1
Lilith Clawthorne was woken by her palisman on the first dewy fall dawn of the season. Her palisman, a hand-carved white raven named Revali, had been by her side ever since she was a student. The now thirty-four-year-old witch stretched her arms above her head in her massive bed, letting out a ferocious yawn before peeling back her duvet. She looked around the relatively small bedroom of her cottage, grateful to be waking up there instead of in the Emperor's castle. Now that she was going to be working at the Hexside School of Magic and Demonics as the lead historical scholar, a professor, and student mentor, she was excused to live away from headquarters and further into town.
The witch swung her legs over the side of the bed and into a pair of pale green silk slippers as she pulled her glasses from her nightstand and slid them onto her slender, pale face. She padded to the door and wrapped herself in the tan, silk robe she hung on a hook, covering her simple black nightie. Revali got to work pulling the pillows, sheets, and duvet back into their place as Lilith stepped into the adjacent bathroom and inspected her appearance in the mirror.
The version of Lilith who lived in her private cottage was not the same version of Lilith the rest of the Boiling Isles was familiar with. Out in public, she was very precise and consistent in her appearance. She wore her midnight blue hair thoroughly straightened, ditched her round black metal frames for a vision-enhancing spell, and almost exclusively wore the color black. Meanwhile, only in the privacy of her cottage, which was tucked far out of sight and well-protected to offer her true solitude, she permitted herself to be a little more herself. She dawned a wardrobe with greater variety in color and style. She allowed her curls to bounce off of her back and tied the look together with her glasses. Her space, unlike the dark and gloomy room and board provided in the castle, was full of light colors and sunshine. She used light woods, colorful pastel accents, plants, and trinkets she collected over the years to decorate.
Lilith was incredibly proud of her hard work and accolades. She highly valued justice and enjoyed having full control of her powers. Despite this, she was already growing tired at the age of thirty-four, an observation she tried to bury deep down in the darkest corners of her mind. Underneath her glasses, a face she hardly recognized stared back at her in the mirror. Her skin was so pale it appeared translucent, causing the bags under her eyes to pop out as a deep shade of purple. She had given up far too much to acknowledge her feelings of disenchantment that bubbled to the surface when she was tucked away in her cottage. Holding such a prestigious, powerful position could be invigorating and empowering, despite how truly draining the work was.
She shook her head and turned the shower on so that the cool bathroom and water could warm up. Always a stickler for arriving early, Lilith planned to be at the school no later than two hours before the start time. She had a few final preparations to make in her office and needed to have time to review her speech for the opening ceremony. All of this needed to be completed early enough that she would have time to meet her new apprentice. As she showered, she thought of the young witch who she would be meeting. The student, just as Lilith once did, reigned as Top Student and passed the grueling application, testing, and interview process. The two of them only briefly met at the end-of-year ceremony the year prior.
The way things worked at Hexside, students were given a full first year to familiarize themselves with their abilities and potential. The following year, top students would be selected to work under coven heads to prepare for apprenticeship. Should they succeed, and arguably thrive, they will join the coven and spend the remaining two years in a legal apprenticeship. There was only a select number of openings, and as head of the Emporer's Coven, Lilith was the highest ranking witch one could study under. Lilith was not surprised at all to see she had been matched with the youngest Blight sibling, Amity. She had heard whispers about the girl for years leading up to her enrollment at the school and was very familiar with the Blight Industries' connections to the Emperor's Coven.
The witch found herself suppressing thoughts about the ethics of the circumstances as she turned off the water and pulled her plush towel from the rack. She wrapped the soft fabric around her body before stepping out of the shower, reminding herself that, regardless of the ethics of indoctrination, she could confirm that working for the Emperor's Coven would open up the highest of opportunities in the future. In the world these witchlets were being raised to live in, they needed to take advantage of any opportunity available.
