Chapter 9
My table stared at each other with pale faces and quivering lips, but the only witch who didn’t seem bothered by the prospect of creating a brew to sprout elder wings was the calm Circe.
If anything, she looked like an excited young Wicca about to learn her first incantation.
“Professor Olivia may look stunning,” Vesta whispered as the silver-haired witch began to hand out ingredients to each table, “but I don’t want to even think about turning myself into one of those fucks.”
“You’re not turning yourself into one,” Morgana reminded her. “You’re just creating the illusion of one.”
“Still,” the green-haired witch pouted. “It sends a shiver down my spine, and not in a thrilling erotic way. In the bad and disgusting way.”
“Just think about how beautiful you’ll look,” the bookish brunette teased. “Even more than you already are.”
Vesta playfully stuck out her tongue, but I could still see the uncertainty in her glittering eyes.
“It will be fine,” I said as I glanced around the table. “Just trust me.”
“Yes, master,” my coven echoed as the professor neared our table.
“Here you are,” the silver-haired witch purred as she set down a cauldron and a handful of the ingredients. “You can begin as soon as you’re ready.”
“Thank you, Professor,” Morgana replied with a tiny nod. “We’re very excited to have you here in Scholomance.”
“Why, thank you.” Professor Olivia smiled before she spun her green skirts and made her way back to the front of the room.
“Kiss ass,” Akira snickered.
“Shut up,” the brunette snapped with furrowed eyebrows.
We stared down at the ingredients on the table and waited a moment before Circe reached over, snatched the radix viridi root off the table, and then brought it closer to her.
“I’ll cut the root if no one has any objections,” the blonde witch drawled.
“Go for it,” Nyx answered as she reached for the jar of hibil herbs.
“And I’ll take care of the Mediocris Sanguinis,” Penelope remarked with a small smile.
“Then, I suppose the rest of us will supervise,” Morgana said as her blue eyes darted around the table.
“Sounds good to me.” Akira grinned as she leaned back in her chair and folded her hands behind her head.
“I can be the first one to taste the potion,” I offered. “In case anyone has any fears of going first.”
“But, master.” Faye frowned. “What if it isn’t safe? One of us should since the blood pact means we won’t die.”
“Yeah,” Beatrix added as she nervously tugged at one of her necklaces. “You heard what the professor said… if done incorrectly, the side effects can be lethal.”
“I’m not worried about it.” I smirked. “I trust you all.”
The women blushed, and a few of them tried to hide their proud smiles as they started to concoct the ancient brew.
I carefully watched as Circe cut the strange-looking root into four equal parts and placed them into the cauldron. Then Nyx retrieved a small dose of the hibil herbs and let the particles scatter into the pot. Her cobalt eyebrows were pinched in concentration as she let the last bits fall into the pot, and when there were no more herbs left in her blue fingers, Morgana pulled out her wand and then aimed it at the two ingredients inside the cauldron.
“Illuminana,” the brunette whispered.
The cauldron glowed with tangerine tinted flames, and soon, the familiar smell of lavender and dying roses wafted up to our nostrils.
“We need to wait three minutes,” Faye reminded the group.
“Yep.” Akira leaned forward. “Okay. I’m actually excited about this.”
We all watched in fascination as smoke erupted from the brew, and once again, I could feel myself growing lightheaded, but I pushed through the sensation and focused on the potion instead.
After three minutes passed, Penelope reached for the bright red vial of Mediocris Sanguinis and carefully removed the cork before she added ten drops into the concoction.
Crimson puffs of smoke spurted into her face, and she stifled a cough as a light pink cloud of smoke drifted from the cauldron. The rest of the class completed this step, and now, the smell of roses and spiced florals greatly overpowered the room. It grew more difficult to breathe with each passing second, and soon, the class was covered in a thick pink fog.
“Well,” Professor Olivia coughed. “It seems we’re all nearly finished… don’t forget to carefully mix the brew once the last ingredient has been added.”
“I’ll do that part,” Akira insisted before she aimed her wand at the wooden spoon Professor Olivia left us.
The black-eyed witch muttered a spell, and in seconds the spoon began to swirl the contents together.
“Make sure it’s an even consistency,” Beatrix reminded her.
“I know,” Akira snapped. “I also took notes, remember?”
“I was just saying…” the light-haired brunette mumbled.
“Okay!” Akira smiled after a minute of stirring. “There are no clumps, and it looks as smooth as silk.”
“Great,” I commended before I grabbed the empty vial on the table. “Now, for the moment of truth.”
