Chapter 4

Family, Friendship, and Magic? Hard PASS…

“It doesn't make a damned bit of difference who wins the war to someone who's dead.”

Joseph Heller

Catch-22

May's (Isadora) POV

“That’s amazing,” I said, as I flipped through the diary.

Each time I’d idle, ink from an entry appeared, and when I moved to turn the page, it vanished!

Holy shit.

“You’ll be able to read that later. For now, let’s focus on the basics of magic,” Maisy said, bringing my attention back to her.

I watched as she crossed the room, filling a glass of water.

Then placed it on the table in front of me.

I could feel the excitement growing within me.

Was I really about to learn magic?!

…The short answer to that question was no.

“I do not believe you have fully understood the parameters of this exercise,” Maisy said, with a sigh as she shook her head wearily.

“Please watch me again closely,”

She demonstrated the technique, again.

I watched her slowly raise her finger a few inches above the glass, take a shallow breath, and effortlessly force a faint blue glowing light out of her finger.

Just like that, the water rippled ever so lightly.

How can she make it look so easy?? 

Trying to focus, I raised a shaky hand above the glass.

Envisioning the mana flowing through my body to my fingertips, then… like an idiot.

I actually tapped the water 

Splashing half the glass on the table.

“I just can’t do this! It’s not going to work,” I said, sliding the glass away from me in frustration.

“How perfectly predictable, you give up as often as you eat,” Maisy commented, staring at me in disapproval.

I had no response to her insult.

I could only sit there, sulking.

I knew I shouldn’t be giving up, but I didn’t know what to do.

Using magic did not come naturally to me.

It could just be my modern mind. I come from a place where magic doesn’t exist.

This fucking concept is completely foreign to me.

It’s like someone telling you that Santa Claus was real, but the only way you could see him is if you believed hard enough.

It’s the EXACT same thing, I simply can’t grasp the idea of being able to do this spectacular thing, so by default, it doesn’t work.

“Let’s try–” Maisy started, before a commotion erupted from the hall.

“How dare you try to bar me from entering?! You will pay for this insolence!” A voice yelled.

I looked at Maisy, as her eyes narrowed.

Who the hell was that?

“Um, who's–?” I started to ask before Maisy quickly grabbed the glass of water, throwing its contents in my face.

“What the–?!” I said, caught off guard.

What was even more surprising to me was the burning flash that burst from the palm of her hand directly into my face, afterwards.

 “AHh–! T-that burns!” I cried out, grabbing my freshly seared face with my hands.

Maisy shoved me forcefully onto the bed, covering me up to my neck in blankets.

I struggled to move, but she held me down.

“If you don’t want to be discovered, shut up and play dead,” Maisy whispered.

Fight-or-flight immediately kicked in.

Clenching my eyes closed, I went limp.

Pretending to be unconscious as the door burst open.

The sound of doorknob smacking the wall boomed throughout the room.

I twitched as slow beads of sweat trickled down my flushed face.

It felt so hot and itchy, I could hardly resist the urge to scratch at it…

But I think I understand why Maisy did it.

I’m certain I looked a feverish, sweaty mess. A glass of water and flame magic? Maisy might actually be a genius...

Or she’s done this before.

I felt Maisy’s weight shift from the edge of the bed.

Never did I think there would be a time I’d feel more terrified by that woman walking away from me.

“Greetings, Lady Claudia,” Maisy said.

There was no response.

I could only hear the sound of shuffling, which I assume was Maisy being shoved out of the way by our aggressive guest…

Good. Serves her right.

“Stop pretending to be asleep. Get up!” A sharp voice cut through the air.

I didn’t move a muscle.

Little does this woman know, I’m particularly good at playing dead, having had to trick my drunk of a mother a few times to avoid unwanted interactions.

The room was silent.

I heard her huff in annoyance as she was met with my absolute silence.

After a moment of no response, I heard Claudia’s footsteps retreat.

Maisy quietly started to explain that I wasn’t feeling well and had been in and out of consciousness for the past few days.

Claudia scoffed loudly.

“She’d better be awake the next time I come,” She spat, stomping off.

I flinched at the violent sound of glass colliding with the floor, shattering to pieces, no doubt.

Seriously?!

As soon as I heard the door close, I shot out of bed, throwing the blankets off my warmed body.

