"Wao!" I looked at the ceiling to the walls and floor with wonder. It looked like a simple house from the outside. But when I stepped in, the floor was made of polished wood, the walls were of stone, the roof was of glass, wood, and aluminium. The furniture was of dark wooden, dark and coffee brown curtains, some ancient paintings were hanging on the wall, "Your house is amazing,"
"I was telling the same," Silver said, giggling.
Elizabeth paced toward me. I took a step back, Jasper's hand around my shoulder stopped me.
" I wanna keep it," I said.
"You're hurting yourself and us. You know she didn't mean to hit you." Elizabeth said.
I shrugged my shoulders. I couldn't seek their help at every moment.
"We shouldn't do this. We should hear you." Silver sighed, "Let her heal you."
I shook my head, "No," I simply told them.
"Samantha was our friend. You were right. We should hear you. We'll talk to her." Silver said, thinning her dark pink lips.
I folded my arms over my chest, giving them a look, "Oh! How generous of you," I taunted.
"Fine, it's not easy for me to forgive her." Silver circled her hands in the air and plopped down on the couch.
"Let me at least see your face," Elizabeth said.
"A giant nope!" I shook my head, "I'm exhausted." I inhaled, dropping my arms. I knew. It was unnecessary what I was doing to my mother. I would talk to her but not right now. She shouldn't force her decision on me. My gaze turned to Lonan. Who was watching my friends carefully, perhaps trying to understand them with his Alpha power?
"Kami," he said and his dark eyes turned to me, "She'll show you your room, Miss Dawson." He said.
A tall and lean girl walked into the living room and bowed her head at her Alpha and us. She waited for me to pluck my step.
Hesitant, I lifted my feet toward her. She paced toward the hallway with her long legs.
"We're also coming," I heard Elizabeth and their footsteps as they rushed behind me.
"I thought. I'm getting a separate room." I said, looking over my shoulder at them.
"We're not leaving you alone. I don't care if you're upset with us." Silver said.
Kami was walking ahead of us like a robot, her back was straight. She seemed to be unaware of our argument.
"Thank you for respecting my privacy and feelings. I am really grateful to you. Alpha Queen," I mocked.
Silver seemed startled by my words, "Alpha Alessandro is all Alphas' king on the earth." Kami spoke for the first time.
It startled me, "No one told me this." I stared at them.
"We don't wanna burden your load." Silver poked her finger on the side of my temple.
"Yeah. Don't irritate me." I frowned at the long hallway.
Then Kami turned to get left. We follow her. Another giant hall came into view. The fire was burning in the hearth. My gaze rested on my wrist as I felt a burning sensation on my skin. I glimpsed the magical bracelet. But it fades immediately. I stared longer and waited for it to appear again.
I remember her words. My gaze drifted around. It looked safe, even the night view out of the window was peace-giving.
"Thank you, Kami. We'll manage from here." Elizabeth told her.
Kami bowed her head, "You don't need to do this. We're one of you." Silver said.
Her eyes widened at her words. She quickened her steps out of the hall.
"What's wrong with her?" Elizabeth huffed.
"Guys, I think I saw my bracelet, but it was just a quick glimpse," I told them.
They trod toward me. Silver whirled me and checked my wrists taking in her hands, "Auntie told. It would show... in case you're in trouble." She left my wrists and paced around, sniffing the air, glancing out of the windows.
"Let me help you," Elizabeth said, extending her feet at me.
I shook my head, "I'm putting on the ointment. You won't stop me." Silver said, pushing herself away from the window.
"Alright," I muttered, exhaling slowly. My gaze turned to the window, drifted out, the moon was half gleaming in the sky.
"We are in safe territory. But witches' land isn't far from us. They could reach us." Silver paused, demanding my attention. I peeled off my gaze from the half-moon and gazed at her, "You won't go alone anywhere." She looked dead serious.
"I had faced a lot today. I'm exhausted. I should go to bed." I turned to the couch. That seemed a safe place for now.
