The air around us was thick and heavy with tension, and the coven just stood around the painting with their mouths hanging open.
“I told you,” I whispered.
“She’s covered in blood,” Faye muttered with wide green eyes, “absolutely drenched in it. Why, Cole?”
“That’s how I saw her in my dreams,” I explained.
“You mean…” Vesta gulped and tugged nervously on her jade-colored hair, “in the nightmare you just had?”
“Yes,” I replied with a firm nod.
“Can you hear her now?” Faye asked. “Is she trying to talk to you?”
I stared at the beautiful woman’s serene, blood-covered face, and I noticed she was wearing the same gown from my dream, and her lengthy, black hair was soaked from the bleeding rain. Her pale blue eyes focused on mine, and as I studied her, I waited for her to say something, but instead, the room was filled with a heavy silence.
“She’s not saying a word,” I finally responded. “I can’t hear a fucking thing.”
“Don’t worry, Cole,” Akira said in a soothing tone as she placed a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll find out who she is. Just as soon as we complete the final game. Sounds like a plan?”
Akira was not usually the comforting type, so it was difficult to reject her proposition. Besides, she was right. We had to focus on the tournament before we began searching for other answers.
“She’s right, Cole,” Vesta purred. “We’ll figure it all out… and we’ll do it together.”
“You’re both right.” I nodded. “Come on, let’s get cleaned up before class.”
“If we have time, that is,” Morgana whispered as she stared intently at the woman. I knew the curious bookworm wasn’t done observing the mysterious painting, and as she narrowed her eyes and squinted, I knew what she was about to say. “She’s covered in blood… but still… I can see some of her features. She looks a lot like you, Cole.”
“I know,” I answered, but I didn’t want to dwell on it for a moment longer, so I gently placed a hand on Morgana’s back and steered her away from the portrait.
“Don’t you think it’s really stra--” Morgana started, but I cut in sharply.
“Of course, I think it’s strange,” I interjected, “but as Akira said, we should focus on the final game before anything else.”
“Yeah,” Morgana grumbled. “Right… let’s go.”
I knew she was going to ponder over it for a long time, but also, she would never risk being late for class, so the bookworm sprinted ahead of us and rushed to push past the bookcase. As soon as we stepped into the study hall, we noticed the sun was still quite low, and the room was slightly dark.
“Fantastic,” Vesta sighed with relief. “The sun hasn’t even risen. We have time for a bath and breakfast… I wouldn’t know how to get through the rest of the day feeling like a dirty peasant.”
The others all nodded and grinned with relief, but I could still see a glimmer of concern in their eyes. I knew the sight of the bloody woman wouldn’t leave their minds any time soon, but we had to stay focused on one thing at a time.
We could worry about her later.
When we stepped inside the common room, the familiars were all huddled up in their usual corner. Alexander was sleeping next to Silvia, and Lily was nudged up against Ursula while Damien slept on top of the whole group.
“We need to bring them into class today,” Morgana reminded us all. “Today is Soul Magic with Evanora.”
“Ah, right.” I nodded. “Let’s let them sleep a bit while we clean ourselves up and then eat.”
We parted ways, and as soon as I stepped into my bedroom, I closed the door and then stripped off my clothes.
“Your bath will be ready in a moment, sir,” Cordelia’s shrill voice rang into the air. “I’m just adding the finishing touches.”
“Thank you,” I said as I strutted naked around the room.
As I waited for the bath, I walked past my sea glass mirror and then looked at my reflection. My face was covered with ash from the fire, but there was also something else prickling lightly at my skin. I edged a little closer to the mirror, and then I noticed small cuts along my cheek. My coven hadn’t pointed them out, but maybe they didn’t see them. I knew the lacerations weren’t from the brothel fire, because I would have felt it then. They must have come from my dream when I ran past those thorny branches, but how could pain from a dream seep into reality? It was a dangerous concept, and one I hoped was only a theory. I’d have to ask Theodora about it, but who knew when that would be?
I shook my head and then headed into the bathroom once the tub was filled. I didn’t feel like wallowing in the water for long, so I scrubbed at my skin as quickly and as roughly as possible. When my skin was raw and red, I stepped out of the water and wrapped a towel around my waist before heading back into my bedroom. As usual, Cordelia had laid out a new uniform for me, and I quickly dressed in the crisp, white button-down shirt, and dark slacks. Then I slipped on my boots and tossed my Scholomance crested cloak over my shoulders.
