Chapter 5

By lunchtime, Colton had passed around the message to the rest of his friends and they had all been extra careful to have at least one other person with them at all times. Before they reached outside however, Xandria realised she had left her school bag in the classroom. She probably wouldn't have noticed if Colton didn't mention it. She sighed and turned to go back but he put a stilling hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry I'll get it," he assured her before retreating down the hall leaving her alone to silence, the only sounds coming from the distant murmurs of students in the playground.

The door a few metres away creaked open and Xandria tensed up as she waited. Slowly heels clicked along the floor towards her before she was overwhelmed by the stench of sickly sweet perfume, a perfume that Xandria recognised from her classes. She breathed a sigh of relief because though the girl was giving her headache from being in the same room as her, Xandria could sense that she wasn't a minion of evil, well not one for the source of all evil. No this extremely repugnant girl was just what you would call a class A Queen Bee, one who didn't know the meaning of manners and thought the world revolved around her.

"New girl," The tall beautiful girl sneered down to Xandria as if it was an acceptable form of greeting, one hand on her hip as she posed before her trying to be intimidating but it wasn't very effective considering her opponent was in the dark. The Queen Bee ignored it though because she thought Xandria was cowering away from her which was true to an extent as Xandria was trying to get away from the perfume that was choking her.

"Cassie right?" Xandria responded as she leaned away from the smell but found that she could lean back no further unless she wanted to take a step backwards which she knew from experience would be a bad idea. When you retreat it makes the other person think that they had the upper hand and Xandria didn't want another Queen Bee getting the wrong idea. The girl across from her snorted and tossed her hair over her shoulder and she looked down at Xandria in disgust.

"It's Cassandra to you blind girl. Only my friends get to call me Cassie." Cassandra reached forwards and grasped Xandria's hair in a tight grip and tugged her whole body forwards once Xandria was less than a step away, Cassandra forced her head back so that she could stare into Xandria's face, her free hand reaching up to remove the glasses. Xandria's breathing picked up and her hands clenched at her sides so that the knuckles turned white but she restrained herself from throwing a punch. "Now you listen here new girl, there is a hierarchy in this school and you can't just come around and join the elites. If anyone deserves to be part of that group it's me and I am not going to let some little nobody take it all away from me." Before she could even react, Xandria felt a cold stinging on her cheek as the sound of Cassandra's hand meeting her cheek reverberated across the corridor.

"You shouldn't have done that." Xandria's voice was like hard steel as she brought one of her hands up and grasped Cassie's skinny hand that was wrapped in her blonde locks hair. Without taking a moment to think it through, she dug her fingernails into her arm so that Cassie released her hair. Not giving her new enemy a chance to recuperate, Xandria twisted Cassie's arm so that it was in a painful hold behind her back and Cassie cried out in pain. Her hair that usually sat neatly tousled on her shoulders was left in disarray. Standing up on her tiptoes, Xandria growled in the girls ear, not at all relishing the fact that she was causing someone pain. "You listen to me, I do not care what petty jealousies you may hold. You stay away from me and you stay away from my friends for I do not take kindly to being threatened. Consider this your warning." Xandria then tossed the girl forwards and she heard Cassie huff and puff at her for a few moments before she stomped her foot like a petulant child and then stormed away.

Xandria was too busy staring blankly after Cassandra to notice Colton's approach. He had arrived around the time the Cassie had brought her hand down on Xandria's face and he had stood there gaping for a moment, shocked that the girl would stoop so low before he thought to intervene but, by then, Xandria was already taken care of it. He shook his head in amazement. She was just full of surprises. Cassandra on the other hand, would have to be dealt with. He cleared his throat to make his presence known before he approached Xandria who was still tensed up, ready for a fight if her clenched fists were anything to go by.

"Are you ready to go?" He questioned as he took her clenched fists into his hands and stroked the backs of them until they unfurled. His eyes stayed on hers and he was shocked to see their colour was different to yesterday, if he thought about it they looked this way this morning too.  Her eyes were the same colour today, they actually matched but they were the most startling colour, even more so than they were yesterday and as she stared deeply into his eyes he felt his breath catch in his throat. He chastised himself for acting like a love struck teenager, gaping at her whenever he saw her, but there was something truly captivating about this girl.

"Yeah come on, we have a boy to save." Her voice was set in determination and Colton couldn't help pausing to look at her in admiration. She was definitely something else.