Lilith used a spell to rapidly dry and flatten her hair. She applied a serum to the bags under her eyes before utilizing a charm that corrected her vision. She flipped off the lights, hung her towel back up, and approached her closet to retrieve the clothing she had chosen the previous evening. The familiar, floor-length black dress with a charcoal upper bodice and sleeves was sleek, simple, and professional enough for this first day. After slipping into a simple black set of undergarments, Lilith stepped into black tights and pulled them into place. Then she removed the dress from the hanger. The witch could have used a spell to get dressed, but she chose to do things this way as a way to reserve her energy. After zipping up the back of the dress, she placed the diamond-shaped sea foam-colored gemstone she always wore in the center of her sternum. This gem would support her in maintaining a kempt appearance all day and act as an additional catalyst for her magic abilities.
Slipping on a new pair of black, lace-up, heeled boots, she was feeling more and more like the head of a coven and less like the fatigued, loner who rolled out of bed just an hour earlier. She was too nervous to eat, so she summoned Revali, who perched on her staff and stepped out the front door. Once on the other side of her front gate, she looked back at her cottage. The house was beautiful and tucked safely away in the forest on the outer end of town. Upon moving in, the witch cast a spell creating an illusion over the house. To any passerby, the house was no more than an abandoned, dirty shack. She ensured her protection charms were in place before hopping onto her staff and rising into the sky.
The sun had not yet risen when Lilith arrived at the school and let herself in through the locked side doors. She resisted the shiver in her core as she locked the door behind herself and walked through the dimly lit hallways. No other professor was present at this hour. Still, Lilith walked with her shoulders squared and her chin up, her staff standing tall in her right hand. She needed to embody the graceful, powerful witch she was in all circumstances, just in case.
She arrived at the door of her office, which was attached to her classroom, and quietly unlocked it. The space was exactly as she left it the day before when she was present for an in-office work day. The space was large, the largest office outside of that of Headmaster Bump's, and one of Lilith's newest favorite spots. Where there weren't wooden, built-in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, the walls were decorated with various maps and images of the Boiling Isles' history. She had a massive dark, wooden desk with a large velvet chair tucked behind it facing a loveseat and two dark-colored chairs for guests. On the other side of the room, she had brought a wing-back chair and a lamp to build a reading nook. Just a few feet from that, in the adjacent corner, she placed a round wooden table with a few matching chairs in case it was needed.
The witch walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and drew back the massive, velvet curtains to let the steadily increasing sunlight into the dark space. She then sat in her chair and got to work reviewing her speech and the day's itinerary. After her third read-through, there was a light rapping on her door before it creaked open.
"Headmaster Bump," Lilith stood to offer her respects to her new boss. "Good morning. Welcome."
"I came here to welcome you, Professor Clawthorne," Headmaster Bump gently shut the door behind himself before stepping closer to the desk. "Or, dare I say, welcome you back."
Lilith smiled courteously, her mind reflecting on her 4 years as Headmaster Bump's student when he was still a relatively new professor. She had always been fond of the witch and his dedication to his students. It had been decades since she saw him last, before her interview at Hexside. They had yet to have a true opportunity to acknowledge their past and catch up. Given their positions in the community, neither had very much to catch the other up on that they wouldn't already be aware of.
"Thank you, Headmaster," the witch began closing up her books and projected a more friendly tone than she was used to in colleague interactions. She glanced at the clock hanging above her door. "The days have been long but the years have been short."
"Indeed," the man smiled softly, fully aware that Lilith was still a very private and professional witch. He knew to expect gossip and drama from other professors' offices, even on day one but was unsurprised to see very little of the curly red-headed witchlet he once taught in the room that morning. The grown woman who stood before him, due to her position in the government, was forced to set hard boundaries at a very young age. "I shall return to the front office to welcome the apprentices. If you are ready, I can send Miss Blight to you right away."
"She has arrived already?" Lilith's dark eyebrows lifted.
"Oh yes," the headmaster smirked, reaching for the door handle. "I believe you and Miss Blight have quite a lot in common. You will see."
"Of course. Please," she summoned Revali with a spell circle. "I will send Revali to guide her back this way. I believe this part of the building is quite far from where she spent her time as a first year."
"Splendid," he scratched the familiar, small white bird's chin, earning a few pleasant chirps before turning to wink at the witch one more time. The two of them took off, leaving the door ajar per her request. "I will see you shortly."
