Chapter 12
I gathered the entire coven together once everyone was awake. Then we all settled on various beds, and the four Loreshia women sat beside me. They played with their hands anxiously, and I noticed how Cleo continuously looked around the room, but I knew they’d settle themselves down soon enough.
“We need to return to Scholomance immediately,” I said to the room. “I don’t know what’s about to happen, but whatever it is, it isn’t good.”
“Do your premonition powers show you anything?” Morgana asked.
“No.” I shook my head at the bookish brunette. “I just have a feeling in my gut, but I hope to get a better view of things once we return to the school.”
“And what about you?” Vanessa asked the Loreshia women. “Is there anything you wish to do or collect before we leave?”
“Um…” Della spoke first. “I already spoke to a few women last night, and they know I’m going to join you.”
“Yes, I’m the same,” Remy responded.
“I think…” Cleo hesitated for a second. “I think I’d like to say goodbye to a little girl I lived with, but her mother can explain where I’ve gone, so it’s okay.”
“Are you sure?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. “It may be a while before you return again, so if you’d like to say something, then now’s your chance.”
A thoughtful look crossed Cleo’s face, and I knew she must have been deciding which path to take, but she made a decision a moment later.
“Okay, I’ll go, but I’ll be extremely quick, I promise,” Cleo said.
“That’s fine.” I nodded. “You can meet us outside when you’re done.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Cleo said as she hopped off the bed and ran for the door.
“Tally, do you wish to speak to anyone?” I asked.
“No, I’m okay.” The black-haired woman smiled.
“Perfect,” I said as I stood from the bed. “In which case, we’ll wait for Cleo to return, and then we’ll shadow-port to Scholomance.”
“Have you shadow-ported before?” Nyx asked the Loreshia women.
“I haven’t.” Della shrugged.
“Neither have I,” Tally added. “I’ve never even left the village.”
“Then you’re in for a treat,” Akira snickered. “I hope you don’t get travel sick, because it won’t be a smooth ride.”
“Satan, Akira!” Vesta sighed dramatically. “Don’t scare them before we’ve even left the damn building.”
“Hey, I’m giving them a warning!” Akira said with her eyes widened in faux-innocence. “If anything, what I said was extremely helpful. Remember how we all acted when we shadow-ported for the first time?”
“Yeah, and you still act like that now,” Morgana snorted. “What were you described as, Akira? A newborn animal on its feet for the first time?”
The Loreshia women laughed lightly, and although Akira scowled, I could tell she was more amused than anything, and it was nice for the new additions to get a taste of what everyday life was like for us.
“But there’s no need to worry,” Nyx jumped into the conversation. “If either of you feel remotely unwell from the trip, then I’m sure I can come up with something for you to take.”
“And when she says take, she means smoke,” Samara teased.
“Have you smoked anything before?” Nyx asked with a devilish grin.
“I have…” Remy raised her hand. “It was a long time ago, and I’ve only gotten high once, but I remember the sensations pretty well.”
“Ooh, what was it?” the blue-haired witch asked as she bounced excitedly. “Can you remember?”
“I think it was called an enigma?” Remy shrugged. “I don’t quite remember, I just know that I saw double, and then I blacked out for several hours.”
“Fuck, an enigma?” Nyx’s jaw dropped open. “You need to tell me where you got that! Satan, it’s almost impossible to find.”
“What’s an enigma?” Circe asked as her serpentine eyes narrowed.
“Basically, an enigma is exactly how it sounds,” Nyx said. “No one really knows what’s inside the drug, and what causes each side effect, but that stuff sells for good money, and you don’t want to waste a single gram of it.”
“Is that even safe?” Freyja frowned. “Putting something in your body when you don’t know the ingredients?”
“Meh, I’ve never had any lasting issues.” Nyx smirked.
“Not that you know of…” Beatrix snickered.
I put an end to their conversation before it got too out of hand, and I ordered everyone to stand outside and wait outside for Cleo to return. I removed the steel building once it was empty, and then we all waited patiently. Only a minute went by before Cleo was seen in the distance, and the stray tears on her cheeks told me her goodbye with the child had been emotional.
“All you need to do is link hands and close your eyes, and Cole will do the rest,” Vanessa informed the women. “Usually, you need to picture where you’re going, but that part will come in time.”