He wrapped her hand around his arm once more and then the two of them headed outside. Using Colton's vision, Xandria spotted her mother's distinctive car over to the gates but she chose not to point it out because it would bring many questions her way. Colton noticed it a moment later and he started urging her in that direction, nodding to Lila who was standing by the gates so that she followed them to the idling Volkswagen. The scent of vanilla hit Xandria before they were even a foot away and she couldn't resist turning her head so that she could peer through the open window of the car and smiling at the woman who was in her late 30's but had shocking white hair, with two black strips hanging loose before her face.

"Hello Magpie." She said brightly as the woman looked curiously between the young coven member and the two people flanking her. "I see your still wearing that vanilla perfume I got you." It was a statement but it brought conspiratorial smiles to both of their faces. A cough beside her brought Xandria back to the present situation and she sent an apologetic at the people beside her. "Oh sorry, this is Colton my friend and this is Lila she's the sister of the person we're going to see."

Magpie nodded considering for a moment before she smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet you all, now climb on in, time is of the essence and the quicker we get this sorted the better." She lifted her gaze to Colton who stood unmoving beside Xandria as if waiting for something. "Come on lad, open the car and let these ladies in, we haven't got time for your dillydallying." She shook her head in disdain as Colton suddenly leapt forwards holding the door open for Lila and Xandria.

Lila slid across the seats so that she was sat next to the window and didn't show her discomfort at being in the car with strangers because she had been one of the ones that had shunned Xandria and yet here the girl was, trying to help her with something that wasn't her problem. Xandria slid across the seat so that she was next to Lila and then Colton sat next to her, closing the door behind him.

"Buckle up kids." Xandria's mum called over her shoulder, her eyes boring into them though the mirror. Xandria was already pulling hers on as she was used to her mum's rules but Colton and Lila raised eyebrows at her before they complied when they realised my mum was going nowhere until they put them on. "Good job kiddies, now it's Parkview Terrace right?" She questioned as she turned the key in the ignition and set the car into gear.

"Yeah, it's not far, it's about five minutes up the road." Lila responded quietly before turning her gaze out of the window. The rest of the car journey was spent in silence, the only sounds coming from the radio that was turned down too low for any of the passengers to actually hear the words of the Radio DJ.

When the pulled to a stop, they were outside a street of old Victorian houses that loomed over them, the structures imposing and intimidating to all that could see them yet the inside of the houses looked bright and cheery if what could be seen through the lounge windows was anything to go by. Lila was out of the car as soon as it pulled to a stop and walked up the steps with stooped shoulders, her frame shaking as she approached the front door. Magpie thought she looked like someone approaching the gallows.

The rest of the carload of people quickly filed out and followed Lila up the steps so that they were huddled behind her, sheltering under the porch as the overcast clouds let out the first drops of rain creating dark splotches wherever they landed on the ground. She pulled out her key and opened the door before holding it open for the rest of them to pass. She followed them in and shut the door behind then with a gentle click. Not even a moment later her parents appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Lila? What are you doing home and who are these people?" A black haired woman questioned as she padded gently down the stairs. She looked like an older, curvier version of Lila the only difference was Lila's mum had green eyes and Lila did not.

"They came to see Simon, they said they might know what is wrong with him." Lila replied quietly before lifting her gaze to meet her mums. "I know he's in quarantine but I want him to be okay and Xandria is the only one who even has a clue what is wrong with him."  Lila's mother sighed and ran a hand down her wearied face.

"Okay." She turned to regard Magpie and Mrs Calibre; raising an eyebrow at the large bags they held in their hands. "I'm Hatty." She held out her hand to the two women who awkwardly shuffled their bags before taking her hand in a firm grasp and introducing themselves.

"Xenia Calibre."

"Margaret Moore but everyone calls me Magpie." Magpie dropped her hand and gave a look to Xandria and her mum Xenia before looking up the stairs. "Xenia, help Xandria get ready whilst I pop upstairs and have a look. I will begin the cleansing. Xandria, I'm afraid you're going to have to complete it this time. I'm still recuperating for the last time and your mother isn't powerful enough."

Xandria nodded her head knowing it was true. "Lina, is there somewhere private I can go to change, school uniform isn't proper attire for such situations as this." She asked the fragile looking girl who looked beyond confused but nodded as her mum Hatty walked up the stairs with Magpie trailing after her. Colton stood there looking awkward not knowing what to do.

