In Magic, In Mystery:Chapter 1

“Arianna Ferin Tanzuki, when I was younger I went there, as will you!” my mother shouted. Her short black hair bounced as she spoke angrily to me.

“No! I’m fourteen years old! I’m not a child to be pushed around anymore!” I shouted back.

“Arianna! It’s your birthright to go there,” her voice softened as she attempted to plead with me.

I frowned and placed my hand on the trunk of the rowan tree. “I don’t want to go, why can’t you understand that?” I looked at her slightly hurt, and walked backwards off the tree.

“Don’t you run away from your problems Arianna!” my mother shouted.

I didn’t answer her as I reached into myself and gathered up the power that was almost second nature to me. A picture of a kestrel flashed in my mind and a silver light wrapped around me as my power changed me into the form of a sleek, fast, and majestic kestrel. I changed my flight path towards the ground and flew up to the never-ending expanse that was the sky. I looked back once and directed one thought towards my mother. ‘I don’t run away from my problems, I’m not like Dad.’ I knew she would hear me though because of her ability to read minds; not that she used it often. My mother was too polite to read the minds of those around her, unless it was for her job.

I turned my head back towards the sky and flew higher until I was on a thermal air draft. As I soared against the wind, I thought over my argument with my mother. Recently, I got a letter from a private school called Aroonmoor High. Now, the part of it called “High” would make one think that it was a public school, but it was a private school because only those gifted with magic could go. My mother, when she was younger, had gone and graduated from there. She wanted me to go too, but the idea of being stuck inside four walls for a year freaked me out. It wasn’t that I got scared being surrounded by walls, it was just in my nature.

See, my dad was part faery (that’s why he ran away), so naturally, I would have some faery traits too. Faeries are flighty, carefree creatures, so being stuck in a building was not good for them. I could stand it, but not for too long. I’d go crazy if I could not have the freedom I needed. A private school wouldn’t have enough of that, but that wasn’t the only reason why I didn’t want to go.

Another reason was that I’d be too far away to come here. Here was a castle in the middle of a forest. It wasn’t the castle that really mattered though. It was the person inside the castle.

I landed on the railing of the second tower and peered into the window. It wasn’t that easy what with the dirt on it. Seeing no one there, I pushed the window in and flew inside. I nearly had a heart attack when someone enveloped their arms around me. I struggled a bit and stiffened when I felt someone brush against my mind. I relaxed as I recognized who had taken a hold of me. Seeing that I had relaxed, he let me go. I beat my wings to get my balance before shapeshifting back. “Markel, were you trying to give me an early death?” I asked glaring playfully at my silver-haired friend.

“No, of course not. If I was truly trying to give you an early death, I would have made you into a vampire like myself,” Markel said flashing his pearly white fangs.

I frowned, “Have you eaten lately? Because, if you haven’t, you should. I refuse to be your main course!”

“Oh don’t worry about that, you have nothing to worry about from me… for now,” he said in a low voice. “Anyway, is there something wrong? You look upset.”

“Figures you would notice,” I mumbled. “I got a letter from this private school.”

“Isn’t that good though?” Markel asked perplexed.

“No!” I shouted. “I wouldn’t be able to travel freely!”

A single silver eyebrow rose and he asked, “That’s not the real reason is it?”

“No,” I answered slightly dejected. “The truth is, I wouldn’t be able to see you.” I looked down slightly embarrassed.

“You know, that’s sweet, really. But, it wouldn’t ever work out between us. We’re two different races. I’m a vampire and you’re human,” he said with a sad look coming into his red eyes.

“Half-human,” I corrected. “I’m part faery. See the pointed ears?”

He frowned and waved off what I said. “That still doesn’t change the fact that I’m wrong for you.”

“What’s so wrong about it? You’re a guy and I’m a girl!” I yelled. I stamped my feet on the ground in anger.

“This is what’s wrong!” Markel growled out. His eyes grew dark as he suddenly jumped at me. I would have fallen had he not held my lower back from doing so. He lowered his head towards my neck and I froze as I felt cold, sharp fangs on my skin. Just as soon as I felt them, they were gone as Markel raised his head from my neck. “I could lose control at any time, and then where would you be?” He looked at me, his dark eyes going lighter as he stared into my eyes. He still held me as he stood up.

“I’d be with you,” I answered. I turned my head and breathed in his scent that smelled of fire with a bit of cinnamon. It might seem weird to have fire as a scent, but I didn’t care. It was my favorite scent after all.

“That’s not a good answer,” he murmured as he held my small figure close to him. He sighed and lifted me into his arms. I giggled slightly at the light weighted feeling. Markel walked out of the room and into another. I knew without looking that it was the library because he set me down on a red velvet chair that was only in the library.

I sat up straight and smiled as I saw that I was right.

Markel sat down beside me and asked, “What are you smiling about?”

