Ascent from the Shadows

Three

"I'll put up some wards," the girl spoke as she took a few steps back from the rickety wooden steps leading to the front door. She looked up at the run down cabin with a sigh, "Can you take this in for me, Marco?" her hand extended in the boy's direction, passing off the ancient leather bound book so she could bend down and retrieve the wand from her boot. Marco nodded and disappeared into the building.

Her wand fit perfectly in her palm, the embellishing strands of hematite swirling up the black wood in intricate patterns. This wand, kissed by dragon fire, was made for her and her alone. It responded to her every command, spurring to life every time her emotions spiked. This wand was an extension of her soul, forever a part of her.

She raised both hands above her head, her right clutching her wand. With expert grace, she spread her hands apart and muttered the incantation. All at once, the air began to ripple and blur, bending to concede to her wishes. She swirled her wand around her head and the warp expanded to engulf the small area around the cabin. She flicked her wrist to end the spell and the air returned to normal. The new ward should prevent any unwanted visitors. Or at the very least, it will deter them.

Stuffing her wand back into her boot, she hopped up the steps and slipped into the house. It was dark inside, but after having Marco as a Companion for this long, she was beginning to prefer it that way. Her eyes adjusted quickly and she assessed the area, finding the boy was not in sight.

"Hey, Marco," she called into the emptiness. The last owners of this place didn't leave much behind. Only a few pieces of assorted furniture remained.

"Polo," came his voice from the other room. She walked down the hallway and turned into one of the bedrooms, finding him laying stock still on the dusty floorboards. She leaned against the door frame and spoke.

"We should probably head back to Morgana's soon. One more day in this hell hole and I'll go insane."

Marco lifted his head slightly to squint at her, "Moyra. You're already insane."

Moyra sent him an annoyed smirk and his head fell back to rest on the wooden planks once more.

Marco could feel her glare from a mile away, but he held out for as long as he could. A few moments of silence was all he could achieve before groaning in defeat, sitting up, and moving to pack up the few belongings he had brought with him.

Satisfied, Moyra moved to do the same.

Upon entering her room, all she had to do was wave a hand over the area. All of her belongings seemed to be pulled on invisible strings towards the bag she had tossed in the corner. In seconds, everything was packed away as it should be.

Leaning against her own door frame, Moyra blew a stubborn strand of hair from her eyes. That's when she thought she saw movement outside. Stepping closer to the glass panel, she confirmed her suspicions.

"Marco," she said in a quieter voice than usual, just loud enough for him to hear. She didn't want to risk the wolf picking up on their conversation. Sensing her change in tone, Marco appeared silently by her side, alert and ready.

Once he saw the pair walking down the road he closed his eyes and turned around, enjoying the few moments of peace he could salvage. Sighing, he mumbled, "I've got it," before heading out the back door.

___________

A/N

Hey Wattpadders! What did you think of chapter three?  Who are your favorite characters so far? What do you think will happen next? Don't forget to vote and comment. Your input is always appreciated! Happy reading!

-Megan