Natural witch gaining power. Natural Witch: Finding Power

Natural Witch: Harnessing the Power

Ekaterina Romanova

Cover designer Ekaterina Romanova

© Ekaterina Romanova, 2017

© Ekaterina Romanova, cover design, 2017

ISBN 978-5-4485-2559-9

Created in the intellectual publishing system Ridero

Water, the source of strength, the mother of all living things, the keeper of calm and wisdom, cradled the tired body, caressing it with salty waves. Spread out like a star, I let the current carry me. Completely dissolved in power - an endless unbridled flow. How can we harness the ocean? Tornado? A flame that consumes everything in its path? You can only allow yourself to be led, to become a guide...

The clouds overhead are unusually strange. Heavy, as if filled to capacity, but cannot pour out. Smiling, I raised my hand towards them, but streams of blood fell on me. Slippery tentacles wrapped around my body and, tugging, pulled me into the icy depths of the salty waters. I didn’t even have time to scream, choking in the ocean, which turned red.

“Having washed yourself with the blood of the highest and the blood of the beast, you will choke on your own,” the words of the seer stood in my ears. The first blood is of an archangel, the second is of a werewolf. Death, perhaps, is not the worst punishment now that I have learned that Andalise - my life, my blood, my flower is no more...

Dark. Pain. Impotence. Fear. Apathy. I don't know how I am. I'm no more.

-Look at me, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth. This is the name I gave to my doll. My father, who loved me more than my sisters, made a toy from an ordinary wooden block, which I never parted with and which I gave to my daughter. The daughter who was taken from me almost immediately after birth and hidden. The daughter I had been looking for for three long years, knowing nothing about her. A daughter who no longer exists...

“I want to die,” I whispered quietly, not even closing my eyes from the blinding light.

White, unbearably bright white light all around. White walls, curtains, ceiling. Only outside the window the gold of the sun's rays melts greenery and flowers. How long has it been since I found out? A month of Sundays.

“Get started,” he said resignedly.

Girls in white chiffon dresses, fluttering in the breeze coming from the window, surrounded me and, holding hands, chanted spells, the words of which I did not understand. Sleep came in waves. I then returned to childhood, then came to my senses, then remembered fragments of the recent past. Consciousness is on the verge of non-existence, neither here nor there, and then emptiness. Absolute emptiness. Nothing. And the pain disappeared. She did not dissolve, but disappeared, as if she had never existed. It was as if its very foundation had disappeared. It's like my daughter is alive again...

When I opened my eyes, there was only the archangel in the snow-white room, who was dozing in a chair next to my bed. Outside the window, the hot and unusually bright sun was still scorching, the rays of which, reflecting off the white walls, were blinding. Having stretched sweetly, I sat up in bed, but before rejoicing in the fact that I had finally gotten enough sleep, I remembered a recent incident. It seems that I almost destroyed the imperial palace! Holy Fathers! And where am I now? Probably in hell or in prison, only there they can experience such sophisticated torture for the eyes.

Since only Christian had the answers, and he was sleeping shamelessly, I threw a snow-white pillow at him. More precisely, I tried to launch it - the treacherous object fell halfway. Swan fluff... Then I tried to use force and blow the man away from his place, but that too was a failure. There was no strength. I didn’t even feel it, although Filya taught me how to do it quite well. Feel, of course, not apply, but this is the basis. And now I didn’t have a drop of strength. The elements did not obey, as if we were strangers. Did these girls really take her?

- Lord Reinhardt, please wake up! – I demanded. The Archangel, clearly exhausted, raised his heavy eyelids and smiled tiredly. Like a huge snow cat who has barely woken up from his nap. I just wanted to scratch his belly and let him sit on my knees.

- Good morning, Elizabeth. How do you feel?

- What morning? It's day outside! Where I am? What happened? Why is it summer outside? Am I in jail? What happened to the guards, were they injured? What about the imperial palace? Did I completely destroy it or did something survive? And the Emperor? Lord, did I kill the emperor? And what am I wearing?

