Page 90 of The Holy Academy of Witches

“Definitely.” I replied, sipping my hot chocolate.

“It’s not till after Christmas break anyway.” Sage said, standing from her chair and pacing back and forth through the tables. “Which isn’t for another what, two… three weeks?”

“Yes, plenty of time for Dorcas to think of a way to stay in the dorm.”

“Oh Gods…” Sage continued her pacing, biting her fingernails.

“Relax, you’re going to wear a hole in the floor.” Sage sat back down at the table we were occupying with a huff. I read my mothers words once more before giving the letter back to Sage. What was my mother up to? I almost groaned at the headache I could see coming when Dorcas found out about this. “We need to have a think about the latest riddle again.”

“Okay, do you remember it? Or should I…” she began to reach into her bag, presumably for the directory.

“Of course I remember it.” I interrupted, “I’ll write it down and then burn it when we’re done.”

“Bit extreme, but okay.”

“This is confidential information, Sage. You need to take it seriously.”

“I… do.” She looked away as though she had more to say but didn’t dare voice it.

I pulled a sheet of paper out of my notebook and wrote out the riddle from memory:

A maiden full in dying light.

A curse, a sign, or blessing?

Solace found in kins own sight,

Seek out the holy dressing.

“You know when we found the… actually never mind.” Sage began before she busied herself pretending to re-read the riddle a third time.

“Don’t do that, it’s highly frustrating. Just say what you want to say.”

“Well I was just going to ask about… but you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, I mean I understand if you don’t want to because…”

“Sage, you’re rambling again.”

“I was going to ask about when the book got really hot… like hotter than the sun?”

“Slight exaggeration, but what about it?”

“Well I mean, I was just wondering…” she pulled at the end of one of her curls. “Well, is that your gift?”

“To hold very hot books? …No.” I continued looking at the riddle as she sighed, leaning forward.

“You know what I mean… Something to do with heat or fire. Like you’re immune to burning due to your gift?”

“I most certainlydidburn my hand when I held on to the book, so no, it’s fair to say I am most definitely not immune to burning or fire or anything of that nature.”

“Oh…” she deflated as though she felt she’d solved the puzzle of Adeline Alva only to find out she hadn’t. “Then…”

“- I do not wish to discuss my gift, Sage, nor do I think you’d be so ready to discuss your own…” I levelled her with a look which had her swallowing with guilt, her face flushed scarlet and she nodded in agreement.

We eventually settled into a comfortable silence, both of us alternating between reading the riddle and writing out ideas which we passed back and forth.

“Any ideas?” Sage asked hopefully.

“I was considering the first line, ‘a maiden full,’ sounds not unlike the pregnant statue we already found? But it seems odd that it would be the same location… eurgh.” I slammed my pen down with frustration.

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