As soon as I was dressed, I headed back downstairs, and the coven was already seated by the table and eating the breakfast Cordelia had carefully prepared for us. The witches were so enthralled by their breakfasts, not one of them lifted their heads to look at me when I came down the stairs and took a seat. The smell of baked bread and roasted slices of harpy made my mouth water, and I filled up a plate and dug in.
“Satan,” Akira groaned as she chewed. “I didn’t even realize how hungry I was.”
“Me, either,” Faye added.
“Hold on a moment.” Akira grinned mischievously. “Faye, why aren’t you a vegetarian? You love animals so much, but you’re digging into the meat like a rabid dog. No offense.”
“I do love animals.” Faye rolled her golden-green eyes. “But I’m not stupid enough to turn down a hearty meal just because it used to be alive. Animals eat each other in the wild, so it’s totally natural.”
“Whatever you say,” Akira snickered.
“So, speaking of animals,” Morgana said after she swallowed a hearty mouthful. “Who thinks we’re going to evolve our familiars today?”
“Oh, wouldn’t that just be absolutely delightful?” Vesta hummed in a dreamy tone. “I can picture all the possibilities right now.”
“But isn’t that highly advanced level shit?” Akira asked as she wiped her purple lips with the back of her hand. “I mean, we just evolved them a while ago.”
“Yeah, but think about it,” Morgana said with wide, enthusiastic eyes. “The final game is premonition, but it also includes aspects of every other subject combined! Why would they send us into the most difficult game without a highly evolved creature?”
“That’s a good point,” I said as I finished the last bite of the spiced harpy. Then I wiped my hands against my trousers and stood up. “Well, the only way we’re going to find out is by going to class. Come on, help me wake them up.”
I headed over to the love pile and then tried to nudge Alexander, but he just nuzzled his nose deeper into Silvia’s black and white fur and groaned.
“Come on, man,” I urged. “Wake the hell up.”
No, he answered in a stubborn tone, ten more minutes.
“Nope,” I retorted.
Okay, fifteen minutes, he groaned.
“You can’t keep adding more time.” I rolled my eyes. “Get up before I grab you. Do you want me to embarrass you in front of Silvia? Because I will if I have to.”
Fiiiiiine, he whined.
I chuckled as the black rabbit stretched out his feet and then gently pulled himself away from his raccoon girlfriend. The others all slowly began to stir awake as well, and each witch grabbed their respective familiar.
“Cut it out, Silvia,” Morgana hissed as her raccoon squirmed in her hands, “and you don’t have to be so rude.”
“What did she say?” I asked.
“She told me to go fuck myself,” Morgana replied as she shook her head.
“Well, that is quite rude,” Vesta breathed with wide, sparkling eyes.
Akira snorted with laughter and then looked at the raccoon with love and admiration.
“You’re a little bitch, aren’t you?” the black-eyed witch giggled.
“Don’t encourage her,” Morgana grunted as Silvia slowly began to rest in the bookworm’s arms. “She’s finally simmering down.”
“You should try giving her some lemon tarts,” Faye suggested. “They help calm raccoons.”
“Of course, you would know that,” Akira teased.
“Alright, let’s go,” I said as I bent down to pick Alexander up.
Where are we going? he asked as he settled against my chest.
“Class,” I responded. “It’s about time you made yourself useful.”
Whatever, he grumbled, tucked his face into my arm, and closed his eyes again.
We all walked out of the common room with our familiars safely tucked into our arms and then headed down the corridors. Other witches who were a part of our next class were carrying their own exotic animals, and I knew the classroom was going to be chaotic, but in the best way possible.
When we finally reached the classroom, my suspicions were confirmed. Birds and other flying creatures were gliding past a giant iron and crystal chandelier and shitting on Evanora’s large, mahogany desk. I knew the pink-haired professor was going to be livid when she walked in. The room was giant, but it felt smaller because of all the familiars who were scurrying around the dim room. The walls were dark gray, nearly black, and the floor was made out of black marble. The only light source came from the candles above and a small stained-glass window by the back of the room. Most of the long, sleek desks were covered with critters, but luckily we spotted an empty table by the front of the room.