The last question is rhetorical. I clearly saw that I was wearing a nightgown that barely covered what even my spouse was allowed to see only on special days.

They gave me another long, tired look, after which they suggested:

- Shall we have breakfast?

- Hey, did you even hear me?

The indignation grew with every second, and I didn’t understand what fueled it more: the lack of answers, my obscene appearance or the behavior of the archangel. What kind of breakfast after what happened? I am a magical terrorist and probably wanted. You need to immediately confess, make amends for the damage caused, and do at least something! For example, to begin with, assess the scale of the disaster.

A duel of glances: indignant versus calm, I lost and, putting a diplomatic smile on my face, sat down more comfortably.

- Okay, lord. Let's have breakfast.

There was a look of joyful relief on his face. The man really looked like he hadn’t slept all night, so I finally stopped wanting to torment him or play hard to get. And breakfast wouldn't hurt either. In any case, it will help cope with dizziness and muffle stomach groans. The lord rose from his chair, and at that moment I almost lost consciousness again. When he was sitting, I didn’t pay attention, but now I saw it quite clearly: the archangel has wings behind his back! Huge, snow-white and probably incredibly soft! With real feathers, like Fili’s, only more delicate!

“You have...” I indecently pointed my finger at the man. In surprise, he even froze and turned around. - Wings! – she finished in a whisper for some reason.

– Have you just now realized that I am an archangel? – the rogue was content with the effect produced.

- No, but... wings? They weren't there before!

“You haven’t seen them before,” he corrected and rolled up to the bed a table filled with plates of fruits, berries and dairy products. But the most important thing is aromatic coffee. The smell pleasantly tickled the nostrils, beckoning to quickly enjoy its taste. Following my hungry gaze, the man filled my mug from the teapot and sat down next to me on the bed.

- Cream?

- Please, lord. And a little sugar, if you don't mind.

It's unusual that I'm being looked after. Yes, I’ve been to social gatherings before where they do everything for you, except maybe chew, but this is completely different. I secretly admired the man carefully stirring my morning drink: concentrated, serious, beautiful. Wheat strands fell over my face, and I couldn’t resist tucking one of them behind my ear. There is nothing to stop me from admiring his courageous, slightly harsh features. At first I did it, and then I realized the indecency of my own action.

- Sorry, Mr. Reinhardt, that was inappropriate.

Along with a cup of coffee, I was presented with the most charming smile in the world, capable of melting even the deadly icy iceberg of the inaccessibility and stiffness of my upbringing. He didn't feel the need to react. And thanks for that.

- Bon appetit, Elizabeth.

- Fine.

“Did you mean thank you?”

- No. I meant – okay,” I took a small sip and closed my eyes with pleasure. “I will not pay attention to the inappropriate address to me by name.”

- Oh, very grateful! – ironically and defiantly. – Do you prefer classic cottage cheese or with berries... Mrs. Thornton?

“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you.” Mr. Reinhard! Berries are appropriate.

– Which ones do you like?

On the dish were blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, blueberries and some other berries unknown to me. Deciding not to make a choice, she drawled contentedly:

- All at once.

Christian grinned as he filled a cup of cottage cheese with berries, added sugar and sour cream and mixed thoroughly. My breakfast is ready. And who prepared it? Archangel. Lord. Supreme Commander-in-Chief. They won’t believe whoever I tell.

- Thank you. Looks appetizing. Won't you? – scooping up the cottage cheese with a spoon, I teased: I closed my eyes with pleasure, sniffing the delicious aroma of breakfast. - Mmm, how delicious!

“Well, if you insist,” this impudent person intercepted my breakfast halfway and, with a carnivorous smile, emptied the spoon. “Really delicious,” he assured.

Well, since we are rude, so can I.

