”Cleanup is to be done manually,” the Witch chorussed, her frown deepening. ”This can't go unpunished.” Boke didn't bother pleading her case.
”What have you to say for yourself, W- Witch?” The matron just managed to keep the wailer term out of her question, but it didn't go unnoticed.
”I overslept, Witch,” Boke retorted quietly, but both Witches heard her clearly, and even managed a look of surprise. Boke never spoke back, even when provoked.
”You rude, insolent wailer!” Boke could have smiled with satisfaction now, if her thoughts weren't so troubled. What had Sophie discovered in her repressed memories?
”There, doesn't it feel so good to speak your mind?” Boke was surprising even herself with her insolence today.
”Misdemeanor!” The matron struggled to remain calm. ”Double misdemeanor for this insolence. Book her,” she said to the captain.
During homeroom, a knock sounded on the door. Mrs. Cahart went to get it, but Boke knew it had something to do with her when the Avalons and Werecats turned her way, overhearing the low whisper from the door.
”Boke Maiga!” Mrs. Cahart called when she stepped back into class. ”You've now clocked five misdemeanors, and as per the school rules, are to report to the school principal.”
Boke's heart drummed. The principal? Boke sprang from her seat almost eagerly. Finally, she'd set her eyes on this creature that confessed to killing her mother.
The principal was a pitiful creature to be hold. Boke couldn't imagine that such a creature could kill a Maiga Witch. It was impossible.
His skin was ashen and shrivelled, his eyes sunken and glazed, as though he were going blind. His figure was stooped, as though his spine couldn't hold him up for much longer. Was he really only thirty nine? Could he be her father? Could her mother have fallen in love with such a monstrosity?
From behind his desk, the Count remained quiet, his eyes assessing her slowly. He studied her face, then her whole figure, and then seemed to close his eyes, as though her image pained him.
”Boke,” he half whispered her name. ”Boke Maiga,” he repeated.
”Yes,” she said.
”You have five misdemeanors,” he told her.
”So I'm told,” Boke responded curtly.
His eyes raced over her features again.
”You got your first two misdemeanors on your first day at school,” he exclaimed. ”That's a school record.”
”Is it?” Boke could care less. His eyes met hers again, and unsettled her. Why was he so sickly, so broken? What was wrong with him? Surely her mother couldn't have lost a fight to this ragdoll of a being!
”It is. Unauthorised use of magic, and unauthorised roaming of halls after lights out- both misdemeanors garnered on your very first day of school! What can you say in your defence?”
”I wasn't sleepy,” Boke responded.
Something sparked in the principal's eyes. Boke couldn't pin its cause, but he seemed somewhat amused.
”You're angry,” he said. ”Why is that?”
”I'm an orphan,” Boke threw back at him. ”It's my prerogative.”
He seemed taken aback by her answer, as though he never expected her to go there.
”Uhmm yes,” he flipped through the folder before him. ”The school records state that.” Boke could have laughed then.
”Do they?” She teased instead. He seemed unsure why she was teasing him, but then brushed it aside and went on.
”Your home situation shouldn't be an excuse for indiscipline. This once, I'll let you off the hook. But the next time you come to my office with five new misdemeanors, you'll be spending your afternoons helping the kitchen staff.”
Boke's heart was heavy as she left his office. She'd have felt much better if he'd punished her. Now she found herself puzzling on whether he'd let her off easily because- because he might be her father.
Preposterous! She told herself almost immediately. If he was her father, she'd be an Avalon.
Chapter 38
When Sophie woke up, every bone in her body was aching, and every nerve sparking. Her eyes hurt when she tried to open them. Her back now only bore a continuous throbbing.
Something new was back there though. A new muscle of sorts that she hadn't yet learnt to use. Every minute or so, her wings would flutter against her sheets
¨Hi honey?¨ Her mother's face appeared, beaming proudly. ¨You did it!¨
¨I did, huh!¨ She croaked, smiling too.
