The Spirits' Guide

Chapter 2

Aneria had no spell-rooms. Of course Iris had forgotten this. No other country on the planet was so adamantly against witches. She should have known that the country would not allow even a rumor of witchcraft occurring.

She shouted as her head slammed into the trunk of a tree, a brilliant display of sparkles shattered her vision momentarily. Raising her arms to her head, Iris groaned lowly before she lost all air in her lungs as she slammed onto the ground.

Iris shot her eyes open as she gasped. Only able to look up, she saw the exact spot where she slammed into the tree, if the torn bark was any indication.

Groaning, she sat up and looked around. Iris eyed the balls of yellowed light the street lamps nearby gave off. Turning her attention away from the light, she noticed the dew-covered grass under and around her.

She must have been in a park. She was just fortunate that it was night and there were no people walking the dirt path that was next to her. She never thought about the time.

Quickly, she got off the ground and stepped onto the path. Pulling her hood up, Iris walked to the lights of the city. Her target was somewhere there. If there was a demonic presence that Josephine was concerned about, she would be able to find the source quickly. Not to mention, she was out of Stila, he will find her.

It had been centuries since she was last in the country and she had noticed the differences clearly.

When she was in the country, some two hundred years before, there were no lights. The entire city would have one or two windows of flickering light, but nothing more. The streets were concrete and flat, so unlike the uneven cobblestone streets she had run on in other cities of the country.

Stepping out of the park's grounds, she was startled by a bright light.

"Stop where you are."

Iris tensed. Was there a curfew now? The country was always changing its laws. The only ones who wouldn't know the laws would be those that don't live in the country... or witches. Iris may have to go into hiding sooner than she expected.

"I'm sorry officer, I just needed to take a walk. Can you please tell me the time?" Iris whimpered slightly as she spoke to the security guard, mostly involuntarily.

He shook his head as he muttered something about pampered youths. "It's about five in the morning. Go home."

Iris blinked at the security guard.

"Thank you," Iris said to the security guard before she quickly walked past him and into the parking-lot beyond the gate they were under.

She looked back to see the security guard watching her. She quickly faced forward and walked even more briskly out of the lot.

Iris leaned against a building after five minutes of aimless walking. She sighed. It had been quite a while since she had had a job, especially one as delicate as this.

What was she going to do? If a simple non-violent confrontation was too much for her, what was she doing in the heart of the very place that would execute her?

"I must say, I've seen better. The Jinn wasn't wrong when he told me you've rusted." Iris jumped as a man chuckled next to her.

Without hesitation, she raised her fists and swiftly turned to the man. She was too jumpy, way too jumpy. She was supposed to be the calm takes-no-shit person in the area of her expertise. She was never startled or surprised by much. However, a simple flashlight had given her a near heart attack and now she completely missed someone approach her.