by K. C. RILEY
Sister Clara and I watched on as Alexei flipped the six girls that attacked him with a mere stick in his hand.
“Again,” I heard him say.
One by one, the girls got up off the ground and tried to take another dive at him. It ended in the same result, they were flipped from their legs and onto their backs.
Sister Clara pulled out a whistle from her pocket and blew. The girls all looked at each other as their eyes turned black. And holy crap. It was like they had turned into super ninjas.
The sound of sticks cracked in the air as the girls gave Alexei a run for his money.
I stood there, dumbfounded, as I watched each girl’s effortless movement, each perfect strike. Each solid defense. “The Fallen venom, it’s enhancing their abilities.”
Sister Clara smiled. “Yes. The girls practice both with and without it. Trust that you have your own power from within. You won’t need it.”
That again. What part of I don’t have any powers did she or anyone else in this place not understand? There was no way I would be able to do what these girls were doing, not without that venom.
“The venom would be dangerous for you, Miss Maverick. There are just too many variables we don’t understand yet. Believe me, after everything you’ve been through and survived, you can do this on your own.”
I wasn’t convinced.
Although every girl still ended flat on their back, each had given Alexei a thorough flogging. Then again, the way he bounced back from it all was pretty supernatural in and of itself.
Alexei looked over at me. “Liz?”
I waved like an idiot. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
“Please. Join us,” Alexei said.
Sister Clara smiled like she was up to no good. “Well, I’ll leave you to it.”
The verdict was still out on Sister Clara—what she was up to and where she was coming from.
Everyone stared as I stepped onto the black mat and into the circle.
Alexei ran his fingers through his thick, black hair. A warm smile complemented dark, mischievous eyes, a scruffy beard and mustache, and an overall demeanor that was both rugged but gentle at the same time.
“I don’t know how,” I said, drowning in intimidation while everyone stared on.
“We learn together. Yes?”
Alexei’s accent sliced through me like I was butter, but I was still hesitant. Especially after seeing what the girls could do.
Cassie and Josie both gawked and nodded for me to step closer. Whatever. I was still pissed at them.
“Sure,” I said, taking a deep breath. “Where do I start?”
Alexei gave me one of the sticks he held in his hand and demonstrated. “You’re going to start with a simple strike from over the shoulder. Then up to the other shoulder and strike again. Think of it like drawing an X in front of your body with your arm.”
Instead of paying attention, I was still stuck on Alexei being a Lycan. Hard to believe they were a real thing. However, if ghosts, witches, fallen angels, and vampires existed, why not? I tried to imagine what he might look like in his Lycan form. Did he walk around on all fours or walk upright like a human? And what about his teeth? Did Lycans have an appetite and if so, for what?
“Liz,” Alexei said, snapping me out of myself.
“Yes. Sorry. Swing down in front of my body like I’m drawing a big X,” I said, performing the movement. It seemed easy enough.
“Good. Again,” Alexei instructed. “Yes. Now, faster. Strike one, strike two. Strike one, strike two.”
I was actually doing it. And without giving myself or anyone else a concussion. However, everyone watching was still making me nervous.
“Excellent. Now for the third and fourth strike. Instead of striking down, you’re going to strike like this.” Alexei motioned upward with his arms.
I followed his exact movement. Strike one and two, down the X, and strike three and four up the X.
“Yes. Again. But faster,” he said.
I did the movements until my arm hurt.
“Now. The last part of the drill. Instead of swinging a full strike for one and two, you’re going to break it. Strike only halfway down the X and retract.” Alexei demonstrated the swing. “So it’s broken, full swing, broken, full swing, and then a full sweep up the X.”
What? I counted the swings in my head, but breaking was throwing me off and slowing me down. I had no idea what the hell he was saying.
“You need to get out of your head.”
Was he kidding? I lived in my head. And funny, I didn’t remember Alexei being such a drill sergeant when we were practicing for the dance.
“Better. Not bad,” he said.
I was an utter mess of un-coordination and chaos. It was a wonder I hadn’t taken an eye out.
“Remember. Fallen and Vamps are fast. So are Wolves.” The corner of Alexei’s mouth curled up into a wicked smile. “You’ll need to work on your coordination and reflexes. Cassie will be your sparring partner.”
I still wasn’t sure I understood the difference between Fallen and Vamps. But it also didn’t seem like the time to ask. My voice cracked. “Uh...are you sure I’m ready for that.”
“You’ll be fine.”
I wasn’t too sure about that.
Cassie came over and stood in front of me with an odd smile and a stick in her hand. I wasn’t sure if it was a, hey I know I betrayed you, but I’m terribly sorry and still your bestie kind of a smile, or a, hey I’m going to kick your ass for holding a stupid grudge kind of smile. Time would tell.
Cassie and I danced around each other in a circle, me trying to anticipate her every move and her anticipating mine. The problem was I didn’t have any—moves that is. Cassie charged and I stumbled back. Before I could get a swing in, she had already cracked her stick across the back of my legs landing me flat on my back.
“Sorry,” she whispered. She gave me her hand and pulled me up to my feet. Cassie’s eyes blackened. “I can’t help it. It’s the venom.”
