The Moonstone (Enchantment Book 1) (18 page)

"Don't be afraid, it's all to your advantage. It's not a fault, but an enormous benefit. Let's keep this to ourselves for the moment. It'll be really impressive when it's time to pick teams. I'm going to use you as my chief weapon."

"Between the three of us, little rabbit..." said the penetrating voice.

I can only smile, despite the intrusion, when I look at Zach's smiling face.

"Come with me!" he says, still holding my hands and pulling me through the field. Near the trees are three cartoon-like scarecrows.

"I'm going to show you how to control your energy field. You know how you manage your bubble when you want to control time?"

"Yes, at least, I think so. I don't have a lot of experience under my belt, though."

"That's fine, I like it better that way, because you haven't been tainted! Ok, so you do the same thing, but instead of creating your field to control time, you direct that energy to your hand or your foot, then toward your target. Start with your hand and hit the target as hard as you can. Try to aim for one spot in particular."

I think about all that Lord Black has said to me since yesterday and I direct my attention at the scarecrow's middle as if Black were in front of me. I concentrate all my energy, make a fist and hit him right in the face. The scarecrow snaps in two and the top half falls backward in a flurry of straw and fabric.

"In-cre-di-ble!" You and I are going to create magic! All I can say is Wow!"

I look at my fist and the disaster that lies on the ground and I’m suddenly filled with fear.

"Impressive little thing. I need to watch what I say around you. You might just knock me down." I let Black speak, too preoccupied to care what he’s saying.

"Don't look so rattled, Lou. It's just so amazing. Don't be afraid; you’re in control. Just imagine what you can accomplish in the next two weeks."

"I am imagining it; that's what scares me."

"Fear, that's a human emotion; don't bother with it. You're an enchanter and fear is a concept that shouldn't exist for you any longer. Leave your human side behind you."

I look at him, knowing he's right, even if I find it hard to admit. I'm not the little rejected Lou Mills from Woodstock anymore. I’m Lou, a witch and a moonchild. I’ve responsibilities that my mother gave me and even if I never knew her, I trust her judgment and know I must find the fabled Emerald Tablet. Note to self:  do more research on the Emerald Tablet once Lord Black releases his hold on me.

"Ok, you're right. Go on, professor, do your work and show me how to become a real warrior," I say, hitting my fist into my other palm. He laughs and takes me by the shoulder.

"Come on, there are still two scarecrows standing."

"We have two lives; and the second begins when we realize we only have one."
Confucius

Once the lesson with Zach is over, he guides me inside toward a large room where everyone is gathered. My senses tingle as soon as I catch a whiff of the thousands of sweet scents.

"I think you'll love the Academy's cafeteria, Lou. Before leaving you with the others, I just wanted to tell you how very happy I am that you’re here."

"I'm glad that you’re here too."

He has no idea how sincerely I mean that. Zach smiles at me with his superbly white teeth and leaves me with his usual bow.

I look around for Flicka but I needn’t search for long. She is at the other end of the room and waving her arms, jumping frantically and yelling my name...not in the least embarrassing! While I walk over to her, I can hear a few people whispering...

"Is that the little Tarzan-girl?"

"What a shame that she was raised by humans...and with such an incredible gift."

"I hope she doesn't choose me."

So, it seems that everyone has formed an opinion about me, but none of them are favorable. I'm under the impression that we're back in high school, but even then I didn't attract attention the way I am now. Actually, nobody in high school ever noticed me at all.

"Let them talk, they're just jealous of your gifts," says the now familiar voice.

Am I hallucinating, or did Lord Black just try to comfort me?

I don't have time to respond because suddenly Flicka is there, grabbing me and pulling me down beside her on a comfortable looking sofa.

"So, how was your training session with Zach? Is he a good teacher?"

"Yes, really good! It seems that I'm a good candidate for hand to hand combat."

"Oh, really? So you did some body on body with his did you? Be careful with that, you know how dangerous that is, Lou."

"Don't worry, I'm not an idiot."

"That remains to be seen," responds Black.

I knew that his real self could not be far below the surface… as if he could be anything but a pretentious monster.

"Come on, let's get rested up for this afternoon!"

