𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐌𝐀 • 𝐬.𝐬

Chapter 12

ANYA STOOD ACROSS THE HALL FROM
Saul as they all listened to the assembly speech that Queen Luna - Stella's mother - gave the kids about the Burned Ones.

She watched him intently, to see if he had any issues with the mention of the Burned Ones but he seemed fine.

Farah walked around, discreetly holding the crystal to check if anyone had the power to kill Callum but it appeared to not be working.

Musa, Terra and Aisha whispered to themselves, Terra asking what emotions Musa picked up. "Dowling is anxious," she explained, looking over he shoulder at her.

Farah was standing at the back, her eyes scanning the crowd still as she had not found any powers that matched the ones in the office.

"Well her assistant did die," Aisha stated, trying not to speak too loudly about it.

"But Silva and Winchester are on high alert too, they feel like there could be a threat anywhere, they feel other stuff too but I'd rather not talk about that," she said, grimacing slightly.

"And my Dad?" Terra asked, looking over at her father who was watching the assembly intently.

"Hes scared, like über-scared," Musa explained, looking down at the floor.

"Earlier, he was making something using stones they use in the vessel and Anya was doing some weird email that I couldn't catch," Terra explained, "Those stones track magic, and now Dowlings got it."

Anya leaned against the wall, staring at  Queen Luna with a bored expression as she rambled on about conflict.

"We are tracking at least five Burned Ones through Solaria," Luna explained, the children mummering as they heard the news.

All the students were worried but they should be more scared. They didn't know the true dangers of the Burned Ones or the threat they posed to their society.

Saul looked at Anya from the other side of the room to see her standing still, standing regal like a princess.

He smiled to himself, "Its time-" Luna announced, "-for all of you to pay attention,"

As the assembly ended, Anya went outside with Farah, Ben and Saul, the latter of which explained that she didn't find the magic.

Farah walked off in frustration and Saul grabbed Anyas hand, kissing her on the forehead.

"They're on edge. Whatever they're doing, its not going well," Musa explained, narrowing her eyes at them.

"I find it really hard to believe that they'd have some big ulterior motive, my dads a good guy and I've know Anya since I was born," Terra explained.

"I don't want to belive it either but-" Aisha started but Musa cut her off.

"People have more stuff going on than you'd think, especially parents, or new relationships," Musa said, glancing over at Ben, Anya and Saul.

Musa excused herself, walking into the distance ominously.

Anya followed Farah out of the room, the two heading towards her office where Stella and Luna were waiting.

Stella held her hands over a bowl, her light magic starting to flow.

"What do you want the light to do?" Farah asked, hovering over Stella whilst Anya stood with Luna, observing.

Stella was doing well and Anya smiled as she created a rainbow, showing the progression of her magic.

"Please tell me that was a joke," Luna said bitterly, walking over, "You instructed her to make a rainbow to display her power,"

Stella looked down at the floor, ashamed. She diminished the rainbow, not looking at her mother.

"We discussed this at the end of the last term, rehabilitating magic is a process," Farah explained, narrowing her eyes at Luna.

"I did not send my daughter back to Alfea for a process, I sent her back because you promised to fix her after the incident with Ricki," Luna stated.

"An incident that occurred because her previous training was focused solely in results," Anya said, walking over to stand next to Stella.

The Queen narrowed her eyes at Anya, "I don't see how you have a place in this," she said, practically spitting out the words.

They stood in silence for a moment before Farah took a deep breath, looking at Luna.

"When she's ready, we'll move onto stronger magic. It will take time," Farah explained, trying to convince Luna.

"Would you like me to repeat the list of threats we're facing while you take time?" Luna asked, "Solaria is the strongest realm in the Otherworld and she is its heir,"

Stella looked upset, not looking at her mother and instead staring at an apparently interesting spot on the floor.

"She is an extension of that strength," Luna explained.

She had been too hard on Stella ever since she joined the school and it had resulted in the girls almost brat like behavior when she was younger.

"But what they're doing is working. My power has increased so much-" Stella started and Luna glared at her.

"Do not speak when I am speaking," she said, clenching her jaw as she looked at her daughter.

"I blinded a Burned One," Stella said, finally standing up for herself.

Anya held back a smile, proud that the girl who was so broken at the start of the year had the courage to stand up to her mother.

"And did it with precision and skill, I was there," Anya explained, looking at Luna, Farah nodding her head in agreement.

Luna scoffed, "And you think that is power?" She asked, looking at them.

There was a musical whoosing in the air and Luna used her powers to change reality temporarily and Stella looked distressed.

"When you control light, you control what people see and despite what anyone says matter in this world, appearance is everything," Luna explained.

She turned to look at Farah and Anya, "Stella, you did excellent work, you're dismissed," Farah said and Stella nodded, smiling weakly at the teachers.

"I see you still believe fear is the ultimate motivator," Anya stated, looking at Luna.

"Don't consider yourself immune to that, you serve at my leisure Farah," Luna stated, "and moods can change,"

She walked off - you know, like a bitch - and Anya audibly groaned. "I hate her,' she announced.

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