Trembling, he unclenched his fist to inspect the contents.
‘No!’ he cried in despair as he hopelessly lobbed a small, brown button at the impenetrable door.
Mia sat alone in her bedchamber, perched on the windowsill where she could watch the sun set over the courtyard. The sky bled with dusty blues and pinks as the sun dipped beyond the distant forest.
There was a singular knock on her bedroom door.
Mia held her breath. ‘Come in,’ she called.
The door opened and Colt hovered in the doorway. He glimpsed up and down the empty corridor like a fugitive. ‘Come with me,’ he said, extending his hand to her.
Mia hopped down from the windowsill and trotted over to him. He held the door open as she ducked through it.
‘Where are we going?’
‘Shh!’ Colt pressed his index finger to her lips. ‘Stay close to me and keep your head down.’
They walked swiftly along the corridor – but not towards the stairwell, the direction in which Mia would usually head, but rather away from it, to places unknown.
Colt walked with a brisk, purposeful stride. He gripped Mia’s wrist, directing her behind him.
At the end of the unlit corridor, they came to a second stairwell. It was similar to the other, with faded red carpet and an elaborately carved wooden banister. However, this staircase was spiralled and windowless. It was almost like a secret passageway.
All of a sudden, it dawned on Mia where exactly they were going.
‘I can’t go to the Hunters’ quarters!’ she cried. She dug her heels into the stairway carpet, refusing to take another step. ‘I’ll be flayed!’
Colt gave her a slanted smile. ‘Flayed? Really?’
‘I don’t know what Hunters are capable of! You’ve already told me that they’re out to get me!’
‘It’ll be fine,’ Colt reassured her. ‘The others are in the forest. They don’t even know I’m gone.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes. I’m not careless. If we were caught, I’d be the one to pay.’
‘Even so,’ Mia griped, ‘I’m not sure this is such a good idea. What’s to stop the others from coming back at any moment?’
Colt slid his grasp down her wrist, catching her hand and knotting his fingers through hers. This time, it was an unspoken reassurance, perhaps more valuable than actual words.
They continued downwards along the snaking staircase, weaving in and out of the pools of candlelight.
When they reached the bottom, the wall-mounted candlesticks disappeared and they plunged into complete darkness. Mia could just about make out the walls on either side of her. She kept her eyes down and placed her trust entirely in Colt’s guidance.
Every step felt never-ending. Mia knew that she was in Hunter domain – not merely because she had been told so, but because the whole area reeked of it. For the first time, she was adroitly able to sense the different scents and auras. And it terrified her.
‘Here,’ Colt said in a husky voice. He heaved open a weathered oak door and hustled her through it.
Beyond the door was not a room as Mia had expected, but another flight of stairs leading upwards. These stairs weren’t elegant like the others had been. In fact, they were made simply from uneven stone and were only a foot or so wide.
Mia hesitated.
‘Go ahead,’ Colt told her. The stone stairwell was so narrow that they were forced to walk in single file. Mia went first.
‘I read something once, about civilians,’ Colt said, his voice louder and more relaxed now, signifying that they were out of the danger zone. ‘It said that men are to walk behind women when climbing up stairs, and in front of them on the descent. Just in case they fall. Chivalry – what a riot!’ He was so close behind Mia that she could feel his breath on the back of her neck.
‘I don’t know much about that,’ she said, retaining her hushed voice. ‘I think that’s a very dated tradition. Women’s and men’s roles have changed quite a bit since then.’
‘Huh.’ Colt contemplated it silently for a moment. ‘Well, I’m walking behind you right now, aren’t I?’
She smiled. ‘Are you planning to become chivalrous, then?’
He mulled it over. ‘I’m certainly good at it. Or, at least, better than the modern day human men.’
At the top of the stone staircase Mia came to a halt.
‘There’s a door,’ she noted.
‘Yes, there is.’
She craned her neck to look back at him. ‘Well? What should I do about it?’
‘What do you think you should do about it?’ he exclaimed. ‘It’s a door – go through it!’
