Winter’s Awakening
Alessandra Jay
ONE TEAM PUBLISHING & FILMS
Published by One Team Publishing & Films
Brandon, Florida, USA
www.oneteam615.com
Copyright © Alessandra Jay, Edgar Alan Cole 2017
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
REGISTERED TRADEMARK-Edgar Alan Cole, 2014
Printed in the United States of America
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This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their control. If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher and neither the author or publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.” The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
To my family, friends, and fans,
This one’s for you.
Prologue: An Elder’s Warning
1. Last Day
2. The Cave
3. Hello, new life
4. Dorm Miracle
5. Girl Time
6. Stay Busy
7. Fated Meeting
8. Dreamland
9. New Beginnings
10. Marked Meeting
11. College Acquainted
12. Party Time
13. Birthday Bash
14. Birthday Dinner
15. Birthday Wish
16. Babysitting
17. Cave’s Visitor
18. Caster Confession
19. Food Fight Rhapsody
20. Date One
21. Practice
22. Unexpected Surprise
23. Eden
24. The Chosen One
25. Welcome Home
26. Evan’s Hideaway
27. Answers
28. Aura Discovery
29. Snowdrops
30. Julian Jett
31. It’s Not Safe
32. The Caster Matches
33. Caster Matches Part II
34. Caster Matches Part III
35. Caster Matches Part IV
36. The Caster Matches Day II
37. Caster Matches Day II Part II
38. The Light Coven
39. Divine Ceremonies
40. Meet Lenora
41. Acceptance
42. Heartbreak
43. Anima Partem
Epilogue: An Angel’s Warning
Playlist
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Prologue
An Elder’s Warning
Rooted to the ground, Ava slowly tries to stand. With a lot of difficulty, she finally rises to her full height and stays stone still. Her head spins in circles from all of the chaos that’s erupted around her. Hazel startles all of her sisters as she begins convulsing in her chair, eyes rolling to the back of her head. All you can see is the whiteness that’s replaced her emerald green eyes. Her hands gripped the armrests so hard, her fingertips were turning white. She shook so violently; the chair was wavering with her. Hazel’s visions have always been powerful, but never this vigorous. Thankfully, it didn't last long. The convulsions stopped and Hazel sat rigidly in her chair. Her eyes remain unchanged, still completely white.
“Hazel?” Ava cried softly. But Hazel didn't move. She didn't blink. She just sat straight up, frozen in her chair. Ava took only one cautious step towards her sister when Hazel’s mouth opened wide, bellowing out an ear-splitting shriek that shattered the windows behind her. Her four other sisters instinctively put their shaking hands over their ears immediately. However, Ava didn't move. She focused on Hazel the entire time. Until finally the screaming abruptly stopped, leaving them all with ringing in their ears. Hazel blinked once, and her radiant green eyes returned to their place. Ava took another hesitant step, fearing another screech was going to come from Hazel. But when nothing happened, she ran the rest of the way with obvious concern on her face. Getting to her sister’s side, she placed her hands over Hazel’s cold ones.
“Hazel?” Ava whispers again. Hazel startled them by actually opening her mouth to speak. But no one could hear her. She was whispering so quietly and rapidly, it was impossible to understand what she was trying to say. Her speech became frantic, causing Ava to take a step back.
Quickly, Ava summoned a quill and ink to appear in one hand and a piece of parchment in the other. She pushed it in front of her sister and attempted to put the pen in her rigid hand. In a sluggish manner, Hazel folded her fingers over the quill and began writing. Her eyes remain forward, as if looking beyond the room they were in. Not once did she look down at the parchment as she scribbled on in haste. Her sisters watched in bewilderment as they each understood there was no chance of Hazel surviving this vision. It has to be of major importance and there was nothing any of them could do to help. All they could do was watch and await the inevitable outcome of her final revelation. Ava could hear her sisters crying behind her, already mourning the loss of their beloved Hazel.
A single tear escapes Ava's violet eyes. But she has to stay strong for the sake of her sisters, for the sake of their world, and for the sake of all the casters in it. The head Elder must always stay valiant. Ava takes a deep breath and slowly looks over Hazel’s shoulder, emitting a loud gasp. “Half of her writing is beginning to disappear! She must be enchanting the ink!” Ava breathes out in disbelief.
Hunter stumbles forward to see for herself. “What? How? Why would she do that?” She nervously rambles. Ava shakes her head as she glumly says, “This vision is not like any we have encountered before, and the intensity of it is way more fatal than any of us are prepared for.”
“She’s stopped writing.” Hunter shrieks. Hazel eerily raises her hands and hovers them a few inches above the parchment with lightning-like sparks materialize from her palms and disappearing into her writing. “What is she doing?” Hunter squeaks out. But even Ava can’t comprehend what Hazel was casting. All she could do was watch.
