THE SHAMAN

I screamed loudly, tugging at the hand dragging me into the dark room. My hands tugged at it, somehow it wrapped tighter around my wrist.

“Stop screaming, you'll kill the hilly billies.” The hand dragging me belonged to Donae.

“Oh, Luna, you scared the shit out of me.”  I put my hand to my chest, rubbing at my wrist. That would be sore later, for sure.

“You have a strong grip,” I said. She nodded and started walking into the room, I followed closely.

Suddenly, the room became brighter, rays of sun coming in from large windows at each side. It was a garden. There were many plants, trees, and little birds singing. A large tree in the middle rose up through the opening in the roof. The plants somehow seemed alive, and I had no idea what they were.

Donae walked towards a table at a corner, there was a book open midair. She wore black jeans and a crop top that molded to her skin, making her runes shine even more against the reflection of the sun. Her long, dark hair was in tiny ropes behind her head, reaching her bum.

I followed her closely, making sure I wasn't touching or disrupting anything. There was a huge library in the corner, the books smelled like mold. I loved reading books, when I schooled with the normals, I ate up all their stories.

I grabbed a book from the shelf, turning it over to read it. “Ancient Spell Casting,” I read out loudly. Donae waved her hand, and the book left mine suddenly, returning to its spot on the shelves.

“Sorry, I was curious,”  I said, walking over to her bench. She rarely spoke, I realized.

“What's a hilly billy?” I asked her.

“ A hilly billy is a plant that cures blindness. It's gotten from Hell.”, she spoke calmly.

Hell?

She was chanting slowly under her breath, reciting words from the book she had open in front of her.

A plant on the table started glowing, red, then yellow. It glowed, and her runes shined more, the gold furious against her skin.

I take back my judgment, witches are cool.

“The shaman would soon arrive,” she said to me. “She asked me to bring you in. You stood at the door for too long.”

“Well, that bastard didn't tell me how to open the door,” I replied. I sat down on the bench, looking at the room. There was a stream at the root of the big tree, and I noticed that the windows were shaped in crescents.

“What did you do to me, Donae?” I asked her. She took a look at me and sighed.

“Take off your shoes first, this is sacred soil,” she pointed at my feet. I begrudgingly took them off, it wasn't my fault. I was still new to all this.

“As to what I did to you,” she continued, “nothing; I just prayed to the goddess to release you from the evil cage. She granted me my wishes.” She replied.

Donae moved like she was walking on air, her feet made no sounds on the ground. She picked up another plant, placed it next to the glowing one, and started humming.

I watched her work silently, amazed by how skilled she was.

Suddenly, she raised her head up. “They're here.” She looked at the tree.

I heard footsteps, singing, and laughter. The birds seemed happier, and there was a soft breeze that wasn't there before. I got to my feet, wanting to make a good first impression on the shaman.

They came down slowly from the back of the tree—six of them.

One was so tall, her head was close to the lowest branch of the tree. She could be taller than Alex. Another was short, her body slim and lithe, then three had similar faces. Identical triplets, they had the same eye shape, and their eyes were as black as the night.

Then the older one, I assumed she was the shaman, was an older version of Donae. A grandmother, her hair had turned gray, and she walked with a cane.

They all wore green flowing gowns, arms bare and runes in sight, and they were bare feet.

Donae rushed to the old woman's side. “Mama, how was it?,” she asked, looking down at her with kindness in her eyes.

The shaman nodded, pulling her into a hug. “Dear child, we are still safe. The goddess promised.” Her voice sounded firm. Like time.

I looked at all of them, not knowing what to do or what to say. The tall one walked towards me, she was very muscular too, I noticed.

“Are you the white wolf?”  She asked. I had to look up at her green eyes to reply. “Yes, it seems I am.”

Her lips spread in a wide smile.

Suddenly they all fell to their knees except Donae and the old woman.

“Praise Luna, for granting us the blessing to be born in the same timeline.” They repeated it over and over.

Donae helped the old woman to a chair, and she beckoned to me. “Come, child. Let me look at you.”

I walked to where she was and sat down beside her. Her eyes widened, she grabbed my face in her hands.

“Blessed be. I can see you, Goddess.” She looked at all the witches in the room.

“Do you know who we are, child?” She asked me, letting go of my face. That was when I recognized her voice. She was the person that was in the room I woke up in earlier with Alex.

“No, I don't, I have no knowledge about anything.” I answered, staring at my arms.

She pursed her lips. “Your mate gave you no information?” she asked, her face set in confusion.

“He is not my mate,” I answered back, “and no, the man gave me nothing.”

She smiles at me, “ouu you're fiery. I like that. We need that.”

She waved her hand at everyone in the room. They had scattered to various parts, busy with something. “We are the Whistling Coven.” She looked at them with so much pride.

I had already assumed they were the witches Alex has spoken about. “Lovely home you have here.” I said. It reminded me of the land beyond the River Tangen. Of George Town, where I would find my father.

“Do you know who you are, child?” she asked, staring at me so deeply that I felt like I was naked in front of her.

“I am a girl, born without a wolf, ostracized by my pack, kidnapped and brought here.” I replied.

She shook her head. “No, you're not. Let me tell you who you are.”