11 Chapter 11: The first sign of the war within

"Stupid wolf. First, he bites me and then takes off without a word." Elize complained as she plucked a weed out from the garden.

It's been three days since that morning when Aileen surprised the duo. When she got back from answering the door, Zack was no more in the room.

Elize had searched the whole room for something to explain the sudden disappearance- at least a note from him. There was none. She wanted to believe that he'd come back. Maybe he had an emergency.

Rather than wasting time in the room sulking, Elize had made it her mission to bring Anna's garden back to its former glory. After two days of weeding and replanting the place was looking quite neat.

A blue butterfly slowly landed on the wild rose that Elize was now pruning.

"Thank you for coming into my garden." Elize did a little show bow at the butterfly then laughed at her own action.

"Yeah, you totally don't look crazy," Aileen said, coming up from behind her.

Aileen was wearing white again. One would almost think that she had no other colors in her wardrobe than white. It was either white dresses or white skirts and shirts every time that Elize saw her. The weird thing was that she never seemed to get a speck of dirt on her clothes, while Elize stood there in her khaki shorts and a green t-shirt, covered in dirt from head to toe.

"Hey! I've been living with plants for companions for the last two days!" Elize protested with a smile on her face.

Aileen shook her head and laughed. It was a burst of hearty laughter that rang around the place. The two looked content in a sea of flowers, the afternoon wind swaying the huge trees that dotted the expanse of the vast garden.

"Your first lesson starts today little one," Aileen said, stepping towards a tall willow tree. She sat down on the grass that covered the ground beneath it and tapped the ground next to her, asking Elize to take a seat beside her.

Elize put down her tools and dusted her hands and legs before plopping down on the grass under the tree.

"What do you know about magic?" Aileen asked, looking at the teenager's grimy face.

"Umm.. that I have it in me? And supposedly it is passed down through genes." Elize replied while playing with the grass needles that were poking out from between her folded legs.

Aileen chuckled.

"What?" Elize looked up at the old woman's face who clearly thought her answer funny.

"Nothing. You remind me of myself when I was your age. I remember having the same conversation with my grandma. But I was six years old back then." Aileen laughed again.

Elize threw a blade of grass at her. "Yeah I know I'm worse than a six-year-old but I had my reasons." She complained at the mockery.

"Magic my child is the essence of the universe. It creates, it destroys and it molds its wielder according to how they choose to use it." Aileen explained, taking on a serious air.

"Ohh... But where do we get it from?" Elize wanted to hear more. Understanding magic was understanding a part of herself.

"It's all around us. Inside every living thing. But most importantly, you have to find it within yourself. Every bit of magic you spend originates first from within you and then from around you. It is your will that channels the magic within to do the act."

Aileen stood up from the place and reached out to a withering white rose bush. She raised her right hand above the plant and closed her eyes. Elize looked at the act with much curiosity.

Before her very own eyes a subtle white glow surrounded the person of the old woman as well as the plant in front of her.

Slowly, the drooping leaves of the shrub started raising their heads. Wilted flowers bloomed once again. The almost lifeless plant was once more green and full of life.

Aileen opened her eyes and appreciated her work. She then turned around to face the teenager who was staring at her with her mouth open and her eyes wide. She chuckled at the sight.

Elize shook her head and closed her mouth. Only to open it again in awe.

"I can do that?!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, my little one and much more. When you learn to control your magic Elize, you will be able to give life."

"Can I try it now?!" Elize asked, with much enthusiasm.

Aileen smiled. "You already have. Look at the garden." She pointed towards the vast garden which now bloomed with all sorts of flowers. It was a far cry from what it was when Elize arrived. Birds had come back and so did butterflies and other little bugs, signifying the return of life to the place.

Elize was awestruck. "I did that?!" She asked, looking at Aileen.

"Yes my child. The love and care that emanated from your heart were what made the wilted garden green again. Without you realizing it, nature took from you and gave back to you. You have the ability to reach the magic within, without anybody teaching you to do so Elize. It came to you as naturally as breathing." Aileen replied with a smile.

"Then why was this particular bush withered even after I spent time on it?" Elize cocked her head at the now blooming white rose bush that Aileen brought to life.

"It only means that you were feeling a sense of regret when you were around it. The negative energy inside you was absorbed by the plant." Aileen paused.

Two blue eyes flashed in her mind as the old woman kept looking at Elize.

Aileen prodded "Tell me child, is something bothering you?"

Elize looked up at the tensed face of the head witch. She had to ask.

"Umm, can I ask you something? If...you don't mind?"

"Go on Elize. What is it?"Aileen asked.

"So, remember you said that I was umm part wolf and if I am around other wolves then something bad might happen? Like I could die?"

Aileen narrowed her eyes at the teenager. "What is it Elize? Don't beat around the bush. Did you do something?"

