My subconscious took me back to the spirit world. Instead of a wolf waiting for me, it was Dominic. The snow was not falling this time, but it had blanketed the ground. I approached Dominic and hugged him.
‘I am so sorry I couldn’t save you.’
‘Please, you have nothing to be sorry about. I risked my life to save you all. It was my choice. But listen to me; take care of Natalie for me. She has been through so much with Daniel as it is, and I’m worried she will end up doing something that she will regret.’
‘I promise I will take care of her.’
I wished I could have known him longer. I owed him my life for what he sacrificed to save us all. Then out of the blue a young woman appeared. She had long, wavy, red hair and I sort of recognised her. All her features married up to Florence, my ancestor. Florence held out her hand to Dominic.
‘Hello Grace, I have come to take Dominic to a safe place.’
‘Florence, is that really you?’
She smiled and nodded. I could not believe I was finally meeting her! After reading her journal I had wished she was around now. She was outstandingly beautiful, no wondered she had two wolves fall in love with her!
‘Thank you for saving my life,’ I told him again.
He smiled at me. Florence placed her hand on my shoulder.
‘Before we go there is something that I need to do with you.’ She leaned her head back and looked up at the sky, a glowing light shone around her and grew to envelop me, too. I felt the same surge take over my body that I had in the gymnasium. Then the light went in to me.
‘I have released my full power inside you, Grace. I believe you are ready to be the next Spellcaster. Go back to my journal. It will tell you what you need to do now.
Then Florence and Dominic walked off together into the distance, then vanished.
I stood there for a moment, my life had finally changed forever.
I was not just a normal sixteen-year-old anymore.
My life would now involve being a spellcaster and escaping from werewolves.
I woke up with the sun shining bright in my face. I must have been that tired from the night before that I didn’t shut my curtains. I looked down at the floor and saw traces of my torn up red coat, then the events of the night came flooding back to me, what had happened and who I had now become.
There was a knock on my door, then my gran peered inside. Sitting on the edge of my bed she said, ‘I heard the news about a boy called Dominic. His body was found at the college last night, by a girl called Natalie. The police are treating it as a murder.’
I knew I should tell her about it, but my head was still too muddled. Then my phone rang. I grabbed it; it was Natalie.
‘Sorry Gran, is it ok to take this call?’
She gave me a little hug and left me to it. Natalie was sobbing, continuously. There were moments when she would curse out Daniel’s name then she would go back to the crying again. I wished I could have helped her ease the heartache she was going through. I had never seen anything like that before in my life. My mum had pretty much given me a sheltered childhood.
‘If there is anything you need from me hun just let me know.’
I ended the call and sat blankly in my bed for most of the day.
I hadn’t thought about college, and if it would be open the next day. So, Monday morning when I woke up from my dreamless state, I slumped up out of bed and forced myself to get dressed. Gran had kindly offered to take me as she could see I was in no state to walk there by myself. When I got there we learned that the college was shut by the police as forensics were still gathering evidence in the gymnasium. Although my dance class was not going ahead, I snuck to the studio, to see if it would clear my head. I just hoped the room would be empty.
Chapter 13
I t was empty and unlit, so I had the space to myself. I changed into my leotard and dancing shoes, then pulled out a notebook and pen. I needed to come up with a whole new routine for the winter show as I would not be having anything to do with Daniel. I was going to do it all solo.
I was practising different moves for the choreography when, suddenly, the door flung open. I froze in fear but saw it was Ben. I immediately calmed down.
‘Hey, nice moves,’ he grinned.
‘Thanks. Just trying to come up with something new for the winter show,’ I smiled in return.
‘I was watching you for a while at the door, I liked what I saw.’
I felt bashful. I’d not noticed he’d been there, watching me again, through the same doors he’d stood at during the first time I ever saw him. I was happy he was with me; I needed him around.
‘Perhaps you could come and watch the show?’ I suggested.
He hesitated for a moment. I worried he was having second thoughts about us. Maybe he wanted to go further with me the other night and was upset I’d stopped it from happening. Anxiety started to take over me. I think he could see I was getting worried about something, as
