Chapter 9
“Hey,” I whispered before I gently shook Circe’s shoulder. “Wake up… all of you! Rise and shine.”
“Nooooo,” the blonde witch muttered before she buried her face into the furs. “Please, not yet… it’s still dark.”
“Of course, it’s dark,” Nyx chuckled in a sleepy voice. “We’re inside a fucking cave.”
“I knoooooow,” Circe whined before she shot up and rubbed the sleep from her serpentine eyes, and the rest of us laughed at how groggy she was. “Hey… do you smell that? It smells like someone is already cooking breakfast.”
We all stopped laughing and sniffed the air. Circe was right. The smell of stew wafted through the thin fabric of the tent and seeped up our nostrils. My stomach growled viciously with hunger, and without wasting another second, I pulled myself off the furs and started to get dressed.
“Come on now,” I urged as the other women slowly got up and wrapped themselves in blankets. “We don’t want to piss Vanessa off, now do we?”
“Oh, Satan,” Beatrix gasped before she covered her mouth with her hand, and her cheeks flushed a dark maroon. “I forgot we left our dresses outside by the fire!”
“Well, fuck,” Nyx groaned, but then she burst into a small fit of giggles. “We’d better go out there and get them, then.”
“In front of Professor Vanessa?” Marina asked with wide, purple eyes. “She’ll probably be furious.”
“So what?” I shrugged. “We didn’t do anything wrong. If she chooses to be bitter about our coven and how we want to spend time making love with one another, then that’s her burden to bear. Not ours.”
“You speak truthfully, master,” Circe giggled before she tossed back her long hair. “I personally don’t care one way or the other if she judges us… she’s the one missing out, after all. I reckon she’s just jealous.”
“You can’t speak that way about a professor, Circe,” Beatrix said as she wrung her hands. “It’s not the proper Scholomance way.”
“Relax, Beatrix,” the blonde woman sighed before she playfully rolled her eyes. “You’re starting to worry, just like Morgana.”
“I know,” the charm-loving Wicca mumbled as she glanced around the tent. “I guess we’d better show ourselves, huh?”
“Might as well,” I chuckled before I finished pulling up my trousers and tucking my shirt in. “Or would you rather I fetch your dresses for you?”
“No, it’s fine,” Circe responded for everyone. “We have nothing to be ashamed of. Now, follow me.”
We watched with open mouths and stifled laughs as Circe strutted butt-naked outside the tent, and Nyx giggled like a young school girl before she wrapped the furs tighter around her slender blue body and followed the blonde outside. Beatrix and Marina did the same, and I was the last one to leave the tent and head toward the others who were gathered by the fire deep inside the cave.
Everyone’s mouths dropped when they saw Circe, and Alexander swooped down and landed on my shoulder as I neared the pale Vanessa and the other flabbergasted women.
Niiiiiiiice. Alexander whistled in my head. She should walk around naked more often.
“Okay, take it easy there, Alex,” I chortled under my breath. “Besides, you wouldn’t want Silvia to hear you, now would you? She might get the wrong idea.”
My babe is totally confident when it comes to her body, Alexander responded in a cool tone. She wouldn’t think twice of it.
“Whatever you say,” I laughed before I sat in between a snickering Akira and an astounded Vanessa.
“Aren’t you a bit cold there, Circe?” the black-eyed witch teased before the blonde Wicca snatched up her dress. “Your nipples are perkier than Faye when she sees a herd of griffins.”
“I’m perfectly fine,” Circe answered in a nonchalant voice. “Thank you for asking, though, Akira.”
“Miss Circe,” Vanessa said once she regained her voice. “Perhaps next time you could join us fully clothed? You wouldn’t just stroll into a classroom naked, now would you?”
“Depends on the class.” The blonde witch shrugged with a playful smile.
“Apologies, Professor,” Beatrix said as a deep blush spread down her neck, and she discreetly picked up her own garments while keeping a blanket tightly wrapped around her body. “We didn’t mean to be rude.”
“Beatrix is right,” Marina added in a shy voice. “We’ll change in the tent.”
