"Noah... we won't—" The barmaid tried to get out.
I grabbed her by the collar and brought her in close to me. "I am a seven and you will give me the respect I deserve." I said through clenched teeth.
The woman backed away. "Of course."
She went to talk to the barkeep. He still shook his head. They weren't going to let me stay.
"Aster, can I borrow some of your wind, please?"
"Of course.” He held up his hands and separated the room down the middle. Everyone gave way and backed against either side of the walls giving way to me. I walked straight for the barkeep as he tried to escape to the back cellar. I stopped in front of him and slammed my fist down on the long wooden table he stood behind. His jaw fell open and he shook all over.
"I don’t want no trouble, Noah."
"Then don't make me give you any. I've had a horrible trip and I need a room for one night. You will give it to me, or so help me, I’ll rip this place to the ground."
"Of course.” He threw a key on the counter.
"I also want food and ale brought up.” I threw thirty silver on the counter. "It's more than enough. Keep it for the trouble I've caused you." The barmaid grabbed the key and took us upstairs, away from anyone else.
"Noah, this wasn't my idea, to ban you from the inn." The barmaid said.
"I know. Just leave us be." I let out a deep sigh. I had become like every other seven. Forcing my way just because of my status.
The barmaid opened the door and we stepped in. It was clean enough, but there was no bath.
"I'll bring up the heating bowls right away." She said.
"Thank you," I said as she left. I threw my cloak on the small bed and sat down. "Well, what now?" I asked Aster.
"I don't know. I think we should focus on the problem at hand. Once we get back to the castle we have to figure out how to summon a demon without magic and pass the final test.”
"I forgot about summoning the demon with everything going on. I meant to ask Ian about it since he read so much, but now that is never going to happen. Where could we possibly find a witch in the short amount of time we have?” I flopped down on the bed.
“Well, I hear there is one on the way to the castle. I was thinking ahead. That was the main reason I came. I wanted to visit her and get the answers we needed." He said, taking his cloak off.
I looked up at him and admired his smile.
"You could have led with that when you got here. Would have eased my nerves a bit."
"Eh. I'm telling you now." He held his arms out to me.
I stood up and hugged him. "We are going to be okay, right?"
"Probably not, but it will be eventful." I pushed him away gently.
"You are supposed to say ‘Yes, Noah, everything will turn out perfect’."
"Noah... You’re a seven. Since when has anything been okay for you?"
"Point taken."
* * *
Our carriage arrived the next morning. Nobody from my family came looking for me. Not even my mother, which was disappointing.
"Here we go." Aster took in a deep breath.
We stayed up all night talking about possible scenarios that could happen, and how to react if they did. I wanted to be prepared for whatever came next. Just about every plan involved running. We set off to the castle to see a witch. I just hope it wasn't the one-eyed kind that smelled of strange concoctions. The type you found in stories stealing children.
"It shouldn't be too far from the town. It's less than halfway, so we should come up on it fairly fast,” I said.
"Good. I want to get this over with." Aster said scooting closer to me.
The ride to the witch’s cottage was off the beaten path, but it was easy enough to find. The horses started to get jumpy, so the driver said he would wait for our return. We dismounted and walked along a small footpath leading to a cottage in the far distance.
"It looks nice enough." I said looking at the small home.
"Final words of the great seven known as Noah." Aster patted my back.
"You aren't helping,” I said.
"I'm always helping."
The closer we got, the darker the sky became. I slowed my pace and looked up.
"You're seeing that, too." I asked as my hand fell to my hilt.
"I am. Definitely a one-eyed witch." Aster was pulling up his sleeves.
"You really didn't have to add that." I mumbled.
He laughed and we kept walking. We got within spitting distance, and a beautiful woman exited the small house. Her hair fell to her backside but what was intriguing were her eyes. The eyes were like a night sky. No pupils just stars.
"Hello, Noah and Aster. I've been waiting for you." The witch said.
"That's not ominous," Aster whispered.
I elbowed him in the stomach.
"Come, you have nothing to fear." The witch insured, welcoming us with her hands extended.
I looked to Aster and he shrugged.
"You are no help at all, you know that?"
He smiled as he took off to the house. We stepped up the small steps and went inside. It looked like any normal home. Nothing about it indicated a witch lived there.
"Please sit. I’d ask you if you want tea, but you would just say no." The witch walked over to the small table in the middle of the room.
"I’d love some tea," Aster said.
"Oh... Okay." The witch paused and took a step towards the quaint kitchen.
"I'm just kidding. I don't want to die." Aster said taking off his cloak.
"Aster..." I whispered. "Stop it. Sit down."
"Right. Sorry."
The witch just smiled at us both. "So, I hear you need a hex bag."
"How is that even possible." I asked joining Aster at the table.
"I have a unique gift." The witch explained.
"She's an oracle of sorts," Aster added.
"No, no. Nothing like that. I just see futures I am involved in." The witch said after finally joining us. The chair pulled out by itself and she sat down.
