All weekend.

She’d been buried in the library and the training grounds and the common room just to avoid thinking about what sort of mess her sister had gotten into.

Juniper was many things. Inconsiderate of her little sister's time and anxiety. Spontaneous when the mood suited her. But this went above and beyond.

“I thought we hugged this out before you left.” Magnolia muttered, holding one of her sister's discarded shirts in her hand. She’d cleaned up the room and made her bed to invite her warmly from a night of schmoozing. She was a Winthrop, a capable woman, but would it have killed her to drop by and tell her sister she’s safe?

“She’s…ugh!” Magnolia grabbed her pillow and screamed. She was hoping her sister would be around for today. Today of all days. Juniper knew how to calm her nerves.

Knock knock.

Magnolia dropped her sister's clothes to the ground and scrambled for the door.

“I’ve been waiting for you all-” Magnolia held her tongue mid sentence, her expectations dashed as the mousy curly haired Willow stared back at her with a nervous smile. “I’m glad to see you, Willow.” Magnolia recovered from her dashed hopes, doing her best to make the only friend she had on campus not feel upset.

It wasn’t her fault she wasn’t Juniper.

“I’m glad to see you too, Maggie.” Willow chirped as she walked over to the corner of the bed she’d often claimed for their study nights and sat. She gestured at her sister's bed, “Is Juniper going to walk you to the training grounds?”

“She sent me a note last night that she was currently investigating a lucrative proposal from a prospective client,” Magnolia lied, “So I’m stuck heading over by myself.”

“Well, you’ll have me at the very least!” Willow lifted her staff up and made a performance twirling it above her in a casting motion. “I may be running on coffee and fumes but we’re in this together til we get there.”

Magnolia raised an eyebrow, “Coffee and fumes? Were you cramming more info on your target for today or just one of those sleepless nights.”

The bombast in Willow’s attitude shriveled, “The later but worse.”

“Anything you want to talk about?”

Willow shook her head, “Just more of the usual worries. Parents struggling to make those inroads in the local Incant community. What my role is to help in that regard…” She trailed off.

“Well getting your license from the coven is a good place to start. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the prospects that can be acquired after finishing the program from graduates and from personal research.” At the very least the program held enough merit to push her sister into considering it and that was a feat of its own.

“Yeah, first steps and all that. Opened doors. Sounds too good to be true.”

“Almost like magic.” Magnolia stuck her tongue out

Willow rolled her eyes, “Why aren’t you a big bundle of nerves? I’d be a mess if I had to deal with your handicaps.”

It was Magnolia’s turn to roll her eyes, “Oh I’m just doing a good job hiding all this anxiety. Handicap or not, I’ve got enough experience delving with my sister's assistance to know it isn’t just about the spells you carry within you that matters.”

Although spells wouldn’t hurt, she wasn’t going to hurt her bravado with that kind of comment.

“Are you planning to reconsider your selection?” Willow fumbled with her fingers as she asked the question.

“For the last time, Willow, I’m sticking with my decision. It’s going to separate me from the rest of the class and it's one of the few options I have that doesn’t take the handicap into account.” Magnolia sternly replied.

Willow looked like she wanted to say something else but dropped it.

“Come on,” Magnolia grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her up, “Let’s get going.” The two walked out of the room with Magnolia turning to look back one last time, making a silent prayer to the Weave that her sister was okay.

Willow’s hand was jittering and sweaty like a fish attempting to escape her grasp. She kept a loose grip around her friend's hand to give the option of breaking free but Willow didn’t bite.

“Oh, I should probably mention,” Willow darted her eyes around for potential prying ears, “That I’ve got a surprise to give you at the training area.” She gave Magnolia a furtive smile.

“You don’t have to give me anything Willow. You’ve already done so much for me just being a friend.” Magnolia tried to nip this whole gift giving business in the bud. She hated receiving gifts without the capacity to provide one in turn.

Willow waved her hand around to dismiss the notion entirely, “Nonsense. You’ve dived into the literature better than I have and saved me from a summer of lonely nights at the library. This isn’t all I can provide but it’ll give me some comfort for you to take it when you do.” She didn’t waver or stutter, giving Magnolia a rare look of confidence.

Magnolia relented, “Alright, alright. If this means the world to you, I can’t deny the gift.”

The conversation between the girls trickled into contemplative silence as they approached the training grounds. Those veiled students she’d seen sitting in the far corners of their classroom and the individual pawns of Bianca’s collective were entering into the facility with their own minute rituals to ease their nerves.