"What should I do?" he questioned as everyone started to leave the room leaving him standing there on his own. Xenia glanced over her shoulder at him before pausing and riffling through her bags and pulling out a bag of herbs and a clean cotton tunic and cotton trousers.

"First boil some water and see if you can find a pestle and mortar. Do you know what that is?" She asked him and when he nodded she continued. "Grind up the herbs until the juices are released and then add them to a small pan of boiled water along with some salt. I then want you to get changed. You're going to have to help Xandria with this." Colton looked down at the items in his hands before nodding.

"Okay Mrs C." he replied before heading down the hall to where he knew the bathroom was.

Xenia watched the boy leave the room before she went in pursuit of her daughter. She found her standing awkwardly next to Lila who was shuffling uncomfortably, uncertain whether she was supposed to stay or go.

"Hello dear, do you think you could give me a hand with this?" she shut the door to the room and closed the curtain so that no one could look in before opening up her bag and pulling out several items, one of which was a swathe of deep purple silk. Lila nodded her head but she didn't seem certain whether her decision was a wise one or not. "Xandria, get undressed please. Now Lila, I need you to get the ribbon and anoint it with the different oils and then I'll let you know where we go from there." Lila nodded taking the pile of ribbons and the tiny vials of oils and then set herself up at the small coffee table where she started soaking the ribbons in the oils. Xenia approached Xandria was stood in just her underwear which she was grateful that her daughter was wearing purple that matched the silk otherwise it would have had to come off. Only purple can be worn, it was a tradition.

With practiced movements the fabric was wrapped around Xandria's petite body so that crossed over her chest and looped over her shoulders before trailing down her body to create a floor length skirt. A small gasp escaped Lila's lips as she looked up from her task to see Xandria looking like some kind of Greek goddess.

"I'm done with the ribbons." She replied dumbly as she pushed up from the floor and approached the women. The scent of the covenant were easily detectable but there was also a number of herbs at permeated the air blending together to create a strong scent that made their noses twitch.

"Thank you." Xenia took the ribbons and quickly wove them into Xandria's hair, not taking as much time to prepare as would normally be spent. There was a knock on the door just as she finished tying up the ends of the ribbon and then pinned it to her head so that it created a crown of plaited hair. "Come in." She called and the door opened with a creak and a pale faced Magpie entered.

"It is as we feared, it is the black death." She murmured mournfully. Lila gasped and shot a terrified glance between us.

"You're telling me that my brother has the bloody plague." She frantically wrung her hands as she paced back and force. Xandria looked in her mum's direction before her hand shot out as Lila passed next to her and forced her to stop.

"It is not the black death you are thinking of. There was never a plague, it was a rumour cast out to dispel people's suspicions of the true cause. Do not worry; we will be able to help your brother." Xandria added silently that it would be at a cost. "Mum, get started on making the protection amulets, Magpie can you assist me to the room?"

Magpie nodded and placed Xandria's hand on her shoulder before turning around and leading her out of the room. Colton was stood just outside of the door pulling awkwardly on the neck of the tunic, is face showing his obvious discomfort but he paused as he laid his eyes upon Xandria. His mouth dropped open as they passed before he followed dumbly after them.

At the top of the stairs Magpie released Xandria and gestured for Colton to take her hand. "I cannot go in." she told the duo regretfully. "Xandria remember to close the circle properly, no matter what you close the circle or you could end up forfeit to the blackness too." Not waiting for them to reply, Magpie opened a door that had been drawn on in purple chalks with the symbols of the covenant. Colton stared wide eyed at all of this but there were so many strange things about this girl who had entered his life that he just trusted his instincts and followed her into the room.

He was horrified by what he saw within the room. There were candles placed at intervals around the room filling the space with pleasant scents of lavender but there were four main candles that were placed in a circle around the bed that had been moved to the centre of the room. Simon looked, well there was no other way for his frazzled mind to put it, his friend looked dead. His black hair was plastered to his head and his usually tanned face was now a ghostly pallor. The only sign he was actually alive was the slow motion of his chest going up and down and the rasping that was coming from his friends lips which was worrying Colton.

"Do not worry, just do as I say." Xandria replied as she moved towards the bed and took a seat next to the sickened boy. "Starting with that candle, you will light the candle in time with each invocation, once it is all done, you stand inside the circle of salt, do not step outside or smear the line of salt, if you do so, you may worsen his condition but you may also cause irreparable damage. Have you got it?"