Mia pursed her lips. ‘You first.’
Colt muttered irritably under his breath. ‘Move, then.’
She pressed herself flat against the stone wall while Colt manoeuvred his way around her. As their paths crossed, they brushed past one another at an intimate closeness.
‘My, my,’ Colt smirked mischievously, meeting her eyes, ‘isn’t this cosy?’
He reached for the door handle and pushed the door open. ‘See, nothing scary in there. Ladies first,’ he prompted.
Mia peered into the room and then gingerly stepped inside. Colt swaggered in behind her and closed the door.
The room was in the turret, at the highest peak of the castle. It was a large circular space with a vast window overlooking the rolling grounds below.
With the day’s light slowly slipping away, so was the illumination of the room. Colt busied himself lighting candles.
As the new glow of flames lit the room, Mia was taken aback by her exquisite surroundings. A red-and-black four-poster canopied bed stood at the centre, as handsome as the bed of a king, while around it was arranged intricately carved furniture, armchairs, tables. a desk.
‘Is this your bedroom?’ Mia asked in awe.
‘Yes, it is. And it’s the best room in the castle, if you ask me,’ he added immodestly.
Mia couldn’t help but agree. ‘How long have you been here?’ Based on the treasures and artefacts gathered in the room, it appeared that his collection must have been building for some time. Not like her own room, which boasted only a rack of clothes hanging in the wardrobe.
‘In this room?’ Colt checked her meaning.
‘Yes.’
‘Maybe nine, ten years,’ he guessed. ‘But I had to work my way up to it. I started off in one of the smaller chambers downstairs.’
Mia did a quick mental calculation. ‘So, how long have you been living at the castle?’ She furrowed her brow, surprised by the fact that he had been in this room alone for an entire decade – not to mention the time he’d spent in a smaller room prior to that.
‘Hmm…hard to say. As long as I can remember, that’s for sure.’
‘But, what about your family?’ Mia tried to broach the subject as delicately as possible.
‘The Hunters are my family. Lotan, Roc and Siren.’
‘But…your parents?’
‘Oh,’ Colt registered her point. He ambled over to his dressing table and lifted a framed photograph, which he handed to Mia for inspection. ‘There she is,’ he said. ‘That’s my mother. I believe she was a civilian.’ He pointed to the woman in the photo with the pride of a dutiful son, although it was clear that he had no extensive knowledge of her.
‘You don’t remember her?’ Mia tried to conceal her bewilderment. She knew that Colt’s world was a complex one, but this was unfathomable to her.
‘No. But I like the picture, don’t you?’ He gazed lovingly at the photograph.
The woman smiled back at them. She sat beneath a willow tree, wearing a white embroidered dress. She had long blonde hair and forest-green eyes.
‘Yes,’ Mia replied truthfully, ‘it’s lovely. What about your father?’
‘I understand that he was a Hunter. But he belonged to another coven,’ Colt explained. ‘I’ve never met him.’
‘Is he still married to your mother?’
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Colt laughed. ‘Of course not! He was a Hunter! I’m sure they were not married or romantically in love like you would wish it to be. Most likely my mother was needed to carry a child for the new generation of Hunters. It’s a fairly common procedure. It’s the cycle of life.’
Mia couldn’t hide her shock at the coldness of his words. Her jaw dropped. ‘What about the others?’ she asked. ‘Do they know their parents?’
Colt laughed again. ‘Oh, no! You wouldn’t be a Hunter if you had a family outside of your coven. The whole point is that we are detached from human emotion. Detached from humanity itself. We are bred only as warriors.’
Mia watched as he stared fondly at the framed photograph. His was not an expression of someone detached from humanity. In fact, his was more an expression of someone in the clutches of it.
‘What about you?’ he returned the question, placing the photo back in its spot. ‘You have parents.’
‘Yes. Well,’ she corrected herself, ‘I have a mother and an aunt. And Dino.’
‘Where is your father?’
