◖𓈈﹗﹙chapter seventeen﹚
❛ ▬▬ my life so far . . . ❜
Lilith Arduenn's days began at six in the morning and ended at ten at night. They were long, arduous, and often she would go to bed with her body covered in bruises and burns from failed potions. But Lilith never complained in the two months she had been in the coven, and she still remained the first to arrive for classes in Rowena Macleod's basement tower.
"I knew I was right about you," Rowena said, inspecting Lilith's cauldron. "Once you're done with the base, think about how you can enhance the potion. Have you been able to read the book I left for you?"
Lilith glanced at her notes. "Yes," she replied. "I was thinking of using a mix of black nazca and Mitz powder." She stirred the brewing potion with a wooden stick, and a gentle reddish vapor rose from it.
"Would anyone do it differently?" Rowena asked the rest of her students, who numbered only four. Mandy mentioned that it had been a generation since Rowena had any students.
"What Lilith suggests could be counterproductive," Coral Bens was the first voice to speak, as always. She was a tall, plump girl with short, red hair who liked to flaunt her prefect title and pure bloodline. Lilith couldn't stand her. "Black nazca has components that, when mixed with Mitz powder, can cause a combustion reaction and ruin the entire potion. That mixture works in only a few potions, preferably with cold ingredients. I would only use Mitz powder."
"And more witch's blood to give it a little more power and the essential material," Macey Garcia added, focused on chopping a purple plant.
"A healing potion," Rowena clarified for Lilith, continuing her rounds among the other tables.
"Add a eucalyptus leaf and three drops of a Salem potion. I made one last month and left it on the shelf."
Lilith was still getting used to her mentor's companions. They weren't talkative with her, didn't include her in their conversations, or ask how her day was going. Their friendship of years was evident among them, and Lilith was the new and unwelcome addition. She didn't understand why. From the outside, it seemed like Lilith would fit in perfectly with their group: all witches from a pure and powerful lineage, intelligent, and brimming with ambition. However, Lilith also didn't make an effort to integrate. She remained quiet, learning from the others, following the exclusive plan that Rowena had designed for her.
"Lilith," Rowena called from her desk, and judging by the expression on her face, it concerned Pandora. Lilith's eyes sparkled amidst the flickering flames. It was time! A smile formed on her lips. It was a significant step she was about to take; she would obtain her pyrokinesis stone, and her magic would become more powerful and strong. By the end of the day, she would be a little closer to reuniting with her mom.
"She only found out she was a witch two days ago!" Averi O'Brian exclaimed from the table closest to Lilith's. Among all her classmates, she was the only one who seemed to like her. "How did you manage that? I don't even have a tiny mineral yet!" She laughed.
"Coral, you lost your place," Macey said, still chopping plants.
Coral, apart from being heavy, was too proud to show how upset she was to be attacked once again by Lilith. She had understood from the moment she stepped into the basement that it would be similar to her time in high school and, sadly, in college. For some reason, she always ended up as the target of the professor's favorite know-it-all. In the beginning, she followed the rule of not seeing other girls as enemies, but with Coral... God, it was hard not to laugh in her face. She earned the first gift so quickly on her own merit.
"Shut up and finish the potions," Coral said.
On the other hand, Lilith had been warmly welcomed by the learned ones; it must have been because of her age. The young witches aspired to master their powers to rise above humans and purely human affairs. Money and common concepts like work were not among the concerns of the witches. Lilith had realized through witchcraft that she could have the basic material comfort and aspire to greatness. Moral issues, similar to those in religion, held a high position within the coven. At least, that's what Lilith had understood from living with them and from what Mandy had told her. Her mentor's companions didn't get along with Lilith, but Mandy's group was kind to her and had already invited her to a café for their next outing in downtown Salem.
"Do you want to see me, Pandora?" Lilith said as she opened the doors to her office. She was so excited she could start jumping.
"Yes, come in, dear. Normally, the stones appear when the gift is fulfilled and don't require so much complication. However, since your magic started being practiced for a short time, I'm afraid it will hurt quite a bit. Have you been taking the potion I prepared for you?"
