“Dimitri has a girlfriend?” She says quietly. More to herself than to me. “Has he not brought home women before?” I ask. I bet my aunt and her friends would love to be here for this conversation. Shaking her head slowly, she numbly replies. “No. Him or my dad never brought any woman home. This is so weird,” she answers in shock. I convince Scarlet that it’s time for us to get some rest before we prepare for our stay in Eden. With the Caster Matches coming up, we’ll need to rest as much as we can now.
Scarlet
Going through the portal back to Eden was somewhat tougher this time. I only just saw my roommates again, and now I have to say goodbye for a week. They understood, but I could still see the hurt in their eyes. Charlie looked sick to her stomach about a “bad feeling” that wasn't going away, but I pinned it on the demon ambush from yesterday. After we said our tearful goodbyes, Evan had to practically drag me out of the dorm. We were now being rushed to Eden because Ava sent us a message, telling us that all of the competitors were selected. They were only waiting on us now. We hurriedly make our way through Eden’s gorgeous landscaping and finally come to the estate, breathless. Getting inside, Evan snaps his fingers, and our belongings have disappeared. Jade’s map appears in Evan’s hands.
“It looks like they're all in the assembly hall. Let’s go,” he says, as he takes my hand and rushes me through the hallways. We get to two huge double doors made of the shiniest brown wood I’ve ever seen. Evan pushes it open, leading me to the front of the room, where the five Elders sit on their thrones. A sixth chair sits empty beside Hunter, and Evan kisses my hand, motioning for me to go sit in the elaborate chair. “Let’s go, newbie,” Hunter’s teasing voice sounds in my mind. I swing my head in her direction and give her my best evil eyes.
Evan takes the moment of distraction to let go of my hand and walk to where my dad and his cousins are seated. A quick look to my dad, and with a twinkle in his eye, he gestures for me to take my seat. I awkwardly walk over and sit down, feeling ridiculous and insecure. I don't know how long it’s going to take for me to get used to this kind of behavior here. And by the looks of it, I don't have much time. “Welcome, Scarlet,” Ava announces, as she bows her head at me. She turns back towards the skilled casters and begins her speech. “Welcome, casters. May I begin by apologizing for the unexpected and rapid delivery of these Caster Matches. It is dire that we find our fighting coven. And we must do it with urgency. Thank you to all participating. You are greatly appreciated. Now, I know you all know the rules of the Matches, but there have been a few changes due to the seriousness of the danger that is to come.”
The crowd murmurs amongst themselves, and Ava raises her hand for silence. They instantly oblige and the chatter stops. “There will be no training prior to the Matches, and we will begin them tomorrow morning. You have the day to brush up on any skill you think needs polishing. Instead of competing beside the casters of your location, you will be competing against them. And the only guests invited to watch these Matches are the casters who reside in your location.” She pauses, in case anyone had something to say. And when no one does, she continues. “If you are the chosen caster of your location, you will be in a very powerful coven. One that has to defeat a powerful Dark Coven that has threatened our world. You will reside in the wing of your coven’s leader, and you will do anything and everything to protect them.” I feel my cheeks getting hot and hastily look around to all the surprised faces in the crowd.
“Breathe, love.” Evan’s soothing voice instructs me in my mind. “By the way, your dad is eating this up,” he says with a quiet chuckle. I find my dad and giggle to myself when I see the look of wonderment plastered on his face. “Thanks for the diversion,” I reply in Evan’s mind. He sends me a wink and gives his attention back to our head Elder. “That is all. Your belongings are in your rooms. We will see each of you tomorrow morning at seven a.m. sharp.” She flicks her wrist, and a key lands on each caster’s lap. “Those are your room keys. Simply hold it in your hand and cast it to show you the way to your room. Again, welcome to Eden,” she finishes, as she walks over to me.
