Monteverde Academy

Chapter-37

Nobody was adjusting well to the lockdown. Common rooms were full all day with people snapping at each other. Tempers were short and the nights seemed long. 

I wandered about the halls aimlessly, wanting to get out of the school. I felt torn about the restriction, both wanting to see Aiden and to stay away from him as far as possible. Classes resumed, with training with the witches being one of the only few places to rid oneself of extra energy. 

Wanda talked to me a lot, probably trying to take my mind off things. I was grateful for it and she was an interesting person to talk to. 

"Do you think the huntress can be stopped?" I asked her retying my hair after a particularly exhausting class. Nearly everyone had left. 

"Yes, I do think so," she said, biting her lip thoughtfully. "And though it is very hard, it has been done before. But not without casualties. Even now, all the witches who had been dispatched to try and stop her have died. The Queen has ordered that no more witches can try stopping her until we find something which can help. She says no more witches can be spared for such futile efforts." 

"That's dreadful," I said, feeling worried. "Have they at least found a way to stop her temporarily?" 

"Not yet," she said, shaking her head. "But they will eventually." 

"How many Carthans?" I asked, fearing the answer. "And how many witches exactly?" 

She looked at me sadly.

"Twenty witches and about fifty Carthans." 

I felt horrified.

"Who could have awoken her?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Surely, no one would have wanted such destruction." 

"Verina, whoever did this killed three people alone just to awaken the huntress. Who knows what they are capable of?" 

she said, shaking her head. 

"Now I didn't tell you all this to make you worried. But sometimes one needs to know what they are dealing with."

 She stared at me. 

"Now no more sneaking out and having parties at the lake." 

I blushed. 

"How did you know?" 

"Where else would have that boy burned his shoulder in wet clothes, smelling so strongly of alcohol?" she said and smiled at me, her warm brown eyes twinkling. 

"You aren't going to scold me?" I stared at her disbelievingly. 

"A little fun is allowed, you know." she said. "But I don't want you going off your head and swim in the lake drunk again. Now, off with you."

I grinned at her and skipped out of the class. 

The smile slipped away soon. So many people had died and all in vain. I could do nothing to help- I wasn't skilled in magic and nor was I of age to fight in battles. I had thought I would go off to train to fight Selzers after graduating from the academy, for it had seemed cool to me. Now it seemed a dangerous job, not to be taken lightly. 

I was so lost in thought, I didn't even notice that I had walked straight into someone. I looked up to apologise and saw it was the prince.