She takes me by the arm, steering me toward the line of enchanters all waiting in front of a huge buffet. I pick a few items, a still-steaming chocolate croissant, a piece of cheesecake and a small mountain of homemade donuts, the whole thing covered with a thick chocolate sauce. Flicka follows me with an equally well-garnished assortment and we go back to our seats on the comfortable sofa. I try my hardest to eat politely from my plate as, in the absence of a table, it is precariously balanced on my knees. I'm attempting to maintain a certain amount of dignity when I look up to see many pairs of eyes watching my every move. I finally shrug and decide to ignore them and do my best. Anyways, it's all so delicious that I soon forget all the rude staring. Someone plopping himself down on the overstuffed cushions of the sofa soon creates a wave that pushes a chocolate donut across my face, smearing me with icing as it goes by. I turn to see who might have caused the disturbance and I see Pax, now sitting cross-legged next to Flicka on the other end of the sofa. He looks at me apologetically, trying to hide a smile with his hand. Flicka bursts out laughing and Pax is soon laughing along with her.

"Where is the bathroom? I need to clean up this mess you caused!"

I'm directing my question at Pax, who is busy giggling with his new friend

"Um, it's right over there."

I leave them to their hilarity. Entering the bathroom, I'm relieved to see that I’m alone. I grab one of the clean, perfectly rolled towels on the counter and try my best to erase any evidence of the recent catastrophe. Seeing the extent of the mess, I can understand their laughter; there is chocolate smeared all the way to my cheeks. Once I’m back to my normal state I look into the mirror, as if being forced to look at my eyes will change them into Lord Black's.

"Why do you hate me so much, yet seem so captivated with my every move?"

I want to take advantage of this moment to speak directly to him because I’ve had this question on the tip of my tongue all morning.

I get no answer, so I look away from the mirror and it’s at that moment that he chooses to break his silence.

"You are stubborn, and I hate that."

"Nobody can control everything, Mr. Black, least of all another person."

"That's what’s so compelling, no one defies me the way you do, Lou. I can't accept that."

"You’re going to have to get used to it because you have no control over me."

"We'll see about that."

"There's nothing to see. In a couple of hours, the effects of your drug will dissipate and I will regain my liberty. Is this a test that you put all your new recruits through?"

"It's the first time, and as I said before, nobody ignores me. I’m always feared and obeyed."

"And which of your commands did I disobey?" I ask, crossing my arms and trying to look defiant.

"I asked you to stay away from that human but you seem determined to continue your friendship with him. I warned you of the possible consequences."

This man makes me furious. I put both hands on the marble countertop and put my face inches from the mirror.

"Are you jealous, Lord Black?"

I hear him take a deep breath, then, after a couple of seconds, he answers me in a detached tone of voice.

"Don't attribute human emotions to me, Lou. It's as if you’re asking a dragon if he’s jealous of an ant."

"The ant can dig a nest in the dozing dragon’s head."

He doesn't answer and with that the bathroom door opens and in steps a young woman with shoulder-length black hair. She looks serious and scowls at me. She's wearing a form-fitting glistening black outfit.

"Who are you talking to?"

She couldn't have heard me!

"I heard you and I can hear your heart beating faster now, so don't lie to me."

What is it with these enchanters who need to know and understand everything?

"Maybe you can tell me your name before asking me all these questions. I was talking to myself, reciting the lines from a film I like, that's all."

"A human movie, of course."

"Of course..."

She frowns and turns back towards the mirror to apply her lipstick that is black as night.

"I hate humans," she answers, rubbing her lips together to spread the lipstick.

She gets closer to me, and looks into my eyes.

"In fact, to be precise, I wake up at night hating them."

"Why tell me this? I'm not a human."

"You are the closest thing to one, and I want you to know how I feel."

Ok, enough with the anti-human campaign being directed at me.

"Listen, I don't need a power-hungry enchanter reminding me where I come from and how much that bothers her. I only need to go out this door and be confronted with a hundred pairs of eyes that tell me the same thing. So, now that you have it out of your system, can we change the subject?"

"I want you to pick me for your team. You’re Ether and my goal in life is to be a great warrior.  I don't intend to end up on a weak team. I hate humans and feel you should know that about me before we work together. As I don't need friends, I think you and I would make a good team."

She says all this with such detachment that it shakes me up. The statement is so absurd that I don't know how to answer her.

"Don't stand there staring at me with your mouth open, you'll see my gift in action this afternoon and I'll convince you that I'm indispensable and should be on your team. If you choose me, I ask you to also consider my twin brother, Pyros and his sign is Fire."

"Oh, and what's your name?"

"My name is Éloï and I’m Water sign."

