Alejo

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I had been calm. I had felt safe and secure knowing that Morana wouldn't be at the ceremony. I could handle being used as a tool rather than a human, as long as I knew she was alright.

That calm had been swept away by my mom's words. As quickly and effortlessly as blowing out a candle and made my mind plummet into darkness.

"What... Morana?" she exclaimed and my eyes shoot open.

Sure enough, in the middle of the room, Morana stood. Her eyes were filled with a rage I had never seen before and her magic, that I had always known was strong, danced all around her. It wasn't just in her hands, in which blue electricity jumped around. It was all around her. Though the electricity was all that could be seen, there was more to her magic in that moment. Something dark that embraced her and voiced the anger in her eyes through hisses.

"How dare you call him your son?" she said in a low and slithering way. Quite unlike her normal voice. It reminded me of how the Librarian had spoken.

Then she moved her arms up and the electricity flew from them. It went straight forward and hit my mom over her heart. She yelled and staggered, bent down and placed the weight of her body on her hands that held onto the table. But to my disappointment, she remained standing.

The other witches moved and so did I. Unfortunately, I did not come far at all before I was surrounded and restrained.

"You fucking scum. Know your place," someone snarled at me, but I wasn't paying attention. My eyes were completely on Morana.

She did her best to fight them off. The electricity she had sent towards my mom covered her hands still so as she touched the others, they were all hurt. They sent spells at her, but they seemed to have little to no effect on her. It almost seemed like the darkness that swirled around her swallowed the spells.

It was clear she wouldn't win. Just looking at the numbers she fought against was enough to know that, but it was as clear that she was not giving up.

Though I was terrified at that moment, my heart filled with pride. She really was amazing in all ways possible.

Then I saw as Marianela came up behind her. She was only there for a second and I couldn't make out what happened during that second, but when she withdrew, Morana seemed to lose her fighting spirit. In an instance, she was overpowered and restrained.

We were both forced out of the basement. Out to the hallway and up the stairs. One flight, two flights, three flights and I knew where they were taking us, for there was only one thing there.

They opened the lonely door on the top floor and a chill that went into the bones came from there. They pushed us in and made us walk along the narrow corridor. On either side of the corridor were cells with metal bars as walls of separation meant for prisoners.

They took us to the middle of it and pushed Morana into one to the left of the corridor and me into one opposite hers.

Throughout the journey up there, Morana had been in front of me, so I hadn't been able to see what state she was in. Now though, that was the first thing I made sure to check.

The anger and fight that had been in her eyes were all gone. Instead, they darted around, took in the surroundings with a cress of worry between them. She had her arms around herself as if hugging herself. When her eyes landed on me, she opened her mouth ever so slightly, no words came but her lower lip started to tremble.

"What did you think you would accomplish?" my mother's voice came and both me and Morana turned to look at her.

She stood only a few steps into the prison, making it so that there were about six witches between her and us. Her eyes and voice were filled with rage. She held a hand over where Morana had hit her, but it was still possible to make out the fabric which had been burned.

"I really thought you knew better, Morana. It saddens me I was wrong." She didn't say anything more before sweeping around and walking out. The other witches followed and locked the door on us.

There weren't any lights in the prison, so as the door shut, the place became completely dark, making it impossible for me to see Morana. The complete darkness also enhanced the coldness of the place, and the stench of decay and urine became more prominent.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" I asked and moved to stand by the bars of my cell to get as close to her as possible. As I stepped, there was the crunching sound of small bones breaking.

There was silence at first, expect from a dripping noise from somewhere. Then came a sob.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This... This is my fault," she said through the tears I knew she shed.

"It's not! Don't you dare blame yourself for their actions."

She didn't answer, but her crying continued. I felt completely helpless. I wanted nothing more than to hold her, but all I could do was to stand there and wait for her to calm down.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she said when it seemed like her tears had subsided. "They... they've been treating you like less than human."

I sighed and leaned my head against the bars. "Because I never wanted you to know that they did. Because I'm ashamed."

"Idiot," she mumbled, and my heart felt so much lighter at that insult. It meant that her spirit wasn't broken. That she wasn't falling apart by the situation. That there still was some fight left in her.

"I never wanted you to see me in such a pathetic state," I went on to explain.

"You really are a fucking idiot. Did you think that would make me change my opinion of you or what?"

"I don't want you to feel pity for me. Or believe me weak." I said it with the hopes of hearing more of her berating. To gain more signs of that she hadn't given up, and she sure delivered.

"Why do you have to be like this?! Why can't you just accept that no matter what, you will still be perfect in my eyes? The fact that this is what they've done to you, but that you still are brave and strong only makes you more so!"

My lips twitched into a smile, and a moment later, I laughed. It echoed in the basement and created such an absurd contrast to the grimness of the place that I laughed even more.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? You think any of this is funny!" Morana yelled at me.

"No," I answered and pulled myself together. "It's really not. I'm just relieved that you are able to be mad at me right now."

"How the fuck is that something to be relieved about?!"

"Because it means you're not scared."