Mystic Coven: Fire Festival (Supernatural Academy Graduates Book 1)

by Jennifer Rose McMahon

  I bolted over to her as Clayton took hold of her shoulders.

  "Hang on, Hattie. Don't let it overwhelm you. Fight it," I commanded her.

  With a tense face, she fought against the episode that threatened to knock her unconscious. Her entire body twitched from the effort as her cheeks reddened.

  "The water would splash on the lily pads and wet the ground around the fountain," she said. "Sometimes it would hit me in the eye, and I would laugh."

  Just as the last word left her mouth, she collapsed into Clayton's arms.

  Chapter 7

  This time, we didn't panic from Hattie's fainting episode.

  She rested comfortably with her head in my lap, mumbling about twisting mazes, whirling mist, and trotting horses. While she recharged, I considered what to do next. Maybe she'd be able to handle more when she woke, or maybe not.

  Clayton paced by the ivy-covered fountain while the others sat on the mossy path. My gaze trailed along the overgrown garden walkway toward the open space of the labyrinth.

  "There's a clearing just over there." I pointed. "If we can get there, we'd be able to practice and plan without any interference."

  Piper shot a judgmental glare at me.

  "Wait." Clayton froze in his tracks. "Don't we need to get Hattie back to the infirmary?"

  Guilt washed over me. Had I become so focused on the trials that I wasn't taking proper care of our mentee?

  "You would have left with her a long time ago if you really thought she needed to go to the infirmary," Noah jabbed at Clayton.

  Whoa. His tone helped me feel less defensive. Because he was right. Clayton would have left right away if he thought Hattie needed medical attention. His comment was just his insecurity peeking out.

  "Let's see how she is when she wakes, and then we'll decide what to do," I said. "Pretty much, it's up to her."

  Everyone nodded in agreement.

  "When will I find out what my element is?" Asher chimed out of nowhere while gazing in the direction of the clearing. "Maybe today?"

  I grinned. "Maybe. But usually, it takes some time. You'll discover explanations for your abilities throughout your training. Some things you'll think were normal to everyone, and you'll find out that they are actually supernatural gifts, unique to you. That's always the first revelation that happens."

  Piper hopped up to her feet. "Right. Like, I remember when I first came here, I thought everyone could sense each other's emotions and know exactly how they were all feeling." She shrugged. "I just thought that was normal." Her eyes fell then. "I was really glad when I figured it out because I'd spent my entire life wondering why no one understood me. I figured, if they could read my emotions, then they would know what was going on with me. But instead, everyone just thought I was odd. I felt ridiculously alone."

  "Until you came here," I added.

  "Right. Until I came here." She smiled at me. "Then, I started learning about clairsentience. I'm practicing how to actually feel people's emotions now, not just sense them."

  Asher's eyes grew wide at what Piper had shared, and he surveyed the rest of us, wondering about each of our stories.

  "What about you. Clayton?" Asher shuffled over to him and looked up at his face.

  The look in Asher's eyes proved he was mesmerized by Clayton. I mean, sure, he was tall and strong, with shockingly beautiful dark, glowing skin. He was almost unworldly, Adonis-like, but at the same time, grounded firmly to the earth.

  Earth.

  That must be Clayton's element. It made perfect sense.

  He glanced down at Asher with a fond grin. "That's a story for another day," he said. "Mine's not quite as easy to explain." He pressed his lips together as if emphasizing the need for silence on the matter.

  My curiosity grew ten-fold, distracting me from anything else of importance. Clayton held his secret like Fort Knox, and I wondered what could be so crazy as to require such secrecy. I thought we'd seen it all around here. But maybe not.

  "Noah, tell Asher about when you first got here," I called over with an evil twinkle in my eye.

  Noah scrunched his eyebrows together as his narrowed eyes shot daggers at me.

  I sent a guilty grin back as my shoulders lifted to my ears with feigned innocence.

