Once upon a Midnight | BOOK I

Three

The swirling portal I entered was now gently nudging me outward into a hazy image of what looked like a room. As I came through, my vision vibrated into a fine focus and when I began to take in the view of the room, I realized that I wasn't alone. The eyes of various bored-looking people that I suspected were sorcerers, were on me. It was when one of them hissed that I realized that I was gawking.

"Ahem!" a voice came from the end of the room. Standing grandly in front of the black stonewalls was an embodiment of perfection. A middle-aged blonde woman with a strong, yet slender build. "Miss Aldrich, if you would please stand up like the others, I was just about to begin."

I muttered an apology and was on my feet in an instant, holding Moonlight in my arms. I moved my hand over my body and I realized that all my wounds and most of my pain was completely gone. My ribs still ached and the place where there was supposed to be a wound on my shoulder still hurt a little. But other than that, the only evidence of my fight earlier was my messy hair, the hole in my blouse where the minotaur's horn had pierced me, and the blood that stained it.

"You all battled various magickal beasts this afternoon," the beautiful woman began. "Even though one of you didn't make it, I'm glad to announce to you all that you've passed the first stage of the Midnight Trial."

A low murmur passed through the room. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The Midnight Trial was supposed to be in a month. Why was it early?

"The first trial was used to test your level of preparedness and your ability to discern." Her voice was like a mother's. Strong and warm, but I noticed that steel like tang to it. Almost like the voice that compelled me earlier. "I'm sure you all heard the voice compelling you to enter the building. But you were all able to tell that it was a trap... well, most of you were able." Her wandering gaze rested on me for a moment.

I wondered what would have happened if I had entered the cottage.

"My name is Hilda Ackles. I'll be in charge of the Midnight Trials," she said.

"More like, Midnight Execution," a girl whispered into my ear and chuckled. I forced a smile back at the Asian girl. If anything, her words only made my stomach churn.

Hilda's green eyes had a kind of fierceness in them that made me doubt her age. Even without reading the magickal current around her, I could tell that she was really powerful. She was like a goddess in her temple, a queen in her castle. Every inch of her porcelain white skin glowed like the moon and her blonde hair flowed down her back like sun rays.

"Hilda Ackles," I murmured, feeling the words on my tongue. I felt a sense of familiarity instantly, but I couldn't quite place where I'd seen this woman. And there was no way I'd forget a face like that.

"Welcome to Blackstone School of Sorcery." Hilda smiled. "You have been assigned to rooms, but before that, we'll have dinner. The way to your rooms will pop up in your head when you need it. I advice that you rest after dinner because when the clock strikes midnight, the second trial will begin. And brace yourselves, one of your will die tonight."

It was then that I saw the midnight blue banner on the black wall behind Hilda. A crow flying over the moon was imprinted on the blue banner, and some symbols were printed at the lower end of the banner. If there was anything I learnt from years of listening to Britt rant about Blackstone was their slogan. It was the Blackstone Family's slogan, written in Enochian.

The arrow that cuts through the night.

I've always been fascinated with the Blackstones. Everyone knew them. Well, everyone magickal knew them. The Blackstones, like the Pendragons, the Nights, the Lunas and few more sorcery families played a huge role in the War of Worlds that took place hundreds of years ago.