Term One

by K M Charron

  Jax waved her presumption off at first, but then divulged the plan. “We’re going to use one of us as bait, draw it out, and attack it.” Only one of his eyebrows moved, the rest of his face like stone—as if he didn’t want to project any doubt or fear. Sydney could read him better than that.

  “Okay, and how do we ensure it falls for the bait? It could be anywhere on campus, possibly attacking another witch and increasing its power. Why would it be drawn to our bait-witch when thirty-four other vulnerable apprentices are walking around—not to mention the rest of the coven? We need something concrete.”

  Were they really this stupid? Did she have to think of everything herself?

  Ava gave her a disbelieving look. “Why don’t you just yell our plan?” she said through gritted teeth. “I don’t think Daniel and Penelope heard you all the way across the room.”

  She gave Ava a death stare in return. “Seriously, tell me how you’re planning to pull this off.” She slid off the table to reach around Jax, feeling inside her cubby for her emerald robes. She slipped them on over her clothes, the only one not yet ready. “We have to do this where middlings aren’t around, or we risk injuring them in an all-out battle, not to mention exposing us. The shifter has magic now. It can turn into a fricking mist and, literally, slip through our fingers if we aren’t perfectly accurate with our attack—assuming we’re strong enough, that is.”

  “Wow, great pep talk!” Khourtney said, covering her face with her hands.

  Sydney checked her watch. “We have five minutes before Máthair McKellen and Athair Choi call class to order, so do you want to know why I’m late?”

  Everyone groaned. Langston nudged her in the shoulder. “No games, Syd. Did you find something or not?”

  She knew she was smiling smugly, but she didn’t care. She’d earned this one. “I have a way to stop it. I found a spell that can enchant an object—an object that we can use to bind and house the shifter. It has to be in mist form to work, but it’s the best way.”

  Khourtney’s eyebrows knitted together. “You heard Saskia. She said we need it in human form. It’s too dangerous otherwise.”

  “I remember what she said, but think about it. If we have a portable object, we can trap it wherever it is. There’s no way it’ll let us lure it anywhere near the underground room.” The expressions staring back at her ran the gamut from shock to relief to worry. She recognized the anxiety on Langston’s face immediately. It had become his standard look as of late, and it weighed on her.

  “Oh my God, this could really work,” Justin whispered before leaning against the wall. His gaze distant as though he were picturing the entirety of how the plan would go down.

  Jax beamed. “That’s great, but how do we get it into mist form?”

  Surprisingly, Ava came forward with the plan, her face full of hope. “We blast it until it drops its disguise. The human form has a lot of surface area to connect with. If the thing has any brains, it’ll lose the body and resort to mist. Then we can trap it.”

  “That’s brilliant.” Jax clapped Ava and Sydney on the back. “Well done, you two!”

  Sydney put her finger over her lips, and they all quieted. “And there’s a way we can lure it to us without using any of us as bait.”

  “Gather round everyone,” Athair Choi announced from the front of the Main Hall. “We need to move through roll call as fast as possible. We have a lot to cover.” He clapped his hands together impatiently as if they were kindergarteners.

  Sydney deflated, longing for the days when she wouldn’t be at anyone else’s whims. Her friends groaned but moved toward the front of the Hall to stand before the fireplace. Embers floated up, swirling in the air and landing on the brick floor. Syd stared at the hypnotic flames, allowing them to calm her scattered mind and ragged body.

  Once the apprentices were gathered and roll call was complete, they headed to one of the East Wing classrooms. Sydney and her friends lagged behind for a few minutes.

  Jax checked the doorway to make sure everyone else had gone ahead. “How?”

  They watched her eagerly. Although they were alone, she still leaned in and whispered, “A witch’s magic is tied to her body. We know this. And after death, that connection remains. You can use a witch’s bones to summon or resurrect the magic they performed—if you have the exact spell they used.” She smiled even wider. “Saskia used magic to bind the shifter. And we have the exact spells and runes she used to do it.”

