Callista.The next day, the Headmistress looks at me and hums contemplatively."Perhaps you ought to take a break today."That was after I failed to break a fragment for the third time that day. I don't know what's wrong with me, but every time I try to go into my mind, I get lost, and phantoms make me lose track of the chant. Also, I don't end up in the orchard, I end up in various places of my past.It was annoying the first few times, but I felt particularly drained and exhausted after the last attempt."Yeah," I sigh. "I think that's a good idea.""Come walk with me." The Headmistress invites me as I scramble up from the ground, "Sometimes fresh air is the best cure for a troubled mind."We walk from the meditation room to the hospital. It's near noon, and the sun shines ever so brightly above the clouds, which move like cotton swabs through the clear blue sky. The mountain air is crisp and dry, the fog has reduced a bit today. Witches stroll around, guiding enchanted baskets heav
Callista.“What is that?!” I scream, tensing as another roar follows the first.It sounds like the wail of a wounded animal, a strange trumpet quality mixed with the growl of a predator, echoing through us. It's as if an elephant and a lion were sounding at once.From above, we can hear the witches screaming. That cannot be a good thing. During my time being here, I’ve never seen the witches panic like this."Oh, no!" The Headmistress exclaims, and the next thing I know, she’s rushing to the hospital. I know that at the moment, what I'm supposed to do is run far away from the hospital and let the experts handle it. After all, I was just a patient in the hospital, a werewolf who couldn't even transform. There is nothing I can do to help.But logic had never been my strongest suit.So, I run after the Headmistress and enter the hospital. People are all running in the opposite direction, towards the entrance, novice physicians, orderlies, nurses, and patients. It's a hassle to get insid
Callista.The griffin never gets to attack us.It squawks as I hear it hit something, a thump coming from the impact, and I raise my head to see.Surrounding me, here was a light purple translucent shield.It is dome-shaped, trapping the students and me inside a large bowl. I feel tingly all over looking at it. The color of the shield is familiar, and my eyes immediately snap to my hand. It’s so beautiful and mesmerizing.My ring is glowing.My ring is glowing purple like a light, and I feel waves of slight buzzing erupting from the crystal sphere on it. It feels as if the ring is alive. The ring was protecting us.The griffin, who'd been thrown backward by the impact squeaks again and charges at us. When it hit the shield again, I feel the impact upon myself too."Callista, how are you doing that?!" Jenny asks, her voice hysterical. She clings to me from behind as I crouch in front of her, holding my crossed hands above my head."I don't know." I grit my teeth as the griffin flies in
Callista.The smithy is a cave that is located deep in the mountain. It's hidden from the outside with the same vines and creepers that decorate most of the old buildings in the Guild. Two large doors that open upon the touch of a witch guard the entrance to the smithy. They open with a deep groan as the Headmistress touches them."The smithy is run by Master Tsertinand," says the Headmistress when the doors still open. "He's an expert in magical devices, especially amulets. He was the one who made Matron Aldar’s staff. Amulets and sigils help us focus our powers more, and we often wear them to do heavier tasks. But be wary, he's not the most social fellow. He resides within this cave and never comes out unless it's absolutely necessary. I haven't seen him in two years, in fact."That sounds like quite the character. I wonder why he dislikes the company that much. "Are you certain that we won't be intruding upon him, then?" I ask the Headmistress.She scoffs, "oh, nonsense. Even if i
Interlude.Hidden by the tall trees that shelter the mountain top, a man watches the Witches Guild. His eyes track what most won’t notice, and his senses perceive the unperceivable. The witches are clever, with their spelled barriers and their cloaking enchantments, but they are still young.None of their little tricks work for a creature like him.He watches as the manticore wreaks havoc in the hospital.He watches as the griffin escapes its confinement.He watches as a brave young woman conjures a mauve shield to protect a group of children.The creature’s eyes narrow, and he watches her closely.After the havoc is managed and the children are safe, his eyes follow the young lady as the old Ksialite leads her away. He follows her as she disappears to the other side of the mountain.Dark hair, emerald eyes, fair skin. Effortlessly beautiful, catching the eyes of all that she meets.Oh, how that never changes. Some things will remain constant until the end of time.The man, the creatu
Callista.I gasp as I come out of the episode, and I can still feel that dark monster trying to fight me. Trying to catch my breath, I look around. It’s still storming heavily outside, and rain splatters on the windows. The room is plunged into silence with the notable lack of chanting.It was still raining, but peculiarly, I am not in an episode.Needing to make sense of this, I rush towards the candle table, and lo and behold every single candle was unlit and blackened.Giddiness and joy build inside of me as I stare at the blackened candle. A grin starts to stretch my lips.Is this what I think it is?!As soon as the witches who worked with me opened the door, I let out a yell."It worked! Oh, my Goddess, it worked! I’m free!"Physician Okorie smiles at me."I knew you could do it, Callista!” she says. “Congratulations, you defeated all your demons!"The physicians come toward me, and we embrace, laughing and giggling like crazy. And maybe we were because we did it! Our effort was
Callista.The next morning, I wake up in the Birdhouse feeling fresh as a flower. No fatigue from the party last night, no feeling like I should roll over and never leave my precious sleeping spot.Instead, I feel as perky as a baby griffin, ready to start my day.And the rest of my life.The party had gone on and on, and by the end of it we were all too lazy to go back to our respective rooms, so we decided to crash in Ophelia’s room in the Birdhouse on some spare sleeping bags the residents had stashed just for moments like these.Last night I’d forgotten that the room had not been protected against nightmares like my own. But in the end, it does not matter.Because I don't have any nightmares. I sleep like a kitten on that bedroll, flanked by Do Hyun, Mariz, and Leita, right there on the wooden floor of Ophelia’s room.After I stretch the remnants of sleep away, I walk towards the window and look outside.The storm has subsided, and the morning sun gleams on the fresh-looking leave
Theon.The first time Valencia kissed me, I was shocked to my core. It had been years after she'd left my pack, but her lips were still familiar.And just as unwelcome.I got over my shock pretty quickly and shoved her back, my heart racing in my chest. Then, I’d immediately looked around to make sure that no one had seen us before tearing into her."What the hell are you doing?" I'd screamed at her, wiping my lips furiously. The kiss, however brief it was, felt so wrong.Just like it was when I kissed Ruelle before. The only person whose kiss felt right was Callista, and I had no intention of doing that with anyone else but her.Valencia had looked confused. "But Theon," she'd protested. “We’re both mateless now. We’re free! Our mates are dead so we can finally be together. There's no one to stop us!""Valencia, I don't know how your relationship was with your mate," I let my anger show on my face because I didn't like her thinking one bit.I'd thought she'd gotten over this by now.