Hazel delivers a message, surprising her sisters, in a voice that was wispy and forlorn and not her own:
“You are in danger, sisters. Find the caster who is chosen to save our race. She will protect you all with the help of her Light Coven. She will refill my place in the sisterhood, as I am being called to another realm, more magnificent than we can ever imagine. Heed my warning. Find her or our world will be destined for certain extinction.” With one last gasp of air, Hazel delivers the end of her message. “You will have trouble finding her, as she will have to find herself first. But when she comes to Eden, you will know. You will feel her boundless power, her pure light and her eternal soul. She will need your guidance, sisters. I must leave you now. Thank you all for a lif
e of unforgettable memories.”
The last of Hazel’s power escapes her fingertips and she slumps down, lifeless. Hunter picks her up with shaking hands and lays her down softly on the couch. As soon as Hunter withdrew her hold on her sister, Hazel began to glow. Bright blue light surrounded her entire body.
“Ava!” Hunter jumps back, surprised and horrified. Ava runs over to stand beside Hunter as they watch Hazel’s body disappear into the brightness. The room was illuminated so intensely, they all had to cover their eyes. As hard as Ava tried to keep them open, she had to shut them when they began to burn from the blazing light. A pop sound burst inside of the room, followed by ghostly silence. Ava hesitantly opened her eyes slowly, one at a time as she searched the couch for Hazel’s body. But it was no longer there.
“She’s really gone.” Hunter sadly cries. “Only to a more majestic place than this one. We will see her again.” Ava whispers encouragingly to all of her sisters. Remembering what Hazel left behind, Ava warily walks forward to the long marble table. She lifts the parchment in her quivering hands, reading it quickly and turning a few shades lighter. She hands the parchment over to Hunter and turns to sit down. As she waits for her sisters to finish looking over the prophecy, she starts planning for what is to come.
Nova, the last sister to read it, angrily shouts, “That’s it!? That’s all the information we have to go on? How are we going to find this chosen caster, if we don’t even know where or when to start?” Ava stands and squares her shoulders, eager to reveal her plan so they can begin preparing. “When the chosen one and this parchment adjoin, the rest of the prophecy will appear. And to find the chosen caster, we will begin a bi-yearly tradition to have a tournament, Caster Matches. And we will test every female caster that competes in them. It will be mandatory. Only after the full prophecy is revealed, another Caster Matches will take place so she can find her Light Coven. But first, we must have a proper ceremony to say our goodbyes to Hazel. Come, sisters. Let us begin.”
Chapter 1
Centuries Later
Last Day
Meet Scarlet
Waking up to the sound of Johnny Tillotson will be one of the special things I'm going to miss the most. Uncle Dimitri is listening to Poetry in Motion, so he must be making my favorite strawberry pancakes. I can hear the music all the way up in my room that’s on the third floor. Our all white kitchen is two floors beneath me, so it was easy to hear what was happening down there. I always knew what was on the menu just by listening to the music my uncle would cook to.
Dimitri has lived with us since I was a baby. My sister Demi is named after him. He’s my dad’s only sibling and best friend. They look a lot alike but you could definitely tell my dad is the older brother. His face is more chiseled than Dimitri's, and he’s about a foot taller. But they both bear the same pearl gray eyes, dark brown wavy hair, and ideal ivory skin tones. They truly do everything together, including owning their own self-defense gym here in Queens. And being that “here” is New York City, it’s fairly commendable.
Growing up, Demi and I were forced to take part in the gym, and at first, we didn't enjoy going. But as time went on, we learned more and better ways to defend ourselves and we were proud to know we could kick some ass if we had to. But cooking was definitely Dimitri's forte. And with pleasure, he passed that gift down to me. Demi always said she couldn't sleep in here with the smell of food always wafting in, but it was always comforting for me, so I didn't mind.
Ironically, right on cue, the smell of bacon begins sneaking in under the cracks of my door, filling my room and my nose with its juicy aroma. Instantly, it causes my mouth to water and my empty stomach to viciously growl. No wonder the music is so loud. He’s making a feast! Watching Dimitri cook is like watching a master artist paint. I better get down there soon, or I’ll miss the show.
Stretching in my small twin-size bed, I numbly look around at the same gray bedroom that I’ve slept in for the last nine years. The same silky silver curtains drape over my big circle window across the room, with a reading corner beside it, filled with three bookcases that match my dark wood bedroom set. A not-so-favorite part of my room is the aggressive floor-to-ceiling mirror that has always overwhelmed me. It was always a constant reminder of my dark and unruly curly hair that stood out against my porcelain-colored skin. My big, round, almost silver eyes stared back at the reflection every day and I'm sure I won’t miss it. Today will be the last time I wake up to that mirror, and I just can’t wait to start this new chapter in my life.
