by Lena Lockett
“I was just trying to help,” I said, shrinking into my chair. I crossed my arms and tried to get as far into the leather fabric as I could.
“You should have told someone what was going on. Using the circle is using old powerful magic. Frankly, I’m surprised you were able to control it.” He sighed and shook his head again.
I hated disappointing my father, but there was nothing else I could say.
“You will be on probation for the rest of the semester. After that, you will be reinstated,” the headmaster said from across the room. He was leaning on the wall watching what was going on. “Ms., Milestine will also be on probation. You two have a second chance here. It doesn’t happen here often.”
I nodded and glanced at my father. His arms were crossed in front of him and he motioned for me to leave so he could continue to talk about what was happening with my father. I figured it was going to be a bunch of sucking up to my dad. He was a huge donor to the school and they would want to make a good impression.
I made my way down the hall and pulled myself together. Class was over for the day and students were filed into their rooms or into the common areas of the school. I knew they were all going to be talking about what had happened, so I avoided any crowded areas and made my way to my room.
When I opened the door, the first thing I saw was the book sitting on my bed. It had vanished from my hands the minute we’d hit the circle, so I had wondered what had happened to it.
I closed the door and leaned back against it. Something in the air was heavy, like I was under extreme g force going into space. I bit my lip. Maybe this was a bad idea.
I sat on my bed and put my hand on the book. My hand instantly warmed and I felt the energy travel up my arm into my body. I pulled the book towards me and Touched the clasp. It popped open in my hand and I felt a tinge of electricity in my bones.
I opened the book and looked at the pages, they seemed to float as I read them. Every spell I could ever want was there and right at my fingertips. I flipped the pages and read until I couldn’t see any longer. A knock on the door brought me out of my trance.
I got up and opened the door to Brandi standing there.
“Hey, are you okay?” Brandi said. She was glancing around herself nervously.
I moved so she could come in. Brandi walked passed me and I closed the door behind her. “Yeah, I’m fine. Are you doing okay?”
She nodded. “I got in trouble for helping you.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“At least we didn’t get kicked out. Most do when they do one thing wrong,” she said.
“My dad probably had something to do with that.”
“Was it worth it?” She said taking a seat on the bed. She glanced at the book and then back to me. “You opened it?”
“I did.”
“What’s inside?” She tried to touch it, but she pulled her hand back with a yelp. “I can’t touch it?”
“I didn’t know.” I grabbed the book and pulled it to me. I felt the warmth of it seep into my skin. All I wanted to do was hold it against my chest and forget the world. I tore the book from my hands and slid it into the drawer next to the bed.
“I didn’t know it came here until I got back to the room,” I said.
“It’s weird, but maybe it will help you to stop this thing,” she said with a shrug.
“Maybe,” I said.
“Have you looked inside it yet?”
I swallowed hard. The whispers from the drawer got louder the longer I waited to answer her. I wasn’t sure I should even tell her about what I’d read. Most of it was so complicated I didn’t understand it.
“A little,” I said.
“Well, until you read something that can help, I think we should think about other things.” She smiled as she spoke. “The Semester is almost over, and the dance is coming up. Have you thought about what you want to wear?”
I hadn’t thought about the dance since I got here. This was the weirdest part of the whole school experience. Not only was this dance one that our school was hosting, but other creatures I’d never seen before would be there. I had no idea how to handle that or what I should say or do around these creatures.
“I’ve never been to a dance like this,” I said simply.
“Really, I figured you of all people would have known some kind of Vampire or Fae creature,” Brandi made a face. “I’ve met a Fae before, but I was a lot younger and he was sick. My mom was treating him for a mystery illness. I still don’t know what it was exactly.”
I knew Fae had different systems than us. They had allergies to many things’ humans didn’t even bat an eye at but had never learned the specifics of what it was.
“Where do we even shop for a dress out here?” I said.
“Oh, that’s the fun part. One of the doors opens to the largest shop on all dimensions. We might actually run into one of those interesting Fae hotties,” Brandi said with a smile. “They really are mesmerizing.”
“You have a thing for Fae, don’t you?” I teased.
“Wait till you meet one. You will have the same feeling.” She rolled over on her back and looked at the ceiling and had the biggest smile I’d ever seen.
“When is this extravagant shopping trip?” I couldn’t help a smile even with everything going on. Brandi knew just how to make me smile and how to make things better even when I didn’t realize how deep I was in my own mind.
“They open the door tomorrow, so we have plenty of time to get the perfect dress and shoes and everything,” she said sitting up and raising her eyebrows. “We have to find the best dresses possible. This is our first dance, and no one knows who we are. We get to have the air of mystery.”
I liked that idea. A lot of people treated me differently because of my dad so if I got a chance to not have to have that come first, I was going to take it.
“I want to be the first in line,” she said without any sense of humor. She really was ready to do this.
“I’m in,” I said without hesitating.
