Witches and Devils

Three

After Michael leaves, Ariel moves the council to the dining hall. Ariel begins to pour himself a glass of brandy, "everyone in this room can do some of what he did." Ariel shakes his head, "not a single one of us can do it all. He crushed every test, surpassed all our expectations."

"He's the most powerful warlock I've ever seen, and I've seen a few." Baldwin agrees.

"Im sure you have." I smirk over to Baldwin, having been pacing in front of the fireplace.

"Down girl." John Henry whispers over to me.

Chablis shakes his head, "the witches' dominion over us will soon be a thing of the past." With a lift of his hand, Chablis refills his glass.

"Are you serious?" John Henry sighs, "he almost killed us." He looks around the table, "can't you see that there is a malevolence to his magic? To him?" He shakes his head, "we should be afraid of him. You can't control the darkness. Even though Sinclair over here seems to think she's done it." Everyone looks to John Henry a little oddly, he has never called me by my last name. Even when I was trying for to win him over to allow me to help the coven. Although, back then it was 'girl', but still.

I shake my head, "there is no need to be afraid of Michael, he is just a hurt boy, who hasn't learned his place in the world yet."

"Rose is right," Ariel nods, "we shouldn't be afraid of Michael. We should be afraid of the status qou. Be afraid to do nothing. We have an obligation to our kind, to our future, to see if he can rise and lead us to our rightful place. We can't stop now. We are at the cusp."

I shake my head, "Ariel, you are already in your rightful place, you all are. Your goal should be getting Michael to his, not letching off of him." I storm out of the room.

As I do, I hear Ariel speak, "leave her be. Emotions have run high this evening and I am sure that by tomorrow she will be fine."

As I hurry down the halls I run into Michael, "Michael, what are you doing out here?"

"I came to see you. I thought the meeting would be over by now." Michael glances around, "I wanted to apologize for what happened during my test. I didn't know that I would be able to do that. I didn't think..."

I smile softly and place a hand on his cheek, "you did fine, I am very proud of you. You tried to reach beyond what you knew. You failed, yes, but it just gives you the chance to grow."

"No wonder they gave you a spot on the council." Michael smiles.

"What do you mean?"

"You are kind and wise, and you speak like you are already a teacher."

"I am, loosely speaking."

"Is that what you want to do with your life? Teach?"

I shrug my shoulders, "I don't know what I want to do with my life. I'm only nineteen so I have some time to figure it out, I suppose."

"Nineteen? I could have sworn you were older you speak as if you've lived a full life already."

I chuckle, "I have just learned from the wisdom of those before me."

"You mean, like Chablis, Ariel, Baldwin, and John Henry?"

"Along with a few others."

Michael shakes his head, "I don't understand what I did to cause Mr. Moore to hate me so much."

"John Henry doesn't hate you. He doesn't like you, but he doesn't hate you."

"How do you know that?"

"Because he treated me the same way when I first arrived. He thought I was no good for the coven and that I was only a spy for the witches."

"And now you're on the council." Michael laughs.

I nod and smile, "yes, I am. And I am attending classes as well."

"If you don't mind me asking, what level are you again?"

"I am what Ariel and the others consider a three."

"What is keeping you from being a four? I mean, you can read souls but you're not a four?"

"I can't manipulate the weather like you can," I sigh, "I've tried, but I can't."