Before anyone could say another word to her, Akira bolted behind a grove of trees, and we could all hear her violently heaving up this morning’s breakfast.
“Not to worry, that happens sometimes,” Luna sighed. “Okay… let’s see who’s next.”
The beautiful professor swiveled her head in different directions until her lavender eyes landed on me, and then she smiled.
“Cole… since you seem so eager to participate, why don’t you go next?” she suggested.
Akira was a pale and trembling mess as she slowly rejoined the group, and when she stood by my side, she shot me a fearful look.
“Alright,” I replied as I met Luna’s gaze squarely. “I’ll go next.”
“Excellent.” The professor nodded with wide and eager eyes, and she gestured for me to take a small step forward. “Go on, then.”
I sighed and prepared myself for whatever might happen next, but before I raised my wand above my head, I tried to clear my mind of all fear and doubt. It wasn’t such an easy endeavor, though, since all I could think about were the endless possibilities and terrifying outcomes.
I barely knew who I was, and what if my double was even worse than Akira’s? What if I was unable to control it? What if it hungered for blood and death, even from those I cared deeply for?
There were so many things that could go wrong, it was difficult to remain focused and clear-headed.
“Cole, what’s the hold-up?” Luna asked as she tapped her foot in the dirt. “We haven’t got all day!”
“I think he fears what might happen once his shadow is released,” Theodora suggested as she edged closer to our circle. “Is that not so, Cole?”
“I do have my concerns,” I replied without looking at her, but I could feel her standing directly behind me.
“You would be a fool not to,” the headmistress replied as she took another step forward and then turned to face me. “Take your time… breathe in the forest air and feel the darkness that you can control. Let the dark forces seep into your blood and allow them to guide you. You need to control your fear, especially the fear you have for yourself and who you are.”
I nodded deeply and then cautiously raised my wand. As I stood there and prepared myself for whatever might come, I could feel everyone’s apprehension, and the witches’ eyes burned into my skin as they stared long and hard at me.
Of course, the only exception was Professor Luna, who had a wide and enthusiastic smile on her face, but we all knew she was short of a few marbles.
“Are you ready now?” Luna asked in a brisk tone.
“Yes.” I nodded firmly.
“Then take a step forward and summon your deadly half,” she ordered.
I took in a long, deep, steady breath before stepping forward. Then I slowly lifted my wand into the air and mentally prepared myself for anything that might come my way.
Finally, I was ready.
“Qui vocat umbra mea,” I recited, and I spoke each word carefully as if my life depended on it.
Soon, thick red smoke appeared from my wand’s tip, and the sky slowly darkened. Then there was no trace of sunlight left because the sky had turned a deep, charcoal black. A violent wind swept across the decaying soil, and dead leaves, twigs, and other bits and pieces of the forest were carried up into the air and flew in every direction.
A storm of chaos was brewing on my behalf.
I watched with wide eyes as the red smoke slowly began to form a tall, broad-shouldered man who was exactly my height and build. The crimson silhouette had its eyes shut, and right as it opened its bright, yellow orbs, the sky split with a crack of lightning.
And that’s when I thought I saw something unusual, even for me.
It could have been a trick of the light, but I could have sworn I saw two horns appear at the top of the shadow’s head. It was only for a split second, but I was sure I saw them. They were two massive, sharp, protruding parts that curled up and over, like a ram’s, but when I looked again, they seemed to have disappeared.
“What the fuck?” I muttered to myself.
This red version of myself simply stared at me, and then its face broke into a malevolent grin. The shadow form slowly opened its mouth and then released the most painful sound I’d ever heard, even worse than the holy army’s screech. I could feel hot blood dribbling down my ears as I met its yellow, malicious eyes, and my head throbbed in agony.
“Cole!” Luna screamed. “Take control of it!”
The wind grew stronger and stung my skin with dirt and pebbles, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to hear the professor’s voice. As I tried to fight against the violent wind and raise my wand, the shadow in front of me opened its ugly mouth, and another long, drawn-out scream erupted from its lips. When I quickly glanced at the others, each witch was crouched down into the mud, and they all had their hands tightly pressed against their ears. Even Professor Luna appeared to be suffering from the excruciating sound as she squinted her eyes and scrunched her pretty face in pain. Theodora was nowhere in sight, but I could feel her presence still lurking behind me.
As I met the gaze of my fiery red double, trees were being pulled from their roots and flying through the air. The storm was growing more vicious by the second, and I could feel the wind trying to shove my body and hand back. I fought as hard as I could against the storm and stared into my other half’s eyes, but its smile just grew more feral and bloodthirsty, and I knew the only thing it wanted was death. I felt its deepest, darkest desires as if they were my own. My dark form craved death, destruction, and decay, just like a drug, and it would do whatever it could to obtain its desires.
But fuck this bastard. I was still the one in control.
The wind tried to force my hand down, but I fought against the sensation and lifted my wand even higher. Then I aimed it right in between the motherfucker’s eyes and smiled.
“Vinculum!” I screamed.
