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  “I’ll leave you,” he said, knowing he was being an idiot. “Let me know if you need anything.”

  He turned and walked to the door, which was still open. “Brayden?” she called after him. He turned back. She was looking at the floor.

  “I didn’t mean to — I mean — I never mean to do those things. It just happens sometimes. I promise I’ll try to control it. I didn’t mean to upset anyone.”

  His heart filled up with emotion. He knew he should be going, but he really wanted to tell her something. He paused for a moment, then walked back over and stood before her.

  “My mother’s a witch, Ariel,” he said softly. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people who have magic. I never have. You probably should try to control it, so you don’t get in trouble, but that doesn’t mean you should be ashamed.” Something occurred to him, looking at how delicate and frightened she appeared. “Do you ever let yourself use your magic?” he asked. “I mean, on purpose?”

  She stared at him, her eyes wide. “Oh, no. I can’t. Bad things happen if I use it on purpose. It’s — difficult to manage. I have to keep it bottled up at all times.”

  He couldn’t help but smile. “But then someone will criticize you, and they’ll end up with their meal all over them,” he said softly. “You have to use your magic, on purpose, or it will pour out of you when you don’t expect it.” He bit his lip, then risked reaching out and taking hold of one of her hands.

  “I’m not a warlock, but I spent a lot of time with my mother when she used her magic. I could help you learn to use it, if you’d like. Only if you’d like.”

  He held her hand, warm in his, and waited nervously for her to respond. Finally, she smiled at him. “Alright,” she said softly. “But only a little. Or bad things will happen.”

  He found he desperately wanted to grin. He only just succeeded not doing so. “I think I can handle it,” he said. “I’m free this evening, after dinner. I’ll see you then.”

  She nodded. He reluctantly let go of her hand and left the room. He shut the door behind him, then stood there for a long moment. What if she was the girl from his dreams? What did that mean? What was going on? He was so glad he’d met her, but had the horrible feeling something strange was happening. And the frightening feeling he was starting to fall for someone he’d just met.

  ***

  It was early evening, shortly after dinner. The sun was only just setting, so there was still light. Brayden stood in the grassy space behind the inn, way back, next to the stables. He waited for Ariel.

  He’d left a note for her under her door, saying to meet him there. He’d been thinking about her all day, during all his chores, during everything he did. Alistair said he was working much faster today, but his head was in the clouds. He couldn’t argue with that.

  After a while he saw someone walked around the side of the inn towards him. He stood there quietly, and Ariel finally reached him. Her hair was back up, and she wore a dark blue dress. Brayden smiled.

  “I’m glad you joined me,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if you would.”

  She smiled back, standing in front of him. “I wasn’t sure if I would, either. But I’m willing to give it a try. What do you suggest first?”

  He looked around them, then led her slightly away from the stables. No point scaring the horses. He gestured to a small pile of rocks on the ground near them.

  “Try to lift one, and bring it to me.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, no. Not something that could be a weapon. Bad things...”

  “Ariel, just trust me,” Brayden said. He wondered why she was so scared. She frowned at him, as if she was frustrated, or disappointed, or something. He felt his heart fall. She sighed, and turned to face the rocks.

  She held out her right arm, and sighed again. Then she narrowed her eyes, concentrating. Brayden watched her, wondering if she had to work hard to summon her strength. She remained very still. Then twitched her index finger.

  All of the rocks, all of them, flew high into the air with a thundering explosion. Brayden felt sick as he knew they had to come down, when Ariel threw herself at him, and suddenly everything was spinning. They kept spinning, until his feet were on solid ground again. He looked around him — they were all the way across the yard. He turned, and saw all the rocks crash down, exactly where they had been standing. He stared back at Ariel.

  “Are you alright?” he exclaimed, looking at her in shock. She put her hands over her mouth and began to sob. His heart broke, and he walked over and put his arms around her. She took her glasses off and cried against his shoulder.