Lilith swiped her clammy hands on the sides of her dress, forcing in a few shaky deep breaths. She shook her head, her blue hair swaying against the sleek fabric of her dress. As an official who reports directly to Emperor Belos, Lilith didn't understand how she still managed to experience so much anxiety before an introduction. Based on Miss Blight's interview responses, she knew the girl was naturally already impressed with her. She didn't need to prove her worth to the student, and yet her nervous system said otherwise.
The witch sat down, placing her folded hands on her desk, before changing her mind and quickly standing up. She was fussing with the placement of her chair when Revali flew in through the open door and she heard three small raps on the frame. Giving up on the desk situation, Lilith stepped around to be closer to the entrance instead.
"Come in," She spoke in the most professional tone she could muster, swallowing the last of her nerves.
When the small teenager of 14 years stepped into the room, Lilith allowed herself a moment to take her in. Amity Blight stood at no more than five feet and a few inches, appearing quite childlike next to the older witches' five-foot-nine-inch frame. She wore her dress uniform, which was reserved for special occasions, and already adorned the Top Student badge on her black hood. Miss Blight was relatively pale, though not as pale as her mentor, and wore her hair in a light green bob, her auburn roots peeking out just a bit. She stood in front of Lilith with an outstretched hand, which the coven leader reached out to firmly accept. Her hazel eyes looked up at Lilith, sparking just a bit, and Lilith found herself… entranced?
Get it together, Lilith thought to herself. She couldn't place it, but she felt connected to the girl in a way that was somewhat comforting and also somewhat alarming.
"Welcome, Miss Blight," Lilith bowed her head shortly before withdrawing her hand to rest it in front of herself. "You may call me Professor Clawthorne. Please, close the door behind you and have a seat."
The older witch returned to her chair, gesturing for Miss Blight to take a seat across from her desk.
"It is an honor to be selected as your future apprentice, Professor Clawthorne," the girl spoke politely as she perched herself on the seat most directly across from Lilith. She crossed her ankles and placed her clasped hands in her lap. The young witch was very still and quiet outside of the formalities. For that, Lilith felt grateful. She'd had a few interactions with Miss Blight's twin older siblings, who had graduated the year before. The pair was rambunctious and left a trail of disarray everywhere they went.
"Have you received an itinerary for today?" Lilith pulled the print from the letter tray on her desk and glanced over it before handing it to the teenager.
"I was briefed by Headmaster Bump," Miss Blight reached out to accept the paper. Her hazel eyes scanned the list, her expression almost entirely neutral. "Yes. This is familiar."
"Wonderful," Lilith nodded curtly and clasped her hands on the desk. "I apologize, should this feel redundant, but I was hoping to spend a bit of time getting to know you further. What led to you pursuing the apprenticeship track, Miss Blight?"
"I highly value my education and knew that, regardless of which coven track I pursue, I would eventually hope to work with a coven leader as a Hexside student," she spoke as she casually used a spell circle to tuck the paper she'd been holding away. "I chose the Emperor's Coven partly because of the opportunities it provides and partly…partly because of you ."
The students' cheeks pinkened as she spoke. Lilith realized that Miss Blight had accidentally broken away from the script she was drawing her answers from in her mind. The older witch upheld her best poker face, resisting the urge to smile at Miss Blight's attempt to suck up to her. As someone who sacrificed everything she knew and more to pursue her career, she too remembered idolizing her mentor, Flora D'Splora. She held no judgment for the remark, not that she wanted Miss Blight to know.
Lilith continued asking Miss Blight about her career goals, accomplishments, favorite subjects, extracurricular activities, and family life. The professor noticed the mildly deflective answers Miss Blight offered when she inquired about the rest of the Blight family. She respected that Miss Blight appeared to have clear boundaries between her home and school life. This was crucial to her success on the Emporer's Coven track.
The hour passed quickly and smoothly. Lilith glanced at the clock on the wall just in time for the bell to ring in the hallway. She slowly stood from her seat and stepped around to walk Miss Blight to the door. She was simultaneously aware of the relief in her chest and the tugging.
"You will now go to your homeroom class," Lilith instructed. "From there, your class will go into the assembly shortly after the start of the hour."
"Thank you, Professor Clawthorne," Miss Blight nodded, stepping through the threshold.
