Sinatus

✨Chapter Eleven✨

             Lily grabbed a jar containing a dark purple liquid. She smelled it carefully, inhaling a scent that reminded her of a steaming mug of tea. She decided against it and put the jar back on the table. She reached out and took the next one which was filled with something dark green she couldn't quite make out, as it was squished oddly against the glass. She reached in the jar, and her hand came into contact with something hard and coarse. Barely giving Lily time to yell out, ice cold dark green ropes flew from the jar, wrapping painfully tightly around her arms and around her mouth, rendering her speechless. Yells came from the far wall, and the ropes started dragging her off towards the door and Lily struggled to breath, kicking and trashing uselessly against the rope as fear made her eyes widen. As the screaming in her lungs for air grew more intense and her head started to spin, there was a bright flash of blue light and the ropes slackened suddenly, sending Lily crashing to the floor. 

               She did not get up, instead she panted heavily in her spot in the ground, rubbing the still searing cold spots on her arms where the rope had wrapped around her, her eyes squeezed shut. Once her breathing slowed a little, Lily opened her eyes to see a large group of people peering down at her, muttering. Alethea pulled her abruptly to her feet, and Lily pressed her lips together as nausea welled up inside her. 

           "Who put Vines of Mortem on the table?!" someone yelled. "They weren't supposed to be there!"

           "They could have killed her!" Alethea agreed. 

           "If we find out who has done this, they shall be punished!" Eliphas assured everyone. Lily frowned and pressed her hands against the sides of her head. Why where they making her do this anyway?! How was this supposed to prove she could learn magic? And why would someone try to kill her? Or maybe no one had. It must have been a mistake.

           "Is she alright?" Gwydion grunted. Lily nodded shakily. "Alright, keep going, then." 

           Lily was prodded in the back and someone nudged her towards the table, sending her stumbling forward. Lily sighed, swiping at her eyes, and reached for another jar. Her trembling fingers pulled it towards her and she randomly dumped the contents inside. She reached for another jar, poured the black seeds inside it into her cauldron, and stirred. It turned a dark orange, and a vile-smelling smoke began to rise from Lily's potion as it started to hiss and form into a thick sludge. Lily coughed and covered he face with her elbow and part of her cloak. 

        "I'm done," she choked. The other crowded around her cauldron, peering inside, seemingly unfazed by the stench. The silence deathly silence of the wizards that ensued was ear-shattering. They stood, just looking, not speaking. When Lily could bear it no longer, she looked at Eliphas, who stood in the center of them all, just as quiet. Her eyebrows were knitted tightly together, and her heart was thumping against her ribs the way quickly running feet thumped against the ground. A severe-looking witch in a grey robe finally broke the silence. Her dark eyes fixed on Lily as she opened her mouth and told her...

      "Failed."

      Lily's arm fell from her face in disbelief, her fists clenching. The challenge hadn't been fair! "You can't do that!" she whispered angrily.

      Eliphas raised his eyebrows. "I beg your pardon, Sinatus?"

      "The challenge wasn't fair. How was I supposed to know how to brew a potion?" Lily asked. "I never learned, I never had a chance to. I'm a--"

      "Sinatus, yes," Eliphas said mildly. "Pitiably, that, but I'm afraid there's nothing we can do about it."

      "You could start by making these challenges fair!" Lily seethed. 

      "Do you give up?"

      Lily stared at Eliphas, offended. "Of course not!"

       "Very well," he nodded. "Then you may leave. You will receive information on the next challenge shortly."

       Lily glared, opened her mouth, closed it, and turned on her heel. She walked as briskly as she could out the door without faltering, as she had not quite recovered from her adventure with the Vines of Mortem. Lily arrived at Ivy's house, feeling sore and incredibly hungry. She was being eagerly awaited, and was immediately served a large portion of food. When she was done, she followed Ivy and Kaia up to Ivy's room. 

     "You have to tell us everything in exact detail." Kaia told her. And so Lily did. 

                                                                            〰️〰️〰️

      "So someone actually tried to kill you?"

       Lily shook her head. "I don't think so. I mean...that's ridiculous!"

       "Is it though?" Kaia looked Ivy. "Is there anyone who really hates Sinati?"

        Ivy shrugged. "I dunno." 

        "If this happens again next time, we'll know someone wants to kill you." Kaia decided.

        "I think you're being a little too dramatic." Lily replied. "Maybe they don't want to kill me--maybe they just want me to fail."

        "Yeah, but Vines of Mortem are little bit extreme, aren't they? Or not?" Kaia puzzled.

        "You tell me," Lily shrugged.

         "You tell us!" Ivy spoke louder than she had so far in her time around Lily. Lily assumed it was because she was distracted by the paper and piece of charcoal in her hands.

        "Yeah," Kaia agreed. "You were attacked by them."

        "I don't know if I would say attacked," Lily muttered. "Besides, they were easily gotten rid of..." Lily realized she hadn't thought of the flash of light that slackened the vines at all. Someone must have used magic. Who had that been? 

        "You'll still do the next challenge, right?" Kaia asked. Lily looked up sharply; Eliphas' words where still echoing in her mind as if he'd shouted them into a vast canyon.

       Do you give up? 

       The same question repeated itself over and over in her head. And Lily had the same answer every time. She smiled at Kaia, "Of course. Why wouldn't I? It was only the first challenge after all, so giving up would be ridiculous."

        Ivy spoke again, more quietly this time. She pushed her braid over her shoulder, "What if the potion wasn't the actual challenge?" 

       Lily frowned at her. "What do you mean?"

      Ivy opened her mouth, then shook her head. "No, never mind. Sorry."

       "Alright," Lily shrugged slightly. "Can I have some paper? I'd promised to write to my family and friend."

       Ivy nodded and handed her some papers and a fountain pen, then proceeded to turn back to her own page, on which she seemed to be sketching something with charcoal.