The Spirits' Guide

Chapter 12

"You seem jumpy." Iris noted after Owen had jumped out of his chair when his classmates mentioned lighting fire-crackers during an after-party.

He knew she told him not to think about it, but all Owen could think about was the warmth and feeling of those golden flames licking his skin.

"Yeah, well, it's easier said than done to be calm in the situation we're in." Owen whispered to the girl. He watched as Iris opened her mouth only to take a small bite out of her sandwich. Do witches like sandwiches? Were there such things as Sand-witches? Seeing where his thoughts were going Owen looked away from the girl's lunch.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure things go according to plan. By the end of tonight, everything should come to a close." Iris murmured softly. Owen nodded slightly. He couldn't quite understand it, but he felt warmer when Iris wore the hood.

He was pushed out of his thoughts when he felt Iris stiffen next to him. He glanced at her curiously. She seemed to have paled drastically while staring at... Bernice. Last he knew, she and Bernice were getting along quite well, friends even.

Owen watched as Bernice sat across from Iris with a sly smile. Iris flashed her teeth in a strained smile.

Owen looked between the two of them curiously. They were smiling but the air was ripe in tensity. With a girl like Iris, he expected it but Bernice? She was always in a foul mood but she was never as bad as Iris.

"Nice to see you again, Abigail. Can't say I enjoyed yesterday with you." Bernice smiled at Iris as she tossed an apple between her hands. Iris slowly nodded her head as though she were agreeing with what she was thinking.

"I'm just going to ask, are you human?" Iris asked Bernice suddenly.

Owen stiffened next to her and turned to Bernice. He wasn't the only one, everyone at the table had heard Iris.

Bernice's smile widened as she said, "What do you think? Owen asked you first, now you ask me. I am human, as human as you."

Eyes turned to Iris as she stared at Bernice. Owen couldn't tell if the look in her eyes was of brutal murder or begrudging respect.

"So, you made a new friend?" Iris asked, diffusing the situation before it could turn dangerous. Bernice's smile dropped slowly as she explained, "An old one and a new one. An acquaintance knew her for over a decade, but I only just met her."

Iris tilted her head slightly as she looked Bernice up and down. Bernice grinned. Grinned. Bernice never grinned, at least from the short time Owen has known her. The seventeen-year-old almost always seemed to have a cloud of depression hovering over her.

"What's her name?" Iris asked, her voice deepening. Bernice looked up and sucked in a breath. Dropping her head, she sighed, "I swear if this goes against her plans. Her name was Iris." Iris? Then why was she making it a point to make Bernice leave?

Iris looked away from Bernice and muttered unheard words under her breath. Abigail was Iris but Bernice had only just met Iris and Iris was trying to get Bernice arrested, yet they were all still friends.

What was going on? Owen asked the question to Iris as she turned to Bernice. Iris whispered, her lips barely moving, "There's someone else posing as me. We'll talk later." Owen nodded as he listened to Bernice talk to the others at the table.

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"So what's going on?" Owen asked Iris as they walked down the hall, away from the cafeteria. Iris shook her head as she said, "Bernice is not who she says she is. Stay away from her. The imposter must have killed her and replaced her with one of her demon minions."