Elize was suddenly nervous.

"Umm well no. I was just curious. Like I wanted to meet Alex." She lied.

Aileen relaxed once again. "Not now child. I know you might be missing your brother but right now, both of you are unstable. Magic is seeping out of your body even without you recognizing it. That could very well drive a new wolf mad."

"Ohh.." Elize feigned disappointment. She had to keep up the act if she were to know the repercussions of the bite that now marked her chest, hidden well beneath her clothes.

"Is that all?" Aileen prodded.

"Umm.. well let's just assume for a moment that someone like me got bitten by a wolf. What will happen then?" Elize asked innocently, battering her lashes at the old woman.

Aileen smiled. She was buying the act.

"You might be curious about your mate. I bet you haven't found him yet since the wolf within you is dormant." She said.

Elize's heart skipped a beat. She was scared, but she tried her best to not give it away. She scratched her head and gave her an awkward smile.

"It's okay Elize. You don't have to be shy about it. You're a part wolf. Though I wish your mother was alive to tell you all about this. I wouldn't know much about it but I can tell you one thing. If a random wolf bites you now, then he or she would be as good as dead by now." Aileen said, sitting next to Elize on the grass.

Elize's eyes widened in shock. Did that mean that Zack was dead?!

"Why?!" She asked in shock, almost giving away her lie.

Aileen shrugged. "The magic that flows within your blood is poison to them. It would be a different case if you were bitten by your mate though."

Elize calmed down a bit. "Why so?" She asked.

"Well, although you are part witch, your fate is intertwined with that of your mate since you are part wolf. It means that you two were made for each other in every aspect. Your blood will have the ability to not only nourish him, but it will make him stronger. The bond that you share after the bite will be stronger than any other bond. The witch blood within you will inflict pain upon him if he touches another woman."

Elize laughed. She was utterly happy with that answer. Especially the last part.

"But that doesn't happen at all." Aleen continued, "Once a wolf marks his mate, his heart would entirely belong to her."

"That's good to know." Elize beamed. This meant that Zack was yearning for her as much as she yearned him at that moment.

"But.." Aileen trailed off looking at the sky.

"What?" Elize asked

Aileen sighed. "I hope for your good health that your mate doesn't come to you any time soon."

"Why?" Elize's heart was beating fast again.

"Because right now your magic is unstable. If your mate marks you then the wolf within you will try to come out before your 18th birthday- before we initiate you as a witch under the moon." Aileen paused, now looking at Elize intently.

"It would mean that you'd slowly die from within after a few days of the bite. The magic and the wolf will fight among each other, trying to overcome the other. No one would be able to stop it after it ensues."

Elize was trying hard to keep her breathing steady. She felt a sting in her heart as her eyes started burning, ready to produce tears at any moment. She looked towards the ground so that Aileen wouldn't see the expression on her face.

Suddenly she felt a warm hand over her shoulder. Soon she felt herself calming down as a sense of peace overcame her.

She looked up at Aileen who was now smiling down at her.

"Don't worry my child. It's only a few days more till the eclipse. You'll be fine after your initiation."

Oh if only she knew, Elize thought to herself. She scratched the side of her stomach, which has been itching and paining from the morning.

---------------------------------------------------

Elize was making fried rice for dinner when a faint burning smell alerted her senses from the drawing-room. She switched off the burner and proceeded to check it out. It could only mean one thing- a fire message.

There, on the mantle above the fireplace, a paper burned red, then yellow and slowly stopped burning and fell on the wooden floor. Elize picked up the paper and opened its fold. In a neat handwriting that she recognized, the letter read:

Dear Elize,

I will be away from the house for the next few days since I have to visit some important guests who would be attending your initiation ceremony. Some of them would be arriving in four days' time and would be staying at my house. So if you see the lights on at my place, don't panic. Please eat and sleep plenty for the next few days since you need all the energy you can muster up for the ceremony. If you ever need something, you can send a fire message to me at any time. I'll return in five days' time. So take care till then my love.

Yours,

Aileen.

Elize crumpled the paper and threw it in the fireplace before proceeding to the kitchen.

This news only meant that she'd be meeting more witches soon. She felt nervous now more than ever. Something huge was going to happen in her life, and she was not ready for it.

She plated the food in the china that she found in the kitchen compartment and proceeded to eat it with much speed. She was hungry and the things that were happening in her life were making her more so.

Elize was taking the last bite of the food when a sudden pain started pulsing on the side of her stomach.

The spoon fell down from her hands as she bent down on the floor clutching her stomach. It felt like something was scratching her insides with a knife.

The pain subsided in a moment's time. Elize drew in long breaths as she stood up. She raised the side of her t-shirt to inspect the spot.

A long purple bruise was forming on the side of her stomach. And it looked very much like something slashed her flesh from inside with claws.