Chapter 4

As usual, she was one of the first people to be awake at seven in the evening on a Saturday. Most of the House would sleep in until about nine or later.

She had the habit of making coffee at the oddest times of day but she always seemed to sleep fine with caffeine in her system.

Markus let his presence be known by letting his aura out, alerting her instead of startling her. He had done that once before and it ended with her chucking one of the cups at his head. It was amusing to see her cheeks flush up in anger as she sneered at him.

"Coffee? Again?" He lifted the coffee cup, looking at the red writing on the black cup. He shook his head at it, lip curling an inch. "Funny."

"Blood of Kore's enemies?" She lifted the cup before putting it under the coffee machine. "I find the cup most hilarious. Was there anything you needed or are you just trying to bother me again? Has Evette used the cream yet?"

"It has helped."Markus leaned against the counter, watching as Kore put three huge spoons of sugar in her finished coffee and topped it off with full-fat milk. He couldn't understand how she drank it like that but she liked it.

"Good," Kore turned back to face him, cup in her hand. "Did you need to tell me something?"

"Yes," he said. "Two things that link, because of a new student attending the Key House is always unexpected, Zayn Torren is coming tonight. He is one of the school's governors and wants to check in on his two relatives. He's Annaliese and Silas' uncle."

She nodded, "Alright, and?"

"You will be here to greet him with me."

"Okay," she instantly said. "When is he arriving?"

"He is to arrive around ten o'clock tonight."

"I'll be ready by then."

Markus didn't take his eyes off of her as she left the kitchen, going back to her room. He was surprised she agreed so easily, but it was probably due to the fact the request was a simple thing instead of something absurd.

Kore respected him purely on the fact that both of them were powerful in their own right. He could kill her just as easily as she could him, if his view of her was correct. Though Kore was young, she was still raised to be the next Crown of the Greylight Clan.

It was refreshing.

Just as he was raised to be the head of the Alastair family from a young age, she was raised to be the head of her family. Kore didn't flaunt her royal title and he didn't flaunt his. They both didn't need to when they could gain respect without it, though it was much harder for her as she was a Witch in an Arcane class.

Annaliese, the most secretive of them all, liked Kore enough to talk to her during class and on the way there and back. Even Silas had begun to respect her, and he wasn't one for respecting anyone who wasn't Markus or his sister, not even the Chamber members.

)()()(

Instead of complaining that she was taking too long, Markus patiently waited outside her door. He knew she was getting dressed and it would have been exceptionally rude of him to barge in at this moment. The last time someone tried to walk in was when Silas tried and was left with a nasty burn on the side of his face which he hid with makeup.

The door opened.

There were some days that Kore didn't bother with a lot of maintenance of her appearance, Markus noticed, only because these extra measures weren't needed. Kore wasn't one to care much about her appearance to the point of spending hours each day getting ready. She liked to keep things a little simpler with only a dash of makeup.

Today was not one of those days.

Hair pin-straight and eyeliner sharp, Kore had put effort into her appearance. Makeup accented her features instead of hiding them. A lilac blur complimented her grey eyes, warming the cool steel colour into something remotely human. She wore tinted gloss instead of full lipstick, a slight pinky-purple shimmer appeared in the light.

He lifted a hand, touching the end of her charcoal hair as it revealed the plum purple underneath. It was soft and newly straightened. Her eyes trailed his actions, keeping him within sight with all of his movements. He dropped it when she raised an immaculately groomed eyebrow.

"You look nice." Markus took in the wine-coloured blouse she had left open but tied right under her bust. She wore a black lace bodysuit to maintain her modesty, though it left very little to the imagination with the tightest black jeans he had ever seen on a person.

"I always look nice," she smiled, suddenly turning on her heels and walking a few steps until she realised he wasn't following. "Coming to greet our guest? Or did I get dressed for nothing?"

