Witchcraft Academy (The First Book)

The Nineteenth Chapter

"Is this necessary?" I inquire, my voice filled with disbelief, as The Sisters firmly shut the iron bars, leaving Silas trapped on the other side.

"Children are losing their lives, Ember. We have to ensure our safety. You should have informed us about him the moment you met him," Harmony reprimands me sternly.

"He specifically asked me not to..." I trail off, my gaze locking with Silas's, a profound ache resonating in my heart as I witness him being confined like a common criminal. Why the fuck do we even have an underground prison beneath the school?

"And what if he was responsible for those murders when we delved into his mind?" she demands.

"But I knew it wasn't him! He would never do something like that!" I argue, my voice rising in intensity. "I'm sorry," I mutter, quickly lowering my tone.

"This magic doesn't belong to our realm. It feels sinister and perilous, and somehow that person managed to manipulate you in your sleep. A physical connection is required for anything remotely close to that," Melody explains to me.

"Yes, but not for Uncle Magnus," Silas interjects. "His gift is to possess people. I bet her eyes turned white too. It has to be him."

"Why would your uncle choose Ember out of all people to possess? Doesn't that seem too coincidental?" Axel questions, reminding me that he was still present.

"Actually, no. If he has been spying on me, he would have observed her coming and going for months now. It would make sense for him to target her," Silas concludes.

"Regardless, this is your fault for leading him here," Axel accuses Silas.

"How was I supposed to know he would follow me here? He gave me the potion to save my life!" Silas retorts, his voice filled with frustration.

"Save your life from what?" Axel counters, his voice growing louder.

"It's none of ye damn business," Silas snaps, his frustration evident as his medieval accent slips through.

"Children are dying here! I believe everyone has a right to know!" Axel raises his voice, and I step in front of him, placing my hands on his chest and pushing him away.

"Leave, Axel! You don't know shit about anything! You're just acting out of jealousy, and we both know it!" I yell at him, attempting to guide him towards the small staircase within the mountain walls.

"And you're too cock-whipped and blinded by lust to see how damn weird this guy is! I can't believe any of you are falling for this!" he exclaims, grabbing my hands and forcefully pushing them down before storming up the stairs and out of the dungeon, leaving The Sisters and myself speechless.

"I believe it is time for everyone to retire for the night. We have been awake throughout the entire night and morning. We will address this matter again tomorrow. And Ember? Tonight, you will be staying in a dormitory alone, with a lock on the door. Just for precautionary measures. Tomorrow, we will perform a spell to sever any connections you have with individuals who are not your familiar, and another spell to ensure this situation does not occur again," Melody expresses with a weary sigh.

"Can I at least tell him goodnight?" I ask, seeking permission. Melody nods in response. Both Melody and Harmony head towards the stairs, waiting for me, as I make my way over to the iron bars. Silas places his hands on top of mine, planting gentle kisses on them through the cold, solid bars.

"I promise, I will protect you from anyone who dares to harm you," he assures me. "Even if it's my own family."

"I believe you," I reply, struggling to hold back tears. "I'm sorry you're stuck in here."

"Do not worry, mo chridhe. I have endured far worse places than this," he attempts to comfort me.

"We will also bring him a fresh meal and some blankets," Melody speaks softly from the staircase. "This is not personal, we simply have to prioritize safety."

"When can you release him?" I inquire, still clutching Silas' hand through the bars.

"We will do so once we are absolutely certain that the students are out of harm's way." She says.

"In that case, you will have to locate my uncle and kill him," Silas declares.

I recoil, my eyes widening in shock. "What? No! We don't kill people, Silas. Even if it may seem fair."

"It is the only way to put an end to him," Silas argues.

"We will discuss this further tomorrow. It is time for bed. Now," Harmony states firmly.

"Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow," I tell Silas farewell before following the sisters up the stairs. It must be well past breakfast now, and I find myself both starving and exhausted.

"You will be staying in a room in the Staff Dorms. We can't take any chances with the students having access to your room while you sleep tonight. Mr. Grimshaw will guard the door for added security," Harmony informs me.

"Can I quickly grab my own clothes and bedding? Maybe even a snack to take with me?" I request.

"Of course. We'll meet you outside our office in an hour," Melody assures me with a gentle smile.

I hasten to my room, relieved to find Juniper lounging on her bed, engrossed in a book.

"Where have you been?" she demands, tossing the book aside and standing up. "I know you really like Silas, but there's a literal murderer on the loose. You could have been killed!"

"Yeah... about that... I am the murderer. Well, not really. It sounds bad, but someone else possessed my body in my sleep and committed the murders. Silas says it's his uncle. Apparently, it's his special ability," I confess, breathless. "Oh, and now The Sisters have Silas locked in a dungeon beneath the school, even though they probed his mind and know he's innocent. Why the fuck do we even have a dungeon here?"

"Probably because the school has been around for over three hundred years," she remarks. "But wow, that's a lot to process. Are you okay, Em?"

"No, not really. My head and shoulder are throbbing because Axel witnessed me in that possessed state, with white eyes, trying to kill Sophia. He tackled me to the ground. And what about Taylor and Phoenix? God, I can't believe it was me. Or not me. I don't fucking know, June. Just please hug me," I plead, tears streaming down my face. She embraces me, running her fingers through my disheveled blonde hair.

I try to push away the visions of her painful past, being starved and isolated in the foster care system as a child. I pull away, realizing that I desperately need to gain control over my abilities. It's always harder when I am emotional.

"It's going to be okay. The Sisters are ancient, immortal, and incredibly powerful. They'll take care of it," she reassures me.

"I have to pack a bag and stay in an empty room in the Staff Dorms for the night. The Sisters can't sever the connection I have with Silas's uncle until midnight, so I'm not allowed to sleep in here," I explain, gathering my belongings and bedding.

"That sounds boring. Do you want to borrow my portable DVD player?" Juniper offers.

"No, I'm too exhausted for that. But I'm going to astral project myself into the prison and check on Silas first. I need to make sure he's okay," I insist stubbornly.