Mia shrugged. ‘He’s around somewhere, but I’ve never met him. My mother doesn’t like to speak about him. I guess their relationship didn’t end so well.’
‘But that doesn’t deter you from love?’ Colt noticed.
Mia’s cheeks flushed pink, and she was glad that the poor lighting hid her blushes.
‘I suppose love isn’t something you can choose,’ she said. ‘It’s out of your control.’
‘Like anger?’
‘No, not really. Love is something that consumes you. Anger is a reaction.’
Colt studied her curiously. ‘And what do you know of love and anger?’ he challenged.
‘I know that I’ve experienced both.’
‘And you’re still alive to tell the tale,’ he joked cheerfully.
She grinned. ‘What can I say? I’m invincible.’
‘Aren’t you just,’ Colt remarked wryly. ‘Care to test that theory?’ As he spoke, he lifted a small dagger from an altar-like table covered in a purple cloth.
‘The Athame!’ Mia murmured.
‘My Athame,’ Colt amended. ‘My personal tool.’
Mia edged forward to get a better look. ‘What do you use it for?’
‘Mostly to develop my powers, or for ritual. Although I’ve never really been one for rituals.’ He rotated the blade to allow Mia a thorough look.
‘It’s beautiful,’ she breathed, examining the detail of its engraved symbols and the sharpness of its pointed tip.
Colt nodded his head. ‘Shall we begin?’
‘Now?’ She looked up at him timidly.
‘Yes. I’m not sure how much longer I can have you in my bedchamber without making advances on you,’ he teased. ‘I believe it’s mandatory. Or at least customary.’
Mia tutted. ‘It baffles me how you can think you are anything other than a normal guy!’
Colt shrugged playfully. ‘Take a seat,’ he said, gesturing vaguely at the floor.
Mia complied, sitting cross-legged on the crimson carpet. ‘What if I can’t control it? What if it’s like the last time I tried?’
‘I’ll be your anchor,’ Colt told her. ‘I’ll pull you out at any time.’ He systematically arranged four candles around her, caging her in. ‘North, south, east and west,’ he indicated to the candles. ‘Earth, fire, air and water.’ Striking a match, he ignited the wick of the north candle. A blue flame twitched but finally settled down as a modest amber teardrop.
Mia looked at the candles. They were unlike any she had ever seen before: smooth black cylinders adorned with a cascade of dripping wax.
‘May I join you?’ Colt asked cordially.
‘Please do.’
Colt stepped through the candles, crossing the invisible barrier that he had created for her. He sat down opposite Mia.
‘Are you ready?’
‘I think so,’ she told him. But her trembling voice gave a different answer.
Colt focused his gaze on the solitary north candle flame, and in an almighty blaze the flame leapt upwards. It circled them, connecting with the other candle wicks as it went. Soon Mia and Colt were imprisoned in a ring of fire.
Mia squeezed her eyes shut.
‘Don’t be scared,’ Colt said in a soothing tone. ‘I’m in complete control. This is my fire, and you are perfectly safe.’
Tentatively opening her eyes, Mia nodded, but she could feel her pulse rate accelerating. The heat radiating from the ring of fire began to warm her skin.
In front of her, Colt held the Athame. Serenely, he was both servant to and master of its power. His eyes locked on Mia’s.
‘Take my hand.’
She did as he requested. His fingers closed around hers, and his hand felt hot as though it were charged with electricity. With his other hand, he gripped the dagger.
Colt spoke again. ‘Envision yourself and your connection to nature. Earth, fire, air and water,’ he said between shallow breaths. ‘Don’t forget, nature is a part of all of us. It is who you are.’
Mia closed her eyes. She could hear the crackle of fire as it looped around her in constant flow. But for once she was not intimidated by it, simply respectful of it. Something cold touched the skin of her free hand. Colt had slipped the Athame into her grasp. Her other hand closed around his even tighter than it had before.
‘I’m scared,’ she whispered urgently.
‘You have no reason to be.’
‘You won’t let go of my hand, will you?’
‘I won’t,’ he promised.