“That would be more appropriate, even though it would seem Circe doesn’t care one way or the other,” Vanessa remarked in an icy tone.
Circe flashed the professor a coy wink as she dressed in front of everyone, while the other women quietly returned to the tent to put on their dresses. Vanessa seemed more than irritated, and I knew we’d kept her up last night, but still, I was sure a part of her was adamant about avoiding that conversation as much as she could.
“Sooooo,” Revna said before she cleared her throat and cast me an awkward smile. “I think everyone should eat a bowl of stew before we head out. We’ll be trekking higher up this morning, and we won’t stop until we reach a small woodland up on the mountain path. That’s where we’ll make camp for the night, but we’d best be careful. Those woods are known for harboring mountain elves and other deadly creatures.”
“How many hours until we reach the outskirts?” I asked before I poured myself a bowl of hot stew.
“I’d say five to eight hours, depending on how fast we can move,” Revna replied as she chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip. “I don’t want to cut it too close to sunset like we did last night, though.”
“Agreed,” Vanessa said before she set her bowl down and let Isobel finish the rest of her breakfast. “We need to keep quiet and move as quickly as our feet will allow.”
“I’ll scan the perimeter right now,” Revna said, and before any of us could ask her what she meant, she looked up to the cave ceiling, and her eyes glowed a bright orange. “Curet.”
Suddenly, Revna’s glowing eyes became lifeless, and we watched as she sat there unmoving and not even breathing. She was still as stone for at least two minutes, and finally, when life returned to her eyes, she inhaled sharply and looked around with a small smile across her face.
“The coast is clear, and the light of dawn is upon us,” the wild woman said. “Let’s clean everything up and head out.”
“What did you just turn yourself into?” Faye asked in a breathless voice.
“My spirit took the shape of a falcon,” Revna responded. “I know we could always use one of your familiars, but I thought it would be safer if I took the form of a random animal instead. When you use the curet charm, your temporary body may be killed, but it has no effect on your mortal… or immortal body.”
That’s fucking cool, Alexander said in my head. I like her.
“Me, too,” I whispered as I eyed the beautiful, wild witch from head to toe.
Once we finished eating, we took ten minutes to vanish the tents, collect our furs and animals, and then head out of the cave. The early morning light was a wash of rosy pink mixed with tangerine hues, and deep purple clouds coated the pale sun and glowing horizon. The air was bitter and sharp, but not as icy as yesterday during the terrible storm.
“Let’s go,” Revna said in a firm voice as she trekked up a narrow path that led upward.
We followed the wild woman quietly up the trail, and after a few hours or so, we took a brief stop to catch our breaths and rest our feet.
“Satan!” Morgana breathed, and a puff of silver mist escaped from her lips. “I knew it would get harder to breathe the further we climbed upward, but it’s like holding your breath underwater.”
“Except not as easy,” Marina said as she wriggled a finger in the brunette’s direction.
“Being this high up takes some getting used to,” Revna panted before she wiped the sweat from her brow and reached into her furs to pull out a large canteen. “Here, everyone should take a generous sip. There should be a river just a bit north, and we can refill and rest there for the night. I’d rather not stay out here in the open, and besides, your animals must be parched as well.”
You have no fucking idea, Alex grunted in my head, but don’t worry about me, Cole. You drink. I’m sure we’ll find that river the wild woman speaks of soon enough.
“Is it safer territory?” Vanessa asked as she raised an eyebrow in Revna’s direction.
“As safe as it can be this far up north.” Revna shrugged. “Trees surround the river, so it’s not as if we’ll be totally out in the open.”
“Better than nothing, I suppose,” Vanessa agreed, but her eyes were filled with concern. “Alright, everyone needs to drink quickly so we can haul ass to the river.”
We swiftly took turns to pass the canteen around, and I was the last one to take a sip. By the time I tilted my head back and swallowed the last few precious drops of water left, I knew we needed to find that river soon.
When I passed the empty canteen back to Revna, our fingers slightly brushed against each other, and a small blush crept across her flawless face before she tucked it back into her furs.
