Darkness Sleeping

by Jen Pretty

  The rest of the room was trashed, though. I sat down on the bed, my wet frozen clothes thawing out to leave a puddle where I sat. There was no helping it, all my papers were ruined. All my hard work since I had arrived at Avalon was garbage.

  Anger coursed in to replace the shock and pain. My fists balled and the word I knew would destroy the little girl slipped up to the back of my tongue, begging for release. It would be so easy. Laughter rose from somewhere near the back of the house and I bit down on my lip hard enough to draw blood.

  I rose to my feet and hurried to High Sorceress office again, sure this time she would do something about Lauren. I could barely control my lips from saying a word that I knew would be very bad. If I had seen her at that moment, something would have happened. Something had to be done.

  I used the magic word to find the door to the main school building and then hurried through the halls, steam coming out of my ears.

  I banged on the High Sorceress' door.

  "Come in," I heard from within.

  I swung the door open and came face to face with the High Sorceress and Miss Lander. I hadn't expected to see her here and the sight of her gave me pause for a moment. Her cane was against the side of her chair and her long skirt covered most of her legs, but there at the bottom, it appeared that one of her legs was made of wood, the grain visible.

  "Yes, Morgana? What is it?" High Sorceress said, impatience tinging her words.

  "Lauren ruined my homework," I said dumbly.

  High Sorceress sighed like this was a great inconvenience.

  "I mean, she threw everything around my room and made a huge mess," I continued.

  “Are you sure it was Lauren?” Miss Lander’s asked.

  "Yes. Did you see her do this?" High Sorceress asked.

  "No, ma'am," I said, losing some of my earlier steam.

  She looked at me with her eyebrows raised. "Then how do you know it was her?"

  I thought for a moment and couldn't come up with an explanation.

  "That's what I thought," she continued. "I had hoped you two would be friends by now. If you don't mind, I'm in a meeting with Miss. Lander."

  I stayed in place for a moment longer, then stepped back out of the office and pulled the door shut. "Stupid girl." I muttered, unsure if I was talking about Lauren or myself.

  I made my way back to my room, thankful when I didn't bump into anyone on the way.

  Once I was safely behind my door, I took a deep breath and began shoving the pages into the fireplace that had died down while I had been out. The flames jumped to new life with the addition of all the dry paper, heating the room to stifling before long.

  An idea came to my mind making my pause. I wondered if I could fix the pages with magic. Why I hadn't thought of it before was stupid of me. I was about to get up and get the book of magic so I could read through and try to find a word that would fix them when a word floated into my mind like a leaf in autumn. Soft and gentle, I mulled the word though my memory, trying to place it with its meaning. Then I found it.

  The word meant heal or repair. For half a moment I wondered if it would actually bring the pages back to life and I would have a tree growing in my room, but so far, the magic had done nothing I hadn't wanted it to do.

  I closed my eyes and felt the surge of power that raised my chin and squared my shoulders. Invincible, magic welled inside me and my lips parted on a soft puff of air. I took a breath and spoke the word that I knew would solve my problems.

  "Edhwierft."

  A puff of air swirled around me and I opened my eyes to see the room awash with paper. It swirled like a summer storm, sending static through the air that lifted the ends of my hair and sent a shiver down my spine. I raised my arms, welcoming the power that the word had wrought and a moment later the pages slid together to form a straight pile on my table just as they had been before the girls had got ahold of them.

  A cloud of smoke puffed out of the fire and it restored the pile to the same size it had been.

  I stood on shaky legs as the power drained out of me and crossed to the table. Was this magic really so bad? I had righted a wrong with the Dark Arts. How could that be upsetting any kind of balance? If anything, it was resorting the balance.

  Looking down, I flicked through the stack and found every page pristine and organized.

  A giggle welled up from somewhere deep in my stomach.

  This was real magic.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  The rest of the week went past without incident

  I grew close to Macy, Ann and Gillian. We would chat about our futures and gossip about the other girls or discuss magic. We also went to see the delivery boy every day with Gillian.

  One snowy morning, we raced down to the east shore together, giggling, our feet slipping on the snowy path, until we reached the lookout.

  "There," Macy said, pointing. We ducked down, leaving Gillian to swoon over the handsome young man. He was bundled up in heavy furs, steam rising from his horse's flank as he stopped at the dock and began unloaded several crates. A group of students were there, waiting to carry them up the steep steps cut into the side of the island.

  Through the bushes, we saw him glance up at Gillian and then do a double take before taking off his hat and bowing his head at her.

  Their relationship was the most romantic thing I had ever seen.

  I prayed they would end up together somehow.

  By the end of the month, the people of Avalon were all busy polishing their demonstrations for the winter carnival. Some would do acrobatics; others, magic; and still others would bake or cook, so it was a feast for all.

  Lauren and her minions had left me alone since the incident in my room, but they still sneered at me and I heard them laughing behind my back.

  It was only a few days before the big celebration, when more people began to show up on the island. The rest of us were cramped into bedrooms to accommodate the adults, most of whom were related to people on the island, but lived on the main land, hiding their talents. I was moved into a bedroom with Macy, Ann and Gillian. The four of us stayed up late that night.