-Can I touch it? – the question was asked more out of politeness, and the hand itself reached out to the snow-white wings of the archangel. I've never touched anything like this before. Delicate, like silk, soft and pleasantly warm. The man spread his left wing and hugged it. A feeling of warmth and calm... so that's how he did it with me! He himself stood nearby, all so cold and imperturbable, but in fact he pawed with invisible wings? And I was racking my brains about what kind of magic this was, why I felt warm and comfortable.

I found an audience quickly. Without ceremony, she opened the doors and burst inside. Demi was right. The man had already arrived and, to be honest, I became extremely curious about what kind of individual lessons he was conducting with third-year girls, wearing gray knitted trousers with drawstrings that sat low on his hips. He had nothing else on. I even lost my ardor, unceremoniously looking at his beautiful body: wide chest, abs on his stomach and elastic muscles on his arms. Her wheat-colored locks were pulled back into a ponytail at the back of her head, and a few strands had escaped at her temples. Before I burst into the hall, he was practicing with a sword. And, I must admit, the spectacle was mesmerizing...

Have you had enough of adept Thornton? - the ice of the cold eyes cracked with laughter. Although, perhaps it was just my imagination.

Would you bother to explain what's going on? - I was indignant.

You violated the rules of decency and burst in without knocking,” he took a glass of water from the table and drained it, looking at me. He probably imagines how he will drain me if I continue in the same tone, but I no longer intended to restrain myself. Don't care about the consequences!

And are you blaming me for lack of tact? You, who insulted a lady by refusing to kiss her hand when meeting her? - I was increasingly outraged by his rudeness and unceremoniousness. And what happened next didn’t go well at all.

Mrs. Thornton,” he abruptly put the glass on the table, came up to me, made a secular bow and, gently taking my palm, touched the tips of my fingers with his lips. - Now I did everything right?

Who raised you? Wolves? - I pulled out my palm and took a few steps back out of harm’s way.

My mother will be very pleased to know that she is not alone in her opinion of my upbringing. But I'm sure you didn't come here like a whirlwind to teach me the rules of decency. So why are you here?

Because you gave the order,” I deliberately spat out the last word so that he would immediately understand what I thought about his orders, “about my enrollment in the Faculty of Elemental Magic!”

“That’s right,” the man confirmed and folded his muscular arms over his bare chest, anticipating a serious conversation.

For God's sake, cover yourself and don't embarrass me! It's hard for me to be indignant when you're half naked!

The second thing I didn’t expect during our meeting was laughter. Previously, perhaps I would have been amused by this too, but despite his beauty, the sight of a naked male body made me shudder with horrific memories. I even turned away and squeezed my lip until it hurt so as not to cry. What else was missing was showing weakness in his presence!

Then I suggest you put off your indignation until a more convenient occasion and go to your room to prepare for tomorrow. It promises to be interesting.

Realizing that the man was not going to get dressed, I turned around again:

By what right do you think that you can just enroll me, against my will, in study?

“Girl,” the icy tone with which he minted each next word was paralyzing. - Before you is the supreme commander of the imperial army. I can walk into any Garda house and order anyone I see to pack up their things and go to the front within two minutes. Consider that mobilization has occurred and you have been called up for military service.

It was only when he fell silent that the stupor subsided. This is power! Trying to control my trembling, I lifted my chin.

Are you kidding me? Look at me! What military service? I'm falling from the wind, and there's no magic in me! Card tricks don't work either. Or have you decided to bombard your enemy with cannon fodder? Believe me, I would rather cowardly run away into the nearest bushes than run with my saber drawn into a crowd of heavily armed orcs eager to tear me apart.

If I demand it, run,” he said without a shadow of a doubt, and the liquid steel in his eyes left no doubt that this would be the case. I don’t want to check how he can achieve such obedience among his subordinates. I can already feel the possibilities of his magic. - But I won’t demand that. Despite all your beliefs, I am not a monster. You will understand everything soon.

