I nodded. “Thank you, Palmer. You are helping to save her life.”
“Was it her in the pond earlier?”
“Yes. She got caught by a glamour of Adriana.”
“She’s going to be upset she lured someone to her when she comes back,” Palmer said.
“I’ll introduce them and explain everything, it’s not her fault the moon phase has done it’s job.”
Palmer shrugged and went back to tinkering. Now I just needed to get Tiger on my side to train Elke the best we can before the sun goes down.
Chapter Six
Elke
“Just try,” Tiger groaned. I looked at her, my anger taking over me. We’d been at this for hours and the sun was starting to fade. I could see she was worried about it, and Stig was worried too. He’d been off with Ianthe and the kid called Palmer making preparations. I honestly had no idea why everyone was so worried. What was the worst that could happen?
“I’m tired, honestly, I just want to sleep through Halloween Night at this point.”
“If that were an option, then I would be more than happy to leave you to it, believe me. But you won’t sleep. You will feel your powers churning inside of you, and you won’t be able to control it.”
“What the hell is going to happen? How about you tell me?”
“You want to know what happens?” Tiger replied, moving closer to me. “You want to know what happened to me my first All Hallows’ Eve when I realised my powers were at their peak. Okay, let me tell you.”
“It can’t be that bad.”
“It was, but think about this, I knew what I was. I knew what I could do, and you don’t. You have no idea what you are, and no idea how to prepare so we need to try and figure out what kind of power we are dealing with so you don’t kill yourself or others.”
I smoothed the strands of hair that had come out of my ponytail out of my eyes and readied myself again. I closed my eyes and tried to focus, or even, summon some weird power that I had no idea I had. Just as the door opened, I felt my eyes open involuntarily and I saw Ianthe standing there, watching me. A warmth spread throughout my body and I felt my fingers tingle.
“What’s happening?” I heard Tiger say from somewhere beside me. She sounded panicked, but I couldn’t stop looking over at Ianthe.
“She’s unable to control her powers because she’s upset with me,” Ianthe said. “The effects of the moon are upon us.”
“This isn’t an Oracle power.”
“No, it’s mixed with whatever her father is. Look at her eyes,” Ianthe said. I could see clearly, but there was something wrong with the colours. Everything was diluted.
“What the hell?”
“Tiger, leave us.”
“But…she could—”
“Go,” Ianthe said, a little more firmly. I hated that they were talking as if I weren’t here, and yet I was scaring Tiger.
“Elke,” I heard Ianthe coming closer to me, but I was burning hot. I couldn’t pull myself out of this rage that had bubbled over. “I know this is scary. I know you hate me right now, but I need you to remember the good times. The times you idolised me as your crazy aunt, as the best friend you had as a young girl, the one who took you for ice cream when you started noticing boys.”
I thought back to when I thought she was just my aunt, the one I could confide in, the one who shared my love of Bubblegum flavoured ice cream. Everyone would say it tasted like toothpaste, but I loved it, and so did she. Maybe that was because we shared the same DNA, but at the time, it was just what I needed. My sight went back to normal, and I could see her in her true colour. She seemed to relax a little, but she kept her distance.
“Why is this happening now?” I asked her, feeling the sobs starting in my chest. I was scared. Scared beyond belief. There was no hugging my aunt and she could make this go away. This was real, and it was here to stay.
“It usually manifests around your sixteenth year, but when you didn’t display any powers last year, I thought maybe you had escaped it.”
“Escaped it?”
“Yes, Oracles don’t always birth Oracles. My father didn’t have powers but he comes from a powerful Oracle family.”
“But I’m not an Oracle.”
“You are, but only in part.”
“What else am I?”
“I think you may be part Elemental.”
“A what?”
Ianthe sighed, and moved over to a chair by the wall. She crossed her leg over the other and waited for a minute. I could feel the tingling disappear from my fingers and the warmth was going away as well.
“Elementals can control certain elements in the world. You’ve heard of Earth, Wind, Water and Fire? Well, it’s similar to that. Elementals can control nature and wildlife, water and marine life, and weather. Some can control all of them, and more.”
“Okay, so what’s so scary about it?” I asked.
“Unchecked, the powers can become overwhelming.”
“So what does that make me?”
“I don’t know, elementals don’t exactly pass on powers. It’s more a gamble as to what they will control. Even if your father is who I think it is, you won’t have the same powers as him.”
“How do I find out?”
“The only way is to focus but I think you’re a little too scared to focus right now.”
The door opened before Ianthe could speak again. Stig walked in with Palmer who looked serious, but also had markings down the side of his face.
“What’s going on?”
“Palmer is going to bind your powers so they don’t burst forth when we can’t help you,” Stig said. “It’s the safest thing for you tonight. I won’t be able to help you and neither will most of the people here. We can figure it out tomorrow.”
“What if it doesn’t work?” Ianthe asked. “She’ll be alone and her powers will be at full power.”
Stig turned to her. “Do you have a better idea?”
“She’ll be okay,” Palmer said. “Luther and I will be able to help if she gets in trouble.”