  "Tell me, Noah," Asher gushed, hopping closer to him.

  Noah dropped his head back, rolling his eyes.

  "Ugh," he groaned. "It's not as glamorous as any of the other stories, so don't expect too much."

  "No, tell me. Tell me." Asher bounced in his shoes.

  Noah took a deep breath. "Clairgustance," he stated.

  "What's that?" Asher begged with wide eyes.

  Noah shook his head as if ashamed of his skill.

  "I can taste things," he said. "Without actually touching them. Sometimes from really far away."

  Asher giggled as his face lit up.

  "You mean like spaghetti and pizza?" His eyes brightened. "That's awesome!"

  Clayton smirked at Noah, then lowered his gaze.

  "I wish," he said. "No, it's more like chemical reactions, or fear, or the presence of a paranormal entity." He paused in thought. "Sometimes I can smell it, too. I mostly smell fear. And sometimes death."

  Asher's jaw dropped. "That's amazing!"

  Noah's eyebrows lifted in shock, and he smiled. His skills had never been fully respected before. Most of the students here brushed them off like he was an amateur out of his league. But the faculty seemed to appreciate his gift, so that helped somewhat with his shaky confidence.

  Hattie whimpered, pulling our attention back to her.

  She wiggled and opened her eyes, looking up at me.

  "I'm okay," she said before anyone else could speak.

  "Take your time," I reminded her. "No rush."

  She sat up and straightened her sweater.

  "No, really. I actually feel good." She stood, bouncing her knees, and took a huge breath. "I almost feel... normal."

  "Normal?" I asked.

  "Like, a sense of home," she said. "I guess I'm starting to feel at home here. Or at least like I'm getting closer to it."

  Clayton hopped over and squatted down to her level.

  "That's good, Hattie," he smiled. "But don't push yourself. We can go at your pace, no problem."

  She lifted her gaze to the sky and glanced all around us.

  "No, I'm ready for more. Please. Can we keep going?"

  Clayton looked at me as if uncertain of what to do.

  I felt the same way. She was young and new to it all, and we'd been warned not to move too fast with her. But then, at the same time, she seemed ready for more, almost jumping-out-of-her-skin ready.

  "Can we go that way?" She pointed toward the clearing. "I think there's something over there that we should explore."

  My eyes shot wide as I looked at Noah and Piper. They knew exactly what was in the clearing, and they also knew it held significant power and mystery over me.

  The blood drained from my face, and I was sure I looked sheet-white. Dizziness made my head spin, and I lowered my hands to my knees.

  "What is it?" Asher asked. "What's over there?"

  After a few deep breaths, the blood returned to my head, invigorating me to a new level.

  I lifted my eyes to Asher's and said, "The lost labyrinth."

  Hattie's eyes widened like saucers.

  "What's is a labyrinth, anyway?" she asked.

  Asher hunkered in closer to hear.

  "It's like a maze, but without dead-ends. There's only one direction to go, and the winding path takes many twists and turns leading to the center. But, you can't get lost in it like a maze, since there's only one way to go," I said.

  But my words confused me as they left my mouth.

  I knew better than that.

  I knew you could get lost in the labyrinth. Sure, the path never split, keeping you moving on one set course, but still, I knew you could get lost in there. I felt it in my bones any time I was near it.
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  And it called to me, constantly tempting me to take the first step.

  I'd always been too afraid, though.

  Until now.

  Hattie seemed to have equal draw and curiosity to the labyrinth. Maybe we would venture in together one day.

  I bit my lip, contemplating the thought of entering the labyrinth. Finally.

  "I want to go into it!" Asher blurted.

  My protective guard shot straight up.

  "Not so fast, Asher. It's forbidden. We need to be respectful of the grounds and understand that it's off-limits for a reason."

  I hated how my parental tone sounded. I was the last person to take an order on faith, and so I felt like a hypocrite asking Asher to do the same.

  "Well, can we at least see it?" he whined.