Despite being betrayed, I had the feeling that Cassie was, well, still Cassie—kind, smart, sickeningly beautiful, and in some ways, still trying to help me. I needed to stay mad. I wanted to stay mad. It had been a complete betrayal of trust. So what if The Society would have swiped her and Josie’s memory for telling me in the first place.
The more I looked around the room, the harder it was to ignore the feeling that every girl there may have been fighting to be more than the sum of their fears, those secret things and shadows they may have kept hidden within themselves. Just like me. How could I fault anyone for that? Including Josie and Cassie. I don’t know. Maybe it was the empathy kicking in. It was all still confusing and raw, the wounds.
“Get out of your head, Liz. Focus.” And then there was that. Alexei, the beautiful Russian dance instructor, slash Lycan, slash tyrant that was starting to pluck on my nerves.
After pushing to my feet, Cassie and I went at it again, but I just couldn’t focus. By then, all l could think about was her dad, the horrible things he had done, and Jake's note. Had Jake left him alive or dead? I couldn’t say anything yet, and not because I was still angry with her, but because I needed to find out for myself.
By the time I had figured out what I was going to do, Cassie had already landed me on my back. Again.
“All right, let’s get someone new,” Alexei said.
“Yes. Please,” I growled, getting up from the mat. I was about to walk back to my place, grateful to let someone else go at it with Cassie when Alexei stopped me.
“No, Liz. I mean someone new to spar with you. Cassie, you can return to your spot.” Alexei had lost his freaking mind and was quickly moving to my piss-off list.
For the next hour, every girl in the room took a turn at landing me flat on my ass, each of their eyes sparkling with Fallen venom.
By the time I had caught up with Sister Clara in the library, every part of me ached. “Defense is definitely not my favorite class,” I said, rubbing at
the pain in my butt and arms.
Sister Clara chuckled as we walked through the study tables of Alexandria. “It never is for anyone at first. Give it a couple of weeks. You’ll be a pro before you know it.”
Not without that venom, I thought.
“So, how long have Lycans been a part of The Society?”
“Since before the Great Flood. They were the first priests and priestesses of the god Anubis. They protect not only witches but magic itself. They also have an uncanny relationship with Death and guiding souls through the afterlife.”
“How?”
“So many questions, Miss Maverick. That’s a good thing. And you’re in the right place to find the answers.” Sister Clara stopped at one of the study tables. “Please. Sit.”
As I sat, Sister Clara passed her hand over the symbol on the stone table, said the magic words, and a big thick book materialized in front of me from out of nowhere.
“Wow.” I ran my fingers over the ancient leather binding and title. Genesis Volume I.
“Yes. Conjuring books is one of my favorite parts of all of this. You know some of the history, but this will help fill in the gaps.” Sister Clara said the magic words again and another big book appeared. “This one will help you understand the philosophy of magic and The Society, Genesis Volume II.” She was about to conjure another book.
“Wait. Am I supposed to read all of this? As in page by page?”
With raised eyebrows, Sister Clara stared at me baffled. “Why, of course.”
“But this will take forever. There’s no way. At least, not without Fallen venom.”
“The way is inside of you, Miss Maverick. You just have to tap into it. Besides, a natural witch on venom could be disastrous. There’s still so much we don’t understand about the nature of your powers. Believe me, you can do this without the venom.”
No one was getting it, and fine. No venom. But Jake still needed my help. And I still needed to free my powers. There had to be a book somewhere in this gargantuan hall that could help me do that. “Do you mind if I try?”
Sister Clara nodded her head.
“I pass my hand over the symbol, and say the magic words, all while thinking about the subject I want to manifest. Correct?”
Sister Clara nodded again.
First things first. An unbinding spell. “Itres Liborum.”
A leather-bound book materialized in front of me. Dark, gothic, and mysterious, the worn cover was fitted with irregular pieces of hammered brass that intermeshed with leather and ancient symbols like the patchwork of an old forgotten blanket. There was no title to be found, but it was like the book itself had spoken to me.
“The Book of the Unnamed,” I uttered. The magic that surrounded the volume was palpable, ancient, and tingled through the air and my bones. So much so, I could have sworn the book spoke to me.
It’s you that must free Jake.
The book was about to open and tell me more when Sister Clara quickly slammed it shut. “Nooo...” she said, sounding threatened. Sister Clara passed a quick hand over the symbol on the table, said the magic words, and sent the book back to where it had come from.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, startled.
“That book was banned from the library centuries ago. The manuscripts here, most of them anyway, are all about ascending magic, evolving it and its practitioner to their highest potential. That book is beyond ascension. It’s pure chaos. And in the wrong hands, utter destruction. Can I trust you to not speak a word of this to anyone?”
What else was I going to say? “Of course.”
“And please, promise me you’ll never attempt to conjure that book again,” she continued. “It could destroy everything and everyone dearest to you.”
My breath had been practically held the entire time.
Whatever was in the book had spooked Sister Clara. And she was now spooking me. However, at the same time. I could feel its power. It was going to show me how to save Jake. And how could I say no to that?
“I promise,” I said, confused as to what to believe.