“Alright,” she said with her chin raised. “Let’s keep moving!”
We followed the wild witch up the trail, but even after that slight break, my body still ached and throbbed as we ventured further up the mountain path. Our heavy furs were both a blessing and a curse. While they certainly kept us warm, they tended to weigh us down, and even for someone as strong as me, it was a challenge. The air was thin, bitter, and brutal, too, but I knew we had to push on without complaint.
“These furs feel like they’re getting heavier by the second,” Akira grunted like she could read my mind. “I can barely put one foot in front of the fucking other.”
“I was worried that might happen,” Revna said without turning to look behind her. “Us wild women are accustomed to it, but it can be an unbearable weight for someone who isn’t used to wearing a bear hide.”
“So, you’re saying I’m literally carrying a bear on my back?” the black-eyed witch growled. “Well, no fucking wonder… I’m carrying something at least five times my weight and size.”
“Don’t worry,” Revna giggled. “I have an idea, but it will have to wait until we reach our next resting point by the river. Just hold on for a little while longer, alright?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Akira chuckled as she pushed forward, and I could see small beads of sweat trickling down her forehead.
“Not to be troublesome, Revna,” Vesta purred as she did her best to carry her own silver bear furs as well, while her snake was curled around her neck like a scarf, “but how much farther do you think it will be?”
“Not much,” Revna said in a confident voice. “Perhaps another twenty minutes or so.”
“You’ll be fine,” Vanessa snapped before she turned to look at the rest of us. “Stop your moaning and whining, and maybe we’ll move a little faster.”
“Yes, Professor,” the women answered in unison.
“We didn’t mean to complain, Professor,” Morgana said in a soft voice. “We’re doing our best.”
“I know, Miss Morgana,” Vanessa muttered in an almost regretful tone.
By the time we reached a cluster of pine trees covered entirely in thick coats of snow, I thought I could hear the current of a river just ahead. The sound made my throat feel even drier, and I couldn’t wait to take a sip of the cool, fresh mountain water.
“Tread quietly and follow me closely,” Revna ordered before we stepped past the thicket. “The trail here can get a little narrow and chaotic, but if you follow my every step, we should be fine.”
We nodded in agreement before trailing after the confident wild woman through the grove of winter trees. The air felt even cooler here, and only a small stream of sunlight peeked through the thicket and lit our way. Revna stood tall and alert as she led us up a little peak, and when we reached the top, we saw more trees and a narrow river running through the mountain path.
“Praise Satan,” Morgana huffed when we saw the body of glittering water just ahead of us.
“Don’t rush forward,” Revna warned under her breath. “We have no idea what could be hiding around the trees or even beneath the water.”
“We’ll follow your lead,” Vanessa said before she turned to look at her students. “Understood?”
“Yes, Professor,” the women responded in unison.
Again, we carefully treaded after Revna, and each step she took was slow and precise. We watched as she swiftly pulled her wand out and kept it steadily aimed in front of her, and we each withdrew our magical weapons as well.
“Keep a lookout, Alexander,” I said as he remained perched on my shoulder, and I kept my eyes peeled as the familiars and women cautiously kept a close distance behind the wild witch. “But don’t leave my side. Not just yet.”
Understood, Cole, my loyal familiar responded in my head.
Suddenly, a violent caw echoed through the air and broke the steady silence. We all aimed our wands above our heads, and there, perched on a branch, was a three-eyed crow. Its eyes were the color of blood, and it was larger than any blackbird I’d ever seen. A sudden, painful sensation crept through my entire body, and it took all my willpower not to crouch down in searing agony.
“Unholy fuck!” Faye hissed. “What is that?”
“An exploratorem,” Vanessa growled before she pointed her wand at the bird and shouted. “Displodo!”
A red flash of light burst from the professor’s wand, but the creature swiftly dodged out of the way and began to soar swiftly toward the silver sky.
“No!” Vanessa wailed. “We can’t allow it to escape!”
Without a word, Revna notched an arrow in her bow and released her weapon in the crow’s direction but missed him by just an inch.
“Damn it!” the wild woman snapped.
