(A/N Warning for violence (murder) later on in the chapter.)

Chapter 2: ...May Never Come back

In the morning Odale awoke by a sharp knock on her door. "Odale," Marcia said sternly. "It's been almost half an hour since I told you to get up."

Odale rolled over to her chest. "Can't I-"

"You were invited, Odale," Marcia snapped from the other side of the door. "Now get up."

Unwillingly, Odale rose to her feet. She washed herself and put a dress and her gloves on, then rushed into the living room. Marcia sat in an armchair. "Septimus is already down there," she said.

"I could've guessed," Odale said. "It's his brother's wedding... not my brother's wedding. I don't have one."

Marcia sighed. "Let's go," she replied. They went down the spiral stairs.

The ceremony was quick. Odale was very happy that it was, she didn't mean to linger anywhere. Or rather, she didn't want to, but the part was moving outside the Wizard Tower. She couldn't leave right then, that would be seen as rude.

Odale looked for Septimus. He was where the front of the ceremony was, she'd been all the way in the back. Quickly she approached him. "Hi," Septimus said.

"Hi," Odale replied.

"Have you seen Marcia?" Septimus asked her.

"Over there," Odale nodded in the general direction of where she'd seen Marcia last. She turned around.

Marcia was talking to somebody, a boy in her age. Odale watched them. She was almost certain that it was the boy from her secret place... he'd just exchanged the yellow tunic for a apprentice's. Odale frowned. Marcia did so too, she looked a bit knocked on Odale's shoulder. "Who is he?" he asked.

"I don't know," Odale answered. She turned around. "Everyone else is leaving. We should go, too."

Septimus nodded. They walked, Odale a bit slower than Septimus. She assumed that he would go join his family, but he waited patiently for her at the door. "You need to walk faster," he told her, half-angrily, half-jokingly.

"Maybe you should shorten your legs instead," she replied sourly.

"Runa," Rodrian said. His hair was ruffled, he had just came through the door. "We're going to the Castle."

"What?" Runa stopped.

"We're going to the Castle," Rodrian replied patiently. "They're sending rebels over there now, and I've been sent."

Runa didn't like it. The way to the Castle was long, perhaps not dangerous, but very long. Which, when she thought about it, was dangerous. When one was a rebel. "Is that really wise?" she asked him. "Right now?"

"It'll be safe, I promise," Rodrian answered, as if he'd read her thoughts. "Besides, Lorea could help with-"

"What about your sister?" Runa continued. "You know that after what you did-"

"What can she do, really?" Rodrian asked. "Kill me?"

Runa shook her head. "I suppose that she wouldn't..." Runa mumbled.

"Besides," Rodrian added quickly. "If you're looking for safety, the Castle is way safer than what the Snowplains are. No one is looking for rebels there."

He stroke her cheek. "And, wherever we are, I promise you that everything will be alright," he said. "I'll make sure it is."

The party was held at the Palace. Marcia had sternly told her not to dare to leave, and Odale didn't want to challenge Marcia's direct orders. At least not at that day. She leant back in her chair.

There was no one to talk to, not even Marcia as Marcia was sitting beside Milo. She seemed to be enjoying herself, Odale thought, somewhat annoyed. Septimus was nowhere to be found. "Hi," Odale spun around. Jenna stood there, with her hands on her sides.

"Hello," Odale replied. Jenna sat down beside her.

"Are you okay?" Jenna asked. "You look bored."

"I actually am a bit bored," Odale answered. "Not to be mean."

Jenna laughed. "That's okay," she said. "I'm a bit bored too."

"I suppose weddings are," Odale replied. She wondered if she could tell Jenna about her small project. Odale had already decided that she wouldn't tell Septimus about it, but Jenna was a different person. Besides, she was sure that Jenna would keep quiet.

Odale rose up. "Come," she said. "I want to show you something."

"What?" Jenna asked her.

"Just come," Odale replied. Odale walked hurriedly into the corridor, with Jenna on her heels. When they were out in the corridor, Odale both looked around and Listened for heartbeats... but she didn't see or hear anything. She took a deep breath and looked at Jenna.

Jenna had tilted her head to one side. "What is it that you have to show me?" she asked.

"Wait for it," Odale answered. She closed her eyes again. Her ears stung, just as they had the day before. Odale touched her ears, just to feel if they were alright. She looked at Jenna. Jenna stared.

"Your... ears..." she said. "They're dog ears?"

"Close enough!" Odale said excitedly. "They're wolf."

"Are you a Shapeshifter?" Jenna had had an amused expression, but it had been exchanged to a worried expression. Everyone knew what it meant to be a Shapeshifter. A Shapeshifter could change into many different forms, but at the end of their lifetimes they usually became unstable. So they decided one definite form and then stayed that way. Until they died.

"No," Odale said. "I... try to Skinchange. It's a bit different, but I thought it was nice."

"Oh," Odale saw that Jenna didn't understand.

"It's different," Odale replied, "Because, as a Skinchanger, you only have one form."

"Did Marcia teach you that?" Jenna asked.

Odale looked around. "No," she answered. "And you can't tell anyone... Please?"

