The Dark Warlock: The Nox Haven Series

Chapter 15: Party Like it's 1816

Caddie's POV:

I bounded up the stairs, still puzzled over the strange exchange I shared with Aleksander. I had expected him to fight a lot harder but he didn't. The comment about Dmitri stung; my heart literally felt as if it had been ripped in half when he said that. But after reminding me about Dmitri he stopped trying. Did my choice upset him? Did that really matter if Aleksander was upset with me? I shook my head. I had became an insecure girlfriend in the course of three minutes. Aleksander couldn't have possibly been upset with me, he had kissed me and said he wanted to see me later. None of his words had been laced with malice. And though his emotions did show some sorrow, I believed most of it was directed to the memory of Dmitri.

Killing people wouldn't avenge Dmitri's death, I thought, and Aleksander would realize that soon enough. Killing a killer doesn't change the amount of killers in the world. There were other ways we could honor Dmitri. We could throw a party, Alix would love that, she hadn't been to a an actual party in a year. Sure, we had gone to several dinner parties and balls but none of them truly satisfied her the way the crazy, booze infested, trashy raves had. Maybe if I dangled that idea over her head, she would stop being so uptight and have a little fun. I really missed the fun Alix, she had balanced me out and kept my anxiety controlled. Now, she was one of my causes of anxiety. Well- her and Jaxon- both of them used to be so much fun and then suddenly, out of nowhere, they had gotten some sort of superhero complex.

The crowds of people out and about had dwindled as the sun sunk lower into the clouds. Most of Nox Haven's intricate hallways were barren, except for a few stragglers who were chatting by the window sill. I didn't know whether or not 1816 Nox Haven had a curfew or maybe the other students were off doing whatever they wanted. The sound of my heeled boots echoed through the abandoned halls. Cool breezes of air washed over my body as darkness descended upon the school. The few people I did see gave me strange looks about my outfit. For a while I forgotten that I was no longer in my dress, but in a simple dressing gown. From the horrified looks in some of the girls eyes, I decided that wearing only a dressing gown was apparently 'improper'.

Oh well. I had never fitted well in the modern era. My clothes never followed the latest trend, my music collection was a bit too alternative for the mainstream people and I preferred books to tv shows. I liked being different. I didn't care if people gossiped about me or didn't want me to come to their parties. And to be honest- I couldn't befriend someone who didn't appreciate books. Those people were crazy.

Just thinking about them got me all riled up and I knew I couldn't afford to be angry when I got the HeadMinister's room. To get what I wanted, I needed to be the poster child of respect. I needed to keep a stiff posture, a compliant smile and a soft tone. Aunt Heidi had taught me several of those mannerisms before my first gala in New York. She had said it was out of outmost importance that I dazzled the coven leaders or else they would try to stop my inheritance of the title Dark Witch. Thinking back to that day, I realized, that perhaps if I hadn't done such a good job I wouldn't even be in my current position.

I turned down the HeadMinister's alienated hallway and took a deep breath. Standing in front of the door, with my aunt's tips in mind, I quietly rapped on the door three times. Like early that day, when Moria had first shown us around, the door opened but on it's own account. Without the natural light from the windows, the room was a lot darker. There were only a few candles lit, but their golden hues weren't strong enough to illuminate each part of the room. The room that was once filled with comfortable looking sofas and piles of books were now filled with shadows. The shadows seemed to be speaking to each other but their muddled voices broke off when they heard me take a step into the room.

"Welcome child," The HeadMinister said in a frail voice.

Following the sound of her voice, I looked in the direction of the left side of the room. I could vaguely make out her small, hunched bod standing behind her massive oak desk. Flanking her sides, were the other council members. Though I couldn't see them in vivid detail, I could the weight of their gazes on me as I approached the desk.