Stellaluna

Signs

"Espéce de merde," I murmured, shaking the bottle of water and various ingredients I had mixed in. My last two attempts had failed, as the kings wizard had put strong barrier around the pack house, preventing any magic being done except his. I had to really pull something out of my sleeve for this. This was old magic, using the elements and a bit of sacrificial blood. "Sorry little mouse." I poured the mixture into a small metal cup. I bit the tip of my index finger, piercing the tender flesh, and squeezed three drops of blood. This was my last chance. The mouse's life hadn't been enough, so hopefully my blood would do the trick. A witches blood was a very precious, powerful tool, one that we were forbidden to use, as it was our very life essence. We were once harvested for our blood; sacrificed by the dozen, entire covens wiped out from greedy selfish wizards and witches. The high council had forbade it in efforts to save our dwindling species.

I finished the spell and waited, staring into its swirling murky depths. I almost gave in to my doubt and despair, when the surface started to spin, colors appearing, blending and glowing, until it suddenly stopped and I was looking at Hypatia.

"What is this? What is this foul concoction you have turned my wine into?" She said, a look of disgust on her face.

"Hypatia! Theres not a lot of time but you must come immediately!" I whispered, trying not to yell.

"This is a blood augur, I had to use my own so please hurry!" She gasped was about to say something but swiftly changed her mind.

"Where?"

"The southern kingdom. You cannot sift here, there is a spell preventing simple magics such as that."

"You can't mean you want me to.." I nodded.

"Alright. I'll be there soon." She said.

"I have found an entry point and have already marked it. It's dangerous, so be prepared." The connection severed, and I braced myself, tossing the mixture back and holding my mouth to ensure I didn't throw it back up. Using your own blood was extremely dangerous. You had to consume it when you finished or face losing years of your life or risk someone else finding and absorbing your power. I had already sacrificed enough today.

I opened the door to the closet I had locked myself in and peered out into the hallway. Nobody was around, so I left, casually walking through the pack house and out the side door. I was able to quickly make my way into the forest without being seen, and to the large willow tree I had drawn a long, vertical line on with a rather substantial amount of my blood, deep within the woods. I sat underneath its protective, flowing, reed like branches. I laid back, gazing up at the blue sky filtered through numerous shades of whispering, dancing, green. How could the sky be such a happy shade of blue? How could the sun shine so brightly, lighting everything it touched, when my sun had grown so dim? I lay there, in that beautiful, peaceful, deceptive, hellish paradise. A delicate gilded cage, housing doves to slaughter. We knew it would be dangerous, and a price would be paid. But this? I only just found him.. no I refuse to finish that thought. I sat up and got on my knees, and prayed to the Three. The Maiden, The Mother, and The Crone.

"Do not forsake me! Athena, Hecate, Diana, Maní, Chang'e, Iah. Please! Ra, Helios, Apollo, Hepa, Freyr!" I beseeched them all, crying out, begging. I prayed to everyone, anyone that would listen. But I got no response. I didn't think I would, but I had hoped. I wiped the tears from my face and stared up once again. I could not break down like this. Donovan needed me. I sat there for hours, unmoving, unfeeling, willing the fates to leave him be.

I jumped, hearing the sound of squelching. I watched as the willow tree's trunk was being stretched open, blood spilling out, as a hand broke through. It clawed its way out, followed by another, then arms coated in a dark substance. The tree groaned, the leaves loosing their green color, as it gave birth to a person. She slid out along with another gush of thick, foul smelling blood. She laid, breathing laboriously, as the tree sealed itself back closed. The haunting fleshy tunnel disappearing from sight, the only sign it was ever there was the dark stain on the tree and the puddle on the ground.

I helped her up slowly, and walked her to a stream I had previously located. Soundlessly, she bathed herself, submerging her entire body in the water, the stream quickly turning red. When she finally rose, and climbed out, I saw she was now clean and wearing her usual white dress.

"I never want to do that again." She shivered. "Now what is it, what has happened?" I held out my hand for her, and she took it, sifting through my memories. I felt her surprise as she saw the wizard through my eyes, and as she watched what happened afterwards. "Oh Selene," she whispered, squeezing my hand when she finished.

"You know him," I stated. I felt her recognition. This was not a question.

"He was a student of mine, many lifetimes ago." She sighed. "His name is Soren Sanguine. At least it was all those centuries ago. Now lets go friend, show me your mate."

"Wait wont he recognize you?" I worried.

"No little one, nobody will. Because you marked the tree with your blood, you can see me. This is old magic. Older than even he will know. Besides, he believes me to be dead." I walked with her to my room, and sure enough no one sent even a glance here way. I paused at the door, I didn't want to see him. Not like that. Hypatia waited patiently, and I opened the door, quickly coming inside and looking out the window. I heard her close the door and spell it, walking around the room. A gold light shimmered across the walls and the window I was glued to, before dissipating.

"We can talk freely now. This room no longer exists to anyone outside it, and can no longer be monitored by Soren." She hugged me from the side, "its not your fault, Selene. May I inspect him?" She asked. I could only nod, and turned around to face him.

