Chapter Seven
Avari
Witchcraft boiled beneath my skin, tearing at the seams of who I was and the chaos I could become. It pummelled through my veins, filling my mind with tempting promises of satisfaction and respect, trying to entice my withdrawn nature to give in to inklings of carnage.
For the first time ever, I considered bending to its will.
Books, plants, bedding—everything hung in the air before smashing into the floor. A ceramic pot exploded against the wall inches from Alec’s head. Even so, my fire laced the green power with more energy, providing fuel for whatever my instincts pushed me to do next.
Alec froze, eyes darting around the room as another book slammed against the wall.
Shaking his head to get rid of the soil, he pleaded, ‘You have to understand… it’s not like it’s a choice. You should know best—’
Pathetic. ‘Are you going to have her stay here from now on?’
His throat bobbed. ‘I can’t let her go back there, can I? Besides, she’s safer here; we don’t really know what happened in the Ortensian court.’
Inching closer, I could sense he was about to try to console me. ‘Don’t touch me, or I’ll scorch you.’
This was pointless. I rushed out, sidestepping confused Miriam, and let the door slam shut as I hid in my bedroom. If they knew what was best for them, they would let me be.
I collapsed onto the bed. My magic still twitched beneath my skin, refusing to settle.
Of course, fate would burden me with Willow.
No matter what I did, I could never rid myself of that wretched family.
Like burdock, they sank their thorns into their victim to keep attached, sucking the joy out of their life as sustenance.
Taking off my clothes and throwing them on the floor, I focused on the feeling of the soft sheets against my skin rather than the feeling of impending doom.
Slightly cool fabric at least appeared to simmer down the threatening heat whipping beneath my skin, refusing to relent.
Soon it was forced to. I was so exhausted that closing my eyes for a second was enough to drift off.
In dreams, at least, it was peaceful.
A ray of moonlight blinded me through the crack in the curtains when I finally decided I’d had enough of rotting in bed.
My body needed rest, and so I lay there for hours even after my muscles started cramping and that restless feeling at the back of my head continued making me more anxious.
Sometimes dealing with my life felt like too much effort.
‘How are you finding the Isle?’ I reached out to Anya.
‘I met your shadow friend.’
My heart skipped a beat. ‘The shadow dragon?’
She chuckled. ‘How many others do you have?’
I’d be damned—the grumpy beast seemed to be in a good mood. ‘Just the snake. How was it to meet him?’
For some time now I worried if they would get along. The shadow dragon seemed so lonely; it would be a shame if I had to choose between them. Anya would always be my priority.
‘He’s decent,’ she claimed, and I couldn’t fight off a smile of relief.
‘Decent?’ I poked fun, since her enthusiasm baffled me.
Anya huffed in my mind, like I was pestering her. ‘He’ll do.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I will allow him to keep me company,’ she said, secretive as always.
Allow him… ‘Well, aren’t you generous?’
‘Indeed. How are you?’ my bonded changed the subject.
I sighed. ‘Alec brought Willow here and wants her to stay. I don’t know what I’m going to do.’
‘Why would he do that?’ she screamed.
An urge to roll my eyes was so strong; the longer I fought it off, the more I was afraid I might convulse. ‘She’s his mate.’
‘What? Really? Isn’t your life a clusterfuck?’
I gasped. ‘Seriously, Anya, what’s with this new vocabulary?’
A sense of pride filled me; without a doubt, the emotion didn’t originate from me, which meant my beast enjoyed the fact that her new speech patterns mortified me.
‘My new friend taught me this one. I’m evolving,’ she said.
Gods have mercy. ‘Next time I see you, I’m bringing a dictionary. I’ll read it to you.’
‘Then I’ll scorch it and show you what real fire magic looks like in action.’
I argued, ‘Actually, I had some action.’
That intrigued her. ‘Do tell.’
‘When Alec told me about Willow, I kind of lost it. My witchcraft wanted out… I sent half the small things in his room flying. Covered him in potting soil, too. It almost felt… freeing.’
Long pause. ‘I mean… that’s a start.’
It wasn’t the first time she thought I was lame. At this point, it no longer bothered me. ‘Anyway, what are you doing now?’
‘We’re looking for caves.’
Interesting. ‘Why?’
‘As much as I enjoy sleeping under the stars, I like having a roof over my head too,’ she explained, and I felt stupid.
‘Right, let me know when you find something nice. If you don’t, I can connect to the land and see if it shows me any nice spots.’
Anya seemed cheerful. ‘It’s okay; I want to see what the Isle has to offer anyway.’
‘Have fun.’
Running myself a scorching bath, I filled it with all sorts of oils to soak my tired body. I had slept for over twelve hours, yet my muscles demanded more. Unfortunately, it was all I could afford given recent circumstances.
Finding the Crones wouldn’t be easy. How do you seek someone who had gone to so much trouble to not be found?
Besides, they bespelled the box to only open for the person they deemed worthy of finding them. Wouldn’t it be easier for them to find me instead, especially since the matter of blood witches was time-sensitive?
No. It would make my life too easy.
Soon I would become a champion at jumping over hurdles fate kept rolling beneath my feet. Like a clown, I was expected to juggle my responsibilities and stay upright.
The joke's on them because I’d been lying spread-eagle, letting them glide over me this whole time. Perhaps there were flaws in my approach, but until recently, I couldn’t exactly fight back and antagonise my tormentors.
An inferno heated my blood at the thought of Willow.
There was nothing good in that girl, just like our mother.
She was an entitled, selfish royal convinced that her higher rank made her special.
I didn't want her here, not in my space.
Not in my safe space. She would pollute it with her wickedness.
And she was already here. Defenceless.
Lately, revenge has begun to feel more appealing. Although it wasn’t really directed toward my bitchy sister. Sure, she hurt me, and one day I hoped the universe would punish her for breaking me, but it was our mother I needed to focus on.
The heinous witch didn’t cause the carnage in the Ortensian court for no reason. The number of dwellers and staff dead couldn’t be a coincidence.
Did she drain them?
As much as I hated her evil spawn, we needed to know if she’d been drained. Speaking to Willow was the last thing I wanted to do.
But it seemed I had no choice.