by Logan Jacobs
“This was only the first step,” Faye snapped and brought me back into reality. “Don’t get so excited, and for the love of Satan, stop kissing his ass, Morgana. It doesn’t suit you.”
“I wasn’t kissing his a--” Morgana started to argue, but Vesta shot them both a glare.
It was the kind of glare that told them to shut the hell up, and even I was shocked to see her beautiful face looking so grim and threatening.
“Let’s focus,” Vesta growled, and her silver eyes flashed like daggers. “I hate acting like your mother and telling you to stop bickering and fighting. It’s not my fucking job, so do me a favor and keep your shit together.”
“Right,” Morgana whispered and dropped her gaze. “Sorry, Vesta, you’re completely right. Let’s go.”
We nodded and headed into the village, and music, chatter, and sinister cackling radiated through the air. Drums were beating like heartbeats as we walked against the dirt-covered ground, and I could smell exotic spices, incense, and wildflowers wafting from the dusty booths we passed. Vendors of all types of mythical species were shouting out prices and deals of the day.
I glanced at the booths as we walked on, and I caught sight of strange-looking fruits, skinned, bloody animals, and bizarre clothing and jewelry for sale. Of course, we had no money, which was a shame. I wanted to taste and experience all this strange and magical produce, but I also knew I had to stay focused.
We needed to find the casino and earn enough money to get back to the academy and complete the quiz, and we needed to do all this before noon tomorrow. That was the sole objective, and I could not afford to get distracted.
So, we continued to walk deeper into the village.
“Wow,” Akira sighed as we passed by a stand with all kinds of blades for sale. There were hatchets, daggers, swords, axes, and bows and arrows, and they were all obviously carefully handcrafted and expensive.
“This place is incredible,” Faye sighed, and her green eyes were wide with awe.
“I know, but we have to keep focused,” I warned her. “We don’t know what kind of people may be hiding in plain sight.”
“We’re Wicca, though,” the redhead scoffed. “The village is dark like us--”
“But we don’t know that we’re safe for sure,” Morgana intelligently pointed out. “There could be someone following us with malicious intentions. Maybe the headmistress set some kind of trap for us.”
She had a valid point. Who knew what kind of traps could be right under our noses.
I discreetly turned around and tried to see if anyone was following us, but it was difficult to tell because the marketplace was so incredibly crowded. I carefully observed my surroundings, but I didn’t catch anyone paying us any special attention, so I turned back around.
We continued to move deeper and deeper into the village until Vesta stopped in her tracks.
“How are we going to find the casino?” Vesta said with her silver eyes full of worry. “Theodora said it was a red-walled castle, but it could be anywhere.”
I didn’t even realize up until now that I had been going north. My gut was telling me we were headed in the right direction, and my feet had just been following.
“Premonition, I know where we’re going,” I replied with a nod. “That’s the entire point of this quiz. We have to feel for the direction, and I don’t know about the rest of you, but I feel as if we’re supposed to be heading north.”
Akira groaned and rubbed at her temples. “I don’t feel a fucking thing.”
“This is going to be impossible,” Morgana whined and practically stamped her foot.
“No,” I said, “it’s not. Trust me, we’re going in the right direction. Just clear your damn minds and stop overthinking everything.”
The women grumbled, but we continued to move forward, and I was surprised things were going so smoothly.
Then an old woman, dressed in all black, approached us, and I immediately had a bad feeling about her. A strange sensation weighed down on me as I stared at her, and she looked directly at me with white-colored eyes and a long, thin, purple mouth.
“Three bone chains for two gold coins?” She grinned with a few missing teeth. “They bring prosperity and wealth. Great deal, only for you.”
“No, thank you,” I said as I tried to swerve past her.
The others tried to move around her as well, but the old crone wouldn’t budge. Suddenly, she stared right at me with her white eyes wide, and a strange rattling sound reverberated from her throat.
“You,” the old woman croaked with a bony finger pointed at me. “You … are not like the others. You’re a half breed! There’s a half breed in our midst!”
Gasps filled the air, and then a few men with swords and dressed in long dark robes ran in our direction. It was at least ten against us four, and I knew the women couldn’t take the soldiers on with their meager weapons.
“Run!” I called out to the others.
I let the witches get a head start and followed them as we dodged past vendors, villagers, and sprinted through the maze of booths. Everything passed in a blur of color and sound, and my heart pounded in my ears like a drum keeping beat.
“Keep going straight,” I yelled.
We ran until we were no longer in the marketplace. We were now surrounded by huts and houses, and everything was quiet.
“Stop,” I called out.
I turned around and was surprised to see no one was following us. In fact, it was as if no one had been chasing us to begin with.
“Are they gone?” Akira panted as she swiped black strands of hair out of her flushed face.
“Yes,” I replied with certainty.
We stopped to catch our breath, and Vesta’s silver eyes were brighter than usual, like she was about to cry.
“Get it together, Vesta,” Akira said in a gentle voice. “We’re okay. We’re alive.”
“For now,” I breathed and rubbed my face. “Look, I can’t say for certain, but I think that was just a test.”
“What?” Morgana gasped as she looked up from dusting off her long robes. “How do you know?”