  They stood like that for a long time, and then she stepped back, wiping her eyes. Brayden handed her a handkerchief from his pocket. She took it, sniffing loudly.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice croaky. “I shouldn’t have — I mean, you asked me to, but I shouldn’t have done that. I should have refused. I should have refused.”

  He looked at her closely. He couldn’t believe what he’d just seen. Couldn’t believe what she was. He realized this was serious — Ariel was more than a young witch who didn’t know how to control her powers. She was more than someone who just needed to be guided and helped. He felt a sadness overtake him. He didn’t want her to be in trouble.

  And she was in huge trouble.

  “Ariel, I have to tell you something,” he began slowly. She looked up at him, waiting expectantly. He took a deep breath.

  “You’re a High Witch.”

  Chapter 3

  “I don’t understand.”

  Brayden chewed on his lip. He didn’t understand, either. Actually, he understood a few things.

  She was a High Witch.

  There were only ever three in the world at a time.

  If she was trained, she could do practically anything imaginable.

  She hadn’t been through the test.

  He had to make sure she never went through the test.

  He rubbed his face with his hand, overwhelmed. He took a deep breath, then looked back at Ariel.

  “I’ll explain everything, but we need to get inside. This is — delicate. I don’t want to talk about it out here.”

  She nodded, and they started to walk back to the inn. He looked at her as they walked, thinking she could not only transport herself to the room in an instant, she could bring the whole room out there. He placed a hand on the small of her back, wanting her to feel reassured. She looked at him, smiling a little. He smiled back, in spite of the serious situation. He really was starting to fall for her.

  They arrived at her room. Brayden shut the door and Ariel lit some candles. If anyone saw him go in there they would talk, but that was the least of their troubles. He moved a pile of books from the chair at the desk, and sat down. She sat on the edge of the bed.

  “Ariel...” he began, then stopped, looking at her. This was going to be very difficult. “Some witches...there are a few...” He paused again, sighing. “There are three witches in the world, who are more powerful than any other. They can do all kinds of magic, every kind, with amazing strength. These witches can tap into every source of magic in the world — every place where magic exists. There’s so much more to it — so much more to explain. But know this. You are a High Witch.”

  She looked at him with concern, her brow furrowed. “How can you tell? From the rocks? That didn’t seem so...powerful.”

  Brayden gazed at her. She really didn’t understand. He had to be gentle. “It was the way you did it. The way the magic came out of you, with only the slightest movement. And it’s more than that — when you were standing there, concentrating — you were trying to hold back, weren’t you?”

  She nodded. He looked at her closely. “Imagine if you hadn’t.”

  She looked down, playing with his handkerchief, which she still held. He knew he shouldn’t, but he walked over to her and sat beside her on the bed. His heart started to beat faster, sitting so close to her. She was so delicate, so warm. He re
ached out and took her hand in his.

  “There’s a lot more to tell you. But first, I want you to know something.” He waited a moment for Ariel to meet his gaze. He took a deep breath. “Those ‘bad things,’ you said you’ve done. They weren’t your fault. You haven’t been trained. Your heart is good, I can tell. You wouldn’t have meant to hurt anyone. It’s not your fault.”

  Ariel’s eyes filled up with moisture, and she took off her glasses and wiped away the tears which started to fall. Brayden put his arm around her, and rested her head against his shoulder. He held her while she cried. He knew with every part of him that she was good. He could tell. His heart broke for her.

  “Do you think you’re ready to hear more?”

  She moved her head to look at him. “Yes,” she said. “Tell me everything.”

  He smiled at her, endeared. He wanted to protect her so much. He rested her head on his shoulder again, warmed by her. He bit his lip, dreading telling her the next part. “I’ll start with the test.”

