I was sitting on the floor by the fireplace, magically rolling a ball back and forth, playing with a white cat. It wasn’t someone’s familiar, but a pet. It was funny, but what stands out to me is how safe I felt. How welcome. I was young and impressionable back then and no one was going to steer me in the wrong direction for their own benefit.
“I went to the Order headquarters last week,” I blurt. The words have been on the tip of my tongue since I walked through the door, even though I tried to ignore them. Something inside of me wants to tell this to Ruby, because if the Order is hunting witches, my coven needs to know.
“You what?” Ruby drops the folder she’s holding.
“I went to the Order headquarters.” I repeat, bending down to help pick up the papers that fell out of the folder. “It was a lot to take in.” I raise my gaze, slowly shaking my head. “They didn’t know I’m a witch, of course,” I start. “And were under the assumption I was just some civilian as they called me who would make a good possible recruit. The whole place is creepy as fuck and everyone there has been brainwashed to believe exactly what the Order administration wants them to believe.”
Ruby gapes at me. “Walking into the Order’s headquarters is literally walking into the lion’s den, Anora.” Ruby looks at me, eyes wide with concern. “If they knew they had a witch amongst then…honestly, I don’t know what they would do, but it wouldn’t have ended well for you.”
“Trust me, I know. Ethan got a call saying he needed to go into HQ and we were going to blow it off until we realized his family got the same call. No one would tell us why so we went to make sure everything was all right. Turns out they called in some of their best hunters for a specific job.”
I stack several papers neatly together and hand them to Ruby. I know I belong here at the Covenstead with the other witches just like me. I’m safe here, obviously accepted, and can learn to grow and control my powers. Witches are wary of hunters because of what they will do to us, but overall we haven’t singled out any groups of people to target or hate.
Unlike the hunters.
Still, I feel torn at this moment. I love Ethan with all of my heart and if it wasn’t for him and the help of his family, I probably wouldn’t have survived Asaroth’s attack last Fall.
“What was the job?” Ruby asks. “I wasn’t aware of any large increase in demonic energy. We recently started monitoring more closely in that area. The older students get extra credit if they can detect large amounts of dark energy in the nearby vicinities.”
“A hunter was found along the shores of Lake Michigan last week. He was missing for a few days prior to that. The Order…the Order thinks a witch killed him.” My breath leaves me in a huff, but it feels good to get this out there. Because the coven needs to know, don’t they? I’m left feeling torn again, both relieved and like I said something I shouldn’t have. Was I breaking someone’s trust and spilling a secret that wasn’t mine to share?
“Why would they think that?”
“Whoever killed this man carved an upside down pentagram on his forehead and left the murder weapon nearby. It was some sort of athame. Ethan and I both brought up the fact that pentagrams aren’t typically used for witchcraft. And that the whole thing seemed like a very cheap horror movie-style ritual. But most of the hunters didn’t even want to consider it,” I go on. “It was like they were excited at the chance to hunt a witch.”
I stand up and bring several loose strands of my hair over my shoulder, wrapping them around my finger. “I wasn’t sure if I should even say anything, but something inside me said you need to know about this.”
“I’m glad you did,” Ruby says. “Because this is serious. Accusing anyone of murder is a big deal, but the Order of the Mystic Realm had long ago established a mutual respect with the Grand Coven. If they have an issue, they should have come to us.” Ruby lets out a strangled laugh. “Hell, even the Vampire Council is known to conduct matters in a somewhat civilized way.”
“The whole vibe of that place was wrong.” I shake my head. “Ethan is one of the good guys. He questions the Order but even he believed some of the lies they told.”
“They’re a dangerous organization that happens to do some good.” She pushes her braids over her shoulder. “I only know two other hunters and they’re what you’d call freelance-hunters, I suppose. I’ve heard from them that the Order isn’t something they’d want to touch with a ten-foot pole.”