I stayed awake reading until the candles completely burned out.
I’d been memorizing the Blood Pact ritual for hours now, and I was absolutely worn out. My eyesight was blurry, my head ached, and my body was sore, but I was determined to memorize the entire thing. I was so focused on the ritual, I didn’t even get a chance to sleep a wink. I knew the Premonition quiz was coming up, and I knew I should have tried to get some rest, but I simply couldn’t.
I learned the Blood Pact was a complicated and lengthy process, but I also knew it was nothing I couldn’t handle. After hours and hours of memorizing words I’d never read before, I looked at the fireplace. I finally felt satisfied that I knew the pact by heart, so I sighed and headed toward the fire.
I knew what had to be done next.
The pages had to be destroyed and burnt into pieces. The vision had been clear, and I would have been a fool not to listen.
So, with heavy and tired eyes, I looked at the pages one more time. The words were now ingrained in my memory. I was the only one out of our group who found the pact, and those witches were in for a rude awakening.
Without further hesitation, I tossed the papers into the fire, and I watched as they burned and crumbled into black ashes. As the pages disintegrated into nothingness, a smile spread across my face, and I imagined those witches looking for the spells, only to find them missing.
The girls would be furious, and once they figured out the mastermind behind the missing pages, they would come crawling to me for help and beg me to become their master.
And I couldn’t wait for that moment to come.
Pale sunlight poured into the bedroom, and colors from the stained-glass window danced around the room. I knew it was time to head to class, so I went to the bathroom and splashed my face with ice-cold water. Even though my body was sore, and my head was aching, and my eyes burned, I was ready to go to class. By all rights, I should have been exhausted, but I was strangely excited. The quiz itself sounded invigorating and adventurous, and I’d finally get out of the castle and explore another aspect of this strange and thrilling world.
There was no trace of fear within me. I was ready.
When I left the bathroom and edged toward the velvet chair to switch into a fresh set of clothing, I was surprised to see a black button-up shirt instead of a white one. The letter S for Scholomance was embroidered on the upper chest pocket, and there was a new cloak with the same stitching on it.
“What the hell is this? I breathed, but then a shrill voice cut into the air like a knife.
“That is the quiz attire, sir.” Cordelia’s voice echoed in the room.
“I didn’t wear this during the Blood Magic quiz,” I said with a confused frown.
“That’s because you didn’t leave the grounds, and because no one wants to waste a good uniform on a student who may not even pass the first quiz,” she explained.
“Fair enough.” I shrugged. I was about to unbutton my shirt, but I could feel her eyes still on me, even if I couldn’t physically see her. “Are you going to stick around to watch me change, Cordelia?”
“No, sir, I suppose I will leave you to it,” she replied in an echo.
I paused and looked around before my fingers played with my top button. There was no way to tell if she actually left the room, so I just shrugged it off. I quickly changed into the black button-down shirt, a pair of wool trousers, and my black leather boots.
Then I took my dagger, wiped it down, and tucked it away. My blade had become like another limb. I felt naked without it, and I vowed to take it everywhere.
I took one last look in the mirror before leaving my room, and I appeared refreshed despite my lack of sleep. My eyes were bright and clear as if I’d just had a full night of rest. My pale skin was flushed from the chilly water, and I smiled back at my reflection. The look I gave myself in the mirror suggested I was ready for anything.
So, I quickly snatched my cloak and swung it over my shoulders. Then I slipped on my boots and headed out the door, down to Premonition class.
I was ready to ace this fucking quiz.
The halls were empty as I headed past the ever-watchful paintings, but I wasn’t surprised to see no one else was in the corridors. I’d left early, maybe too early, but I wanted to arrive before anyone else.
When I entered the Premonition classroom, Headmistress Theodora was seated at her desk with an open book in front of her. Today, she was dressed in another elegant gown made from a dark, blood-red material, and her dark hair was half pinned back with curls that hung over her shoulders and ran down to her waist.
“Ah, Cole,” she said without looking in my direction. “I take it you didn’t get much sleep last night, did you?”
I stopped at the threshold and stared at her with curiosity.
“How did you know I--” I started to say, but then I broke into a soft chuckle. “Wait, that’s right. You know everything.”
“Flattery will only get you so far,” the older witch laughed. “No, Cole, I’m afraid I don’t know everything … in fact, I have a question for you.”