She now felt so much better, that she immediately jumped at the idea of taking a walk with her parents. The winds were cold but gentle, crashing the water lightly against the small sandy beach.
¨So mom, is it true you screamed as much as I did?¨
¨She was terrible!¨ Her father laughed.
They stop at a small cliff to look at the lapping waves below.
¨Did you know Maseke Maiga?¨ Sophie finally managed to ask. A quick wave of pain and fear crossed their faces.
¨Where do you know that name from?¨ Her mother asked quietly, her hand shaking visibly.
¨So you knew her?¨ Sophie persisted.
¨She was our classmate,¨ her father said.
¨Just a classmate? Cause you see in the death recall I did, you all seemed to be best buddies..¨
¨You did a what?¨ They both screeched simultaneously. Sophie got a serious shake down right then and there, and she was forced to tell them all that she and Boke had been up to.
¨Maseke's daughter! I suspected it was her, when we met at the restaurant in the airport.¨ Her mother was saying. ¨So we did succeed Lucky? We were not too late in contacting her mother.¨ Sophie watched as her mother collapsed into her father's arms, laughing and crying at the same time.
¨Yes we did, honey. Apparently we did.¨
¨But how is it possible? She is a girl. She is supposed to be an Avalon.¨
¨Her mother asked her grandmother to ensure she'd never be an Avalon,” Sophie proposed. ”Could she have managed somehow to change her nature?”
Her parents puzzled over the matter a little.
”I don't know- perhaps,” her father said. ”No one truly knows the limits to Wailer powers.”
Sophie still had one more question for her parents.
¨The virus?” She began. ”Did you help Maseke generate it?¨
¨You can never tell anyone about it..!¨ Sophie's heart sunk at those words. She'd hoped for a different answer.
¨Hundreds of people died-¨ she accused.
¨Not people- Avalons. And in turn we saved tens of thousands of people- real people. You are still too young to understand, but maybe later you’ll learn to respect human life.¨
¨I do respect human life,¨ Sophie argued. ¨I just don't understand why so many Avalons had to die.¨
¨For every one average Avalon, approximately a hundred humans must die to sustain it for its entire lifespan, and that is only if the Avalon exercises some form of restraint. Now you go think about that before arguing this with me,¨ he explained hotly.
”I had no idea that so many humans have to die, just for one vampire to live a full life,” Sophie whispered.
¨Honey, we're glad that Maseke's daughter has a friend in you, but please be careful. We know that even if we tell you to stop what you are doing, you won't listen. So please dear, be very careful. Don't make the same mistakes we did.¨
¨Maseke was a good friend to us. She took the fall for the virus all alone and never implicated us. She also created us a strong protection spell to keep us safe from detection by Supernaturals while we were in hiding. All she ever wanted was to go back home, and explain to her mother that she dropped the veil by mistake while trying to steal a few cubes of sugar. She accidentally kicked some ash that had been sprayed into a power drawing pattern, hidden from her view. She had no idea, and most definitely never meant it to happen.¨ Her mother finished off in a sob.
”How tragic!” Was all Sophie could manage.
¨Nyangwi must have bound
all of Boke's father's genes somehow. That would also explain why the child looks nothing like him,¨ her father said, after managing to console her mother.
¨I can't believe he continues about his business, with his child right there!¨
¨What do you want him to do Shi?¨
¨Apologise, confess.. Anything.¨
¨He'd never do that- all these royals care about is the preservation of their family names.¨
¨He has no heir. What does he care?¨
¨Boke is his heir..¨
¨Spirits forbid it!¨ Her mother interjected. ¨Maseke would turn in her grave the day that happens.¨
¨She loved him, Shi..¨
¨The good it did her! I told her she should have run away with us.¨
¨It's not so simple. She was the most watched person in the realm. The girl couldn't make a single step without it being reported..¨
Sophie was listening intently to her parents' exchange. Another question popped into her mind.
¨Who has impure magic?¨
Their shocked faces acted as warning bells against revealing anything further, in addition to causing her heart to race. What had Boke done now?
