Chapter 16

"IT BURNS!"

She sat backwards on a chair, her upper back exposed to Usher who sat on another chair behind her. He had a metal rod in his hand, the size of a pencil with one end sharpened and the other blunt as he dug the sharp edge into her skin and burned it black.

In the centre of her upper back, right where the trapezius muscles were, Usher was burning a Sigil into her skin. A mark that would do whatever it was created for.

Her Sigil literally meant Protect those who follow me and pain to those who are against me.

It was encased in a square with circles at each corner, and if you looked closely enough, the overlapping lines looked like it created two six-pointed stars, one above the other and touching at the top three points.

It was mirrored perfectly all four ways.

The lines were a dark, bloodied red, while the circles were coloured to be black.

Kore clutched the chair back, hugging it as Usher worked on the Sigil. She wore a low-cut tank top so the back could be pulled down a bit more.

"Won't be long now," Usher commented, digging the rode into her skin again and burning another straight line. "Just a couple more seconds... Done! You can get up now."

"THANK FUCK!" Kore shot up from the chair, stretching as the soreness in her back settled down to just an ache. She knew it would continue to ache for ages afterwards simply because it was Magic that was embedded into her skin.

Kore stood at her vanity desk, turning her back to it so she could look at the linework on her back. "You did an excellent job, Ush'."

"Of course I did," Usher said, tucking the metal rod into his trouser pocket. "I'm not the top of my class for Body Magic for nothing."

"True,"

"Now go ice it," he said, leaving the room. "You'll be sore."

"I know, I know."

)()()(

The group of Arcanes and Witches, and Ruel, were invited to spend the week at a small village on the edge of nowhere near a beach but it had a good Arcane population nearby. It was mainly owned by Markus' family so it was fine for them to spend their time anywhere in the village.

The village had a Japanese traditional inn that they planned to stay in. The inn was mostly made of beautiful warm wood with tatami flooring and sliding doors for each room.

Most of the group shared a room with one another. The only couple was Annaliese and Wylan so they roomed together while Cera shared a room with her brothers and Richard, Silas and Ruel took the last one. Kore and Markus had separate rooms that were attached by a door which could be locked.

They agreed to go to the natural spring pools that the inn had, letting everyone get settled in before they went there.

The inn didn't have separate areas for men and women so the group just went in, changed, and got into the pools without any fuss for their nudeness. They were all Arcanes, except Ruel, and they were all used to nudeness in one form or the other.

Most of the group were already in the pool, all naked but they had no shame. Bodies were bodies and they all were similar anyway. The water was slightly murky because of the minerals in it, obscuring views. Annaliese and Silas were both relishing the heat of the water, scales all over their body as they let their Arcane forms come out. Their eyes glowed gold as they laid back. Wylan let his dark red skin show, revealing his Hellhound form with the heat being welcomed.

The girls had all pulled their hair up and out of the way, leaving it in buns or piles on top of their heads to keep it out of the water.

And Kore had made quite the entrance as she was the last to have gotten ready and washed.

Her hair was clipped up, face and body were bare of any makeup or clothes but she still wore her jewellery, including the little crystal necklace and her watch and ring.

She removed the modest towel, placing that to the side before she slowly sunk into the hot water of the spring pool. "This is nice."

"You've got a tattoo..." Markus asked, uncertain of what he saw earlier.

"Yeah, protection sigil," she said, turning her back to the group so they could see the design. "The advisors sent it to me. The Crowns also got it done, along with their Heirs. The situation in the summer demands that we get it done."

It was a mark to prevent Blood Magic from being used on a person. It wouldn't work if one of the people wearing it was a Blood Witch themselves, but Kore knew she could use her Magic still. It took the other Crowns ages to find it. There wasn't a need for it before the newcomer decided to claim they were a Redwater. It would have been suspicious if Kore didn't get it done since all of the ruling clan leaders and their children had to get it done to prevent possession.

"Only the Crowns and Heirs are getting it done," Usher said. "They're the ones with the most political power so they need the most protection. The rest of us are getting talismans."

"Protection from what?" Wylan asked. "Who'd go against the royals?"

"This will stay between us all," Kore stated. "There were originally four ruling clans; Blackwood, Whitestone, Greylight, and Redwater. Death, life, Magic, and Blood. That was what they were known for respectively. A fallout happened and all the Redwaters were killed off. Someone has claimed to be a Redwater and apparently has the gift of Blood Magic. For someone to claim to have a Forbidden Art, they must be serious."

"What is Blood Magic?"

"Technically it isn't actually about blood, but more about the Magic within a person," she said. "Greylights are known for manipulating Magic, but Redwaters were known for manipulating Magic within a person, which is much more dangerous."

"Only two things can take away someone's Magic, the Flame of Magic and a Witch with Blood Magic," Bereket said. "It's a dangerous ability to have, and even more so for people to know about it. For a person to claim it, they must be seriously thinking they have it."