“Shoot,” I said as I took a seat in front of her and patiently waited for her question.
Theodora was still reading her book, and only when she finally turned the page did she glance up to meet my eyes.
“How do you feel about today’s quiz?” she asked.
“Pretty good.” I shrugged. “I am as prepared as I can be.”
“Well, I have faith in you, and you’ve adapted quite well to our way of life.” She nodded slowly. “It’s most impressive.”
“Thanks,” I answered, and I lifted my chin with pride.
She seemed to be the only one who thought so highly of me, and I was grateful for that.
“Oh, I’m not the only one.” She smiled and winked at me.
My mouth parted slightly, and I raised an eyebrow in her direction.
“Did you just … ?” I asked, but then I stopped myself.
Of course, she just read my mind.
“Not every Wicca can do what I do,” Theodora chuckled, “so don’t get too excited about reading thoughts. It takes years of practice, and when I say years, I mean decades.”
“Well, who knows.” I raised my hands and grinned. “Maybe I’ll be reading your mind sooner than you think.”
“We’ll see about that,” she laughed, “but I’m happy to see that confidence. You’ll be needing it during the quiz … and the final exam.”
I nodded and wondered about the exam once again. It was approaching. I only had three more classes left, and from what I experienced, they passed by quickly.
So, I had to be quick-witted, able to think on my feet, and determined as hell to pass these classes.
A moment later, I heard footsteps approaching, and when I looked at the door, Akira was standing at the threshold. Instead of wearing her black and white plaid skirt and her buttoned-down white shirt, she was only wearing black. She wore a short ebony skirt with matching knee-high black socks and a pair of ankle-high, black leather boots.
“Oh, you’re here.” The black-haired witch shot me a dirty look, and as she took her seat, I noticed her eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot.
“Of course, I’m here,” I replied in a relaxed tone. “Where the hell else would I be?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Akira snapped, and she looked agitated as hell. Not only were her eyes red and puffy, but her pretty face was set in a grimace, and her arms were folded tightly across her chest.
“Well, good morning to you, too, Akira.” Theodora smiled and quirked an eyebrow. “I trust you had a good night’s rest?”
Akira shot her head up and looked between the two of us, but her mind was clearly somewhere else.
“O-Oh, yes, I did,” she finally said with a forced smile. “Thank you, Headmistress.”
“Good, because your life depends on it,” the older woman replied.
Theodora was a difficult woman to read. On the one hand, it seemed she wanted to see us all succeed, but I also had a feeling that no tears would be shed if the weakest link failed.
This was purely about talent and the ability to survive. I knew that from day one.
Akira forced herself to smile back at the headmistress, but then I caught a glimpse of fear in her coal-black eyes. She was absolutely terrified, and she probably wasn’t going to be the only one.
I secretly watched her from the corner of my eye as she fiddled with her short strands of black hair and kept her eyes lowered on her desk. Her long, ebony lashes were like curtains, and it was like she knew that I knew she was afraid, and it humiliated her.
We waited in silence for the rest of the witches. Faye soon came crashing into the door, and she looked utterly disheveled.
“Ouch,” she grunted as she rubbed her ankle.
The headmistress laughed gently and then craned her neck to look at Faye.
“Keep your eyes peeled, Faye,” Theodora advised. “We can’t have you hurting yourself before the actual quiz begins.”
“Err, yes, Headmistress,” the redhead replied in a quiet voice. “I’m fine.”
But she didn’t look fine. Her red hair was tangled and tied back into a messy ponytail, her black knee socks were uneven, and her cheeks were a flaming scarlet.
“Let’s hope so,” Theodora said with her hands clasped in front of her. Then she glanced at the creepy cuckoo clock that hung just above her desk. Every time it hit the hour, a small bird skull would pop out and croak like a frog.
It was almost time for class to officially begin.
“Where on earth are the others?” Theodora sighed.
“I saw Vesta, Sweeny, and Morgana on the way here,” Faye said quickly. “They should be here soon.”
“What were they doing?” Theodora inquired in a firmer voice.
“Ugh … t-they wanted to do a little more reading before the quiz,” Faye muttered, and she averted her green eyes. “They also had trouble forging their weapons, so … ugh … ”
She turned a bright shade of pink and looked down at her desk, unable to finish, and I suspected she felt like she was snitching on the other women, even if that hadn’t been her intention.
