Eyes of Light

It didn’t take long for me to get dressed in clothes that weren’t exactly my style, and throw my hair up; I was excited to meet Sheba and Eve outside… excited for my ‘training,’ if that’s what it was. Nick, however, took his time, insisting that he’d be out when he was ready. I kind of wondered if he was coming out at all.

I walked across the lawn slowly, my glow now gone, and gave Eve a small smile. Sheba stood with her arms crossed, her eyes locked on the thick clouds above. The wind was slightly cool and I shivered, letting out a sigh.

“The most important thing you need to learn is control,” Eve spoke, bringing my attention to her. “Before you can defeat the black magic, you have to learn what your powers can do; to do that, you need complete control.”

“How?” I questioned. Everything seemed to be: how, why, and what with me now.

“Well… you work off thoughts, that’s what we know so far, so maybe you could try knocking down that tree.” She turned around and pointed to the large leafless tree just feet away, my eyes locking on it in disbelief.

“You… want me… to knock down that tree?” I bit my lip and took a deep breath, setting my eyes back on Eve.

“It won’t be that hard,” Sheba spoke, her eyes locked on me.

“Right,” I sighed, cracking my knuckles with nerves.

I trailed my eyes over to the tree and shook my head; how in the world was I supposed to do this? Inhaling deeply, I narrowed my eyes and set my thoughts on that same tree, getting my thoughts to revolve around knocking it down. Nothing happened. I took another breath and shook my hands, hoping to become more focused, but the tree wouldn’t budge.

“You have great focus, I can see that-” Eve spoke, taking a step forward, cocking her head. “But… you’re missing motivation. That’s also another key for the black magic, as I mentioned before. You need a reason to do your magic.

I opened my mouth to speak, my eyes still on the tree, but the sound of the door creaking open brought my attention towards the house. Nick jumped down the stairs with his hands in his pockets, his curls more aligned, and he paused. His eyes locked on me and I could see the wonder on his blank face. My eyes locked on him but the thought of knocking the tree down swept back through me, and I heard a sudden cracking sound. Whipping my head around, I gasped in surprise, the tree falling forward. I could see Nick’s eyes widen as the tree hit the ground, shaking it just barely.

“Why are you teaching her to knock down a tree?” he muttered suddenly, his eyes moving over to Eve. “What, are you going to use a tree to kill your magic?” His sarcasm was something one had to get used to, but it was kind of funny.

“It teaches control. Dog, something you might not know about,” Sheba spat. Nick shook his head and let out a deep breath, his irritation surfacing. But before he could speak, Eve cut in.

“Is there something you’d like to teach her?” she smiled.

I furrowed my eyebrows and pushed my hair back, one question running through my mind: why could I do things with Nick around?

“I don’t know about magic,” he shrugged, running his fingers through his hair, but he pursed his lips when he looked over to me.

“Well then, this will be a learning experience for both of you.” Eve noted, motioning him forward. He hesitated, but did so, confusion still on his features.

“Sheba, why don’t you lend us some of your crafty magic? Give Lonnie a reason to protect Nick.”

“Wait a minute: I’m not your guinea pig,” he spat, stepping back.

“What’s wrong mutt? Afraid of a little magic?” Sheba smiled dryly, holding out her hands. I gulped, Nick’s eyes now narrowing.

“Maybe, if your magic was more frightful than evil. Do you think wolves just stand back? We know how to deal with evil; that’s why we protect from your black magic,” he informed with complete seriousness.

“Sheba-” Eve started, Sheba interrupting her.

“You don’t need to tell me twice,” she smirked dryly.

She put her hands out and lifted her head, narrowing her eyes. Her lips moved slowly, uttering a few words, and I saw her green glow come out, only darker.

“Protect him,” Eve instructed quickly.

I hurried in front of him and put my own hands out, my glow increasing rapidly as I, not only neared him, but set my thoughts to fending off whatever she was ready to do. As soon as the green dust flew forward in a spark, my glow zoomed out, creating an almost shield. I gasped, the wind hitting my face, taking my breath away, and let my hands fall. A stinging sensation went through me and I yelped, feeling my knees give way, my body falling quickly, but two hands shot out and grabbed my waist securely, yanking me back up. The surge of warmth was enough to distract me from the sudden pain, but I could still feel my body shaking, my glow not as dark; I wasn’t in defense anymore.