"We're leaving in a couple of weeks to sort it out during the summer," Kore said. "Ruel and I are coming back after the summer but I don't know about the triplets. It's their parents' choice if they continue to attend until winter."

"Why winter?" Silas asked. "We don't finish until March."

"I have to go through a Magical trial during the winter. It will decide if I keep my title and Magic or if I become human,"

"Don't talk like that," Cera snapped. "You're gonna keep your Magic and title. I don't want the title. You keep it. Too much responsibility for my liking."

Kore chuckled. "How do you think I feel? I want to give it up but I can't, not until either the Order changes or I groom someone else to be Crown."

)()()(

"Kore can't wear that," Usher said, gesturing to the black and red yukata that had been selected randomly for her. "She's not a Blackwood, and that is Blackwood Clan colours. It's disrespectful for her to wear them in any sort of robe form, including yukatas and kimonos. We mean no disrespect to the culture though."

"What are the colours she can't wear in robe-style clothes?" Ruel asked.

"Black and red for Blackwood, and white and blue for Whitewood," Bereket said, smirking. "As a Greylight and Heir, she can't wear a robe or coat that has black as its body with red detailing. She can, however, wear it when it is mainly red with black detailing."

Kore had to admit defeat when she couldn't put the yukata on properly. It wasn't as simple as she would have thought it was going to be, resulting in Ruel having to help her get into it.

But the end result was nice as dinner came soon enough after the spring session.

She sat across from Markus in the middle of the table. He sat cross-legged and as soon as she saw his yukata, she wanted to curse her friends.

Her yukata was a beautiful red wine colour with black and silver tiger lily designs on the sleeves and the hem. The thick line of the hem was black while the main body was dark red. The obi or belt was plain black and fitted nicely.

It all matched Markus's.

Kore didn't acknowledge this fact, only sending a look toward Ruel that said she knew what was going on.

Halfway through the semi-traditional meal, Kore's phone began to ring.

Her phone was connected wirelessly to her watch, so even if she had left her phone in another room, her watch could take the call. and that was what she did.

She excused herself from the room, silencing the next room she got into it.

"Greylight speaking," She said as she didn't know the caller. The caller ID said it was a restricted number, probably meaning someone from the Order.

"Kore, it's Ciel Whitestone," He greeted quickly. "I know you and your accomplices were supposed to come in a couple of weeks but we need you here now. Many of the other royal families have suddenly said they're going to arrive with the girl who claims to be the Redwater."

"Shit, shit, shit," Kore muttered. "Do you absolutely need me there? I'm not even Crown yet, we don't know if I will be Crown until my Challenge comes through in the winter."

"Since the passing of the law to make a Crown have to be over nineteen didn't pass, you are designated Crown until you are properly titled," He said. "The other Entitled will be arriving within the next day. The Order needs to show an allied form or they will think something is wrong and become suspicious. You don't want your secret to be out, and truthfully, we don't either."

"Can't I finish school for the year? It's only a couple of weeks now..."

"Brona and I spoke but we both think it is best you get back sooner rather than later since Minthe Vallie will think she can influence us," Ciel said, referring to Brona Blackwood. "There's already a plane on standby near the Institute. Get on it as soon as possible."

Kore popped her head into the other room again, "I just got a call from Whitestone. I'm sorry to cut the visit short, but I'm needed at the High Halls. There's a plane on standby near the Institute and I'm getting on it tonight. If you're coming with me tonight, get your shit together. I'm leaving for the Institute in fifteen minutes to get on the plane."

They all looked shocked by the sudden announcement.

Ruel stood up instantly, nodding as the triplets suddenly stood too.

"If Cera is going, I'm coming too!" Silas said, following after her quickly.

"It'll take a good two hours to get to the Institute by car," Richard said. "How will you make it in fifteen minutes?"

"I was taught Lightning Teleportation," Kore said, a fist gently tapping against the wood of the door. "I'll teleport whoever is going. It'll take some of my Magic but it'll be worth getting there quickly."

Kore slinked off to her own room to get her stuff packed. Using Magic, all of her stuff was tightly packaged away into the suitcase she brought with her for this trip.

Markus knocked at the door once, letting Kore's Magic open it before he came in as it closed behind him. "Kore, are you sure it's wise to leave so early?"

She turned her head back to him for a second, holding his gaze before turning back to her phone. "I don't really have a choice. A lot of the royal clans are joining us at the High Hall, it would be suspicious if the Greylight Clan doesn't attend. With my mum dead, I'm the designated Crown until I become titled. They'll expect me to be there to greet them since there is no Crown."

"How do you know you are not being tricked?"

"I don't know so I'm taking a chance,"

"Isn't it stupid to take a chance when your life could be in danger?"