“Didn’t the old crone remind you of someone?” I asked the women.
They all shook their heads except for Vesta.
“Vesta?” I pressed. “Didn’t she remind you of--”
“Headmistress Theodora,” the lavender-skinned witch cut in, and her full lips pursed into a thin line.
“Unholy fuck,” Faye sighed as she covered her green eyes with her freckled hands. “That was insane. Do you really think it was her?”
“It’s just a feeling.” I shrugged. “That’s why we’re here, though, to use our premonition skills to the fullest.”
Even though I said it was just a feeling, I was almost certain of it … but then again, what if it wasn’t Theodora? If it wasn’t, why did that old crone call me a half breed? What did that even mean?
I shook my head and didn’t dwell too long on the idea. We had a quiz to complete.
“We’re not going to make it,” Morgana sighed.
“No, we’re going to get through this,” I reassured her. “For once, just trust me on this. Come on, let’s keep going north.”
The witches surprisingly nodded without complaint this time, and we continued to walk through the dirty assortment of houses and huts. Grass slowly merged into sand the farther north we went, and we slowly and quietly headed through the maze of crumbling homes. Finally, my heavy leather boots scattered up clouds of red sand as we came across a sand-covered hill.
There were no more houses in sight, and now, it was no longer cool and windy, but scorching hot. The barbaric heat penetrated through my thick cloak, and I was sweltering. When I looked up toward the sky, I had to shield my eyes from the cruel and scorching sunlight. The steel gray colored sky had shifted to bright, glowing orange. Thick red-tinted clouds were drifting high above us, and I felt like taking off all my clothes.
“Damn,” I breathed and wiped my sop
ping wet brow. “Why is it suddenly as hot as hell?”
“Sunset,” Morgana said. “The farther north we go, the hotter the sun becomes.”
All the witches were gleaming with sweat, and their cheeks were flushed from the sudden heat.
I was parched and sweating as I climbed to the very top of the sandy hill, but when I reached the top, my mouth hung open in amazement.
“Fuck me,” I whispered.
There, down below, was a massive, crimson-colored castle with two pointed red towers that guarded the entranceway. Even from here, I could tell this castle was different from the academy, and not just because of its blood-red color. This fortress was built from stones and bricks that varied in shape and size, and it was as if a madman had designed the building and had no intention of creating a uniformed pattern or structure. The orange sunlight shone on the red brick and stone, which made the walls appear as if they were bleeding. It was a magnificently scaled casino, masked as a castle, with its tall windows and rigorous keep, surrounded only by dust and sand.
I couldn’t help but fall in love with it, and I couldn’t wait to get inside.
“That’s it.” I grinned. “That’s the casino.”
“Are you sure?” Morgana questioned with a furrowed brow. “It doesn’t look like one.”
“He’s right,” Vesta commented. “I can feel it, too.”
“Let’s go,” I said.
We headed down to the castle, but we stopped when we were close enough to spot two giant trolls with helmets pacing across the entranceway. On top of the doors was a line of beautiful gold cursive writing.
The Red Raven Casino.
“How in hellfire are we going to get in?” Akira grumbled, and her coal-black eyes looked like endless voids of irritation. “I have a feeling they won’t just let us in through the front doors.”
“They won’t,” I replied. “We’re going to need to guess the password.”
“Wait, how do you know that?” Akira asked as she turned my way with a frown.
“He can sense it, and I’m beginning to as well,” Vesta breathed, but her silver-eyed gaze was locked on the casino.
“Yeah, me, too,” Faye agreed, and I was surprised to note the feisty redhead was more subdued than usual.
“Well, shit,” Akira sighed. “If you all can sense it, then I guess that’s the way to go.”
“Are we ready?” I asked.
The women nodded, so we walked down the hill slowly and took our time. I wasn’t sure what the hell the password was, didn’t even have a clue, but I did know I had to take a chance and approach the guards. There was no other way inside the casino, at least none that I was sure of.
When we reached the bottom of the hill, the giant trolls stopped pacing as their beady eyes focused on us.
“Who goes there?” they demanded in unison.
Their voices were low and shook the earth beneath our feet, and thick, mucus colored drool dripped from their mouths when they spoke. They were an intimidating duo, and by their side, I spotted a pile of bones.
I supposed if we couldn’t guess the password, we would turn into their next meal.
“My name is Cole, and these are my companions,” I answered as coolly as possible. “We simply wish to gamble and play. No harm in that, am I right?”
The trolls chuckled, and I could spot a piece of red, decaying flesh trapped between their teeth. The beasts were even uglier up close, and their small, mud-colored eyes reminded me of rat shit. Their yellow teeth were the color of piss, and they smelled like rotting beef and stale garlic, pungent and raw.
My eyes stung as I took a step closer to them, and they stopped laughing and stared down at me. Bewilderment flashed across their ugly faces, and they scrunched up their small, pig-like noses.
“What’s the password?” they growled.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was difficult to focus with the foul stench and thick, penetrating heat surrounding me, but I had to concentrate on summoning the dark forces. I needed their help, and if I couldn’t reach them … we’d all be dead.
