by Logan Jacobs
No one said a word, not even Vanessa or Theodora, and as the silence grew heavier with each passing second, I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.
I asked you if you were afraid of the dark, the same voice suddenly intoned inside my head.
I sucked in a sharp breath of air and then relaxed my shoulders. I wasn’t about to let her question go unanswered, but I wasn’t going to let my voice quiver, either.
“No,” I said in a firm, clear voice. “I do, however, prefer to see whomever it is I choose to converse with.”
For a moment, I thought Vanessa or Theodora was going to reprimand me for my somewhat snippy response, but instead, the room filled with soft laughter.
“Very well, then,” the same voice answered. “Illuminana.”
At once, the entire room filled with firelight, and it took me a long moment to adjust to the view before me. Then I had to stop myself from letting my jaw fall to the marble floor, but I’d never seen such a room before.
The chamber was even larger than the banquet hall and three or four classrooms put together. The stone walls were painted in various shades, mostly black, amber, scarlet, and gold, and each stone was molded and carved into a different shape. The floors were made of silver and black marble, and there was a red pentagram painted right in the middle of the room. Grand, black stone archways covered the ground floor, and hundreds of oil paintings hung on the multi-colored walls.
When I glanced upward, I couldn’t even see the ceiling. There were just hundreds, if not thousands of red candles hovering above us like a fiery cloud. The air was scented with roses and spices, and there was one massive stained-glass window plastered at the very end of the room. Dark silk curtains covered most of the window, though, and marble statues were situated at each corner of the room.
But despite the grandiosity, luxury, and dark beauty of the magnificent room, what truly caught my attention were the nine witches standing behind black, towering marble podiums.
Each witch looked to be no older than Theodora and no younger than Vanessa, and they glared down at me with suspicious eyes and firmly set mouths. They were beautiful women, but they were also intimidating, and I could feel their resentment, skepticism, and doubt radiating off their bodies like the smell of freshly blooming flowers.
There was one woman, though, who differed from the others. She stood in the middle of the room behind the tallest podium, and as I stared into her eyes, I couldn’t get a read on her. Her hair was a pale blonde, and her eyes were as bright as the emerald green forest we’d just marched through. Then she smiled down at me with a perfect set of gleaming, white teeth
“So,” she said as her vibrant, snake-green eyes bored into mine. “This is the man who supposedly saved Scholomance… How do you do, Cole? Please, come closer.”
“I’m well, thank you,” I said as I cleared my throat and took a step toward her. “I truly appreciate you taking the time to see me and for allowing my coven to come along with me.”
“Wait,” a woman with long, deep red hair spoke up, and she narrowed her eyes at me intently. “Is it safe to allow him to approach? Doesn’t he look like--”
“Quiet, Anne,” the blonde woman snapped, and then she turned to me and forced herself to smile. “I am the head of the court, Madame Mara Soulton… I’m sure your coven knows this, but I am familiar with your circumstances, and I know your knowledge of our world is still in some ways… limited.”
“Yes, I’m afraid I’m still learning about your world,” I admitted, “but may I say that each day is an unholy blessing.”
“How so?” Madame Soulton asked with a pale arched eyebrow.
“You have all welcomed me into your world, and each day, I have learned something new and remarkable,” I explained. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in all the worlds.”
The court all cast a variety of different expressions toward one another. Some of the witches looked pleased by my response, while others remained skeptical or even disgusted by the mere sight of me.
“From your silver tongue drips honey,” Mara replied after a long minute, “but even the sweetest savor can be laced with venom… I’m afraid that while we are grateful to you for defeating a corrupt headmaster, saving Scholomance, and slaying an elder goddess, you must still prove your worth for the war to come.”
It took all my willpower not to laugh in their terrifyingly beautiful faces, but instead of demonstrating any sign of irritation or resentment, I simply forced myself to smile and then gently bowed my head.
“What would you have me do?” I asked.
“Tomorrow at first light,” Mara began, “you will face Amon… one of our fiercest creatures from the deepest bowels of hell. If you can defeat the beast, we will accept sister Theodora’s words that you may be of worth to us. Then we shall discuss what can be done to prepare Scholomance for the elder gods.”
My coven began to gasp and mutter amongst themselves until Vanessa furiously quieted them down.
“May I ask why?” I said once heavy silence filled the room once more.
“You may ask,” Mara said with a faux-sweet smile, “but I am under no obligation to answer you.”
“With all due respect, Mara,” Theodora interjected as she brushed past me. “Why would you summon him all the way here if you didn’t believe in his worth or my claim?”
“Satan,” the pale-haired woman chuckled. “I am surprised at you, Theodora. You never questioned the ways of the court before. Why start now… and why is it on behalf of this… man?”
“Because Cole has gone far above and beyond to protect the witches of Scholomance,” the headmistress proclaimed in a slightly raised voice. “He has proved his worth on more than one occasion, yet you want him to face an unbeatable creature. It seems as if you are, in fact, not respecting my words and claim.”
The women of the court all gasped in unison, except for the high and mighty Madame Mara. She simply stared at Theodora with no expression on her beautiful face, and then her lips curled up into a small, mysterious smile.
