The Skinwalker's Apprentice (6 page)

“Drat,” Margo whispered. The Priestess found the two stones Margo had dropped. They had been part of her plan of attack; pebbles that were enchanted to explode into a billion connected fragments, trapping its victim in web of stone. The Priestess cast them aside with a flick of her wand, sending them hurling into the forest.

Margo fretted, she could feel her hands becoming slick with moisture, her stomach in knots as she thought of what she had to do next.
Come on then
, she thought to herself,
this is no time to be afraid
. Just as she prepared to ascend and face The Priestess, she was knocked headfirst through the trees, flailing through the air, and landing at the center of the glade. She had landed face down, and shot up to her feet, searching her skirt waist for her wand.
Thank heavens
, she thought to herself as she felt the smooth wooden stick, she’d luckily managed to hold on to it despite her nasty tumble. The sky above boiled to a dark gray, and The Priestess appeared before her. Only, there was more than one of her. In fact, Margo spun around only to see she was flanked by a circle of identical witches and she had no way of knowing which one was the real Priestess. The Priestesses took a step towards the young witch and Margo dropped her wand in fright, the confidence she’d had mere moments ago had been completely drained. The circle of witches raised their hands, green light shot at Margo from all directions, and she was pummeled with a wave of pain unlike anything she’d ever felt. The young witch dropped to her knees, writhing as the pain shot through her body. 

“Please,” she pleaded, her voice breaking. Her vision was blurry from the hot tears that were now spilling from her eyes. Margo’s body convulsed, and she grasped at the ground in agony, her fists full of soil and grass. She thought of her family, and the pain carved in deeper, making it harder for Margo to breath. She’d resigned herself to death, when a black fog shot past her, emitting a heat so scorching, beads of sweat surfaced on every inch of Margo’s skin. The fog materialized into another Margo, running at lightning speed around the circle and leaving a brilliant wall of fire behind her. The rapidfire spell had cut The Priestess’s attack off, and Margo fell limply to the ground, gasping for air. Margo was thankful for the moment of rest, and even more so that the rapidfire had arrived when she did. Margo struggled to her feet, and she watched the spell run to her side, flames coming from her hands, her dark blue eyes, the same as Margo’s. The Priestess screamed in frustration, and Margo could see bursts of green light erupting behind the wall of fire. The Priestess was trying to get through.

“GO, gather the flames, Charybdis,” The Priestess commanded, and Margo watched as the flames around her began to spin, lifting from the ground and gathering in an enormous ball above her. Beside the fire, she saw a monster made of wind and water, its teeth long and shiny as it controlled the ball of fire, its body a menacing whirlpool of torrents.

The beast took the ball of flames into its enormous mouth, turned its head towards Margo and shot out. The fire came at the witch and her apparition like a flood of lava, the rapidfire held her hands up, creating an umbrella of flames and protecting them both. But Margo could see her wavering. Rapidfire spells, useful as they were, were not meant to last forever.

Margo readied herself for battle, standing uneasily, and holding her wand in one shaking hand.

Her rapidfire faded until she was but a thin shimmer of light, and the flames from the beast’s mouth were coming dangerously close.

“Thank you,” whispered Margo. She knew her rapidfire was but a vision, yet she could not help but feel badly as she turned her back and sprinted in the opposite direction. She cringed, feeling the intense heat behind her, and knowing her rapidfire was no longer there to protect her.

Margo gathered her nerves, her body was shaking uncontrollably with fear but she did not run. Instead, she turned and faced the creature, holding her wand to her lips, and speaking softly.

“Charybdis,” she said, calling the monster by its name, her voice amplified so the ground around her trembled. “Go now into the sea, your work has been done.”

Her voice left her mouth in a cloud of pink smoke, and when it reached Charybdis’s nostrils, the beast turned suddenly towards the river. It flew off in a burst of water and wind, taking the ball of fire with it. Margo sighed out in relief, her entire body rattling. It had been her first time using a charm spell, and she thanked her lucky stars it had actually worked.

Margo looked across the clearing, facing her teacher. They were face to face for the first time since their battle had begun, and The Priestess looked calm and collected, despite the hint of rage in her eyes. They walked towards one another, wands at their sides. Margo was trembling, she wanted nothing more than for this lesson to be done. She looked her teacher in her eyes, they were now only a few feet away but neither witch uttered a word. Margo knew whoever struck first, would be the victor.

