Maiden of Moonlight | Tedros Pendragon

Chapter 1.19

" All magic comes with a price. A price that is never revealed until the damage has been done."

Morgan Rhodes

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The knock reverberated around the silent space, no one truly certain where the sound came from, but then came another. Much louder. Someone was on the other side of the Never doors.

" The Circus is closed!" The white wolf roared, yet two more knocks came.

" I thought teachers were locked in their rooms." Agatha whispered to her friends, only Kiko answering as Marya fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist, " So it's not a teacher, obviously."

" You will not be let in!" The wolf thundered, and the knocking halted.

The Montague's heartbeat pounded against her rib cage, pure confusion flooding her veins as the doors magically creaked open all on their own. A hunched figure shrouded in a black hood slunk smoothly down the aisle, hundreds of eyes watching in absolute silence as the only sound heard was the rustle of the snakeskin cape dragging on the polished tile. The figure ascended the stage and faced the floating crown gleaming in the candlelight, head bowed.

The doors slammed shut.

Withered hands with fingers the length of a spider's leg slithered from underneath the cloak to pull back the hood. Marya withheld her gasp at the sight of a crone-like Sophie whose complexion was marred by warts, scars and boils, veins clearly visible from a distance with such tight skin; her once blonde locks were now black, matted with patches of white, and her emerald eyes turned a murky gray that resembled the sludge of Evil's half of the bay.

The witch scanned the crowd before stopping on Agatha, her expression quickly turning into an ugly sneer that complimented her features greatly.

" I see we have a new princess." She said quietly, her voice raspy and low from disuse. " Beautiful, isn't she?" Sophie's tone shifted into a taunt, one that made the reader shiver prior to the witch leering, " But look closer, children, and see the vampire she is, come to suck our souls. Since she doesn't have one of her own."

Marya grasped the ravenette's hand in comfort, and Agatha was glad for the support, but did not like how the Montague suddenly became the target of Sophie's attention.

" And you, Marya Montague," The nevergirl spat the name like it was poison on her tongue. " The princess who had such great potential for Evil like her grandmother...Yet instead, you chose to follow in the footsteps of your parents on the path for Good. Where exactly did that get them, hm?"

Marya recoiled from the blow, the words hitting her as harshly as the ones her grandmother used to utter, wanting to break the girl's spirit until there was nothing left to cultivate. Her heart was already fragile, and the splintering worsened with every comment made.

" You are the true evil among us. Pretending to be good to try and win the affections of a prince who will never want you. Pathetic."

Tears stung the corners of her eyes. Marya felt the suffocating urge to sob uncontrollably. It was overwhelming! Agatha's grip tightened on the princess' hand as Kiko hugged her side, not wanting her friend to be upset. Gavriel had to be held back by Reena as she anchored him from leaping onto the stage and defending his sweet cousin's honour.

Noticing the effect it had on the girl he wanted to call his, Tedros' face twisted a glare so fierce it made Sophie squeal out in delight, " My dear Teddy! Fancy seeing you here. I believe we still have our match to finish."