“It’s time,” I said as I closed my eyes and envisioned the walls of the school, and then I settled on one part of Scholomance in particular. As the purple mist formed around us, I also summoned the familiars to travel with us, and I made sure I stayed connected to them throughout the entire process.
My body spiraled as we traveled through the vortex, but the closer we got to our destination, the more the dreaded feeling increased in my stomach. I still wasn’t sure what was coming our way, but I knew it wasn’t going to be good if the negative sensations were anything to go by.
As expected, Della, Remy, Tally, and Cleo landed painfully on their backs, along with some of my coven, but they all took the fall pretty well. Remy let out a groan as she stretched her back, and Tally rubbed the back of her head, but they didn’t lie around as they waited for the pain to subside.
We’d arrived outside Theodora’s office, but as I went to open the door, a premonition overpowered my body.
I shuffled back on my feet as the sensation swarmed through my blood, and I could just make out the concerned voices from the women around me, but I couldn’t pay them much attention. The threatening feeling was far too strong for me to fight against, and it took no time at all for me to visualize everything in my mind.
I saw warlocks swarming the school, but they weren’t alone. Other creatures and non-believers came with them, but I saw they came in stages. I couldn’t see which creatures the warlocks would bring with them, but I knew it would be a constant wave of threatening beings, and it wasn’t going to be long before they appeared.
I didn’t know if this was the Elder Lord’s doing, or if it was just more warlocks who refused to bow before me, but I knew one thing for sure.
It was going to be a challenging fight, far worse than Vipera and Loreshia, but, thanks to the blood pact that the entire school was now a part of, none of my women would die.
The warlocks didn’t know the hell they were in for.
“Cole?” A voice broke into my surroundings. “Dark One, can you hear me?”
As the visions subsided, I began to hear the voice clearer, and it didn’t take long to realize Theodora was the one speaking to me. I felt something soft beneath me, and then noticed I was sitting in an armchair, but I had no recollection of being moved here. A warm heat stroked the side of my left arm, and as my eyes adjusted to the room, I noticed I was in Theodora’s office. The heat on my arm came from the fireplace, and the soft blaze the headmistress had created illuminated the room in a cozy glow.
“Master, what happened?” Theodora spoke again.
“I don’t know…” I mumbled. “I mean, I do know what happened, but I don’t know how I got here.”
“I heard your coven calling out for you, and when I went to see what happened, I noticed you lying on the ground,” she explained. “You twisted your head back and forth as you mumbled a string of muttered words, but none of us could work out what you were saying.”
I peered around the grand office and noticed Theodora and I were completely alone. None of my coven sat beside me, not even Alexander.
“Where is everyone?” I asked. “How long have I been out for? We need to get the entire school together immediately, and I fear we have little time to do so.”
“It’s fine,” the headmistress said with a smile. “You were barely out for a couple of minutes, but I knew you needed the space to get your head around the premonition, so I sent the others to freshen up and get some food.”
My stomach growled at the mention of eating a meal, but that had to wait for now.
I sunk back into the chair as I let out a deep breath and focused on the vision I’d had, but the images now appeared vague and almost blurry. It was like all the time in the world had passed, but it also felt like I’d only shut my eyes for a handful of seconds. I still knew the main body of the threat we faced, however it seemed like nothing but a distant memory. Almost like a dream I’d encountered in my sleep, and now that I’d woken up, I had to think hard about what actually happened.
“A threat is headed for the school,” I said as I pieced the images together. “Warlocks, non-believers, and however many creatures they can get their hands on are coming our way.”
“When will this happen?” Theodora asked as she placed one hand on my knee.
“Soon,” I said firmly. “I don’t know how long it’ll be before they arrive, but I’d say it’s no more than twenty-four hours.”
“Then we have time to put your plans into action.” Theodora nodded her head once. “You have time to rest, eat something, and then work out what we’re going to do. Your body is still mortal and needs sustenance.”
“I don’t have a single minute to rest,” I argued. “I have to think about how to protect the school.”
“And you will, my lord.” The headmistress smiled softly. “But what good will you be if you don’t replenish your energy? Yes, Scholomance counts on you to save us, and you are far stronger than any of us put together, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look after yourself as well. It’ll take you all of five minutes to eat a meal, and then we can work on your plan.”