  My nerves twitched with warning alarms, reminding me that our curiosity could get the better of us, and going anywhere near the labyrinth was just looking for trouble. But I couldn't stop myself.

  "Yes, we can see it. I want us to use the open space around it for our training." Maybe my alternate motive would actually work, and we'd focus on our skills rather than the temptation of the labyrinth.

  Clayton pursed his lips to the side and narrowed his eyes.

  I pulled my gaze away from him, pretending not to see his hesitation.

  "Let's go," Hattie called as she followed the garden path toward the open space ahead of us.

  She hurried along the trail as if going to a place she'd been to a million times before. I followed her with the same confidence, knowing the way like the back of my hand.

  I watched as she lifted up on her toes every few paces in hopes of getting a better look ahead. I smiled at her cute ambition and natural innocence.

  Piper and Noah remained close at my heels while Clayton stayed at the end of the line. He glanced behind numerous times as if to be sure we weren't being followed. His guilty ticks made it clear he was uncertain about moving forward, but at the same time, too intrigued to stop.

  "It's up ahead," Hattie cried to us. "I think the horses used to run through here."

  Asher followed her with twitching excitement.

  I stopped in my tracks from the sound of her words, and Noah and Piper bumped into me. Clayton pulled up behind us.

  "Why'd you stop?" he asked, keeping an eye on Hattie and Asher ahead.

  I scratched my head in confusion.

  "It's like Hattie's been here before. First, the event at the stables when she was searching for her pony. And now, she just said the horses used to run through this place. I'm starting to get a little freaked out."

  Clayton shot his attention to the new recruits as they moved closer to the clearing.

  "Don't let them out of our sight," he said, racing after them.

  My heart jumped into my throat as sudden fear shot through my veins.

  If we lost our new recruits to some strange labyrinth curse, we'd never forgive ourselves. Not to mention the repercussions from the academy.

  Insecurity coursed through me as I realized we'd already failed as mentors. We'd allowed Asher and Hattie to run ahead into unsafe territory.

  Shrubs and overgrowth blocked our view as we flew along the garden path after them. My heart beat loudly in my ears as my breath whooshed in and out of me.

  "Hattie! Asher! Wait!" I yelled, but they were nowhere in sight.

  Clayton's stealth focus remained on the path as he raced along the trail like a highly-trained sprinter.

  Just as we rounded a broken stonewall dripping in ivy, we caught a glimpse of them.

  Their pace had slowed as they moved into the clearing, and as if by instinct, Hattie took a step onto the first stone of the labyrinth path.

  My breath choked me as panic surged through my body. I'd never even taken that first step. I had no idea what it could conjure.

  "Stay there! Don't move," I yelled, trying to catch my breath, as well as my lost sanity.

  We caught up to them just before they entered the dizzying maze. And in that same moment, a dark figure caught my eye, hovering among the shadows of the surrounding trees. With its black cloak billowing in the breeze, the strange being watched us from afar, as if surveying our next moves.

  My heart stopped in my chest.

  The banshee of my nightmares.

  She'd made herself known at the stable ruins, and now she showed herself again.

  Her insidious stalking sent terror through me as I contemplated her evil motives.

  She'd left nothing but fear in my dreams, and now, in my wakefulness, she continued the same—only now, Hattie and Asher were vulnerable to her presence.

  "Clayton," I whispered through frozen lips.

  His eyebrows lifted.

  "In the trees," I hissed, nudging my head in her direction. "She's back."

  Clayton's spine shot rigid as his gaze followed the cloaked figure through the shadows.

  Instantly, he bolted toward Asher and Hattie, taking their arms and corralling them within his hold.

  "Hey, don't run ahead like that," Clayton coughed, not wanting to frighten them. "You need to stay close to us when we're entering something new." His eyes darted through the trees again, but the looming figure was gone.

  Whatever it was out there, it was keeping its distance, so that was good.

