Iᴍᴘᴇʀɪᴜᴍ (Bᴏᴏᴋ 1) (editing)

Chapter 4- Something Wicked This Way Comes

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Once nightfall came around, Jewel re-lit the fire to bring some warmth into the room again.

Jewel and Rayna both stared at the fire, looking at nothing. Jewel finally spoke, "How old do you have to be to become a Bellator?"

Rayna looked towards Jewel with sad eyes, then back at the fire, "Fifteen."

Jewel felt the tears come to her eyes at the thought. She then blew out the candle by her bedside, that was the last lit. She wanted to sleep, to forget this news, as did Rayna. But the girls for once had a sleepless night staring up at the ceiling, worrying about something they had no control over.

Chapter 4- Something Wicked This Way Comes

Rayna curled up on her bed while reading the book about the creatures of the jungle. All this fascinated her; she wanted to learn more and more about the creatures that lived in their world. There is so much that she was kept from while she lived in the palace. She truly lived a sheltered life. Her uncle said that her father had planned to start taking her to the village and through the jungle when she turned the age of fifteen. So much has happened to this kingdom. Creatures' lives were taken for a war that can't ever be fully explained. Rayna felt in her heart that if she were ever to become queen, she would make sure the creatures that were hurt in the Wars would be taken care of. Like the way her father wanted.

The number of creatures that she has never seen before! There are griffins, centaurs, trolls, mermaids, dragons, pixies, giants and fairies. There are even Basilisk which was what many people have believed was what Malum Serpentine turned into when he changes. Something strange that Rayna took notice of while reading about Malum was that no one has ever seen him change. The rumor was that no one lived to tell the tale. In the book of Figura's every one of them has a documented moment of them shape-shifting. King Emmett was first noted shifting at the age of seven; his father, King Christopher, was first seen shifting at age ten. But for Malum, there wasn't a description or even a potential date of when it could have happened. Rayna kept turning the pages to learn as much as she could. So many more lived in the forest, she couldn't fathom it. Some of these creatures though were extinct, gone from the earth never to be seen again. She hoped that they had just fled; that they were in hiding out like it was believed that the Ordo's were doing.

She couldn't help but feel anger towards the Normalem's, because they had been a major part in the start of the Apsconsus Wars. They held jealousy and anger in their hearts towards the magical creatures of the earth. They didn't like them, because they made them feel inferior. But she couldn't help feeling bad for them too. They outnumbered the magical creatures even before the Wars happened, but they still did not stand a chance.

Rayna looked over at Jewel who was reading the book of spells on the floor. She looked so engrossed while reading the book. Rayna smiled knowing that she was looking over the notes Rayna had written in the sides. Rayna's mother had made notes there as well. Jewel has been writing down the notes that had been made in the book taking in as much as she could. She still has not been able to cast a spell herself. She has better luck when she is outside in nature.

About a year ago, Aunt Catherina came down on a Sunday afternoon to get the girls and start their first lessons. Of course, she had forgotten to tell them that she was coming down and nearly scared them half to death.

(Flashback)

The girls heard the footsteps coming; it had been a few hours since they had eaten breakfast, and they had already been allowed their hour outside for the day. Aunt Catherina had not said anything to them. So Rayna helped Jewel into the cupboard, and she whispered the spell; vanishing.