I knew Theodora was adamant with her plan, and nothing I’d say was going to change her mind, so I let out a sigh, ran a hand down my face, and then allowed Theodora to summon up whichever meal she pleased.
The headmistress took a step back and clicked her fingers, and all of a sudden, a small wooden table appeared in front of me with a silver platter placed in the center. The platter had a dome lid, so I couldn’t see what laid underneath, but the succulent scent of roasted pork and vegetables wafted up from under the dome.
“Please, eat, my lord,” Theodora said.
I picked up the lid of the platter and was pleasantly surprised to see the vast collection of food piled on the plate. As I’d expected, there was roasted pork, carrots, broccoli, and potatoes, but there was also a thick, luscious gravy that ran over the top, and other various accompaniments. There was also a bowl which contained a healthy slice of fruitcake, and a goblet of wine was perched on the side of the platter.
Theodora left me to enjoy my meal as she prodded the fire and then returned to her desk, but even if she’d wanted to talk, I probably wouldn’t have been able to answer with the amount of food I constantly had in my mouth. The skin of the pork was sweet yet salty, the vegetables were glazed in butter, and the mouthwatering juices from the pork had been used to make the incredible gravy.
I’d barely swallowed the mouthful before I washed it all down with wine, and once the main dishes were finished with, I turned to the dessert. The fruitcake had been prepared using a sharp, tangy alcohol, and the liquid stored itself inside the raisins and other mixed fruits. Whenever I bit down on a raisin, a small pocket of liquid popped and spilled the sweet juices all over my tongue. The sponge cake was light and fluffy, and the combination of ingredients created an explosion that washed through my senses.
As much as I wanted to get the plan underway, I was extremely thankful for the food, and, as always, Theodora was right. I’d needed those five minutes, and my energy levels had already doubled in size.
Theodora clicked her fingers again once everything was finished, and the table disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“How do you feel now?” she asked as she sat beside me once again.
“Better than I did,” I snickered. “At least the pains in my stomach are from eating too much.”
“Good.” She smiled. “So, what are your plans, Master?”
“I have an idea, but I still need to finalize the entire plan,” I said as I sat up in the chair. “Firstly, we need to get the entire school together. Then we’ll need to separate the students in various parts of the building in order to overpower the threat as much as possible, and if we place them correctly, then I’m confident it’ll be enough to protect the school.”
“And you, my lord?” Theodora cocked her head to one side. “Where would you like to be?”
“I’ll be wherever I’m needed the most,” I said with a shrug. “We’ve got first-hand experience at what the warlocks could do, and what they are capable of doing, but if I send the right people to the right places, and have every corner of the school covered, then I see no reason why I cannot float around where I’m needed the most.”
“I think that’s the best option,” Theodora agreed. “We can use Lilith to keep an eye on the warlocks’ approach in case their plan gets out of hand, and that’ll leave you with a clear mind in order to protect Scholomance completely.”
“Exactly.” I nodded. “But for now we’ll need to split the students up as best as we can, and prepare ourselves for what’s about to happen.”
I stood from the chair and sensed my energy increase even more, so I wondered if Theodora had included something in the meal to give me the boost I desperately needed.
Then we left the office and began the walk toward the banquet hall.
“I see you’ve welcomed some more beautiful women,” Theodora said as she gave me a sly wink.
“You know me, Headmistress, I can’t say no when they ask to join, especially when they look so sinfully beautiful.” I shrugged.
“I’ll always trust your judgement, my lord.” She smiled. “Did you save them from Loreshia?”
“I did.” I nodded. “We were lucky to get there in time, but the women told me how they had no solid connection to the village, so there was no reason why they couldn’t join us.”
“Well, new witches are always welcome here,” Theodora said as she opened a door for me to walk through. “I gather these women weren’t chosen to become mothers?”
“No,” I replied. “But that made their decision to join us much easier, especially when I offered to give them their own children.”
“Yes, I’ve visited Loreshia once before,” the headmistress said with a faraway look in her eyes. “I don’t think I’ve come across a kingdom quite like it since then.”
“They certainly have their ways,” I snickered.
