The room was spacious with four beds placed with their headboards against the wall. Dull, grey, curtains separated each of the beds, though only one was occupied by the unconscious Alexis. Set high in the walls were small windows that looked out over green fields and trees.

Cupboards lined the wall opposite the beds, built a century before, from cherry wood, they contained all of the ingredients, ointments and unguents that might possibly be needed to help salve the injuries that the healer encountered in her day to day life.

Beside the bed in which Alexis lay, Peter Ainsworth lounged in a comfortable chair upholstered in soft leather. He sat quietly, head down as he read the book he rested in his lap while doing his best to ignore the incessant ticking of the ancient clock that hung upon the wall.

He looked up as the door opened, gaze fixing on the healer as she swept in, long white dress flowing around her as though caught upon a breeze that affected only her. She turned up her nose as she caught sight of him lounging there in the same clothes he had been wearing when he brought the girl in.

“You should sleep,” she said in a manner that suggested it was more of an order than a request. “I’ve no need of you making the place look untidy.”

Peter merely smiled in reply, a slight shake of his head the only acknowledgement he would give her as he returned to his reading. The healer huffed but left it alone as she came alongside the bed and rested the back of her hand against Alexis’ head.

“Still warm.”

“Dangerously so?” Peter asked, lifting his head to look over at her.

The healer grunted and didn’t reply as she pulled a pair of wire-frame glasses from the pocket of her dress and carefully placed them over her eyes. The left lens contained flecks of Flame Aura, while the right was a thin slice of clear quartz.

“No danger,” she said, squinting as she peered through the crystal lenses. “Her energy is depleted. What spell did she cast?”

“Crawley’s Binding.”

The healer blinked at that and finally turned to look at Pete, her surprise evident. “How on earth did she even know such a spell, let alone cast it, if she is as untrained as you say?”

“She copied me.”

“Peter! You know how dangerous that is.” She tutted to show her annoyance and made a gesture with her left hand, fingers crossing as she spoke. Another soft sigh issued forth. “This poor child was not ready for such a spell.”

“Sweet Annabelle.” Peter’s voice was all smooth charm as he slowly closed his book. “The beast was much larger than expected and I could not contain it alone. If not for this child, you could well have been denied my company forever.”

Annabelle the healer huffed at that and a low chuckle escaped her. “I’ll believe that when I see it.” She paused, then added, “Though hopefully that won’t be soon.”

Peter’s smile widened at that and he waved at Alexis. “What have you learnt of her?”

The healer’s brow furrowed and she paused in her work as she considered just how much to tell him. As much as she respected her patient’s desire for privacy, she well knew that their world was one that had many dangers and often, the simple sharing of information could be enough to create chaos.

“I found no mention of her family name in the archives.”

“Which suggests that they are a bastard branch who were denied knowledge of their heritage.” Peter’s eyes glittered with anger at that. “Too many of that kind out in the world.”

“It happens and most never learn they are anything but human,” Annabelle replied. “That is hardly the worst of it.”

“What else?”

“Malnourished, to some extent. I would hazard a guess that she has been homeless for at least two years. She is seventeen, and is a natural brunette beneath that garish green dye.”

They both looked at the girl’s shoulder-length hair and shared a quick smile. While it was not unusual for their charges to change many aspects of themselves for fashion, it often spoke of an adventurous spirit which was something to be prized.

“No tattoos, or birthmarks though there is extensive scarring.”

“What kind?”

Annabelle hesitated, chewing on her lower lip. “The majority of it is on her back and I would guess that they were made with a belt, though some were clearly made by a chain.”

“A chain!” Peter grimaced and shook his head. “Barbaric. You would consider that abuse or something darker?”

“Hard to say at this point.” Another wave of her hand over the young girl as her fingers moved quickly and her head shook once more. “I see no residue though if she were used in any rituals before she left her home then that could have simply faded with time.”

Which was news that Peter had not wanted to hear. He had many roles, each of which he took quite seriously, but none more so than that of Guardian. He tapped his fingers on the book cover as he thought.

“Then we watch her for now.”

“You’re sure?”

“She has talent and I’d not abandon her just yet. If there is darkness within her it will not stay hidden for long.”

“As you say.” Annabelle gave a curt nod. “She carries no talismans nor artefacts, and I would guess that she is entirely ignorant of her gifts. If you accept her into the academy she will be far behind the other students unless you start her with the first years.”

“No.” Another tap of his fingers against the book as his eyes narrowed in thought. “I felt the power unleashed when she joined me in the casting. It was a natural strength that is far beyond any first year. As likely as she is to harm herself with students her own age, placing her with those much younger would endanger them.”

“She will need extra help.”

“No doubt.” He squinted up at her, grinning. “And I suspect you already have someone in mind to help her.”

“Beryl Cartwright,” Annabelle said, smiling back at him. “Fifth year, so almost the same age as Alexis. She’s friendly to the point of annoyance, but she is intelligent and creative, with a great deal of empathy.”

“One of your students?”