"Are you sleeping on the couch?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes," I muttered.
"Come, we're sharing the same room." Silver grasped my wrist and pulled me to the door where Elizabeth was already standing in the doorway, with her folded arms over her chest. She looked to be lost in her deep thoughts.
"Is this place safe?" I asked, stepping into the room. A queen-size bed with blood red sheets. I cringed at the color.
"Betty, can you change the color of the sheet?" Silver asked her.
"Mom asked me to not use my magic when I'm visiting Wizard dominion. My magic could attract them." She said.
" And it's not a good idea to have their full attention when you have a vulnerable human with you. Who was recently blind." A shiver ran down my body. They must have scented my fear.
"You're safe with us," Silver said.
"I know,'' I sighed " But you're not safe with me," I told them.
They didn't reply. They knew. It was true. I had put them in trouble. I removed my shoes and slipped under the duvet covering my body. The silence lingered, "Don't leave me alone." I didn't want those beasts to frighten me again.
Silver slipped next to me and curled her arm around me, "Sleep tight," She smiled.
I returned the smile. It didn't take me long when my eyes got heavy. I couldn't fight against my fighting eyelids who were stubborn to shut down.
In the morning, the sun peeked out over the tops of the mountains.
I woke up with a jolt. I saw the beasts in my nightmare. I could hear the weak voices of my friends, "You're dreaming. Relax."
When I opened my eyes. They were looking at me anxiously, lying next to me. I pushed myself up and climbed down the bed. I walked over to the window with sleepy eyes.
A slow smile appeared on my face. There was a beautiful picturesque in front of me. The sunlight was highlighting the edges of mountains.
"It's beautiful," Silver said, flashing a soft smile.
"A beautiful trap," Elizabeth murmured with a soft frown.
"Why?" I asked, still looking at the view of hills and morning sun in front of me.
"Some witches are so strong that they can destroy the world. They are full of evil." Elizabeth muttered
"We have the King of Alphas to devastate them." Silver muttered, giggling.
"He's not around to save us. We have to help ourselves." I whispered and lifted my hand up. My finger slipped on the glass of the window. I wanted to be there.
"It looks beautiful but dangerous," Kami said, walking into our room without knocking.
I glanced back at her. She was a very calm lady when we arrived. Today, suddenly, she wanted to spill everything to us.
She said it was dangerous but I was feeling sprinkled with morning dew. I smiled at my thought.
"Dangerous, how?" Silver asked.
"It's a rural province. Werewolves stay away from wicked wizard's land." Kami said,
"I think. They told us. This place was safe," I asked.
"it is. Until you don't break the rules," Kami replied.
"What kind of rules?" I asked.
"I'm here to invite you to breakfast. They're waiting for you." She said and left the room.
We exchanged looks, but we couldn't speak a word.
"We'll be there, thank you." Silver said.
She nodded her head and turned to leave the room.
Elizabeth gave us a look asking, 'What was that?'
Silver shrugged her shoulders, "She's weird,"
"I hope not to find more weird people," I said as I pushed myself onto my feet.
After breakfast, we didn't waste our time. Lonan's beta, Timothy, was driving us there. My gaze darted around. My stomach dropped. The sight wasn't expected from the window of the room. I was beholding it in awe at the horrible view. Who could be so cruel to destroy a beautiful land? The land was burnt to ashes, the remaining part of trees were looking like coal-black pillars on the barren land. Horror clung to me. That seemed beyond cruelty to devastate such a place.
"What happened to this place?" Silver asked, staring out.
"Demon attacked last weekend," Timothy said.
"We have to complete the quest to stop them," Elizabeth muttered.
"How could he leave his people to suffer?" I muttered under my breath. A cold chill slid down my spine and I shivered as I kept staring.
The academy was on the top of the mountain, standing proud. That was what I was watching from the room. From this close, I could see the damage. The bulky iron gate was black, the damage could not be gained by fire but by powerful magic. The left wall of the gate fell to the ground. The cobblestone path that was leading inside was also devastated, almost disappearing in its way. The ominous fog was surrounding the academy.