Pandora made her sit on the floor, right in the middle of the large carpet with the coven symbol she had prepared, and a few bowls with firewood at each point of the star. Two weeks ago, Lilith had tried to activate her pyrokinesis gift after an incident that turned out to be the trigger for Rowena to focus entirely on obtaining that gift. After some consideration—and that led Rowena and Pandora to have a conversation—they concluded that achieving a gift so quickly in a witch who had just started could be dangerous for her health. They decided that Lilith should gradually increase the power of her pyrokinesis. She wasn't allowed to use her full potential until that moment.
"Yes, Pandora."
"Good," Pandora brought her a small candle and some wooden sticks. "First, light this candle. We're going to evaluate your level of control." Lilith easily focused on the small wick and, without letting her excitement cause any problems, lit it as she had practiced. "Now, I want you to light only one end and let it burn halfway." Lilith also succeeded. "Excellent. Now, I want you to try to use all your power to set every piece of firewood ablaze at the same time. If you feel pain, stop."
Lilith was more self-assured than she had ever been before. She remembered Mandy's advice and her classes with Rowena. The key to witchcraft lay in the witch's control over her powers, in understanding the immensity with which she was working and refraining from the movement of flames. It all came from within her, and if something went wrong, there was no one else to blame. She focused on the firewood around her and started with a small flame. Immediately, her body warmed up, and the peculiar aroma of the forest filled the dean's office. She used her hands
as if they were batons for the flames, and soon she managed to ignite everything and master her first gift. Under her right breast, aligned with her armpit, a tiny pearl like a ruby grew, as small as a breadcrumb. She had done it!
"It wasn't that difficult, huh?" commented Pandora. "Congratulations."
"It was easier than I imagined. I can't wait for the next one. Do you think it will be much harder? When will I be ready for the second attempt?"
"Astral and mental projection," the witch extended her hand to help her up. "I don't know why it's still classified as the second gift; it's the first one that everyone achieves. Talk to Rowena about it, but don't neglect your theoretical classes. We have girls who know much more than you."
"Don't worry," Lilith said. She lifted her shirt slightly to see the tiny ruby pearl beneath her bra. It was so bright and felt beautiful against her fingertips. "I have classes all day, no breaks. I really enjoy studying." Wow! It was so beautiful.
"Alright, perfect then."
Studying witchcraft fascinated Lilith. She had known since she was very young that her life would be dedicated to politics. She wanted to bring her ideas to politics, envisioning a better world with fewer injustices. She loved debating; her personality was bossy, cunning, and very persuasive. Everyone had told her that she would make a fantastic politician, and since she began her career as the student president and leader of the debate club, she knew that was her place. But discovering another part of herself, one more attached to the exact sciences, blew her mind. She had always been great at mathematics, she liked them as much as having mint and chocolate chip ice cream for dessert, and now she had finally found a way to apply them. The witchcraft taught by Rowena involved a lot of research science, understanding beyond the manuals and ancient books written centuries ago. Lilith had not chosen the wrong mentor; she had chosen the best one. That inherent devotion to witchcraft had been lingering in her mind for several nights, and she wondered if one day she would have the opportunity to blend the best of both worlds: her love for politics and witchcraft.
For now, she had to leave college. The week the Winchesters and Bobby Singer came to visit her after her escape, she sent her resignation papers to Harvard... She had cried all weekend. She still vividly remembered the tremor in her hands just before depositing the package with all the necessary documents, letters, and signatures. She felt awful, terrible; all her effort to get into her dream university was gone. She remembered it all very well. That weekend not only marked the beginning of her new chapter but also the introduction of a strange relationship with Dean.
Around noon, she finished wiping away her tears after sending her resignation. She was heading to downtown Salem to meet at a house that served the best clam chowder in Salem. She was nervous, even though the idea of hunters against witches had disappeared. These were her friends; they deserved better treatment, and they had been very kind (well, Sam had) to pack a suitcase with her clothes. She just hoped they wouldn't try to figure out who was a witch and who wasn't. While waiting, she took a walk through downtown and bought a gift for the newborn witch. Cho Wang, a woman in charge of the girls' wing from ten to sixteen years old, had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl named Mirai. Lilith wanted to buy her some gifts; Cho's mother had treated her so well, and on her third night there, she cooked a welcome chocolate cake with a sleeping newborn in a stroller. She saw some plush toys, a crochet blanket of the deep sea, and some pastel-colored jumpsuits that she couldn't resist buying.