We reached the banquet hall as a large group of younger witches were leaving through the main doors. They each had school books clutched in their arms, and one of them had just told a joke, which made the other five laugh hysterically.
“Ladies, can you please join us in the hall?” Theodora asked as she cut into their laughter.
“Oh, o-of course, Headmistress.” A girl with deep green hair nodded.
I held one of the doors open for them, and each of the girls thanked me quietly as they walked past. I was pleased to see the hall was fairly full with various students studying while others ate a grand lunch that sat before them. My coven, the Loreshia women, and the familiars were found at a table near the front of the hall with their own meals in front of them, and Revna jumped up in surprise as she noticed me.
“My lord, how are you feeling?” she asked as she flattened out her skirt.
“Much better.” I smiled. “Theodora made me eat, and we discussed what we’re going to do.”
“What happened?” Tally frowned. “One moment you were walking quite happily, then the next you were on the floor?”
“Cole has very powerful premonitions,” Akira said with a glint in her dark eyes. “Here, I’ll tell you all about it.”
While Akira filled the Loreshia women in on my strength and abilities, I left my group to finish their lunches and wandered to the front of the hall where the professors’ seats resided. Then I glanced out across the room and mentally worked out the percentage of students present compared to those which roamed other areas of the school. I had a feeling there was at least seventy percent in the room, so I closed my eyes and summoned the remaining thirty to join us.
Clouds of purple mist materialized in certain spots of the hall, and I heard the squeaks from the students as they were suddenly forced into the room. I knew a few of them had experienced transportation many times before, but it could come as a shock if they weren’t expecting it.
I waited patiently as the confused students took their seats, and then the professors, Theodora, and Lilith sat behind me.
But, even though I stood at the top of the hall and was clearly waiting for the room to quiet down, a large number of the students continued to talk and chatter with their friends.
“Silence!” my voice bellowed around the hall and into the high ceilings.
My sudden demand caused the talkative girls to shut their mouths and pay attention. Then, once the room was ready, I continued to talk.
“Scholomance will shortly be under attack again,” I said loud enough for all to hear. “A large group of warlocks, non-believers, and other dangerous creatures are heading for Scholomance as I speak.”
The students began to mutter, and a buzzing sea of noise washed over me as their voices got louder.
“There is nothing to fear!” I continued. “We have faced far worse than this before, and as long as you all pay close attention, then nothing bad will happen. However! With the threat aimed toward us, we’ll all need to split up in order to conquer our enemies.”
My audience reacted again, but as I waited for them to simmer down, the familiar sensation of a premonition washed over me once again. It started in my chest first, and then it slipped around the rest of my body.
It wasn’t like when I experienced the burning fires in Loreshia, because my head didn’t feel like it wanted to explode, but I still heard the sounds of men and women screaming. Then tingles raced under my skin like phantom pulses of electricity, like someone was trying to cause me serious pain, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through.
The sensations continued to ebb and flow through my body, but the men and women continued to scream, and that was the driving force I needed to fight back.
The world around me became bright, and I thought I saw a silver wall form in the premonition. I focused on the silver wall and tried to discern more details, but everything else was hazy and obscured, and I sensed something, or someone, pushing me back.
A block had been placed in my mind, so whoever tried to hurt me clearly didn’t want me to gather any clues.
Then an image of a person came into view.
It wasn’t clear, and it was incredibly blurry and pixelated, but at least it was something to work with.
I see darkness, Lilith said as she entered my mind. The realm is dark, very dark, but that’s the only clue I’ve received.
I took in my mother’s words and tried to focus on my surroundings some more. I noticed the darkness, too, but that could have been anywhere. Every realm had periods of darkness, so it didn’t exactly narrow it down for me.
I twisted my head from side to side as I forced my eyes to adjust to the change in lighting, but apart from the occasional flash of color, I saw nothing but shadow.
But then it all began to make sense.
The block on my mind, the lack of clues, everything.
Even the blurry image of a person made sense, and suddenly the shape seemed familiar to me.
The Elder Lord had to be behind all of this. He wanted me to be confused and distracted so I paid more attention to his attacks instead of the warlocks headed in our direction, or vice versa. He knew I could only be in one place at a time, so I had to pick between saving Scholomance, or saving another realm presumably full of witches or other unholy believers.
That sudden realization was what caused me to finally pull away from the premonition.
