Selenite

Chapter 2

I can tell by the feel of the air that I've slept too long. Sure enough, when I open my eyes, the room is dark, with the only light in the room coming from the edge of the moon peeking over the horizon.

My arm feels like it's on fire and I move it restlessly, trying to shake the feeling. The shifting fabric causes searing pain to rip through my limb, rousing me from my half-awake state and I sit up. I swing my legs over the side of the bed, flinching when my feet touch the cold floor.

I blink rapidly, allowing my eyes to adjust to the darkness. There are no other lights in this room for me to turn on; it is seen as a sign of disrespect to the Moon Goddess to have fire or electricity inside the shrine for lighting.

Standing, I walk over to the basin of water on the table and wash the sleep from my face. I consider redressing my burn, but the fabric is still holding and isn't soaked through, so I decide to leave it.

In the reflection of the water, I can see the moon rising, making its journey swiftly across the sky. A sudden noise draws me away from the basin and back to the window. Has someone followed me here?

I hold my breath and instinctively grasp the stone pendant at my neck; it was a gift from the goddess, rumored to be made of starlight and moonlight, and it often brings me a sense of comfort and protection. Now, however, it feels inert, lacking in either warning or peacefulness. I try to see what made the sound without getting too close to the window.

It is silent for several minutes. It must have just been a bird or animal. Even so, the scare reminds me that there is still danger here, even in this place of reverence.

Its time that I prepare to move on. I can't go back to the city, or what's left of it, I suppose. If anyone survived, they would likely kill me for what I've done, whether they believe that it was out of my control or not. I've become a threat.

I grab a backpack from a shelf and start filling it with clothing and supplies. I have most of my crystals and amulets on the necklaces I'm wearing, but I pack the remaining ones in the bag, alongside containers of magic herbs and potions. Magic is one of the gifts of my people, and is useful to those who use it well.

As I pack, my mind starts to wander to the events of the day before. The screams and the sound of crackling flames and collapsing buildings fill my head.

What are you doing?! Get away from me!

Get a hold of yourself!

Out of control!

My chest starts to feel tight and I can't breathe. I fall to the floor and grip the sides of my head, trying to block out the sounds.

The burning pain in my temples brings me back to reality, and I pull my hands away from my head. I can smell singed hair, and when I gingerly touch the spots where I had my hands, I can feel the strands of burnt white hair come away within my fingertips. Wisps of smoke drift up from my hands.

What in the name of the Goddess just happened?

I rise quickly and plunge my hands in the basin of water. Strangely, my hands arent burnt. I notice for the first time that they are the only part of my body that seems unscathed by the destructive flames of the burning city.

My mind is racing, this time with active thought. Werewolves and dragons can shift, and other creatures have other powers, but this isnt normal. I shouldn't be able to do this...whatever it is. Witches arent supposed to be able to create fire from nothing, not without the right spells...

I never practiced fire magic. I specialized in magic dealing with ice and water, and, of course, lunar magic.

After drying my hands with a cloth, I finish filling my bag with clothes and food, and sling it over my shoulder. I know of only one witch who studies fire magic, and maybe she would be willing to help me figure out what is happening to me.

There is the risk of her trying to kill me, with everything that's happened, but I have no other choice. There is no one else for me to go to.

I have to find my sister.

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Author's Note: I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! This is my first novel and I really appreciate all of the support. If you find any grammatical mistakes, please let me know so that I can fix them!

I am going to try to publish a new chapter every 2-3 days, but I am going to be making the chapters longer from here on out, so that may change. Again, thank you so much for the support!