¨Why? Is it Boke?¨
¨No,¨ Sophie laughed, lying. ¨Just some kids were talking about it, but I felt too foolish to let them know that I didn't understand.¨ That was a good lie.
¨Oh Fi-Fi, we've not told you so much about this world. We're so sorry,¨ her mother began. ¨Once a Witch kills a living being and draws power from it, all the magic they perform thereafter is impure.¨
Once a Witch kills a living being- the words echoed in her head.
¨Like an animal?¨ Sophie asked quietly but hopefully. Her father shook his head however.
¨A human, or supernatural being,¨ he answered to her dismay.
Her parents left the next day, and Sophie found herself dreading meeting with Boke again.
Whom had Boke killed?
Chapter 39
”Hallo everyone!” Sophie called cheerfully, dropping her tray to give all their classmates a hug.
Boke found herself smiling, as the social bird spent a minute or two with everyone on the table. How easy she made it seem, being everyone's friend. How effortless!
When it was Boke's turn, Sophie forced her to get off her seat, and then hugged her long and hard. When Sophie pulled back, tears pooled in her eyes, but she managed to hold them back. They didn't exchange any words as Sophie had with the rest of the freshmen, but sometimes words aren't required. They would meet tonight behind that poor ugly stature, that much Boke knew without needing confirmation.
The day sped by faster than Boke was comfortable with. She dreaded talking with Sophie again. Boke now feared what Sophie would have to report. She'd come out of the death recall so traumatised that she triggered the sprouting of her wings! What had happened to cause her that much distress?
Sure enough, when Boke made her way to the H.C. Andersen statue at midnight, Sophie was there waiting for her.
They hugged again, this time letting themselves speak, the tinge of burning sage alerting Boke that Sophie had already secured their meeting.
”You've got wings,” Boke said, half laughing, half in wonderment, as she stroked the new pair of limbs jutting stubbornly behind Sophie.
Sophie giggled, as though Boke were tickling her.
”I do!” She half squealed happily. ”Aren't they beautiful!”
”Very,” Boke admitted honestly. ”And so light, are you sure a wind wouldn't blow them away?”
”I'm scared of that too,” Sophie admitted, her widened eyes now matching Boke's. ”I almost didn't even go out for tennis practice today, but boy am I glad I did. Boke my speed- I think these wings propel me forward faster. I can't fly yet, but next time I find myself in a race, I doubt I'll need your help to win again.”
Boke was giggling as Sophie spoke. It was an odd sound, even to her. She wasn't used to giggling, or finding happiness in simple matters such as this. If she was being honest with herself, she hadn't trully laughed in a very long time. Not since Gogo died six years back.
”When will you be able to fly?” Boke asked in a breathless whisper.
”I don't know,” Sophie whispered back wistfully. ”I have no idea, but I can't wait.” They developed into giggles again, and it was quite a while before they could focus on more serious matters.
”Did you see my mother?” Boke's voice was sober again, and though her eyes still gleamed, there was a sharpness in them now.
”I did,” Sophie answered, the tone of her voice also serious now.
”And-”
¨Before I tell you anything, I need to know why your magic is not pure,¨ Sophie surprised Boke by declaring firmly.
”What-” Boke began arguing.
”I mean it, Boke.”
¨Ask me something else,¨ Boke said, but Sophie shook her head adamantly.
¨We’ve been good friends for months now. This you must tell me. It's the only way I can fully trust you-” Boke's eyes were hard and unrelenting, bearing down Sophie's harshly. But Sophie forced herself to push the matter.
”I know your magic is impure because you killed someone.” Sophie watched Boke's eyes flicker with emotion, before she finally turned her head away.
¨I need to know who it was and why,¨ Sophie continued, now gaining confidence that Boke would finally confide in her on the matter.
¨No you don't,¨ Boke answered with a finality to her tone.