College is my chance. I chose to stay in New York, so I could come back home whenever I wanted. I'm attending Syracuse University to follow my dream of opening a bakery one day. A plus is being able to drive home and back in just a day. I have never been away from my family for more than a few days, so I thought staying close would be an easier transition, for all of us. I'm incredibly close with my family, especially Dimitri. But even I could tell how disappointed they all were at first, when they realized I wasn't getting my power.
For centuries my family has been gifted with magic in their blood. Casters is what they are called. They are immortal and powerful beings living amongst the mortals. All casters acquire their power by the age of 17, sometimes earlier but never after. My 18th birthday is just around the corner, two weeks away, and my sister Demi got her power at 14. That was just as rare as me not getting mine at all. Turns out my dad has two unique daughters. Demi claims that I'm the lucky one, since I don’t have to carry the burden of their world on my shoulders. At times I know she might be right, but a lot of the time it hurts. When Demi goes to Eden with dad or the times when she goes to the Village, those hurt the most. Eden is a caster’s paradise from what I’ve heard. They all call it home. Your power increases in strength just by being there. The Village is a home away from home for casters in the mortal realm. There are only a few of them around the world, one right here in Manhattan. Casters go there to escape and have a good time. It’s Demi’s favorite place to go. I’ve never been to either. Those without magic aren't allowed.
Dad spent many of his days trying to learn how, or even if, my non-power could be changed or somehow reversed. And being that Demi acquired her power so early, she was away a lot, learning all of the endless things she could do with her magic. I didn't blame her though. I would've done the same thing. So Dimitri took me under his wing and distracted me with the magic of cooking. I learned the rules of the kitchen way before I learned the rules of magic. It was therapeutic for me from the day I made my very first batch of cookies.
Although, casting was different. I was fascinated by it, and I yearned for the day that I could cast with my own power. I was most excited about going to Eden. When a caster gets their power, they go there to meet with the six Elders. Six women make up the Council of Casters. Six of the most powerful and beautiful women the realms have ever seen, and they are also known as the Sisters. They complete your transition from a novice to becoming a full caster.
When Demi went for her ceremony, she rambled on and on about Ava, the head elder. She would dreamily recount the process. One at a time Ava and the other Sisters placed their palms over Demi’s upturned ones. With eyes closed, Demi felt each Sisters’ power for just a moment. And when they finished, Demi could feel her own power and her own gift become stronger and more eternal. I couldn't wait to see what all the fuss was about.
When my 16th birthday came, and there was still no sign of my power, my dad traveled to Eden to meet with the Sisters. He went on my behalf to ask for guidance. When he came back, he looked crestfallen. He told me, “The Sisters said to cherish this gift. That living without magic is a blessing in disguise. Everything will turn out to be all right, honey. You'll see.” He tried saying the message with a smile, but I could tell he was doing it only for my benefit because he seemed deeply hurt on the inside.
When he gave me the message, I was crushed. I thought they would give us some hope. But instead, they told me to deal with it. After that
, I knew I was on my own. If I wanted answers, I would have to get them myself. I became obsessed with researching why I was born powerless. It would have been easier if dad told me about my mom. Who was she? Where did they meet? What did she look like? And more importantly, was she mortal? Anything that could have given me a helpful starting point in investigating my inefficient magic. But instead, he always evaded answering me.
I grew so tired of the lack of information that I just gave up. I couldn't ask Demi because she had a different mom, who died in the course of giving birth to her. So we both grew up motherless, but we always had each other. Only, I felt most alone now that I didn't have any magic. I did place full culpability for my magical inability on my mom though. She had to be mortal. That was the only valid conclusion I could come up with. After going over each and every scenario I could think of, it always ended with my mom being mortal. I was so angry that I remember I vowed to never be envious about anyone casting again. If the Sisters didn't have faith that I would get my power someday, why should I?
That same day, I begged Demi to cast my school records to be immaculate. So I could do what my family wanted me to do and just be grateful to be a regular girl without magic. And a totally normal, almost 18-year-old would fit in better among mortals her age. Going to college would be a better way to spend all of my time and energy, instead of focusing on something completely out of my control. I know college will be different though. I'm going to live in a dorm and gain roommates and no one has to know about my caster background. I also naively promised Demi that I would try and be open to dating, and that makes me nervous. But secretly, I'm excited.
A knock on my door throws me out of my haze. The doorknob rattles, and I instantly know who is on the other side. Only one person would let themselves in here without permission. “Scar! Why would you lock your door? You know I can get in if I wanted to,” shouts Demi with irritation clear in her tone. I silently laugh to myself, proud that I remembered to lock it. But it's true, I do know any one of them could get in here if they just used their magic. And I also knew any second now she would unlock the door and let herself in. So I lift my comforter over my head to enjoy the last few moments of silence. Sure enough, the door opens. I hear a snicker and a loud clap. Before I could prepare myself, my soft downy comforter disappears. Leaving me completely out in the open, cold, and vulnerable.
Winter's Awakening (Light Coven Chronicles Book 1) Page 1