“It has already been decided, Theodora,” she said before she raised a small, wooden mallet and then hit her podium with a light tap. “This has little to do with you, and everything to do with a male who seems to have worked his way into your academy. Of course, if what you say about Cole is true, he won’t have a problem proving his power to us. We shall reconvene here tomorrow at first light. Now, the maids will all show you to your separate rooms.”
With those words, the women of the court all floated down from their podiums and left in different directions.
At first, I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me, and I wasn’t sure how to react or what to say. Even Theodora seemed to be at a loss for words, which was very unusual for her.
“Well,” Theodora said after a long moment, “you heard Madame Mara.”
“But, Headmistress,” Morgana breathed, and her blue eyes were dark with despair, “how can you allow Cole to fight Amon?”
“I do not have a choice in the matter, Miss Morgana,” Theodora sighed with her eyes downcast. “And neither do you… So, I suggest we all do as instructed and retire for the night. I know you’re not tired, but Cole will need his rest and strength, considering he has just recently recovered.”
My coven all nodded slowly in response, and even Vanessa looked slightly taken aback and concerned.
I took a deep, slow breath and then forced myself to meet Theodora’s pale blue eyes.
“Do not worry, Headmistress,” I answered with my chin raised. “Whatever this Amon is, I’ll kill the motherfucker twice over.”
To my surprise, Theodora tossed her head back and laughed as if she might bust a gut.
“Oh, Cole,” she said once she caught her breath. “I do admire you for your confidence… and by Satan… you will defeat the beast. I am sure of this as well.”
“Yeah,” Akira added in a small voice. “You’ll kick its ass.”
“We believe in you, Cole
.” Morgana smiled with sparkling, blue eyes. “You’ve never let us down before.”
“And you won’t start now,” Penelope remarked.
“Amon may be one of the deadliest creatures known to the Wicca world,” Faye said with a slight tremor in her voice, “but I’m sure you will kill it with no problem.”
“What even is A--?” I started to ask, but then the sound of someone clearing their throat made me stop cold.
When I turned around, I saw a row of identical-looking women with pale skin and short dark hair standing in a line, like a row of pallid ducks, and they were all wearing matching white and red uniforms with small black aprons tied around their tiny waists.
“If you would follow the servants to your quarters, please, and quickly now,” one of the women said, “that would be most appreciated. The man will follow me.”
“Why can’t the women stay with me?” I asked with an arched eyebrow. “We’re a coven after all.”
“It is not customary,” one of the maids answered in a tight tone. “We don’t allow men and women to share quarters.”
I didn’t want to start an argument with the women of the High Court, so I simply nodded in agreement and bade everyone a good night. Once everyone left, I followed the pale and dangerously thin maid down a series of curved corridors, and finally, we reached a tall, wooden door with a silver, crystal knob.
“This is you,” she said in a stoic voice. “Good night.”
For some reason, she refused to meet my eyes, even as I nodded in gratitude, and as soon as I pushed the door open, she swept up her skirts and practically flew down the corridor.
I shook my head and then stepped into my chambers. The room was modest for such a lavish castle, and I had no doubt this space once belonged to a maid or servant of some kind. The small, narrow bed was placed against the stone wall, and there was a small bowl and a pitcher of water for me to clean myself up with set on a small, wooden vanity table. There were no carpets on the floor, or curtains hanging from the small, arched window. The room was bare, cold, and mean, but I didn’t care.
I sighed and then undressed before I slipped under the rough, dusty quilt of my cot-sized bed. Then I closed my eyes and tossed and turned before I fell into a deep sleep. I didn’t think I’d be able to catch a wink, but perhaps Theodora was right. My body was still recovering, and I relished in each hour of sleep I was able to gain. I didn’t want to picture what exactly I would be fighting at first light, but images of mysterious beasts managed to penetrate my mind’s eye as I slumbered.
Finally, there was a harsh knock on the door, and it quickly roused me from my sleep.
“It is nearly light,” the maid’s voice from last night said. “You need to return to the courtroom in ten minutes. No more, no less.”
“Understood,” I mumbled loud enough for her to hear.
As soon as the sound of her footsteps disappeared down the corridor, I flipped the covers off me and splashed my face with the tepid water from the pitcher. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, ran my fingers through my hair, put on a fresh shirt, and wriggled into a pair of wool trousers from my bag. Then I slipped on my boots and tucked my wand into my waistband before I pulled the door open and took a deep, steady breath.
Satan only knew what fresh hell these women had planned for me, and I had a feeling they were eager to see me fail, but I would show them. I would prove my worth, just as I’d done countless times before, and it would take a lot more to bring me down.
I was not ready to die, and I vowed to Satan today would not be that day.
Chapter 3
When I returned to the courtroom, vivid auburn sunlight seeped in through the stained-glass window, and it cast a blazing glow on everything in sight. The women of the High Court were standing behind their podiums, and they were all dressed in long, bright red gowns with golden crowns on top of their heads. Like last night, each beautiful woman stared down at me with scowls on their faces, as if I were nothing more than an ant crawling across their pristine marble floor.
