Hexed - A Black Magic Novel

Chapter 7 - Hospitality

I woke up in a bedroom. Everything below my neck was covered by a thick comforter. I moved my head to get a better look around. Wait.. I moved. I thought. I moved my arm out from underneath the cocoon of the comforter and flexed my hand. I can move! I thought joyously. But.. how? I questioned. I got up and opened the door. I smelled toast and syrup. Mom? Could all of it have been a dream? I then took a look at the room I slept in. No.. this isn't my room.. so it must've been real. I thought sadly. I managed to go downstairs. The scent filled my nostrils. My stomach growled hungrily. I never thought about how long it's been since I've ate.. I thought. "Good morning." A voice greeted. I turned around and faced a blonde woman in her thirties. Is this her house? Am I intruding? I asked myself. "Yes, it's hers, and no, you're not intruding. In fact, she was overjoyed when she found out someone was staying in her inn." I recognized the voice of the girl, the mage. I jumped back. Both laughed. "There's nothing to be afraid of here. You're safe. So is your friend." Friend? I asked myself. "Hudson." The mage replied. "How do you know his name?" I asked. She tapped her forehead. I stood speechless. "So you snooped around my thoughts and memories while I was asleep?" I asked. She nodded. "It was the only way to get information as to what happened to you, and clearly a lot happened." "Which room?" I asked. "First on the left, next to yours." She answered. I went to the room next to mine and opened the door. Hudson was standing next to a window that was clouded by frost. I approached slowly behind him. "It's rude not to knock." He said. "Sorry, I was just worried.." I replied quietly. He turned around. "Figured." A small smile spread on his face. He hugged me. "Uhm.." I began. "Oh, sorry. Just happy that you're up." He said as he let go of me. He was suddenly silent as he was looking over my shoulder. The mage stood in the doorway. I was silent as we both looked at each other. "Hey.." I said. My mind was lost in it's spacious thought. She smiled shyly. "Hello." She replied. Hudson raised an eyebrow. Then waved his hand in front of me. I snapped back to reality. Hudson laughed. "Seems like there's something else going on than just our typical good versus evil." He said with a goofy grin. The mage laughed, but my cheeks burned as hot as coals. My eyes still trained on hers. She finally broke the trance. "We should talk downstairs, all of us." She said. I nodded. "Come on, Hudson." I told him, trying to avoid the questions I know he'll ask me. "You do realize you're the one going slow, right?" He retorted. I gave a sour look in reply.

Hudson and I were directed to the living room, the woman also came. We sat down as the mage cleared her throat. "As you can tell, Evan is moving normally. How is this, you might ask? Well, Evan knows the answer because he's been referring to me as 'the mage', and he's correct, to an extent. I'm more of a witch then a mage. Mages were gifted with unfathomable powers, whereas witches recited spells to use theirs. Evan saw me use a healing and sleep spell, but he didn't know exactly what I did. He saw magic, but I performed nothing but spells passed down from my mother." She looked at the older woman. "She's your mother?" I asked. Both nodded. "My name is Diana, and this is my daughter, Elise." She said. Elise stared at me, I stared back. The name seems... Familiar. I thought. "That's because I was named after Elise the Mender. She was a historically popular medic who uses various healing spells." "That's how you healed me." I said. She nodded. "You're much more useful when you're capable of moving." She said. Useful?! For what exactly?! The Voice growled. "I should've rephrased that better." She said. A sudden, searing heat burned inside my chest and head, I suddenly got up and stormed out of the room before I could think. She silently followed, like a whispering shadow. I swiftly turned around, my hand extended and a blaze of heat coursing from my fingertips. She quickly grabbed my unused hand and began muttering, I jerked my hand back, but I already felt the heat cooling on my palm. I backed away from her and stormed out.

-=-{:[OXO]:}-=-

She continued down the path to the castle. A bony hand grabbed her arm. A hoarse voice said quietly, "You.. You are the one the prophecy has foretold we'd encounter.. the Rogue Mage.." The hand gripped tighter. She manages to break from the vice grip of the elder. "I'm not a saint." She stated. "But you are strong enough to do the tasks we cannot." The elder continued. "I am, in fact, powerful, but I do not wish to help a race that has not once helped me or my equally powerful acquaintances." The Rogue Mage said coldly. She continued to the castle without another word.