The seer Chronicles

Chapter Five Violet Springs

As they drove along the main street, the rain reduced to a gentle drizzle. When the reception returned to Destiny's phone, Destiny felt the vibrations of the alerts in her hand. She scrolled through the endless webpages. Searching for Violet Springs. The town's official website described the town as a modern and innovative place with an old-world charm, enveloped by a foggy mist that seemed to cling to the supernatural wonders of the forests, blurring the lines between the past and present. On the border of south Australia and Victoria, the scent of eucalyptus hung in the air.

A delicious, yeasty smell filled the car and Destiny's mouth watered, reminding her it had been hours since she'd eaten breakfast. A low grumble emanated from her stomach. She wished they would halt and buy something to eat soon.

While waiting for the traffic lights to change, her father squinted at the street signs, trying to make out the words. He turned north and heard the distant sounds of honking horns and car engines as he headed downtown. Employees moved in and out of the buildings, the acrid smell of smoke still lingering in the air.
"I heard the houses around here suffered damage from recent floods," Alaric said.
He turned down a narrow road. The tarmac cracked and the white lines faded. hooligans tagged the abandoned houses with graffiti and strange tags covered the fences. Towards the end of the street, a three-storey sandstone building with white colonnades and thick stained-glass windows towered above the dilapidated homes that surrounded it. A beautiful, painted sign read, 'Winter Hall Welcomes The decedents of the Ember Warriors.

Alaric stopped the car, and they all felt a sense of awe as they looked up at the building, its walls illuminated by the sun. Destiny felt her empty stomach churning, a reminder of her hunger. Selina suggested they walk to the small market in the square, the distant sound of people chatting in the background. Despite the chill, the market was full of people, the sound of their voices mingling with the aroma of fresh fruits and vegetables.

They meandered between the stalls, taking in the chatter and laughter of the vendors and shoppers. Selina chose some ripe fruits and vegetables to take with them to the house, and they purchased flavourful meat rolls to enjoy for lunch. They sat on a bench, sheltered from the last of the drizzle by a large tree, and gratefully ate the delicious spiced meat.

A cat-like woman approached them. Selina's face darkened. The stranger's edgy presence contrasted strangely with her heart-shaped face and pale skin.
She brushed her hair behind her ears and smiled at Selina as if greeting an old friend. She cleared her throat and spoke in a soft sing-song voice, The Morgan's, I presume." Selina's brown eyes darkened with a chilling coldness. The woman perched awkwardly on the end of the bench. 'I'm Amanda Thyrein, from the real estate office.' Her introduction fell into silence and the tension crackled between the two women. Amanda pulled out a business card. Selina slipped it into her pocket without even glancing at it, but her face shifted into a tight smile.
"My office is just over on the other side of the street. When I saw you, I said to myself," "Why, that must be the Morgan's!" and sure enough, I was right!" Amanda said brightly. She brushed her hair back again–it was clearly a nervous habit, then handed a set of keys to Selina.

"You've picked well! It's a charming house. At the end of Light Court Avenue, I just checked it over this morning and everything should be in order. The view of the forest from the second-story windows, Uggh to die for!" Amanda said.
She stood up to leave, momentarily placing her hand on Destiny's shoulder. A spark passed between them, and a whisper of magic flowed into Destiny's mind.
"Don't trust a word your stepmom says, or your curiosity will be the death of you, little mouse." The words were as clear as if the cat-like woman had spoken them out loud, but her pretty mouth only smiled blankly. Destiny stared into Amanda's eyes. "I hope you settle in quickly at school, Destiny," Amanda said brightly, releasing Destiny.

Her parents didn't seem to notice anything strange. They thanked Amanda and headed back to the car, making their way through the streets until they reached the new house.