  "Sorry," Asher whispered, hiding under his auburn curls.

  Hattie attempted to take tiny steps back toward the labyrinth, staring into the open space above it.

  "But it isn't new," she muttered. "It's old now. I don't understand."

  As her words formed in my head, my vision narrowed to a fine point of focus. My hand flew to mouth to hush the gasp.

  Hattie had seen the garden and labyrinth before, in their original form. Just like how she'd seen the stables in full operation, even though at our visit, they were in time-worn ruin.

  Hattie had visions.

  I knew that much.

  It didn't seem all that different from my own abilities as a seer, but now, the images seemed more profound.

  She saw things from the past and felt them as if she were there. It was a feeling I'd always experienced too, only no one had a name for it at the academy, aside from second sight and clairvoyance. But those terms were already overused. Hattie and I had a more advanced version, something bigger.

  I walked up beside her, and the two of us moved closer to the labyrinth, while the others followed.

  Hattie's eyes widened in wonder as she scanned the open space and then the detailed features of the twisting stone path.

  "It's amazing," she breathed, following the winding trail with her eyes.

  She took another step forward, and I held her shoulder.

  "Not yet. We can't go in there right now."

  "But why?" She kept her focus fixed on it.

  "I just don't think we're ready."

  My answer annoyed me because it was so evasive, but at the same time, necessary.

  There was something powerful within the labyrinth, and we needed to be prepared for whatever it might be. And with the cloaked creature somewhere in the woods, I didn't want to take any chances.

  "Instead, we need to use its energy for our training," I said. "Take all of its force and strengthen your senses. We'll walk its path when the time is right."

  She relaxed her tense muscles and slowly redirected her focus back to the group.

  Piper moved closer, glancing around like a nervous antelope, and Noah stayed by her side, flinching at every sound.

  "So, we're not going in there, right?" Noah huffed.

  "Right," Clayton agreed.

  Asher kicked some gravel, doing everything he could to redirect his disappointment.

  "Let's spread out over there." Clayton pointed to a grassy area at the side of the labyrinth entrance.

  It was a spot where we could keep an eye on the woods, while also having plenty of room for our practice.

  We gathered in a circle, and as everyone found their spots, Clayton lean
ed into me and whispered.

  "I feel like someone's trying to intimidate us," he said. "I don't want to give in to their harassment."

  His interpretation of the cloaked being wasn't that far-fetched. However, I had more information that I'd have to share with him. If he knew about the banshee and her hunt for me, he might feel differently about staying out here.

  "Clayton, I need to tell you something," I started.

  His eyebrows pulled together as he listened.

  "What is it?"

  "I think that thing in the woods is more than a competitive rival."

  He leaned in closer, studying my eyes.

  I swallowed hard, doing my best to ignore the butterflies taking flight in my stomach in response to his close proximity.

  "I don't think it's safe. It's the second time now in these woods. There's a strange being who's been stalking me..."

  He stood tall and scanned the edge of the trees again.

  Then my head snapped in the direction of crunching gravel.

  Noah stepped closer to us with a concerned gaze.

  "What's up?" he said, keeping his eyes on me.

  I was silent at first, not knowing what to say, but then he continued.

  "Your nightmare thing?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

  Clayton stood taller, shocked that Noah had knowledge of the creature as well.

  I nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

  Noah searched the trees for any sign of a stalker and then turned back to us.

  "No better time to sharpen our skills then," he said.

  His unafraid response shocked me.

  I huffed. "That's probably true."

  With one more scan of the trees, we joined the others in a circle.

  "We need to keep our senses sharp. Be aware of our surroundings at all times," I said. "Not everyone is friendly in this world, and we need to remain guarded."

  "Part of our training will include defensive strategies for those who intend to stop us," Clayton added.

  I looked at him in surprise, and he lifted his shoulders at me as if questioning my faith in him.

  And he was right.

  I was more than shocked by his willingness to train under the stress of being hunted.