you're incredibly wicked

11: new moon in libra

Serena laid in bed. Her symptoms seemed to only develop for the worse.

After going to the nurse, the nurse diagnosed with with a case of what is best known as "Devil's Flu." Her body temperature was dangerously elevated, her throat was as dry as a desert, she was more irritable, and ended up bedridden.

She laid awake and had Lizzie, Claudia, and Aubree watch over her.

"What happened?" Claudia felt her head.

"I... don't.... know." Serena's voice was as faint as a whisper.

Aubree was flipping through a book and pacing around while Lizzie was on Serena's other side, making sure she has enough ice water and ice broth.

"This might be what we are looking for!" 

Everybody went into silence.

"What did you find, Aubrey?" Lizzie looked up.

"Serena is a Levela 8 untrained witch, but she's actually a Levela 10."

"How do you know that?" Claudia froze.

"I did some digging when Serena was first introduced to us, and while it says that she is a Levela 8, which is the maximum Levela for our grade, she's actually a Levela 10. Untrained means that it's a safe estimate of her power. Anyways, not what this is about. The stronger the witch, the more of a chance that she has a curse."

"So, she has a curse?" Lizzie asked.

"It does seem to be true. So strange that it happens every new moon." Aubree looked up at the night sky and there was no moon in sight.

"Devil's Flu every New Moon." Claudia loudly whispered.

"Devil's Flu? But, she's an angel. How can that be?" Aubree looked up from the book.

"I have no idea, but it's such a shame that she has this curse. It's sad too, she would never experience the New Moon soiree. She would have loved it." Claudia said.

"There are always more soirees she can go too! Once, she gets better of course!" Lizzie tried to brighten up the mood.

"That is true. But, this is the first one of the year. It wouldn't be the same without her." Claudia sadly looked around.

Lizzie, Claudia, and Aubree were wearing small hats and dresses meant for an outdoor soiree. The soirees involved music, dancing, and for some, rejuvination under the new moon.

"I don't mean to be that person, but we should be heading out soon. Maybe she just needs some rest and alone time." Lizzie got up.

"Devil's flu isn't contagious, right?" Claudia got up as well.

"Nope." Aubree clarified. "The only cure is to let her be and let the sickness die away bit by bit."

"If you say so." Claudia grabbed a small tote and Aubree closed the book.

All of the girls looked at Serena one last time, her eyes were closed and she seemed to be sleeping. Then, they left the room.

Serena was not the only one that had a curse on her every new moon.

Nikolai did as well.

While he can transform into whatever he pleases, every new moon he is stuck being a raven. It does not seem all that terrible until the fact settles in that ravens are one of the most sought out magical pets a wizard or witch could desire. So, every new moon Nikolai hides away in his room for fear of getting taken.

But, not this moon.

He was on the windowsill of Serena's room and once the coast was clear, he flew in and stood atop Serena's bed.

"Goodness." He whispered.

She looked more pale and weak than usual. Yet, her innocent and pure features were more defined as she slept.

Just as he was about to fly closer to her, her eyes woke up.

"Is...... that...... a...... ra....ven?"

Nikolai flew closer to her and was on her endstand. By then, Serena went back to sleep and breathed through her mouth.

He had a feeling that she contacted a sickness, but he wasn't too sure. 

That was when he flew to her shoulder and placed his arm on her forehead, immediately jerking his hand back when he felt her forehead.

"Jeez! Devil's Flu. But... how?"

He extended his wings out and had his mouth opened.

This was what connected the two of them as soulmates: they both had curses that appeared during the new moon. 

"Serena." He flew on her bedsheet. "I don't know if you can hear me, but we both have a curse that falls on the new moon. That's why we're soulmates. We are cursed together."

Serena's eyes opened again.

"What? Why.... is.... the... rav...en....speak...ing?"

"It's me, Serena. Nikolai. You're cursed. I'm cursed."

"I....must....be....see....ing...things..."

"What can I do? What can I do?" Nikolai was pacing on Serenas bedsheets as a raven.

He saw the ice water and flew to it. With all of his might, he tried to grab the pitcher with his beak, but the pitcher was so heavy and by the time he went to Serena, he had dumped the whole pitcher on her head.

"That...felt.....so....good."

Nikolai mouthed "ok" in a state of shock.

Within seconds, the water evaporated off of her head and she started to roll slowly to get the remaining water that missed her head.

Nikolai tossed the pitcher aside with some magic and flew to to top of her bedpost.

Slowly, Serena got up and felt her head.

"What just happened?"

She saw the raven above her.

"Are you claiming to be Nikolai?"

Nikolai flew down.

"Well, I am Nikolai."

"Quite pecular, I did not know you were a bird."

"I'm a raven, actually."

"Are you really Nikolai?"

"Yes, I am. Here. Let me show you."

He flew to the side of her bed and spread out his wings to reveal him covered in black feathers with a mask covering his eyes and his hair tied up.

"Nice costume. Are you going to the soiree like that?"

Nikolai sighed.

"Just, shut up and drink some ice broth."

He held out the pitcher and let her drink the broth.

"What happened to you?" He asked while she was drinking the broth.

She finished the broth and looked at him.

"I don't know. Last thing I know was I went to the nurse and now, I'm here. Sick. It's not fun." She grabbed a pillow and started to cuddle the pillow.

"Did you hear anything that I told you?"

"You were flying around my room while you were in a bird form. I want you to tell me what you said again."

"We both have a curse that only comes out during the new moon. You have devils flu while I turn into a raven. I found what connects us together."

"And I thought we had nothing in common."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Serena? Are you ok?"

"I got to go."

Nikolai turned back into his full raven form and flew out just as the door opened.