Doctor Strange - This One Summer

Forbidden Magic

Free Day

For one day every month, the students at Kamar-Taj are allowed a day to dress in casual clothes and leave the sanctuary if they wanted to. Hazel was up early, surprisingly well-rested, and hung around the courtyard until breakfast. The blue-flowered tree seemed to shiver when it saw her, as if it was alive and aware of her.

"Good morning," she greeted it, kneeling by its roots and digging shallow bowls in the soil. "I found more snail shells for you. Just like you like."

She placed four or five of the shells—each varying in size and color—in the shallow divots in the dirt. A gentle breeze tugged at her hair. A cicada resting on a higher branch chirped, making Hazel raise her head. Her attention was drawn to a package nestled between two branches; it was wrapped in white paper and held together with a ribbon, and on that ribbon hung a card reading, "To Hazel Grace."

Hazel stood and retrieved the package. Within the paper, she found a light blue cotton robe with five-petalled flowers painted on the sleeves and lower body.

"This is gorgeous—it's perfect!" she gleefully slipped her arms into the sleeves and drew the collar close to her neck. The robe itself was warm and smelled like wildflowers. As she stood marveling at the robe and murmuring words of thanks to her plant friend, a group of acolytes a few years older than Hazel approached her calmly. Rei led the group, and her two friends Tara and Lucas trailed behind.

"Are you sure about this?" Tara asked Rei.

"Yes," Rei reassured them. "She's fine. Hey, Hazel."

Hazel jumped, as if startled that anyone was calling her name, and looked at the acolytes standing before her and a few feet away. Close enough to be friendly, but far enough away to be disregarded.

"Wanna come sit with us?" Tara invited the girl to breakfast.

"Oh, um..." Hazel glanced around, at the tree. It didn't seem offended. Actually, as it stood still before her, she visualized it ushering her on. Hazel stepped off the dirt and back onto the stone. "Sure..."

She didn't expect any other acolytes to try befriending her, especially after her tarot-and-Litha stunt the other day, but it turns out that's what compelled the students to approach her in the first place.

"So, you gave the Ancient One a tarot reading?" Lucas asked.

"Well, not a conventional one," Hazel shrugged. "It was a game. I hope I didn't offend her or anything, now that I think about it."

"Don't worry," Tara smiled. "I watched the whole thing. Trust me, she was really into it. You're a good story teller, Hazel."

Hazel tilted her head politely. "Thanks for saying so."

After getting trays of food in the dining hall, Rei guided the other three to a table where another boy and Stephen Strange sat. Stephen raised a hand to regard Hazel. She waved. The other man at the table spread his arms out to welcome the new girl.

"The Pagan enters our midst!"

Hazel narrowed her eyes. "I'm not Pagan, actually."

"Ignore him," Rei rolled her eyes.

"Just having a little fun," he raised a hand in surrender, then offered it to Hazel. "The name's Liam, by the way. It's nice to formally meet you, Haze."

"Hazel," she corrected firmly, and gave his hand a curt squeeze. She instantly recoiled and wrinkled her nose.

"Apologies."