“She has a strong affinity for healing, yes.”

“Then so be it, place them together and advise the young, Beryl to help her as best she can.”

“I’ll see to it and be assured that I will keep an eye on her too.”

“Good.” Peter rose from the chair and slipped the slim book into his jacket pocket.

“You’re not staying until she wakens?”

“No, I have given all the time I can.” He glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Already I am late.”

“When will you next be back?”

Peter shrugged and flashed her another smile. “When the Goddess wills it,” he said with a laugh. “Until then, I am at her bidding.”

“As are we all,” Annabelle replied, hand rising to touch her breast, just above the heart. “Blessed be.”

The healer watched him leave, back straight and shoulders set like a knight leaving for battle, which was pretty much what he was doing. Though, instead of a lance and sword, he used magic and guile to protect both supernatural and human alike.

She sighed softly and turned back to the girl lying in the bed. She clucked softly and chuckled. “How much of that were you awake for?”

Alexis opened her eyes and looked up at the matronly woman. “Enough.”

“Then you will have questions.”

“Yes.” Alexis pushed herself up and leaned forward as the healer helped position her pillows to support her back. “What is this place?”

“An academy of sorts, one for people like yourself.”

Which would have been a fine answer if Alexis had any idea what people were like her or even what kind of person she was. Her furrowed brow was enough to have the healer chuckling again.

“Okay, I will keep this short because in about twenty minutes the Wardens will begin their enhanced training and I will have a number of wounds to tend.” She paused, seeing that all she had done was confuse the poor girl more. “I do not claim to know anything of your family, but at some point in your direct family line there was a supernatural creature.”

“What kind of creature?”

“A Witch.” The healer held her sides and laughed at the look of doubt Alexis wore. “I’m sorry, child. Yes, magic is very real and the world is full of more wonder and horror than you could possibly imagine. Ideally, your parents would have introduced you to this many years ago giving you ample time to adjust to it.”

“Yeah, my parents didn’t tell me shit.”

“Language!” Another tut as the healer wagged a finger at Alexis. “I’ll not have that kind of language in my chamber.”

“Sorry,” Alexis said in a tone that was very much not sorry. “You’re saying that I’m a witch?”

“Yes.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means whatever you want.” Annabelle beamed at her and held out her hands to indicate the room around them. “I use my magic to heal others, while Peter, the man who brought you here, uses it to protect people from some of those horrors I mentioned.”

“So… you’re like, the good guys? Helping people, saving them?”

“Peter and me, we would be considered good I suppose, but there’s no right or wrong to how you choose to use your gifts. Many witches will use their power to enrich their own lives or merely to entertain themselves.”

Alexis ran a hand through her tangled hair and pulled her knees up to her chest as she leaned forward, wrapping one arm around them. “So, you train good and bad people here?”

“We train people to use their gifts in a way that will not harm them nor reveal to the world what we can do. What those people choose to do with themselves once they leave this place is not for us to decide.”

“And you’re going to train me?”

“Yes.”

“What does that even mean?”

“This academy.” Once more she raised her arms to gesture at the building they were in. “Was created to teach witches how to use their gifts. You will live here and learn until you are ready to leave. Most children join us at age eleven and leave by the time they are eighteen. Some stay longer.”

“So it’s a school.”

“Yes.”

“You know I can’t pay, yeah?”

Annabelle the Healer chuckled once more. “We do not need payment from you. Since children come here at an age when they would be starting secondary school, we also include an expanded curriculum to ensure that all of our students receive a full education.”

“Maths and English and stuff?”

“Yes.”

“Great.” Alexis rolled her eyes. “Can’t say I enjoyed that the first time around.”

“Do not worry, child. You will find that much of your learning will be related to your gifts.”

“This is all really weird, right? You know that.”

“I’m sure it is.” Annabelle looked up at the clock on the wall and tutted. “Now, I have just enough time to take you to your room. Lunch is served in one hour and your roommate will give show you around.”

“What if I don’t want to stay?”

Annabelle cocked her head to the side and looked down at the young woman before her. Few in the history of the academy had started as late as she had but of those few, she could count on one hand the number that had refused the opportunity.

“Then you will leave and all memory of this place will be removed from your mind,” she said, voice dropping low with sorrow. “You will return to the world and your gift will attract the attention of some horror that will tear you apart and devour your soul.”

“What!”

“Best to stay.” She patted Alexis’s knee gently. “But the choice is yours. As it is in all things.”

With that, she gestured for the young woman to follow her and headed for the door. Alexis watched her for a moment before shaking her head and muttering. When all was said and done, she could remember the feeling as whatever it was swept through her. She could remember the creature and the fear it had caused her.

More than that, though, she could remember the feeling of being weak and scared and all alone. Of being powerless before others who were stronger than her. Of being beaten and abused, of being a victim.

She wanted answers and to understand what was going on, but more than anything, she wanted to be powerful enough that she never needed to feel scared again. Which is why she carefully climbed off of the bed and followed the healer.