The Night Rider

Chapter 31

I run in a fast pace after Celeste. I can feel the eyes of the others resting on my back but at this moment I don't care anymore. I want an explanation for this choice and even better that she removes the spell right away. I don't want help this way, it is my pain and not something that should touch another person.

'Celeste!' My voice echoes along the trees. Without looking up or looking around she walks towards a horse. She doesn't seem to have the intention to look at me at all or to speak to me. In a quick pass I walk behind her. I now begin to irritate myself with her calm posture. She pretends that this is the most normal thing in the world, or that she has solved everything.

'Celeste stands still,' again my voice echoes between the trees and Celeste doesn't seem to pay any attention to my command. Closer and closer she walks to the horse and as soon as I realize that her intention is to mount the horse and leave it is finished. A strong gust of wind flies from my palms to Celeste. Before she can touch a finger she flies five meters further and ends up on the grass.

For a second she doesn't seem to realize what happened. She shakes her head once before she helps herself up. Instead of fighting back, she stands still and looks at me in silence. Her quiet attitude makes me even more irritated than I already was. A new gust of wind flies from the palms of my hands in her direction.

Instead of helping her back to the ground, she easily steers it back in my direction. This time I am the one who is being worked to the ground by the strong wind. I end up with a smack on my back. The irritation that was just manageable now turns into an unmanageable rage.

I throw myself from my back on my feet. A gust of wind with the force of a tornado flies Celeste in her direction. Although this attempt had every chance to succeed, Celeste catches the gust of wind with a small kickback. Deep inside I know that I will never win from Celeste, but an attempt is always possible.

Although Celeste looks very controlled I see in her eyes a black core, the same core I share. I do not wait for my time and send another gust in her direction, she unfortunately shared that idea. Both gusts of wind fly against each other in the air, creating a hard collision. The collision reflects a force that throws us both meters backwards.

I end up with my back hard against a tree this time, which makes the world around me seem to spin for a moment. 'Okay and now it's done!'. Novak's voice grazes the forest. Goosebumps spread over my body when I hear his voice. The man has something inside him that gives him the power to spread the goosebumps over your body. His voice is alive and wise but also sweet and waiting.

Noa reaches out his hand to me, I am still lying in the grass. I slap his hand away and put myself on my feet. My father helps Celeste up who knocks the leaves off her dress. It is silent. I look at Celeste and don't even want to think about everything happening around me. My head is spinning and it seems like I am in an endless circle of unhappiness.

The silence in deadly and peaceful at the same time. Unfortunately there is no time to dive further into this silence. The silence is interrupted by the flapping wings of a white pigeon flying in our direction. On his leg is a blue ribbon that says enough about his origin. Although the animal looks loving, his descent is never good news.

A few more seconds I hope the animal will fly on but unfortunately. He descends slowly and lands on my father's arm. With a difficult look on his face, my father grabs the bill from the blue tube, which is wrapped around the animal's leg. The pigeon flies away as soon as my father closes the tube and the bird continues towards his employers.

It remains quiet in the forest, everyone holds their breath waiting for the content from the bill. My father silently holds the bill in his hand and seems to gather the courage to open it. 'Open that fucking thing'. Everyone is looking at Malia standing at the door with her hands crossed. My father sighs audibly and then folds open the paper, an A4 large paper emerges.

My father's eyes go over the paper first and his eyes don't speak much positivity. For a moment they shoot from me to the paper. 'Her Majesty Princess Rafiki van Grave has to report within two days at dawn on the ground of murder'. Before he is finished with saying the words, the sound of his words gets softer and softer until the end where it is barely audible.

Before I get the chance to react a stone flies against the tree next to Celeste. Out of pure aggression she throws this rock hard against the tree. A cry of frustration leaves her mouth. 'They are not allowed to do that, she is not eighteen' Everyone looks at Novak. He stands with his hands over each other. His red eyes are worried but thoughtful.

He takes a step forward. In order to be prosecuted for murder you have to be eighteen years of age or older, especially with the punishments they can carry out'. Punishments for murder are one of the high punishments you can get. The highest punishment you can be given is the so-called "cleansing" where all your powers are taken away, the biggest nightmare of any magician.