted her head, her blonde hair cascading down her back like water, “I’m sure you’ll get away with a scolding and a few extra chores.”
She smiled at me innocently, patting the place beside her as she scooted over and I flopped down, an exasperated groan escaping my gut.
Maysie had actually been the one to suggest my little adventure. We had planned to sneak into the town nearby months ago, but Maysie had bailed at the last minute to catch up on some late classwork. Me, being the stubborn adrenaline junkie and A plus student I was, decided to just go for it.
And here we were. Two hours, six guards, a couple of spells, and a mad Madame Belle later.
“No.” I raised a hand to my cheek, feeling tentatively at a small cut that I quickly healed, “Any other pure witch would get away with that.”
I paused, and Maysie nodded slowly. She blinked at me; her eyes squinting in confusion then twitched in realization.
“You’ll be expelled!” she gasped, her hand coming up to cover her mouth in shock, “I never... I never should have told you about it.”
My face twisted into a grimace, “Um, that is not the worst thing that could happen,” Her already tear-filled eyes widened, “I could be exiled to another marsh if the high council rules against me.”
The one rule we were not to break, I had broken. Madame Belle hadn’t even wanted me in her marsh in the first place. And now, my decisions were giving the Cerulean Marsh a bad reputation.
Maysie’s voice pulled me back to reality as she whimpered, “Oh my gods, Asajj, this is all my fault.”
I shrugged and chuckled weakly, trying to lift the mood, “A little bit.”
“You’re not supposed to agree with me!” She shoved me, laughing through her tears.
“And you’re not supposed to encourage me to do illegal things!”
A crash beyond my bedroom door encouraged us to shut up at once as the infamous Madame Belle came strutting through the door. Her pink painted lips were pursed and her usually rosy face was pale and sweaty as she stood in the doorway, panting heavily.
She was scowling like a demon, her face twisted in rage.
“YOU FOOL OF A WITCH!” she grabbed my arm with such force that a small yelp left my lips when she pulled me forward, “You’ve done this, haven’t you!”
Confusion spiraled through me as she pulled a necklace from amongst the folds of her silky robe. The gold chain sported a shining filigree, a witch’s highest honor to receive as a council member to use for the good of her sisters.
I had admired Madame’s in the past, its small runestones glistening with the raw, unfiltered magic of lore. But now, as she held it to my face, pure dread filled my stomach.
The once sleek-looking metal was now blackened and bent beyond recognition. All but one gem was gone, and the previously swirling patterns that littered its surface were melted and charred by burn.
“I-I didn’t Madame Belle,” I could feel my fear magic twirling up through my core, “I couldn’t have!”
“And why should I believe you?!”
“Because I can’t lie, and you know it!”
She stared at me; her face was frozen in anger with her lips drawn back over growling teeth.
I backed up from her, smoothing my wild curls down from their floating positions. Maysie grabbed my arm as I took my earlier sitting position on the bed holding me tight as if afraid I might fade away.
Silence.
And then...
“Asajj Éinri of the Second Cerulean Marsh,” I held my breath as she spoke in her hushed tone, “Your trial will be held in a fortnight from tomorrow by the blue witch council. Until then, you are to remain unpunished and uninterrogated by statement of the High Witch, for she will be in attendence.”
I laughed in shock, drawing a circle of gratitude on my chest as Madame Belle slammed the door closed behind her.
Maysie hugged me tightly, the entirety of her body shaking from excitement and relief.
“We still have time to build your case for the trial!”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea...”
She crossed her arms and glared at me, her nose wrinkling in distaste, “And why not?”
I shrugged, “Our High Witch has a reputation for hating witches like me,” standing slowly, I wiped my sweaty hands on my leggings, “You know... Fay.”
“B-but--”
I shook my head, “I mustn't make it worse for myself, Maysie,” I strode across my room, pulling my hair into a ponytail, “besides, we have places to be...”
Her eyes darkened and her lips twitched into a deep frown.
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.”
“No. Like, I literally cannot.”