"Sure," Jenna said. "But... why did you tell me?"

Odale grinned. "I thought you'd like it," Odale said. "But hush... okay?"

"Okay," Jenna said.

"I could always fix with your memory if you wouldn't," Odale joked. Jenna laughed.

Even though she and Jenna talked, and Odale liked talking to Jenna, she wanted to go home. Especially to her bed, and just sleep. She went to Marcia, who still sat by Milo. "Marcia," she said. "Can I go home now?"

"Is Septimus going with you?" Marcia turned around to look at her.

"No," Odale said. "Septimus is sleeping here."

"Then no," Marcia replied.

"I can make it over the Wizard Way myself!" Odale protested angrily. "I'm a much more skilled fighter than what Septimus is!"

Marcia sighed. She had been having a nice evening, until then. "That's not the point," she said.

"Then what is?" Odale asked her. "Why can't I go out alone anymore?"

"Because I don't want you to," Marcia answered. "Odale, end of discussion. You seemed to have a nice time with Jenna... why don't you just go back to her?"

Odale sighed with annoyance. Marcia attempted to put a hand on her shoulder, but Odale walked away. She didn't care what Marcia thought, Odale told herself. Odale would go now, she didn't want to wait any time at all.

She walked over the snow-covered street. In a way she liked it in the winter, when the snow always reflected a little light. Odale liked to always be able to see. Complete dark could be so horrible.

All of a sudden, she could hear footsteps behind of her. Odale turned around. She was grabbed from behind and someone pushed her down on the ground. The person pushed and hand over her mouth. "Stay quiet," he whispered. She shook her head and tried to kick him, but just when she did someone came running just past them. It was a girl, around Odale's age.

The girl was holding her hand to her side. Odale realized that she had had to be harmed in her side, but she couldn't see where. The boy had knocked her down behind a sign, and she couldn't really see well.

After the girl came two men. Odale recognized their cloaks, it was the same kind of cloak that she'd seen other people wear before. She shivered.

One of the men was wielding a spear, but with a curved edge. Odale stared. It didn't look good, and she knew that she had to help. Odale tried to wriggle out of the boys grip, but he was strong. Much stronger than she. Besides, he was holding her hands and she couldn't come up with a good spell without having to use her hands. "You can't help her!" the boy told her lowly.

A shrill scream was heard, and Odale turned her head again. The man with the long spear had cut the girl, again, and she was on her knees. From the shadows, a young man sprang out. The young man cast a spell, but the man with the spear flicked his spear easily, deflecting the spell.

The young man stopped in surprise, but his throat was slashed before he could do anything. Blood splattered on the snow and Odale felt completely cold. That could've been her.

The older man turned around, slashed the girls throat before she could scream again and then they just left. Odale laid on the ground in shock. It was a long time ago that she'd seen someone kill another without provocation or warning like that. The closest had been when her mother had killed Flarthy... but that was hardly unprovoked.

The boy rose up. Then he helped her up, too. She looked at him. It was Clark, the boy from the inn. Odale stared. "How did you know?" Odale asked.

"I just did," the boy looked down at her. He had a very serious expression on his face.

"Who were the murderers?" Odale asked. "Do you know who they are?"

"Rebels," Clark replied.

"What kind?" Odale felt very stupid. Clark seemed to already know way more than what she did.

"The kind from the Snowplains," he stated. "Don't you know? You're Snowplainian yourself."

"I gue..." Odale stopped herself. "How would you know?"

"You look the part," Clark replied. "Besides, your aunt told me."

"Marcia?" Odale asked.

"She is your aunt, isn't she?" Clark frowned.

Odale nodded. "She is..." Odale answered. "But how do you know her?"

Clark was silent. He looked at her, as if she was a rare animal, and tilted his head to one side. "Fine!" Odale snapped. "I'll go home then."

"No!" Clark said. "Please, let me follow you. It's better to be two."

"Why?"

"Because they might still be looking for people like us," Clark replied.

Odale shook her head. "You're crazy," she said. "What do you mean with 'us'?"

"Let's go," Clark gave her a shove. "Let's get you home."

She looked on the ground. The girl and the young man still laid on the ground. Of course, Odale thought. Dead people don't move. Odale looked at their faces.

They looked alike. She assumed that they were siblings, they were so alike. Both of them had black hair, which was slightly curly. The girl's hair had been shoulder-length and had spread underneath her face like a halo. Odale wanted to remember their faces.

The kill hadn't looked especially fair to her, nor had the fight. The girl hadn't been a Wizard, she could tell by the opened, glassy eyes. Besides, she had ran and screamed and the men had acted as if they had planned everything.

Odale shook her head. The young man had probably just tried to protect his sister. She wondered if Lorea would've done the same thing...

The boy carefully nudged at her shoulder. "Look, miss Odale," he said. "We should take you home."

She was about to ask how he knew her name, but then she remembered that she was Marcia's apprentice. Which made her known, but her aunt had apparently also told things about her to the boy. Odale didn't like that.

Clark finally grew tired of waiting for her, and grabbed her by the arm. "Come," he said. Odale followed. She stared at him. That boy could possibly have saved her.