by Mark Hockley
14
Growing up without a Dad isn't easy. Well, it wasn't for me anyway. My Mum tried I suppose, but she just seemed to constantly mess up. So I guess I am a product of a typical broken, dysfunctional family. All of those therapy sessions. I started them at eleven. Hardly helped to make me feel like I had a chance of fitting in. Mum insisted I needed help though. Maybe if my Dad had been around he would have seen it differently. But he was gone before I even got out my first cry. Mum never wanted to talk about him and I guess by the time I actually wanted to, I was too angry and hurt to ask. Wish he had stuck around. I wish a lot of things, more than ever now. Wonder what ever happened to him, where he is, what he's doing. Maybe I'm just being stupid even thinking about it, but I find myself dwelling on things in a way I know I never used to. Maybe I'm just growing up. Or maybe I'm just feeling sorry for myself.
Ellie had other things on her mind rather than marriage.
She was back in the great hall where the dance had been held, but now she stood facing a much smaller row of men, only six this time and she was accompanied by a tall woman who had introduced herself as Helen. She wore a black sash to mark herself as a level four witch and had a proud, haughty attitude that irritated Ellie from the first.
"I have been appointed to teach you the fundamentals of the use of Words of Power," she declared. "Because you are an outsider and have received no formal teaching, you know very little." Helen said this with a hint of derision. "So it has been decided that you should be educated in some of the basic elements of our gift."
The girl listened as did the men who had been lined up in front of them. They seemed apprehensive. "So why are they here?" Ellie enquired.
The woman looked down her sharp nose at Ellie and narrowed her eyes. She had the appearance of a hawk assessing its prey. "These Husbands and Sons have volunteered to assist with this lesson."
This brought a small smile to the girl's face. "Volunteered?"
"Indeed," Helen told her without the slightest show of humour. "Now pay careful attention." Despite the fact that Ellie didn't much like this witch, she listened patiently anyway. She wanted to understand as much as possible and she recognised how important it was to her. Her future may very well depend on it. "First of all, you must recognise that a Word can only be used by channelling through the SpiritHeart." She delicately touched the pendant at her chest. "Only one Word can be spoken at a time. And you cannot use another until your amulet is ready again. This becomes more rapid as you increase your level of ability. But understand this and mark it well, even a novice will gain an opportunity to speak before the most powerful of witches is able to use a Word a second time."
Ellie had a number of questions calling to be voiced in her head. "But what if you just say a word by accident, you know, just in ordinary conversation?"
The older woman shook her head and frowned as if she were a foolish child. "Did you not comprehend? You must channel through your amulet to use a Word of Power. It is a conscious choice, not a random act of stupidity." The girl felt annoyed. This woman obviously considered herself to be superior to Ellie in every way and yet she sensed that there was an underlying emotion in the witch's demeanour and tone. Could it be envy? Resentment? It was difficult to be certain, but there was definitely something there. "Also," Helen continued, "no Word can be used unless the objective is in sight. Therefore, stealth is a useful tool. Is that clear to you?"
With a short nod, Ellie decided to risk another question. "How many Words of Power are there?"
Helen smiled at her indulgently. "New Words are occasionally discovered. Old texts reveal them. A new Mother may name one if they are truly blessed. More...unusual Words are known by those who attain a higher level of knowledge and understanding. In many ways your own level is very misleading. True, you produced a level three Word at your Testing, but you have not studied and learnt about the Words at a lower rank. To make that undisciplined leap to a level beyond your tutelage is foolhardy to say the very least."
The truth was Ellie was confused, but she was reluctant to show it. "So why am I classed as a three if I don't know anything about the lower levels? That doesn't make any sense."
The woman gazed at her now with obvious contempt. "The decision to bestow that level upon you was not mine. Some might have believed you should begin as all Mothers should begin, at the bottom. But I am not Mistress of this House, so I abide by the ruling of my superiors." She paused and her eyes shone with intensity. "So now let us put some of these things into practice." Helen turned to regard the six men, although one or two were certainly barely older than Ellie herself. "Pain," she spoke casually and the girl saw the amulet around the woman's neck begin to fill with a ruby coloured essence. In the same instant, a stocky man at the end of the line doubled over holding his stomach. "There," observed Helen with some satisfaction. "Effective, is it not?"