  Jax grabbed her excitedly by the shoulders and met her gaze. She could see in his eyes that he understood everything. “And we know her burial site. If we dig up her bones and use them with a summoning spell, the shifter will have no choice but to come to us, since Saskia tied its energy to herself through the magic she used binding it.” His face lit up in a way she hadn’t seen in months. “Have I told you that you’re brilliant?” He was giddy and kissed her on the cheek.

  She laughed deeply, the first in a long time. But she noticed that Khourtney still seemed worried. “What is it, Khourt?”

  “I still think we should wait for the solstice. Your plan is great, and using an object like that is truly amazing, but it’ll only work if we can overpower the shifter. Saskia said we need to harness the energy of a major celestial event.”

  “Well, we can’t wait that long,” Syd said with finality in her voice. There’s a full moon in two days. We’ll do it then.”

  “Will that be strong enough?” Justin asked Khourtney, rubbing his temples with his index fingers as he asked.

  “I don’t know. It’s hard to say—”

  “It will be more than enough,” Sydney said, cutting Khourtney off. She didn’t need anyone breeding negativity or doubt. “We outnumber it, and it’s still trying to regain its power from all those years of desiccation. We can beat it. We will beat it.”

  Ava exhaled sharply and put her hands on her knees. “Finally, a win.” She glanced up at Sydney. “Nice work, Syd. You might’ve just saved our asses.” She put up a palm for a high five.

  “We only have two days to get everything ready before the moon is full,” Sydney said. “Everyone needs to be all in. We can’t afford any mistakes. Got it?” She looked to each of them and saw their determination.

  Langston caught her eye and mouthed that he loved her.

  She nodded and winked before they headed off to the classroom, knowing she didn’t deserve him.

  Ainsley

  December 12

  Ainsley fought the urge to tuck her cell under her mattress and pretend it didn’t exist. Instead, she checked the screen every twenty seconds for missed texts. Tonight was the full moon—their celestial event. She could barely sit still.

  Her hand vibrated, making her jump.

  Ainsley slid the text from Sydney open.

  Meet us at the west woods bridle path at 9:30 sharp. We need you there in case something goes wrong. You’ll need to let our families know. Since the shifter isn’t after middlings, you should be fine.

  Ainsley’s fingers clenched the phone as her head swam for comprehension. Should be fine?

  Sydney couldn’t know how fine any of them would or would not be. It could kill Ainsley right along with the rest of them. Her heart went from a steady beat to feeling like she’d just won the five-hundred-meter dash. She was exhausted, having barely recovered for their all-night jaunt in the woods two days ago. How was she going to get through this?

  Yes, she wanted to help, but she had no magic, no powers, nothing beyond good-will and chutzpa. What could she do?

  She bolted up, figuring she could worry on the way. The walk across campus to the woods—alone, she noted—would take her fifteen minutes, and she needed to get changed. She wondered if she should pack a weapon of some kind? She shook her head at herself. Idiot. As if a knife could do a damn thing to a mist.

  Rummaging through her drawers, she piled on several layers, and then her jacket, hat, scarf, and boots. She pocketed her cell and darted toward the door, so she wo
uldn’t be late.

  As she swung it open, she ran full-tilt into Harper and Helen, both of whom gasped at nearly being bowled over. When had they become friends?

  Helen put her hand to her chest. “Oh my God, Ains, you scared the shit out of me.”

  Harper laughed and dropped her bag inside the door. “We thought you might want to join us for a quick study session since the calculus exam is tomorrow, but you’re obviously on your way out.” Her disappointment and disapproval were evident.

  “And you look like you’re in quite the hurry. What’s so enticing?” Helen smiled wickedly, widening her eyes like Ainsley was on her way to a strip club. “I bet it has something to do with Justin. You’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately. We were just saying how we barely see you anymore.” She batted her eyelashes innocently but got her judgment across.

  It was clear they were both annoyed, even pissed, that she’d been MIA. If they only knew why. Ainsley forced a weak smile. She was already on the verge of puking from nerves. Calculus used to make her feel that way, but now she’d give almost anything to stay in and study. “You caught me. Since the library hours and curfew are extended this week for finals, Justin promised to help me study, but thanks anyway!”