As she left the store, with a set of perfumes and baby creams among her gifts, she received a message from Dean.
Dean Winchester
Are you there?
Lilith A
Yes, go to Riverfront Park
Ok
While she was waiting, she approached the pier. The sea breeze tousled her blond hair and lifted the hem of her dark skirt. It was starting to get chilly, and the cold reminded her of the Christmas months, which filled her with a sense of emptiness and sadness when last year she would have been excited to decorate her house in red, white, and green. Lilith saw Cho Wang passing by with her daughter and one of the girls from the coven.
"Taking in some fresh air?" The lady approached with a smile, pushing the stroller. "I love coming here; the sound of the pier is so enchanting."
"Good thing I found you, I have some gifts for Mirai." Lilith raised all the bags and also caught the attention of the little witch. "I bought her some adorable things; I hope you like them."
"You didn't have to do that!" Cho happily accepted the gifts anyway. At that moment, Lilith saw the hunters watching her from a distance. "It can't be, these are so cute! Don't you think Mirai? Look at these colorful onesies."
"Look at the blanket I found; I'm about to go buy one for myself. It's the most adorable thing in the world." And she wasn't kidding; she really wanted one. "I've felt welcomed in the coven, and I wanted to do something nice."
"Thank you so much, Lilith. You're very sweet." The witch hugged her and wrapped her daughter in the ocean-themed blanket. "But she looks beautiful! Look, Lori, isn't Mirai pretty?"
"Yes," said the African-American girl with cheeks like apples, "I want a gift too. I'll make you welcome cookies when we get back home."
"Alright, how about I give you some money, and you can buy all the sweets you want from that stand?" Lilith took out a twenty-dollar bill and gave it to Lori, who was jumping with joy. She ran to a stall with eye-catching letters and caramel-coated apples on display. "I have to go now; I made plans with some friends. See you."
Lilith had to climb a small hill under the watchful eyes of the hunters. She really made an effort to make the transition to witchcraft less uncomfortable, but they didn't help either by staring at her like she was a freak. After a few days, Lilith felt calmer, even less angry with Dean.
"Hello, guys!" Well, she lied; she was definitely nervous. Bobby was the first to react, and he did so with an unexpected hug. It was too sweet for everyone, so Sam and Dean just greeted her.
"Do you have babies and children in your cult, or who was that lady?" She wondered why Dean was so direct, not holding back any thoughts, and wanting to know everything without any sense of shame.
"Well, if you think about it, nobody stops anyone from having offspring, and we were all children at some point, so... Are you so surprised?" Lilith was quite sarcastic in her defense.
Dean rolled his eyes and took a deep breath of patience that made Lilith smile.
"Look, I didn't come here to fight, so let's go grab something to eat."
"Are you definite about staying with the coven?" Bobby asked by her side.
"Yes," she affirmed confidently. "I've already sent my resignation to Harvard. I'm going to dedicate myself to witchcraft. You have no idea how many things I can do. Soon I'll have my powers and I'll be able to enter anyone's mind and manipulate their body. I can burn someone alive in a second or spy through astral projection. I can even stay young and beautiful for centuries. I love being a witch! Oh, oh! And I'm a very powerful one. My lineage is highly respectable and noble. My real surname is Morningstar. Pandora told me that I come from the first witches on Earth and..." Suddenly, she realized that none of them were keeping up with her pace. The immense gap between hunters and witches had become apparent. Lilith made a pitying face, perhaps she was too overexcited and didn't measure her words. "What? I won't use it for evil purposes..."
Sam burst into laughter and was the only one who continued on his way as if nothing had changed because Dean and Bobby were still reluctant to accept Lilith's drastic transformation. She didn't think it was such a big deal; she was still the same, except now she could emit violet magic from her hands.
"Morningstar?" Dean interjected, savoring her last name. "Sounds like the name of a seventies rock band member."