The women stared at me with concerned eyes as I scooped up a full portion of the mixture into the vial, but before I tossed it down my throat, I looked at the others and then back at the orange brew.
“Here goes nothing,” I said before I leaned my head back and drank the entire concoction in one go.
The potion was bitter, sour, spicy, and sweet all at once, and it made my face scrunch up in distaste as the thick liquid slowly seeped down my throat. All my taste buds felt like they were on fire, and my stomach protested when I drank every last drop.
“Fuck,” I groaned. “She wasn’t kidding… this stuff tastes like demon piss.”
“How do you feel?” Circe asked after a moment. “I don’t think anyone else has drunk theirs yet.”
“Well--” I began, but then my entire body violently quivered, and I nearly dropped the vial.
“Cole?” Morgana gasped with wide, terrified blue eyes. “Are you alright?”
“Give it a moment,” Circe purred in a slow and calm voice.
I squeezed my eyes shut as a jolt of fiery energy coursed through my body and overtook my senses. The room spun, my eyes watered, and my mouth felt as dry as sandpaper.
“Is he going to be okay?” Penelope demanded in a terrified voice. “He can’t even speak.”
“Just watch,” Circe said in a passive tone. “If he were going to combust, then it would have already happened.”
I could feel the class watching me as I crouched down in my chair and struggled to breathe. When I gazed down at my trembling hands, they were glowing like fireflies, and I could feel a sharp pain poking at each shoulder blade.
“Fuck,” I growled through gritted teeth.
Before the others could say another word, I felt something emerging from my back, and when I stood up from my chair, the entire classroom gasped.
I knew everyone was staring at my new pair of wings, and when the pain slowly left my body, I could feel the feathered appendages fluttering behind me. They were so enormous that they curled over my body and wrapped around my entire frame like a cocoon. They were a deep crimson shade, and I immediately noticed they were the same color as my red shadow double.
“Wow,” Akira was the first to comment. “You look badass, master.”
“Indeed,” Circe whispered as she pushed back her long blonde hair.
“How do you feel now?” Morgana asked with wide blue eyes.
“Incredible,” I breathed. “You have to try it.”
The women turned to look at each other, and not one of us noticed Professor Olivia standing at the edge of our table until she whistled and clapped.
“Excellent work,” she purred before she met my eyes.
“Thank you,” I answered as I worked to mantle my wings. “It was a joint effort.”
“But of course.” She nodded before she quickly turned to look at the rest of the class and place her hands on her wide hips. “Well, what are the rest of you waiting for? Go on and try it!”
As the silver-haired witch slowly sauntered away from our group, Vesta leaned toward the cauldron and picked up the empty vial I left on the table.
“Bottoms up!” the elvish witch exclaimed before she scooped up a serving and then tossed it back like a goblet of wine.
In seconds she went through the same obvious pain I’d just endured, but soon, her vibrant lavender skin glowed like a beam of lilac light, and her eyes widened as large, silver wings sprouted from her back like a flower in bloom.
Her wings were the same shade of silver as her eyes, and the new appendages sparkled like diamonds under the classroom candlelight while her eyes glowed like silver starlight.
“Fuck!” Akira grinned as she eyed the elegant witch from head to toe. “Damn, Vesta… I never thought you could look more beautiful than you already do, but Satan… you’re taking my fucking breath away.”
“It does feel lovely,” Vesta purred as she twirled around in a graceful circle. “The rest of you should try it now before you lose your nerve.”
The others quickly nodded in agreement, and each one took their turn to sip the potion.
By the time the cauldron was empty, each witch had a new pair of stunning wings fluttering behind them, and I couldn’t help but gape at their glorious beauty. As they stood before me, I marveled at their glowing skin and eyes, and it was like their blood was made from sunlight. Although I preferred their natural beauty, I had to admit this elder and angelic disguise was a breathtaking sight to behold.
The clever Morgana ended up with a gleaming purple set of wings that shone like expensive silk under the candlelight, and she grinned from ear to ear as they obediently danced behind her like two giant butterflies. Her pale blue eyes were now glittering like two pools of enchanted water, and her skin was the color of pale moonlight.
Then Circe sprouted a pair of sunshine yellow wings that almost matched her shimmering blonde hair, and the two extensions glittered like the early morning sun each time she moved her elegant frame. Her pupils were no longer in the shape of slits, but instead, they were wide, round, and as black as night, while the irises shone like raw emeralds.
Meanwhile, Faye smiled as forest green wings extended out from her back, and the deep earthy color contrasted beautifully against her blood-red hair. It was the perfect color to match her wild, nature-loving character. Now, her natural green eyes were more gold than green, and they dazzled like an enchanted forest under the dim classroom candlelight.
