Vigil's Echo

Chapter 13

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"I...don't understand," I spoke, slowing my words before too many spilled out. Was this even real? I flipped through my memories, confused as my eyes drifted over my new surroundings. The Salvatore Boarding school, for certain, but when? How?

Emma Tig had, just a few short months ago - at least from my perception of time - thrown me into an eternal Ground Hog Day-style prison with a sociopath obsessed with torture, empty of anything else...other than the ghost of a vampire, but she couldn't possibly have known that. Of course I didn't really have time to ponder their whereabouts.

Now, I sat at her desk, sharing a lavender-chamomile blend of tea while she searched her grimoire for spells to help me sleep. What fresh hell?

"I've been doing some research on your kind - well, half of you anyway," she gave a light chuckle, "and it turns out Druids without a natural sanctuary suffer severe mental distress, night terrors being one of the ways it can manifest."

She rambled on about the different ways stress could show up differently when I experience it compared to the average witch, but my mind wandered elsewhere. To the top name on my list.

I subtly strained my ears and caught his footsteps. Alaric Saltzman. He wouldn't be as easy a kill as Emma. But I was willing to bet he'd be more fun. His steps fell down the hall and arrived just outside her office door.

"I think I have the perfect solution for you, Brenna," she drew my attention back with a gentle smile.

My heart pounded slow in my chest, so fiercely it almost shook my entire form with its rhythm. Were they sending me to prison land again?

"You need a safe haven, your own sanctuary in nature. I've made some arrangements for you to take over the newly renovated treehouse at the heart of the woods just behind the school," she beamed proudly. "What do you think?" her eyes were bright and hopeful.

Just as I opened my mouth to respond, three raps sounded on the door to her office. "Oh, I apologize Brenna, I'm not expecting anyone," she gave a sheepish smile. "Come in," she called out.

Just as I suspected, Alaric stalked in, his heavy thuds could be recognized by anyone really. What I didn't account for was how loud they were - so loud that they hid two other sets of footsteps.

I turned, curious of how my accuser would respond to me chatting up the counselor who betrayed me, and barely stemmed a shocked gasp when my eyes fell on the two boys who stood on either side of him - Kai and Enzo, only not quite.

They both looked strikingly more similar to one another than I remembered...and much younger, young enough to be -

"Our newest students," Alaric beamed proudly. A little too proudly. I glanced at the four people in the room, thoroughly and utterly confused.

Absolutely none of them seemed to remember who I actually was. "I finally got full custody," he quietly answered Emma's silent questions. "Boys, meet Emma Tig, our school counselor here. And this is one of our most promising students, Brenna Bennett. Ladies, Lorenzo and Malachi Saltzman, my sons."

"It's Parker-Saltzman," Lorenzo snapped, rolling his eyes. His gaze drifted to me, brooding but intrigued. He didn't bother looking away when I started back.

Had I not suffered enough trauma to disassociate on cue, I'd have fainted right then. But as it was, I simply nodded and gulped down all the thoughts and questions surging through my mind.

"Are all the witches hot like her?" Malachi smirked, winking at me.

I couldn't hold in my laugh. It was so like him to make such an inappropriate remark while complimenting me unabashed at the same time.
A twinkle of mischief shone in his eyes as he glanced at Lorenzo, a silent challenge flashing between them.