"And you are involved in mine?" I said as I leaned in closer to her.
"I am. Well, for a time." She stood up and went to a shelf to grab something out of a pot. Holding it out to me, she said, "This is for you. But a warning comes with this. If you take this, things will happen you cannot change. It will turn your life upside down forever."
"What does that mean?" I extended my hand but closed my fist, unsure if I really wanted the bag.
"I will not say more. But know it will change everything if you summon the demon."
I looked to Aster, who looked just as scared as I was. Had this been a mistake?
"Are you prepared for such a trial?" The witch stared at me with concern. As if she cared about me.
"Too late to turn back now." I said.
"No, it isn't," Aster said, giving me the option.
I hesitated to touch the bag. But then I found my strength and took it. Nothing magical happened. My hand was shaking turning the small pouch over in my hand. I felt nothing from the bag. No cold feeling over taking my body. It was just a bag. I sat back and let out a breath.
"Thank you." I whispered. “For the bag I mean.”
"There is more I am meant to tell you. You will need two additional things for the summoning. You won't find this in any book. The hair of a loved one and the hair of an enemy."
"That's not creepy." Aster muttered.
"I do not make the rules of magic." The witch responded.
"Do you know the words to summon a Garnog?" I asked.
"I don't, but the answer lies at your school. I am sorry. It is time for you to go. Things have already been put into motion, and I have to leave.”
I stood in a panic. I had so many questions. I looked between Aster and the Witch.
“Please. I have given up everything for this. I need help.” I pleaded.
“You have yet to give up anything child.” The witch placed her palm on my face.
> "What do you mean?" I whispered. What more was there?
The witch walked behind us and put her hands-on our backs and smiled. “I believe in you, sweet girl." An intense cold rushed through my veins causing me to close my eyes. Magic was soaring into me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The Answer
My eyes didn’t adjust to the brightness. "Aster? Are you okay?"
"Yes, and you?"
I replied slowly. "I think." My eyes blinked rapidly, taking in the environment.
We were back in our room at the Royal Academy. I checked the room just to make sure it was ours.
"How..." I said turning.
"Um, I'm going to go with I have no idea," Aster said.
“The hex bag!” I searched my pockets and found it.
"Still have the bag?" Aster asked.
I nodded and went and immediately put the hex bag in a drawer in my desk.
I looked to Aster. He was still checking the room. "Aster, are you okay?"
"Yes, just trying to figure out how she did it," he said, turning in place.
"You mean the great Aster doesn't know?"
"Not yet," Aster slowly said.
I took off my cloak and sat on my bed. I had to process everything I’d just learned. I never believed in fate, but from what the witch said, fate believed in me.
Aster jumped on his bed. "So, what now?"
"Let's go over what we know. The answer to the summoning is in the Royal Academy. Well the words for the incantation at least. Two, from what the witch said I've set something in motion."
"I don't know if I’d believe everything the witch said." Aster said leaning back.
"You said it yourself: she’s a type of oracle." I said as I took off my boots.
"I did say that, didn’t I? Well, whatever it is, we will deal with it." He smiled at me, confident as ever.
"What if I shouldn't have come back, Aster?" I said.
Aster stood and walked over to me. "Well, I’d say we would be on our way to the sea and relaxation."
"I should have left..." I leaned back on my bed. How was I going to do all this? Maybe Father was right. What had I brought on my family? Now I had to worry that at every turn, a royal guard was going to come after me.
"No, I think you are right where you are meant to be." Aster bent down and put my boots back on my feet. "Come on, let's get some food."
We left for the food hall. Surprisingly, there were a lot of people there. We sat like we usually would, away from the rest of the sevens. Just as usual the food was all lined up against the wall. Chatter filled the hall as students came and went. We found a table next to the food line when a step of feet stepped loudly next to us.
"Here comes the almighty Tye," Aster said.
Tye locked eyes with me and grimaced. I had no choice but to match his gaze. Aster blew him a kiss just to further taunt him.
"Is that really necessary?" I asked.
"Absolutely not. But I don't like being threatened with notes. I'm much more of an ‘in person,” threat type of guy."
“I’ll be seeing you soon.” Tye said as he walked by.
“You are already looking at us.” Aster called back over the noise. Tye just continued walking, ignoring him.
Aster reminded me of the note I found left on my door. It was another reason to watch my back. However, now that I was number one, I was determined to stay there. We finished dinner and headed back. We opened the door and another note was waiting for me.
"Another note. Why can’t people just talk to us like normal people?” I bent down to pick it up, but the parchment was thicker, and the pen hand was beautiful. The wax seal of a seven closed the note together. I shut the door and opened the letter.
Noah,
-Come to see me in my office when you return. We have things to discuss.
Jovanni
He knew.
I began pacing, thinking about what to do. Could a letter from my father reach here that fast? No, it was impossible. I handed the note to Aster.
He whistled. "Well... this is ominous."
"To say the least." What was I to do? "Should we run?"