“What did you do?” Nick’s voice boomed suddenly, my eyes snapping open. His arms were holding me against his chest; I couldn’t feel my legs, and his face was full of seriousness and sudden anger. I could see a flicker of gold in his eyes. He let out a groan and pushed me forward, locking his hands around my shoulders, stabling me.

“It wasn’t my fault; she let her shield down,” she defended, crossing her arms,

“Lonnie, what happened? You were doing alright…” Eve mumbled, moving to stand in front of me.

“I… I don’t know. It just felt like I couldn’t breathe. I had to stop,” I mumbled, shaking my head. I felt fine now, just a little dizzy, but I didn’t know how I was supposed to continue this. If I couldn’t hold a shield… how was I supposed to defeat the black magic?

“You know what, she doesn’t need to protect me,” Nick muttered, stepping away from me. I didn’t understand why he was so angry… he was fine. “I can protect myself.”

He started to shake and in a flash he was a wolf. He dug his paws into the dirt and leaned back, letting out a small snarl, his body in front of me. Eve looked at me with surprise, my own eyes fixated on the beautiful wolf in front of me, angry and ready.

“Cover your ears,” he hissed. I opened my mouth to protest but quickly did so. My glow was back, sending that now familiar warmth through me. Eve took note and followed just in time for that ear piercing howl.

It roared through the air, causing Sheba to cringe and cover her ears, Nick’s furry body ready to pounce forward.

“Nick stop!” I hissed, throwing myself forward and onto my knees. My hand dug into his soft, warm fur, my hands glowing brighter, sending a calming feeling through him in what felt like a ripple. He paused, his chest heaving slowly.

“She’s going to get it sometime-” he started, his voice hard.

I bit my lip and ran my hand over his fur, knowing that it made him a little more relaxed the last time I did that. He loosened his muscles and pulled his head up, a low whimper sounding from him. I smiled slightly, despite the situation, and pushed my hand up to his head, running my fingers through the black fur that sat there. I knew that, in his human form, he wouldn’t want me to touch him, but this was different now and it sounded like he liked it; another whimper kind of proved it.

His head cocked and his ears went a little limp, his big gold eyes holding mine. Even now I could see that he was still blank, but there was a little more emotion in them-something that probably only happened while he was a wolf. The chocolate ring began to widen and he ducked away, his body disappearing slightly again. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to him phasing, it just looked so… amazing; everything seemed to go transparent for a few seconds before he was completely human again.

He took a deep breath and kept his gaze away from me and focused on Sheba who held a scowl that looked frightening, but Nick just crossed his arms and stood in his spot next to me. Eve helped me up quickly and stepped forward, letting off a sigh.

“I don’t even know how this is going to work,” she muttered, running her hands through her long hair.

I could see her begin to glow red suddenly and, in a flash, Coimbra was at her side. I had to admit, he was kind of… creepy, but he didn’t seem like a threat; Eve would make sure he wasn’t.

“Eve dear, my brother has heard of the return of the black magic and insists on coming here tomorrow, while these children are at school. He’s offered to help in any way possible,” he said in a smooth voice, his hand resting on her shoulder. His red hair blew through the wind as her glow brightened, a smile appearing on her lips. It was as if all her troubles melted away when he came around. They looked like real soul mates, not just protectors…

“Alright Coimbra. We’ll meet with Coimbra, but it’ll be up to Nick and Lonnie,” she responded, turning to face the two of us. Nick hadn’t left his stance and I was just so confused, but we both met their gaze. Nick wasn’t too fond of Coimbra, either, and I was beginning to wonder if he liked anyone other then wolves.

“Why don’t we try control again?” Eve then suggested, smiling as Coimbra placed a kiss to her cheek before hurrying away swiftly. I blinked and bit my lip, locking my hands together. “Sheba, if you don’t mind, I’ll use my magic…”

“If you wish,” she nodded tiredly, stepping out of the way. Nick seemed to loosen up and stood behind me again, unwillingly complying.