The scowls etched on their flawless faces and the loathing in their eyes told me they were ready to see me fail, but I silently vowed to prove them otherwise.
Fuck these bitches.
My coven was silently standing in a straight line, just behind Theodora and Vanessa, and as I swept past them, each of my women cast me a concerned look. Some of them were better at hiding their distress than others, but I knew deep down, all of them were worried about my fate.
So, I met their eyes, and I forced myself to smile in their direction and to keep my chin and shoulders raised to reassure them in any small way. Then I turned my attention to the High Court and smirked confidently at them.
“Good morning… or should I say evening?” I said with a raised eyebrow.
The women’s scowls deepened, and they remained silently seated for a long moment, but then Madame Mara abruptly stood up and waved her small, dainty hand in my direction. She seemed pleased with herself, too, as if she’d already seen my bloody defeat in her sleep.
I kept steady eye contact with her and refused to look away, even when her gaze hardened, and I could feel sweat prickling at my forehead. Part of me slightly feared her, but at the same time, I was also drawn to her fearlessness and indescribable beauty.
“Well, well, well,” she clucked, “I must say… a part of me expected you to try and flee sometime in the night.”
“Me?” I chuckled. “I would never flee from the sight of a beautiful woman… or should I say, women.”
The women of the court gasped and then turned to look at each other as if they’d misheard me. Mara, however, tossed back her pale, blonde hair, and then she laughed gently. The sound of her giggling filled the room like a soothing melody, and it lasted perhaps longer than seemed appropriate to the other members, but she didn't seem to care.
“You are bold,” the court leader breathed, “but I’m afraid flattery will not save you from confronting Amon.”
“Ah, but of course not.” I smirked. “I was simply stating the truth.”
“Be that as it may,” she continued, “I’m afraid we are wasting time… the sun will not be up for long, and I want to make this as fair a competition as possible.”
It took all my willpower not to scoff or laugh at her because deep down, I knew she didn’t give two shits about my wellbeing, but I still played along.
“How considerate of you, Madame,” I answered with a deep bow. “I’m ready for whatever you have planned for me.”
Mara bowed her own head and then forced herself to smile graciously at me before she drifted down from her podium and glided in my direction. As she did so, her red dress floated behind her like a red river before she looked deeply into my eyes and then leaned in closer to whisper into my ear. Her hot breath tickled my skin and sent a stimulating shiver down my spine, but I pretended like it didn’t faze me.
“Let us begin, then,” she muttered, and her soft lips brushed against my ear as she slowly drew away.
Madame Soulton stared again into my eyes before she snapped her fingers, and then the entire room filled up with familiar, purple smoke.
I knew we were all shadow porting to somewhere, but this time, there was no violently tossing or turning, and when the smoke evaporated, I was standing in the middle of a dirt-covered pit. Above me, I could see the women of the court sitting comfortably in a stone stadium, and it was evident I was in some kind of arena. My coven was all seated on the opposite side of the pit, and Vanessa and Theodora were among them. It was challenging to read their expressions from here, but I could undoubtedly sense their fear and apprehension, even from afar.
The sand beneath me was stained with dark brown blood, and broken bones littered the pit like jewels in a throne room. The air around me was dangerously steady and calm, and as I paced around the pit, my leather boots kicked up massive clouds of bronzed dust.
Finally, Mara stood up and raised her pale hands into the air, and from here, she looked
like a hellish angel with her blood-red gown and glittering crown. The gentle wind blew her white-blonde hair back from her heart-shaped face before she opened her full, rosy red lips to shout.
“The rules of combat are simple,” her gentle voice echoed, “fight till the death.”
In the next moment, I could hear something rumbling beneath me, and I took a giant step back when I realized the ground was opening. Puffs of stale smelling smoke emerged from below, and as the ground of the pit continued to split open, I could hear something snarling deeply from within.
I pulled out my wand and aimed it at the earth, and thick, black smoke swirled at my ankles as the floor parted open even wider. Soon, a large, mannish hand planted itself on the ground from the mysterious depths below, and then another one appeared. From the ashes and smoke rose an enormous, man-like creature with a falcon’s head and a muscled, pale torso marred by countless scars and marks. When the beast opened his wide jaw, I caught multiple rows of yellow, canine shaped teeth, and thick, mucus-colored drool seeped from the corners of his lips. As soon as his sickly, yellow eyes met mine, the creature raised a heavy hand into the air and prepared to claw at me with its long, sharp black nails.
“Secare!” I cried out as I took a quick step back.
A blast of light hit his wrist, and then a precise incision cut neatly across his skin before the hand completely fell away from his arm. Deep, almost black blood spurted out from the open wound, and the creature took a clumsy step back before he roared furiously in my direction. Then, as quick as a bolt of lightning, he took a large step forward and used his other muscular arm to swat at me. It was a quick blow, and I didn’t have time to react, so I was sent flying backward into the air and then landed with a painful thud onto the hard earth.
“Cole!” I heard my coven scream.
I shook my head from the sudden crash, and the wind had been completely knocked out of me, but I still held tightly onto my wand. In fact, my fingers were so tightly woven around the wooden rod, I was sure the splinters would cause my skin to open and bleed.
