AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah.”
And you didn’t want to even look at them, I don’t say, because now is not the time for pettiness. In fact, time right now is short, in limited supply, running out. I’ll take all the help I can get to save my boys if I have to beg.
“For all it’s worth,” Vanessa says, “a Queen is a very powerful creature. You’re not it, and I doubt Ophelia is, either.”
“If you can’t feel Ophelia’s power,” I say carefully, “if you haven’t paid attention, then I suggest you get on with the program. She has people under her control. I doubt that’s something an average witch can do.”
“Unless she has already performed rituals no ethical person would,” Vanessa says. “Would that make her so powerful? Who knows? Maybe she is the Queen after all…”
“Exactly my point.”
“Stranger things have happened,” Vanessa admits. “It would explain how she managed to keep all this from me.”
I manage not to roll my eyes. Everyone wants to believe that they’re too clever to cheat. And fine, I’m no different, though Ophelia has thrown quite the blow to my confidence in that respect.
“Anyway, Queen or not…” Vanessa purses her lips. “She will perform more rituals, hoping for more power. She could still wreak havoc in the school, in the town. We need to stop her.”
“I’m with you on that,” I mutter. “So when do we start?”
“These symbols,” Vanessa says. “They’re twisted.”
“So they’re the ones in the dictionary of symbols after all?” I pass her the book. We’re sitting in my room and I hadn’t thought I’d have a day of bonding with Vanessa, like ever, even before she went all wicked witch on me, but here we are.
Discussing evil witchy symbols.
Such a girly pastime. Up there with painting your toenails in matching colors and fangirling over teen actors and singers.
Well, maybe in this Academy it is. Who knows?
“You made these translations?” She turns an incredulous look on me. ‘The central office will demand bloodshed to let everyone live’?
“It’s a valid translation,” I say a little testily. “It was among the possible meanings.”
“Which is why she has added those little apostrophes on the symbols.”
“And how was I supposed to know that?” I snap. “You could have told me when I asked you.”
Okay, so my pettiness isn’t quite contained after all.
Let’s not throw a tantrum now, Mia. Listen to the kindly witch explain stuff you don’t know and learn.
“So this symbol here…” She points. “It’s a symbol for the heart.”
“I got that.”
“The office?” She smirks at me.
“One of the meanings, like I said.”
“The heart demands sacrifice and selfless offerings, a physical connection and an emotional exchange.” She sighs. “Just what we were saying. A ritual for a Queen Witch to gain power over the elements.”
“And her physical connection to them…?” I lick my suddenly dry lips. “She’s not sleeping with them. Why isn’t she?”
“Maybe she’s not into boys?” She shrugs.
“Oh, come on. She’d still do it to gain power.”
“True.”
