WitchCraft Academy (The First Book)

Weeks fly by in a blink of an eye and before I realise, the fragrance of spring fills the air. Silas and I have become two bodies with one soul, and our group, Juniper, Ethan, and Andrew has welcomed him with open arms. Our days are filled with studying, learning new spells from Silas, and occasional bouts of smoking, drinking and partying. The thrill of Silas sneaking into my room every few nights is something I particularly look forward to.

Axel, on the other hand, has entirely distanced himself from our group, spending all his time with Sophia. Despite my best efforts to remain unaffected, it bothers me more than I'd like to admit. With each passing day, I seem to miss him a little bit more. And I know he still hangs out with Juniper, Ethan, and Andrew when I am not around.

Silas and I are spending the entire night together in my room, sipping on whiskey and having sex. Eventually, I decide to slip into my robe and make my way to the small kitchen in the girls' dormitory. To my surprise, I find Axel standing there, clad only in his underwear, his tattoos and muscles on full display as he closes the fridge.

"Oh. It's you," he mutters, glancing up at me with a glare, before pouring himself a bowl of cheerios.

"Axel, please. We used to be friends. I want us to stay friends, I miss you," I say sincerely, scanning the kitchen for some granola bars.

"We were never friends, Ember. I had strong feelings for you. And you didn't feel the same. That's all there is to it. Nothing more," he shrugs nonchalantly, returning the milk to its place.

"How can you say that? After everything we've been through together? After Nico?" I whisper angrily, not wanting to disturb anyone's sleep.

"I stood up for you and unintentionally hurt someone. You were there for me afterwards. That was nice. But it's no big deal. I should get back before Sophia wakes up," he states, walking past me with his bowl of cereal.

I let out a frustrated sigh, questioning why my heart aches so much because of him. I never even liked him being a part of our group, so why do I care so intensely? I sigh again and grab a few granola bars and a bag of Cheetos, and as I turn around, I gasp in shock to find Silas standing behind me.

"Fuck, you scared me," I say, placing a hand over my chest, relieved that I didn't drop the snacks.

"What's the deal with that guy?" Silas asks me, his voice serious as he glances down the hallway where Axel disappeared into the dorm rooms.

"Nothing. He used to have feelings for me. I didn't feel the same way. Why did he say something to you?" I inquire.

"No, but I don't like him," Silas replies darkly, catching me off guard.

"Okay, well, he's not even my friend anymore, so you can let go of that," I assure him, starting to walk towards the hallway. However, Silas grabs my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

"I mean it. I don't want you associating with him. I don't trust him," he asserts.

"Silas, I love you, and you don't have to worry about Axel at all. I already told you he's not my friend," I say, turning around and kissing him.

"I just don't like the idea of you being involved with another guy," he finally admits, pulling away. "Shall we go back to bed?"

I nod, and together we make our way back to my room.

As I finally fell asleep, my mind became consumed by strange and vivid dreams. I found myself transported to a different time and place, inhabiting the life of a young Native American girl from centuries ago. In this dream world, I loved running and playing in the woods near my tribe. But I also found myself engaged in heated arguments with my mother, as I yearned for an education that seemed almost impossible for women to attain in our tribe during that era.

The scene shifted abruptly, and I remained the same young girl, only a few years older now. I stood on a sandy beach at nighttime, locked in an intense and forbidden kiss with a white man. Deep down, we both knew that our union was frowned upon, but our love for each other surpassed societal boundaries. It was even greater than what I feel with Silas.

However, our stolen moment of happiness was shattered when a group of men suddenly appeared and forcefully separated us. Panic and despair engulfed me as I watched them drag away the man I had just been kissing. I screamed, I cried, and I fought against the arms that held me, but it was all in vain. One of the men took out a knife and slit his throat right before my eyes.

I jolt awake, drenched in sweat, my heart racing. I sat up in bed, trying to catch my breath, as Silas continues to sleep soundly beside me. I take a moment to process the intensity of my dream. In my Neophyte year, we had learned about Past Life Dreams, but I had never experienced one myself. And the man I had passionately kissed on the beach, his soul felt familiar to me. It was Axel.