But Aster had the same thought process as me as he grabbed a bag. "There's no way he could have found out this fast. Unless the magical witch travel spell added to our journey, instead of the other way around." Yet Aster was still packing.
His words reminded me that we hadn’t checked what day it was.
"Shit." I grabbed a bag and threw some clothes and my coin into it. Aster did the same. We looked at each other and let out a sigh. "Should I go?" I asked.
"I mean, odds are you are fine. Jovanni doesn't strike me as the type who would wait patiently to get you. Our bags are packed if we need a quick getaway. I'll go along with you and wait in the hall. Should something happen, we will be ready."
I put my cloak on just in case and waited for Aster to lead the way. I might not have magic, but I would run my heart out if I needed to. We walked along an empty corridor that led to Jovanni's office. We stopped at the long end of the hall.
"I'll wait here," Aster said.
"Should I just scream if something happens?"
"Sure, why not. But a whistle might work better however." I nodded. He went to touch me, but quickly put his hand back at his side. "It's going to be fine."
"I know." I wish I could touch him, but it was too dangerous, especially now. I let out another breath and set my bag down. I walked farther down the hall and knocked on Jovanni’s door.
"Enter,” a voice called out.
The door opened by itself, letting me in. The fire was roaring and a fresh cup of tea was steaming on the small table between the couches. The smell of books filled my senses.
"Hello, sir. You wanted to see me?" I asked Jovanni.
"Ah, welcome back. Take a seat."
I sat with my hands at my side so that I wouldn’t have long to reach for my sword.
He reached for his tea and held it up to his mouth. "So, tell me about your break. How was it?"
"It was uneventful, sir," I lied as he took a sip.
"That's it? Uneventful?"
I shifted my feet so I could stand up fast. Did he know? Was I answering wrong?
He set his tea down. "Are you okay, Noah?"
"Yes, sir. Just tired from the ride back." I tried to respond without shifting in my chair.
"Of course, you are. I'll keep this brief then.” He came to the edge of his couch. “How are you coming along with the demon summoning?"
"No progress, I'm afraid. I'm still missing the incantation." He stood up and paced.
"So, I take it you aren't going to use magic like I suggested?"
"I didn't want to change things up. I am ranked number one for a reason. I'd like to keep my powers a mystery as long as I can."
He paused and looked at me. "You know I highly advise against that. Do you know what could go wrong if you miss one word of the incantation? An incantation you haven't found yet, I might add."
"I believe I have some idea."
"I hope so, because it involves a lot of death and pain for us all. Especially since you will be summoning a Garnog."
"Then why don't I summon something else?"
He stood up and went to his bookshelf. He pulled out the same book he showed me last time. Jovanni sat back down and opened it. He flipped through the pages, looking for something.
"I don't see anything else that would impress us all. If you want to hang onto that number one spot, then you need to summon like we planned."
I didn’t think I could change anyway, considering the hex bag I had already received. "Okay, then. If I can't find the incantation, then I’ll use magic like we originally planned. But I want to at least try."
"Very well then. I will tell you that there are only two weeks until the test. That is not common knowledge, so I wouldn’t spread that around."
"I understand, sir. Was this the only thing he wanted to see me about?” My shoulder
s relaxed. If he was going to sentence me, he would have done it already.
"Not that I can think of. Is there anything you wish to tell me?" Jovanni closed the book and set it down.
"No, sir. Just anxious to get some sleep."'
"Then go get some and let me know if I can help in any way."
I nodded and made my way to the door. Once I was outside, I put my back to the wall and sank to the ground. My breath hastened, trying to let out the tension I’d held in.
Aster came rushing up. "Are you okay?"
All I could do was nod. I stood up and grabbed my bag.
"Let's go back to the room."
He followed without a word. We made our way through the halls and back to the comfort of our room. Aster made sure the door was shut and came to embrace me.
"Now, I'll ask again. Are you okay?"
"I don't know.” I just thought my life was going to end, but it was just more information on the demon. Is this how the rest of my days were going to be like?
I filled Aster in on everything.
"Well, that means we have two weeks to find that incantation. I'll make sure to get Elise on it, as well." Aster said.
"Good. So, now what?"
* * *
Candles lit every inch of the library. The smell of old covered the room. We were sitting in between a stack of books on either side of us. A week passed without any new information from anyone. Even with Elise's help, it was slow going. There were just too many books. My head fell to the library table.
"It's doomed. I'm doomed." I grumbled.
"More than likely," Aster said.
"Don't say that." Elise tried to comfort me. "We will find it."
I lifted my head. "Elise, why aren't you in the trials?"
"No need." Elise flipped to another page.
"Well, you are smarter than most, then." I nudged my head towards Aster.
"I saw that." Aster said. Elise and I smiled at each other. I had relaxed slightly over the last week. Visions of me being pulled away by the royal guard had all but stopped.
"I'm pretty sure I know everything there is to know about demons.”
"That makes two of us." Aster slammed his book shut. "Nothing. We could always go back and practice the circle."
The Prisoner of Fate Page 16