¨Then neither do you need to know what I saw in your head,¨ Sophie stood her ground. Boke's eyes now scared her, as their once tawny tinge now blazed fiery orange.
¨It is not your secret to keep,¨ Boke ground the words out of her mouth, almost as though it was taking her all to keep calm.
And then she left.
She heard Sophie's half-terrified squeal when she witnessed her friend disappear right before her eyes. She was still unfamiliar with porting.
Boke reappeared in her dorm apartment, and was once again very glad that she lived on her own.
She paced about the small confines, and was so distracted that a matron inspecting the dorm to ensure all were in bed almost caught her.
Boke threw herself into her bed, fully clothed, and covered every inch of her with her beddings.
What to do now? She wondered to herself. Memories of the worst day of her life flooded into her head- memories she'd managed to keep buried away. Memories no seven year old child had the right to possess.
Boke pressed her eyelids shut to try keep away that day, but the floodgates were open now, and it all came crashing down.
She folded herself into a ball and sobbed, sobbed like she had those six years back. She now felt as vulnerable as she'd been back then. She had no one, she was alone. No one could help her, no one was left to love her.
When Boke awoke the next day, her eyes were swollen and red, and they stung. She spelled the symptoms to some unsuspecting stranger. She couldn't afford anyone seeing her like that, and discovering that she's after all a girl, all alone, who can cry all night.
She made a point to avoid any eye contact with Sophie over breakfast, but the annoying Avalon sitting beside her was determined to extract a good morning from her, like always.
”Good morning,” he said for the second time when she didn't answer.
”G'morning,” she relented sullenly, never lifting her eyes from her bowl of millet porridge. The cooks here didn't make it as well as gogo had, but it felt nice to eat something she was accustomed to each morning.
”Are you excited about the school dance?” Markus asked. Boke ignored him, certain that the question was directed to Sophie seated to his left. But when the silence remained prolonged, she turned her head slightly and realised he was looking at her, waiting for her to answer.
”Are you?” he whispered again, and now she was certain that he was talking to her.
”Why would I be?” She asked, slightly vexed at this mundane conversation to
pic, when she had so much more important things to worry about.
”Everyone is,” he answered. As though that was reason enough to get excited about something!
”Good for them,” she declared, then scraped her bowl clean, and stood up from the table.
Chapter 40
Sophie was not accustomed to loneliness, but the uncomfortable sensation now hit her hard.
Her roommates had moved out to private dorm apartments to get through their sprouting, and she was left alone. It didn't help that she and Boke were currently not in speaking terms.
Having Lola, Klaus and Markus for company helped somewhat, though she wasn't as close to them as she'd been to Boke and her roommates.
She spent alternate afternoons at tennis practice with Klaus, and the other afternoons, she followed Lola and Markus to their sailing club, and had even let them convince her to get on boats piloted by the two of them a few times, though each time she was certain that they'd capsize.
Lola and Markus were always arguing, and yet they still remained friends. Sophie often wondered if she was the glue that kept them all together.
Evenings were spent in Markus' music cubicle doing homework, or playing boardgames. But Sophie found herself longing for Boke's company, and Lola couldn't replace Keira and Aimi's company, for Lola was like another boy. Some matters couldn't be discussed with her, like the matter of who she'd be going to the dance with.
Sophie first met her aunt and uncle in the freshmen corridor of Rhiannon House. Kent Maurley and Sheila Awley had just arrived to see to their sprouting daughter. Sophie instantly recognised her aunt, for she bore the same hair colour as her mother, and stature. In fact, in the first moment, Sophie thought it was her mother, until they walked closer. Then they too noticed her.
”My!” Sheila began, obviously surprised, but also pleased, for she was smiling.
”You must be Shi's daughter,” she said, then stepped forward and gave Sophie a hug.
Sophie could have cried right then, but she regained control of her emotions on time. She had an aunt. She had a family. She had a heritage.
”What's your name child?” Her uncle asked when her aunt stepped back.
A Different Kind of Witch Page 20