  ***

  Lenora was dragged to the cliff edge by two large men in the dead of night. A stake stood on the hard ground, large, looming over her, with piles of wood at its base. She turned and twisted in their arms, her dark hair blowing about her in the wind. They tied her to the stake with heavy ropes. She stood there, gasping for breath. She didn’t know what was happening. The moonlight shone down, illuminating the figure that was walking towards her. The two men disappeared into thin air. It was just her, and him.

  The very tall man walked towards her. He stood before her, and reached out and grasped her chin in his hand. She glared at him. He smiled.

  “Lenora,” he said, his long, dark hair flowing around him, his black eyes piercing. “You’re my first. I’ve longed to do this. I’ve been waiting for so long to turn one of you.”

  She began to sob, distraught. “What do you want with me?” she screamed. “What?”

  He smiled, but his eyes were still cold. He stood back. “What you did today showed me what you are. The way you tore that man apart, with only a look — amazing. A High Witch, with no idea. A High Witch.”

  Lenora looked at him with shock. He’d seen what she’d done. She hadn’t meant to do it — it just happened. She hadn’t meant to kill the man. But when he was holding her down, about to...she shuddered. It was an accident. But she had killed him. And this man knew.

  “Who are you?” she cried out.

  “My name is Julius,” he said. Suddenly the two men who’d tied her up reappeared, holding a scruffy looking young woman. She was struggling as they held her by either arm. Lenora looked at her in alarm. She stared back at Julius in horror.

  He raised his right arm, then threw a ball of fire at the wood by her feet. Lenora struggled against her ropes, desperately trying to escape the blaze which began. The flames burned brighter, higher. They licked the soles of her feet.

  “No!” she screamed desperately. He said she was a High Witch — she tried to use her powers, imagine herself being free. The fire climbed up her legs, and she cried out in pain.

  “Kill her, and I’ll free you,” Julius said. “Destroy her.”

  She stared at him, tears running down her face. The fire scalded her, the pain of her skin burning so intense she could barely breathe. She choked from the smoke. She was in agony.

  “Kill her!”

  Lenora wailed.

  “Kill her!”

  She screamed, staring at the young woman. She didn’t want to, she didn’t want to. The girl cried out in terror. Lenora sobbed, screaming again. The pain, the pain. She cried out in agony. Something bubbled in her stomach, something strong, something menacing. She felt it overtake her. She felt it consume her. She cried out once more, in terror, in pain, in release. The power poured out of her. The girl screamed as her body was torn apart, her limbs, her muscles, her organs splayed out. Lenora shut her eyes to the gore. Rain began to pour down.

  Lenora felt the burning cease as the water put out the fire. She sobbed loudly, horrified over what she’d done. The guilt consumed her. But then, then...

  Suddenly she didn’t notice the pain anymore. She felt something new, something different. She wasn’t distressed anymore. She wasn’t upset. She wasn’t — her.

  Water dripped down her as she glared at Julius. He looked at her, eyes narrowed. The ropes fell from her, and she stepped over the wood, crushing it beneath her scalded feet. She walked up to him. She placed her hands on his chest.

  “Thank you for freeing me,” she said slowly. He put his hands on her waist, as the rain plummeted down. He smiled.

  “Welcome to your new world, Lenora.”

  ***

  Ariel leapt off of the bed, staring at Brayden in horror. “Why did you tell me that!” she cried. “Why! Do I have to go through the test? What kind of monster would — oh, I can’t believe...”

  Brayden rushed to her, grasping her arms. He’d done this all wrong. “Ariel, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to frighten you. I was trying to prepare you.”

  She stared at him, eyes wide. “What’s going to happen to me? Is someone going to come after me?”

  He looked at her with concern. “There are those who would want to turn you. The test determines if you’re inherently a good High Witch, or not. If you are turned, nothing can bring you back. And you’ll be entwined to the one that turns you for the rest of your life. But that’s why I told you, Ariel. I want you to be safe. You have to learn to protect yourself — protect yourself in case you meet someone who wants to do this to you.”