“There,” I said as I pointed to the lone table. “Let’s take it before something shits on it.”
We all took our seats, and when I looked around the expansive classroom, I didn’t see Penelope or her group yet. I wondered if they overslept, and a part of me was worried, but then the door creaked open, and I saw the bright-haired witch and her group by the threshold. They also looked entirely baffled by the mess, and when they spotted us, small smiles broke across their faces.
Each one of them had their familiars by their sides, and I watched as the twins strolled in with their different colored panthers. The feral duo sauntered into the room with displeased looks on their feline faces, and it was almost comical how human-like their expressions were. Beatrix’s antelope strolled in by the light-haired brunette’s side, and it held its head high up in the air. It had the same arrogant air that its master possessed, and Penelope’s orange panda seemed like a docile creature, until it bared its teeth when someone’s hawk flew a little too close for its comfort.
“Hey,” Penelope said as she passed by our table. “Crazy morning already, huh?”
“It’s madness,” Vesta replied as she turned up her small, narrow nose in disapproval. “These creatures are behaving like wild animals with no sense of control or discipline.”
“Looks like they didn’t even bother to bond properly with them,” Faye added.
“Yeah, no shit,” Akira chuckled. “Evanora is going to lose it--”
“Indeed, she is,” a familiar voice said by the door.
When we turned our heads, the pink-haired professor leaned against the doorframe with a scowl across her flawless face. She was wearing a flowing purple gown with long sleeves that reached her fingertips, and she also wore a dangling, golden necklace and had her rosy hair down in long, loose waves. She was clearly unimpressed with the classroom, and she scrunched up her nose in disgust as a flying serpent shat on her desk.
Her own owl perched on her shoulder and shook its little head in disapproval.
“I know, Silverstone,” Evanora sighed and then retrieved her wand from her sleeve before pointing it at the ceiling. “Volitare!”
It felt like an invisible wave washed over all of us, and in the next moment, all the familiars were frozen in place. Even the ones who had been flying across the ceiling had stopped mid-flight, and their eyes blinked in surprise and shock.
“Students,” Evanora roared. “Does it look like I’m running an animal sanctuary? You’re supposed to have your familiar under control when I walk in… have you not been bonding properly with your creatures? If not, today’s lesson is certainly going to be a trying one.”
The pink-haired witch waltzed into the room and then muttered another spell under her breath to clean up her shit-covered desk. She then looked around the classroom, and with one flick of her wrist, all the animals slowly floated back to their owners as the room began to rearrange itself and tidy up.
“That’s much better.” Evanora smiled.
She may be sexy, but hell, she scares me, Alexander muttered as he ducked down in my arms.
“Quiet,” I mumbled. “She won’t hurt you.”
So you say, he snorted.
Evanora gracefully walked around the room, and when she returned to her desk, she stood as still as a statue with her hands neatly folded in front of her. I thought she was about to lecture us some more, but then her emerald-green eyes turned milky white, and she didn’t even appear as if she were breathing.
Her owl flew from her shoulder and then began to hover over the classroom, and it did trivial things like adjust one witch’s blouse button and return a piece of fallen parchment back on a table. It seemed to be cleaning up the classroom, and some witches giggled as the owl continued to study the room. It swept down and then perched itself back on Evanora’s shoulder, and her eyes gradually returned to normal before she flashed us all a smile.
“Well, now that I’ve had a better look, it seems like things are back in order,” the professor chuckled. “Just the way I like them.”
“Professor?” Morgana asked as she raised her hand. “Did you just conduct a corpus verto?”
“As a matter of fact.” Evanora smirked proudly. “I did. Well done, Miss Morgana. Now, would you be so kind as to explain to the rest of the class what a corpus verto is?”
“Of course, professor,” Morgana replied with a glowing smile. “It’s the ability to enter the body of your familiar and possess their powers. You can still communicate with them while you are bound to each other, but it’s the most intimate bond ever imaginable between a familiar and their owner.”