She laughed. "I was in danger the moment my mother found out I had Magic. My dad will be there, along with my aunts and uncles and cousins. Ruel will be there and I'm going to give him some of my Magic to protect him."

"You can do that?"

"All of the Crowns can do that. It places a person under their protection if they're not a Witch or don't have any sort of protection from another clan."

Markus hummed. "Are you sure it's wise to go alone?"

She paused. "What do you mean? I'm not going alone. The triplets are coming, Silas said he's gonna follow Cera so he's coming, being the lovesick puppy that he is. And Ruel is, of course, joining me anyway."

"Are they really the best choices for protection?"

"Protection from what? Other people?" She laughed mockingly. "Markus, I am a Blood Witch of the Greylight Clan. I have Dunner and Redwater blood in me. I descend from three ancient bloodlines, along with being a Chimera since I absorbed my other sisters. And I have Davina Knot's blood and Magic in me."

He crossed his arms. "But you're still human."

"And you think you're more powerful because you're a Vampire?" Kore turned fully around, eyes faintly a silver tone more than normal. "Don't pretend to know how it is to be me when you've only seen parts of my Magic. I'm more powerful than I am but I've been restricted for years."

Kore smirked at his anger as his eyes seemed to glow for only a moment before returning back to their warm brown. She liked them either way.

"What is restricting you?"

That made her pause again.

It wasn't the question she thought he was going to ask.

"My ring," She said hesitantly, lifting the hand with the purple and black ring. "I've had it since I was little. I don't remember ever not having it so it makes sense for it to be inhabiting my full potential. The other Crowns said my mum put it on me because of my Magical outbursts when I was younger."

"May I?" He gestured to her hand.

"You can't take it off, nor can I or the Crowns," she said but gave him her hand anyway.

Markus held it like one would a delicate object, not like how a flower would wilt but rather how a bomb might shift and explode. He touched the sides of the ring with his thumb and pointer finger, feeling the Magic within the metal that the gem gave.

He almost glared outwardly at the obtrusive purple gem and made it crack right in the centre. He smirked as he slid the ring off of her finger and placed it in her hand.

Her jaw dropped. "How the fu... How'd you do that? Even I couldn't do it."

"I'm more powerful than you think," Markus said, cupping her jaw with a hand as he smiled at her shocked expression. "I'd like to be able to join you at the High Halls..."

Kore felt a little warm inside, liking the fact that he wanted to join her but she was scared he would have an alternative motive. He might want to have access to the other Witches and Magic, to expand the chessboard with new pieces.

She shook them off and didn't let her hesitation show. "You can't come along with me and the others. And you can't leave Iscariot Institute without the other Arcanes acting out."

"Richard is more than willing to stay. He is my second,"

"So if you're coming with me, who else is? Silas already is joining,"

"Knowing Annaliese, she will join me, and that means Wylan will too," He said. "That is if you are willing to give me your protection while joining you? I have a feeling the other Witches will not be happy with our presence."

"Of course, you'd have my protection," She stated, letting the ring crumble in her hand into fine dusk before blowing it away. "You've given me your protection so it is only fair that you have mine too." She checked her watch. "We need to leave."

)()()(

When the plane landed at the private sector of the nearest airport, Kore was the first to leave the plane as she was told that many of the families were to arrive at the High Halls as soon as the next hour.

She had her makeup done, her eyelashes curled and blackened with her eyebrows just brushed to look neat. Her shoulder-length charcoal grey hair was curled at the tips into loose ringlets to show off the plum purple colour underneath.

Kore had on black leather trousers, tight and sleek looking with laced up knee-high boots with shiny silver loops where the lacing went. It had a three-inch heel with a slight platform to give her a height boost. She was already a little tall so it just gave her more confidence. She just wore a skintight black bodysuit, all of her skin from the neck down being covered besides for her hands.

It was a standard look for a Heir or Crown to wear, looking sleek in their appearance if they were going to be wearing their uniform soon.

"I need to get to the High Halls right now," Kore said. "Markus and Ruel need to come with me but the rest of you can be driven there. Cousins, look after them and tell whoever doesn't listen that they're under my protection."

She teleported them with the use of lightning again, using a bit more of her Magic than needed but they got there in time. They could see a huge line of cars starting over a hill.

The High Halls were a big place and looked more like the Vatican City than anything else. The stone was bronze and cream-coloured with bronze as accent pieces as they walked up the large set of stairs in front of the main door.

The main doors opened to let them in before it shut behind them. There was an absurd amount of people there, all running around and doing this and that before they realised who just came in.

"Princess!" many said and bowed or curtsied if capable, otherwise they sunk their heads down in respect.

"Kore!" Brona Blackwood called her over, already in her black tailcoat with red lining. She had a golden circlet crown on her head, one with bright red rubies between the wires. "I have your tailcoat here. Come quickly, they're going to be here soon. I think Ciel had one of the advisors bring a circlet for you. They'll be down in a few."

