by L. C. Mawson
“It looks like you had reason to. I can’t see it clearly, but that looks like the kind of scar that you only get from a particularly nasty curse.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. It was one Maria Brown had cast. Though, she didn’t mean it to actually hurt anyone. It was supposed to be a warning, but I was still too new to magic to know what the warning meant.”
I didn’t know why I’d even said that last part. It wasn’t really important.
But, well... It was true.
Esme regarded me carefully for a moment before sighing. “Amelia, if there is one thing you should understand it’s that no Witch should ever cast a curse unless they intend for that curse to strike someone.”
I looked away. It made sense, I knew. And I didn’t know why I was defending Maria, she had cursed my mother deliberately.
Even if she had then lifted that curse.
But she had used Mr Stiles’ life-force for her spell, and he still hadn’t recovered.
Esme drew my attention back to her as she spoke once more. “You know, I don’t buy that Maria Brown is some evil, uncontrollable force. But I do think that she’s reckless and single-minded, and I think that those can be dangerous attributes in a Witch as powerful as she is. Or as powerful as you are. I understand that she posed as your teacher here, but there are more than a few lessons one should not learn from her.”
I frowned. “Is that why I have to go through these trials? To prove that I’m not another Maria Brown?”
Esme nodded. “You easily have enough raw talent, Amelia, but mastering that talent is the trick.” She then nodded to my scars. “Why didn’t you mention them when you were asked to spar?”
I shrugged. “I assumed it wouldn’t matter. I mean, my girlfriend, Willow, didn’t pass the trials yesterday because someone else knocked her over. It seems that the Amazons don’t care about other circumstances.”
“Some of us do,” Esme said before her gaze flickered over to Coven Head Dana. “Though, yes, others do not.”
She sighed. “I wish that I could be of more help, Amelia, but you will be under close watch until you get through these trials. I’m assuming that glamour is part of a numbing salve?”
I nodded. “My auntie made it for me.”
“Good. I’m not sure even an Amazon could rival her expertise in the area.”
“If she’s better than the Amazons, why haven’t they ever asked her to be an Amazon?”
“Because potion-making and rune-crafting are skills that any Witch can master, regardless of innate magical ability. You will find yourself tested on neither in these trials.”
“Why is it every time I ask a question about how Witches work, I get a eugenics-y answer?”
Esme gave me a wry smile. “Because as much as we pretend that we have never been influenced by Humans, all that does is allow their worst prejudices to sneak in without examination. Things weren’t always this way, Amelia, and many of us are dedicated to them not continuing to be so. But for now, you should focus on getting through these trials, not politics.”
“And what happens if I don’t get through these trials?”
Esme sighed. “That’s still being discussed. But regardless of what is finally settled on, it will most likely end up with you being taken from this school and your friends.” She fixed me with a grave look. “Many within the Amazons are desperate to know how you’re as powerful as you are with so much Human blood, and if you fail these trials, you will almost certainly be put in a position that will make it easier for those people to get those answers. Through any means necessary.”
I shivered. I didn’t get the impression that those means would be pleasant.
And as Sarah had warned, even if I told them I was Angelborn, they would likely then just have more questions.
Questions that, again, could only be answered by those less-than-pleasant means.
Esme’s expression then lightened slightly. “But for now, it seems that you have the combat skills required to pass this day of training. The bar is quite low for this test, and it appears that you’ve had prior training. Also, as much as I’m sure your aunt has given you the best salve possible, you should still see Sarah after training today. She might be able to help further.”
I nodded. “I will. Thank you.”
Chapter Eight
I applied my aunt’s salve again at lunch, but by the end of the training section of the afternoon, my scars were aching once more.
“That concludes training for the day,” Coven Head Dana called out, stopping me and Natalie part-way through a round.
I suppressed a groan. I’d planned to go and apply more salve after that round.
But it seemed I’d left it too late.
“Line up and each of you shall go up against one of our own, with three of you being tested at a time,” Coven Head Dana said.
I raised my hand.
“Yes, Amelia?”
“Can I go to the loo first?”
“No. Now that we have announced the beginning of the test, no one may leave. The last thing we’d want is someone going to the loos to take a strength enhancing potion.
“But if you are desperate, we’ll test you and your friends first. Amelia, Natalie and Charlotte, please step forward.”
We did so, and I figured that this wasn’t the worst outcome.
My scars were starting to ache under the salve, but at least it hadn’t completely worn off yet.
Waiting would have just made it worse.
I stepped forward and one of the Amazons approached me before taking me to the side to face her.
I took a deep breath before getting to position.
She didn’t waste a moment before striking out.
I managed to block the blow, but she was on me with another and then another, giving me no time to recover between strikes.
My scars ached, but I fell into the familiar zone of competition fighting, my mind refusing to take in anything except where to place my hands and feet.