They were dressed for the occasion as well, a number of the girls foregoing the formal wear she’d expected of them in the classroom in favor of specialized gear for the spells they planned to go after.

One scandalous student wore nothing but a veil and a two-piece bathing suit of red and gold, pale skin unblemished by even a trickle of sunlight.

“Woah.” Willow broke the silence.

“Yeah.” Magnolia followed suit.

The pair entered the facility and found it rife with curious onlookers in suits, robes, and even casual wear.

“Are they grading us?” Magnolia whispered.

“We’ve read the instructions of the final exam front to back, Maggie. I think they’re here to sample the goods.” Willow replied.

If they were being sampled then Magnolia felt these strangers were voracious for Bianca and the girls that she’d surrounded herself with. It only took a few glances from the observers turned her way to appraise her as damaged goods and move for more brilliant gems.

That feeling of rejection felt bittersweet in her mouth.

Her eyes scanned through the crowd.

“Professor Del Marin,” Magnolia called out towards the man as she crossed through the others, “Professor Del Marin, good morning.”

He held a finger up at her face before bringing it to his lips, “Shh. Not so loud. I’m nursing a rather unfortunate hangover.”

“Oh,” She toned down her volume to a conversational whisper, “Well my condolences. I figured I’d see you here and ask whether you know the whereabouts of my sister or not.”

Del Marin rolled his eyes, “That woman…” He rubbed his temples with his fingers, “She goes out of her way to go to that event and disappears just when the festivities get lively. And to leave me stranded with my former hosts. I’m surprised I didn’t drop dead with the amount of alcohol it took to keep their teasing out of mind.”

Magnolia frowned, “I am truly sorry to hear that, professor.”

“It is not you who needs to apologize, niña. If she’s still indisposed, I can only hope that she secured a better night than mine, although I keep my fingers crossed and hope for only the worst.”

Silence.

“No offense.” He belatedly added.

Magnolia ignored the comment, her preoccupation over her sister's safety rising into the forefront of her priorities. Really, she’d choose today of all days to go missing?

Del Marin snapped her fingers in front of Magnolia, “Worry about yourself, fledgling. If she’s as capable as she’s suggested and the institution has recognized then she can handle herself. You, on the other hand, are sure to go missing if your head’s not in this. I’d really hate to deal with this hangover and the additional paperwork if you botched your exam over something so innocuous.”

Magnolia held her tongue.

This was her sister he was talking about! She was capable and competent but equally reckless and foolish. And the worst part was that she wanted so badly for her sister to be around and assuage the other knotted ball in her stomach about this damned exam!

“Hey,” She felt Willow's gentle hand begin to rub the top of her back, “You look like you need one of these.” Magnolia turned and gave the girl a full bodied hug, sinking her forehead into her shoulder in the same way she did with Juniper.

“Is anyone looking?” Magnolia whispered, the warmth in her cheeks rising.

“Doesn’t matter, Maggie. Just worry about finding that center.” Willow cooed.

Magnolia did as she was asked, taking deep and measured breaths to calm her nerves. It was never easy to sink into the calm but when she succeeded, she felt so small and weightless that nothing in the world mattered, all her worries and fears insignificant against the backdrop of an endless expanse.

She closed her eyes and pulled away from her friend before opening them again.

“Thanks Willow. I really needed that.” Magnolia said.

“Well, you’re gonna need a little more than that.” Willow replied as she rummaged through her rucksack of miscellaneous things. She pulled out a green bangle with a small twig charm and offered it to Magnolia. “I want you to take this.”

Her hands quaked as she held the thing for Magnolia to accept.

“I didn’t expect something like this, Willow. Thank you.” Magnolia graciously accepted the gift into her hands and inspected the simple piece of jewelry.

“I’ve been working on this all week in my off time and I want you to have it. It’s supposed to be a good luck charm. Help steel your mind and maintain focus while in pressing situations.” Willow responded in that nervous fast talking way, expectant of Magnolia’s appraisal of the gift.

“I love it with all of my heart, Willow. If it’s a gift from you, then it is more than enough. You even had the sense to make it another accessory for my wrist.” At the mention, Magnolia wrapped the bangle around her wrist and moved it behind the silver bracelet carrying the charms for her exam. “You’re a really good friend.”

Willow pounced at that moment, pulling Magnolia in an air siphoning hug.

