Page 255 of Fated to be Enemies

“Always stats and facts with you,” I replied.

Maddox pushed the skal back into his pocket. “The servers are here.” He motioned toward the group of men and women. Some had come from the kitchens and were still wearing aprons. I spotted a woodchopper among them wearing green overalls. “Of course they’d come to watch,” he said as we watched them take their seats. “They’ll do anything to be a part of the magic.”

They weren’t required to be there like the covens but were extended the invitation anyway. Most of the servers had enough magic to be classed as a witch or warlock, but not enough to be placed into one of the sectors. A small number of them had strong magic, but it had been repressed through some kind of traumatic event, and a small minority were prisoners of minor crimes who’d been forced to join the servers as a way to lessen their sentences. They served the community.

While many looked down on them, I saw them for what they were: the backbone of Istinia. Without them, we couldn’t survive. Spells and potions could be used for many things, but not everything, and someone needed to keep track of day-to-day living: make the beds, clean the academies, run the stores, send and deliver the mail, and everything else. Our town was up and coming, so businesses were beginning to boom, bringing more servers in than ever before.

Alma included them. Each town, or province in Istinia, had an elder from the council, and she was ours. She had also created the arches spelled to keep the passable area between the mountains from being able to be crossed. I looked at her frail body and graying hair, and it was hard to believe, but she’d been younger then—and as powerful as they came, according to the stories.

My attention diverted as a group of casters arrived. All of them were girls. Some smiled in our direction, others scowled.

I breathed slowly. My heart rate amped up a little when I saw all the covens mix. Like the magicians, we were looked down on, and more so on me because I was human-born. Our magic wasn’t seen as important, like the casters or potioneers, and wasn’t as exciting, like the protectors’.

“Oh, it’s Craig.” Naomi smiled at seeing her crush take a seat at the back of the temple. He was followed by two other magicians. He waved, his eyes landing on me for a few seconds, and he glanced at Naomi. Before she could go over there, the sudden drumbeats silenced the room, and Viktor walked inside.

I could see him better in this light. His hair was a dark brown, so deep it could have been black if not for the light hitting it at certain angles. His shirt sleeves were rolled up on his arms. He looked ready to fight at any moment. His strong nose complemented his chiseled jawline and sharp features. He was muscular but trim. He brought his hand up to his short beard when they sat him down. I couldn’t see his eyes from where I was standing, but I couldn’t forget the darkness in them I’d seen yesterday. The rings of blue had seemed alien against the penetrating black.

Alma lowered the hood of her white robe. She extended her arms in welcome. “Thank you to those of you who came tonight. Daughters, sons,” she said, referring to us as family, like always. “I am overjoyed to have you here to welcome our newest resident of Fairwik.” Chatter rose until Alma waved her hands down. “Before we begin.” She raised her voice over the unintelligible gossip. “Allow me to put some rumors to rest. I may be old, but I’m not dead.” A smile played on her thin lips. “I hear the same things you do. I will remind you all that giving life to rumors is never smart. We live by truths, so today, I am here to give them to you. Openness is important to the welfare of our coven.”

I chewed the inside of my cheek. Maddox whispered softly, “The truth, for once. Well, only when it suits them.”

Naomi shushed him.

Alma’s wrinkled eyes trickled their gaze over me, then moved up to the balconies. “Viktor did indeed come from Salvius. While he gets used to Istinia, I hope you will all make him feel welcome.”

Maddox scoffed. “Unlikely. They never gave you a chance, Elle.”

He had a good point. I was human-born, and the other witches thought me weak, as if my blood were diluted. Although, when I saw the way the girls eyed him, I didn’t think that would be a problem for them anymore.

“Now.” She took Viktor’s hands in hers, then walked him toward the three large stone basins. Inside of them were three different liquids. One shimmered crimson: blood. Another was clear, sparkly: water. The third shined brilliant, bold: liquid gold. “Let us begin.”

Silence befell us. Three other elders, also wearing long white robes, explained the rules to him. We couldn’t fully make out what they were saying, but I’d gone through it when I was brought here, so I remembered it for the most part.

The liquids in the large bowls reacted against the witch’s or warlock’s touch. If the person reacted with water, then other tests were performed to see which of the three covens the person belonged to: caster, potioneer, or protector.

He stood over the basins, then turned to face Alma. She looked at him, her gaze transfixed. A shiver snaked down my back, and I wasn’t the only one to shudder it off. Several others around me did the same.

“What the hell?” I questioned softly.

Naomi looked from me to Alma. “What’s she doing?”

“Or he doing?” Maddox asked.

I stared at them, then after a few seconds, Alma looked away from him. She simply smiled, grabbed his hand, and placed it over the basins.

“That was weird,” I stated. “You felt it, right?”

“I felt it get cold,” Naomi said quickly, not looking away from Viktor and Alma.

Suspicion crowned Maddox’s eyes. I was glad I wasn’t the only one who felt something was off.

After a few minutes, the blood in the second basin bubbled to a boil. Alma bowed her head, then looked up at Viktor, who’s expression gave nothing away. His lips were set in a hard line, his eyes focused on the scarlet.

My lips parted. “There’s no way.”

Naomi’s eyes widened. “He’s in the…”

As Naomi said it, Alma announced his new coven.

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