Daughter of a witch

Chapter 9 - The ring

Once I was dressed appropriately I rushed down to the training hall. I had done most of my growing up in this room and loved it. Dark hard wood floors covered the immense area with training mats at the far end. Floor to ceiling mirrors stretched across one wall. But my favourite was the wall opposite which held a whole arsenal of weapons from swords to daggers, to crossbows and longbows, staffs, tomahawks and battle chains. I had trained with all of them.
I jogged into the room knowing I was the last to arrive, our master was already talking but all eyes turned to me as I entered.
What had he been saying?
I looked around nervously meeting their eyes. They usually ignored my presence. They trained with me of course but then went back to their friends after, never talking to me or accepting me as one of them, but now they all watched me.
"I was just informing everyone that although we couldn't continue with hunts last night." Our master said from behind them, "That the night wasn't a total loss as you were able to kill your first witch when the one from your assignment came into the city."
I froze and found him with my eyes. I could tell from the hostile looks I was getting from everyone else that no one was impressed.
"So how did you do it?" Ash asked smiling easily but I could tell by his rigid posture and folded arms that he was annoyed.
"I don't know." I stammered regretting my words instantly.
"Don't know?" Lucy sneered, "You got to kill a witch last night and you don't know how you did it?"
I rubbed the back of my neck feeling the heat creep up it and staining my cheeks.
"It all happened quite quickly..." I tailed off.
"But how did you kill her? Ash asked coming closer.
"Decapitation." I murmured taking a step back.
"Yes it was floorless," Our master said with pride walking through everyone and standing beside me. "So I have gone through Trix's assignment already and she has had her first hunt and now it is your turn." He turned and addressed the others almost dismissing me.
"No!" I said realising that he wasn't going to let me complete my hunt. I wasn't happy to just let the three other witches stay there. Once they found out what had happened last night they would be after me I needed to act now but from the way he was talking he wasn't going to let me.
"Is everything alright Trix?" He asked turning to me.
"No I haven't finished my first hunt, there were five witches living in that house I still have three more. I'm going tonight." I said forcefully keeping eye contact and my chin up to show my determination.
"Three?" Mario chuckled, "You need to work on your maths, there are four left." a few others laughed.
I felt my cheeks heat again but not from embarrassment. I had had enough. How dare they treat me like this, laughing at me, always excluding me. Although I was the youngest at 17 I had still lived here the longest. The others didn't arrive until they were a lot older than I had been.
"No my maths is fine." I said locking my eyes on his. I felt my hands tingle with power and enjoyed the surprised look on his face as he stopped laughing.
"I killed two witches last night and I'm going to kill the other three tonight." I stated looking at each of them daring them to contradict me, they all looked stunned but no one spoke. Lastly my eyes fell on our master who sighed.
"Trix, I have eight other students who need my guidance tonight." He said firmly.
I shrugged feeling the power boost my confidence, "Like you said we have already discussed my assignment, a hunters first hunt is usually alone, so I won't need you."
"But a hunters first hunt is usually a solitary witch you have uncovered a whole coven so circumstances has changed. You need me."
"I'm going tonight." I demanded. He didn't look happy but he gave a sharp nod of his head. "Not alone, you wait till the end."
I nodded the same as he had done and went to wait by the mirrored wall watching the others who watched me with uncertainty.