I unintentionally pull her in for a hug, catching her by surprise again. I don't know why I feel so compelled to greet her this way, but she returned the hug, and it felt incredible. “I know you had a rough day yesterday, Scarlet. But Evan told us of your bravery, and we can’t be prouder of you. Well done.” She pulls away from our embrace and motions for me to follow her. As I do, she continues speaking. “I have Evan’s cousins staying with you in your wing. Is that okay?” She asks as I nod my head in answer. “Good. We’re going to be regrettably busy today setting up the arena for the Matches, but your father and Evan are going to meet you in your wing. If you need anything at all, anything, please just call out to any one of us and we will come,” she says sweetly, giving me another hug before leaving with the other Sisters.
Walking to my wing, as I pass handfuls of casters, I feel the intensity of all of their powers. It was overwhelming. Finally reaching my black doors, I rush inside, only to see dad, Evan, Lucas, and Derek with training gear on. “Ready to prepare?” Derek says menacingly, causing me to laugh. I find my power and cast training clothes to appear on my body. I was eager to get started. “I'm ready.” I say, gaining adrenaline-infused shouts from some of the most important men in my life.
Chapter 32
The Caster Matches
I woke up this morning before anyone else. I was just so excited and couldn't sleep any longer. I thought my body would be sore after the intense training with the guys yesterday. But I felt rejuvenated, stronger. Scurrying around the room, I try to quietly put on my uniform for the first day of Matches. Girls are in black, tight stretchy pants with a white camisole. An extra small vest that has our team location on it reads New York, across the front. And on the back, is my last name. If the vest wasn't so small, I would wear it all the time. I can move easily in this, but it’s definitely tighter than my usual wear. You can see every crease of my body. And looking at myself in the mirror, I loudly grunt, completely forgetting that Evan was asleep behind me. But of course, he wasn't asleep. I see his reflection in the mirror, and he has a big grin on his face as he looks at me in my uniform. I quickly swing my head over at him. “How long have you been awake?” I ask, as I feel my cheeks getting warm.
“Long enough to see you squeeze into those pants,” he says, in his raspy just waking up voice. He leans forward and pulls me back onto the bed, and we lay there with my back to his chest. “You look sexy, love.” His sleepy voice is waking up desires in me that can’t be woken up right now, definitely not on the first day of Matches. He pulls me closer to him and takes a deep breath in, smelling my hair. Moaning his approval and making goosebumps rise along my skin, he nuzzles into my neck. I don't know if it tickled me or turned me on more, but I had to get out of his hold. Giggling, I wiggle out of his embrace. After a few tries of almost escaping and getting pulled back in, I finally get away. My hair was a mess, and I really didn't want to fight with it. So for the first time, I'm going to cast to style myself. Thankfully Evan is in the bathroom, and I could do this without any pressure.
Standing in front of the mirror, I stare at my reflection. It’s been awhile since I actually looked at myself. Getting my power must have done something to my appearance because my hair is brighter and shinier. It’still curly, but the curls are much softer now, like Evan’s. My lips are fuller and pinker. And my eyes, they're the most different. They're more silver than gray now. There’s a slight metallic shine in them, and the ribbon I saw in them before has now tripled as they swim around my pupils. The shower turns off, and I hurry to do my hair. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I focus on what I want, a braid crown, a tight one, so it stays in all day. And ribbons, I want thin, white ribbons weaved into the braids.
Easily finding my power, I quickly lead it out of my fingers. Waving my hand and completing the cast, thinking of how I want the final creation to look, and I open my eyes. I
thought it would simply appear to be done. But instead, my hair is floating in the air by itself. Folding and weaving and pinning itself. I stand there frozen as I watch my hair. Afraid that if I move, the cast will go into disarray, and my hair will end up a tangled mess. And of course, the bathroom door opens, and Evan stands in the doorway, watching me with a surprised look on his face.
“It’s going to be so much fun watching you out there today,” he says, through a loving and playful smile. Walking over to his uniform of black military pants, black combat boots, and a form-fitting white T-shirt under a light black hooded vest, he begins pulling it all on. I playfully roll my eyes as the last bit of my hair finally gets tucked and pinned. It definitely feels tight. And it’s really pretty. I don't know if this is the look I was going for, but I'm pleased with how it turned out.