“As if I’ll trust that idiot,” Stig said through grit teeth. “He’s reckless.”
“He’s also someone who can help if we need him to,” Palmer said. “At this point, we need to go with what we have on hand.”
Ianthe moved back again, and Stig blocked my line of sight on her. Palmer came closer and I stiffened. I didn’t know him. I barely knew Stig and yet I trusted him.
“It’s okay, it’s not going to hurt you.”
Palmer started to chant in another language, and Stig stepped back a little bit. Palmer put stones down in a star around me before he started to wave his hand around in a flourishing way as he chanted. I could feel the tension in the room get tighter and tighter, and soon a breeze blasted over me. No one else seemed to feel it. I stayed still, waiting for whatever Palmer was doing to be done. The markings on the side of his face seemed to glow bright green as he chanted, his eyes turning darker.
His chants became louder, and a purple smoke was beginning to twist around my body. It didn’t hurt, but it was strong, and I couldn’t move as it wound around me.
“Relax,” I heard Stig say. “It’s working.”
After what felt like an eternity, the smoke started to dissipate, and Palmer kicked one of the stones so the star was broken.
“It’s done.”
“Thank you, Palmer.”
He nodded and moved out of the room.
“I don’t feel any different.”
“You won’t, but it’ll work,” Stig said. “Just keep to your room for the night and you’ll be okay.”
“Okay,” I said and headed for the door with Stig. Ianthe tried to stop me. “Please, don’t, I don’t need a mother right now.”
She stepped back and I know I’d hurt her but I couldn’t worry about that now. There was time enough for reconciliation after this dreaded night was over.
Stig
She sat on her bed as I knelt in front of h
er to make sure she was okay. I could already feel the pull of my nature taking over. The sun was going down for the day which meant the academy was going to turn into chaos. This was the best place for her.
“Okay, so you have enough snacks in here for the night?” I asked her.
“Yes. I have enough food and drinks and books to keep me entertained.”
“Good,” I said. “I’ll see you tomorrow and we can talk more.”
She nodded and laid back, opening a book. I stood up quickly, feeling the urge come over me fast. I closed the door behind me. Palmer was standing by, looking at me hesitantly.
“I don’t feel okay with this.”
“She needs it.”
“Fine.”
He held his hands over the door handle and a smoke wound out over the metal bar. When he moved away, I knew the handle would be locked and Elke would be safe.
“You should go,” Palmer said. “You’re not going to last much longer.”
I knew he was right. I could already feel the hunger build inside of me. I left him and headed out of the academy, crossing the field until I got to the woods. The clouds moved away and the full moon shone brightly. Great, the wolves would be at full power. I was glad I’d be locked away in a cabin all night. I ran toward it before my inner nature took over and led me toward the town a few kilometres away. My father had built it when he founded this school, and this was where he locked himself away during All Hallows’ Eve. He introduced me to it when I was sixteen and my powers started to manifest. It was simple but it had everything I would need and I could lock myself in without the ability to get out until daylight thanks to the computerised steel lock on the door.
I could not wait until this day was over.
Elke
I flicked to the next chapter and sighed. Halfway through the book and I was ready to do something else. Looking over at the clock, I saw that it was only just past nine. I had so many hours to go. I’d never had anything as boring as this happen to me, and yet all I could think about was Stig.
He was incredibly sexy, something about him made me drool inwardly and I was angry that he kept all of this a secret from me. Why couldn’t he spend the night with me? What was the worst that could happen?
Screw this.
I moved over to the door and turned the handle but it stuck. Had they locked me in?
I twisted the handle up and down as much as I could but it didn’t budge. Seriously? My cheeks began to heat, and I could feel a strength rise within me. My breathing became shallow and I started to see things in a different colour again.
I moved my hand over the handle and tried to rip the lock from it. Nothing. Closing my eyes, I thought of the wood splintering and suddenly, I heard a crack. I opened my eyes to see the wood of my door had a deep crack across the lock part. I turned the handle and it opened for me, the handle clanking to the ground loudly. Stepping through the doorway, I looked up and down but there was no one around. I wondered where everyone was.
As I moved toward the library, I caught sight of something out of the window. The lake was alive, with people swimming about in it. That was odd. I thought back to my scary encounter with what they told me was a mermaid and a shudder ran through me. I could have died. Mermaids were not nice, like the Disney world wanted you to believe, they were evil, nasty creatures who wanted to kill you. I continue down the hall to the library, it was empty and every footstep echoed through the large room. The entire room was full of stacks of books, large ladders leant against the bookcases on the wall. I’d never seen so many books in all my life. I moved over to the first stack to the side and looked at the titles. This was about the histories of the supers, and one book, history of Ravensbane, sat at the end, dusty and old. I would need to remember to pick that one up when I had nothing better to do, but now, I wanted to know more about Elementals. I searched everywhere for the word elemental but I couldn’t find it.
A low growling noise came from behind me. I slowly turned around to see a big wolf on all fours looking at me with bright red eyes.
“Oh…hi there, puppy.”
