WitchHunter ✔️

Arrival

Ace

I take my place in the rafters of the great Hall once again, a new chunk of Moonwood in one palm, my Emberite dagger in another. The wood of the Moontree is exceptionally hard, and only Emberite is hard enough to get through it. The twin daggers had been a gift from Velius upon the completion of my training. Emberite is bountiful in Hollen, and is more or less worthless aside from its solidity both there and in Octaven. Ember however, Emberite's glowing cousin, is priceless. A single Ember coin is worth 10 gold, or 100 silver, or 1000 copper, or 10000 iron. The glass jar stashed under my pillow holds only one silver and a handful of iron. If only these daggers would glow. If they would only prove themselves to be Ember, I could be free of this place. Sometimes, laying in my bed at night, the moonlight will catch them at just the right angle and send me shooting up from my blankets, desperately wishing for the red stone to glow like fire.

My gloves hang from my wrists, the threads attaching them to my sleeves the only things keeping them from falling, giving me away. Hale and the twins had arrived at the Ridge this morning, and tradition holds that a ceremony will take place tonight to welcome them back. Before then, however, they would reunite with Velius and the other 7 Hunters here in the Great Hall. It wouldn't be a meeting like I presided over yesterday. This will be just a short, formal welcome, reinstating Hale as Velius's right hand. Cruor won't be thrilled about his demotion.

The 7 sit alongside Velius at the end of the table, and I catch Graham's eyes searching for me among the rafters. I give a small smile, secretly glad he's searching for me, but more proud knowing he'd never find me if I don't make a point of showing him. I dip my blade downward into a stray beam of arching sunlight, angling the ray in his direction. His face flashes a grin before regaining his composure, and I retract my knife, becoming invisible once again. Even knowing my location, if he looked now, he wouldn't see me. I'm as good as vanished.

With a thunk, the doors to the Great Hall begin to swing open simultaneously, drawing all eyes and silencing the chatter. Calla and Berand, one of the dealers, have opened them. Berand speaks with a loud voice. "I present Hale Arsen, Candor Nash, and Cozen Nash."

The two step back as three forms enter the room, and my breath catches when I see them. Hale left when he was 19 and the twins were 17. Now, just 6 years later, they have transformed. They're tall, the twins just a tad taller, at least a foot over me. When they left, they were built nicely, lean and fast. Now the three of them are sturdy, their arms bigger around than my thighs. Candor is slightly leaner, but still just as big as any of the other 7. They wear the formal clothes of a WitchHunter: black pants, black boots, and a pristine white long sleeve shirt under the WitchHunter vest. Hale's hair is dark, his face tan and angular, while the twins boast haystacks of silvery gold atop their heads.

Hale's eyes scan the room, then jump up to the rafters. Those green orbs lock onto my position right away, as if able to see me, and my breath leaves my lungs. Goosebumps rise on my arms. It's just a coincidence. It has to be. He can't see me up here; I'm too good for that. He must just know I'm here and wanted to rattle me. That's the Hale Arsen I remember, always making me feel inferior.

I draw in a breath, trying to convince myself that I'm comfortable with my answer, and direct my attention once again downward.

"Welcome home, My son." Velius stands, opening his arms to embrace the child he raised, now much larger than him.

"Velius, how I've missed this place."

The 7 stand, greeting their returning brethren. Most seem genuinely happy; most of them had grown up together and became good friends after all. I scan their faces. Cruor seems to be the only one who looks like he is withholding malice, understandable since it's his rank that Hale is threatening.