Monster High: Season of the Witch

11. Truce

Grey looked at Beatrix with eyes that pierced her soul, waiting for her to continue.

"I wanted to apologize for picking a fight with you in front of everyone," she said.

Grey's cold expression eased. "That so?"

Beatrix swallowed her pride. "I apologize for being disagreeable."

Grey didn't respond.

"You owe me an apology too," Beatrix said.

"Is that why you're stalking me? To make me confess to something?" Grey asked, letting go of his retracted staff, amused.

"You don't think you have anything to apologize for?" Beatrix snapped, then reeled herself back in. "You're right. I can't demand an apology. All I can do is offer my own." She spun on her heels to leave.

"You're making my life difficult, you know."

Beatrix turned back. "Why do I bother you so much?" she replied. "Hating my witch lineage is a shallow reason to tell everyone about my identity."

"I don't hate you," he said. "I don't even know you."

The fact that Grey didn't deny spreading the rumor was evidence enough.

"Why did you tell everyone about me?" she asked.

Grey leaned against the shed and rubbed his face in exasperation. "I only told a few people. Gossip did the rest."

"Wow, I guess I should be thanking you then," Beatrix sarcastically said.

"You shouldn't be here. There's a rule against witchcraft for a reason."

"Enlighten me," Beatrix said. "I've seen monsters here that could squash me under their feet, so why in the hells are witches prohibited?"

"You don't know what your kind is capable of," Grey said.

"You said witches are just 'glorified humans.' Which is it? Powerful sorceress or pathetic normie?"

"I shouldn't have come down on you so hard during the seminar," Grey said, almost gently.

"Don't dodge the—" Beatrix realized what he'd said, taken off guard. "Oh, it's okay..."

The strain between them lessened.

"Magic-users put monsters at risk," Grey said. He took a step towards Beatrix. She could see a small glass pendant hanging at the end of his silver necklace.

"Remember when I said monsters cheat death? In many cases, they don't cheat death on their own," Grey explained.

"What do you mean? Monsters avoid the afterlife with someone else's help?"

Instead of answering, Grey asked another question. "How are zombies created?"

Beatrix wasn't prepared for a pop quiz. "By being bitten by other zombies?"

"Zombies were originally created by black magic," Grey corrected.

Aunt Cordelia had once attempted to raise the dead with a necromancy spell before Beatrix was born. Apparently, it wasn't a pretty sight.

Creating zombies was an act of witchcraft.

"But witches aren't responsible for creating every monster species!" Beatrix protested.

"They're responsible for a lot of them," Grey said. "The powers demons bestow to your kind are unparalleled."

There was an obvious example that proved Grey right: Autumn.

Aunt Clarice had made sentient life by stuffing a mannequin with hay and pouring a shimmering powder on Autumn's inanimate body.

"Witches are usually the source of unnatural life," Grey resumed. "Even vampires are speculated to have been created by an ancient warlock."

"Then why are witches a risk to monsters? If anything, since we create them, it's the opposite," Beatrix said.

"Not every monster is thrilled to be cheating death," Grey said mockingly.

Beatrix hadn't considered that possibility.

He continued, "Witches force this life on some monsters. And even for the monsters that don't mind their curses, witches are a threat. They don't follow the same laws Reapers like me abide by. I can't just take monster souls because of the treaties and agreements I'm bound to. Witches, on the other hand, can snatch supernatural life away whenever they want.

"One witch can take apart an entire monster species if she wanted to. Your kind isn't part of monster society because you refuse to live civilly with them."

"I'm civil! My best friend is a scarecrow for corn's sake," Beatrix started. Then she remembered every other witch she'd come across, and how the scarecrows back home lived in fear of Aunt Clarice disposing of them. "Fine, I see your point. I didn't take you for such a brave knight, protecting monsterkind from evil witches," Beatrix joked.

"Your kind is unpredictable and will only listen to your devil masters. I already have enough to worry about without keeping an eye on a witch all day."

Wait, did Grey join MSS solely to watch me and sway me to leave the school?

"That's weird. A student just died and you're worried about me? Your priorities are out of whack," Beatrix said.

Grey frowned. For a moment, he looked ready to say something, but he kept quiet.

"Thanks for telling me your concerns," Beatrix said. "To put your nerves at ease, I'm harmless."

Grey raised a brow and smirked. "Oh really?"

Beatrix wasn't used to seeing him show playful expressions. It was a refreshing change.

"I'm a sad excuse for a witch, so I won't be wreaking havoc on Monster High any time soon."

Grey's smirk dropped. "If only things were that simple."

In the distance, the bell rang.

Beatrix recalled that she was alone behind a shed with the most intimidating guy in school. "What are you doing out here anyway?" she asked.

"None of your business," Grey curtly said, his rough voice menacing again.

Beatrix rolled her eyes. No wonder he has a scary reputation.

"You should head back," Grey said, turning away.

"You're not gonna escort me to the assembly? Don't you need to keep an eye on me?" Beatrix teased.

Grey walked away along the fence perimeter. "Good thing you're 'harmless,'" he said. "Try not to wreak any havoc. I'll be the first to know."

Beatrix still felt puzzled about why Grey was wandering the school's outskirts alone.

However, the sounds of class letting out reminded Beatrix that she needed to get to the screamatorium.

"Bye, 'Lord of Death!'" Beatrix called to Grey.

"Bye, witch girl."

She rushed to meet Autumn.