“The Elder Lord is striking again,” I said.
“What did you see?” Theodora asked as she placed one hand on my back. “Lilith said there was a block she couldn’t break through.”
“I had the same thing,” I sighed. “But I know it’s him. I can’t see the realm, and I can’t see if it’s happening now, or if it’ll occur at some point in the future. All I know is the place is black with the occasional flash of color.”
“That could be anywhere…” Vanessa mumbled from somewhere behind me.
“Maybe…” Lilith said, but then paused for a second. “Maybe there’s a way for you to look past the barricade, even if it’s only long enough to get a location.”
“That could work,” I replied. “But we need to keep an eye on the warlocks at the same time. Theodora, can you watch them while I attempt to break the blockage?”
“Of course, my master,” the headmistress replied.
I hadn’t broken something of this magnitude before, but I trusted in my abilities, and I knew what needed to be done.
“This may be uncomfortable to start with, but fight through it and focus on breaking the wall,” Lilith said as she cupped my cheeks in her hands. “Simply say the incantation, and all you need to do is stay connected to your own mind.”
I nodded my head, took a deep breath, and then slowly closed my eyes.
“Transeant per murum inter nos videamus,” I whispered.
The sensation wasn’t as uncomfortable as I’d imagined it to be, but it definitely didn’t feel normal. It was almost like I was flying through the air, but I could feel my feet still firmly planted on the ground. I envisioned the block in my mind, and it looked somewhat like a silver, glistening sheet of paper, and the closer I got to the blockage, the thinner it became.
I spotted movement from the other side of the silver wall, but there was still something keeping me back. The darkness from before was still noticeable, along with the flashes of light, but as I fought against the blockage, I could just make out the outline of a building. The building towered high into the sky, and I spotted a familiar golden statue placed right at the top. It was the statue of a person, and even from the blurry image, I knew exactly which realm I was looking at.
The Night Province was constantly cloaked in darkness, hence the name, but the kingdom was also famous for its statues that were found all over the place. The statues were there in memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the kingdom, so every statue was different.
I still couldn’t work out what the Elder Lord was doing to the kingdom, but at least it gave me a place to start.
Then, as I went to pull myself away from the premonition, a new blurry image came to mind. I could just make out rolling, green hills, and a bright purple sun in the center of the sky.
It was a second realm.
I finally pulled myself away from the premonition, and I slowly returned to the real world. The banquet hall felt so large and open compared to the cramped space my head had currently been in, but I shook my head to clear it and focused on the women around me.
“The Night Province and Gassotara,” I said once I was able to speak again. “That’s where the Elder Lord has aimed his attack.”
“What the fuck is he doing?” Professor Evanora spat.
“Has he targeted two realms?” Professor Crimson asked.
“Or is this one of his tricks?” Vanessa shrugged.
“He’s trying to distract me from the warlocks,” I said with a scowl. “So, instead of focusing on them, I’m trying to figure out his damn location of attack.”
There was a possibility that none of his attacks were real, and the screams in my head were all part of the Elder Lord’s illusion, but I couldn’t take that risk. Innocent people could have been dying this very second, but I couldn’t work out which option to take.
“Either we focus on the warlocks and nothing else, or we send people to these realms,” I explained to the women around me. “There is no definite proof that the Elder Lord has targeted The Night Province and Gassotara, but the realms won’t be around for long if there is a war going on and we did nothing about it.”
“Dark One,” Theodora said as she looked me straight in the eyes. “The premonition was strong, and you heard their screams. The Elder Lord is powerful, we’re aware of that, but is he powerful enough to make you experience an imaginary suffering?”
“It’s not worth the risk,” I said sternly. “We’ll need to send people to The Night Province and Gassotara, and they must be ready for war.”
“And limit the number who’ll fight against the warlocks here?” Professor Luna frowned. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, my lord?”
“Unless you can think of another plan?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. “Until we know if the Elder Lord is fucking with me or not, we act as though the attacks are going on. Scholomance will split into three groups, and the blood pact will keep everyone alive as long as I’m breathing. And, hopefully, in saving The Night Province and Gassotara, we’ll add more soldiers to our ranks.”
“Yes, master,” all the women before me responded in unison.
Now, it was time for war.