He nodded and went to stand by the first candle which was green and he picked up the small white candle that was standing next to it and then he stood waiting for her instructions. Taking a few deep breathes, Xandria hummed under her breath slowly before nodding and Colton lit the candle.

Not take a moment to think about it or embellish the invocation, Xandria threw both her arms out to the side. "Earth, you are the mother, the healer, I invite you to the circle to help protect and cleanse the spirits within from the darkness." She nodded again and Colton who was enraptured by the girl, no woman, before him and he placed the candle down before he stepped around the circle and lit the next candle which was red. "Fire you burn hotly and brightly, you are the destroyer of life but you also bring heat and protection, I invite you to the circle to light the shadows so that the darkness cannot linger, so that all shadows will be banished from the circle." A flush of heat rushed over her as the candle in Colton's hands flickered before burning brighter than any ordinary candle. Xandria nodded once more.

Careful not to disturb the circle of salt, Colton continued until he reached the large white candle which sprung to life almost as soon as the two candle wicks touched, the flame jumping from the smaller candle the large one.

"Air, you blow through the trees, you can be gentle and tender but also volatile and harsh, I invite you to the circle to blow away the darkness that lingers and bring forth the good spirits to help heal that which has been tainted. " Xandria's hair whipped around her as she spoke and a small smile appeared on her face as she felt the elemental magic surrounding her. Wide eyed Colton watched for her nod before walking to the final candle and touched the small candle flame to the wick of the blue candle and was shocked when the flame turned a bright blue but burned as hotly as any flame. "Water, you cool you sooth, you are the calming presence. I invite you to the circle to wash away the evil and bring forth your healing waters to heal that what is sick." Colton shuffled awkwardly as if unsure what else to do but all Xandria did was throw back her head and let out a sigh. "Lastly I invoke you spirit. You make up a person's soul; you create life and take it away you are what make a person. I invite you here to help heal the spirit that has been tainted by the hand of evil." A violent wind rippled throughout the room but all of the candles continued to brightly burn.

Xandria smiled softly at the feeling of all of the elements but she could also feel the draw it was having on her, yes she felt invigorated and healed but it also took a lot out of a person to invoke the spirits in a healing this large so she had to work quickly. She started to chant whilst Colton stood frozen just inside the circle. The circle thrummed with unseen powers and brought gooseflesh to everyone within the circle. Power grew within Xandria and not even taking time to consider that it was going to be her first, she brushed a hand down the sleeping boys face before placing her lips on his and kissing him, allowing the energy to flow into him. It felt wrong because she could feel the darkness and feel it transferring over to her.

When he no longer felt disgusting to touch she lingered for a moment making sure that the last of the healing magic was within him before she pulled back panting. She could feel the darkness bouncing around her chest. Tilting her head back, she expelled a breath of air which came out in black smog which was quickly consumed with bright flames before the sound of water could be heard and then smell of damp earth enveloped them. Finally a gentle breeze whipped around blowing away the smoky residue.  The sound of groaning came from beside Xandria and she knew it had worked.

"Colton we need to close the circle quickly, I can't hold on much longer, you go back the opposite way and blow out the candles." Xandria's voice was weak and strained; she could already feel her limbs lagging and her eyes starting to feel heavy. Concern flittered across Colton's brow but he gave his assent before Xandria closed her eyes. "Thank you spirit." Her shoulders deflated at the loss and she felt sleep beckoning her but she continued with it anyway. "Thank you water." With the sound of water crashing on rocks, the element departed. "Thank you air." A wind whipped her hair up once more before all was still. "Thank you fire." A wave of heat rolled over the trio before fire too vanished. "And last but not least thank you earth." When earth departed the smell of grass passed them and the boy next to Xandria pulled his eyes open and stared about the room I confusion.

"Why does it smell like a bloody field and what the hell happened to my room?" He shouted as he stared at Xandria who gave him a weak smile before she fell forwards and exhaustion took her into a deep sleep. Simon ran a hand through his hair before he lifted the unconscious girl from his lap and pulled her into his room, his eyes boring into the face of the stranger with confusion. He lifted his gaze to Colton who was glaring at Simon's arms around Xandria. "What did I miss? And dude what the hell are you wearing?"

Colton rolled his eyes feeling overwhelmed by what he had seen , how that one girl had invoked something that was beyond words and had healed one of his closest friends so that he looked younger and healthier than ever. "Trust me Simon," he responded with a tired smile. "You don't want to know."

Okay as per usual this hasn't been edited but I hope you like it nonetheless.