"Your outfit? Do you have plans to go out?" he asked, catching up. He saw her nod. "Are you going alone? I would suggest taking Annaliese or another to accompany you."

"Thanks for the concern," Kore inclined her head in acknowledgement. "I've already asked Annaliese to come with me. Better safe than sorry for a couple of months."

"When is your nineteenth birthday?"

"This November."

"Only nine months away." They began to descend the stairs. "You don't plan to finish the next year here, I take it?"

"Two hundred and sixty days, I'm counting down."

Silence fell between them, and neither set of footsteps sounded as they walked down the marble staircase. All of the Key House was down there, waiting for the guest to come. They were all dressed nicely as was expected of them when a Chamber member came.

"I don't see why I have to greet him," Kore muttered quietly, keeping her voice level and soft. "He's part of your society, not mine."

"In Arcane Society, it is common courtesy for the highest-ranked Arcane in one place to greet any Chamber members," He said, letting his eyes drift to her, seeing the guarded look on her face before looking forward again. "And it is usually the same if there are any other races present."

"And being the only Witch, it is my duty to welcome them,"

"Correct,"

As soon as the two reached the floor and congregated with the rest of the main members of Key House, the double doors opened with a gust of window.

"Whilst I came to see the new student," The man said as he came in, walking with a familiar grin. "I have also come to see my darling niece and nephew. But I am quite surprised to see you, Princess Graylight, as the new student."

"Princess?" Silas mumbled, gently jerking Kore in the ribs when he stepped closer to her to talk. "What's he going on about? You're no princess."

"Being the next Crown Graylight, I get the title of Princess and Heir," Kore whispered to him, jabbing him back in the ribs. "If any Witch not of one of the Ruling Clans met Markus and not on a first-name basis, they would call him Prince Alastair as that is his proper title."

"How long has it been since I've seen you last?" Zayn Torren said evenly, bowing a little as he took her hand to put a kiss on her knuckle. He stayed like that, holding her hand while in a bow. His long dreadlocks went over one shoulder.

Kore didn't bow or even acknowledge this. "Some time."

"My condolences, Princess." He pressed his forehead to the ring on her right middle finger, a black ring with a teardrop purple stone. "It was sad news to hear that your mother passed. Truly a waste of potential."

"And Magic,"

"And Magic. Nothing compares to the blood and Magic of a Witch of the Three Clans, especially of a Crown Witch." Zayn's eyes flickered to Markus and he seemed to sense that this talk of blood and Magic was not appropriate. "Though I missed the chance with your mother, I hope you give me the exquisite experien—"

Markus wanted to pull her away from him, knowing what Zayn was about to do but Kore was quicker. Zayn tried to twist her hand closer, only ending up with the tip of his nose singed. She twisted her hand until it was palm up, snapping her fingers before a flame appeared above her thumb and pointer finger. It had barely singed him before he stood up straight, his hand pulled to the side by Markus.

The flame was bright blue, tinged with an edge of purple as she swayed her hand in front of her hand. "Never try and take a Greylight's Magic without permission. It will end... painfully on your side. Thank you, Markus."

"No blood is allowed to be spilt on Iscariot Institute grounds, Zayn," Markus dropped his hand, the coldness of his tone was below freezing and stilled the Aristocratic man. "You know this and yet you threaten a member of the school?"

"It wasn't a threat." Zayn tried but it didn't stop Markus's icy glare. The fierce hatred was hidden behind the dulled boredom.

Annaliese touched Kore's elbow. The Witch glanced at her, debating for a second before dropping her hand with a sigh. The flame extinguished by itself, disappearing without a trace. It had been made of Magic and would disappear as soon as the Magic that conjured it did.

"If you will excuse Annaliese and me, we have previously agreed on plans," Kore stated as she walked until she was shoulder to shoulder with Zayn. "While my mother entertained your jokes and thinly veiled threats, I will not. I'm not my mother, nor am I someone to be pushed around. Next time, the Chamber will have to find a new member because I will have your head as a trophy."