With her wand still at her right side, Margo turned her body to the left, stretching her hands out as a stream of green light shot from her fingers. The Priestess was hit, and Margo lowered her hand, the battle was over. The Priestess was doubled over in pain, and looked up at Margo. The young witch furrowed her eyebrows as a devious smile spread across The Priestess’s face and suddenly she was gone.

“NOOO,” shrieked Margo, it had been but a vision of The Priestess. The true Priestess appeared before her, wand raised and ready to strike, but before she could react a stream of icicles blasted The Priestess from behind, sending her through the air. Margo turned around, her body aching in pain as she watched The Priestess go flying overhead and into the woods. Margo had almost forgotten she’d conjured an icewraith. The other Margo, her skin like snow, and her eyelashes frosted over turned to her and smiled, before melting into a pool of water on the muddy ground.

Margo had defeated The Priestess.

She ran over to her teacher, all the fear of the past lesson gone, and instead a panic for The Priestess’s well-being taking over.

“Priestess, are you hurt?” she asked worry lacing her voice. Margo noticed all the pain she’d felt only a moment before was all but gone.

“Yes,” coughed The Priestess, standing from the thicket she’d fallen into.

“I hope that you understand now,” she said calmly, as if they hadn’t almost murdered one another.

“I think I do,” said Margo.

“It does not matter what my gift is,” she said slowly, forming her response as she spoke.

“What matters is that you are gifted,” The Priestess finished for her and gave her a small smile, signaling for her to come along. As the two witches walked through the forest, Margo knew for the first time in her life that she truly was.

New
York, NY

October 5, 1984

Emerald had that feeling in her stomach. The one she got whenever she was about to get in trouble. The one she imagined normal kids got whenever they were sent to the principal’s office for the first time. Except she had already been to her own principal’s office, that part she could handle. What made her so nervous was the thought of her aunt being disappointed in her for what seemed like the billionth time in her life. She needed time to prepare herself, to think of how she was going to explain what had happened at school that morning. Most importantly, she needed to let Nora cool down, because she might very well kill Emerald this time. The young witch left the library and took the number six train and made her way towards St. Mark’s. Emerald climbed onto the graffiti-covered train car and searched for a seat.
Not during rush hour
, she thought to herself,
fat chance
. She spotted a seat and shot towards it before someone else did. Emerald squeezed in between a tall man reading a newspaper and a woman who had about seven bags full of what looked like celery. Emerald was just settling in for the ride when she noticed the woman sitting across from her. She was eating some sort of powdered cake. She stared down at the cake as if it had just insulted her and took one big bite, and then another, before it was completely gone. The woman kept her head down, not bothering to make sure no one was looking before she licked the powder and frosting from her plump fingers. She had white dust all over her black pea coat, and as she inspected herself Emerald was afraid to find out what she’d do next. She slipped her headphones off and attempted to look past the woman and out the dark subway windows instead. She was always hoping she’d see a jumbo rat. She’d seen them before, of course, but she’d heard legends of dog-sized rats, and she was okay with seeing them from the safety of the subway car. Witch or not, Emerald knew if she ever saw a rat that big scurrying across her room, she’d freak out. A few stops later Emerald popped up from her seat, slipping her headphones back on and shuffling out of the crowded train car. The cake lady was still staring down at her dress, trying to find crumbs. Emerald shook her head and smirked: just a typical subway ride in the Big Apple.

As she emerged from the subway, a fresh breeze rustled through Emerald’s hair, the blue strands pointing every which way. Emerald walked the few blocks towards Seneka’s house, darting through the tree-lined streets of her friend’s neighborhood, until she reached the five-story brick apartment building. Emerald kept her finger on the metal button next to the label reading ‘Apt #3B – Belling’ until she heard a fuzzy voice answer.

“Yeah?”

“It’s Emerald.”

The door clicked open with a ‘zzzz’ sound, and Emerald pulled hard on the metal handle. The inside of Seneka’s apartment building smelled like three-day-old Chinese food. Seneka’s mother, Aurelia, was forever alternating between yelling at their building super, Ayala, for not “cleaning the freaking garbage chutes, you lazy ass,” one day and having him over for a home-cooked meal the next.

Next to Jackson’s mom, Georgia, Aurelia was the best cook Emerald knew. She would never admit that to Nora, though; it would crush her.

