I pulled back and looked into her face.
"What about our parents?" I asked, having no memory of them. "They'll be searching for you."
She turned to the glimmering orb and circled her hand at its edge.
I stared in wonder as the glow began to spiral and then open. Like a window, it allowed us to gaze into its strange abyss.
Leaning closer, I stared into its spinning chasm, keeping hold of Hattie's hand. As we looked through the gateway, the figure of a man came into view.
He was searching, calling our names.
"Father?" the two of us called out at the same time.
His attention shot in our direction as he continued to search through the mist. I stared into his familiar kind face and warm blue eyes. His dark hair matched Hattie's exactly, and his strange clothing resembled that of a pilgrim.
"Father, we're here!" I shouted.
His searching gaze continued to scan the thickening fog within the portal.
"What's happening?" I begged Hattie.
She squeezed her eyes shut in concentration, whirling her hand in faster circles, but the fog continued to grow thicker.
"It's closing," she said
And with those words, the whirling gateway shrank in size until it disappeared completely.
Chapter 18
I had a little sister.
I'd always known it somehow.
From the moment I laid eyes on her when she first arrived at Hazeldene, I knew we were connected.
I just had no idea how badass she would be, sneaking through a portal to find me in the endless abyss.
I shook my head, as I finished my invigorating shower. Though we'd had no sleep the night before, I felt none of the effects of sleep deprivation. Something about the labyrinth had taken care of that.
The labyrinth.
I'd always known it held immense secrets for me. There was just no way I could have fathomed the extent of its knowledge.
And now, Hattie and I had the ability to make contact with home. We could practice her portal use and figure out how to make the leap, and...
My thoughts raced faster than I could keep up.
And then they jumped to Ms. Reed.
With the help of the power within the labyrinth, Hattie's portal could possibly reach Ms. Reed as well.
The idea blew my mind.
As I hurried back to my room to get ready for the final day leading up to the festival, I opened the door and found Hattie sitting on my bed.
"I thought you were at breakfast," I said.
She shook her head.
"Is everything okay?" I muttered, moving closer to her.
She bit her bottom lip.
"There's something I need to tell you," she murmured. "About last night."
I swallowed hard.
"Okay."
She bit her bottom lip. “Before you found me in the labyrinth, I had opened the portal and looked through."
I kept my gaze on her, unblinking.
She continued, "I remember everything I saw now, about our lives. I saw all of it."
I sat next to her on my bed as my heart raced.
"Tell me," I breathed.
"Shaye, I saw the garden and the stables. When they were alive. We used to play there and ride horses." She paused for a moment. "We wore long dresses with aprons and funny hats on our heads. The house had no electricity and the bathroom was a shed out back."
My chin pulled in as I listened.
"There were angry mobs and threats of burning witches." Her voice began to shake. "That was when our parents decided to send you through the portal."
I sat taller. "What?" I'd lost her completely. "Our parents knew about the portal?"
She nodded. "Yes. They used it to send you here. They knew the people here would take care of you and train you. It was Ms. Harrison who helped you break through." She paused. "Just like there was someone there who helped me break through." Her voice trailed off in thought.
I gasped for air as a panic attack threatened.
As much as I tried to push Hattie's words away as either young hysteria or trance-like sleepwalking, I couldn't. Their truth rang too loud.
And I had subtle memories of arriving at Hazeldene with Ms. Harrison. The memories were always faded and unclear, but now, with Hattie's explanation, I knew it was true that she had accompanied me. I’d just had no idea that I’d come through a portal with her.
I stared at Hattie as the complexities of our existence took form.
We’d come from the time of the witch trials. A time when the world was very different. I pressed the bridge of my nose, straining to remember the dates of the trials. They’d been ingrained in me through my training. And then the date flashed through my mind. The 1600s.
My eyes flew wide from the enlightenment. We’d come from a time long ago, centuries ago. It explained everything about my condition—feeling lost, out of place, unable to become grounded.
It all made sense now.
"So, we're time travelers," I stated.
She nodded with a grin.
It would remain our little secret.
Hattie and I agreed to keep our new-found time-traveler status to ourselves for now, until we had a chance to sit with the Higher Order to figure things out.
It was clear to me, though, that they all knew about this already. It explained why Ms. Harrison was always taking care of me, mentoring me every step of the way—and things like when she didn’t report me for breaking into the archives. She knew I was on the path to discovering my truth and she didn’t stand in the way.
And now it was time to let the Higher Order know that we had found the truth.
And the Fire Festival was the perfect time to do so.
It was the dawn of the Autumn Equinox.
The season of the witch.
And I'd never felt more connected to the rhythms of the earth as this day.
I woke early to prepare for the variety of events that would take place, leading up to the Ring of Fire.
As marshall of the event, with the rest of my coven as ambassadors, it would be up to us to kick off the festival with a spectacular demonstration. Fortunately, we'd finally come up with a decent plan at the very last minute.
