If I had thought that my heart was beating so fast before, it as nothing compared to now. I could practically hear it drumming in my ears and it took all of the self-control I had to rearrange my features and give Jaira a response.

"That is preposterous." I replied swiftly. Forcing myself to regain calmness. She couldn't possibly know. Hell, I barely even a witch. I managed only a few spells here and there and they were very rough and a stroke of luck most of the time. She didn't know me. She had nothing on me. Not anything she could prove.

She laughed loud, at my words and her eyes seemed to dance with an unknown fire.

"Ah, I expected no lesser response." She smirked. I didn't know what to do or how to react but just when I wanted to turn around and leave, she quickly changed form, her hands forming many different shapes and motions at the same time, while her mouth whispered and chanted strange words. Before it could even process what she was doing in my mind, she took an offensive stance and release a large fiery ball in my direction.

Call it instinct. Call it the best fight or flight response you've ever seen. Call it whatever but before I could even think of what I was doing, my body stiffened, taking an offensive glance and a temporary protective ward formed around me just as the fiery ball hit it and dissipated away into thin air.

I was breathing harshly, coming to terms with what had just happened. I looked up to see her smirking, her hands crossed over her chest.

"I didn't ask a question Gabrielle. I was stating a fact. You are a witch." She pronounced simply. I was still trying to get over the fact that this crazy woman has almost just burnt me with a fiery ball to prove a point.

"You almost burnt me. What the hell is wrong with you?" I whisper shouted at her, hurrying to stand directly in front of her. We were in an open corridor for heavens' sake. Anyone could have seen us. Anyone could have discovered my secret. My horror didn't even faze her in the least. He raised a challenging brow at my words.

"But I didn't. Because you are a witch. Like I knew you were." She retorted.

"You are crazy." I whispered harshly. She actually smiled a wide toothed smile at me.

"Agreed" was all she said. All my defenses were up. Was this the part where she blackmailed me and made me do whatever she wanted or she will reveal my secret? She was clearly a witch too. One who knew her way around spells clearly, I thought enviously. But what was to say, her master or mistress didn't know that. I was the one with the secret that I knew of. A secret that for some reason I had hidden my entire life.

"What do you want from me?" I asked on the offense, eyes narrowed at her. She just raised her brow again and smirked.

"I've been watching you since you came Gabrielle. I like you. I think we are going to be the best of friends." Her words shocked me. Was this a trick? I didn't trust her. What did she want? Yet her eyes showed no malice. Was she simply great at deception or was there something else at play here?

"What do you want?" I ground out again. Her smirk disappeared and she took on a serious look.

"I mean no malice. I just thought it would be nice to have a witch slave friend that's all." She replied.

"You don't seem like the type to want friends." I retorted harshly. She winced at first but then smiled.

"Indeed. Normal people can be dreadfully boring. But there's something about you Gabrielle. Call it fate's design, but I think we were supposed to know each other." I wasn't convinced even though she seemed sincere. In my world, no one was completely sincere. Especially someone who had leverage on you.

"Plus, I saw your defense maneuver. It was very poorly executed. Your teacher was clearly horrible, if at all you had one." I blushed. How could she read me so easily? That was a dangerous thing. I suspected she knew the reply to her own musings but thankfully she didn't comment on it. Maybe she did have a heart after all.

"What are you saying?" I asked tentatively, my voice small. She placed a hand on her shoulder and her taller form looked down on my shorter one. Her eyes changed. She looked almost...shy and vulnerable.

"I could teach you everything I know." She offered. It was suspicious. It was my turn to raise a brow.

"In exchange for what?" Her eyes got a faraway look at my question and it must have been a trick of the light but I saw something that looked like a tear in her eye.

"Just be my friend." It was a strange request. Sure she didn't seem like she had many friends but I suspected that was a personal decision. Why me? Why now? But somehow I knew I would agree. Not because I trusted her. No, not at all. I would agree because if I were to keep an eye on her, I would need to keep her closer. Plus, I couldn't exactly say no could I? Not after she demonstrated she clearly knew my secret.

But despite it all, a part of me, a part that had wished for this in so long, was...excited. The witch part of me was a part that I had kept hidden my whole life. I always wished that I had been trained. That I knew how to use my powers further than a few basic spells. And I finally got my wish. Someone was going to teach me. I had to admit it was under strange suspicious circumstances but I was going to take advantage of it.

"Alright." I ceded and her dark eyes brightened up. It looked so genuine but my guards were still up.

"Good. I will find you." She said ominously and walked back down her corridor, slowly disappearing into the darkness.

Talk of a very strange day.

I found Elisa easily in the kitchen and she immediately went into describing something but I wasn't really listening. My mind was not with her. The day's events had left me tired, very wary with all my guards up. First I had met him, that beautiful man Kyle whose very presence stirred things in me that I didn't even know existed. Then Jaira discovered my secret.

I wondered what type of teacher she was going to be. I wondered if she would tell everyone my secret. I wondered if she was very good at magic. I wondered if... maybe...if this was a good sign finally. After all, I had always wished that I knew how to use my magic. And just like that, a teacher, strange but a teacher nonetheless just fell into my palm. Was this a trick? Was the universe trying to give me a taste of what actually having something felt like only to later take it away? Was that the grand plan? Play this kind of joke on me.

"Gabrielle. Gabrielle." Cezar's soft voice dragged me out of my thoughts. I turned to see that he had a small smile on his face and he and Elisa were looking at me strangely. I immediately got defensive. Had I been so lost in thought that Cezar had come before me and said something that I couldn't remember?

"Yes? Sorry did you say something?" I asked politely, struggling to remove the strain from my voice. Just then, Jaira strolled into the kitchen, catching the end of my question and she smirked and winked at me. I clucked my tongue on the roof of my mouth in annoyance.

"I did. But you seem to be lost in thoughts. Is anything the matter?" He asked, concern etched on his face. I was touched. Really I was. Cezar seemed too good to be a slave really. His master and mistress must be really nice people.

"No everything is fine. I'm just tired that's all." I lied. Elisa nodded, completely believing my lie while Cezar just smiled.

"I see." He commented. The vampire knew more than he was letting on but thankfully, he decided not to push it.

"Did you need something?" I wondered out loud.

"Oh nothing at all. I just thought I could engage you and Elisa in some conversation." He smiled at Elisa and the younger girl blushed. I almost laughed. Cezar seemed to have that effect on people. Well, except me for some reason and yet here I was getting distracted over the man in the library. I could ask Cezar who Kyle was, but for some reason, a part of me didn't want to share Kyle or my knowledge of him with anyone. I needed to distract myself. I was surely finally going mad.

So for the rest of the time in the kitchen, I listened to Cezar entertain Elisa and I with the most random things and during all that time, I could feel Jaira's burning gaze on me.