Emerald walked up the three flights of stairs, four steps at a time, and let herself into her friend’s apartment. The Bellings usually unlocked the door whenever Emerald buzzed, and she usually walked straight for the fridge. Emerald smelled the distinct aroma of fried cheese wafting from the kitchen as soon as she walked in, and her mouth began to water.

Aurelia grabbed Emerald by the shoulders and smiled proudly, then pulled her into a warm embrace. She had always treated Emerald like another daughter.

“Happy birthday, Emerald,” she said with tears in her eyes. She could be a bit on the dramatic side.

“Thanks,” said Emerald before peeking over Aurelia at the food on the stove.

“Yum,” she said out loud, smacking her lips. 

“So you’ve come to eat me out of house and home again,” said Aurelia with a smile.

“Hey, I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” said Emerald.

“And by breakfast she probably means the six rolls and seven pieces of bacon she stuffed down her throat before running out the door,” said Seneka, who had heard her friend walking in and was now standing cross-armed in the kitchen doorway.

“How did you know?” asked Emerald, sitting down at the kitchen table and smiling at Aurelia before asking, “What’s for dinner?”

“Well, I’m making Seneka’s favorite,” said Aurelia as she turned the white cheese rectangle over. “We’re celebrating tonight.”

“Celebrating what?” asked Emerald, looking at Seneka happily.

“Uh.” Seneka rubbed the back of her neck nervously then shot her mom a dirty look.

Seneka’s mom squirmed and stared down at the stove.

“I was going to tell you soon. It’s already been a rough day, and it’s your birthday,” said Seneka abashedly.

“Okay, you’re scaring me. Tell me what?”

Seneka sighed and looked at Emerald, her cheeks red.

“Emerald, I’m not sticking around this summer. My parents got me an early graduation present, and I’m traveling to Europe after graduation.”

“After graduation, when?” Emerald raised one eyebrow as her heart began to race. She knew that Seneka wouldn’t be around come September of next year, but she had been counting on one last summer with her three best friends.

“I’m leaving the night of graduation,” Seneka blurted out, looked down at the floor. She knew she was letting Emerald down, but she had never left the city, and it was too big of an opportunity to pass up.

“THE NIGHT OF?” Emerald breathed out heavily with a frazzled look on her face. “Why do you have to leave so soon? I don’t get it.” As if today hadn’t been bad enough; now this.

“Emerald, I’m sorry. Mom and Dad got me the ticket, and I can’t say no. I’m going to this art program out there for the summer, and you would really like it, I mean, it’s pretty cool. Please tell me you understand.”

Emerald looked around bewildered before taking a deep breath. She was sure she’d been set up for Candid Camera. This couldn’t actually be happening. They had been looking forward to this summer, the summer after high school, for years. Or at least she had. Emerald studied her best friend’s face and saw her eyes were full of anxiety, her mouth pressed into a worried frown. Seneka wrung her hands as she waited for Emerald to speak, and suddenly Emerald felt like a colossal jerk. She could tell that this trip meant a lot to her friend. Art was Seneka’s thing. If Emerald had a thing, she would probably be just as excited about it. This was no time to be selfish. 

“Of course, I understand,” she said, getting up from her seat.

“I won’t lie, I’m pretty bummed, but you deserve this.” She looked at Seneka earnestly, struggling to speak her next words with an even tone.

“I’m gonna miss you like hell, but I’m happy for you. I just might not seem like it all the time, okay?” Emerald smiled apologetically.

Seneka smiled and skipped towards Emerald, giving her a bear hug. Whoa. Seneka never skipped, and she especially never hugged.
She must’ve been really happy
, thought Emerald, and she was suddenly glad she had swallowed her rage. The news of Seneka leaving was probably the worst thing that had happened all day, and that was saying something, considering she’d just destroyed her principal’s car. But Emerald wasn’t one to be selfish, no matter how she felt inside; she wouldn’t make Seneka feel bad. So she smiled wide as Seneka gushed about her trip for the next hour. Emerald didn’t even get to tell Seneka about her little talk with Principal Grossman. She didn’t have the heart to interrupt her, and with Aurelia flitting around, she wasn’t sure if it was safe to. Emerald just kept shoveling piece after piece of fried cheese into her mouth and nodding enthusiastically. It helped to keep her from doing what she actually wanted to do, which was to throw Seneka’s plane ticket on the stove and burn the damn thing.