“Alex!” I shouted. Our unholy bond said more than words ever could, and I knew he knew exactly what I had in mind for the two of us. So, without saying anything else, I closed my eyes and connected with Alexander’s soul as if it were my own. Then I touched his forehead and took a deep, steady breath. “Corporis nexum.”
Suddenly, I felt my consciousness transfer into Alexander’s body, and when the view of the world changed, I swiftly flew toward the flying bird and batted my familiar’s wings with all my force. The air was bitter and even chillier up here, but I didn’t care.
All I knew was that whatever this other flying creature was, it had to be destroyed.
Keep going, Cole! Alexander’s voice encouraged inside my head. You’re right on his fucking tail! Finish him!
I cawed viciously and spread my claws open before I managed to snatch the crow right around his thick, feathered body. It cried out in surprise and pain, and it tried to nip at me, but I squeezed it tighter and used my familiar’s bladed wings to penetrate one of the red eyes. As soon as I stabbed the creature with all my might, it let out a terrible cry and tried to nip at me with its giant beak once more. This time, it managed to peck the underside of our wing, and a sharp sting coursed through our connected bodies, but we still refused to let go.
Instead, I used Alexander’s rugged frame to bring the crow down to the earth, and we tumbled through a thicket of trees before landing with a painful thud back on the snowy ground. The crow was weakened and bloody by this point, and before it could feebly try to crawl away with its broken wing and missing eye, I raised our bladed appendage once more and nailed the crow straight through the skull.
Its eyes immediately went lifeless, and I could hear Alexander laughing inside my head.
Well fucking done, Alexander praised. I nearly forgot how awesome we were when we are fully bonded.
Me, too, man, I replied. We really fucked that thing up, didn’t we?
We sure did, Alexander chuckled.
Soon, there was a chorus of footsteps headed our way, and when I looked up at the approaching women, my still body was hovering just behind them. It was strange seeing myself like a floating corpse behind the women, so I closed my eyes and pulled myself out of Alexander’s body.
When I was back inside my own head, I opened my own eyes, and my body slowly returned to the ground in one piece.
“Master!” Penelope said before she threw her arms around me. “That was brilliant!”
“You and Alexander were amazing!” Nyx added before she playfully nudged me in the ribs.
“How is Alex?” Faye asked, and before I could answer, she rushed over to him and began to inspect his body. “No major damage at all, it seems. A few nicks and grazes, but it’s nothing a little grimworm paste can’t fix.”
“Thank you,” I said, and I stifled a laugh as the beautiful redhead began to dote on my familiar, who was enjoying every second of Faye’s attention. But then I turned to Vanessa and studied her pale blue eyes. “Now… Professor, what the hell was that thing? When I laid eyes upon it, I could feel a sharp pain coursing through my entire body.”
“That filthy little beast is known as an exploratorem.” Vanessa nodded deeply. “They are holy animals who work as spies for great and powerful elders. No doubt Samara sent it here to track us. I wouldn’t have been surprised if that’s how her elder scouts found us.”
“Fuck,” Akira groaned before she rubbed at her temples. “This bitch is getting better and better at being a stealthy little cunt, isn’t she?”
“I’d say she’s just getting more creative,” Vanessa remarked, “but fear not, the bird is dead, and it won’t be traveling back to her anytime soon. We just need to keep our eyes peeled and have our familiars keep their senses on high alert at all times.”
“Agreed,” I said before I turned to look over at Faye and Alexander, and my familiar seemed as good as new.
“Well, now that we have that out of the way,” Revna breathed. “I say we’d better get some water and dinner for tonight. Tomorrow morning, we’ll be heading even further up north, and I must think of a way to make some new and lighter furs for you all. If you thought trekking up the mountain today was difficult, just wait until we reach the dragon’s peak.”
“The dragon’s peak?” Marina repeated with raised eyebrows. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“That’s because it’s known to harbor elder serpens and other mountain elves,” the wild woman said in a low voice. “Don’t worry, though, I think I know of a secret trail we can take around it, but still, there will be plenty of climbing to do.”