"Shaye," Piper's voice called through my door. "Ready?"
I jumped over and let her in.
"Yup."
She checked my outfit, and then compared it to her own.
"Perfect," she said. "We're going to look amazing."
Our purple and black clothing matched in their deep hues, and the others were going to wear the same colors. We planned to look like a team, honoring Hazeldene as well as the equinox with a unified look.
Piper and I headed down the stairs for the sunrise breakfast. Noah and Clayton were already seated and held spots for us. Their purple and black attire was perfect in its handsome, subtle formality.
I hesitated at first, certain that I had seen them in comfortable conversation when we first entered, and smiled at how things had evolved.
Hattie and Asher were likely still asleep, unaware of the customary early breakfast for graduates on ritual days. It was our opportunity for final planning for the big event.
As we settled into our seats, I glanced up as Lauren bounced into the dining room, her ringlet curls bobbing with every step. My heart stopped in my chest as I waited to see who followed her. My understanding was that Josie was still under house arrest, so I prayed she wasn't tagging along.
Then Troy and Liam stepped in, following Lauren to their exclusive section of the table. From the far end, they shot annoying glares at us, and I shifted slightly in my seat to block them out.
The other grads came in, filling the seats between us, and the climate of the room lightened as enthusiastic conversation picked up.
"What's your plan?" Chloe called over to us. "Will this be one of those boring opening ceremonies?"
Her teasing was okay, since she never had any hidden agendas. She only spent
her time trying to keep up with the other grads.
"I hope not," Clayton said back to her. "We'll just have to see."
And everyone's intrigue shot up ten levels.
The pressure was high.
The festival was something I'd been looking forward to all year. And now that it was finally here, I was overwhelmed by its magnitude. I had clearly blown it into something bigger than it actually was, though, and I had to take a breath to bring myself back down to earth.
Pieces of my life had been coming together over the past few days, which took pressure off of this one epic day. I had to remind myself to breathe and take it all in stride.
But that was easier said than done.
Something nagged at my gut, reminding me every minute that today was going to be huge.
I chugged a mug of hot coffee, burning my throat, in order to redirect my anxious thoughts.
"We should go check out the staging for the festival, to make sure we're comfortable with it," Clayton said.
"Let's do that after breakfast," Piper agreed.
I stared into the depths of my empty coffee cup.
"Shaye?"
I looked up with a lost gaze.
"Oh, yeah, sounds good," I said, grateful that their conversation still lingered in my ears.
Then Ms. Harrison entered the dining room. She stood at one end of the long table and surveyed us all with a proud smile.
"I wanted to wish you all good luck today," she said. "Enjoy yourselves and show the young students what Hazeldene represents. They look up to you and aspire to be like you. Always remember that." She nodded her head for emphasis. "Carry on."
And with a wave of her hand, she left.
After breakfast, the four of us went out to the massive lawn at the front of the estate. The staging for the Higher Order, esteemed faculty, and festival ambassadors had been constructed at the far side. The full moon would rise behind it, creating a magnificent backdrop to the festival.
We made our way over to the massive platform, enjoying the sense of calm before the storm. Noah hopped onto the staging and stepped up to the podium.
"Hi everyone," he teased. "I'd like to welcome you to the Fire Festival." He waved his hand like a pageant contestant. He lifted his nose to the air, exaggerating his sense of smell. “And I want to tell you that you all smell like sh..."
"Noah," Piper hissed. "Prof Finneas!"
Noah held his tongue as we all turned and watched the professor crossing the lawn toward us.
"The staging is off limits until the festival," he called over, walking in a straight, formal line. He held his record keeping journal under his arm and moved closer.
"Sorry," Noah called, hopping off the stage.
Professor Finneas walked over to our group and paused in awkward silence. Then he looked at each of us, with his eyes finally landing on me.
"I look forward to keeping record of today's events," he said, tapping his journal. "And when it is over, I will transcribe the main points into the permanent record within the archives."
My spine straightened from his mention of the archives. I used every ounce of energy to try to appear unaffected. The more I tried to look normal though, the worse I twitched.
He continued, holding out his fountain pen. "Funny thing with these kinds of pens."
We all looked at the old-fashioned writing instrument.
"It records history as if on its own," he said. "I just push it along and help guide it across the page."
We stared, wondering where he was going with his story.
"And then, the most important step," he added, "is making sure the ledger remains open to allow the air to dry the ink fully, creating a perfect, permanent entry into the history books."
He turned on his heels then, clicking them, and walked in a direct straight line back toward the manor.
As we stared at Prof Finneas' back, watching his return to the house, pinched eyebrows and curled lips proved Noah and Piper's confusion.
But Clayton and I knew exactly what the history professor had just done.
Prof Finneas had just told us that he knew we'd been in the archives.
I remembered slamming the ledger shut when Ms. Harrison had caught us. And that was the clue that proved to Finneas that someone had been in the archives.