“What the fuck?!” Did you burn my face?!” I asked frantically, patting at my aching skin and checking my hands for blood.

“I used water first, so it won’t scar,” Maisy replied simply, like it was nothing.

“That’s not the point, you psychopath! You could have just told me,” I retorted.

Maisy went quiet for a moment before responding.

Her head tilted, as if she was pondering something profound.

“That’s a fairly brave idea. Few would have dared to approach the matter with so little... forethought,” Maisy said, staring at me, her lips slightly curled upwards.

“Are… are you insulting me right now? Don’t think I don’t notice that little asshole thing you do,” I said, dropping my hands in my lap and glaring at her.

“Of course not, let’s move on, shall we?” Maisy said, flashing an innocent smile.

“Let’s move on, shall we? Fuck you,” I mocked, under my breath.

I hate hate HATE her.

With all that had happened that afternoon, we opted to hold off the magic training and pick it back up later.

I sat crossed-legged on the bed waiting for Maisy to open the diary.

Half of me was excited to see what the magical book said, but the other half was skeptical that it was going to be some more grade-school level shit.

“Does it matter where I start?” I asked, flipping through the pages.

“Not, particularly, somewhere near the end,” Maisy responded. I nodded and picked a random spot.

Entry 1432

Tuesday, Sept 5th, 418

I found myself torn awake from the most wonderful dream. In my mother’s embrace, we lay on a soft, velvety patch of dark green silent jade moss adorned with flowers of the most delicate sapphire-blue color. Her hug filled me with such warmth and light! She stroked my hair for hours, with fingers as soft as the finest silk one could source. Oh, how devastated I was to wake to the sound of Claudia’s banshee-like rantings coming from down the corridor. This place grows more hellish by the day.

(6 Weeks Before Last Entry)

“Hm, so Claudia’s always been like that,” I said, shaking my head.

“Like what?” Maisy asked, with an inquisitive face, looking over at me from her chair in the corner of the room.

“A crazy cunt,” I replied.

She tried to hide it, but I saw Maisy’s brief smile as she walked over to the bedroom door and opened it.

It was Anita with the dinner tray. Like always, she set the tray down, gave a curtsy, and high-tailed it out of the room.

“Great! All that failing at magic has simply drained my energy. Maisy, would you be a dear and feed me?” I said with a weird accent.

“The more I attempt to understand your humor, the more crass and distasteful I find you, and the more I fear for the success of our endeavor,” She said, crossing her arms and beginning to pace the room.

“Jesus, Maisy, we’re having dinner, can’t you lighten up?” I asked, frowning.

She walked over to the window, looking out at the gardens before answering.

“With the weight of our circumstances? No, I can’t,” She answered.

She didn’t say much else after that.

We just sat in silence as I picked at my meal.

She sure knew how to make things ominous.

I looked up at the sound of a sudden knock.

Who could that be?

I watched Maisy walk over and open it, before immediately stepping into the hall.

Leaving the door ajar, as if an open invitation.

I leaned over in my chair, straining to hear the conversation.

She was talking to a MAN. He had a deep and raspy-sounding voice, ooooo, Maisy. I see you, girl.

They were talking about some sort of garden restoration?

I snapped back up as Maisy returned to the room, trying to look as unassuming as possible.  

“Ahem, who was that? He sounded attractive,” I said, trying to wink, but just ended up blinking awkwardly.

Maisy paused and scrunched her face up with a look of repulsion before responding.

“Henry Dorran, is not attractive in the slightest. Never let those ridiculous words leave your lips again,” She said, shaking her head like she needed to cleanse her mind of the thought.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

This was probably the most human reaction I’d ever seen out of that statue.

“He said something about a garden being restored?” I asked, twirling my hair with my fingers.

“That’s correct. We are restoring the east wing pleasaunce to help you recover Isadora’s memories in the most familiar setting, her mothers garden,”  Maisy explained.

“What all is there for me to recover?” I asked, letting out a small yawn.

“ I will give you all the social tools you need to survive in this world as a young noblewoman, and the knowledge to combat your enemies,” Maisy further explained. 

“At least until I come up with a solution to our ‘problem,’” She mumbled to herself.

 That clearly wasn’t meant for me to hear, so I just ignored her.