"You are welcome," she would have Miss Blight in class after lunch and the final hour would be set aside for the apprenticeship. "I will see you this afternoon."
"Until then," Miss Blight blushed after accidentally curtseying for the professor. She didn't dare say another word before turning on her heels and taking off to homeroom.
After softly closing the door behind herself again, Lilith found herself shaking her head at the child. She could tell that Miss Blight was experiencing a fair amount of nerves herself and that she was truly putting in a lot of effort to make a professional impression. The older witch smirked to herself as she opened her closet and retrieved her white cloak and mask for the assembly. Now that their first meeting was out of the way, she was ready to make her appearance as the welcome assembly's keynote speaker. She would have more time to talk to Miss Blight later.
Upon reaching the small indoor amphitheater towards the back of the school, Lilith took a deep breath and placed her mask over her face. She closed her light green eyes and reminded herself that this was what she was meant to be doing and that it was going to go smoothly. She was entirely familiar with the procession and speech.
With the sounds of the senior bard coven track students playing a loud percussion instrument, Lilith recognized her cue and began her descent down the stairs and toward the center stage. Outside of the loud music, the crowd was incredibly quiet during this portion of the assembly. It was mostly dark in the theater, the only major light shining directly on her. She focused on her posture, remembering to stand tall and walk with grace, as she approached the stage. Her fingers began to tingle as she prepared to put on a bit of a magic show.
Upon stepping onto the stage the music shifted and she began essentially showing off. The witch used her hands and staff to create multiple effects to awe the audience. When she finished, she collected herself and walked to the front and center of the stage.
"Good morning, Hexside students," she spoke, projecting her voice with clarity and power.
The witch removed her mask, allowing Headmaster Bump to retrieve it, and stepped forward into the brighter light. Her eyes skimmed the crowded audience. It was primarily first-year students and their parents. Older students who weren't required to be on campus right away that day often opted to skip the introduction ceremony. Lilith did a double-take when her eyes landed on a familiar witch in the audience.
Sitting many rows back and up, a wild head of white hair caught her attention. She blinked, again drawing upon her best poker face, as she took in the sight of her little sister, Edalyn. She couldn't remember the last time she saw her sister in person, despite keeping loose tabs on her over the years. Edalyn was dressed in her go-to deep red dress with heeled boots. It was hard to make out the details of her face from where Lilith stood on stage. Nevertheless, what she didn't miss was the sight of a young girl tugging gleefully on Edalyn's long arm.
The witch swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling as though time had slowed down.
Edalyn has a child? She took a deep breath, reminding herself where she was, and suppressing the panic that arose at the sight of the two. Calm, cool, and collected, Lilith.
The witch, continuing her speech, turned her attention to the other familiar face before her. Sitting front and center in the audience was none other than her new apprentice, Miss Blight. It was easy to spot her spearmint-colored hair amongst the crowd. She could see that Miss Blight had a notebook out, likely prepared to take notes, as she looked up to her mentor with sparkling eyes. Lilith found it easier to take a deep breath and continue.
The coven leader introduced the students to the coven system in more depth than they'd likely learned in school yet. She reviewed the school's scheduling system as well. As the dutiful keynote speaker she was, she incorporated an "inspirational" story detailing her rise to success. The objective of this speech was to inform the students and inspire them to begin contemplating their potential tracks.
As soon as the witch was done with her portion of the event, she traded off with Headmaster Bump and exited through the back door. She needed some air and decided to take the long way back to her classroom sufficed. She had a bit more to prepare before the first block began after the assembly. Her mind was racing, the image of her sister with the young girl consuming her. She had never seen the girl before. The girl also did not resemble Edalyn. She appeared to be about 14 or 15, her short, wavy hair was brown, and her skin was quite tan. While, in the past, she actively avoided conflict with her sister, she knew that she needed answers. The witch turned on her heels, returning in the direction of the auditorium instead.
Lilith stood outside of the auditorium, waiting patiently as the students were released to find their first class. She arched her neck, scanning the crowd for her sister's ever-out-of-control hair. The witch was grateful they both had turned out tall when she finally spotted the witch amongst the throng of others. She made a beeline for them, careful not to trample any children in the process.