"What do you think he'll do?" I whispered to Clayton.
He shook his head. "I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see."
Maybe he’d report it to the Higher Order. I supposed that wouldn’t be so bad, considering all would come clear soon enough.
And then the clang of a bell resonated through us all, causing us to jolt in its direction.
"Terrace," Piper chimed. "It's time."
As we gathered by the rear balustrade on the terrace, Hattie and Asher bounced over to us from the student grouping. Their purple and black outfits made them look like official members of the coven and they knew it, judging by their proud smiles.
"It's starting," Hattie gushed. "It's such a big day."
And before too much chatter could get underway, Chancellor Kelly made her appearance.
She stepped out through the high glass doors, and stood at the top step for all to see her.
"Good morning, Hazeldene," she greeted us. "You look ready for a wonderful day. As the festivities begin, I need to remind you all that there is still instability detected within the balance of the academy. We are not certain yet what the disturbance is, but if your senses pick up on anything unusual, please report it to the nearest faculty member."
I glanced at Clayton with a puzzled glare.
“That was unexpected. What do you think she means?”
He shrugged. "They wouldn't say anything if it weren't significant."
"True."
I surveyed the students and then looked at each faculty member at the steps. No one gave any clues to knowing what the chancellor might be talking about.
"We'll just have to get on with the day," Clayton said. "Keeping one eye open."
I rubbed my hands together in worried thought.
"Let's go," Asher pulled on me. "Everyone's heading to the field now."
I glanced up and watched as the chancellor disappeared into the house, followed by her typical entourage. All the students and mentors hopped off the terrace and moved toward the front of the manor.
"Time check," Noah said in an official tone. "Eclipse in sixty minutes, and counting." He tapped his watch to check it was working.
I chuckled at his goofiness and looked up at the sky. The sun was high above shining its bright light across the lawns. It was the perfect day for viewing the impending astrological phenomenon.
Following the crowd toward the great lawn, we stuck together, whispering our final planning for our demonstration. Our excitement mounted with every step closer to the field.
Clayton reached his arm around my waist and pulled me closer. "You're going to be great."
"So are you," I smiled, enjoying every second of his contact.
I nearly wished the rest of the festival away so I could have some private time with him, but shook my head to bring my thoughts back to the moment.
As we joined the others in the open space, they ushered us forward, directing us toward the staging. We took our time getting there, enjoying the energy of the group.
Just as we got within proximity of the stage, I noticed that the Higher Order had already made their way to their prominent seats.
Chancellor Kelly nodded as she watched us move closer.
And then she stood.
Everyone fell silent as she approached the podium.
"Welcome to the annual Fire Festival," she announced.
Everyone cheered with excitement.
"This year, the autumn equinox is marked by the rarest of celestial events, the Ring of Fire." She paused, waiting for the crowd to settle down. "And thusly, it is ever fitting to call upon the ambassadors of the Fire Festival, and its marshall. They have harnessed the fire el
ement in ways we've never seen before and will demonstrate that ability to you today."
She nodded for us to come up on the stage.
My heart raced as we climbed the steps and moved across the platform in a line. The students cheered and called our names, making us feel like celebrities.
As Chancellor Kelly introduced each of us, she saved me for last. Calling me over to the podium, she said, "Please welcome our Marshall of the Fire Festival, Shaye Murphy."
She made room at the microphone for me.
"Give your opening address," she whispered.
Instead of moving to the microphone, I stepped back to my coven and stood with them. I grasped Clayton's hand and then Hattie's, and the others did the same creating a chain between us. I lifted my arms, and all of our arms went up.
"We welcome you to the annual Fire Festival," I called out, relishing the profound moment with my coven.
I wouldn't be here if it weren't for them.
Everyone cheered and chanted to see the fire power.
I glanced up at the sky, knowing we had only minutes before the moon would move in front of the sun, creating the Ring of Fire. So, we needed to act fast.
Keeping our hands connected, we moved into a circle formation, closing it as Piper and Asher's hands joined together.
We closed our eyes and allowed our energies to move through the circle. As we concentrated harder, the surge moved faster and grew in intensity.
A ring of purple flame smoldered around the perimeter of our circle, causing some students to gasp. As we worked harder, the flames rose into a protective wall around us, creating a spectacle of purple fire and lavender sparks.
The cheers grew louder as everyone enjoyed the show, and as they called out to us, their energies combined with ours, heightening our force even further. The unexpected surge of additional energy sent a shock wave through our circle. In an instant, I felt Clayton’s aggressive energy rising.
The cheers of the crowd quieted and turned to jeering remarks and argumentative shouting. My eyes widened, knowing that our energy had passed onto the spectators. Their combative tones became threatening as Clayton’s energy coursed through the crowd.
Mystic Coven: Fire Festival (Supernatural Academy Graduates Book 1) Page 20
