THE APPRENTICE II

48

Heskit had his arms crossed, clearly in a sour mood after seeing Hazel Wolfe in their palace. Despite his protests, his parents insisted on her being there. They explained that they needed her expert knowledge on magic to figure out why exactly the flora and fauna were losing their life in the realm.

"I'm not entirely sure. But I can check around? The south felt a little strange, if I'm being honest." She offered to them and they gave her their blessing. The queen eyed the golden flower pinned to her chest.

"I like your pin. Where did you get it?" she inquired and looped her arm around the king's.

"Thank you. Heskit." She simply answered and began to draw a portal. "I preserved it. He has a thing for flowers, apparently. Your Majesties."

She greeted and stepped into the portal. Heskit avoided his parents' gazes and shifted. She cocked her head, gesturing for him to join her in the snowy south. He stepped in after a second, and they began their search.

*

After a few minutes of searching around the south for any suspicious activities, Hazel sat by a smooth stone with her hands beneath her chin. Exhausted, her boot ran along the snowy ground, her eyes fixed on a particular mountain down north.

"That's where your source is, isn't it?" She cocked her head to the mountain. Heskit's brows shot up as he finished tying his leather shoelaces.

"Hm? Yes." He confirmed and got on his feet. "How could you tell?,"

"I could feel it. There's a presence." She explained and stood to his side. "I feel magic going on, and somehow your source is involved in some way. Maybe that's why?,"

"Sources." he corrected and grunted as he sat down. "there are three of them."

She once again narrowed her eyes. It was either her, being used to the superhero life and always needing to find something to bust or something wasn't quite right. It was like a picture frame being tilted out of place or a ticking bomb.

As if on queue, the sound of footsteps began to patter behind them. They quickly turned to see Tal, eyebrows curled and lips parted.

"Heskit." He panted, out of breath. He leaned on his knees to get some air into his lungs.

"Leave, Tal. This is my territory." He instinctively stepped in front of Wolfe and put a hand on her shoulder. "You should go,"

"I need your help." There was an undertone of dread in his voice. He looked between them. "Both of your help,"

"What do you mean?" Heskit's hand slid off her shoulder and he took a step closer to his cousin. There was a look of hesitation and shame on his face. He struggled to form words and make eye contact.

Hazel looked back at the mountain and pieced things together. A light bulb went on inside her head.

"It has something to do with them, doesn't it?" She pointed to the dwelling place of the land's sources. Tal's eyes quickly flickered to her, almost bewildered at her instincts.

"Yes." He nodded and turned back to his cousin. "He- my father, he got impatient. He performed the ritual, Heskit. He turned."

A wash of panic ran through Heskit's face. For a second, his body went limp and almost hopeless, at a loss for words. Hazel shot him a confused face to encourage him to explain, but he straightened his posture and spoke.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" He challenged, his body language becoming defensive and eyebrows getting knitted.

"What reason would I have to lie? I'm sure you've noticed what's been happening in the realm,"