  Did Harper know her well enough to hear her voice crack?

  She had her hand on the doorknob when Harper called out to her. Ainsley’s stomach flipped.

  “How are you going to study without your books?” Harper asked, her voice full of suspicion. “Your bag is sitting on your desk chair.”

  “Oh,” Ainsley laughed. “Justin has everything. He told me not to bother bringing my books along. See you guys later.” She closed the door behind her, not waiting for a response—before they could catch her in another lie.

  Ainsley was nearly to the edge of the west woods when she saw the six of her—what? Not friends, exactly. Whatever they were, they were crowded together, waiting on her. She steeled herself, not wanting them to see how terrified she was—and not only of the shifter. The thought crossed her mind on the walk over that Sydney could—and very well would—sacrifice her as bait. It might be the real reason she’d told Ainsley to come.

  Even if that were true, Justin wouldn’t let Sydney do it, and from what she’d seen of the rest of them, no one else would either—or so she told herself.

  The icy December air nipped at Ainsley’s cheeks and nose. She jogged the rest of the way and had barely begun to catch her breath when Sydney said, “Good, you’re here. Let’s move.”

  Ainsley didn’t have the energy to question their destination or ask why Jax and Langston were carrying shovels. She didn’t want to know. Instead, she focused on Justin, who nodded and smiled, albeit a fake smile.

  He headed toward her and leaned in. Her shyness tried to her pull her head away, but she didn’t let it. A big part of her wanted to shout that she liked him, and an even bigger part wanted to grab him by the collar and kiss him as long and as hard as she could, in case she didn’t survive the night, or he didn’t. But she couldn’t think about that right now.

  “You didn’t have to come, you know,” he said. Ainsley’s stomach dropped. Was he trying to get rid of her? He bent to whisper in her ear, “But I’m awfully glad you did.” He put his hand on her back and ushered her down the path into the woods. They stayed behind the others, trudging across the frozen ground, keeping an eye out for jutting rocks and roots. The no flashlight rule was back in effect. Sydney was right; it didn’t take long for Ainsley’s eyes to adjust to the darkness. They were led along by the moon, which seemed bigger and brighter than it ever had before. She took it as a sign that the universe was on their side.

  Jax and Khourtney carried a few bags, probably spell-casting implements and ingredients. She didn’t know what was needed to defeat an immortal supernatural entity, but hopefully whatever it was could be found in those three bags.

  They walked in near silence for twenty minutes when Ainsley recognized the path as the one from the night they’d summoned Saskia. Her breath quickened. “We’re going back to Saskia’s grave? Why?” She eyed the shovels and immediately felt lightheaded.

  “There’s something there that we need to defeat the shifter,” Sydney said with a tone that made it clear they were not going to have a conversation about it.

  Ainsley turned her attention to the forest, hoping that concentrating on something else would stave off her bottled up panic.

  She focused on the breaks between the trees and the sounds of branches swaying in the wind. The night was clear and speckled with stars. There was barely a cloud in the sky. Each step made the snow-covered ground crunch beneath their feet, and Ainsley was glad for the sound. If the shifter approached in human form, they’d be forewarned.

  It was impossible, she found, not to have a one-track mind when she was probably about to die.

  The clearing was before them, and Ainsley spotted the small graveyard. Goosebumps spread across her skin, beneath all the layers she wore. What if Saskia showed up again? Could she manifest on her own, even if they didn’t conjure her? She looked around for anything supernatural and realized how easily Saskia or the shifter could hide if they chose to.

  Ava walked to the gravestone that bore Saskia’s name. She held a hand out to Langston and wiggled her fingers. “Give it here.”

  Langston raised one eyebrow and held the shovel tightly. “You want to dig?” he asked with amusement in his voice.

  “What, because I’m female, I’m weak? Give me a break,” she retorted before snatching the shovel from him and plunging it into the snow-covered dirt. A yelp escaped her throat, and she dropped the shovel handle, shaking out her arm.

  Langston and Jax both started laughing.