“Alright Lonnie, focus and remember: you are protecting Nick,” she said slowly, holding out her hands. They began to glow a dark red instead of cloud up like Sheba’s, and I knew she was using something a little less powerful. I didn’t really want to fall again. I took a deep breath and put my own hands out shakily, focusing on exactly that: protecting Nick. I saw a bolt of red shoot out and my glow expanded yet again, moving against her magic. She added more concentration, making my arms feel like jello, but I pushed forward. I could feel Nick’s intense gaze locked on me and my glow seemed to spread, but I suddenly felt tired. Pushing forward with a groan, her surge of magic flew backwards, rustling the trees in the distance.

“Excellent Lonnie!” Eve commented, clapping with a grin. I stared on in shock and sighed with relief, shaking my head.

This was… amazing.

&&&

By the time night fell, I was exhausted. My arms felt weak and my head ached, but I couldn’t help feel a little proud of myself…Nick, however, kept his difference. I guess I didn’t expect him to change… but what did I expect?

I sighed and heaved down the hallway, opening the door to see Nick sitting on the edge of the bed with that same book in his hand. I knew it contained information that I probably wanted to know, and I knew I couldn’t ask to read it: I had to ask him and I knew that wasn’t going to go well.

“What are you doing?” I asked softly, sighing heavily. He glanced up, his eyes a little lighter. I cocked my head and pushed the sleeves up the uncomfortable shirt, slowly walking over.

“Reading,” he answered shortly, licking his dry lips. I nodded and swallowed, clearing my throat.

“What about?”

“Witches.”

I raised my eyebrows and walked over to the dresser, picking up a pair of pajamas that Eve also leant me. They were a dark purple, made of silk. They looked a little more comfortable, so I was thankful.

“How come you can understand those books, but I can’t? Am I stupid or something?” I muttered, turning back to face his amused expression with surprise. He didn’t laugh, though.

“Because I’ve been reading these things for years. It’s easier to explain than to read; our world isn’t exactly friendly for new additions,” he answered smoothly, closing up the book. He set it on the bed and ran his hands through his hair, ruffling it a bit. His eyes locked on me, waiting for a question he knew I was about to ask. I guess he was used to that already.

“What did you read about witches?”

“The great witch has a lot of responsibilities, even more than I thought,” he murmured, sighing slightly.

“There is?” I gulped, realizing that the great witch was now… me.

“There’s a lot affiliated with the black magic… a lot of lives that you need to protect, you know. That’s why it’s important to learn things. I hate to say this, but… Eve was right. Control is key for you and you’re going to have to work on it.”

“I thought I did okay today…” I mumbled, looking down at my feet.

“Okay isn’t good enough, Lonnie,” he shook his head, standing. He moved to the door when I stopped him, narrowing my eyes.

“Now wait a minute Nick-” I hissed, staring up at him. “I did the best I could. I’m new to this and you expect me to know things right off the bat? How can I when you’re always there, ready to tell me what I should’ve done?”

“I’m protecting you.”

“From what?” I stressed, trying to get some emotion out of him. He stared at me and pursed his lips, crossing his arms. “From Sheba?” I questioned, knowing that was his problem. “Just because you don’t like her-”

“Didn’t you notice that she might’ve tried to hurt you?” he responded, quirking his eyebrows.

“You’re paranoid. Are you saying that, because she’s a witch, you can’t trust her? I’m a witch too, Nick, and I’m sorry that you’re stuck with me, but that’s the way it is.” I knew it wasn’t always best to get angry, but he needed to know that I was serious about this, he wasn’t the only one.

“Just keep an eye on her,” he said, his voice almost strained, and his eyes were a little darker. I blinked and stepped away, inhaling deeply. I hadn’t realized how warm the glow was whenever I got too close, and now I felt a little flustered.

I also had to keep an eye on what I did at school, and tomorrow would be practice that I didn’t exactly want.