“I’m smiling because I’m right,” I answered.

He sighed again and cleared his throat. “About this school of yours—”

“No! I don’t want to leave you!” I shouted hugging him tightly. I knew I was being clingy and a bit childish, but I couldn’t really help it. I was too attached to the vampire; I wouldn’t say love because I wasn’t sure if Markel loved me. Sure, his actions said so, but he let a simple matter of race get in the way. I couldn’t be sure he truly loved me until he was able to truly say it without letting anything get in the way.

He placed his arm around me and said, “I was going to say that if the problem is with you not wanting to leave me then I’ll come with you.”

“Really?” I asked leaning into him. “You’ll really do that?”

“Yes, I don’t want to be the reason why you’re not going. Your mother would kill me,” Markel added as an afterthought.

“How would she kill you? Aren’t you already dead?” I teased drawing away from him and poking him in the chest.

“Very funny Ari, and technically I’m undead,” Markel said dryly.

“Dead, undead, it doesn’t make a difference. What’s really important though is the fact that you’re going to come with me!” I shouted. A thought occurred to me and I asked, “Wait, what about the sun? How will you be able to come if you turn into dust when the sun hits you?”

“It’s painful, but I won’t turn into dust upon immediate contact. Anyway, you’ll see, now go home. I need to go get something to eat if I am to go with you,” he said.

“Don’t kill them,” I said rising to my feet.

“I don’t ever do,” he said.

I nodded at him and smiled. I shapeshifted into a kestrel again and Markel stood up. I flew up to his shoulder and gently held on with my talons. I crooned softly and rubbed against his cheek. My shapeshifting abilities didn’t allow me to bring other attributes of other forms. Like how I couldn’t speak when I was in my kestrel form, which was bad when I wanted to say something. Luckily, Markel had telepathy, well, all vampires have it actually. ‘I’m not hurting you am I?’ I thought to him.

“No, you aren’t,” he said softly. Markel started walking to the room that I had flown in from.

‘Good, I wouldn’t want to.’ I looked at the open window, then I looked back at Markel. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow Markel!’ I thought to him before jumping off of his shoulder. I beat my wings to get my balance before flying out the window.

It was sunset when I arrived home and shapeshifted back into my human form. Around this time, I knew my mother would be cooking dinner. I opened the front door and my mother’s familiar greeted me enthusiastically. I grinned and kneeled down to scratch her behind her ears.

All witches, wizards, and warlocks have a familiar. If you wanted to know about a person’s personality, you only had to look at their familiar. For instance, my mother’s familiar is a white saluki. Which means that my mother is a caring, loving person, and that she is loyal. After all, my mother’s familiar is a dog, and aren’t all dogs loyal? As for me, I don’t have a familiar yet. It’s not like I was born with one, nor can I buy one. A familiar comes to the person, it might happen when they’re still young, or it might happen later on in life. No one knows, not even the familiar does until the time comes for it to be with it’s partner. Oh well, it’s not like I need one now anyway.

I gave Yume another scratch before heading towards the kitchen. In there, I saw my mother fussing around the kitchen cleaning up. She had already noticed me, but she chose not to look. By the doorway I said, “I’ll go.”

“What?” She turned around to look, and I could see that her light green eyes were shining in relief. Why relief though, I wasn’t sure.

“I’ll go to Aroonmoor High,” I repeated.

“Really? That’s wonderful! We’ll have to go get your supplies tomorrow. And then, you’re off to school!” my mother squealed. “Now, onto another matter. Ari dear, I worry about you when you go over to that vampire’s house. Are you sure he can be trusted?”

“Of course! Mama, you don’t have to worry. After all, he’s the one who convinced me to go,” I said wryly.

“Oh, then I guess he’s alright,” she said hesitantly.

“Yes, so I’m going to take a shower then,” I said.

“Sure, I’ll have dinner ready by the time you’re done,” my mother said with a smile before turning around and going back to cooking.

I walked upstairs to my room to get my clothes for the night. I didn’t notice anything at first when I opened the door. Walking in, I closed the door behind me and immediately Markel was in front of me. “Markel? What are you doing here?” I whispered.

“Just came by to check on you,” he whispered back. “And, to ask you if you have a familiar yet.”

“No, I don’t have one,” I answered. “Why?”

“You’ll see tomorrow,” Markel said with a secretive smile before disappearing as only vampires could.

I frowned at his lack of revealing things before going over to my drawer to get a blue sleeping outfit with grey wings on the pants. The shirt was a tank top with a picture of grey wings on the front. It was my favorite outfit, and after a moment’s thought, I put it away. That outfit I’d bring with me. Instead, I chose a red sleeping outfit that was the same style, just red with stars on it. Satisfied, I finished getting my clothes and left my room for the bathroom. Once there, I quickly took a shower because I had smelt something delicious coming from the direction of the kitchen. I finished and did everything I needed to do in record time.