  "Do you think the High Sorceress will be surprised?" Ann asked.

  Gillian nodded, but Macy gushed. "Of course, she will! It's an amazing spell. I hope that they let us do it at dusk, it's so much prettier in the setting sun."

  "Me, too," Ann agreed. "By the old well would be perfect. We have practiced there so many times."

  "It won't matter where or when," I said. "It will amaze her and everyone on the island either way."

  Macy reached over and hugged me. "Thank you, Morgana. I'm glad you could join us."

  "Thanks for having me," I said.

  Our cheeks were rosy from sitting in the warm bedroom, and also the tea we had been drinking and all the silly giggling.

  The cottage was much quieter than my own, tucked away in a far corner of the island. I had been thankful not to have any more run-ins with Lauren, so when I heard her voice outside the bedroom door, I almost jumped to my feet.

  "She's in there," Lauren said in a victorious voice. The door to our room swung open and a large man stood in the doorway. He wore armour with the seal of the Roman army. His helmet was tucked under his arm, but there was no mistaking him. My father had taken me to see the Roman troops once when I was very small. They were all big and powerful men.

  "Which one of you is Morgana?" his deep booming voice echoed.

  "I am," I said. "What's going on?"

  "You have to come with me. You have some explaining to do." He said, eying me. "That is a very interesting tiger skin you have. Where did you get that?"

  My face burned. "I found it," I replied after a pause that was too long.

  "Humph. Let's go."

  I rose to my feet shaking, but did as he said. I proceeded him through the door, past Lauren's mocking face.

  He followed me out of the room and then out of the cottage where I found more soldiers; a dozen, at least, lined
the path.

  "What is the meaning of this?" Miss Lander asked. Her steps hurried as she moved through the snow, her cane clutched tightly in her hand.

  "This girl is accused of murder. Out of my way, old woman." The man pressed me forward.

  "That's preposterous! She has been here for months."

  The soldier behind me didn't say anymore; he just escorted me to the High Sorceress building and though the front doors. More soldiers piled in behind us, blocking the exit.

  My blood rushed through my ears. I knew what was coming. Murder was an executable offense. They would kill me for it. I prayed that someone would save me.

  High Sorceress stood before me, a scowl on her face. "You had better start explaining yourself," she said. I had assumed she was talking to the soldiers, but when I looked up, I realized she was talking to me.

  "I don't know what you are talking about," I said, trying to keep my voice level and calm. Inside my stomach had twisted into knots and my heart was hammering.

  "These men searched your room, Morgana. They found this." She held up the blade. "And this." She held up the book of magic.

  "Those aren't mine," I said.

  "I've seen her with those things," Lauren spoke up. "I was too afraid to say anything." She was lying. Her face looked so innocent until everyone turned back to scowl at me. Then she smiled.

  A woman wrapped her arm around Lauren's shoulders. She looked like a taller version of Lauren and I assumed it was her mother.

  High Sorceress spoke next. "They were in your room, Morgana. Also, apparently, you killed the tiger, whose skin you walk around in, and the man who owned the tiger."

  I wondered why the Roman soldiers would care about that? The confusion must have shown on my face, because the soldier who flanked me spoke up.

  "That man was a loyal Roman citizen," the soldier said. "He was travelling through on his way home to see the King, his cousin."

  My heart dropped. I had thought all this time I had just killed a traveller with exotic animals. I bit my lip and stared at the ground. I had the evidence of my crime wrapped around my waist. How could I deny it?

  "You will stay here, under lock and key, until the morning. Then we will take you back to Rome to face your punishment."

  My heart beat in my ears so loud I couldn't hear any of the other words spoken. My vision blurred at the edges and a word I knew well came to my mind. I had memorized it along with all the other magic words, but I had no idea if the pronunciation was correct. I bit my lip.

  Could I really do that? I wasn't sure, but as a hand wrapped around my arm and pushed me forward, they made my decision for me.

  I opened my mouth and let the word slip off my tongue, so quiet God wouldn't hear me.

  "Abrecan." I braced myself, but nothing happened. I felt nothing, no rush of magic.

  "What's that girl?" the man gripping me asked. His hand fully circled my upper arm, I had no hope of escape.

  I turned my head to look at him and felt the lift of magic that I recognized now. The feeling I got when a lot of power was gathering and getting ready for my command.

  My chin rose, shoulders drew back, spine straightened. I was a sorceress. THE sorceress. They could not handle me this way. I was Morgana Le Fay.

  My heart rate slowed and I glared straight into the soldier's eyes. My fear evaporated and a small smile tugged at my lips.

  "Abrecan!" I shouted, so loud God surely heard me.

  Destroy.

  The soldier's eyes went wide and then the earth began to shake beneath our feet.

  Cries rang out. Fear etched into the soldier’s face as I felt my grin lift the corners of my mouth and reach my eyes.

  The man dropped my arm as though I had burned him and took a step back.

  I raised my arms toward the slate blue ceiling in the main school building. Pieces of stone began to crumble and fall, small at first, but then larger. A massive piece cracked and landed beside the High Sorceress. Her eyes grew wide and her face, pale.

