Magicked: Prologue

Chapter I

Chapter One 

The full moon shone brightly on the grounds of the ancient stone castle where the young couple lived. All of the rolling hills on the tiny isle were considered to shine pure green, yet the grounds of Foraoise Castle always seemed to gleam just a little brighter. A gentle breeze tumbled newly-fallen leaves from a crumbly-walled garden filled with Vinia Mords, Cantum Shrubs, Moly, and Enchanting Elms across the well-trimmed lawn and into the dark forest beyond. Outlining the acreage were large, cleanly-cut hedges that towered over all of the surrounding foliage and rustled slightly as its small inhabitants began to settle in for the night. An occasional fish leapt from a nearby loch, temporarily shattering its clear, pristine surface. The dense wood, for which the castle was named centuries before, wound tightly about the land's perimetre. Generally, even at this hour, the trees were dotted with occasional glimpse of squirrels or birds scampering about, but tonight was abnormally dark and still. Far off in the distance, an animal howled ferociously at the moon.  

Annaliese sat at an enormous window in the northern turret of the castle, rocking slowly in a centuries-old chair and softly humming to herself. Even in the dim light, her bright red hair stood out like wildfire in the small damp room. Her perfect porcelain skin was like freshly fallen snow glistening in the moonlight and her rosy cheeks, dotted with freckles, dimpled as she smiled at a gentle sigh that came from a tiny bed behind her. 

She slowly glanced backwards at the cold, dark room that served as a bedroom for her baby daughter. The walls were decorated with caterpillars and butterflies in an array of colours. The cold stone floor was scattered with toys and large, vibrant rugs. The small bed stood directly behind the window, pressed against the opposite wall, and adorned with a slightly torn canopy and rose-coloured bedding.  

She sighed deeply and gazed back through the enormous sheet of glass before her. Reflected in the shining surface were her brilliant green eyes, red with exhaustion and outlined in dark circles. Far beyond her own reflection, however, was something else. 

An enormous, black, rain cloud was slowly edging its way toward the castle. A concealed lightning bolt would momentarily light up the giant mass, but was gone as quickly as it had come. 

"Quite a storm coming," whispered a voice. 

Annaliese jumped and turned quickly, finding only her husband, barely visible in the dark room and smiling meekly. 

Seamus Taite was a tall, very thin man with short, perfectly curly, brown hair. His face, as stunningly white as his wife's, was studded with facial hair, though he was generally well-shaven. Like Annaliese, his viciously blue eyes were dark and bruised. 

Neither one of the Taites had slept well in weeks. There were far more important things to be dealt with. 

"Is she sleeping yet?" asked Seamus, glancing at the little bed, a worried look imprinted on his pale face. 

"She's just fallen," answered Annaliese, looking back through the window at the approaching storm. "Any news?" 

"They're nowhere to be found," he answered, his eyes drifting far from his wife. "They were last spotted on the Isle of Vestimedia. We've searched it thoroughly, but there is no sign of them. I've just received word from Atilius and Lepidius that we must move quickly. They'll be here near midnight to-" But he was cut short in his debriefing as one small, wet diamond glided from Annaliese's piercing eyes and gently slid down her cheek before falling and shattering into a million pieces on the ice cold floor. 

Seamus knelt down next to the chair and took his wife's dainty hand in his. 

"Don't cry, my love. I promise you that everything will be fine. Everyone from here to The Isles has been warned of their arrival and we will stop at nothing to ensure that every one of us remains safe and sound. I promise you. I promise."