The orange-haired Penelope giggled in delight as a pair of rose-pink wings fluttered behind her like two giant silken fans, and they danced and caught the light with each light flutter. Her dark doll-like eyes were a shade lighter, and now they twinkled like autumn leaves blowing through the wind beneath a lazy afternoon sun.
Then, as the remaining witches continued to morph, no one was surprised when Akira ended up with a raven-black pair of goddess-like wings. The dark feathery texture matched her black, glimmering exotic eyes and short ebony hair, and as she marveled at her new features, we could tell how damn pleased she was with herself.
Soon, Nyx sprouted a set of sapphire blue wings that matched her hair and glowing, velvety cobalt skin, and for some reason, she reminded me of a flying horned demon who roamed the pits of hell. She was a stunning sight to behold, and her indigo eyes sparkled like two gems buried underneath a shimmering surface of clear ocean water.
Finally, the shy and awkward Beatrix was the last one to sip the brew, and when she did, she grew a pair of pale gold wings that made her dark eyes stand out like two mahogany pools of rich, iridescent dark chocolate.
“We look fucking incredible!” Akira gushed with excitement as her dark eyes wandered around the table.
“We really do,” I remarked, and I studied each stunning witch. “Well done.”
“Thank you, master,” my coven responded in unison.
We watched as the rest of the class drank their potions and slowly morphed into Elder replicas, and soon, various colored wings shone throughout the classroom. The air buzzed with excitement as students regarded each other with wide eyes and broad grins.
“Well, look at that,” Circe said with a coy smile. “No one died… you must be relieved.”
“Did many students die during their lessons when you were studying?” Morgana asked with wide, sky-blue eyes.
“Mmmmm,” the blonde witch hummed as she placed a finger against her full pink lips. “I can’t fully recall… but probably. Oh, yeah! One time, I remember a best friend of mine, she had long, beautiful red hair… remarkably similar to yours, Faye, but she wasn’t nearly as pretty. Anyway, we were brewing a potion for hexes and curses, and she added a frog’s eye into the mixture instead of a newt eye… and the next thing you know, bam! Her entire face melted right off, and then she died.”
We all took a moment to absorb the older Wicca’s story, and I noticed Faye’s face went pale as snow and her red lips were parted open in shock. The others also looked utterly taken aback, except for Akira and Nyx, who were both stifling a laugh.
“It isn’t funny, Akira!” Morgana snapped before she turned to look at the blonde witch with a sympathetic frown. “I’m so sorry about your friend, Circe.”
“It’s quite alright.” Circe shrugged. “She did steal my favorite quill… so I guess karma can be a bitch, huh?”
“Not as big of a bitch as Akira,” Morgana mumbled.
“You know you love me,” the black-eyed witch teased as she blew a kiss at the fuming brunette.
Before Morgana could offer another insult, the silver-haired professor clapped her hands to get the class’ attention.
“Now, I know this is all terribly exciting,” Professor Olivia bellowed, “but we need to carry on with the class. You have your wings, but now, it’s time to test them out.”
“Wait,” Beatrix asked with panic filled eyes. “Does she mean… we’re going to fly?”
“I fucking hope so,” Akira breathed as she glanced at each of us. “Satan, that would be epic.”
“So,” the silver-haired witch continued as she rubbed her hands together. “Without further ado, let’s take this lesson outside!”
Before anyone had time to react, the entire class filled with purple smoke, and I could feel my body tossing and turning as I traveled through the air.
The sensation finally came to a stop, and when the smoke cleared, we found ourselves standing in a vast open green field with a clear blue sky above us. Each student looked around the empty realm with nervous eyes, and I could feel a mixture of tension and apprehension spreading through the air.
“Now, stop looking so skittish!” Professor Olivia quipped. “You’ve already gone through the hard part.”
“She has a point,” Faye muttered as she looked at each of us. “I’ll bet you it’s even easier than riding a dragon.”
“You’ve ridden dragons?” Circe asked as she flicked her forked tongue like an eager, hungry snake.
“Err, yeah… we rode them during the battle, remember?” Faye affirmed. “We also rode them during a lesson, just to prepare us.”
“Faye was a natural,” Morgana mentioned with a proud smile.
“Ahhh,” Circe cooed under her breath. “Yes, that’s right… I remember now. Sorry, there was just so much going on, and I was on the ground. All I remember was that foul-tempered professor barking orders at everyone. Satan, she was pissy… what was her name again?”
“Professor Vanessa,” we all responded in unison.