Zayn laughed, a sound that echoed a little with belief, yet he sounded like he was mocking her. "You have your father's temper, his temper and his eyes."

Silver glowed instead of the usual grey, her tinted lips tilted into a small smirk. "I am my father's daughter." She turned around, a civil smile suddenly on her lips as she spoke louder. "Wylan, are you joining me and Annaliese?"

)()()(

Their first stop was the cafe in town. Annaliese sat across from Kore, dressed in her pale lavender-blue dress. Wylan was next to Annaliese, one leg propped on the booth bench across from him as he had an arm behind Annaliese. It was a casual move but it seemed to make Annaliese smile. It also stopped people from getting close to both ladies. The small scowl on his face helped.

"How is your hand, Kore?" Annaliese asked to escape the silence between them ordering and their meals coming.

"All healed, thanks,"

It fell silent again but it was comfortable. The waitress interrupted it, placing the desserts they had chosen before them with a couple of drinks. Kore had chosen a raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake while Annaliese went for a caramel drizzled brioche, and Wylan had a small chocolate sundae.

"So you're royalty?" Wylan said between spoonfuls of ice cream. "Like full-blown royalty?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that, but yeah," Kore nodded. "The Order of Witches is a council more than anything, but those seats are taken by the monarch of each family, we call them Crowns. We have the Lower and Upper Courts, made of advisors and minor nobles and aristocrats, but the leaders are the three Crowns, one from each family."

"But Uncle Zayn called you Princess?" Annaliese asked. "I'm fourth in line for my own family but I thought Witches were a democracy."

"We are but we aren't at the same time. Our royalty is always from the same three families, just like the Arcanes have five families and have them as royals. We believe Magic is more reliable than a person so we stick with the most powerful families. One member represents the whole family and their community Clan, and all three Crowns, which is the same as king or queen, have to vote," Kore said. "Next in line Crowns are called Prince and Princess to distinguish them from other members of the Clan. Just like you aren't a princess but you're in the line of succession."

"Excuse my question," Annaliese said. "But if your mother, the Crown, is dead, aren't you the Crown then?"

"I am but I'm not supposed to be yet, my Princess title remains until I am nineteen and then I can take over the Crown name. Right now, there's no Crown Greylight."

"So you have to be an adult to be a Crown?"

"Yeah,"

"That doesn't seem very fair. You're already eighteen, and you're not allowed to take the Crown title?"

"I have the title but I'm not allowed to use it until I'm of age," she shrugged. "Legalities suck."

"If you're not the leader of your Clan yet, who is?"

Kore thought for an answer. "The other Clans have taken over. They pretend it is in my best interest to have one of them as my guardian until I am of age, but it's an excuse to control me. Since I haven't appointed anyone to be my guardian and my mother's will has me emancipated, I legally don't need to be looked after by anyone."

Annaliese nodded. "You're waiting until you turn nineteen before returning. They can't force you to return because of the emancipation laws."

"The funny thing is that they tried to pass laws that would force any under-age Witch to be under guardianship until they are of age, but they need the approval of all three Crowns, and it has to be unanimous. I voted no and they tried to make it so an underaged Crown cannot vote, which they need my approval to actually pass."

"After that, you fled the country and came here," Wylan said, his lip curling.

They finished their desserts before moving on to different shops, getting this and that. Annaliese and Kore got a couple of new dresses and outfits, even getting a pair of boots that would go with their uniform each.

Surprisingly, the three of them got along nicely. Their conversations stayed civil and even went into the range of friendliness.

Kore saw the way Wylan looked at Annaliese. It was sweet, especially when Annaliese watched him when he didn't look at her. When Annaliese tried the dresses on and showed them, Kore always asked Wylan his opinion of the colour and fit. His responses were short and a little snippy but they made Annaliese blush.

Two lovesick puppies.

Love.

Ack.