Maysie’s hands shook under the strain of her magic, her eyes scrunching in concentration. Two weeks to finals and my best friend still couldn't control her magic very well. It wasn't her fault; some witches just weren't as in tune with their magic as others... and some were afraid of their own witch's flame.
“It’s okay, May, calm down,” I took her hands in mine, lavender shaded fire enveloping our palms.
She shrieked and yanked her hands away, earning a stern glare from the librarian as she passed by where we sat.
We sat crossed legged between two shelves, each spanning several meters in height and length. Out of all the places in the marsh, the library was my favorite. Warm, dark, and perfectly empty.
Maysie scooted back from me, wringing her fingers nervously in her lap, “I’m going to fail, aren’t I?”
I winced, shrugging off her pitiful tone and smiled instead.
“You just need to get over your pyrophobia so that you can pass your finals.”
She glared at me then looked down at her hands, sighing heavily.
“Fine,” she settled in across from me and reached out with trembling fingers, “Show me how.”
I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, feeling the warmth and buzz of magic surrounding my hands.
“Focus on the movement of each molecule around your hands,” I could feel her hands tense and her breathing shift, “Now imagine charging each of those molecules with hot magic, flowing from your core to your fingers, to the molecules.”
Maysie’s magic filled the air, the smell of clover honey following in its wake. I risked a glimpse at our intertwined hands, smiling softly as her own sparks join mine.
“Maysie...”
She too opened her eyes, her teeth clenched together but her gaze filled with wonder.
“I-I’m doing it!” She laughed, pushing more magic into her small blaze, “I’m making witch’s flame, Asajj!”
“Now you won’t fail your final exams!”
Her green flame the same shade as her eyes immediately extinguished, and her face dropped to tears.
“I still have four more elements to master.”
I nodded and stood in a swift movement, running my fingers over the leather-bound volumes.
“And you have two weeks to learn,” I returned to her with a book on hydrokinetics, “now, if you can learn the basics of water, I’ll do a flip on one of these tables.”
“I have to see that,” she giggled, smoothing back fly aways from her face, “But it has to be a backflip.”
My laugh was cut short by a guttural scream from behind me, chaos exploding near the grand doors of the library.
I swiveled around, my body a rigid mess of adrenaline and fear. Not even a split-second later, Maysie and I were sprinting to the front of the library, our fun abandoned amongst the dusty books. Hot breath filled my chest as I rushed to the bloody scene, my hair wild in the air with fear magic.
“Holy Al’Ata...”
There lay the librarian on the cool marble floor, her blood flowing around her mangled body. She was on her stomach, but her head was twisted towards the sky, empty sockets staring in horror.
Maysie screamed and tumbled forward, falling to her knees just outside the crimson barrier. Her back heaved as she retched onto the tile.
“Maysie,” My voice was quiet, too quiet to be heard above my friend’s cries, “May, we have to alert Madame. Th-this is warlock magic in the air.”
My feet unstuck and I staggered towards her, drawing a circle of protection on her back before plucking her form from off the ground. She held me like she was drowning, sobbing breaths muffled against the fabric of my tunic.
I could feel my fear magic pounding heavily against my skull raising the hair on my head even higher. The overwhelming feeling of dread was slowly sinking, settling deep in my gut. My nose twitched searching for the scent of that foreign magic through the acrid stench of iron and vomit. Sure enough, the heavy smell of black magic, thick and suffocating, filtered through the air like a toxin. My own magic surged in a violent response; a need to destroy its wielder.
“May, you need to leave. Now,” I whispered into her hair, and I felt her squeeze my waist in response, “When I count to three, don’t look back...”
Diligent and ready, I scanned the shelves for the intruder, my lips twitching back to reveal my snarl.
“One”
She tensed in my arms, prepping herself by shifting ever so slightly towards the huge doors of the library.
“Two”
It was almost as if the whole marsh held its breath as I let the power build up in my core.
“...Three”
And here is a picture of sweet Maysie, for the enjoyment of the audience...Please Like and Support my novel!
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