The Amazon finally broke through my defence, hitting me right in the left shoulder.
I hissed in pain, but gritted my teeth, not allowing my focus to waver.
If anything, the pain helped.
I was always better at entering the zone when I was slightly off kilter.
After all, it made my ADHD worse, and while one side of that coin was inattention, the other was hyper-focus.
And Taekwondo had always put me in the hyper-focus zone.
I barrelled on, finally making a strike of my own, and then another.
I barely heard it when a whistle blew, and only realised what it meant when the Amazon in front of me disengaged.
As soon as she did, and my focus was broken, my vision swam, my stomach churning with the combination of pain and exhaustion.
“All three of you have performed adequately enough to pass to tomorrow’s training,” Coven Head Dana said. “Though Charlotte, in your spare time, you might want to have Natalie or Amelia show you how to refine your technique. I know that Litcorde have some limitations, but they can be helped with training.”
My mind barely processed Dana’s words beyond the fact that I had passed.
Day One was done.
Just twenty-nine more to go...
Natalie rushed over to me, a worried look on her face.
How shit did I look?
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s get you to Sarah.”
I just nodded, not sure that I could manage to speak if I tried.
NATALIE PULLED OFF her bracelet before practically carrying me to the infirmary.
I’m sure I would have been embarrassed by that if I wasn’t caught between the desperate need to either throw up or pass out.
Whichever came first, I supposed.
“Amelia!” Sarah said as soon as she saw me, rushing over to help Natalie get me to one of the beds.
My gaze couldn’t help but fall on Mr Stiles, still lying unmoving across the room and I shivered further.
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“What happened?” Sarah asked.
Natalie answered her. “She’s got scars from a curse and today’s trial was combat testing. I think they got aggravated.”
Sarah looked me over, moving her wand over my skin. “Well, it seems to, thankfully, not be doing any further damage, but it does look like it’s causing a lot of pain.”
I nodded.
‘A lot of pain’ was definitely one way to describe it.
‘Most of my flesh is on fire’ is probably what I would have opted for.
“Here,” Sarah said, handing me a potion. “This should help for now, but it will make you drowsy. Unfortunately, short of telling you to avoid aggravating the scars, or helping your aunt with trying to find a cure, I can’t do anything more.”
I nodded, drinking the potion.
It soothed the pain, though didn’t get rid of it completely, and I steadied, no longer shaking.
But then I yawned, wanting nothing more than to just curl up in bed.
Sarah smiled. “You should get some food before you drift off.”
I nodded, though my gaze fell on Mr Stiles once more. “How’s he doing?”
Sarah followed my gaze before sighing. “I’m still trying to figure out how to unravel the spell that has him trapped. Its hold on him is so tight, I’m worried about causing damage if I’m not careful. I’m not sure Damon would forgive me if I sent his heartbond back to him in less than full health.”
“Does Damon know that he’s hurt? Does... Does Freya?”
Sarah nodded. “I told Freya’s heartbond about it before I left the city. She said that Freya and Damon are worried for Aaron, and for you, but they can’t get close to the school while the Amazons are here. Even if Freya did provide most of the funds for the school, that’s actually what has the Amazons wary.”
I frowned. “Why did the Demon Queen fund a school for Witches?”
“It’s one of her cross-species projects. She grew up on Earth surrounded by Humans, remember? She fell between the gaps of magical factions before she realised that her father was the Demon King, and she didn’t want anyone else to go through that.” She shrugged. “Though she did start pushing hard for this school a few years ago, so I wouldn’t be surprised if part of it was specifically having somewhere for you to go when you came into your magic.”
I looked down at my hands in my lap. “I just wish that I could see her.”
“I know, but for now, it’s best that you keep your distance. Just focus on getting through these trials.”
“Or else I’ll end up being experimented on?” I sighed. “Esme spoke to me today and warned me that they still haven’t decided what to do with me.”
Sarah nodded. “That’s my understanding. Esme and I are trying to convince them to take a different path, but... Well, you represent one of two things, either a way for them to gain more power through figuring out how you got so powerful and reserving the knowledge for themselves, or a way for others to disrupt their system. They don’t take either option lightly.”
I looked away, not really wanting to think about it anymore.
I would get through these trials and the Amazons would go away.
I just had to focus on that.
“You can trust Esme,” Sarah said. “She’s been my mentor for years, and she wants you to succeed here. Now, you should head off and get some food before you get too tired.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
Sarah smiled as Natalie helped me back out of the infirmary and to the dining hall.
When we got there, Lena and Charlotte were still eating.
“Where’s Willow?” I asked as I approached.
“You just missed her,” Lena said. “You can probably catch her if you hurry.”
I yawned, my jaw opening so far that it cracked.
Lena gave me a sympathetic look. “Or maybe you should just get something to eat and get to bed.”