"It's horrible," My gaze was darting around to find any danger, someone to ambush us. I peeled my eyes off the fog.
"No one was killed but many got injured," Timothy said.
"Were you here? " Jasper asked.
"Yes, witches and werewolves have been friends for centuries. Marriage bonds have strengthened it." He grabbed his backpack, "This way," He said, striding toward the fog.
Jasper glanced at me, "Let's go," He put his arm around my shoulder, tugging me with him. Silver and Elizabeth walked ahead of us.
My pulses turned wild when I saw through the fog. The sight didn't make me feel better. The ground was dark with a strange kind of liquid. There were pieces of thick skins scattered around. I exhaled a shaky breath.
"Don't look around. Keep your eyes on your friends," Carlos said from behind me.
"What are they?" I asked, fearfully.
"Dead bodies of demons," Timothy said.
"I won't call them bodies. They're pieces," Elizabeth said, grimacing.
The fog began to clear and the academy was clear in view. It was so beautiful, as I expected, a castle with dark grey stones blending in the foggy atmosphere easily.
"Welcome to Witch Academy," A deep voice said. All eyes turned to him. A tall man with a light beard and a dark Navy blue suit greeted us.
Jasper moved forward and held his hand out, "Thank you, Mr. Elfan for inviting us. " They shook their hands warmly.
Carlos replaced him immediately. My brows pulled together. His funny face was far gone, "Stay close to us, kiddo." He said.
"Carlos," I glared at him.
Introduction felt weird to me when there were dead demons around us. Mr. Elfan glanced at me longer when I held out my hand. It was a weird handshake in my life. He was a professor at the academy.
Without a word, he held my hand and marched toward the door, "Where are you taking me?" I asked him.
"This place is safe for you. We're heading to the library." He said.
I saw over my shoulder. Two tall and heavy men join them. They were shaking hands, soft smiles on their faces.
"Don't they like me?" I asked him. Why would they send me away?
"We promised them to help. There have been some demons seen in the south of the woods." He said.
A cold wave of energy brushed over me. The heat was radiating off his body, "Why werewolves don't feel cold?" I asked in irritation.
He chuckled, "You'll know soon when we'll get all the books." He said.
I wasn't certain, "I don't feel it right. I wouldn't have agreed to come here if I had known about this deal. And I don't have all the books, " I added quickly.
"It's not a deal, Emma. We're helping them as they're helping us. Now cheer up. There's the library. A group of students is already looking for it." He said.
"Haven't they found it?" I asked, "Shouldn't we know where they have kept the book?"
"It's a magical book. We'll find it where it is supposed to be." He said.
"Could it move on its own?" I asked.
"Probably, or someone does it with magical power." He said.
The air was clear around me but I could see a glass of fog covering us at my back. We walked into the library. No matter where I went. I always found the library beautiful. It was a breathtaking view. The bookcase was touching the ceiling, the most essential part, I could see plants crawling along with the bookcase, small waterfalls and sunlight casting small rainbows in the air.
"This is a magical place," I muttered with a huge grin.
"Of course, it is. Magic helps us to keep it updated." A soft voice came from behind me.
I spun. A quick glance around made me realise we were not alone.
"Hello, I'm Teal." A blonde, the short girl waved at me, she was beautiful with dark blue eyes, "They're my friends, Sandy, Justice," Sand and Justice were tall, broad shoulders boys, looking older than their age, "Maggie and Sap," She pointed at the girls, calling their names.
"Hi, I'm Emma," I waved my hand at them, making eye contact.
Boys nodded their heads and girls waved back with a smile.
"Hello, Carlos," He said, with a full nod, "We should start looking for the book." He said, without wasting time.
"Yes, we should find it ASAP. Otherwise, the
curse would kill her." Sap blurted, pacing toward the near bookcase.