25 Caroline

"I'm what?" Caroline asked Aniyoh. The other witch was still holding her hand, staring at the light blue markings extending down Caroline's arm. A look of surprise remained on Lucian's face several moments after the woman had spoken the words.

"Your tattoo, it's the most extensive I have ever seen. Typically the size indicates a witch's strength, how much onya she can hold within her, and then use for spells outside of her body." Aniyoh told her.

"Onya? I don't understand." Caroline said, withdrawing her hand.

"It's the power, the magic that lives within you," Aniyoh said exasperated. She turned to the older vampire, "She doesn't know anything?"

The vampire shook his head, crossing his long arms across his chest. "Nothing," he said.

"You can stop talking about me like I'm not in the room now, thanks," Caroline said to them both with a huff, swinging her long braid behind her back and staring pointedly at the witch and vampire before her. Lucian shrugged, but Aniyoh nodded.

"She's right," the curly-haired witch said in Lucian's direction. Aniyoh turned to Caroline sharply, her simple but finely made red dress clung to the woman's frame and whispered behind her as she redirected her attention to Caroline. "We have much to discuss. I am glad I came so quickly to Castle Mont, I'm surprised you haven't accidentally killed anyone yet considering how much power you can hold and how short your temper is."

"I do not have a short temper!" Caroline shot back at the accusation. Aniyoh only raised an eyebrow at her, and the young witch felt instantly guilty. "Not typically," she continued sheepishly, "I have just been under a lot of strain the last few days." Aniyoh must have sensed her sincerity because she gave Caroline a sympathetic nod.

Caroline hadn't realized the extent of the emotional strain she had been under since arriving in Ibudal. Her whole world had was turned upside down so quickly, and the witch had been finding herself quick to anger. It was a far departure from her typical demeanor. Everything she had known to be true turned out to be a lie, and she was still grappling at the feelings of having been lied to by the person she trusted the most in this world. If Nim had been lying to her for her whole life, who could she believe?

"Well, be that as it may, I'm going to need you to remain as calm as possible until we get a handle on your onya. Let's get going." Aniyoh said, looping her arm into Caroline's. As direct as the woman was, Caroline found it refreshing after dealing with Lucian's rhetorical exaggerations. As difficult as it was to hear the truth from Aniyoh, it was better than being kept in the dark as she had been.

"Where is Caroline going?" Ender called from the top of the grand staircase, this time fully clothed.

"I take it, you are her contract holder then," Aniyoh shot back at the younger vampire with a sneer. "She is not your property, and unless it's outlined in Caroline's contract, I presume she is allowed to roam the castle as she pleases?" It was Ender's turn now to be on the receiving end of Aniyoh's raised eyebrow.

Caroline could see the vampire's shoulder and neck muscles tense underneath his loose white shirt. Ender glared at the woman with such intensity the tension was almost palpable between the two. Aniyoh held the vampires stare unyielding. Finally, an overly loud sigh from Lucian burst the bubble of contention that had settled in the large entryway and spoke, "If you two have finished asserting your dominance now, can Caroline please continue to her lessons?"

Caroline could feel her frustration begin to rise. No one had even bothered to ask her directly what she thought or felt. None of them had let her speak for herself. Anger bubbled under the surface. An unfamiliar but vindicating feeling washed over her. Heat permeated her cheeks, spreading to her chest and arms, eventually radiating from every inch of her body.

Aniyoh's large brown eyes widened in fear letting go of her arm and backing away slowly. She vaguely registered Ender, and Lucian exchange worried looks between them through a haze of red that began to cloud her vision. Ender zipped down the stairs in one quick motion stopping a few from her and began to approach her cautiously.

"Why do you act like I am not even here? Why does no one ask me what I want?!" Caroline screeched in a voice that left those around in shock. Her small bell-like voice crashed throughout the room like thunder.

"Caroline..."Aniyoh said calmly, bending down slightly to make her eyes level with the young witch's, "I need you to calm down...please." the other witch said. It was apparent the woman didn't use the word 'please' often.