But Ellie was far from impressed and felt distressed that the man should be experiencing such discomfort on her account. "I don't think you should hurt people just for fun," she said forcefully.
"This is not entertainment. This is education." The witch's amulet was now beginning to clear, becoming like white crystal once more.
"I just don't agree with it," the girl asserted.
"If I were you," Helen warned her, "I would quickly set aside such sympathies. There will be many who will have no qualms about hurting you if you stand in their way. Hurting you, or worse." Ellie said nothing now, but she could feel her temper beginning to rise. "Now why not attempt a Word yourself. Perhaps Level One, I think. Yes, I'm sure that would be where you are best suited."
The girl bristled, but couldn't really argue. In reality she had no idea at all what she was doing. "What Word do you want me to try?"
Giving a tolerant smile, Helen stroked her chin in thought. "Perhaps you could try Confuse. Do you think you could manage that?"
Ellie frowned and her cheeks blushed. "How should I know?"
Apparently enjoying the girl's inexperience, the elder witch gave a vaguely encouraging gesture towards the group of men. The one who she had already afflicted still held himself gingerly, but he seemed to be recovering. "Have no fear. This is a simple enough Word. Even novice Mothers find it undemanding."
With a certain amount of reluctance Ellie faced the men. The boy in front of her visibly gulped and she moved her gaze to the tall middle aged fellow beside him. He kept his eyes down and made no eye contact. She concentrated, focusing her mind and then uttered the word. "Confuse."
Immediately she felt a tingle run through her body that grew to a throb, almost as if her blood was rushing ever faster through her veins. The base of her neck pulsed and she glanced down at her amulet to see it gradually becoming a cloudy red. Now she concentrated on her test subject once more to find him staring at her with what could only be described as bafflement.
"Ask him his name?" Helen prompted.
Ellie felt awkward and a little mean. "Who are you?" she questioned, her voice mild.
The man gawped at her, his eyes trying to focus. "I...I don't...know."
Helen clapped her hands. "You see, it is very simple. But also take note, you are vulnerable after you have used a Word. So choose wisely."
The girl turned from the gaping man to the grinning woman and felt a pang of disgust. But in a deeper part of her being she also understood the truth of the witch's warning. She would be a target because she was different. And that would apply to her brother and her friends too. She would need to learn how to protect herself.
"Let's try another one," she voiced with a surprisingly hard edge.
The Council of Five building seemed very empty without the full complement of witches in attendance. Instead there were only five. The head of each House sat in a group, no longer separated by the partitions that designated their individual Covens.
"Despite removing the ringleader there is still unrest among them, " Isobel said.
Anna of the Blue Coven responded. "And what of the two ou
tsiders? They will no doubt become agitators. We were foolish to allow them to remain."
Abigail nodded her agreement. "They will bring their rebellious attitudes to bear upon the others sooner or later, that much is certain."
"Unless we put in place ways to prevent them," Rosemary countered.
Margaret smiled serenely, content to allow the others to have their say.
Isobel's expression was far less benevolent. "An accident can always be arranged."
"That will not be necessary," Abigail said with a frown of annoyance.
"Not at this stage," Margaret finally spoke up. "They are being watched are they not?"
"But are the two who have been given the task suitable for such responsibility?" This came from Isobel and both the Blue and the Green witches bridled at this.
"Allana is very reliable," Anna stated firmly, "I selected her myself."
"As is Leonie, is she not Abigail?" added Rosemary with a meaningful glance at the White Coven witch.
"She is your concern," Abigail stated dismissively, but there was something in her eyes that betrayed other more complicated emotions, just beneath the surface.
"Really?" questioned Isobel. "Was she the most appropriate choice, given the circumstances?"
The Green witch held the woman's doubtful gaze and Abigail had apparently lost interest in the discussion, as she now had a distant air