Wake Up, Witch

Chapter 9

They were all just a year younger than me at eighteen. Yes, I slept for two centuries, but my heart (if I had one) and soul (if it was ever still there) still felt nineteen. I could still remember the day I turned the same age as these three apostles. It was the year I truly became a witch.

The moment I stood in front of them, I knew I had to be more careful. These were no ordinary witches.

"This is Akira Katama," Cedric introduced. "You've met his sister."

My eyes met the young man's angled ones. If his black hair was longer and his height was five inches shorter, he'd be the replica of Akiko. Even the angles of his face were as soft as that of his sister.

"Akiko has been such a great help since I woke up," I said to him. "And she has a brilliant mind."

Apparently, he did not seem as proud as I hoped he'd be. His face remained unreadable, although his eyes studied me with questions like I was an experiment he wanted to start on as soon as possible.

"Tiff Powell," Cedric continued, eyeing the black girl standing in the middle. "And Lexie Black." He gestured at the other girl.

My eyes remained on Tiff Powell because she was wearing a wrap around her head. It was white, meeting the unspoken color standards of the society, but she styled it by creating a bow. Her glimmering, light brown eyes and small smile gave me a hint of her personality.

Lexie Black had blue eyes and dark blond hair hanging just above her shoulders. And of the three of them, I should be wary of this one. Akira and Tiff both had a strong presence, but nothing like Lexie. She was pulsing with power. Ominous, young, barely controlled, which was both exciting and alarming.

"I'm pleased to meet you all."

Tiff and Lexie smiled. Akira remained blank, but he joined the other two in a small bow of greeting.

"On behalf of the Saint Council, we're hoping that you, Astral Aster Byrne, will reach astounding success with your first apostles at your side," Cedric said, turning to me, his playful smile back. But his words were nothing but a hum behind the whispered warnings of my own thoughts.

Smile frozen on my lips, I swallowed.

Apostles. Who would have thought I'd have three?

"Be ready," I heard Cedric say to the apostles. "Your lives will forever change from this moment on."

Tiff smiled, excitement in her eyes. Lexie swallowed, face pale and anxious. Akira merely stared, gaze boring into me, as if he knew something I didn't.

"Your apostles are going to stay and prepare the place for you," Cedric told me, hand on my back to guide me back outside. His hand traveled lower, and I expertly moved away.

"I would like to have a word with them alone," I said to him, stopping.

Cedric looked surprised, but he nodded and walked out, closing the door behind him.

I returned to the apostles with a smile. "I know the four of us will be stuck together for a long time and I'd rather we forego the awkward phase. Please be comfortable in my presence." When they just stared, I broke into a smile. "After all, we're practically the same age, are we not?"

"You're a year older," said Lexie, voice soft and hesitant.

"Plus two-hundred," Tiff added, wincing when Akira elbowed her side.

"I remember nothing of those two-hundred years," I said with a wave of my hand. "I woke up with the same memory as my nineteen-year-old self."

"Oh. I've wondered about that since the news that you woke up came out. But didn't you have dreams? I mean, we sometimes do before the halo's spell takes over and—"