Sheala danced to the sound of the piano, around and around she spun, dizziness creeping up on her. Still, she danced, for she was deep in thought and her feet couldn't still at the thought of how close she was to holding something great in her hands.
"There you are."
Sheala came to a jarring stop, face alight with a brilliant smile. He was a handsome man indeed, but not the object of her fascination. In his hand he held a box and her eyes stayed glued as he turned away. Following him out of the hall was an easy decision. In her soul she knew he held in his hands something life changing.
As they wound through the maze of gardens, she kept up with him, walking in sink with each other. "It's mine?" She murmured, curiosity coloring her voice.
"Careful," he turned towards her, "magic has a mind of its own, once separated from it's original body." He smiled, pointy teeth peeking through. "Grab it as soon as I open the box -hold on tight."
Sheala sucked in a breath as he snapped the lid open, reaching forward, greedily snatching up the smoky writhing mass inside. In her hands, it felt cold and alien. Gulping one last time, she gripped it with her own magic, and slowly shoved it inward. Not bothering to waste any time, afraid that if she waited, she would change her mind. Slowly, so very slowly, the smoke was forcefully shoved through layers of skin, into Sheala's swollen womb.
Morning came and the tiredness had yet to slip in. Wisteria leaned her head against the cool wall of the terminal. Her plane was soon and all that floated through her numb mind was that within a handful of hours, she would meet a man she had never known, who she was to call father. For in blood, if not actuality, that was what he was. Eyes sore from unshed tears, she let her eyelids close briefly. Killed, her mother had said. I killed them. Who though? What in entirety had her mother done and what did it have to do with Wisteria? Death; murder was a heavy price to pay for any debt; Wisteria couldn't imagine what could possibly justify such a demand. What could possibly justify Sheala's actions?
The scuffle and loud sounds of the terminal jerked Wisteria from her thoughts. She watched the people around her, normal, unaware of the life altering actions of one; innocently unaware of a gruesome crime committed by a well-respected woman, a powerful woman -leader of a cult and proclaimed for her acts of service to small communities around the world. Wisteria had always known her mother was odd, doing things no one else could do, saying things that no one else could understand, secrets no one else could know off. Any cult leader had to be at least a little insane. There was a long list of instances where Wisteria could have asked questions and possible received answers, but she had always assumed ignorance was bliss. Besides, the risk of harsh words wasn't worth it.
Getting on the plane, her feet felt like rocks, she looked past her shoulder too many times, as if she could catch a glimpse of her mother among the crowd. Her mother who had raised her diligently. Had given her everything she could possibly need; who had cut time out of her day to home-school Wisteria. The plane seemed colorless compared to the light her mother emitted. The colors that danced around Sheala had always been brighter then around anyone else.
Wisteria laughed under her breadth, who was she kidding, the lights were all in her head, of course they were brighter around her mother, Wisteria loved her the most- almost. Settling in to sleep, her last thought was of the life ahead of her, and the life suddenly ripped out from under her.
***
The flight had worn at her; drooping eyes harder and harder to keep open. Now, off the plane, a strange relief swallowed her. Smile Falls was behind her, ahead was her family, sans her mother. That last thought left a bitterness in the back of Wisteria's mouth and she coughed.
Wisteria searched the crowed outside the terminal, searching for someone, anyone who might be there for her. Signs and calls blurred into one as the crowd jostled around her. Still, she searched, blinking the sting behind her eyes away.
She jerked as something firmly landed on her shoulder. Spinning around, she met the eyes of a blond boy -only a few years older than her. His hair fell past his shoulders and the top half was pulled back in a pony tail. His curtain bangs slightly blocked out his eyes, but still the piecing blue stood out.
Wisteria gasped. The colors swirled around him, almost brighter then her mothers, they twisted and turned, writhing as if alive.
He frowned looking her up and down. "You're not much huh? Small, really small for your age. Dad said fifteen."
"Almost sixteen." Wisteria didn't like his tone, but she was determined to get off on a friendly foot with her new life.
"Yeah, sure," he shrugged and stuck out his hand in greeting. "I'm Charlie Willow, your older brother."
Wisteria blinked. "Older brother?"
He frowned. "Don't sound so shocked. Did you expect me to look more like our mother?"
Wisteria only starred. "Older brother." She repeated.
"Yes," he said slowly. "Older brother," he said, as if she couldn't understand the words alone.
Wisteria eyed him suspiciously. "I wasn't aware I had one, you're not pulling my leg, are you?"
Charlie starred at her for a moment, before rolling his eyes upwards. He sighed. "This is a mess. Dad said Sheala was a bit weird but I had no idea she wouldn't tell you this much. Next thing I'll know, she hasn't told you about magic -though that would be pretty hard considering you'll have been displaying abilities for at least a couple years now."
