“You are right; while there have been many theories over the centuries, that is the one most accepted. The Gods of old haven’t been seen by any person that's currently alive, nor anyone who lived when any history we have was written. It is widely believed that the different Gods passed down different traits through their bloodlines, suggesting why there are so many types of magic. However, there are also a lot of people who believe the “Gods” were actually fairies ” He goes on explaining the different theories that people have come up with over the years. There are so many and no one really knows what’s true. He’s a great teacher and this is really interesting, so I try to ignore the insane tugging sensation and take notes.
The bell to signal the end of class buzzes loudly overhead. “Alright, I will see you all on Wednesday. In the meantime, I want each of you to research one of the old Gods and what magic is believed to be passed down from them,” Professor Barlow finishes as the other students pack up to leave.
Like an invisible string tethering me to Rehan, that I can somehow tell he feels too, neither of us moves to follow our classmates. The ticking seconds feel like hours, as though time has slowed just for us. Even from my seat a foot away, I can feel the heat radiating off his body, like a warm cocoon that I just want to burrow into, slowly I push out of my chair, standing up to slide behind him. The pulling in my chest gets more insistent the farther away I get from him, not quite painful, but annoyingly uncomfortable like an itch that’s just out of reach.
Almost in a haze, I somehow make my way to the greenhouse for Botany. I really, really hope I can actually get through this class without any more distractions. I can’t afford to mess up anything else on my first day.
Professor Lockwood is a willowy woman; white hair pulled back into a messy bun with little leaves poking out, and the dirt spots on her black tights confirm she spends a lot of time out here. She’s wearing what looks like a t-shirt dress covered in prints of different types of flowers, and bright pink ballet flats. She reminds me of how my mom used to dress; functional versus what others would call fashionable.
“Come in, come in kids! Find the spot that calls to you! There are multiple plants along the table in the front. Find the one that you feel connects with your magic, just don’t touch any of the leaves. Some of these are poisonous, so keep that in mind.”
The greenhouse is stunning, though far larger than my mom’s was. There are eight, two-person tables in the center of the building, with aisles on each side and down the middle. The sides are lined with flower beds with all different kinds of plants, and the whole area has fairy lights hanging along the lower beams which makes me sure this place looks magical at night.
My favorite part, however, is the huge Mountain Ash tree in the front of the room. It easily captures my focus, raised slightly higher than the rest of the floor, with a stream that runs around it and down through the water beds along the side. It’s in full bloom, which would actually be late normally, but here it’s thriving. I recall that Mountain Ash trees are great for warding off evil spirits and protecting against ill intent.
I follow the others up towards the tables that run along the front of the ash tree. There are several different types of potted plants displayed; the normal herbs like mint, sage, and basil, then the more witchy plants like arrowroot, wormwood, and wolfsbane. So many I recognize since my mom was a greenwitch, but there are still quite a few that I’m not sure about as I make my way down the table. I get to the first plant, placing my hands around the pot of a lavender bud. I can feel the plant reaching out, but it’s not calling to me. I go down the line with all the other students, until I'm near the end, coming to a stop in front of a beautiful pink plant. Wrapping my hands around its pot, I close my eyes and take a deep breath of oleander. I can feel the plant come to life under my hands. There is a subtle pulsing I can feel deep in my bones.
I grab the flowerpot more firmly, and go to find a seat. A couple other people have found their plants, but most are still looking. I choose a seat on the far side of the room, where I can see the ocean through the greenhouse windows. I set my plant on the table to hang my bag on the back of my chair before turning my attention back to the oleander. Reaching out to run my fingernails along the leaves, I can feel the life coursing through it. I’ve always had a connection to plants and animals, which I thought was because I’d be a green witch like my mom, but maybe it’s something to do with being a Nexus witch. I’m so focused on the plant, I don’t noticehimuntil the scraping sound of the seat next to me sliding out breaks my concentration.
I don’t even have to turn to know who it is; his energy dances along my skin, a gentle but electric tingle that raises the hairs on my arm. “Hello again, Siren. Looks like we share this class together as well.” Rehan’s bright green eyes are staring into my soul, the pull to him I feel unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced before.
Clearing my throat, and trying my best to stop ogling him, I blink dazedly before replying. “It seems like it, doesn’t it?”
His deep throaty chuckle sends chills down my spine. “Do you mind if I sit here?”
Oh gods, I don’t know if I can make it through another class with this gorgeous man next to me, but the thought ofhim not being next to me is unfathomable. Whatever this pull is makes me want to crawl into his skin just to be as close to him as possible, which is an extremely fucking weird reaction to someone I just met. A throat clearing pulls me out of my spiral. Realizing I didn’t actually give him an answer, I cough slightly to downplay the awkwardness. He probably thinks I’m insane now, I think to myself. “Uhh, yeah that's fine.” I glance up, finally making eye contact, once again mesmerized by the beautiful green color.