“I didn’t say take a fucking nap,” one of the trolls snarled.
My eyes remained closed, and I didn’t move a muscle. I could feel the rapidly beating heart beats of the women around me, the heavy and raspy breathing of the trolls in front of me, and even the laughter and boisterous air within the casino.
I could feel everything, but I was having trouble finding the password.
“You have one minute left,” I heard the trolls spit. “If you guess incorrectly … well, I’m sure you can at least guess what will become of you.”
I wanted to tell them to shut the fuck up, but I couldn’t speak. I needed to just think. I couldn’t worry about making the incorrect guess. I had to remain as focused as possible.
Suddenly, a dark presence filled my mind, and I could see thick black smoke swirling in my mind’s eye. I followed the smoke, and in my thoughts, I saw a stone wall. It was covered in vines and moss, but when I reached out to touch it, a word started to slowly appear on the wall.
Houppelande
I slowly peeled my eyes open and smiled at the grotesque guards.
“Houppelande,” I said.
Their crooked yellow smiles died, and they shook their fat heads in disappointment.
“I was so hungry,” one grumbled as he stepped aside.
“Me, too, Gruff,” the other troll replied. “Me, too … ”
We walked past the two guards as the jewel covered doors pulled apart, and as soon as we stepped inside, our jaws dropped to the floor.
If we thought the marketplace was crowded, this was a whole other scene. There were all kinds of creatures wandering through the casino, and the place was utterly packed with monsters of every shape and size.
I’d never seen anything so captivating in all my life.
The casino was a multi-leveled structure, and my eyes struggled to settle on just one thing. Female acrobats swung high up on the gold-painted ceiling, and they dangled, twirled, and danced in the air on long gold and red ribbons and through flame covered hoops. They weren’t human women, either. These women were slim creatures, tinted pale green with small horns on their heads, and their long, flaming red hair whipped around them like flames as they spun, twirled, and jumped. Their glittering dresses looked like gold from down here, and I was mesmerized by their ability to move as swiftly and quickly as a coursing river.
When I turned my attention back to the ground floor, I spotted groups and crowds of individuals of all different shapes, sizes, colors, and species gambling at tables and booths. People were dancing, clapping, drinking, and laughing. It was like a festival inside of a castle. Loud, pulsating music played all around us, and the sound of beating drums, trumpets, and bells filled the air as women, or rather, creatures that resembled women, danced half-naked in golden cages in every corner. Their skin colors ranged from lavender to sea green to mauve pink. They were colorful and gorgeous, with large exotic glittering eyes and pointed, elven shaped ears decorated with jewels and multicolored hoops. The women were dancing in sequined skirts, and their wrists dangled with bangles that hung from their elbows down to their wrists.
One woman caught me staring in her direction, and she flashed me a wink as well as a seductive smile.
I couldn’t help but smile back.
“You’re drooling,” Vesta hissed in my ear.
I looked down at her, and her silver eyes were furrowed with irritation and seething envy. So, I couldn’t help but flash her a satisfied smirk.
“Jealous?” I asked.
“Not even close,” she huffed.
“Do you all smell that?” Akira said in a dream-like voice. “It smells absolutely divine.”
I sniffed the air, and I could practically taste the spiced meat that wafted through the casino. It wasn’t only meat I could smell, either. I also caught whiffs of sweet and fruity scents, like cinnamon, chocolate, strawberry, and mint.
; I had to be careful, though. Just because this place looked amazing from the outside didn’t mean there weren’t sketchy characters about. I saw troll-like creatures along the edges of the bottom floor, and they looked like a dangerous and deceiving group.
When I took another look around, I saw tall, pale women dressed in scanty mesh dresses serving drinks and cakes on large golden platters. The cakes were of all different colors and textures, and the drinks were every color of the rainbow and in strangely shaped glasses. The women who were serving the food had their long hair tied up in a strange-looking updo, and their eyes were painted with heavy eye makeup and long, thick black lashes.
But the sexy dancers only seemed to occupy the upper levels. Everything else down below the staircase seemed mediocre and a little more than seedy.
The walls around us were painted in gold, though, and I guessed that it was real gold, since it was clear from the moment we stepped inside that everyone here had money and plenty of it. People and creatures were dressed in glittering gowns and satin suits and wore jewels on their necks, wrists, and fingers. Drunken laughter filled the air, and a few people who looked in our direction flashed us scowls or looks of disapproval. When I looked down at our clothes, I knew we were sticking out like sore thumbs in our black, sand-covered uniforms.
We needed to find a way to blend in. With new clothes, we could make it up to the upper levels where the casino looked a little glitzier. No one would suspect a thing.
“We seriously look like shit compared to everyone else,” I said as I looked around.
“We have no money, Cole,” Akira hissed. “What the hell do you suggest we do?”
“We need to find a coat room,” I muttered to my group. “No one is wearing coats. Come on, follow me, we can find clothes and money in there.”
“I’d rather dress as a server and gain my own money,” Morgana sneered. “Who’s with me?”
“Not me, hell, no.” Akira scowled and shook her short, dark hair. “I’m not walking around in a dress where everyone can see my nipples.”