“Wow.” He always seems to go breathless when he looks at me so intensely. His compliments always make me feel confident, and he says them with so much love and conviction that I can’t help but blush. Standing up and walking over to him, I sit on his lap and softly place my lips on his. “I love you, Scarlet.” He says, devotedly. I can listen to him say that a thousand times a day, and I’d never get tired of hearing it. “I love you more than you'll ever know, Evan,” I say, just as intensely as he did. As he holds me in his arms, he brings his lips down to kiss my neck. “Ava asked me to glamour your angel Mark, so the casters don't overreact. She says after the Matches are over we won’t have to hide it anymore.” He explains, as he brings his hand up to softly cover the back of my neck. With a quick chant, the cast is set, and he holds me tight for another small moment. “Ready to go kill it?”
I look into his eyes. “Together.” I reply. “Together,” he finishes, speaking in my mind. An hour later, after breakfast, we’re finally on our way. I'm in a black bus with black tinted windows. It reminds me of an over-sized limo. It’s mostly quiet on the ride over to the arena. It appears that everyone is mentally preparing for the Matches, and thankfully it’s not a far drive. Lucas and Derek are here, too. Lucas looks so sad, though. He was complaining all night about how he would rather be with Charlie back at Syracuse. I feel bad for him. And if I could help him get out of these Matches and back to her, I would. But the prophecy is bigger and a lot more important to the caster world. I am glad things haven't gotten weird with Derek, Luke, and me. They still treat me the same as when we all first met, and I'm grateful for that. But everyone else looks at me like I'm someone famous, someone who is unapproachable, and I don't like that very much. Hunter says I’ll get used to it, and it'll die down sooner than later. I hope she’s right.
We pull in to park next to an identical bus. “Finally,” I breathe out, louder than intended. Evan and the guys chuckle at me, causing me to laugh as I stand to get off. Only, Evan grabs my hand and pulls me back down. “We can’t leave until one of the Elders comes to get us,” he says, amused at the look on my face. “You're kidding.” I act as if I'm going to cry, causing everyone else on the bus to laugh. I'm glad I could break the ice, but it’s still so awkward. Ten minutes later, Hunter suddenly appears at the front of the bus and loudly shouts, frightening us all. She doubles over laughing at us. “That is my favorite part every time,” she says, trying to catch her breath. I focus on her to send her a mind speak message. “That just cost you a dessert,” I say, with my arms crossed in front of me. Her head snaps up, and her eyes look tormented. “No!” She cries in my head, so dramatic. She has easily become my favorite Elder, and now it’s my turn to laugh at her. But she rolls her eyes and squints them at me.
“Can we please get off this bus!!” I beg her out loud, but she sticks her hip out and smirks at me.
“Give me back my dessert, and we can all exit the transport,” she says in my head, like a snotty teenager. My mouth falls open, and my arms find themselves crossed again. I respond to her hostage demands out loud. “Fine.” She nods her head once, pleased that her extortion tactic worked. She claps her hands and shouts, “Let’s do this, New York!!” Evan leans down to whisper to me, “What was that about?” With a side glance at her, I caught him up. “I told her I wouldn't bake for her, and she used it against me. She is always out for my desserts.” I say with an annoyed smile. I was so eager to get off the bus, but I'm the last one to exit. And I can’t help but hesitate. Can I do this? “Are you all right, love?” Evan’s soothing voice sounds in my mind, and I take a deep breath, stepping off the bus. They're all waiting to go, and now I am too.
