Cain

Chapter 2

I didn't know what time I fell asleep last night but when I woke up I felt a new sense of determination. The fire must have gone out later in the night. The room isn't as cold as last night. I get up from the couch and go to my closet to grab some clothes. Last night was still on my mind. I had to find a spell to prove myself to the coven. A spell that wouldn't make everyone think all I do is mess up.

I walk into my bathroom and turn on the water in my clawfoot bathtub. I let the water fill up, strip out of my clothes, and step into the tub. I felt better after a long soak. I get out and stand in front of the mirror. My black hair is in box braids with dark purple hair mixed in so I don't have to do anything with it. I wash my face and take a look in the mirror. My dark brown skin is clear and blemish-free. I was lucky not to worry about having pimples. Spells didn't fix everything but little stuff like preventing acne did.

I put on a black off the shoulder long sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and black converse. I finish out of the bathroom and back into my room. After walking and feeding Tator and Tot I decided the best place to find the spell I would need would be at home.

Home. The place I haven't been in almost two years. I didn't want to go but I felt I needed to. There was too much pain there but if I wanted this to work I would have to hold in that pain. I grabbed my purse, car keys, and walked out of my room. I hear the lock click into place and walk down the stairs.

It's Saturday so we didn't have class today. Since we weren't allowed to be around humans often. We have teachers who not only teach us about magic but college classes to get our degree. I still have no idea what I want to study so I've been focusing on my magic more.

The magic classes were about spells, combat, learning the rules of the supernatural community, and anything else they chose to teach us in order to protect the supernaturals. There are four levels until you're allowed to leave the coven house and go on your own. I turn nineteen in two months which is the same time I will finish level one and move on to level two. Each level is a new set of skills we have to learn.

Level one: is basic magic. I didn't have a problem with spells because mom taught me everything she knows. It was the controlling of the spell that I had a problem with.

Level two: is strengthening not only mentally but physically. Witches are the protectors of the supernatural community. We make sure that not only are the humans safe from the supernatural but that the supernatural are safe from themselves.

Level three: is when we're allowed to go out on missions. There are rules in place when it comes to how we operate in the supernatural community. When supernaturals break those rules, it's our job to come to clean it up. We're keeping the supernatural community safe and a secret. No matter what we do, it has to benefit not only the coven you're in but for the whole witch community.

Level four: is when everything is combined together to test our skills as a witch. We're tested not only in front of our coven but in front of the Elders. The Elders decide if we're ready.

Just as I'm about to open the front door, an annoying voice stopped me.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mira asked.

She has curly dark brown hair and brown skin. She's wearing a red crop top and jean shorts. Her three minions stand behind her, in similar shorts but different colored shirts.

They acted like this was high school. Mira was delusional enough to think she runs the mansion because her mom is Aunt Michelle. Which unfortunately made us cousins. Everyone in the house besides me treated her like a princess. They all thought because her mom is a High Priestess that she would be too. That's not how it works. The Elders choose who becomes the next High Priestess and that won't happen for another decade.

"None of your business Mira."

I tried to open the door again but one of her minions pushed their way in front of me. Either her name is Winter, Genevieve, or Poppy. I could barely remember their names half the time but I think Winter is the one standing in front of me.

"Mom said she still has to figure out your punishment. Which means you have to stay here for the time being." she smiled sweetly.

I give her a fake smile back. "Does your mom know about Brandon the elder's son that you stuck in last week?"

She glares at me. "How did you-"

"Please, everyone heard those fake moans you were giving him."

"You little..."

I push past- whatever her name is and run out the door before she can finish her sentence. I go to the multiple car garage and open it with my button. There sat my Mercedes-Benz. I got in, left the mansion, and drove thirty minutes to my childhood home.

I pull in front of the black and gold gates that have the oversized letter C on each gate. I type in the code that opens the gates and I drive down the long stone driveway.