  People scattered, racing towards the doors, but a quick word, "Loc" and I sealed the door. The soldiers began banging on the door, trying to force it open, but my magic was stronger than they were.

  One of the soldiers shouted, "Kill her."

  But the next word rolled off my lips as though I had said it a million times.

  "Bebeorgan," I shouted.

  Protect.

  None of the men could come near me. They pounded on an invisible wall around me, but my grin grew into a full smile as the walls of the school began to cave in, a cloud of dust rose all around me as I watched the people crushed under the weight of the blue stone building.

  The High Sorceress tried to command the building to stop crumbling, but my magic was stronger than hers. It was stronger than everyone’s.

  The sound was overwhelming, but the feeling magic gave me was like nothing I had ever experienced. I was power. I was magic. Their screams rang out, but it meant nothing to me. I wanted this, and more.

  I stood tall, watching the surrounding destruction. It continued for many minutes as the building collapsed, leaving me exposed to the cold night air.

  Finally, the last of the sounds died.

  My ears rang with the lack of silence. I caught sight of Lauren's small foot beneath a boulder, blood trailing away like a river through snow in spring. I felt nothing.

  The dust settled, and I realized it was snowing again. I stood amongst the destruction, marvelling at the fat flakes that fluttered down from the dark sky.

  The smile slid from my face and I glanced around at what I had done with a new set of eyes. I had killed dozens of people.

  I gasped. Soldiers and children and magic users-- all dead.

  "Oh no," I whispered.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  My feet carried me at a dead run to the South end of the island. The land sloped down to the water smoothly, but the water was frozen. A white wasteland as far as I could see. Snowflakes swirled around me, making me feel dizzy.

  I ran and kept running even when the wind whipped my hair into a hurricane on my head. I kept running until I could no longer feel my toes, and my lungs burned against the cold. My cheeks went numb and still I ran, my arms pumping to keep my legs moving even after I lost feeling in them.

  The snow stopped falling and the sky cleared eventually, giving me a view of the distant shore.

  I didn't dare stop, knowing if I did, I would never get going again. I would die in this open area.

  When I finally climbed the far bank, I found it was densely forested. I jogged on into the woods, my breath and the crunch of snow beneath my boots was the only sound in the icy world.

  Flashes of frightened faces kept running through my mind. Their fear had been palpable, but I hadn't noticed. The power racing through my veins had told me it was right, that I should kill them all for daring to offend me.

  "What is wrong with me?" I whispered on a harsh breath but I didn't even recognize my own voice.

  I tripped over something beneath the snow, landing face first on the hard ground. It burned my frozen cheeks and tears pricked my eyes, but I forced my legs up and kept running. I would never be safe this close to the destruction I had caused.

  My mind went to thoughts of Macy, Ann and Gillian. I prayed they hadn't been in the main school building.

  Finally, what seemed like hours later, I came to a rocky area and found a small cave, barely wide enough for me to slip in.

  I curled up against the cold rock.

  "Byrne," I whispered, my whole body shaking and teeth chattering.

  A small fire sparked to life beside me and I held my hands next to it. The heat made my skin burn and tingle, but I held as still as I could, waiting for the heat to saturate my frozen body.

  Oh god, the look on the faces of the soldiers. Why had I done that? I shook my head, wishing I could go back and undo it all, like I had when I fixed my room, but I knew there was no going back. They would kill me now for what I had d
one.

  I stayed in that cramped cave, huddled beside the fire, for the rest of the night. Shivers wracked my body off and on until I finally felt warm. Then I drifted off to sleep, staring at Copper's deep red hair, still braided around my wrist.

  I felt so alone; I wished again that Copper was with me. His warm breath and soft, smooth coat. I closed my eyes and finally drifted off for a few hours.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  I woke with a start and was on my feet in a second. Visions of what I had done the night before haunted me, leaving me breathless and tears streaming down my cheeks. I wiped them away, then stomped out the fire and wiggled back out of the cave and continued south. My feet carried me through the snow further away from the island of Avalon.

  By mid-day, my legs burned and my speed had slowed to a walk. The sun had come out, warming the air. It was still cold, but bearable, with my tiger skin around my shoulders. I trudged most of the day, not finding a house or town. There was no food to be found, not that I could have caught an animal if I had come across any. I had nothing left but magic.

  Words swirled in my head, ones I knew would have been useful if I had stumbled upon some wild animal worth eating. I could easily kill and skin an animal, I reminded myself, unhappily.

  As the sun set on the second day, I found a fallen tree and crawled underneath, pulling the skins around me tighter. My mind seemed blank, numb from the cold or maybe the thoughts of the things I had done. I couldn't tell which.

  I curled into a small ball, huddled next to the fire I had made. It was colder that night. The wind whipped against my back, even in my hidden spot. Shivers wracked my body unending, and I felt as though I would probably die beneath this tree, alone in the middle of nowhere.

  I wished again for Copper. His warmth and comfort. He was the only thing that had been constant in my life. Being out here now was worse, with the memories of what I had done still fresh in my mind and the loss of my new friends. I thought they would surely hate me now, after what I had done. No one would ever want me now.