I listened to the others give recounts of their own assignments, all of them had something to prove they had found a witch. Two had the witch's journal which held a number of spells and would be very valuable to our training.
Others had the witches symbol either made from sticks or bone. Lucy however had something completely different. She smugly got to her feet and in great detail described the setting and the witch she had observed, then she pulled out a small silver ring with a onyx stone in the shape of a teardrop. I got to my feet and moved closer, I could feel its power and it called to me. I walked around the others who were sat in a rough circle on the training mats until I was in touching distance of Lucy but it wasn't her I was focussed on, it was the ring. I could feel gentle waves of warm energy pulsing towards me. Telling me to take it, telling me it was mine. I reached out when Lucy suddenly closed her hand and shoved me hard in the shoulder with her other hand.
I looked up startled out of my trance. Everyone was once again looking at me.
"Your such a freak, what are you doing?" Lucy asked annoyed that I had interrupted her time in the spotlight.
"That ring is full of magic." I said staring at her closed fist.
"It belonged to the witch. She always wore it when she left the house but during the day she removed it and kept it in a box on the mantle." She told the rest of them trying to ignore me.
Our master stood and came beside me gentle touching my elbow.
"Do you feel it?" I whispered but knew the others could hear as well. He nodded but didn't say anything further as he pulled me back by my elbow.
When I was away from Lucy the pull the ring had over me receded and I took my place by the mirror again as she continued with her recount. I lost interest in her voice and started to think about the ring. If it held all that power would the witch who owned it have any now it was gone? Or was she very powerful and had so much she needed to encase some into the ring? Maybe she was even a potential hunter.
Would I have more control over my power if I was to wear the ring? I quickly dismissed the idea. I didn't think I would have more control I think the ring would control me. It had drawn me towards it without me consciously realising what I had been doing.
I watched as Lucy finished speaking and slipped the ring back into her pocket, she then took her seat.

Our master got to his feet and addressed the group.
"Well I'm very impressed, I believe you have all completed what was asked and brought back some valuable objects. All your assignments happened in the city and you all observed solitary witches so you should have no problem carrying out your first hunts tonight." There were a few claps and cheers before our master continued.
"I want you to all take a radio with you so you will be in constant contact with each other and me and if any of you need help you must call, this is not a sign of failure but professionalism. As hunters you will not always be able to carry out hunts on your own. I will be going with Trix this evening but if you need me, call me. Also If you are unable to carry out your first kill tonight because something has changed or something just feels wrong then hold back you will get another chance." The room was quiet everyone waiting for our master to dismiss them so they could go out and do what they were trained to do. Everything they had been working towards and learning about had been leading to this night, this moment.
Our master held them there for another long, silent minute letting his words sink in and then his face broke into a smile, "Happy Hunting!" He beamed and the room erupted into cheers as they all got to their feet and excitedly left the hall.
I stayed back until it was just the two of us left.
"I will not tolerate being spoken to like that Trix. I am your guardian and my word is final." He said watching the door instead of looking at me. I pushed away from the mirror.
"You weren't going to let me go tonight." I said standing in front of him so he had to look at me.
"I'm still debating whether it is the right thing to do."
"You can't go back on your word, you said I could go tonight." I said feeling that rush of power. It was always so close to the surface now and seemed to heighten my emotions. I had always been eager to please and accept whatever was thrown my way but now the power fuelled my emotions and erupted into stubborn outbursts.
"I am not going back on my word, we will go out tonight but not to kill them, they have been a source of knowledge over the years and their advice and information has been invaluable."
My jaw dropped at his words, he expected me to tag along and make a deal with witches and to then walk away leaving them all alive? I wouldn't do it, it went against all my training. I was shaking my head in disbelief as I tried to find the words to object to this ridiculous request. How could he expect my first hunt to be a deal?
Last night didn't count I didn't have the same rush as everyone else did of the actual hunt. I only had the stress and worry of finding my master and saving him. When was I going to have my turn. My hands started to tremble and I folded them wedging my palms under my armpits to stop them from leaking magic.
"This isn't fair." I whispered as my eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears. "I should be allowed a first hunt like the others, I didn't get to hunt last night. I was out looking for you." I pleaded.
"Oh Trixie," He whispered wiping a thumb over my cheek taking away one of the tears which escaped. "You will have so many more opportunities. Actually after we meet with Marcia we could go over to the coast and check out the situation over there. I've had many reports on missing people and unusual deaths where only a small incision can be found on the victim but they have suffered major blood loss. It sounds like a witch to me."
I looked up into his eyes and saw a gentleness that I had not noticed before. He had always been kind and fair but there was something else there now something warmer, softer like he really wanted to please me, like a father I suppose.
"I will stand back and let you take the lead, it will be your hunt and your kill." He smiled placing his hands onto my shoulders.
I felt all the anger leave me and I nodded, he smiled and brought me closer for a quick hug before releasing me and walking towards the door.
"Come on then, there's a lot to do and not much time to do it." He said in his usual tone striding out of the hall. I didn't have time to process what had just happened between us before I was hurrying to catch him up, I would have to think about it later but I think I liked it I thought with a smile.