She rolled her eyes, ignoring his remark.
"I told you I wasn't going to be a hunter. I'm going to be a witch," she joked. "That has been my plan all along."
After walking two blocks, they arrived at the seafood joint that the men wanted to visit, especially Dean, who had read that they served the best fish and chips. Lilith only ordered a salad.
"Did Pandora tell you anything else about Regina? Do you really blindly trust her?" Dean asked, still skeptical of Pandora. He sat across from Lilith, with Sam beside her, and Bobby had just arrived with a couple of napkins.
"If I had pyrokinesis, I'd burn your feet. It's not hard to connect the dots, Dean. There are photographs of my mother hanging at the coven, and other witches have told me about her. I've met that Thomas guy, who is actually named James. He confirmed what happened last night: he tried to warn Mom that the witches were coming after us, but it was too late," she emphasized through gritted teeth, "but he tried. The others took her away, and thanks to my mom and Pandora's witches, I survived. Pandora has a plan, and I trust her. I have to wait and become powerful. She's not dead, and they won't kill her. They want her magic, and magic dies with the witch."
"You're just parroting someone else's words," Dean concluded, biting into his burger.
Lilith didn't defend herself further, mainly because every time Dean spoke, her face reddened, and doubts filled her mind. She had to stick with the witches and the evidence. Dean just wanted her to go back to Bobby's house because their father had ordered him to take care of her and keep her away from the supernatural world.
"Regina kept the secret all these years. She didn't even have the slightest suspicion," Bobby quickly changed the subject. "What do the witches you're with do? That lady with the baby and the little girl, do they live with you?"
"If you want to know if they kill people for fun, well, I didn't ask them if they've ever killed anyone in their two hundred years of life. But it's definitely nothing compared to what you guys told me. To me, they're just a group of women living in the same place. Some have daughters, others are into research. Most of them are there to protect themselves from the others and educate the new generations of witches."
"Why others?" Sam asked, posing a very good question.
"Because not all of them are natural witches. Some have acquired magic through deals with demons or learned it from books. They're allied with monsters like werewolves, vampires... I don't like them."
"Isn't that a bit like pureblood and mudblood?" Dean asked.
"It's not," Lilith pondered. "Nah, it's not."
"You're talking as if you've been a witch for a long time," Dean pointed out. "Are you really completely sure you don't want to come back with us?"
"A hundred percent sure, even more than before. I like being with them."
"I don't like witches," Dean remarked.
"It's Lilith's decision, we've talked about it, Dean," Bobby said. "Besides, I have to admit they don't seem so bad. Dangerous, I mean." The younger ones were stunned, but the reaction of the elder Winchester overshadowed the rest. "What? You saw the same things I did and heard Lilith. And if Regina has been there, Lilith is not in any danger."
"What if they invade that coven?" Dean insisted, determined to highlight the worst of her choice.
"They've never attacked or found the coven," she argued in defense. "Why is it so hard for you to accept that?"
Lilith's decision was final, and no matter how much Dean pleaded, it wouldn't change her mind. Her goal was clear: she would become as strong as necessary to save Mom. The topic of God had become complicated for her after revealing her clear pagan religion or something like that, but praying worked as a kind of messenger to her mom, and she pleaded for her to have strength. Sam, Dean, and Bobby finished with their questions about the coven, forgetting about insisting on going back home or to Harvard. Sam didn't like the idea, and Lilith wasn't thrilled to find out that she was abandoning Stanford. They were even. After all, they had encountered difficulties that had driven them away from the diplomatic environment. She didn't ask about destiny or how well astrology and tarot cards worked, but she was sure there was a higher reason behind her actions, and that had been her nature.
After lunch, Lilith had to return to Mandy. She didn't remember the way very well and was afraid of getting lost, so she made arrangements with Mandy, the only one she called a friend. She had a lot of reading and studying to do, unlike the others who had more hours to rest. Dean accompanied her to the Impala, where he had a suitcase prepared for her. Sam had gone to a historical museum in Salem, and Bobby took the opportunity to buy some bones and amulets from a trusted store that Mandy had recommended, one called "Babbitty's Cauldron."