The spell hit the shadow right in the center of its chest, and then it jerked backward as if it had been stabbed in the gut. I watched as it wriggled and squirmed under my spell, and then the smoky form shot me another spiteful glare before it tried to open its red mouth.
But I was faster.
“Silence!” I commanded.
The shadow’s crimson mouth clamped closed, and then its lips turned into a thin, red line. I watched as it tried to break free from my hold, but I knew it was useless. I had taken total control over the smoky being, and it was mine to command.
“From now on, you will obey my every whim,” I ordered. “Is that understood?”
The double nodded slowly and then hovered a little closer to me. It may have been mine to control, but I was ready to send it back to where it belonged.
“Forma reditus!” I grunted.
The howling wind came to a slow stop, and then the crimson phantom began to dissolve into pale red wisps of smoke. The mist returned to my wand, and it felt as if I were becoming whole once again. Finally, the air settled, and then the sky returned to a whitish-gray.
The witches all looked cautiously around them before they slowly stood up.
“That was… fucking insane,” Akira gawked with her large, black eyes.
“No kidding,” Vesta breathed. “I was sure the whole forest was going to be ripped up from its roots.”
“Don’t even say such a thing,” Faye breathed with wide, gold-green eyes. “A destroyed forest would have been one of the worst possible outcomes.”
I exhaled sharply and tried to ignore the splitting headache that was penetrating my skull. My stomach was doing flips and somersaults, and for a moment, I wondered if I was going to be sick like Akira.
“Oh, well done!” Luna exclaimed like a giddy schoolgirl. “That was certainly interesting, wasn’t it?”
I was painfully nauseous, and my body felt as weak as a newborn deer’s, but I did my best to remain still and upright, even though my entire body was begging me to lay down.
“Did… did anyone e
lse see that?” I asked after a moment of silence.
“See what?” Faye asked as she picked leaves and twigs out of her long, tangled hair. “Your red double? Of course, we saw him.”
“No, not that.” I shook my head slightly. “The horns… did anyone else see those fucking horns?”
“What horns?” Morgana questioned as she cocked her head to the side.
“I thought I saw horns on the top of his head,” I replied with a confused frown. “Are you telling me none of you saw them?”
I glanced at each witch, but not one of them seemed to know what I was talking about.
“I didn’t see any horns.” Akira shrugged. “But that doesn’t mean they weren’t there.”
“Yeah, exactly--” I went on, but Professor Luna cut me short.
“Horns, tails, wings, who cares?” she interjected, although I thought I detected a small amount of doubt in her voice. “The point is, you took control over your shadow. You also didn’t die. Ha! I think that’s a job well done in my book.”
“Professor--” I started, but then I felt a warm hand press down on my shoulder.
“Cole,” Theodora drawled in a soothing voice. “You’re exhausted… Why don’t we head back to the castle and prepare for your dinner tonight? The rest of the groups can practice with Luna while you return to your quarters and get dressed.”
“But, Headmistress--” I tried to argue, but she beat me to it.
“No arguments,” she insisted. “You need to have your wits about you tonight. Now, come along. I trust Luna won’t let anything happen to any of the students. They’re in good hands.”
Theodora took a step closer to me, and when I turned to look at her, she stared sternly in Professor Luna’s direction.
“Ah, yes, of course.” The blonde witch nodded. “I will ensure their safety, and do my best to keep them out of harm’s way… I mean, I really can’t promise anything for certain, but--”
Theodora cleared her throat, and Luna quickly acknowledged the warning.
“I mean, nothing will happen,” she answered quickly. “You go on now, Cole. Don’t worry about anything.”
I nodded, but not before I turned to look at my own coven.
“We’ll be fine, Cole,” Faye affirmed in a soothing voice, and she flashed me a quick smile. “Just go.”
I cast one last glance at the group and then followed Theodora back to the castle. As we walked through the damp, dark woods, Theodora hummed a strange melody under her breath, and I couldn’t help but feel as if the ever-confident headmistress was a bit nervous.
“You’re concerned about my dinner with Ravana tonight,” I said, “aren’t you?”
“Why ever would you think that?” she asked without looking at me.
“I can feel it,” I answered. “It’s practically radiating off your body.”
“Well, you’re incorrect,” she replied as she lifted her chin stubbornly, and she looked just like her daughter Vanessa when she did this. “I’m perfectly fine, but I appreciate your concern.”
“Alright, then,” I answered, but my voice was laced with doubt. “If you’re sure.”
We quietly passed through the tall, black iron gates that led into the castle, and once we were inside the warm academy, Theodora stopped in the middle of the corridor and then quickly looked around as if to make sure no one was in earshot.
“Headmistress,” I said with a raised eyebrow, “are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m fine,” she insisted, but then she gave me the once over and sighed. “I just need you to be extremely cautious tonight. Can you do that for me, Cole?”
“When have I ever let you down?” I grinned confidently.
“Not once so far,” she admitted with a small smile. “Still, keep both your eyes and ears peeled, will you?”
“I will,” I answered in a cool tone.
“Very well.” She nodded. “Now, go upstairs and get some rest before dinner. You’ll be needing it. Be sure to come by my office when you’re ready. I’ll take you down to Headmaster Ravana.”
