How To Burn A Witch |DISCONTINUED|

Chapter 1

A hundred and fifty years later...

Nehir snuck past the trees of the forest, cloak pulled over her head to hide her face and brown locks and her hands squeezed tight around the hilt of the knife she carried.

Today was the day she would officially be a part of Les Dames, no longer just a trainee. So long as she killed the target she was assigned, her spot with Les Dames was guaranteed.

She took a deep breath, tingling with excitement. If she killed the target, she'd earn her admittance into Les Dames. There would be one fewer witch to menace Empyrion.

But tonight, just like every other night, Nehir hesitated.

The forest brightened as the moon peeked out from behind the cloud. Nehir swore under her breath and dropped to the ground. Now the witch would have enough time to read a map and void-step away.

As expected, the witch noticed Nehir was there and before the huntress could do anything about it, she had disappeared into a puff of smoke, leaving the scent of magic behind.

Their numbers have been increasing lately. Nehir thought to herself. They're coming closer and closer to the school. It feels like we're being lured into a trap of some kind.

But it was no excuse for her failure. In fact, it should've pushed her to be successful.

Disappointed that she had let her superior down, angry that it wasn't the first time and certainly wasn't going to be the last, Nehir let out a sigh and took her cloak off, throwing it on the ground and stomping on it until her fury subsided.

"You know, next time, you can just take your anger out on that witch you let escape." Nehir turned around, it was Dame Marion, one of her superiors and the woman that had taught her everything she knew about witch-hunting.

"I'm sorry, Dame Marion, I just... I can't kill something that looks and acts so... human. It's been proven time and time again they don't really worship le Kazmeralki so what's the harm of letting them be?"

"Pull yourself together, recrue Yeniçeri!" ordered the older woman, an angered expression reaching her gaze. "They're dangerous. Humans, as they claim to be, aren't supposed to have magic. That isn't how Motris made us to be."

The Dame pinched the bridge of her nose, "Their existence defies the gods' plan for us. The sooner you get that through your head, the better."

The trainee nodded, her confusion on the topic only increasing. Still, she voiced her apologies and followed Dame Marion out of the woods.

"When we reach L'Académie, I want you to write a five-page essay on why you failed tonight, and then I want you to come down here and train every day. You only get so many chances, Nehir, I hope you know that." the trainee pulled her cloak over her face to hide her shame. "Let tonight be the last time you hesitate."

Nehir nodded and let out a small sigh. Her superior looked at her with a sympathetic expression on her face. "Look," she said as she made the girl sit on a nearby bench, "I'll tell the committee the witch was a fire user and help you get out of this situation with just a light punishment instead of a trip to principal Lucille's office," stated the dark-skinned woman.

"But I need you to promise me that the next witch you meet will burn at the stake. No matter what. Do we have a deal?" Nehir bobbed her head, taking Dame Marion's hand and kissing her knuckles then bringing them up to her forehead.

The older woman pulled her hand out of Nehir's, shocked. "Right. That is how you thank people in Amavros, l'ard sa fer?" asked the older Dame as she stared at her subordinate.