"Sister!" She greeted the witch who appeared to curse at the sight of her. "I had no idea you would be here today."
"Ah, yeah, it's not exactly RSVP only," Edalyn replied with sarcasm, as expected.
"Would you step back into the auditorium with me? It will be very quick," Lilith put on her warmest expression, aware of the many onlookers passing them in the hallway.
"Luz needs to get to class! I think we'll ju–"
"We will be quick. Should she not make it in time, I will personally write her a note," The witch used her staff to shepherd the pair back towards the door and Edalyn groaned loudly.
Despite the theatrics, Lilith was relieved she was complying. The older witch led them into one of the massive well-lit hallways leading to the stage area. Once there was adequate privacy, Lilith crossed her arms, pinching the bridge of her nose with her free hand. Edalyn and Luz watched with curiosity as the witch took several very deep breaths.
"Edalyn, why are you here?"
"What? A witch can't come to see her big sister speak at her new job," Edalyn poked fun and the girl beside her gasped excitedly.
"Sister ?"
"Luz, this is my sister, Lily," Edalyn grinned at the girl, gesturing to the tall witch in front of her. "Apparently, Lily teaches at your school!"
The child marveled up from beside Edalyn.
"I would be most thankful if you refer to me as Professor Clawthorne on school grounds, Luz," the witch leaned down to offer a handshake, which the girl eagerly accepted. "I am very pleased to meet you."
Edalyn was standing with her arms crossed now, smirking at her older sister.
"You, on the other hand," Lilith stepped back. "You had a child and you didn't tell me?"
"Oh! While Luz is totally all mine, I did not bring her into this world via my reproductive organs," Edalyn snorted, wrapping her arm around Luz's shoulders. "Luz came in through my portal door a few years back. Unfortunately, her circumstances in the human realm were…bleak. So, I kept her."
The older sister of the pair's sapphire eyes flickered back and forth between Edalyn and Luz. She didn't know what to make of what just came from her sister's mouth. Edalyn took in a human? A human? Edalyn then enrolled the human at Hexside School for Magic and Demonics? The witch paced a bit, trying to make sense of it. She paused, turning to face the pair.
"Eda, can she even cast spells?"
"Hello, she's standing right here and can speak for herself," Edalyn rolled her golden eyes before beaming at the child. "However…yes. She doesn't have a bile sack though, so she uses glyphs! She is all self-taught and quite talented."
Lilith blinked, digesting the information as Luz pulled a small piece of paper with an old symbol on it from her pocket. She tapped it gently and smiled as it morphed into a luminescent ball and floated above them.
"Wow," Lilith was a bit shell-shocked. "Okay. Edalyn, how did you get her enrolled here? How are you here?"
"I adopted her and I came to enroll her like anyone else," Edalyn laughed. "Bump wasn't thrilled. He made me pay for it. You can thank me for the lack of graffiti on the lockers this fall!"
"For the lack of the graffiti you created," Lilith smirked at her sister then, remembering the days they attended the school together. Lilith was, for the lack of a better word, an absolute hellion when she wanted to be.
"Sure," Edalyn snorted. "Anyway, Bump said he wouldn't snitch. I hope you can agree to the same?"
Lilith glanced back and forth between the two of them again before nodding curtly. She wouldn't tell her sister, but she knew there were a few limits she would go to when it came to protecting Edalyn. Now, Edalyn and her niece.
"I suppose I will be seeing you around," Lilith sighed and Edalyn beamed in response. "Please, get Luz to her first class and have safe travels home."
"Bye, Prissy Sissy!" Edalyn waved, beginning to walk away. Lilith glowered in response, choosing not to respond.
"Bye Aunt Li– Professor !" Luz waved joyfully as she followed her mother out of the hallway.
Lilith never imagined reconnecting with Edalyn. She assumed that cursing her sister and leaving her behind to join the Emperor's Coven, which Edalyn adamantly refused to join after the cursing, would leave her watching over from afar for the rest of their time in this world. It deeply pained her any time she thought about this. Despite her firm exterior, the witch felt a small crack in her heart begin to widen that morning.