I go over to shake her hand, but she walks out before I reach her, leaving me standing there confused. Is it a coincidence that, having already chosen Pax and Flicka, I only need to fill two spots, one Water and one Fire? But there's no chance that I'll pick her or her brother, I refuse to surround myself with people like that... after all, I already have enough to worry about with Black, without adding two other nasty people to the mix. I wait for the expected response from his end but hear nothing, so I assume that he’s done with me for now. At least that’s a good thing. I take another deep breath and go out to join Flicka and Pax; I know they'll be on my side.

"Did you get lost? You were gone forever so we ate a few of your donuts."

"But it's a buffet, you could have gone to get some of your own!"

"Too much bother! Go on, finish your plate or we'll do it for you."

"I had nothing to do with it, Flicka committed the crime alone," adds Pax, innocently raising his hands in the air.

"That's ok, I have other things to worry about than donuts."

I answer while shoving one into my mouth.

"What do you mean, Lou?" asks Flicka, waiting for some new juicy information.

"Do you see that girl over there? I think she said her name is Éloï."

I pointed to the sullen girl across the room. I spotted her as soon as I left the bathroom and, as if to add insult to injury, she refused to look at me.

"Is she one of the diabolical twins? I know them more or less, but their reputation precedes them."

I imagine that the sullen looking boy at her side must be her brother.

"Why do you call them the diabolical twins?" asks Pax, sounding as intrigued as I am, or maybe he's just trying to insert himself back into Flicka's conversation.

Grabbing another of my donuts, Flicka flops down onto the sofa and tells us what she knows.

"I hear that they’re from Louisiana and that they've practiced voodoo rituals."

"Voodoo?" I ask, now really interested.

"Normally only black enchanters use those types of incantations, but some enchanters hope to get to the other side by participating in rituals like that."

"Does it work?" I ask, just as quickly.

"No, not that I know of; we're all born to be neutral, white or black and nothing we do can change that. It only serves to make them marginal."

Marginal...I suddenly feel pity for them because, like me, they’re off to the side. It could very well be that these vague ritual rumors might just be stories concocted to try and make sense of their antisocial behavior.

"Why did you want to know if I knew her?"

"Oh, no reason..."

I really don't feel like answering the question and going into all the details from the bathroom because it wouldn't serve a purpose. Also, strange as it seems, if her gift is as extraordinary as she says, I may want her on my team. I don’t want to feel as if Flicka’s opinion might be influencing my decision. Earlier I was sure I would never have them on my team, but something is telling me I should reconsider. I watch them surreptitiously for a while, trying to see if Pyros is anything like his sister. He has mid-length, slightly greasy hair that is falling on his face. His outfit is 1990s grunge. He is bent over and playing with a Swiss-army knife that he’s opening and closing. Éloï bends over him to whisper something in his ear and he raises his head to look me right in the eyes as he flips open his knife. I swallow and look away, now not so sure I should give them a chance.

I spend the lunch hour in discussion with Flicka and Pax, glancing furtively at the diabolical twins from time to time, trying to find out more about them. For their part, they never looked my way once.

The professors make their entrance and come to get the students for afternoon classes. I spot Zach who comes to get the Air group and when he notices all the stares directed at me, he sends me a quick nod. I smile discreetly, shrugging my shoulders to signal my resilience.

"Ladies, I’ll leave you now. I'm going to learn more about what you North Americans call hand to hand combat," says Pax, waving to Flicka with a little more energy than necessary.

"I think he's ready to eat you for dinner," I say to my friend, once he’s out of earshot.

"Who? Do you mean Pax? I don't think so! If you ask me, you're full of it! Anyways, he's not my type, he’s a little too nice."

"What do you mean, too nice? You like bad boys, do you?"

"Maybe just ones with a little mystery to them, a little less.... straight forward."

I feel so much like telling her about my new forced friend: Black. It seems like he would be her perfect match.

"Miss Mills, please follow me, it's time for our lesson now," says a self-assured voice that suddenly appears in front of me. Bethany is standing there, ramrod straight, inviting me to stand up and follow her.

"See you later, Flicka."

I follow Bethany towards a small door that opens onto a spiral staircase. When she climbs the stairs, she looks so tall and stands so straight that she seems like a ghost rising into the air. We finally reach the top of the tower, which opens into a round room with smooth, white stone arches that are grouped around a central vault. Between each gable, the wall is made of clear glass and gives the impression that we are in the middle of the clouds.