[&&light]

Eve had woken me up early, knowing that we’d have to walk through the forest to get to the school, and gave me another outfit to wear. It was a black silky shirt with ruffles and a pair of dark blue jeans. I’d have to wear my flats and now I missed my regular shoes.

Nick wasn’t too enthused, either. He made sure he had our assignment, leaving his backpack behind. He was eager to get out of this place, though-that was easy to see. Eve had prompted me not to say a word of our world to anyone in the school; that included Josh and Anna. I felt my heart speed up just thinking about them. How would I explain my absence to Josh? And Anna… she had to of called. What about my dad? Everything was so disturbed, I didn’t understand a way for anything to work out again.

I hurried outside, shoving myself farther into the coat Eve had given me, and gave her a small wave. It was at that moment that I had missed my mother more than I had ever. I bit my lip and looked down at my necklace, the solid gold seeming to disappear, the blue coming back.

“Mommy…” I whined, looking up from the book she was holding. She smiled down at me and cocked her head, patting my hair down softly. My eyes caught sight of the blue orb and I smiled, squinting to see a small light to it. “Where’d you get that?” I whispered, pointing to it as it hung around her neck securely.

“It’s special,” she answered, kissing my forehead. “It’s like magic.”

I shook my head and focused on the path ahead of us. Nick hadn’t phased, so I was surprised to think that the school was close, but I didn’t ask. He stood by the tree with the torn notebook in hand and stared forward, waiting for me to reach him.

When I reached him, he took a glance at me, and then moved forward and onto the hidden path. We walked through the dirt, the twigs and leaves crunching underneath our feet. The sky was a little darker and it looked as if it were about to rain, but luckily it didn’t.

We walked on in silence, my eyes locking on Nick as he lead the way, his curls bouncing. I wondered how long it would take for him to start a real conversation with me… or smile for any reason other than amusement. He soon turned around another corner and I realized we were at the back hill, the school coming into immediate view. Laughter and silence filled my ears and I grabbed my wrist nervously, still feeling the small ache from it. The cut on my head wasn’t easily covered with make-up, but it had began to heal quickly.

“Come on,” Nick muttered, nodding forward.

I sighed and followed, carefully hurrying up the hill and onto the next path. I saw the people hanging around the back staring at us strangely, but Nick chose to ignore it and pull open the doors with ease. He allowed me to step through first, the warm building not even comparing to the warmth of my glow. I looked down frantically, holding out my hand.

“No one else can see it,” Nick whispered as he stepped ahead. I felt light suddenly and I nodded, even though he wasn’t paying attention.

“We’re… supposed to stick together, right?” I asked, getting him to slow down, allowing me to catch up.

“Yeah,” he muttered, turning his head to face me, but he didn’t say another word.

“So… I’ll see you in English,” I responded awkwardly, getting closer to my locker bin. He nodded once and turned the other direction, entering a room.

I focused on the hallway and getting to my locker, but two people popped up in front of me. Josh looked… annoyed and Anna looked worried. I froze in shock and sighed deeply, knowing this was bound to happen.

“Where have you been? Your dad said you never came home!” Anna exclaimed, throwing her hands up. Her eyes were wide, but she managed to smile. I couldn’t easily return it though: I always hated lying-it was nearly impossible to me.

I opened my mouth to speak but Josh interrupted. “And you never met me at the café. I was kind of worried… what happened?

“Umm… some things came up and I-I had to visit some of my mom's old friends…” I mumbled, biting my lip.

“By yourself?” Anna questioned, furrowing her eyebrows. I shoved my hands into my pocket and shook my head, ignoring Josh’s stare.

“Umm, no… I went with a friend.”

“Who-”

The bell rang suddenly, cutting Josh’s question off, and I sighed. “We should… get to class,” I smiled weakly and nodded towards the direction of our class.

“Oh… okay,” Anna smiled, heading towards the front of us. Josh lagged though, shoving his hands into his sweatshirt pockets.

We headed down the hall and I glanced into the room Nick had entered, his chocolate orbs meeting mine for a second. I could feel the flicker rush through me but disappear before I could even see it on me.

I guess control was a major part of being a witch and I knew it wasn’t exactly going to be easy; neither was getting on Nick’s good side.