***
Classes flew by as Brandi talked about the colors she wanted and what her dream dress would look like. I wasn’t as interested in this dance as she was, but I wanted to support my friend and also maybe pick up a pointer or two from her. She was the one that had helped me to feel wanted here. The least I could do is help her feel the same.
“I am so excited,” Brandi said practically bouncing down the hall towards the doors. There were a few other students making their way in the same direction, but it wasn’t crowded.
“I am glad you have it all figured out,” I said with a slight laugh. I really was hoping someone would step in and just tell me what to wear. In my old school we didn’t have a lot of dances and when we did, I’d usually just hang out with my friends.
“Don’t worry. We’re going to get you the best dress ever,” she said putting her hands on my arms.
“You are so good to me. Everything we’ve been through and you want to make sure I’m doing okay. How did I get such a great friend?”
“Lucky, I guess.” She winked and we both laughed like I hadn’t laughed in a long while.
Once we got to the doors, I could see the line leading down the hallway. There were more people than I thought there would be and it made me just a little nervous. I wondered if I was going to find the right dress and for a moment, I didn’t even think about the dark smoke snaking along the walls and through the floor in front of me. It was a welcome relief.
Once the door opened, we all filed through. It was as simple as walking through a door. You didn’t realize you’d traveled as far as you do. The dress shop was in the middle of the city more than ten miles away but owned by a Witch who gave the school an exclusive deal for the yearly dance. The moment I walked into the store, the air changed around me. It was lighter and the magic that was normal, was there, but that was all. No black smoke. No feeling of unease. It was perfect.
“Come on, the best dresses are over
here,” Brandi said grabbing my arm and pulling me through the store. We passed beautiful dresses of all colors from bright purples to deep reds and greens. Some of them were super short and sexy while others were shaped like princess dresses with long flowing skirts and interesting designs.
We stopped towards the back of the store in front of a rack of dark blue and light grey dresses. I pulled a couple to look at them and then glanced at Brandi. She’d found a beautiful black and gold dress with a long straight skirt that had a slit up the right leg. The bodice had intricate gold designs that weaved from the short sleeves around the front and met in the back at the zipper.
“I’m going to try this one,” Brandi said heading for the dressing rooms. She glanced back and cocked her head. “Do you know what colors you might want?”
“I’m just going to look and see what jumps out at me,” I said with a smile. So far nothing had made me gasp with joy. I wasn’t sure if I was going to find anything I really wanted.
I walked around the racks of bright colored dresses and back to the wall not far from where the dressing rooms were. Along the wall were shorter dresses with shoes that matched sitting under them, so we could get the full look. I ran my hand over the fabrics until something to my left caught my eye. It was white with a little sparkle built into the long skirt. I reached for it and pulled it off the rack to get a good look at it. A smile crept to my face. This dress was amazing.
“That is beautiful,” Brandi said walking up to me. I took in her look with the light brown hair with a few stray blond highlights and her bright blue eyes. The black and gold of the dress popped against her light eyes and straight hair. While the dress was darker and made me think of something a Vampire would wear, no one was going to mistake her for one.
“That dress is going to make even the Fae think about their looks. Are you going to buy it?”
“I haven’t even tried it on yet,” I said. I rolled the soft fabric in my fingers a moment before smiling and heading towards the dressing room.
I slid my school clothing off and pulled the dress over my head. It slid down my frame easily and fit snug without any real work. I smoothed the front and looked at myself in the mirror. My blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, but the dress made it seem like it was glowing a bright white. The dress had an iridescent glow to its long skirt that flowed out, covering my legs and feet so it looked like I was floating. The bodice was see through at the waist with swirls of white and sparkle climbing up to my breasts and over my bare shoulders. I couldn’t breathe at the look for a moment.
“Are you coming out or what?” Brandi said through the door.
I bit my lip and opened the door. She had changed back into her blue jeans and yellow top. A smile was on her face as she took in my look and I knew I had chosen the right dress.
“It’s perfect,” she said.
I changed out of the dress and headed for the check out. I didn’t have to worry about having funds because she just connected it to my school account which was never going to run out with my family. I grabbed a nice pair of simple white heels to go with the dress and watched Brandi as she handed her dress and shoes to the cashier as well.
“I’m so glad they have this teleporting system, so I don’t have to carry that dress all over the school,” she said.
“Me too,” I said in agreement. There were some real upsides to being a Witch and buying from a Witch. Being in the human world, you didn’t have these things.
We walked through the door back into the school and that heavy feeling of intense magic took over me. I stopped and put my hand on the wall to catch my breath.
“Do you feel heavy here?” I asked.
Brandi shrugged. “I guess I don’t pay attention.”
“I always feel like there is a weight on my chest when I’m here,” I said righting myself and walking down the hallway.
“It has to be something to do with that magic.”