He sets down his pot with belladonna, more commonly referred to as deadly nightshade, and slides into his seat. “Interesting choice of plant Siren. Looks like we are both attracted to beautiful deadly things.”
I rub one of the leaves of my oleander somewhat absentmindedly. “It does seem that way, doesn’t it?”
Whatever he was about to say next is cut off by Professor Lockwood clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Okay kiddos, it looks like everyone found their plant! Good, good! You’re each going to take this plant and keep it in your dorm. Your task is to water it, nurture it, and grow it. It’s important to bond with nature, as our magic stems from the Earth and the very air around us. Knowing how to connect to the world around you can not only assist with grounding your magic, it can help you in so many ways.”
Everyone around me seems to be doing the same thing I am; reaching out with magic, feeling the connection to our plants. However, the pull to the man next to me is all-consuming. It's a strumming under my skin, a pulsing through my chest. I’ve never felt like this towards anyone before, this instantaneous connection. There is no way the first guy I really speak to ends up being a possible circle member, right?
Packing my bag after Botany, I realize I forgot a book I will need for my Latin class after lunch. I decide to run to my dorm before lunch so I’m not in a rush afterwards, hurrying into my room and grabbing my book off my desk. When I turn to leave, a package on my bed catches my eye. Since packages normally get left in the office and you have to go pick them up, I’m guessing Marshall left it for me, so I leave it to deal with later.
I move to walk out of the room and it's like an invisible tether pulling me back, demanding I open that package now, so I slowly walk over to the bed, sitting cautiously down next to the box. It’s wrapped in a dark gold paper, and tied with an emerald green silk ribbon. I take my time opening it, making sure not to rip anything since it seems expensive. Picking it up, the first thing I notice is the weight. It looks small like a jewelry box, made of some kind of dark wood, and the lid is engraved with a crest that looks like the symbol from my power assessment.
I slowly lift the lid. Inside is a beautiful dark bronze pocket watch that looks like it could be hundreds of years old. Unlike any timepiece I’ve ever seen however, it has six hour hands instead of one, each pointing in different directions. The chainat the top is small and dainty looking, but as soon as I reach out and grab it to get a better look, a jolt of static flows through me. I’ve never felt magic like this before, almost like a mix of different elements. It’s intoxicating. I feel something settle in my chest as the magic dissipates.
The watch hands are now spinning wildly, but I push aside my confusion when I notice an ivory envelope under where the watch sat. On it, my name is written in a beautiful cursive script. Why do I get a suspicious feeling that whatever it contains is going to be bigger than finding out about my magic?
Magnolia,
I know you are sure to have questions, as I did when I received this watch. However, at the time, I didn’t know where I had come from. When I received this artifact, with a vague letter from some distant relative that couldn’t explain to me who they were or anything about my family, it obviously left me with more questions than answers. Whoever wrote mine only told me about this watch and what it does, but didn’t tell me a name, or who my family was. I couldn’t do that to you. So I guess I shall explain that first, my dear girl.
This watch will change so it has an hour hand for each soul mate you have, and the hands will only move if they are close. I’m not sure what the range is, but I’d assume in the same town,at least. It’s how I found your dad, after all. My watch had five hands, but only one ever moved. I always figured eventually I’d find the rest of my circle, but I was never in a rush. Your dad was everything to me, then you and your brother came along, so I never truly felt like my life was incomplete.
Every species, family, and circle is different in how they find each other. However, every bond will have a mate mark, that is true for everyone. As for us, and our circles, only the center gets an artifact, and according to my research it’s only certain bloodlines. As for this watch: the faster the hand is spinning, the farther away your mate is, but as you get closer it will slow down, then stop when pointing to your mate. It is my greatest hope that they treat you like the amazing young woman I know you will be, my darling.
You're currently ten years old, playing in the yard with your brother. Last night I had a dream telling me I needed to write this letter, so I have a feeling that means I won’t be around to watch you open it and subsequently find your loves. I hope that’s not the case, but I do not know what the future holds for me. Just know, my sweet girl,that I love you and your brother with every fiber of my being. You two are the best things to happen in my life, never doubt that. Be well, and live life to the fullest. I hope and pray that you, Marsh, and Dad are safe and happy. Maybe one day he will find the rest of our circle and find happiness again if I am gone.
Love Forever,
Momma
I don’t realize that I’m crying until a tear hits the paper. Seeing her handwriting on paper so long after losing her, having a new little piece of her… it’s a gift. I can’t wait to show Marshall, though part of me hates that I got something from mom and he didn’t. Even though it was out of my control, I know it’s unfair that I got to see her in that dreamscape, and now this. Picking up the watch, all the hands are still spinning but none are moving fast. Does that mean they are all close? Wait… one hand for each mate… and there are six fucking hands. You have got to be shitting me.
