The Witching Hour

Chapter 22 - Frustration

The time came to resume training. Five days had passed since the attack, but the Pentacle remained on edge. Ivy kept her head down in the shop. Every time the bells on the back of her door dinged or a loud laugh erupted through the shop, she froze. They never saw the face of their assailant. Anyone could be a threat.

After the awkward encounter between she, Griffin and Hunter, things had been off between the couple. They conspicuously didn't fight when she returned home that afternoon after the encounter, but instead found leftovers on the stove for her to eat. Hunter's bowl lay in the sink and he was busy on their patio with a book. Ivy didn't even bother to join him. They needed to be in their respective corners.

Now days later, Ivy expected things to be a bit better. She didn't think he would continue pouting the way he was. She tried multiple times to make some sort of a move. A tug at the wrist as he passed her in the living room, a light kiss between his shoulder blades while he cooked, even going for the more aggressive let's-take-this-to-bed tactics. Nothing worked. At least he hadn't started sleeping on the couch. That would have been even worse.

While she had wanted to be home and work on something to drag him out of this funk, Ivy had training to attend. Ella called an emergency training session, in addition to their usual weekend ones. Ivy didn't want to go, in part because she didn't want to answer any possible questions about the wolf. Thankfully, Marina hadn't picked up on any out of the ordinary feelings. The adrenaline spikes could have made for an easy excuse as for what they felt.

"Glad everyone could make it," Ella said as all four women converged in the training spot. "Ivy, if you could please call up your blocks then we can get started."

Ivy closed her eyes and called upon the dirt. Giant slabs popped out of the earth, varying in size and height. Vines rushed to cover or drape between them adding another layer to the training ground. Ella motioned at the group to take their places amongst the course.

"Everyone ready?" She shouted from her place. Ivy had chosen the furthest end and nestled herself into the vines. They wrapped themselves around her and disguised her from the others.

"Ready!" Everyone yelled back.

Hours of tumultuous training went by. Ivy's vines took the brunt of it all, especially when Ella's fire burned portions. The earth witch felt each one. At first it physically stopped her in her tracks, but with Marina putting out the literal fires, Ivy was instantly soothed. Marina evidently remembered the connection Ivy had with her plants.

With every break Ivy had, Aura slammed it right back in her face. Ivy would successfully disarm Ella or send Marina back, but Aura summoned the giant gusts of wind to knock her off her feet. Nothing she did was ever enough. It started to wear on Ivy, adding to the frustration she had toward Hunter.

Ella sent another fireball Ivy's way, one that she narrowly avoided. Aura saw but didn't let it go. She redirected it with the wind toward Ivy. At the very last second, Ivy saw it and ducked out of the way. The fire lit up one of the walls, and all the vines went up in smoke. Ivy held back a choke as her eyes narrowed into slits.

"What the hell was that?" Ivy growled. She balled her fists, the nails making half-crescent marks in her palm. "You didn't need to send it back my way."

"Always have to be prepared," Aura tsked, still walking away from Ivy.

"That was a cheap shot and you know it." Vines inched closer to Aura, as the sky gradually grew darker. Aura spun on her heel, the red ponytail almost whipping Ivy in the face.

Marina looked around noticing the shift in the environment. "Ivy..."

"You've been at my throat all day." Ivy's eyes darkened. The vines wrapped themselves around Aura's ankles. When she tried to levitate away, they yanked her back to the ground.