“Well, whatever we need to do, it shall be done,” Vanessa said in a firm tone. “Now, let’s get some water and food in us before we set up camp, shall we?”
We nodded in agreement before we all slowly and stealthily headed back to the river. The sun was close to setting once more as we reached the sparkling stream of water, and Revna took a careful step toward the edge, but she kept a small dagger in front of her as she did so. With her other hand, we watched as she cautiously dipped the canteen into the river and slowly filled it up to the brim.
A weird feeling suddenly washed over me, and I found myself with my wand aimed at the water, like something was waiting just below the surface and eager to make its appearance.
Then, suddenly, a giant red-and-orange fish with a gaping mouth and rows of dagger-sharp teeth sprung from the water, and it went straight for Revna’s throat.
Without a moment of hesitation, I aimed my wand at the creature and shouted. “Dissulto!”
A bright light hit the fish right in its gut, and its entire body violently shook before it was sliced in half. Gore and blood splattered all over Revna, and she brushed a chunk of dead flesh away from the corner of her mouth with a trembling hand and then used her fingers to comb bits and pieces from her long, dark-blonde hair.
“Thanks,” she chuckled before she reached down and grabbed the two bits of fish from the river. “These nasty guys are known as pisces dentes, and they have a tendency to bite your face clean off if they get the chance.”
“Lovely,” Akira said in a sarcastic voice.
“Can we eat them?” Marina asked as she licked her lips.
“Sure,” the wild Wicca said with a bright smile. “Let’s make a fire and cook them up. We can eat them with the bread I have and some cheese.”
“I’ll set up camp,” Vanessa said while Revna began to gut the fish. “The rest of you, make yourselves useful and gather up any wood you can find. We need to start a fire before the sun sets.”
“Yes, Professor,” we replied in unison before we searched for broken branches and dead leaves.
Alexander flew by my side as I picked up whatever fallen wood I could find, and he helped me out by scraping together any fallen leaves and other bits of dry wood he could snatch up with his long claws.
How much farther do you think we’ll have to travel until we come across the second artifact, Cole? Alex asked in my head. I’m starting to loathe this fucking cold.
“I think you’d better get used to it,” I snickered. “We still have quite a ways to go… I caught a brief glance of that map Sigrid gave to Vanessa, so I wouldn’t hold my breath.”
Well, fuck, Alexander pouted. It’s all thanks to that cunt, Samara. I can’t wait until we kill her.
Normally, I would have agreed with my familiar right on the spot, but as we searched for wood, I found myself speechless and unable to meet his eyes.
Cole, why are you so quiet? We’re going to kill her, right?
“I… I’m not so sure anymore, Alex,” I said, and I glanced around to make sure no one was in earshot.
What? he shrieked in my head. What the hell do you mean you’re not sure?
“Calm down,” I hissed. “I just… I just don’t think she’s as far gone as we think she is.”
Please explain, he said in a sour tone, because I’m totally lost.
“I felt something,” I started to say, but it was challenging to get the words out. “When I saw her during my vision… there was something in her eyes. I felt it.”
What did you feel? my familiar asked in a gentler voice.
“I could feel her desire for… I don’t know,” I sighed. “I experienced her emotions as if they were my own. I think deep down, she longs to return to her roots, and I could be the one to help bring her back to Satan.”
That’s a heavy burden to bear, Alexander sighed in my head. Are you going to tell the others? They might not react well.
“I’m not worried about my coven,” I said before I reached down to collect another branch of wood. “I’m their master, and they would follow me to the ends of the worlds if I commanded it.”
You’re just worried about Vanessa, Alexander said in a grave tone. Aren’t you?
“I am,” I replied with a long, drawn-out sigh. “She’s stubborn as a mule, and it will take some convincing, but I’m sure I can make her see reason. Having a woman as powerful as Samara turn back to our side would be one hell of an advantage.”
I don’t disagree, Alexander mused. I mean, you’ve already persuaded me--
“Cole!” Vanessa’s shrill voice cut through the air like a knife. “How long does it take to collect firewood, for hell’s sake? Get back here!”