Mia held the ceremonial dagger in her palm. She felt its energy shoot along her arm like an electric shock. It coursed through her body with a burning heat, swelling like fire around her lungs.
‘I don’t think I can do this,’ she gasped, short of breath.
‘You’re OK,’ Colt reminded her. ‘The Athame’s powers are true. Calm yourself. Take a deep breath.’
Mia drew in several slow breaths, inhaling and exhaling in a soothing rhythm.
‘Shall I take the Athame away?’ Colt asked.
Mia took another breath. The energy seemed different now – warm rather than hot. ‘No,’ she replied.
Little by little, the magic of the Athame flooded her with a wonderful strength and understanding. It was as though everything had suddenly become clear: she knew who she was and what her capabilities were – both as a witch and as a young woman. She felt strong, beautiful and wise. It was a glimpse of who she was and who she would one day become. And in that instant, she knew that she was a part of everything – the air she breathed and the fire that surrounded her, so alive and imperative in its own right.
Somewhere in the back of her consciousness, she could feel Colt’s hand. It was a relief to know he was there with her. Then, very carefully, she felt him take the Athame from her.
As it left her grasp, the dagger’s essence rushed away from her. She slumped forward and Colt caught her, guiding her to lean against him. He placed the Athame on the carpet and cradled Mia’s head to his chest.
‘There,’ he said, stroking the hair from her face. ‘You are a witch.’
‘Am I?’ Mia murmured, drained by the experience.
Colt smiled affectionately. ‘Oh, yes. You are a magnificent witch.’ He radiated a certain admiration, honoured to have shared such a significant moment with her. The use of an Athame was a momentous step, and he was privileged to have been a part of it.
‘It was the strangest feeling,’ she whispered. ‘I saw my powers. I think I understand…They’re not separate from me – they are me.’
‘I seem to remember telling you that weeks ago,’ Colt teased gently.
Mia smiled.
‘Your powers are born from the substance that you’ve possessed all along,’ Colt added. ‘They are the fruits of your life. And they will grow as you do. You did well today. The Athame shared with you its magic and you were able to contain it. That shows a great strength.’
‘I feel so tired, though,’ Mia murmured. She leaned closer into his body.
‘That’s normal. I forgot how exhausting it can be.’ Colt absent-mindedly began rocking her back and forth.
‘Why is it so tiring?’
‘Because it’s ancient magic. Magic that you’ve never really been exposed to before. It took all of your energy to embody it.’
‘I feel like I’m falling asleep,’ she slurred, glad to have him to prop herself up against.
‘Then sleep,’ Colt said. He rose to his feet, lifting Mia in his arms. Through the command of his eyes he directed the ring of fire to break, and the blazing flames returned to being tiny pyramids dancing atop the candlewicks.
Colt stepped out of the circle and carried Mia to the bed. He placed her down gently and draped a blanket over her. Then he lay down beside her, watching with amorous curiosity as she drifted in and out of sleep.
‘Are you dreaming?’ he asked her quietly.
‘Maybe,’ she replied softly. ‘I don’t know the difference anymore.’
Colt grinned. ‘I can relate to that. You know, you were very brave today.’
‘Brave?’ Mia mumbled. ‘You told me I was safe.’ She managed a weak smile.
Colt laughed. ‘You were safe. Next time you won’t find it so draining. And you won’t need me around, either.’
‘I don’t think I could do it without you. I wouldn’t want to.’
‘Oh, don’t underestimate yourself. You are more than prepared, girl.’
Mia opened her eyes hazily. ‘Do you know my name?’ It was a strange question, but a valid one nonetheless. Even after all this time, she had never introduced herself, nor had she ever heard him use her name.
Colt’s eyes widened in amusement. ‘Do you think I would go through all of this without finding out your name?’
‘I don’t know,’ she jibed. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me.’ From where she lay she gazed at him, his face resting on the pillow beside her.
Colt rolled onto his back and smiled up at the roof of the canopied bed. ‘I know your name, Mia,’ he said. ‘I knew your name before I knew you.’