  She looked at him with sorrow. “How do you know all this?”

  Brayden shut his eyes. He’d heard the story so many times, told to him in that way, that he forgot how horrifying it would be to someone else. He’d really ruined everything.

  “I’ve heard this story all my life. It’s been passed down, in my family.”

  Ariel looked at him sadly. “I don’t know what to do.”

  He bit his lip, his hands still on her arms. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. You’ve been safe this long — maybe you’ll never come across someone who’ll try to turn you. But you need to be prepared if you do. If you keep this secret hidden...” He frowned. “Ariel, how could no one have told you all this before? What about your family?”

  She looked down. He put his hands on either side of her face, so she was looking at him. He gazed at her closely, wanting to take away all of her pain. He’d just told her something that would change her life forever. He brushed her cheek with his thumb.

  “You can tell me anything.”

  She took a deep breath. He looked into her eyes, wondering if her heart was beating as fast as his. He wondered if she was feeling the whirl of emotions that he was feeling. He felt nervous, and excited, and so much at once. He should be thinking about their problem. He shouldn’t be thinking about her sensual mouth. But he couldn’t help it.

  Very slowly, he brought his mouth to hers, gently brushing her lips. She made a little sigh. He kissed her more deeply, moving his hands down so they were around her waist. She put her arms around his neck, and he parted her lips with his tongue. She sighed again, beginning to move her mouth against his passionately, her tongue entwined with his. A shiver went through him as he tasted her. It was definitely her. The girl from his dreams. He pressed her up close against him, and she moaned. The kiss intensified. He clutched her to him.

  He kept kissing her, his breathing becoming ragged, his heart racing. She gasped, clutching his shirt, and he ran one of his hands up her back. She moaned once more, and he didn’t know how much more he could take. He finally broke the kiss, but she kissed him again, once, twice, her lips sensually touching his. He gazed at her, completely breathless. She looked at him, her face flushed, her lips so red. He shut his eyes.

  “I’m sorry, I...I shouldn’t have...”

  But he wasn’t really sorry. He looked into her eyes. She smiled at him. He smiled back, relieved. He knew he had to go.

 
“I can’t stay now,” he said. “I’ll come back tomorrow. We’ll talk more then.”

  She nodded. He reluctantly stepped back from her, and walked from the room. He shut the door behind him, then walked up the stairs. He sat on his bed, consumed with thoughts of her. He could still taste her.

  Chapter 4

  “Hurry up with that. Three guests are leaving today. Don’t dawdle.”

  Brayden nodded as he swept the kitchen. Alistair left the room, grumbling to himself. Brayden barely noticed. His mind was full of questions about Ariel.

  He wondered about her past. How she’d grown up. Who raised her. Who she was running from.

  He wondered who knew about her powers. Someone must. Not many people knew what a High Witch was, a fact which had probably kept her safe — but it was obvious she had strong powers. Surely someone would have figured it out. His curiosity about her burned inside of him. He wanted to know everything.

  He was eager to visit Ariel, but he was busy all day. She wasn’t coming to the dining room to eat, he assumed because she was embarrassed in front of the other guests. He dealt with the people who were leaving, helped the maid sort out their rooms, and served the meals. After dinner he set up a tray of food to bring Ariel, before someone else could. He didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see her.

  Brayden nervously knocked on her door, waiting quietly. He heard Ariel inside, then she opened the door. She smiled at him, her blue eyes twinkling, free of her glasses. He smiled back.

  She stepped aside so he could go in, and he rested the tray on the desk. Several candles were lit around the room. She shut the door and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked at her, suddenly nervous again.

  He sat on the chair at the desk. His heart was beating loudly. She’d shut the door, so she must want him to stay for a while. The thought filled him with butterflies.

  “Thank you for talking with me yesterday,” she said. “No one has ever really spoken to me about my magic before.”

  He thought that was very strange. He was about to ask her about it, when she stopped him.