How To Burn A Witch |DISCONTINUED|

Chapter 21

It was nighttime in Amavros and the scent of cooking food and fire lit in honor of the coven's new recruit filled the air.

Blaise finally finished getting ready for her welcoming ceremony. She was wearing a red şalvar and a long-sleeved waistcoat lined with silver snake embroideries that started from her shoulders, slithered down her back and settled at the front of the waistcoat.

She had tucked a curved dagger into the belt of her şalvar. The buckle of the belt formed two circles made of metal with a stone as dark as the deepest seas at its center. She admired herself in a mirror and smiled at the dagger's weight on her side.

She had been given an ankle-length kaftan and matching şalvar per Alev's request mere minutes ago and had been shocked to see that it was a deep blue, only a shade lighter than the coven's uniform.

The kaftan had jasmines and snowdrops embroidered on the sleeves in silver thread. Blaise smiled at the familiar scent of the velvet fabric, reminding her she had finally returned to her home, even though she was trapped in an enemy base with her soul tied to a witch.

She wouldn't wear it any time soon though. To her, the kaftan was symbolic in a way. It was proof she was back home, back with her people, yet she'd still be seen as the enemy so long as she bore the anka bird tattoo on her back. It was her greatest pride, yet the people of Amavros would brand her a killer if they knew.

Her home was a nation of witch sympathisers and her job was to hunt them all down. She didn't deserve to wear the kaftan and she knew it. Not when it meant she had done good things for them, that she had defended or helped a witch in need when she had the opportunity.

Even though it tore her soul apart to do so, she neatly folded the kaftan, careful not to rip anything and buried it in the back of her half of the closet then went down the stairs to leave the house.

Alev came out soon after, not even for her initiation had she bothered to put on her coven's uniform. This time though, instead of her signature red saree, she wore a red anarkali dress with golden patterns embroidered at the hems and sleeves. The belt around Alev's waist had a bichwa dagger strapped to its side.

Blaise stared as the girl stepped out of the doorway and joined her side. She hated that she thought the girl looked beautiful. Like fire incarnate.

Noticing her gaze, Alev smirked and grabbed the huntress' hand. "Come on now, we'll be late if you continue staring."

Blaise blushed fiddled with the hilt of her dagger. "You're letting your guard down around me way too much." she grumbled. "I'm dangerous, you know?"

The witch chuckled and led her through the woods. "Oh but of course. I had forgotten my life was in your hands. Do forgive me, Blaise."

Before she could snap back at her, the two reached a small clearing in the middle of the woods where all the witches had gathered together to form a large circle.

The Headpriestess stood in the middle, right under the new moon.

"Brothers, Sisters and Siblings," started the Headpriestess. She had taken on a new form now, different from the one she used to greet them.

Her face was indistinguishable but her hair color had gone from blonde to copper. Blaise pushed back the urge to ask Aether why the woman was allowed to shapeshift if the magic was so taboo. It seemed as though they knew what she was going to ask before she could even voice her question.

"The Headpriestess has been doing it since before it was made illegal so she doesn't remember her real form anymore. She shifts to cope and nobody has dared to try and stop her since she's terrifyingly powerful and almost constantly on the Matron's good side."