Yeah, good luck dealing with that bitch, Alex snorted before we both headed back to join the others. You’re going to need it.
By the time we reached the side of the river surrounded by trees, Vanessa had managed to set up three tents spaced all around the water. Revna finished gutting the fish, and each of my women turned to flash me a small smile, but the professor was red in the face with strands of dark hair stuck to her slick forehead.
“Finally,” she snapped before she dumped her contents into a small pile. “Now, everyone, hurry and add the wood. I want to make a fire before it’s dark.”
We did as we were told, and when Vanessa was satisfied with the wood, she pulled out her wand, crouched down, and aimed at the small pyre.
“Illuminana!”
A tiny fireball erupted from the tip of her wand and set the wood on fire, and Revna wasted no time before she started to roast the fish on a stick just above the flames.
“You can reach into my bag and hand out the dried fruit, bread, and cheese,” she said, and after Morgana reached inside, the brunette passed the food along the small circle we sat in.
We all ate silently, and we were sure to feed our familiars as well. By the time we finished our dinner, Vanessa abruptly stood up, dusted her skirts, and flashed us all a hard look.
“I’ll be going to bed now,” she growled. “I made one tent large enough for the coven to sleep in since no matter how many times I’ve asked, you don’t seem to want to sleep in separate quarters. I would appreciate it if you kept silent tonight, though. Who knows what dangers could emerge at any moment. Also, I slept poorly last night, so I’d appreciate it if, for once, I could sleep undisturbed.”
“Sure,” I said with a small smile. “We’ll behave tonight, I promise.”
“Err, well… good,” she said as if she didn’t expect that kind of response from me. “I’ve asked Isobel to make sure each familiar takes a turn to keep watch tonight, so do not worry about that for now. Everyone have a good and quiet night.”
“Goodnight,” we answered as the professor slipped into her tent, and Isobel settled down at the entrance to keep guard outside.
“I’m exhausted as well,” Revna yawned before she stretched out. “Night, everyone.”
We bade the wild woman goodnight, and when she disappeared from view, we quietly put out the fire and stumbled inside our own tent. I knew the women were so exhausted because no one said a word as we laid on the furs and silks and then fell into a deep sleep.
But my slumber was not a dreamless one.
As soon as I closed my eyes, I found myself standing in the middle of a classroom. It was not one I recognized, though, and when I turned frantically around to look in every corner, I thought I could see someone sitting alone at a desk in the front of the room.
Do you see her? the woman from my dreams asked, but when I turned around, I couldn’t see her anywhere.
It was just this one student and me.
“Yes, I see her,” I said in a low voice. “Is that…?”
Samara, the woman finished for me. Yes, it is her.
“Why did you bring me here?” I asked.
She would hate for you to see this, but it’s a memory of hers, the woman from the painting echoed. She was a model student… as bright as Morgana and as quick-witted as Akira. In fact, she possesses a few of each woman’s gifts… and that’s what made her such a remarkable witch.
“Why are you showing me this?” I asked as I took a step closer, and when I reached the student, I saw a younger version of Samara scribbling away on a piece of parchment with her brow furrowed in deep concentration.
Because I agree with you, Cole, the woman from my dreams said, and so does Theodora. You need to sway Samara and turn her back into the Wicca she was born to be. Then you must add her to your coven. You cannot take no for an answer. I believe in you.
Before I could answer, Samara glanced up to look at me, and when she did, I was lost in those gorgeous blue-green eyes of hers. For a moment, it felt like we were connected, but before I could reach out to brush a strand of silky hair out of her face, a small cry echoed in the back of my mind.
When I woke up, the women were panting and trembling and doing their best to rouse me from my deep sleep.
“Master,” Morgana said with wide, blue eyes. “There’s a pack of creatures outside… and I think they’re out for blood.”
When I adjusted my eyesight and turned to look around, I noticed great shadows just lurking and hovering outside our tent, like they were waiting for someone to step outside.
“Too bad for them they’re not the only bloodthirsty ones,” I growled as I pulled out my wand, jumped out of the tent, and prepared myself to take on whatever hellish creature was waiting for us.