I nodded, struggling to keep my eyes open. “Yeah, food sounds good...”
Chapter Nine
“Okay, seriously, how do you keep getting in here?”
I frowned, slightly disoriented as it took me a moment to realise that I was back in the stone tower.
The stone tower that belonged to Maria Brown.
She was standing with her hands on her hips, looking me over.
“How do you keep getting past my wards?”
I glared back at her.
In all honesty, I had no idea how I was there, but I wasn’t going to tell her that.
“Why?” I asked as the liquid in the glass apparatus behind her bubbled. “Don’t want me to stop you from trying to re-cast the spell to save your sisters?”
It took everything I had not to let my voice waver as I realised how bad that phrasing sounded.
She followed my gaze to the equipment behind her. “What? No. This is nothing to do with that. I’m trying to find a way to cure the damage my curse did to you.” She sighed. “I’m not sure that I’m getting anywhere, but... It’s taking up all of my time.”
I folded my arms, not believing her.
She must have seen the disbelief in my face as she sighed once more. “I did lift the curse from your mother, didn’t I? Just as I promised I would. And just as I always intended to.”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter if you were going to lift the curse, the damage is already done! You cursed my mother by sending Demons after her, and now she’s all mad that my dad didn’t tell her about magic, and she’s upset that I’m here, and she’s still not responded to my text, and if you’d never sent those Demons, none of this would have happened!”
I expected her to defend herself.
To respond to my anger in kind.
But she just looked at me, her gaze full of sympathy. “Amelia, none of that is to do with me. It’s how all Humans react to finding out about magic now that we keep its existence from them. It might not have happened so soon without my involvement, but it always would have happened.”
I looked away as tears formed in my eyes.
I didn’t want her to be right.
I really didn’t.
But...
Maria approached me, her hand gently going to my left shoulder. “Here, as you’re somehow in my lab, I might as well take a look at your scars again. I can’t fix all of my mistakes, but maybe I can fix this one.”
But as her hand reached me, it passed right through me.
She looked me over again and sighing as she folded her arms. “Of course. You’re not really here, are you? You’re in here.” She brought her hand up to gently tap her temple.
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“The curse. It’s connected us. That’s how you keep appearing here. You’re not really here at all. Tell me, what were you doing before you arrived here?”
The world faded before I could answer.
I AWOKE WITH A START, frowning as I sorted through the memory of my dream.
And it was a dream... Wasn’t it?
It had to be.
If it wasn’t...
But no. It had to be.
It was just a strange dream that I was having because I was stressed.
Nothing more.
I couldn’t be connected to Maria Brown.
I couldn’t be.
“You okay?”
I snapped my head up at Natalie’s question.
“Yeah,” I said with a smile. “Fine.”
After all, it was definitely just a dream.
Nothing more.
I LET OUT A SIGH OF relief as we arrived down at breakfast and I saw Willow with the others.
After missing her the night before, I was afraid that I wouldn’t see her again today.
Without seeing her in classes, I was afraid that we’d barely see each other at all.
“Are you okay?” she asked as I sat down next to her. “Lena said you weren’t well last night.”
I shrugged. “We had combat training, and it aggravated my sc
ars. But it’s okay. I’m fine.”
Willow nodded.
“But, assuming I’m okay tonight, why don’t you and I do something?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Do ‘something’? Like a date?”
My cheeks flushed. “Well, yeah. You know, if you want.”
She smiled. “Yeah, actually. That sounds like fun.”
NATALIE, CHARLOTTE and I arrived at the training grounds to see Dana ready to greet us again.
I frowned. Natalie had been right yesterday, it was odd that the head of the Amazons herself was spending her time training us like this.
That she had personally come to the school at all.
Had she left someone else in charge of the Amazons while she planned to spend an entire month training us?
I shivered at the thought.
Maybe she was just here because Maria Brown’s presence here was so scary.
Or maybe she was here to keep an eye on me...
Or maybe the two weren’t so disconnected.
I pushed any thoughts of my dream away as Dana addressed us.
“Good morning, girls. Today, we will be testing your ability to cast a high-level spell. We will not tell you which spell until your final test, but it will require the utmost level of focus and precision to cast. You should spend the day training accordingly.”
I frowned as Dana turned and made her way to the edge of the training grounds. “I thought this training would involve the Amazons, you know, actually training us. Not just leaving us to our own devices all day.”
I suppressed a groan as Lauren answered from behind me. “Our ability to study independently is also being tested.”
I turned to her with the barest smile I could get away with to still be polite while not encouraging her presence. “That’s not exactly fair for those of us with less training, is it?”
“If your training isn’t up to scratch, then you’re not ready to be an Amazon.” She smiled. “Don’t worry, though, Amelia, you can train with me. I know all the possible spells they could have us casting today.”