“I’m glad we got to be friends.” Willow whispered.

“Don’t talk like that, Wil. We’re gonna come back from this exam as sisters. There isn’t anything we can’t handle on the other side.”

Magnolia was released from her friend's embrace and the two separated to get into their respective positions. The students began lining up in their designated rows and columns as an ethereal chorus murmured intelligible hymns for our behalf.

Despite the constant whispered chatter of the crowd, these low hymns would not be denied their presence and filled Magnolia’s bones with a sense of awe and foreboding.

“Attention fledglings and guests,” Professor Del Marin projected his voice for the whole gathering to hear, “It is my esteemed privilege to lead today's final exam. These young women have worked dutifully towards the goal of becoming fellow sisters of the Scarlet coven and I can attest to their fortitude and sacrifice towards such a cause.”

He paused and the weight of the exam chafed on her shoulders.

“It is also my esteemed privilege to welcome the individual that made this whole thing possible. The Matron of the Scarlet Sisters has come to provide her words to the fledglings.” Professor Del Marin waved to his side and the air warped and twisted.

Reality bent and emerging from the ether came the Matron in an oversized scarlet robe and a golden crown with floating miniature stars dancing at the pointed tips.

“Good morning,” she began, her voice echoing in that peculiar manner as if a choir hung onto her each and every syllable, “And welcome to your final hurdle.”

Beyond the intelligible hymns, the people in the room stood silent and attentive.

“Today you will be proving your mettle as a capable Incant by delving into the Marshlands in search of your listed quarry. Should your courage prove lacking from your initial mark, you can choose to change your choice with your professor before moving forward with the exam.”

The Matron flicked her delicate wrist in the air and conjured a facsimile of the training grounds. Small lines branched out of the training grounds into smaller bubbles of murky purple ink.

“You will take what you have learned up to this point and use your Grimoires to render your marks unto your service. If your skills, your luck, your connections prove to be lackluster, you will find yourself dead or worse.” She crushed the image in her hand with a shocking ferocity. “I do not expect the worst to occur. You are fledglings of my institution and as such, you will conquer the challenges that impede your progress for power.”

The Matron paused, letting the gravitas of her words lay heavy on the shoulders of each individual student.

“I do not need to remark on my pride for you students. You will return as sisters as easily as the sun rises. You all are capable of great things if you have the will to achieve them.”

Magnolia’s blood ran cold at the statement. Maybe it was a trick of the mind but the Matron’s eyes did not turn away from her own as she made that statement.

A coincidence. It had to be.

“With this, I’ll start with our brave volunteers. Who will make the first step towards the start of their career?” Professor Del Marin asked the crowd of students.

“I will go first. It is my privilege to lead the way for the rest of my colleagues.” Bianca declared with a pompous air. She broke rank from her row and walked towards Professor Del Marin clad in a winter fur coat and furred hat. “I will be selecting the Cold Snap spell as my quarry of choice.” She stuck her hand out after declaring her intent and waited for the professor to hand her a transparent sphere with a star in its center.

“Proceed.” The Professor gestured behind him at the two guides standing watch at the restricted corner of the facility. What once was a wall preventing access for Magnolia was now an older side of the building with a shimmering gash in reality, vines and cattails growing from the floor.

She would not be outdone.

“I’ll go next!” Magnolia shouted. Some of the other students looked peeved by her declaration but she didn’t care. If they wanted to go next so badly, they’d have made their move earlier.

Magnolia gave Willow one more look of encouragement before walking down the rows of students to her professor. She did her best to borrow that disaffected confidence her sister often employed and felt satisfied at the courage it brought her.

“I will be selecting the Suggestion spell.” Magnolia declared.

The hushed tone of the room grew into invested murmurs on her behalf.

“Take this however you will but that’s a higher end spell you’ve marked. Are you sure you can handle it?” Professor Del Marin whispered to her with the compass in his hand.

Magnolia snatched the compass from his hand and smiled, “I’m a Winthrop, Professor. Take no prisoners, leave no witnesses. I can do this.” She didn’t let the man get a second word in, taking the same stride towards the sliver at the end of the facility.

Deep breaths. She’d done this before. She’d researched the various configurations of her mark and verified the integrity of her Grimoire. The astral was a known element to her. Magnolia had all her ducks in a row. It was all a matter of follow-through.

“See you later.” Magnolia whispered to herself before taking the cold plunge into the other end of the world.