Cat in a Cauldron

Prologue - Lost Cat

Andromeda stared hard at the shadow across the street. This was the desert- specifically, the middle of the desert in the middle of nowhere, and the houses were spaced so far apart that it was impossible to stand across the street from a home without doing it intentionally. Whoever that was, they knew where they were, what they were doing, and what she was.

Cat didn't bother imagining who it could be. She already knew. The face made her heart shrivel in fear and pain, and she had to bite her tongue from whispering a simple incantation that would ignite the flickering green flames in the cup of her curled fingers. That was a last resort.

She smirked humorlessly. At least she had learned one thing this last half-year. Brother Matthias would almost be proud. But that didn't help her now, and all she felt for Brother Matthias was sheer anger. It was his fault she was stuck here, staring out her window at that silhouette, hoping beyond hope that it would just turn and walk away.

But of course it wouldn't. He hadn't stopped hunting her all these six months, and he wasn't about to give up the game when his cover was blown and he had her within his reach.

Something shifted behind Cat, and she sucked in a breath, not daring to pull her eyes away from that shadow, but terrified of what was creeping behind her back.

"What's going on?"

Cat's eyes widened at the voice, but she didn't let her surprise get in the way of what she needed to say.

Letting out a heavy breath, Cat hissed from the corner of her mouth, "Listen very closely because I'm not going to repeat this. Take that flashlight on the table, go back to the bedroom, and pull the bed away from the wall. Tear down the Avengers poster, and use the hole its hiding to open the secret door in the wall. There will be a set of stairs. Head down them and follow the tunnel till you reach what looks like a dead end. Close your eyes and keep walking. Don't be afraid to hit the rock- you won't. It's an illusion, and so very important that you know that. You can't think it's there. It's not."

The shadow shifted and Cat gave an involuntary wimper. The fear was stronger than she'd thought. She hurried to finish her instructions.

"Once you walk through that illusion, you'll be in the dark. Use the flashlight then, and keep walking. The tunnel will end in a spiral staircase. Take it up and slide the trapdoor open. You will literally be in the middle of the desert. Immediately south of the trapdoor, there will be a circle cut into the ground, along with a bunch of strange symbols. Step into the center of the circle and say, 'Tabhair mise o anseo. Tabhair mise o ansin. Ansin ta the Races.' Can you remember that?"

There was a pause, and then the voice answered, "Yes. But why? What's going on?"

Cat sighed, letting her shoulders slump.

"I tried my hardest. I tried to hide as best I could. But it wasn't enough. I wasn't good enough." For a moment, she let the grief and regret crash over her. Grief for her lost friend, regret for what was to come. "You need to get out, so I don't pull you into this, too."

She hugged herself, vulnerable for just a moment, and then felt strong arms wrap themselves around her. Warm breath stirred the hair on her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

"Whether you dragged me in or not, Andromeda, I'm in."

Cat risked closing her eyes just long enough to pull back the tears, and when the shadow was still there when she opened them again, she left off her vigil and turned in the embrace to stare at a handsome face, suddenly seeming older than he ever had before.

"Todd," she began.

"Nope." He flashed a grin and pressed his lips to her brow. "Whatever's happening, I'm staying by your side."

"You don't understand," Cat shook her head. "He's different than the rest. There's something about him... I don't think even you could know what."

Todd shook his head slowly, almost regretfully.

"Andromeda Kathlean Carafe," he said, and Cat felt a chill run down her spine. Her eyes widened with sudden fear and confusion.

She had told no one her middle name.

"I understand so much more than you give me credit for." Todd gave her a small, sad smile and let his arms fall away from her, back to his sides. It was a reluctant movement, she could tell, but his reluctance didn't change the fact that he did it. He stepped back, leaving her standing alone. "You want me to go, then I shall go. But I'll never leave."

Cat watched with a feeling of loss as Todd gave another flickering smile, aged with the saddness in his eyes, before turning the corner and heading back to the bedroom.

Swallowing her grief, Cat turned back around to stare at the shadow. But she gave a small sigh when she saw that it was gone. She let her shoulders slump, and whispered the same incantation she'd used half a year ago, that had brought all of these things to her.

"Tine tar liom foi."

Simple, sweet, satisfying, and all too dangerous. Her fingers twitched, swirled, and when she brought her hands before her, they were aglow with the flickering, flashing, twisting, curling emerald flames that had changed her life. They danced easily over her skin, licking hungrily at the energy she provided.

There was a knock at the door, and the flames jumped with her heart. Cat didn't bother opening the door, and the visitor didn't bother to knock twice. There was a concussive boom, and the door was blasted in with a cloud of thick blue smoke. Anne held her breath, letting the flames in her palms light the area before her.

She saw the figure step into her house, into the living room. She watched as it deliberately turned towards her. It lifted its arm, and Cat shouted one word-

" Maraím!"

At her command, the flames leaped from her hands to engulf the silhouette. He gave a terrible cry of pain, yanking tears from Cat's eyes. She growled at them, and then ran. She ran down the hall to the room to see the bed pulled away from the wall and the staircase yawning before her.

As she descended, the sound of her persuer's steps following, she could only think one thing.

From now on, I stand alone.