I sat on the stairs of the academy, my hands clasped together as I bounced my leg. I couldn't get last night out of my head.

Who was that girl? And why did she look at me like that?

I closed my eyes and Natalia gently tapped my shoulder and I looked at her. She was holding two cups of hot chocolate.

"Thought you could use this," she said, holding one cup out to me. I gave her a thankful smile as I took the cup.

"Thanks, Nat," I said and I sipped it. The taste helped me relax and I sigh in relief.

Natalia chuckled as she sat next to me. "So... what's on your mind?" She asked.

I looked at the clouds, thinking over my answers. On one hand, I wanted to tell her and the others about Camille but my heart wasn't going to settle on that so I decided to tell Nat about the girl I saw last night.

"I saw a girl last night during the celebration," I explained, "she had blonde hair but it looked white and she had green eyes. She had a white snake too."

Natalia frowned, "I don't think I've ever seen anyone like that around the academy."

I looked at her, "never ever?" "Never ever," she repeated, shaking her head. We looked over as Charlotte came running over.

"Y-you guys gotta come to the assembly room," she panted. I blinked in confusion before we got up and followed her.

We ran down the hallway, past a few murmuring students.

'Good thing I finished my hot chocolate,' I thought as we ran into the assembly room. I saw Gloria and the others. They were hiding behind the stadium.

"What are-" I started to ask but Marley covered my mouth and gestured to the other side of the room.

"I can't believe you lost a student! And during the Ritual no less!" Principal Le Torneau hissed as she glared at another teacher, "this was supposed to be a safe place for all witches and somehow, you managed to turn the heads of all the students who hear that a fellow witch has disappeared!"

Miss Hunt and Miss Shackleton were standing on the sidelines and both of them didn't look happy. The teacher that Principal Le Torneau was talking to- she had porcelain skin, blonde hair and brown eyes. She narrowed her eyes as a German Shepherd growled at Principal Le Torneau.

"This is your school, Asha," she huffed, "you are the one responsible for the wellbeing and the safety of the students. My sister made that very clear when she gave you this position."

I blinked in surprise. I didn't know the woman was a sister of Matriarch Edelweiss Winterbourne.

Principal Le Torneau flinched back, the other woman's words clearly startling her and I could see the look of fear and anger on her face.

"You cannot tell her of this, Sabrina!" Miss Hunt hissed at the woman. A crow hanging on her shoulder hissed at Miss Seraphine.

The German Shepherd snarled and bared it's teeth. Miss Seraphine placed her hand on it's head.

"You have one week to find this girl," she said, "if she isn't found then you will lose your job and your status."

Principal Le Torneau clenched her fists tightly as she glared at Sabrina. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand. This was a fight she couldn't stand.

She huffed and stormed past her and out of the room. Miss Hunt looked at Miss Seraphine, "is it really necessary that you have to hold that over her head?"

"If it keeps her in her place, then yes," Miss Seraphine said and she looked in our direction for a moment before she looked back at Miss Shackleton.

"Can you alert Elizabeth Drabek's parents?" She asked. I felt my blood run cold.

Eliza was missing?

How was that possible? I had seen her the day before the Ritual.

I felt my stomach turn into a knot and I swallowed back bile. Gloria and Harriet exchanged nervous glances.

Miss Shackleton nodded before she and Miss Hunt walked out of the room.

Miss Seraphine glanced in our direction before she followed the two women. I exhaled and leaned against the wall, my eyes wide with fear.

Elizabeth was missing.

My mind was filled with questions.

What happened? Where was she? Who took her?

"Paige, focus," Natalia said, firmly gripping my shoulders and I looked at her.

We all nearly stumbled out of the room. I could hear the murmurs of the other students.

"Where do you think she went?" "I heard she was taken by the White Snake."

"Don't be ridiculous! The White Snake is a myth!" "Wasn't she an old student under Matriarch Seraphine's grandmother?"

"Either way, another student is gone and this school is becoming more and more popular with disappearances like this." "That shouldn't be a good thing, woman."

"Her name was Elizabeth Drabek right?" "Oh yeah... her mother is a high class witch. Do you think she would even care that her own daughter is missing?"

"Any mother would care. But I know that she should too." "I'm more concerned about Principal Le Torneau. She might lose her job over this."

"It's possible. But I think she deserves it."

I lifted my head and I looked around. We were in the kitchen. Orion jumped on the table and looked at me in worry. I gently rubbed his head and sighed. I looked at the others.

"What are you thinking?" I asked. "Honestly... this situation is a lot to process," Joanna sighed, massaging her temples.

"It really is," Diana sighed, "there hasn't been a disappearance this big in... well, days."

I looked at Serenity, "everyone's talking about it. But... who or what is the White Snake?"

She inhaled sharply, "that's the name of the witch who disappeared when Matriarch Seraphine's grandmother taught her. Her name was Delilah Withers. Rumor has it that she was the most talented witch in the entire academy. But something happened and she disappeared."

I frowned and looked to the window.

"You don't think Delilah could be related to Elizabeth's disappearance, do you?" Kaitlin asked nervously.

"Only one way to find out," I said, "we've got mysteries to solve, girls."