“Oh, right.” Circe nodded. “What class does she teach?”
“Hexes, Curses, and Blood-Magic,” Morgana was the first to respond.
“Well, she must be talented, then, if she can teach three classes,” the blonde witch marveled aloud.
“She’s the headmistress’ daughter,” I added.
“Wow,” Circe said as she chewed on her bottom lip. “I’d better stay on her good side, then, huh?”
“Don’t think she has one,” Akira muttered.
“Attention everyone, please split up into groups of ten… or at least around that number!” the silver-haired witch commanded. “Quickly now, we don’t have all day!”
The students all looked at one another before awkwardly shuffling into their small groups. My coven, as well as Beatrix and Circe, remained where they were, and when the silver-haired professor seemed to be contented with the hundreds of groups, she stood before us with her great raven-black wings spread apart.
“Now,” she began. “Spread your wings as far apart as you can. It’s not difficult… it’s as simple as lifting your arms into the air and stretching them. Go on… try it.”
As she spoke, her wings extended even further, and several students gasped aloud when her feathers began to flex and flutter. When the professor flapped her wings, a swooshing sound filled the air, and a light breeze swept across our faces.
At first, no one made a move to play with their new limbs, so I took a few steps away from my group, and then, with all of my strength, I focused on my wings and spread them as far apart as possible.
It felt strange at first, like a pair of arms had grown out of my back, and the sensation was slightly painful. Still, I pushed through the discomfort, and other students quickly took notice.
“Wow, Cole,” Circe said as she marveled at my extended wings with her wide serpentine eyes. “Did you notice you’re the only one with red wings?”
“He’s the only one with a red shadow double as well,” Beatrix added in a small, uneasy voice. “Not that it’s something to be ashamed of… I mean, I’m just pointing it out… err, that’s not rude, is it?”
“No,” I chuckled. “It’s the truth.”
“See, class?” Professor Olivia grinned as she pointed to me. “Cole has the hang of it… now, everyone, go on and give it a go! It doesn’t hurt, right, Cole?”
“Not really,” I reassured the class with a shrug. “I mean, it feels strange and a tad bit uncomfortable, but that’s it.”
“Well, there you go!” The silver-haired witch smiled. “Go on, class… try it.”
When no one inched or budged, Professor Olivia rolled her teal eyes and gave an exasperated sigh.
“Class… this is not a suggestion,” she tutted with her hands on her wide hips. “We need to get this right. Our lives may depend on this one particular skill.”
“She’s right,” Akira huffed under her breath. “I’m not going to stand here like a little bitch. Cole did it… we can, too.”
My group nodded in agreement, and without another moment of hesitation, they took a couple of steps away from each other and then gradually spread their wings apart.
“Unholy fuck!” Akira bellowed as her midnight wings pulled apart like a giant bat. “Check me out! I’ve never felt sexier!”
“I don’t know if sexy is the word I’d use,” Beatrix mumbled as she spread her golden wings further apart. “Satan… this kind of hurts, huh?”
“Only if you’re a little bitch,” Akira chortled.
“Satan, Akira,” Morgana tutted as she squirmed her wings. “What the hell are we going to do with your potty mouth?”
“Cole knows what to do with it,” the black-eyed witch countered with a small, sexy smile.
My group managed to extend their new limbs after a moment or two of unease, and now, all we had to do was wait for the others to give it a go.
So, I watched with curiosity and intent as the rest of the class slowly started to separate themselves and spread their wings apart. Most of the women scrunched up their faces when they started, but soon, many of the Wiccas were already standing in the vast, luscious green field with their new wings extended far apart.
“Lovely!” Professor Olivia clapped. “I don’t see a lazy pair anywhere… now, let’s move on to the actual flying!”
“Oh, dear Satan,” I heard Beatrix gulp.
“The first thing you’re going to do once your wings are spread as far apart as possible is to push up on the balls of your feet,” the teal-eyed professor explained. “Bend those knees and then spring upward like you’re about to jump as high as possible. Then… use those magnificent wings of yours and…”
Before she could finish her explanation, the silver-haired professor bounced off the grass in one graceful push, and in an instant, she was up in the air. Her wings flapped with ease like she’d done this a thousand times before, and I watched with a gaped mouth and wide eyes as the professor flew through the open sky while her gown ruffled through the wind. Her shimmering hair whipped behind her like a flowing silver river, and we all watched in amazement as she soared like an elegant black swan through the air.
Students began to clap and cheer as Professor Olivia whirled around the groups in a perfect circle, and finally, she returned to the ground with ease and a broad smile across her flawless face.