Brona gestured for Kore to turn around, helping her put on the grey coat.

She did the double-breasted panels of purple across her chest, buttoning the gold buttons so the coat closed. The coat went down to her knees in a strange style, going from short at the front where the bottom of the torso of the coat ended at her hips until it reached just past her knees at the back. It was all the same shade of grey, besides for the linings of the collar, double-breasted panels at her chest, and the lining of her sleeves and bottom of the coat train.

Kore had to pause, looking to her left shoulder where three chains of gold hung from the front of her shoulder, going under her arm to hook back to the shoulder panels where purple also sat. "Gold?"

"Yes, gold," Brona said. "In their eyes and our people's, you are Crown Greylight now, even if you haven't been sworn in yet."

Kore looked at her shoes, changing the colour of her silver loops to gold by rubbing a thumb over them.

"Hurry, Ciel," Brona called.

"I'm here," He snapped. "They got the wrong circlet so I had to get it myself."

Kore took the circlet, golden in colour with plum-purple gems in places. She tucked it onto her head. "You've met Markus and Ruel. I've brought a couple of others with me but they're driving here."

Both older Crowns gave them both cautious looks.

"Bring a Greylight tailcoat!" Ciel called and gestured to Ruel, and one appeared quickly.

A Witch stood next to Ruel as he allowed them to put the Greylight coat on him, but instead of the vibrant purple that Kore had, his was a muted tone that was closer to black than anything. His buttons were the same colour as the muted tones. He also had bronze instead of gold.

"Lord Alastair, you don't need one," Brona said. "You're not one of us but you are under her protection, aren't you?"

"He is," Kore interrupted, fixing her cuffs quickly before running her hands through her hair. "He'll stand with Ruel and the other advisors."

"You're standing alone then."

"They're coming!"

The Crowns almost bolted forward, their Heirs following behind them.

There were five of them in total, Kore stood in the middle with Blackwood on her right and Whitestone on her left. Their Heirs on the outside. The Heirs had the same outfits as the Crowns, but theirs were silver and they didn't have the chain of three on their left shoulders, and their circlets were coloured silver instead of gold.

The doors opened and they all began to walk until they stood at the very top of the stairs, looking down at the newcomers as cars approached.

"You don't have your ring," Brona Blackwood said, giving her a side-eye to prevent herself from disengaging her gaze from the new people.

"I had it destroyed."

Ciel almost smirked. "Only someone powerful could do it."

"I know," Kore said. "Powerful and dangerous."

"Speaking of danger," Ciel Whitestone muttered before smiling and stepping forward with the other Crowns as two people approached.

"May I introduce Minthe Vallie, the descendant of the Redwaters and a Blood Witch," They introduced the newcomer.

Minthe Vallie was dressed in a cherry-red dress, knee length with quite the V neck that showed off her cleavage and a strange gem necklace. She couldn't have been any older than Kore, maybe twenty. Minthe had dark ginger hair, close to being brown but not quite with bright green eyes.

Minthe seemed to sneer when she saw the Crowns. "I thought I was meeting all three Crowns, not two of them and a child playing dress-up."

Kore had to fuel her rage into keeping her expression neutral.

Minthe dropped to her knees in pain as Kore contained her glare.

"Please, Your Majesty, she meant no disrespect," the advisor said for Minthe. "She doesn't know our ways."

"Then why have you brought us her?" Kore said, turning her cold grey eyes at them. "I was told we were going to be determining if she truly is a Redwater but all I can see is the immaturity of a spoiled child in her place."

Minthe glared. "Child!? Who're you—"

"Silence!" Whitestone raised a hand. "Even if you are a Redwater as you say you are, you are in the presence of the Ruling Clans. You will thus act accordingly or we will throw this case out and you will never find out."

She frowned, the pain now gone as Kore stopped. "Fine."

Blackwood kept her voice even. "You will refer to us as our titles and nothing else. Until we can determine if you are truly a Redwater, you are not even an equal to any of our community."

A small amount of shouting came from the bottom of the stairs as the Sallow triplets tried to get through security with the Arcanes.

"Let them through," Kore called down to them.

"Your Majesty, they have Arcanes with them!"

"I. Said. Let them through." It was silent for a minute as the group walked up the stairs, quickly getting to the Crowns, the Heirs, and the two other people there. She switched to Japanese, "Go stand with your parents, they have your tailcoats. Silas, Annaliese, Wylan, stand behind Lord Alastair, you're to remain with Lord Michaelis and him at the moment."

They did as told, calmly walking over to their designated areas.

"She's really acting like a royal," Silas muttered lowly.

Markus stared at her, hating that he was so far away from her at the moment. "She is royalty."