Chapter Nine (Niall)
911 Words
I wasn’t sure how I felt. I was impatient for sure. This was a huge opportunity to get out of this mess, to get rid off the threat on me. I was looking forward to feeling safe again. At the same time, curiosity clung on me. There was a whole new world within easy reach, a world I won’t be able to ignore no matter what I do in the future. I looked at Tommie, trying to figure out how to make what she told me about the Witches match with what I knew about her. The truth is I didn’t know much about her. She always had been a mystery and I had no reason to get close to her before. I wasn’t the kind of guy who easily talk to people, them being strangers or not. I just wasn’t much of a talker so approaching Tommie who kept everyone away wasn’t an option.
« If you’re not interested in what I have to say, young boy, you can wait outside. »
I blushed and stuttered.
« Sorry. »
The office looked more like a boudoir. Sofas and armchairs occupied most of the space. The old witch was sitting in one of them, her hands folded on her knees. Her grey hair were pulled in a high strict bun and her dark eyes were shooting daggers at me. She was wearing navy blue from head to toe. Greer was properly terrifying.
« So », she said finally. « Why are you here ? »
Obviously, she wasn’t talking to me. Tommie seemed nervous. So, she also could be uneasy with someone else, uh ?
« I came to report… some issues », she started. « Niall is a collateral damage. I had to tell him about Alter after he was attacked by a ghoul. »
« Ghoul don’t attack people », Greer replied
« Precisely. That the first odd thing. Niall has been attacked twice, Greer. By the same ghoul. »
The woman tensed as she was realising that something was off.
« Doesn’t it have something to do with the fact that this boy is glowing with your energy ? », Greer asked
Tommie quivered. I had no idea what she was talking about but Tommie was even more uncomfortable.
« Well… this happened when I used my powers to prevent him from dying. »
Greer stood up so violently that we both jumped on surprise. The old lady looked properly furious.
« Thomasina Sinclair, you did WHAT ?! »
Tommie’s face was burning up when I looked at her, shocked. Thomasina ? Her name was Thomasina ? I kept my mouth shut when she looked daggers at me. I couldn’t help but smile though. I was biting my lips so hard to prevent from laughing.
« He was dying, Grandma ! I had to do something ! »
« Did you use it ? »
Tommie grew pale. Greer grabbed her by the shoulders, almost shaking her. Something was wrong. I was about to intervene but Tommie waved me not to. What was I missing ? What was « it » ?
« Answer me, Thomasina. »
« I did », she confessed
The old witch start swearing in Gaelic. I wasn’t fluent in that language but I knew enough to say that this was really bad.
« You should let go of her, Mrs », I said with a confidence I wasn’t sure to feel
If looks could kill, I’d be dead by now. That old lady was scarier than Voldemort himself. How could she do that ? Well, if she really was Tommie’s grandmother, it made sense. Charisma ran into the family. She came closer to me and I couldn’t help but step back.
« How have you been feeling since she saved you ? »
« Like I told Tommie, nothing much I’ve changed except my appetite. »
« Your appetite ? »
She wasn’t expecting that. I shrugged and kept going.
« Yes, I’m always starved. And… »
I glanced over Tommie but Greer stood on the way to keep from doing it.
« And what ? » she repeated
« He seems to be… craving for blood. My blood. »
Greer’s expression went from surprise to shock. She knew something and suddenly, I was scared to know the bottom of all this.
« What is your name, boy ? »
« Niall Mackenzie. »
She turned to walk towards her library and grabbed a huge old leather book. She put on a desk and started browse through it. Tommie and I exchanged a look, we were unable to understand what was going on. I followed her when she joined her grandmother at her desk.
« What is it ? What are you thinking about ? »
« I think that he might have been a dormant in the first place. »
It was like someone turned light on in Tommie’s head. She looked at me like she was seeing me for the first time.
« What does that mean ? What is a dormant? »
« A dormant », she said. « is someone who have wizards or witches in his ancestors but that person’s and his family might have not manifest magic for generations. The genes are said to be dormant. »
« So you’re saying that I might come from a magic family without knowing it ? »
« Exactly. »
- Writer
