Love

IVY The painful tightening of my chest had me waking up with a jolt. It was the effect of yet another nightmare. I placed a hand to my thumping heart and channeled a faint strand of magic. A second later, I took a deep breath in relief. My eyes were grainy with sleep, but I knew it was time to rise before the rest of the coven did. It was all I could do to maintain a slightly peaceful existence. I never had a good day when a single coven member rose before me. I stood up from my thin straw bed, feeling an ache in my neck that told me I had probably slept in an awkward position. I stretched to get the knots out. I couldn't afford to be stiff, not today of all days. Cooking was my primary duty, so I made my way to the space reserved for preparing the meals. Before I got close, I could hear the sound of pots clanging. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips, but I resisted the urge. I knew who I'd see once I got there, and I was happy, even though I'd rather burn than admit it. The cooking area was made up of a large hut used as a storeroom, and beside it was a small mud pit for fire with a large fixed iron pot over it. It was the best we could do with our limited powers and expertise. The only problem was that the pot always proved to be a heavy task to wash. That's where my best friend comes in. I call him my best friend, but he was my only friend, or rather the only person crazy enough to associate with a Norm witch. The fire was burning hot, and water bubbled in it, but there was no sign of him. "Thaen?" I called out. There was a thump and the sound of something falling. I turned to the source, which came from the storeroom. The store's wooden door opened with a bang. At its entrance stood a raven-haired youth. His fair, almost pale face was covered in patches of soot, and above his thick brows glistened beads of sweat. His red lips curled up in a grin. "Ivy," he said. His voice was an airy whisper. I shivered and glared at him. "Don't be disgusting, it's too early for that." His smile grew brighter. "My cold beauty is still cruel as always." "Stop it!" If he said another sentence, I was sure I wouldn't be able to resist the urge to stuff his mouth with a rock. He laughed but stopped teasing me. "I have the fire going, the water boiling. Now it's time to do your magic." I cringed at his use of the word 'magic'. He didn't know I could do magic, and although I felt guilty hiding it from him, I had already convinced myself several times that it was for the best. For my safety. He tossed a small knife in the air, and with a wave of his hand, an air current shot the gleaming blade in my direction. But like a magic signal jammer had been turned on, the knife lost momentum when it got close to me and dropped uselessly. I caught it before it fell and glared at him. He shrugged with a dimpled grin. "Just checking." I rolled my eyes and got to work. Cutting up the basin of meat was the main task. Thaen would deal with the vegetables. Cooking didn't take time, but today might be different since we would be having guests... speaking of which. I looked over at the busy Thaen. When he wasn't teasing me or grinning like a fool, he actually seemed quite charming. He turned his head, and our eyes met. The familiar crinkle of his eyes had me raising my hand. "Zip it." He pursed his lips with a pout. There was a moment of silence, then I asked a pressing question. "Do you know who they are?" "Who?" he seemed at a loss. I tsked. "Our guests, who are they?" I gave a mirthless chuckle. "They must be very important for your father to personally threaten to kill me if anything goes wrong." The sound of cutting vegetables stopped, and I could feel him looking at me. I turned away from my chore. "What?" I asked. He moved his lips but didn't say a word. I knew he felt sorry, but it wasn't his fault that his father, our head, hated me. The reason is complicated, with me being a Norm witch just topping it off. I affected a carefree look and smirked at him. "Don't worry. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's staying alive." He didn't laugh, though if anything, his expression became more solemn. "Don't say that. You're good at many things. You're smart, you work hard, you're a great chef, and... you're beautiful. It's not right or fair how they treat you." The retort I prepared stuck in my throat. I blinked and pinched my palm to prevent myself from blushing. I still did. I could feel my cheeks heat up. I was mortified. "I..." he began. For some reason, I was scared of what would come next. "I like you." His voice was faint, like a whisper, and his eyes were downcast as he spoke. "You know I do." He chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Everyone knows I have feelings for you, but you refuse to let me in, even a bit." Shocked at the sudden confession, I took a moment to react. "Thaen..." "No, please, just let me finish." He took a deep breath. "You know I loved you before the covens were broken, and we ended up in hiding. But back then, you were too caught up in your self-isolation that you didn't even see me. And even now, I know you only let me be your friend because you were finally desperate for some connection and companionship. But you don't trust me. I know you're hiding something from me. I don't know what it is, but I do know it's something big." He let out a sigh at the end of his speech and ran a hand through his hair. "I... I'm not forcing you to reply to my confession. I respect you too much for that, but I hope you would at least give me a chance?" His tone was doubtful at the end. My expression was blank, but a million thoughts bounced in my head. The major thought was 'He likes me!' Coming in a close second was 'Our coven head will kill me!!!' Thaen was my best friend, someone I could always rely on and laugh with. But could I risk jeopardizing that friendship by taking it to a romantic level? And what about the consequences from the coven? The mere thought of our coven head's wrath sent shivers down my spine.