Headmistress Theodora clucked her tongue and shook her head. “They should have completed their weapons ages ago.”
We continued to wait, and finally, before the clock struck nine, the three remaining women appeared at the door, and each one of them looked tired and annoyed. Their hair was tousled and tangled, and heavy, bruise colored dark circles sat under their eyes.
“Finally,” Theodora sighed. “Please, take a seat, ladies.”
Each girl nodded and took their respective seats, and Morgana trembled as she collapsed next to me. Her chair legs shook slightly, and her light blue eyes darted back and forth with nerves.
These women were entirely on edge.
“Now, before we begin,” Theodora said in a clear, loud voice, “I want everyone to close their eyes and take in deep breaths. Feel the evil energy that’s all around you. Embrace, absorb, and welcome it into your soul. May the darkness find you and guide your way on your journey.”
It almost seemed like she was praying for us, so I closed my eyes and took in long, deep breaths. As I kept my eyes tightly shut, I could feel a presence surrounding me. It was heavy, like a thick cloud of smoke, but I reveled in it.
As I breathed in and out, though, I felt something. I couldn’t say precisely what it was, but it kept me cool, calm, and collected.
After a moment, I opened my eyes and looked around. Everyone seemed to be a little calmer, but not by much. I could still feel their energy, and I knew they were terrified.
“Alright, now that that’s out of the way, everyone gather round in a circle,” Theodora instructed. “Come on, quickly now.”
Everyone slowly stood up, and I could see some of their legs shaking as they went to the back of the class and formed a circle.
Theodora’s pale face remained neutral as we all huddled together. Vesta was at my right side, and when my hand accidentally brushed against her palm, she flinched and shot me a dirty look.
I ignored it. There was no time for childish quarrels right now. All my attention was directed to the quiz.
“Everyone, hold hands, now,” Theodora demanded.
There was a pause, and everyone glanced at me.
Theodora noticed, and she sighed impatiently and rolled her eyes. “Oh, for hell’s sake, you fools, Cole can’t impregnate you just by holding your hand. Stop being dumb bitches.”
Vesta grumbled under her breath before she snatched my hand. Akira did the same, and both women’s palms were slick with sweat.
“Dimittunt corpore animaque,” Theodora muttered.
The room then began to spin, and my stomach lurched as we all turned around and around. Theodora and the classroom dissolved into dust, and everything became a blur. All the witches’ cloaks formed a blur of colors, and I wondered how long we would be spinning for.
Finally, everything started to slow down, and when I looked around me, I caught wisps of green and gray appearing from out of nowhere. Soon, we all started to come to a gradual stop, and when the air around us calmed, I realized we were standing on top of a green hill. More emerald hills and full trees surrounded us, and I spotted yellow, gold, amber, and red leaves that rustled through the wind. It was a serene view, filled with more life than I’d seen on the academy grounds.
The class was gone and replaced with an open sky above us that was the color of steel. I smiled and inhaled the fresh air, but when I looked at the other witches, they all had their eyes tightly shut, and their faces were ashen. I tried not to laugh at their expressions. It looked as if they were about to throw up.
“We’re here,” a familiar voice said when no one moved.
The witches slowly opened their eyes and exhaled loudly, but when they realized it was Theodora’s voice that pulled them out of their trance, they all gasped.
“Oh, Professor.” Faye blinked in shock. “You’re here.”
“Of course, I am,” Theodora said as she dusted off her dark skirts. “Now, let me be clear about the quiz. First, you will need to find the mythical village. Somewhere inside their gates, there will be a red-stoned castle. That will be the casino. You’ll each have to earn three-hundred gold coins in total by any means necessary and then find your way back to me.”
“But, where will you be?” Vesta asked in a small voice.
“Back here,” Theodora replied as she pointed at the ground. “You will return to this exact location at noon tomorrow, and I will take us back to our realm and Scholomance. But a word of caution. If you are late, even by a minute, or if you failed to procure three-hundred gold coins, I will leave you in this world to live out the rest of your pathetic lives. Now … I suggest you get a move on.”
She snapped her fingers and disappeared into a cloud of black smoke, and we all just stood there as we absorbed the information she’d just dumped on us.
“Fuck … I didn’t know that would be so terrible,” Akira sighed after a long moment.
“Teleporting wasn’t so bad,” I replied.
“No, I meant holding onto your hand like that,” she sneered, and her coal-black eyes glinted with cruel light. “It was excruciating.”