I backed away but it kept coming for me, slowly, preying on me. His teeth were long and sharp, and the drool pooled at his lower jaw, dripping down to the ground.
“Not a puppy then.”
It continued to come toward me, and I was fast running out of room to back up. Just my luck I get mauled to death before I have a chance to figure out what I am.
“She won’t stop,” I heard a voice say from the darkness.
“Who’s there?”
“Just a friend.”
Luther moved from the shadows into the light, and I could see he had a devilish smirk on his face.
“She?”
“Yeah, that’s Tiger Lily Bane in her true form.”
I looked back at the wolf, trying to figure out how Tiger Lily had transformed into a huge wolf.
“So, everyone turns into what they are on this night. What are you supposed to be?”
Luther moved fully out of the shadows, two large black wings coming from his back.
“Fairy?”
He looked mortified. “Do I look like a fucking fairy to you?”
“You have wings.”
“A lot of creatures have wings,” he exclaimed, still miffed at me. “I am a fallen angel. I can’t pull them back in until the sun comes up.”
“You don’t like your wings?” I asked, still very aware Tiger Lily wanted to rip my throat out.
“Nope.”
“So…how do we get past the wolf?”
“Well I could fly you out of here.”
I was too surprised at what he said that I didn’t see Tiger launching toward me until it was too late. Luckily, Luther had kicked a table toward her. The sound of a dog yelping could be heard as I felt his arms wrap around my waist and I was flying through the air, out of the academy and up, up, up, higher than the clouds.
“Just don’t look down,” Luther said with a chuckle as he flew us away from the academy. The stars were glittering above us, and the clouds covering us from the humans below. It was cold, but I wasn’t cold. I could feel the bitterness of the cold air on my lips, and yet I didn’t shiver. I held onto him tight, as he flew me over buildings and farms, and houses. None of them knowing we were up here. I looked into Luther’s eyes and could see his eyes were black, like a demon’s, but I wasn’t scared. He’d just saved me, and now he was flying me over England. How could I be scared of him?
He landed on a rooftop of a building and I felt him steady me until I could feel my legs again. He moved around the roof, looking out at the spectacular view. His wings were immense, beautiful with long black feathers jutting out. I wondered if they were a burden because they were heavy or if he didn’t like what he was. Fallen Angels were evil, right? All I knew for sure was Stig hated him and in theory, I should too, right?
“This is incredible. You can come and see this anytime?”
“Yeah, it’s not the best but it’ll do.”
“Why are you at Ravensbane?” I asked. “You seem like you’re pretty free to come and go.”
“It’s not a prison,” he laughed. “It is probably one of the only places I am safe, a sanctuary of sorts.”
“Yet you fly away?”
“All Hallows’ Eve is chaotic, I don’t do chaos.”
He seemed flippant, but I could see there was a storminess behind those dark eyes. Was he escaping from his own world?
“So how old are you?” I asked.
“Does it matter?” he asked. “Why don’t you tell me about you? It’s only early and I doubt you wanna head back to become Tiger’s dinner.”
He had a point. That had been terrifying, and I really didn’t want to return to my reality right now. “What do you want to know?”
“When did your powers start?”
“A year ago, I shattered the windows in class. My mother convinced the teachers it wasn’t me, that it was absurd. Then nothing. She asked me if I was ma
d about something when it happened. I kept saying it wasn’t my fault. That was it until I hurt my father’s mother.”
“What happened with your parents?” he asked me. It was an honest question, he wasn’t judging me, he was just asking.
“I honestly don’t know,” I said, feeling the sadness take over again. “I know I killed them.”
“It’s not your fault, you know. Ianthe should have told you well before your sixteenth birthday. Your seventeen, right?”
“Yep, almost eighteen.”
“Were you angry at them?”
“Yes. Well…I was at my father.”
“It’s funny you call them your parents, since they weren’t your biological parents.”
“Yeah well until a few days ago, that’s all I knew.”
“But you suspected differently.”
I sat down on the brick ledge, keeping my hands on the side to keep myself up. “I did. I felt a more powerful connection to her. She was the fun aunt, the one I could confide in. Now she is the woman who abandoned me in my time of need. She wasn’t there for all the bad things, only the good times.”
Luther joined me on the ledge, keeping his wings away from me. The feathers were huge, as long as my arm. I wanted to touch them, but I didn’t dare.
“Can you not make them go inside?” I asked. “I saw you without wings before.”
“Not tonight,” he said. “They will stay out until the sun comes up. Which is why I hate this night, I can’t hide it away what I am. It’s just a brutal reminder of what I am and what I am trying to escape.”
“Why would you hide it? You can fly, Luther. You can see things that most people can’t.”
“It’s more complicated than that. Flying is great, sure, but being what I am is not meant to be easy. I have to make difficult decisions.”
“Like?”
“I said I wanted to talk about you. How do you feel after the great revelation?” he asked.
I thought about my last couple of days, about two weeks ago when I killed my parents. No matter how mad I was at my father, I knew it was because he was scared, just like I was.
“Overwhelmed and like it’s not real.”
All Hallows' Eve (Ravensbane Academy Book 1) Page 4