“Precisely.” The green-eyed professor nodded. “It’s not an easy ability, but I’m sure we can do it… well, actually, we’ll see. Judging by how out of control some of your familiars are, I wouldn’t count my griffins until they hatched.”
As I looked around, I quickly noticed several witches looking down in shame, and they couldn’t even make eye contact with the professor.
Evanora sighed impatiently as she glared around the room, and then she raised her hands into the air.
“Enough with the sour faces,” she demanded. “Sit up straight and pay attention to me.”
I could hear chairs shuffling as witches adjusted themselves in their seats, and when I looked at Penelope’s table, each witch was watching Evanora with large, observant eyes. The room had gone deadly quiet, and it felt like even the animals were watching the enchanting professor.
“Excellent,” she chimed. “Now, listen carefully… you won’t need your wands for this spell. All you will need to do is clear your mind and solely focus on your familiar. You must then place a hand on them and utter the spell, ‘corporis nexum,’ and you will be bound to your creature. See? Super simple.”
The entire class nodded or muttered their agreements as they turned to their familiars, and my own table looked cautiously down at our animals before we all placed a hand on their heads or stomachs.
What the hell do you think you’re doing? Alexander growled as I placed a hand on his head.
“Were you not paying attention?” I asked. “I’m going to bond with you… now be quiet until I get it right.”
Fine, he huffed, but this better not hurt.
“I’m sure you’ll be fine,” I replied. “Are you ready?”
I guess.
I closed my eyes and then focused on nothing but Alexander’s soft fur and bright red eyes. His hot little body squirmed as I focused on entering his consciousness, and when I thought I was ready, I parted my lips and took in a deep breath.
“Corporis nexum,” I whispered.
In the next moment, it felt as if a strong gust of wind was pulling me toward Alexander, and suddenly, I was no longer sitting in my chair. Instead, I was on top of the table. I felt smaller and fatter, too, everything was in black and white, and I was far-sighted. Because Alexander’s eyes were placed on each side of his skull, I could see the entire classroom and high above my head.
I hopped on the desk, and my body felt plump and bulky.
Damn, Alexander, I said in his head, you need to lay off the carrot-cake.
Don’t be a dick, he grumbled.
His voice was more like an echo than a clear sound, and as I hopped a little more around the desk, I spotted Damien, Silvia, Ursula, and Lily. I knew the witches had bonded with them because the animals looked shocked, and it was almost comical how human-like their expressions were. They had large eyes and parted lips as they stared at themselves and then at each other.
Okay, this is super weird, I heard Akira say.
Shit, I can hear you! I gasped.
Can you? she squealed. This is so cool. Damien says hi.
Hey, back, I chuckled.
Silvia is not pleased, Morgana said after a moment.
The plump raccoon waddled a little closer to me and then reached out with her long, black claws and patted my head.
This feels so weird, she giggled.
I love it, Faye commented as the ferret swooshed her tail back and forth. This feels so surreal.
Satan, my eyesight is terrible, though, Vesta said as her chevrotain rolled around the table. I wouldn’t know how to fight like this… and not to be rude to my dear Ursula, but she’s not exactly the slimmest or most beautiful of creatures.
Honestly, me, neither, Akira replied as her Komodo dragon stood up and tried to take a swing. I love Damien, but he isn’t precisely packing.
Wait, Vesta asked after a moment. How do we return to our bodies?
Just picture being back inside your own body, of course, Morgana replied.
I’d like my body back now if you please, Alexander said in a sardonic tone.
Sure thing, I chuckled.
I pictured being back inside my own body and sitting at my desk, and as soon as I did, I was back in my chair.
Alexander shook his head, looked up at me with his large, red eyes, and then twitched his nose.
Talk about an invasion of privacy, he grumbled.
“Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my eyes.
The other witches quickly returned to their bodies, and when their eyes were back to normal, they all giggled and stroked their familiars.
“Well, that was fun,” Akira cooed as she rubbed a finger under Damien’s chin.
“Speak for yourself,” Morgana pouted. “Silvia was a total bitch.”
“Isn’t she always?” Akira giggled.
“You two could have been made for each other,” the brunette sighed.
“I’m sure she loves you,” I said as I grabbed Morgana’s warm hand. “Just like Akira does.”