I'm not going to understand anything. I came here with one purpose: to tell you that I do not intend to enroll in any training! I have more serious plans, and I don’t have the opportunity to waste ten years on all sorts of nonsense.

“Okay,” Reinhard said calmly.

Fine? - she asked again with doubt.

Yes. If you choose fifteen years in prison, so be it,” he spread his hands and turned away, apparently intending to go about his business, from which I tore him away.

My jaw almost dropped. What impudence! I’ve never seen anything like this in my life! If I could, I would definitely hit his beautiful face with something. A familiar warmth spread in my chest again, and my fingertips tickled from tension, an unknown force that pulsated in my palms.

What are you hinting at, Mr. Reinhardt?

This is the law. If you evade conscription, you face fifteen years in prison. You would know this if you studied here.

The air in the gym became noticeably thicker. It became difficult to breathe. A furious storm was bubbling inside me. I couldn’t, didn’t have the opportunity to spend precious time on anything other than searching. I have to find her, otherwise there is no meaning to life. Fifteen years is too long... I will already be thirty-five, and time will flow away forever. I bit my lip almost until it bled. The floor in the gym shook. Then another push and, what completely unsettled me, suddenly lightning struck right from the ceiling next to the man, leaving an impressive black trace of scorched wood on the floor. At that very moment everything became quiet. And the warmth in my chest, and the tickling of my fingers, the air became normal again, and the shaking stopped. What was it? Am I really involved in this? My heart was pounding in my stomach from fear.

“I don’t have the opportunity,” I muttered through clenched teeth. -You just don’t understand...

An attempt to attack the Supreme Commander-in-Chief,” Reinhard drawled calmly and, it seemed to me, even contentedly. - Either life imprisonment or education - the choice is yours. If you are not at lectures tomorrow, expect the twilight watch in the evening.

You, you... - I gasped with rage, and the air began to thicken again.

Before you get hurt, Adept Thornton, I advise you to calm down and think carefully about everything.

If the Supreme Commander himself is trying to force me into training, it means he needs something from me. This means that it is not beneficial for him to imprison me. Therefore, we can try to come to an agreement. But what does he want in return if I don't have magic? The only thing I have is myself. I don’t think he set his sights on my body, considering that there are thousands of beautiful adepts at the university who would consider it an honor to lie with him. Cause. I didn't find her. And it was scary.

Okay, it’s already calm. “I will enroll in training, but on one condition,” the cold eyes narrowed and looked at me with interest. - I need access to the empire's registers. Unlimited.

Do I look like a crazy person, Adept Thornton?

No way, Mr. Reinhardt? - I asked. - You see, I can be an obedient girl. If you need something from me, then you should provide something in return, not blackmail me. Me, sitting behind bars, is of no use to you, so I’m waiting for your decision tomorrow. If I do not receive an answer before the lectures begin, may your esteemed Twilight Guard come and get me!

And you have grown sharp teeth, adept,” Christian, coming close to me, smiled. - Make sure they don't bite off your own tongue.

He flicked me on the nose and, without taking his eyes off mine, raised his voice:

Adept Luaren, do not stand like an idol. Put down your bag and do fifteen laps around the hall. Alive! - the last word was said very quietly, but it chilled me to my very toes. There is something terrifying about him, despite his bright image. I could call him an angel if he opened his mouth less.

Apparently you haven't met angels before. Did you like the ring? - He followed my gaze and frowned sternly.

And I saw it more beautiful! - I even wrinkled my nose to be convincing.

When I hired a cleaner at a magical university, I had no idea how it would all turn out. I, an ordinary girl, am an elemental magician! The Supreme Commander forces you to enroll in the Faculty of Elemental Magic. On top of everything - a mysterious murder, the guardianship of Dancer with Death and a ring carelessly placed on the ring finger of the right hand. But I arrived in Astoria with a different purpose, which