I rolled over in my place on the large bed to see Shelby walk in with a silver tray.

This had to be my favorite part of the day.

I smiled at her as she handed me a warm mug of sweetened milk. 

I, for sure, would be busting my ass throughout the night, but hey, that was Maisy’s problem, not mine.

I finished my drink in a few large gulps and handed her the mug. 

With a sleepy smile, I rolled over and I’m fairly certain I started to snore.

Shelby walked over to Maisy’s form seated at the table.

She had been in deep thought, her arms folded casually.

Maisy looked up as Shelby placed another mug in front of her, before moving towards the door.

The sweet smell of citrus and mint wafted from the cup.

Sunstone Fennel tea.

“I never liked how perceptive you were,” Maisy mumbled, watching Shelby as she passed through the doorway, a small smile on her wrinkled face.

Maisy took a sip of the tea and sighed before glancing over at that snoring ingrate.

This situation couldn’t have been better designed for failure if Beatrice had come up with it herself.

With a labored huff, she stood, walking toward the sleeping girl, hand glowing a pale blue.

It was time for the first memory transfer.

I could hear the sound of a distinct, solitary plunk, its echo further punctuated by the dead silence in the air.

I opened my eyes,... it was dark. 

So dark, I could barely make out the cool, moonlit ripples of water that surrounded me.

Where was I?

What was happenin–

FLOW:

I gasped as my head was submerged under the water. My body pulled by some violent rush of motion.

I felt as though I'd been dragged into a vortex.

One that, as my mouth filled with water, sucked the very life out of me.

My head spun as I thrashed around wildly, a desperate, yet vain attempt…

I couldn’t breathe.

Just as I felt myself start to lose consciousness, I was poured into this brightly lit meadow. My body crashing into the soft grass:

The sun's warm rays graced the large flowering meadow below, where Isaac, Ophelia, and young Isadora Alistair had decided to picnic for the afternoon.

They sat atop a massive blanket bearing the rich, deep cobalt blue of House Alistair, accented with crisp white and shimmering silver threads.

Their expertly catered meal was an understated feast, with clusters of sliced fruit, delicate pastries, and tiny, savory sandwiches arranged on tiered silver trays placed around the edge of the blanket.

A young, three-year-old Isadora, sat between her parents, struggling with a fruit slice.

Her bright, round hazel eyes narrowed.

Ophelia let out a small laugh at her toddler’s hyper focus and attempted to fix Isadora’s crooked golden hair clip that had become tangled in her cascading pigtails.

Ophelia’s own platinum silver hair tumbled about her shoulders as she leaned forward.

She held a thin and delicately crafted gold chain, with a rounded jade pendant hanging in the center.

Her hazel eyes, soft with love, focused on her child, she placed the chain around Isadora’s small neck, then kissed her forehead sweetly.

Turning to Issac, Ophelia then met his own lips with a kiss, which he happily accepted.

His greyish-silver hair pushed back from his forehead and his dark amber eyes, that were usually serious, beamed with warmth. 

They both settled back, gazing down at Isadora, a toothy grin on her face.

Then, with an abruptness as sharp as a single drop of dye in a bowl of water, the light that once graced the meadow started to fade.

Swallowed by a deep, bruise-colored stain, that spread across the sky like a disease.

The happy figures of the Alistair family trio sat frozen— limbs locked, their gentle smiles blurred into distant, indistinct shapes.

That moment of joy they shared had been completely destroyed by this ominous warning.

:EXPEL

I jumped as I felt a low rumble coming from the ground. I looked down at my shoes, I could faintly see my laces start to shake.

Am I the only one who feels this?

I gasped as I felt moisture saturate my very soles. 

Water? The meadow was filling with water!

Turning my back on the Alistair’s, I ran.

I ran for my life…

…but I felt like my body wasn’t taking me anywhere. I chanced a glance over my shoulder.

That’s when I saw it…

A massive wave of water rushed toward me.

Swallowing up everything in its mighty path.

Tripping over my own feet, I crashed to the ground. 

Knowing it was far too late for me, I simply covered my head with aching my muddied arms, hoping for some sort of protection as the violent wave towered above me.

I clenched my eyes shut, as the savage force collided with my body, sweeping me away with swift, chaotic motion.

Just as I felt my lungs fill once again with water–