Wisteria wanted to punch something. Closing her eyes she took several deep breaths. Now was not the time to lose her temper. He had to be kidding. Wisteria stopped, but then again, perhaps she wasn't hallucinating, perhaps the weird things she could see, were real after all. Suddenly she recalled what her mother had seemingly done at the police station, and the many times before. She swallowed. "What?" She croaked.
Charlie met her eyes, searching quietly. "Oh," he said. "Come on, we need to see dad."
Wisteria followed her newly discovered brother as they waded through the crowd, towards a truck. High as it was, Wisteria struggled to jump in, barely making it up without falling.
They drove in silence, the rumble of the truck and their breathing the only sounds -until they left the city and entered the land of trees.
"So, what's she like? Our mother? I always wondered why she never bothered to meet me, why she chose you and not me." There was a false lightness to his voice betraying how much it had weighed on him.
Wisteria laughed hollowly. "She was a cult leader. She hated all things abnormal and convinced me I was hallucinating my whole life." Wisteria looked out the window. "She did everything she could for me. She bought me gifts, spent time with me, showered me with complements and told me she loved me." And so much more -less.
Charlie glanced at her, quickly focusing on the road again. "I'm almost glad I never met her then. She sounds like a hot mess. A cult? Really?"
Wisteria didn't answer.
They drove into the darkness of the forest silently, the blurry light of mid morning barely visible through the thick treetops. They came to a stop in a dirt parking area scattered with cars of all types, some obviously old and unused, others well worn.
Charlie parked the car. He squinted out the front window and pointed into the distance. "There, see that?"
Wisteria could just barely make out the form of an old cottage, narrow and tall. Its long chimney was smokeless and the gloomy windows light less. "Yes?"
"That's the gate. All you have to do is enter the front door here, and exit the back door there." He hopped out of the car, pocketing the keys. "Come on, we have plenty to do, no use dilly dallying."
Wisteria followed him, picking her way through the narrow path between the parking lot and cottage. The door squeaked on their way in. They shuffled through the dark slowly.
A crash sounded out, jerking Wisteria back.
"Fuck, Ouch" Charlie swore. "Stupid table."
After that, Wisteria was sure to move carefully, using her hands to feel her way through.
"Wisteria?" Charlie asked as they came to a stop. "Remember, this won't be like where you come from. If I'm right in my suspicions and Sheala hasn't told you anything much, then you're in for a culture shock. These people are dangerous. Be respectful, before you know who they are, always stay cautious of offending them."
"Okay," Wisteria murmured. As if she needed a warning.
With a creak and a click, Charlie swung the back door open wide, Wisteria flinched at the sudden bright light, gasping at what she saw. They were standing atop a grassy hill, and below sprawled a city; swirling with colors. The towering buildings glowed and the crawling plants that scaled the buildings breathed colors.
"Beautiful, isn't it? The Otherworld is colorless; grey, in comparison."
Wisteria nodded silently. Beautiful didn't convey the stunning view. It sang at her, sending shivers down her spine and cooling her skin as it swirled around her. "So many plants."
Charlie shrugged. "Well yes, witches are closely linked to nature, some more so than others. But we all thrive off of the magic that flows through the natural elements."
Witches. He had to be kidding -yet, all she had seen matched up with the picture he was painting. Mainly that without magic, how was it possible to enter a cottage in a forest and come out the other side with not a forest in sight? "What's in that tree?" She asked suddenly, pointing towards a large tree in the middle of the city, it climbed up and up into the sky, towering above even the tallest building. Perhaps the tallest tree Wisteria had ever seen.
"That," Charlie smiled brightly, "is the school, Pyre Academy for Young Witches."
Wisteria rubbed her sore eyes, wondering what she was to do about a lack of glasses, but she couldn't go much longer without them. Her headache had grown and the bright colors only seemed to make it worse.
Charlie was starring at her now, "you know, despite your curly hair, we look quite a bit alike. I assumed you would look more like Sheala."
Wisteria patted her head self consciously. Her hand tangled in the frizzy mess and she sighed; she desperately needed some hair gel. The only way to semi tame her frizz. "I need glasses." She blurted out to change the subject. "I left mine back home." Actually, she had left everything back home. Her art books, clothing, favorite novels, her paintings and much more. An emptiness came over Wisteria. What was she going to do?
"Ahh." Charlie nodded. "We'll let dad know."
They made their way carefully down the hill, until they came to a locked gate. Charlie muttered a few worlds and with a click the gate swung silently open.
Wisteria barely noticed, to preoccupied with the soreness of her eyes and the pounding of her headache. They traveled in blessed silence, and Wisteria realized that her brother must be just like her, a person of little words. It was a relief in a way.
The silence didn't last for long though. They descended into the city; by now it was midday and the world was bright and alive.
Wisteria took one last deep breath as she stepped into a world of witches, monsters, spirits and gods.