As soon as she finished her sentence, I felt a pulse in my ear and closed my eyes to try to grab hold of it. Blood pounded in my ears and I heard crashing. My eyes flew open and I glanced around us to see glass on the floor and Brandi looking at me with wide eyes.
“What happened?” I asked.
“The window just exploded.”
“Is everyone okay?” I said a little panic bubbled up in me. Everyone was staring at the window and beyond it. When I looked through it, I could see the forest and the clearing with the stone circle. I bit my lip and glanced back at Brandi. “We have to figure this out.”
Five
I said good bye to Brandi and crawled into my bed. I was exhausted after dealing with all the magic stuff and then going shopping for my dress. While I loved it and it was a nice distraction, it was not a long-term thing. I had to find a way to get rid of the smoke and hopefully help my friends.
I drifted off to sleep easily but the dreams were anything but relaxing. I was standing in the forest in the center of the stone circle. All around me was the dark smoke weaving in and out of the stones and trees. It didn’t come into the circle, but it seemed like it might push its way in given the chance. I watched the smoke weave around me and the feeling of warmth from deep inside me. It fell nice and like it was from a place I knew, like I was part of it. I closed my eyes and let the warmth flow through me until a tingle came through my arm and around my hands.
I opened my eyes and glanced at my hand. The black smoke was weaving around my fingers. I shook my hand and the smoke dissipated, but the burning inside my skin didn’t. I screamed with fear as well as elation. The power flowing through my skin was intoxicating, but there was something behind it I didn’t like.
I squeezed my eyes shut and fell to my knees.
My eyes flew open and I caught my breath before I sat up. The air around me was heavy. I could hear something going on but couldn’t see it until the smoke cleared around me and the light filtered through. I stood and looked through the opening where my door once was at the other students sticking their heads out of their doors staring at me before the headmaster walked down the hallway towards me. He crossed his arms as he took in the hole where my door used to be.
“What happened here?” He said.
“I don’t know.” I shook my head as I spoke. “I was asleep and then I woke up and this had happened.”
“This isn’t just something that happens.”
“I know, but it did,” I insisted.
He stepped into the room and looked around them. I finally realized the door was gone and there was no sign of where it had gone.
“Did the door just disappear?” He asked.
“I don’t know.”
“We heard the magic all the way across the school. Something big happened here and you’re telling me you were just sleeping?”
“Yeah, I mean I had a nightmare, but that’s it.”
“You had a nightmare?” He sighed. “Did you do magic in your dream?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe?” I said. There was no way I was going to tell him about my dream or what it might mean.
“You might need a different kind of room,” he said. “It’s not uncommon for new witches to not have full control of their powers and need extra support.”
“What do you mean a different kind of room?”
“One where your powers can be contained. You don’t want to hurt anyone.” He gestured for me to leave the room and he followed. “I’ll have your things moved, but it’s important for you to get some sleep tonight.”
We walked down the hallway as eyes followed me. So embarrassing. I kept my head down and let the headmaster go in front of me.
We walked down the hallway and towards the back of the school before taking another quick left and stopped at a hallway that came to a dead end. There were only a few rooms on each side versus the six or seven per side in the other hallways.
“These rooms have spells on them to keep magic contained. That’s the only difference from the others.” He held his hand out for
me to go passed him into the hallway. I walked by two rooms before I noticed the names on the top of the doors.
“Wait, there are actually students in here?” I said without thinking.
“Yes, this is where some of our most powerful students live. This will be your room as long as you like here. That way you won’t have to worry about what happens when you dream.” He stopped at the second room on the right and leaned against the wall. “This is your room.”
I walked into the room and glanced around it. The room was noticeably larger than the one I’d moved from. There was a sitting area to the right and a private bathroom towards the back of the room. No wonder there were less in this hallway rather than the regular ones. I dropped my small bag on the floor by the door and sat on the bed.
“I’ll leave you to go to sleep,” he said as he closed the door.
I didn’t say anything to him but laid back on the bed. The pull of magic creeping in on me again. I glanced at the drawers beside the bed and noticed dark smoke oozing through the crack. It slinked onto the floor and around the headboard. I cracked the door and gasped as I saw the book sitting inside. It had moved with me to a room that was supposed to hold magic. I slammed the drawer shut and closed my eyes. I wasn’t going to let this thing control me. I couldn’t.
***
“I heard what happened last night. Are you okay?” Brandi ran up behind me as she spoke.
I didn’t turn around and a part of me wanted to run away screaming. This was the last thing I wanted to talk about.
I glanced at her and shrugged. “I have a new room,” I said.
“That’s what I heard.” She shook her head. “Is it scary there?”
I stopped and gave her a look right in the middle of the hallway. “Why would it be scary? It’s not a dungeon.”
“I’ve just heard stories about the rooms down there.”
I started walking and turned into our spell work classroom. Link was sitting at our desk waiting and all I wanted to do was turn back around and walk away.