“See?” she remarked, slightly out of breath. “There’s nothing to it really… you just need to be confident in yourself. Now… Cole, since you were the first one to demonstrate, perhaps you’d also like to be the first one to try out your wings?”
For a moment, I was lost in her magnetic eyes and penetrating smile, and a heavy silence filled the air as I studied her, but I quickly returned to reality, shook my head, and then answered.
“I’d love to.”
“Perfect,” she said as her smile widened. “Just do exactly what I did and try not to panic.”
“I won’t,” I reassured her before I cleared my throat, looked up at the sky, and then steadied my feet.
I took a deep breath before I repeated each step the professor demonstrated. First, I pushed on the balls of my feet, bent my knees, and then lunged upward.
And before I knew it, I was up in the air.
Gasps echoed below me as I fluttered my strong wings and glided seamlessly through the blue sky. I couldn’t help but cry out in ecstasy as hot adrenaline coursed through my entire body, and cold, welcoming air whipped across my face and through my hair.
Riding a dragon had been one hell of a similar experience, but by Satan, this felt like I was on top of the entire fucking world.
“Alright, Cole!” Professor Olivia shouted from below. “Come on down! We’re going to try and fly in groups.”
As much as I wanted to stay up in the air, I descended toward my group and landed perfectly on my feet.
“Fuck, Cole!” Nyx shouted. “That was fucking awesome… dude, I’m so ready.”
“Good to hear, Miss Nyx,” the silver-haired professor giggled. “Now, as for the rest of you, be sure not to stray too far away from your group. You must remain where I can see you, but with that said… off with you all!”
Excitement filled the air as we all lunged from the ground and swarmed the bright blue sky. My group flew close by my side, and their squeals of exhilaration were both endearing and enthralling.
“Wow!” Circe cried out. “This almost makes up for being dead for so long!”
“I bet!” Akira yelled. “This is one of the best days of my life… other than the night Cole made me his, of course.”
“Hell, this is better than the first time I tried dragon breath,” Nyx squealed. “Unholy shit, I never want to fly back down!”
“I’m right there with you!” Faye gushed with delight.
“So, am I the only one feeling slightly sick?” Morgana asked as she shakily flapped her plum-colored wings and pursed her lips.
“Nope,” Beatrix groaned and clapped a hand over her mouth. “I’m right there with you.”
“You’ll probably get used to it,” Penelope assured them.
“And if not,” Vesta purred. “That’s perfectly alright, too… I’m sure it’s not a skill meant for everyone.”
“Yeah,” Morgana said, and I noticed her face was two shades paler than usual. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“You can all come down now!” Professor Olivia shouted as she remained on the ground. “The spell should be wearing off in a few minutes. I don’t want to have you fall to a painful death and then return to Scholomance with fewer students.”
“Yeah, fuck that,” Akira hissed. “I’m not turning into a motherfucking angel pancake.”
“Let’s go,” I agreed.
We all swarmed downward as the rest of the class followed, and when we were all safely back on the ground, Professor Olivia flashed us a proud smile before she retrieved her wand and whipped it in a perfect circle above her head.
We were wrapped up in a cloud of purple smoke, and when it cleared, we were back inside the classroom, and not one student had a pair of wings left.
“Damn,” Faye whispered with her golden-green eyes downcast. “Well, it was fun while it lasted.”
“I’m sure we’ll have a chance to try it again,” I said in a comforting voice.
Before the redhead could reply, something or someone slammed the classroom door open and there, standing at the threshold, was Professor Vanessa.
She wore a long elegant black gown with deep purple lace sewn on the sleeves, and her creamy white shoulders were exposed. Her straight hair fell along her back, and when her cold, ice-blue eyes met our table, her frown deepened.
“Has class finished, Professor?” Vanessa demanded without looking at Professor Olivia.
“Err… yes,” the silver-haired witch began in a hesitant voice. “I’m sorry, but is there a problem, Vanessa--?”
“I need that group over there to follow me.” The dark-haired professor scowled as she pointed in our direction. “Now.”
Professor Olivia’s teal eyes shone with confusion and hesitation, but after a moment, she lightly shrugged and then looked at our table.
“Well, you heard Professor Vanessa,” she said in a firmer tone. “Go on now. You’re dismissed.”
I silently studied the others before we collected our belongings and headed toward Vanessa. She coldly regarded us before she turned on her heels without a word, and we had no choice but to follow her without asking any questions.
She didn’t have to say a word, though. I knew that look on her face because I’d seen it countless times before.
Satan, what were we about to get ourselves into?