“Yeah,” the black-eyed witch agreed as she playfully nudged Morgana. “We only give you a tough time because we care.”
“She’s right.” Faye grinned. “It’s all in good fun.”
“That’s messed up,” Morgana laughed, “but I guess I get it.”
“Speak for yourselves,” Vesta purred. “I’m always lovely toward you, Morgana.”
“Now, class!” Evanora suddenly clapped. “Since you’ve accomplished the task for today, I want you all to go off into the study hall and read more about how to bond and control your familiars. It was clear that not all of you took the time to do so before class, and that’s simply not acceptable. Go and study, and the next time I see you, I want obedient and well-behaved familiars. Understood?”
The rest of the class looked ashamed as they all stood up from their desks and then headed toward the door with their familiars. We knew we had to stay behind, though, and as soon as the rest of the class was gone, Evanora turned to look at both tables.
“Did you enjoy that?” she asked with her hands on her hips.
It was such a strange question to ask, and for a moment, I glanced around to see if anyone else felt the same. When no one answered, I knew it wasn’t only in my imagination. Evanora was clearly working up to something.
“Err,” Penelope finally said to break the heavy silence, “it was… interesting?”
“Good.” The pink-haired witch nodded. “Because that was only the beginning.”
My heart started to race with excitement as Evanora swiftly turned to a cabinet in the back of the room and then began to rummage through her cauldrons, spices, herbs, and other ingredients. One by one, she pulled out a jar of pink dust, a human heart, rose petals, and orange twigs with thorns. She placed each item on her desk and then retrieved a black cauldron from one of her drawers.
“Now, watch me closely.” She grinned. “We’re about to evolve your familiars into the next stage before the final game.”
A smile broke across my face, but then Alexander shot his little head up and looked at me with his furrowed red eyes.
This bitch is crazy, he said, I’m not doing it.
“Oh, yes, you are.” I grinned.
I could hear Alexander gulp as Evanora pulled out the cauldron and then looked at each of us.
“Alright,” she said. “I’ll need two volunteers to come up here and brew the potion… how about Cole and Penelope?”
I nodded, and then Penelope met my eyes as we both edged closer to Evanora’s desk. The orange-haired witch tried not to look at me, but I could feel the heat radiating off her body.
“Now,” Evanora began. “Cole, I want you to take the heart and place it into the cauldron. As soon as you do that, Penelope will quickly sprinkle the crystal dust onto the heart and then stab the organ with the ginger thorns. When she has finished with her part, Cole will dust the bleeding heart with rose petals and then set the cauldron on fire.”
We followed the professor’s instructions, and as soon as the ingredients were in place, I pulled out my wand and then aimed it at the heart.
“Illuminana,” I whispered.
The entire cauldron caught on fire, and we took a small step back as a little puff of smoke erupted from the mixture. The room smelled like roses and blood, and when the smoke dispersed, there was a dusky pink brew simmering inside the cauldron.
“Well done!” The professor clapped. Then she retrieved her wand and aimed it at the cauldron. “Oratio.”
Suddenly, the liquid seeped into the air and then drifted into a set of vials hovering near the open cabinet. There were nine in total, and two of the bottles flew toward Penelope and me. We reached out and grabbed the warm containers, and then Evanora turned to smile at us.
“Well, go back to your desks!” she urged.
We nodded, and once we returned to our seats, Evanora swirled her skirts and carefully eyed each of us.
“Before you pour the potion into your familiar’s mouth, you must carefully recite the incantation, ‘multitudinem excrescere,’ which means, grow into greatness,” she explained. “It won’t hurt them… just be sure to recite each word slowly and carefully. If you don’t, then you will manage to hurt them… or possibly kill them, so be careful.”
I swallowed hard and looked at the potion in my hand. I then looked down at Alexander and took in a long, deep breath before he hopped a little closer to me.
I trust you, Cole, he said. Even if I give you shit for it.
“Thanks, buddy.” I grinned. “Are you ready?”
Bring it on, he replied and puffed out his little chest.
As he opened his mouth, I muttered the spell as slowly and as carefully as possible, and then I poured the liquid down his throat.
When he drank the last drop, his body began to convulse and change, and my mouth fell open when his transformation began.
I never expected what happened next.