Disheveled, Sister Clara smoothed the fabric of her white skirt with her hands. “Well, now that we’ve sorted that all out, I’ll leave you to your studies. Meditation and Healing Chakras, Magical Theory and History, and The Order of Angels and Fallen, yes, these should keep you quite busy. I’ll check on you later in the afternoon. Oh, and one more thing,” Sister Clara said, before leaving. “All books stay within the library. It's been that way for centuries. You’ll find if you try to leave with a book it will simply return to its shelf. The information within these walls must never enter the outside world. To do so could be disastrous.”
“A magical theft system. Clever. I got it.”
The other girls had already entered the room, each finding a table to conjure books to study.
Still confused and rattled about The Book of the Unnamed, I slouched in my chair. What could have spooked her so? The fear in her voice was almost as though she had been speaking from personal experience. I wondered if she had ever opened the book herself. Or was I just bored and imagining things? I glanced around at the other girls as they not only called up books to study, but devoured them within minutes. It was ridiculous. Fallen venom.
I sighed at the stack of books at my station and started with Genesis Volume I, The Order of Things. Did I mention that it takes me forever to read? It always has. Mom called it squirrel syndrome. And it only happened when it came time to read a book. My mind just seemed to wander. Regardless, I cracked open to the first page, a more thorough in-depth study of the creation of the cosmos and the universe.
According to the text, after the birth of the first six Seraphim that became the Elohim, heaven was divided into ten levels. The Elohim ruled at the tenth and were the visionaries, the collective mind behind the design of it all. The other Seraphim born after the first six made up the ninth level of heaven. Their job was to regulate the heavens while also worshipping and supporting the Elohim. It was almost as though part of the Elohim’s energy came from the other Seraphim that surrounded the Elohim’s throne. Hmmm.
Cherubs ruled the eighth level of heaven and were given such commissions as protecting the entrance to the Garden of Eden. They were also key in the formation of the soul, the heart, and its capacity to love. My mind wandered off to cupid flying around and shooting people with a bow and love arrows.
Maybe this whole mess was his fault to begin with. I thought back to the night I had asked Aunt Vye why Jake would sacrifice himself for me. He barely knew me. However, according to the Halls of Alexandria nothing, could have been further from the truth. This was more than instant love. I knew Jake like I knew myself. It was like he was a part of the very fabric of my soul. And yet, I still couldn’t wrap my head around falling in love with him without question.
Thrones ruled the seventh level and were called the ‘Many Eyed Ones.’ Weird. They were responsible for carrying out the decisions of the Elohim.
At the sixth level were the Dominions. Their job was to regulate the duties of all lower angels. I thought about whether or not I would have been up for that job. Probably not. It sounded way more like middle-management and a hell of a lot of paperwork. Moving on.
The fifth level of heaven was ruled by the Virtues who were responsible for bringing grace and courage to the Earth. Miracles of sort. The Powers ruled the fourth level and were responsible for maintaining the balance of light and dark in the universe. For either to fall out of balance meant the destruction of the entire system. Or something like that.
At the third level of heaven were the Principalities, the guardian angels of cities, nations, and rulers. They were also quite adept at protecting cities and nations from the invasion of evil spirits.
But what about people? I wondered.
The Archangels, of whom Metatron was the most powerful, were responsible for carrying out the most important messages of the Elohim. They were the key bridge between earth and heaven.
&nb
sp; Finally, at the first level of heaven were Angels, the personal guardians of humans created to bring guidance, support, and wisdom. My mind zoomed back to Cassie’s story, how an angel had saved her from her dad. It had to have been her guardian angel. I then wondered if I had one of my own. And the truth was I did. Jake. My mind slid down the rabbit hole of whether Jake had saved me from the Black Mist because it was his duty, or because he… Did it matter? In some ways, it did, even if I was scared to admit it.
The pages went on and on about the macrocosm, the creation of planets, stars, and star systems. How the entire universe was connected by an invisible thread called Kasha. It then went into scientific explanations that practically melted the inside of my head.
I checked my phone.
Hours had gone by. And all the girls had left. I, however, had hardly put a dent in any of the books staring back at me. I sat my phone aside, huffed, and continued flipping through the cosmos.
Honestly, without Fallen venom, reading all of these books was impossible. Besides, I couldn’t stop thinking about Jake or The Book of the Unnamed and what it was about to have shown me.
Sure. I had promised to stay away from it, but time was running out. And maybe it had the answers. I passed my hand over the symbol on the table and was about to call up the forbidden manual when Sister Clara walked in.
“How’s the studying going?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Taking forever?”
“Well, I think that’s enough for today. Make sure to write down the names of the books so you don’t forget them, and make sure to send them back before you go. And more importantly, I’m proud of you, Miss Maverick.”
“For what?” I asked confused.
“For not taking any shortcuts. It will only make you stronger in the end.”
Whatever, was my first thought. I wasn’t trying to bitch about it. Not out loud, anyway. It was just that taking the high road always seemed way overrated. All I could think about was how quickly this would all happen if I had just a drop of Fallen venom. Or if I had the book I wasn’t supposed to have or think about.