Fucking hell. I’d had enough.
“Jesus Christ,” I exhaled, to which all the witches gasped in horror. “Would you stop being so goddamn immature and focus on the quiz? If we want to survive, we’re clearly going to have to work together. So, get your shit together.”
“You should watch your tongue--” Morgana snapped, but then Vesta sharply cut in.
“No, he’s right,” the lavender-skinned woman said, and all the witches turned to look at her with wide, confused eyes. “Look, I hate to admit it, but if we want to survive this quiz, we need to put our bickering aside and work together. I’m not a fan of the idea either, but what else are we supposed to do?”
The others muttered their agreements and slowly nodded.
“No way, fuck that,” Sweeny hissed suddenly, and she pulled away from our circle. “If you want to follow him like a string of puppies, be my fucking guest. I’m working alone.”
“Sweeny--” Vesta pleaded, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.
“No,” the auburn-haired witch snapped with her thin-lipped mouth, and she turned her hideous, eyeless, and scarred face toward the others. “I’m sick of hearing his name over and over again, and I refuse to let him help me. I’ve gotten this far without his help, and without any one of you, as a matter of fact.”
The scarred witch broke away fully from the circle and stormed off, and we all watched as she headed downhill.
I didn’t even consider trying to stop her. If she wanted to work alone, then she could die alone for all I cared.
“She’s impossible,” Vesta sighed.
“She’s not your responsibility,” Morgana said, and her pale face creased with a frown. “She’s in charge of her own fate.”
“That’s right,” Akira agreed with a nod. “If she wants to be a dumbass, let her.”
“So, can we stop talking about Sweeny for one fucking second and make a move?” I suggested. “We’re just standing here like a bunch of clueless morons. Come on, let’s go.”
I headed downhill while the others followed. I had a strong feeling we were supposed to head past the trees and through the forest, so I followed my gut and headed through the thicket. We walked for about ten minutes when Morgana suddenly stopped in her tracks.
The rest of us came to a halt and stared back at her.
“Wait a damn minute … how do you even know where we’re supposed to go?” Morgana asked as she spun toward me and put her hands on her slim hips. “We’ve been following you like blind fools, and we have no idea if we’re even going in the right direction.”
Before I could answer her, I smelled something. It smelled like cooked meat, and I also heard whispers, so I looked behind me.
I knew we had to keep going south.
“Trust me, I know where we’re going,” I replied as I took another step forward. “You can follow me if you want to, or you can stay here in the woods. It doesn’t matter to me one bit.”
The witches sighed, and I heard the leaves crunching underneath their boots as they continued to follow me.
It seemed like they needed me after all.
“Damn, that smells good,” I said as the aroma of cooked, spiced meat grew stronger.
“What?” Faye demanded from behind me. “I don’t smell a damn thing.”
“Well, I do,” I said as I walked on. “You still aren’t using your senses. Try to feel everything around you.”
“Here he goes, lecturing us as if he’s the fucking prof--” Morgana started to rant, but then Vesta interrupted.
“Stop it,” the green-haired woman said. “We need to focus.”
“You’re right,” Morgana sighed. “Fine, Cole. Lead the way.”
“Thank you,” I muttered as I rolled my eyes. I continued to lead the way, and the witches followed.
“I don’t see Sweeny anywhere,” Faye commented after a while.
“Maybe she took a different path?” Vesta suggested. “Maybe she went north?”
“Maybe we should have followed her instead,” Akira grumbled under her breath.
I pushed another branch out of my way and smiled when I saw what laid in front of me. We’d come to the end of the woods, and down below the hill, there was an entire village. Each roof was a different color, and rainbow-colored smoke emerged from their stone chimneys. I could see people, as small as ants, walking and navigating through the village. Their voices boomed, and we could hear the distant chattering from where we stood.
We were definitely here.
“Maybe you should learn to trust me instead.” I grinned.
The women all gasped when they saw the village below us. It was full of life and spicy scents that the air carried over to our spot atop the hill. It was a little but thriving community, and we’d found it.
Or rather, I found it.
“I can’t believe it,” Morgana whispered, and her blue eyes were wide with awe. “You did it, Cole.”
“You shouldn’t have doubted me.” I winked. “I told you I knew where I was going.”
The witches all nodded, and I led the way down to the village, eager to see what laid before us.
I was ready for the hard part to begin.