I nodded and then parted ways with the Headmistress, and as I headed toward the common room, I tried not to envision all the different ways that tonight could go wrong.
I was about to enter the lion’s den, but what Headmaster Ravana didn’t know was that I’ve faced more terrifying beasts than him, and I was fucking ready for anything.
Chapter 6
I knew the wise thing to do would be to try and get some sleep, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t. My mind was too restless, so instead, I paced around my bedroom while Alexander watched me with his little observant red eyes.
You’re looking a little pale there, Cole, he said.
“Yeah, well, I’m not feeling so hot,” I muttered and rubbed at my forehead. “We practiced shadow splitting this morning, and to be honest, it took a heavy toll on me.”
I don’t know what that is, but it sounds painful, he responded.
“Well, I can you tell you one thing,” I grunted. “It wasn’t a pleasant experience.”
So, why don’t you lay down? he asked.
“I can’t,” I sighed. “I have a special dinner to get ready for… besides, my mind is racing. There’s no way I can sleep.”
Sleeping is natural, he remarked. You just close your eyes and let the world and all its worries drift away... at least for a little while.
“Easy for you to say,” I scoffed. “You’re a rabbit, you could lay down all day if you wish.”
Hey, I do more than lounge about all day, he argued and twitched his little nose at me.
“Sure, you do.” I smirked.
“Sir, would you care for a bath before you get ready?” Cordelia suddenly asked. “I have three different outfit options for you tonight.”
“Why so many?” I questioned.
“The headmistress said your dinner was extremely important,” she responded. “So, I thought I’d take the liberty of giving you a few different choices.”
“That was very thoughtful of you, Cordelia.” I smiled. “What would I do without you?”
“Oh, sir,” the invisible maid cooed. “You’re going to make an old maid blush.”
Is that even possible? Alexander snorted.
“I don’t think so,” I chuckled under my breath.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?” Cordelia asked. “Perhaps a cup of wine or tea?”
Before I responded, I looked up toward the ceiling, as if I were going to see her floating there.
“I think I’ll have that bath before I make any more decisions,” I answered.
“Very well, sir,” she obediently replied.
When I walked into the bathroom, the tub was filled to the brim with steaming, purple water, and the room smelled of lavender and rosemary. So, I quickly undressed and then stepped into the bath, and as I sunk deeper into the hot water, a relaxed smile came to my face.
“Cordelia, is there something different about this bath?” I questioned. “Did you add something special to the water?”
“Well, I did add a dash of unicorn powder, fairy wings, and siren skin,” she replied, and her voice was filled with pride. “I overheard your conversation, and I figured you could probably use a little help recovering from class.”
“That was very thoughtful of you,” I said.
“Anything for you, sir,” her voice echoed. “I’ll leave you to it, then. If you need anything else, just holler!”
“Thank you,” I answered.
I sank deeper into the tub while the water worked its magic, but as I relaxed, my mind wandered back to the red silhouette of my shadow form. I couldn’t help but wonder why no one else saw those massive horns.
Did I imagine things? I didn’t think so, but who knew.
Maybe I was starting to officially lose my shit.
After some time, I sighed, shook my head, and carefully stepped out of the tub. Luckily, my body felt brand new. The exhaustion had vanished en
tirely, and when I strolled into the bedroom, three different outfits were neatly laid out for me.
Cordelia had picked three unique button-down shirts and splayed them out on the bed, and each one was paired with dark-colored slacks. I had the choice between a dark emerald shirt, a vibrant red high-collared top, or a jet-black button down. As I stared at the red fabric, flashes of the crimson shadow seeped back into my mind, and I shook my head to rid myself of the fresh memory.
“No more red for tonight,” I whispered to myself.
So, I ended up picking the emerald shirt, and as I fumbled with the buttons, Alexander hopped onto the bed and then looked up at me with his small twitching nose.
You look good, he commented. That color definitely suits you.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
Hey, why do you sound so fucking bitter? he asked. If I were you, I’d be thrilled.
“Why?” I cocked an eyebrow at my familiar. “You do realize I’m dining with a creepy headmaster, right?”
So? he asked. Creepy or not, who doesn’t get excited about dinner?
“Aha, feasting and fucking,” I chuckled. “That’s really all you care about. Sorry, sometimes, I forget you’re an animal… must be nice to lead such a simple life.”
Yep, life is good, he snickered.
I finished getting dressed and swung my Scholomance cloak over my shoulders. Then I smoothed down any creases and wrinkles and took a long, deep breath before I stared back at Alexander.
“Well,” I said, “what do you think?”
Looking sharp as a knife, he answered.
His words rang in my ears like an echo, and I thought of an idea, so I edged toward my desk and then pulled open one of the drawers. Inside laid my old dagger, which I crafted during my preschool term, and I gently picked it up and studied it under the dim bedroom light.
Wooooow, fancy knife, Alexander said, and his tone was clearly impressed.
“It’s a dagger,” I corrected him before I tucked it into the back of my trousers.
Why are you bringing a knife to dinner? he asked. Doesn’t the other school use silverware?
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