"You should apologize to me," she murmured, her blond hair basking in the sun, exuding an arrogant air that matched her voice. "Oh, oh, oh, apologize for several reasons. First, because your attitude wasn't what I needed when I found out I'm a witch and my mom was kidnapped. I wanted you to hug me, not shoot me. Second, for devising a manipulative plan. Third, because you can't seem to grasp how much I adore being a witch and that I'll never want anyone to take away my magic. Fourth, because you keep picking fights with me and making me angry. And fifth, because I want an apology."
Dean opened the trunk and retrieved his pink suitcase. He handed it to her, looking down at her from his towering height. She felt like a dwarf standing next to him, and she wasn't even short; the heels gave her a few extra centimeters. She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze.
"Oh, poor little thing wanted a hug," he mocked, but then enveloped her in his arms, letting her breathe in the cologne he had bought. Luckily, he had good taste; otherwise, not even a dog would come near him due to the terrible hunter's scent. "And the little witch is afraid of the dark. Bet you still sleep with the bedside lamp on!"
"Do you want to see something I learned?" she asked.
"Delighted," he replied.
Grave mistake. In just three days, she had learned to perfectly control her magic. Her hands didn't shake when lifting objects. She had mastered the instantaneous fluctuation that allowed her to manipulate objects like telekinesis. Lilith glanced around, making sure no one was watching. Then she raised her hand, positioning it perfectly in front of Dean's green eyes, and in a second—with a wicked smile—she closed her hand into a fist. Dean groaned in pain and writhed, clutching his groin. Lilith's laughter sounded like that of a heartless villain, devoid of empathy, thoroughly amused.
"Being a witch is amazing, isn't it? And what about my apologies? Don't make me make you kneel down; I'll show you what I can do."
"Okay, fine! I apologize for everything I said, but I want us to go back to how we were before, none of these absurd thoughts of me killing you or hurting you," Dean took a deep breath, "and I won't do anything to the witches in your coven. It's a lot to offer. Moreover, I'll leave you alone and won't blame you for anything. Do we have a deal?"
"Deal!" Lilith liked that Dean acknowledged his mistakes, and the compensation was more than favorable, enchanting even Lilith's thoughts. Dean's brain wasn't as rotten as she had thought. She raised her hand to seal the deal figuratively, but Dean didn't accept it. "Are you disgusted to touch a witch or something?"
"You wish I was disgusted!" Dean grabbed her hand unexpectedly. He used it to pull her towards him, their bodies coming together with her trapped against the trunk. Once again, the hunter's focus was on her lips, using his usual tactic of tucking her long blond hair behind her ear, and his hand no longer escaped from her cheek.
"Not Winchester!" Lilith stopped him, placing a hand on his chest. "If you want to kiss me, ask me first. No more games of stealing kisses. I'm not a doll."
In retrospect, she realized she was asking for too much from a man like Dean. It shouldn't have surprised her; she knew him well enough to create a detailed profile of characteristics incompatible with what Lilith considered a man aligned with her feminist philosophy. She didn't want to become an extremist or romanticize behavior she despised. But there was something about Dean that allowed her to complicate the situation, damn it. She hadn't even delved into the fact that she had been dating his younger brother. It was utterly strange, far from her concerns and limits to question if she was doing something necessary. She only had the primitive certainty that she enjoyed how Dean kissed, because he was doing it again. The hunter effortlessly lifted her onto the trunk of his car and rested his hands on her waist to kiss her even better. He positioned himself between her legs, and the young witch held onto his neck to prevent herself from falling backward onto the glass. She remembered that moment vividly. It was a gradual melody, as if they were a couple who hadn't seen each other in a long time, something she hadn't experienced with Sam or anyone else, and it terrified her to keep thinking about it.
After the third class of the day, Herbology, Lilith locked herself in her room. She truly understood Hermione Granger's need to excel among pure-bloods and half-bloods, even though she was aware of the existence of the supernatural world. The knowledge of witchcraft possessed by her classmates made her feel like an outsider, like an idiot, and Lilith was determined to prove that she deserved a place in the coven.
⛧.