Donovan laid on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. A vacant, empty look in his unblinking dark eyes.

"Can you help him?" I whispered. She walked around him, studying him intently, with her hand hovering above him.

"It is as you thought, Sanguine was claiming their souls. But I can see your spell, it anchors his. It is as if it is in a tug of war, torn between being collected and you." She said, her hand following an invisible line from his heart to mine.

"The mate bond?" I wondered,

"I believe so. You are soul bonded, that is what a mate bond is. I believe your spell attached itself to your bond, since you it was too late to attach itself to him directly."

"Does this mean he can be saved?" I exclaimed, hope returning to me. But the regretful look she gave me made my breath catch.

"The only person who can release this spell, is the one who cast it, or to kill him. However if he bound himself to the people they would all die if you killed him. From your memories, it appears he bound the souls to the king, not himself. So killing him would not release them. But the king did not appear to gave been gifted with magical capabilities at all. "

"So he would not be able to release the spell." I finished, understanding. It was all so confusing. But I'm sure that was exactly Sanguine's plan. "This was all too much." I grabbed Donovan's cold hand and pressed it to my lips. My spell kept him tied to me, his soul halfway out if him, half trying to hold on. If I hadn't of cast the spell he would be walking and talking like the others, but just a puppet waiting to be called on. "Did I make the right decision?" I asked nobody in particular.

"You did the best you could. Do you believe he would want to be a slave to the king?"

"No, he would rather die. But I won't let that happen."

"I know you won't, child."

"If he is bound to me, couldn't we just kill the king and Sanguine?"

"You could be killing thousands of people with them? Could you live with that? Could Donovan?"

"He would hate me, but he would be alive and free to do so.." but I knew he would not be able to live with it. He still suffered so much from not being there when his pack died.

"There must be some way to break this curse, Hypatia. The Goddesses must have a shred of mercy." I begged her.

"There have been times the gods have given a miracle in times such as these.." she sighed. "But it would take time."

"Then we will make time. What about Evangeline? Is it her? Could she-"

"I have not tested her abilities. She just arrived last night. But she is no ordinary wolf. Is she simply blessed or the chosen one, I have yet to find out."

"She has to be! She has been showing signs since she was a child!"

"How so?" She asked, her brows furrowed

"Before she even came to us! She was so special even I could tell!" I rambled, when she grabbed my arm forcefully

"Show me!"

My eyes flashed and I saw a young Evangeline, no more than eight years old. She wore a tattered dress, whatever color it was supposed to be had been lost under dark stains, dirt and probably years of wear. Her long dark hair was down, tangled with leaves and small branches. She sat by a river bank singing in her high childish soprano, making a flower crown. I was traveling from meeting my mother and her coven and was heading back to New Serpentide when I stumbled upon her. She hadn't noticed me yet, and I stood, curiously watching her. She stopped her little song, something about a garden and a stream, her voice sad, and seemingly frustrated, she threw the flowers away. I saw that they had shriveled and dried in her tiny hands. I was about to ask her what was wrong when she spoke.

"I don't understand! Please show me again!" I looked around but there was no one. I watched as she placed her hands in the water and stared into its surface, quickly getting chills all over my body as I felt magic. She sat up and pressed her little palm on the grass, and flowers sprung around her fingers. She picked them and this time successfully made her little crown. She smiled and placed it on the surface of the water. I gasped when it floated up and a spectral image of a girl standing in the water appeared wearing it. The ghost looked at me and the the hair on my arms stood straight up. Little Evangeline jumped up, and backed away from me, a wild and scared look in those violet eyes of hers. I held up my hands in a sign of peace but she was gone. Just vanished. The ghost had also disappeared, leaving only the now dried up flower crown floating down the river as proof that this really did happen.

We flashed to the next memory, when I saw her again at Donovan's. She was older, but the haunted, feral look in her eyes remained. He had asked me for help as he had decided to house a young girl. She stepped back, distrust obvious in every part of her small frame. But this time I was prepared as Donovan had warned me ahead of time. I offered her a chocolate croissant, from the new baker in the village, and after her first bite she relaxed. I began to slowly gain her trust, though she never told us much about her past. Just that she was an orphan. I thought her a witch, but was surprised when Donovan told me she was a werewolf. She asked me not to tell him she had powers, and I never did. But he suspected all along. He confided that sometimes she'd stop by the well, staring into its dark chasm. How she would always go to the Black Cliffs and stand on the edge, seemingly drawn there. And about the night terrors she'd had for years, how she'd wake up screaming, drenched in sweat. He didn't know what to make of her strange behavior. He only knew she had secrets, and that he loved her. He asked my help, to guide her. Teach her. There were so many signs.

Hypatia released me, and I fell onto the bed. She looked troubled.

"I don't know if she is the answer, but we must go."

"You can sift us there now right?" She gave a firm nod of her head.

"We may also come back here now. I need your help to carry him through. Are you ready?"

We looped our arms under Donovan, clasping our hands together to share our powers. And in the blink of an eye we were suddenly outside in an unfamiliar forest.