Evan slings his arm over my shoulder. “You've got this, Scarlet. Let’s go have some fun and show them what New York can do.” He says confidently, and I just can’t help but smile up at his handsome face. “Thank you, Evan. For everything.” Hunter puts her hand up, signaling us to stay put as she walks through a door and disappears. I look up at Evan questioningly. “She’s telling Ava we’re ready. Hunter will come back to get us, then Ava will introduce us individually. We’ll take our seats and wait for the others to be introduced. After, the Elders pick the games that we are to compete in, and we begin,” he explains in my mind. Just then, Hunter comes jogging back towards us, towards me actually. She takes my hands in hers. “You're an Elder now, Scar. Would you like to come and pick out the games with us?” She asks with a gleam in her eyes. My own go wide, and I instinctively look at Evan. He looks proud as he nods his head encouragingly. I look back to Hunter and silently agree, as she jumps up happily and pulls my hands.
“Yes! Everyone, let’s go!” She tells the group. Then she turns back to look at me. “After Ava introduces you, walk up to the stage, and stand by us, okay?” She says right before she pulls me out into the humongous arena. There are a whole lot of people here but not so much so that every seat is taken. I remember Ava saying due to the prophecy, these matches won’t be as packed with an audience as they usually are. Families and friends of the competitors can come, and those who are Marked only. I find my family immediately. They have the very first row of seats directly on the opposite side of the Elders’ area. Even Demi and Silas are here. I instantly get a rush of confidence as my dad gives me a triumphant smile. I mentally send an I love you to them all, and Demi’s head snaps to me, a single tear escaping her eye. “I love you more, baby sis. Good luck and have fun.” She’s always so emotional. Usually I would join her in the mushiness, but this time it’s a little funny. She’s like an embarrassing mom that always cries at every recital and spelling bee.
Hunter stops us directly in front of a line of chairs in the front of the arena, where there is a small stage and the Elders are all standing. Four rows of chairs are behind ours, filled with the competing casters face the stage. We take our seats and await the introductions to begin as Ava's voice booms on the speakers. “Welcome, casters, to the Caster Matches. This is a very special tournament to be a part of as it was foretold in a prophecy long, long ago. Thank you all for being here to join us in witnessing this spectacular event. I will begin the introductions, so we can begin this very exciting day.” Ava nods her head once towards the back row, and they immediately rise out of their seats.
“Welcome, Casters of London, England.” When Ava finishes their location, they take their seats, and she continues. “Welcome, Casters of the island of Quisqueya, Dominican Republic. Welcome, Casters of Santorini, Greece. Welcome, Casters of Xi’an, China. And finally, welcome, Casters of New York, USA. I would like to take this time to introduce someone special to the casters competing and the audience in the arena, someone who will be in the Matches with the casters from New York. Although she will not be competing to win, she is participating for training purposes. The chosen one of the prophecy, Marked, and the newest Elder to join the Caster’s Council, Scarlet Winter of Queens, New York!” My cheeks turn red, and instead of taking my seat like the others, I walk straight onto the stage. Standing next to Hunter, I bow my head once to the audience in acknowledgment. This is so bizarre!
“Now we will begin the selections of the games!” She gracefully turns aroun
d and walks to stand in front of the five of us. She waves her hands towards the floor, and the single miniature podium disappears. In its place, blue squares, the size of playing cards, appear vertically in the air. They scatter around in front of Ava's body, reaching her full height. It all looks like a high-tech hologram. But we all know this is pure magic. Ava twirls her finger once, and the cards shuffle rapidly.
Hunter’s voice sounds in my head. “Each of us pick one card, then three of us together pick one.” Getting momentarily confused, I nod my head and continue to watch Ava. She bends down and points to a card closest to her knee. The card she pointed to levitates and enlarges, taking its place above the stadium stage. She stands and walks next to Belle. Belle steps in front of the floating glowing cards and reaches up, and points to a card in the top right area. The card floats and rests in the spot next to the card Ava chose. She walks back to the line and takes her place next to Ava. Jade is next. And when she steps up to it, she twirls her finger, reshuffling the cards. She bends down and points to a card nearest to the floor. It rises and joins the other two above our heads.
Winter's Awakening (Light Coven Chronicles Book 1) Page 30