I practically flew downstairs, but when I neared the kitchen I calmed myself down. I poked my head in and asked, “Whatever is that wonderful smell?”

My mother chuckled and waved at the dining room table. There on the table was an assortment of cuisines. There was a soufflé dish, alfredo pasta, and so many of my favorite dishes!

“Mama? What’s this for?” I asked. I stared in awe at the many entrees on the table.

“For you of course. It’s your last night here at home and I wanted you have a memorable night,” she said coming over to me and placing her arm around me. “Just because I want you to go doesn’t mean I won’t miss you. I’m your mother, I want what’s best for you even if I won’t get to see you as often.”

Tears sprang into my eyes and I leaned into her slightly. “I love you Mama. Wait, I can come back for Christmas though right?”

She laughed and said, “Of course! I wouldn’t have it any other way! Now, let’s have dinner. Then we’ll do something together before heading off to bed okay?”

I nodded and walked over to my seat at the table. Yume jumped up onto a chair beside me and settled down. Just because she was a familiar didn’t mean she couldn’t eat like regular people. My mother sat on the other side of me and smiled. I smiled back and said, “Let’s eat!”

I was aware of two things when I woke up. One, the window was open and the morning sunlight was shining on me. Two, there was a heavy weight on my chest that reminded me of something metallic. Not really that much like it because I could also feel a slight movement from it. I opened my eyes and immediately noticed a silver fox with red eyes on top of me. I was about to scream when the fox’s red eyes stared into my own hypnotically. My eyes widened in recognition and I whispered, “Markel?”

His silver head nodded and he hopped off of my chest to land on the window sill… in the bright sunlight.

“Markel! The sun—” I stopped as I saw that he was not turning into dust. “How?”

He waved his tail at me to express the fact that he was in the form of a fox.

“Yes, I know you can’t talk when you’re like that, but you can always speak to me telepathically,” I told him frowning. “Not that you ever do, why’s that?”

Markel looked out the window before he sighed, or it seemed like he did. He turned his head back and I felt his mind reach out to mine. ‘I don’t like to communicate like this because I feel that I am overstepping my boundaries.’

‘Overstepping? What do you, oh no, not this again! We’ve gone over this! Face it Markel! We’re meant for each other!’ I shouted mentally, aware of the fact that my mother was attuned to any noise in my room. I was lucky that she hadn’t woken up from before.

‘Ari now is not the time to discuss this. There are other more important matters to attend to,’ he said sternly.

‘I know, but I just don’t understand why you can’t get the fact that we—”

‘Stop.’ His red eyes glared at me and he said, ‘I am not coming as your companion, but as your familiar. It would not do for others to discover that I am not what I appear.’

‘How are you going to pose as my familiar if you can’t do things that other familiars can do?’ I asked.

‘I’m a two hundred and fifty year old vampire. I’ve learned a few tricks that could fool even the smartest human!’ Markel boasted smugly.

‘Yeah, yeah, I believe you. Now go hide, I’ll introduce you to my mother later,’ I told him sitting up. ‘Markel, how are you able to be in the sun?’

Markel poked his head up from under the bed. ‘All vampires are able to transform into the form of an animal they want. In that form, we are able to travel in daylight without killing ourselves. It does take a lot of energy to shift though.’

‘So, it’s not like how I shift then?’ I asked walking over to my closet. I took out my suitcase and grabbed clothes out of my closet to put them in my suitcase.

‘No, I can only shift to one form, Ari, you can shift into anything,’ Markel answered.

‘Provided I’ve copied their form,’ I put in as I placed the last article of clothing inside my suitcase.

‘Ahh, but with enough practice you’ll be able to shapeshift into anything you desire,’ Markel said. ‘Go change, I believe your mother is waking. She will want to leave soon. I will wait for you outside.’ Markel grinned at me before disappearing.

“Vampires, they don’t ever tell you good-bye,” I muttered. The door suddenly opened and my mother peeked in.

“Is something wrong dear?” she asked.

“No, I’m just talking to myself,” I answered truthfully. The thing with my mother was that she always was able to tell when someone was lying.

“Alright, do you need help packing?” she asked noticing my open suitcase.

“It’s alright, I’ve got it,” I replied as I closed it up. “Oh, I found a fox sitting on me when I woke up.”

“You’ve got your familiar? That’s great!” my mother exclaimed clapping her hands together.

I didn’t say anything; instead I stood up holding the clothes that I would wear that day. “I’ll just go change and then can we leave?”

“Sure, we’ll grab something to eat on the way,” she said smiling before leaving the room.

I nodded, more to myself as my mother had already left. Food at the Between was always better than food in the nonmagical world. Smiling to myself, I went to the bathroom. Maybe this school wouldn’t be so bad, especially if Markel was coming!