Chapter 2: Trouble This Way Comes
Realising that they did not have ample time to act, the figure dropped to their knees and placed their hands on both sides of Mildred's face. On the adjacent table Ada, her teachers and the old witch quickly bashed ingredients in a pestle. The only sound in the room as Mildred had stopped screaming and everyone else was holding their breath. They all knew that the poison's aggression likely caused the witch's silence.
Julie's eyes flitted between the staff of Cackles' and Mildred, tears freely rolling. She focused more on her daughter when the fingers of the cloaked figure began to glow. "What are you doing?" She asked, a fierce edge in her voice. The Great Wizard leaned to try and see the figure's identity. To try and confirm what the figure's magic was hinting at.
The figure remained silent as the glow grew bigger, enshrouding Mildred. This caused the antidote making witches, and wizard, to pause. The glow intensified and the figure threw their head back making the hood fall down. The Great Wizard's eyes widened in disbelief then anger. Ada stared at the long black hair of the figure. It couldn't possibly be, she thought, lots of people had dark hair, that proves nothing.
Colour returned to Mildred's cheeks as the glow of the magic began to fade. The figure, a girl, looked back down at Mildred and removed her fingers as the glow disappeared.
"Mildred?" Julie said, reaching forward to stroke her little girl's hair. After a few seconds, Mildred's eyes flicked open. Julie seized her girl in her arms. She pressed her face to Mildred's scalp, her tears wetting her daughter's hair. Julie rocked her gently. The silence and now relieved atmosphere quickly dissipated, however.
"Cordelia Hardbroom?" The Great Wizard boomed; eyebrows pulled into a tight frown. The cloaked girl stood up immediately but kept her eyes low. Ursula and Ada simultaneously gasped. "You were magically confined to Briarwoods! How on earth can you be here?" The girl, Cordelia, paled significantly.
"I- I don't know, your Greatness," She mumbled, glancing briefly at the angry man in front of her, "One second I was there ā at Briarwoods ā then I⦠then I was here." The Great Wizard's angry frown morphed into a confused one at the same time as Ursula pulled Ethel closer to her. Never removing her gaze from the intruder. The Great Wizard mulled over Cordelia's answer as Mildred became more conscious.
"Do I know you?" Mildred croaked. Cordelia's attention turned to the girl lying in her mother's arms.
"Yes, yes you do," Cordelia responded. At this moment Ada also seemed to regain her head and moved towards the centre of the commotion.
"We need to get Mildred to the sick bay," She instructed, "and get rid of that plant." Mr Rowan-Webb stepped forward and picked the poorly girl out of her mother's arms. Julie and Enid walked on either side of Algernon as he headed out of the room. Cordelia trailed along behind them, after giving the Great Wizard and apologetic glance. The sight of the girl following the other made realisation dawn on his face.
"Miss Cackle. We need to talk," he said as he turned to lead the way to her office. As they left chatter filled the room. It was no longer excited, however. It was fearful.
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Two cups of tea and a plate of half-eaten biscuits sat between the irate Great Wizard and the nerve wracked headmistress. Ada's cup was full, her anxiety making it impossible for her to drink.
"If it is what I think it is, then the girl will have to stay here. Considering how much the Hubble girl gets into bother," his greatness said, annoyance scrawled all over his features.
Ada exhaled heavily, "If you think that is the right course of action, your Greatness." She ran a hand over her knee, smoothing the fabric of her skirt. Her mind was racing trying to decide how best to deal with the present situation. Her eyes were drawn to the plant Hecate had named an age ago and had not been able to name since.
The Great Wizard bit his lip in concentration before speaking, "There can be no other solution. I must release the confinement spell. The girl will undoubtedly not leave these grounds, given those present. This new magic will also keep her here." He rose to transfer, mind made up. Ada rose too, knowing she had people to see.
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Julie Hubble turned as she heard the door close behind her. Ada Cackle slipped in and was casting her gaze over the girls. Mildred was fast asleep on a neatly tucked bed in the middle of the room. Cordelia also was snoozing, half sitting on an armchair with her top half resting beside Mildred on the bed. Ada half-heartedly wished for this peacefulness to continue, knowing that the next day would only bring the opposite. Julie watched the headmistress, dying to know what she was thinking, waiting for the right moment to speak her mind.
Ada was glad the Great Wizard had left without speaking to Cordelia. She knew of his dislike for the poor girl. This is probably a good thing, Ada thought, any change will sound better coming from me than him.
Julie cleared her throat, gaining Ada's wavering attention. "I want this looked into," she said, not sure if any time would ever be right judging by the look on the headmistress' face. If she looked peaky from the day's events, it did not compare to how she felt. "And if my girl gets hurt again, I'll..." Julie was distracted from enunciating her threat by Ada's eyes flickering to the sleeping stranger. She was somewhat puzzled by the older woman's expression. Miss Cackle seemed pained, happy, concerned and about a million other feelings all at once.
"Mildred won't be hurt," Ada finally said, after a long pause. Her gaze didn't falter from Cordelia. "Not now." Julie settled her eyes on the girl who had just saved Mildred's life. How was she supposed to be comforted by this new arrival? Julie had noticed the way Ursula Hallow had reacted to her presence.
A person had to be dangerous to make the sharp Hallow matriarch frightened.
Very, very dangerous.