Tears began to tumble down the younger witch's face in frustration. Her whole body began to tremble with the built-up anger and frustration she had been dampening down over the last few days. The more she thought about how much her heart hurt and how scared she was alone in a foreign land, the harder it became to focus on anything else. She thought of Nim and how her grandmother had kept her identity from her all this time. Suddenly small sparks began to fly out from her fingertips in all directions.

The little lightning bolts darted through the room wildly, singing carpets and tapestries. To Caroline, it felt like the resentment and anger were quickly releasing from her body. The emotions were flowing out with the fire into the surrounding air. She didn't register the fear in the eyes of her new friends or that they were cautiously backing away. Power surged through her pulling from a seemingly bottomless well inside her petite frame. The experience was both terrifying and liberating.

"Brundah..." Ender slowly moved into her hazy crimson vision. She heard his voice not next to her but resonating from within her head. The sound burned like a beacon breaking through a wave of fury that was threatening to overtake her. "Come back to me."

Ender's voice resonated in her mind, but she had crossed over too far. She couldn't pull back the magic that was emanating from her now. She could feel herself losing control. Electric energy charged the air while the sparks flying from her hand became larger. Her hair swirled around her after being set free from its braid. She looked both beautiful and frightening. Lucian was darting about the room, trying to put out small fires erupting throughout the great hall.

"Ender don't-!" Caroline heard Aniyoh's voice yell, it sounded distant though, like she was calling from across the castle and not directly next to her.

Suddenly cold enveloped her, dampening the flames of fury burning from deep inside. It was the back door of the farmhouse open in the wintertime as a fire burned in the hearth. Frigid winter and scorching summer met as Ender wrapped his arms around her tiny form, her face resting on the tight muscles of his chest. It was like being hugged by a snowstorm. He lifted her feet off the ground holding the small witch to him while burying his head in her blonde hair that had come loose.

"Come back to me," he whispered in her ear so only she could hear.

She could feel her heart begin to thrum at a more measured pace as the anger started to leave her body. Her thoughts shifted to the vampire, holding her now as calm washed over. Caroline's arms went limp at her sides, the last small flames finally diminished at her fingertips.

Caroline remembered the longing she felt just a little while ago in the study. She had wanted to reach out tot eh vampire and resisted, and now it was him who had put his arms around her. He smelled like campfire, iron, and the forest after it rained. The scent reminded her of home, although she was coming to realize she did not know where that was anymore.

After a long moment of the two entwined, the vampire gently settled her back down onto shaky feet. Suddenly the young witch became self-conscious, realizing Lucian and Aniyoh hadn't taken their eyes off of either of them. Her cheeks reddened at the unwanted attention and shame at having lost control in precisely the way Aniyoh had predicted.

Caroline surveyed the damage to the wall hangings and carpets. A few small tables had toppled over in addition to the fires, decorative bowls lay cracked and broken on the floor. The witch instantly felt even worse than she had a moment before, "My gods, I'm so sorry, I-"

Ender cut her off before she could continue further, his expression returning to the stony demeanor she had become accustomed to, "If you are sorry, go and learn from Aniyoh so this doesn't happen again. Do not worry about the damage done here today."

"Father always loved his ornamental dishes," Lucian said, walking towards one of the overturned tables. He slowly crunched his boot over the shards scattered across the marble floor. A small grin played at the corners of his mouth. "The man has terrible taste if I do say so myself, really you did us a favor."

Caroline could feel a small smile forming and nodded, turning to Aniyoh. The woman looked both horrified and amused. Caroline didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the woman's expression as the other witch turned to Ender.

"What you did was both brave and stupid," she said, looking up at the vampire, her curls swaying with her words. "But it was effective, so thank you." Ender gave the woman a simple nod, which she returned briskly. It seemed the two had come to an unspoken understanding of one another.

Aniyoh returned to the younger witch once again, looping her arm into Caroline's. Surveying the room, she let out a long sigh. "Come, girl, we're going to the garden," she expressed a little louder than needed while tossing a look back to Ender. The vampire nodded again; a small smile broke into the sharp lines of his face. Caroline felt her heart beat a little louder at the sight.

Aniyoh tugged the girl's arm a little harder than necessary, pulling her away from the vampires and the severely singed hall. "We have a lot of work to do." the witch grumbled under her breath.