  Sydney shook her head. “The ground is frozen solid, you moron.”

  Ava, still wincing, said, “Well, how are we supposed to dig her up then?”

  Ainsley’s legs nearly buckled beneath her. “Um, what?” Her heart sank, and a sick sensation filled her as their intention clicked into place. “You can’t dig Saskia up. She helped us. She gave us the symbols and the spells!” She looked to Justin for an explanation.

  He was the compassionate and responsible one, but even he wouldn’t meet her eyes when he said, “Magic links to a witch’s body. Because Saskia was the witch to bind the shifter, we can use her bones to summon it to us. It’s the safest thing for us to do. This way, it’s forced here, away from campus and the coven. Plus, no one will witness our magic.”

  Ainsley had to admit the plan was solid, especially since they had no guaranteed way of telling where the shifter was or who it was impersonating. But she suspected there was still a problem with the plan. “This is Dark magic again, isn’t it? What will happen if you keep using forbidden magic? And what if Saskia doesn’t let you use her bones?”

  Sydney stepped between her and Justin, arms crossed. “Don’t worry about us. All you need to concern yourself with is not getting in our way.”

  In one swift movement, Sydney turned away, the words to a spell leaving her lips. The ground in front of Saskia’s tombstone glowed red for about three seconds before dissipating. “Ground is thawed. Dig.”

  “Well done, babe,” Langston said in awe. “Someone has some fancy new tricks.”

  Sydney blew him a kiss.

  Ainsley silently fumed. Did they think this was a joke? The entity could kill them all at any moment, or did had that slipped their minds?

  Ava broke ground and started digging in earnest.

  “Can’t you use magic to dig? I mean, wouldn’t it be easier?” Ainsley asked Ava, preparing herself for a gruff or sarcastic answer.

  None came. Ava didn’t stop her momentum, answering between lumps of soil. “Yeah, but we risk changing the magical composition of the bones. We need to be extra careful with her remains, both to protect the bones for our purposes and out of respect for an ancestor. This has to be done by hand.”

  Ainsley supposed it made sense. She had no idea how magic
worked or how precise an apprentice’s skill was—maybe they hadn’t perfected certain things yet.

  Ava and Jax dug for ten minutes, and then Langston and Justin took over. Sydney and Khourtney kept busy reviewing the spells. They couldn’t afford any mistakes.

  Ainsley watched. She’d never felt more useless. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Actually, there is,” Khourtney replied, reaching into the black bag. She removed a beautiful glass globe and held it out to Ainsley. “I need a mid—non-magical person—to hold this.” She scrunched up her face in an apologetic smile.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Ainsley reassured her. Cupping her hands, she allowed Khourtney to place the glass orb in her palms and cradled it gently. It was much heavier than it looked. “What is it?”

  “We’re going to enchant this sphere and trap the shifter inside.” She pointed to one end of the globe.

  Ainsley searched the glass and saw a tiny latch. She lifted it, pulling back a small hinged door that led to an open space in the center of the dome. “But it’s so small.”

  Khourtney laughed. “It’s all we’ll need once the shifter is back in mist form.” She stopped and swallowed hard. “At least, we’re pretty sure it’ll work. We’ll trap it inside, close the opening and magically seal it shut. The glass will ensure we have it inside. No mistakes.”

  Magical sparks speckled the air like a private fireworks display. They lit the candle wicks with the wave of a hand. Fingertips around her glowed with untapped energy. Ainsley had no idea how any of this was possible, a feeling she was rapidly becoming accustomed to.

  Sydney had the grimoire open on her lap as she sat cross-legged in the snow across from Ainsley. A moment later, Khourtney joined her. The two held up their hands and placed them over the globe.

  In unison, they began chanting in a language she thought might be Gaelic. She’d gotten better at deciphering between Gaelic and Latin from reading the grimoires and listening to the apprentice's spells. The pressure of the orb on her palms eased, and she watched in disbelief as it floated a few inches above her hands. It began slowly rotating in mid-air, changing to an electric purple, like sunlight gleaming through a large, round amethyst.