There it was - Clermont Manor, the place I grew up in. There are multiple homes my family owns but this one was built from the ground up by my mom and dad. It meant so much more to them to build a home rather than buying one. Plants have long grown over the white brick exterior. The outside looks more like a haunted mansion rather than the light homey place I grew up in.

I park my car and go to the front door. I put my hand on one of the double doors. I can feel the magic shimmering as it opens the door for me. No matter who knows the code to the gate, no one can enter a Clermont household without having Clermont blood or being invited in by someone who does.

I close the door behind me and switch on all the lights. The furniture is covered with white sheets, I can see dust particles floating around and the black curtains on the windows block any sun from shining in.  I don't linger as I go straight to the library where I know I will find the books I need.

I push open the double door and take in the library filled with shelves of books that cover genres from fiction to occult. I go in the far back where mom kept the ancient witchcraft books. I look through the books until my eyes land on one that stands out. I take the book off the shelf to get a better look. The book is very old from the cover. The cover has worn out black leather.  A lock wrapped around permits me from opening it. I've never seen this book before and I've been through these shelves more times than I can count. I touch the lock with my finger and immediately pull back when it pricks my finger. My blood drips on the lock and it clicks open.

"What in the..."

I can't even finish my words because I can't believe what I'm seeing. The pages of the book look like.. skin. Like actual skin from humans. It's old and wrinkly but I know what it is. I start to touch it when the book's pages move by itself.  I startle as the book suddenly stops on a page.

The words are written in some unknown language. What scares me is that I understand what's written and I have no idea why. It feels familiar for some reason. Like I've seen this before, I just can't place where.  Reveal It says on top of the page. I read the rest of the page:

Here lies the forgotten soul who was cast out for his wrongdoings. He shall stay a prisoner in his cage until the one who can control his curse breaks him free.

Ingredients:

The blood of the witch.

The forbidden fruit.

A knife carved with symbols of the Loyal.

A free mind that will hold onto the curse.

I know all but one of the ingredients.  My blood, if this is going by the Bible then the forbidden fruit would have to be an apple. I have a silver knife I could mend but I don't know the symbols of the loyals. And I've always been open minded. What stops me is the uneasy feeling that starts to form in my stomach.

This is stupid. What am I doing? What am I thinking? I go to close the book when I hear a voice.

Do it.

An unknown voice echoes around the library.

Free me.

I shake my head as the voice gets louder. I try to close the book again but this time I get burned instead.

Free me.

It says again. This time it's a demand. A demand I feel compelled to follow.

My feet move me to the greenhouse that's attached to the library. I open the door and gather the ingredients I will need. I must free him. He needs to be free. When I have grabbed everything I need, I go back to the table. I take a piece of chalk and begin to draw the symbols on the floor that appear to me in my head. I use my magic to melt the four symbols of the Loyal into the knife. A crow, a grim reaper, a banshee, and a demon. The voice whispers in my head.

I use the knife to cut my palm and I don't even feel the sting of pain as droplets fall into the bowl. I grab a few candles and light them around the symbols on the floor. When all the candles are lit I begin a chant in a language I have never spoken before.

I fall to my knees as a burning sensation begins throughout my body. I cry out as the room starts to shake. A crack on the floorboards forms between the symbols that I drew. A hand comes out as the floor opens up even wider. I can't move, I can't speak as a man starts to climb out of the floor. I can hear growls coming out of the now hole in the floor.

Once he's fully out, he stands at his full height as I remain on my knees before him. I can only see his muscular back that is covered in tattoos, scars, blood, and dirt.  His light brown hair is almost down his back. He slowly turns around and smiles down at me.

"Thank you for freeing me," he said in a deep accent that I can't place at the moment.

His voice sends chills throughout my body that replaces the burn that was once there. Before I can finally get up from my knees a burn on my wrists makes me scream out for the second time. I look down as a tattoo of a key appears. That was definitely not there before. I hear him grunt and I look up to see a lock has burned itself over his heart. He doesn't even look at it and keeps his powerful gaze on me.

Oh crap.