Claire had been confined in the cottage. Alone with just a bunch of boring and uncomfortable exercises to do while Mary was out looking after Frank Singer's brother. The young woman had been convinced she had mastered the exercises after a few hours and was at a loss what to do with herself. All chores done were done. Once the sun started to set she made some supper and the possibility that her guardian might not come home that evening slowly sunk in. While she sat down to eat the last rays of the sun streamed through the little window. Claire's eyes carelessly followed their glowing lines as they landed on the door that separated the back room.
Claire loved Mary and the cottage that she had always known as home. But even after living there all her life, there were things that still made her uncomfortable. Especially if she was left alone at night. Some nights she would hear noises like murmuring that appeared to come from the back room where Mary stored her notes and medicines. There was a vague memory that floated across the girl's mind as she chewed on some bread. Mary had once said that Claire hearing these sounds were only a taste of her awaking powers. As always Mary had promised things would make sense once she was older but made Claire promise never to enter the back room alone until Mary had said she was ready.
For a few moments, Claire sat enchanted as she watched the ever changing hues of light slowly move up the door until there was only a gentle red glow from outside that meant the sun had dipped behind the trees. The room started to darken so Claire stood up to reach for the lights. Before she got the switch however she stilled hearing hushed voices. Her head snapped to glare at the door to the backroom. No longer gloriously bright with the suns rays it started to make her uncomfortable. She hated the way her breath started to tremble against her will. "There is nothing to be afraid of, there is nothing to be afraid of." She repeated to herself as she flicked the switch and returned to her seat pointedly looking out of the small window trying her best to ignore the voices. But it was as if they were louder tonight. Clearer too. Not just murmuring but sounds just like whispering voices that she just couldn't make out what they were saying because she was too far away.
Claire tried willing herself to ignore them but it but didn't work. By the time she had forced her self to swallow the last bit of food, she couldn't take it anymore. Slowly, carefully she got up from her chair and crept up on the door. She was trembling as she stopped just a few centimetres away, straining her ears, trying to pick out what the voices were saying. Still, the voices seemed just that bit too quiet to define, but she could now tell they were female. The girl didn't know how long she stood there frozen to the spot. She didn't know how but somehow there were answers for her behind this door.
It's not like she had never been in the room beyond. In fact, she went in there all the time helping Mary prepare medicines or for lessons but why was she so afraid to enter now? It was something beyond the warnings Mary had given her.
Suddenly a word was spoken in a hushed and wispy tone but so clearly that there was no mistaking it. A word that made the girl stiffen up even more.
"Claire."
Without thinking she grabbed the door handle and threw the door open, hoping to catch the whisperers in surprise. As she did so the voices fell silent. After a few moments Claire snorted and chastised herself for her actions but she had definitely heard her name. Now curiosity overcame fear and she walked into the room. As she stepped in her eyes darted around the room frantically just to make sure there truly was no one there hiding in the shadows cast by the light streaming in from the room behind her. She found the candles by the door and lit them to illuminate the darkened corners of the room. Mary did want electric lights in here, Claire never understood why only that Mary kept going on about needing real light to do real work. Now, with the door fully open and the candles lit, the room looked as it always did. A small space with just enough floor for the two to work snugly. The back wall full of rickety shelving that houses various books herbs and bottles of the medicine they brewed in no obvious order. And a tables on the opposite wall either side of the door. Now she was in here she felt silly for all the jitteriness she had been feeling moments before but her chest still felt tight. She was just about to walk out again when something caught her eye. A purple glow in the top right-hand corner of the shelves. A corner shadowed against the incoming light from the other room. As she moved towards it the whispering voices started again. This time only saying one word repeatedly. "Claire. Claire." The voices amplified dramatically as she crossed the small space and were shouting as her hand reached out to grasp the book that appeared to be the source of the voices and the glow. Her hand grabbed the book and jumped back away from the shelf with it. As soon as she held the book the room fell silent once more. The only sound to be heard was Claire's erratic breathing.
Claire looked quizzically at the book now in her hand. It looked like a A5 notebook with a black cover. Nothing about it seems particularly special about it now, it wasn't even glowing. A thought struck her and she moved her hand so the book was back in the shadow. Sure enough the purple glow returned. As curious as she was to look at what was in the notebook she had to try something else first. Placing the notebook on an empty space on one of the tables she carefully closed the door of the backroom while standing inside.
Claire's mouth dropped open at what she was seeing. All around the room different objects emitted different colour glows. Brilliant greens to dingy browns. Dazzling blues to ruddy reds. Suddenly, Mary's haphazard arrangement of the room made sense as the different colours shone a whole understanding in Claire's mind.
Claire stood in awe and delight for a moment at the beauty of it.
"Claire." The wispy voice from the book called her. As her hand reached out to pick it up she paused. Her hand, in fact, her whole body was also glowing. She was a purple colour similar to the books glow but not quite and not nearly as bright. Panic started to set in as she looked down at her the rest of herself. To many things didn't make sense. She remembered for the first time since entering that she wasn't not even meant to be in here. Quickly she blew out the candles and left the room and quickly as she could. Her eyes swept the empty house quickly making sure Mary had not returned. Only a brief relief was given from the reality she had not been caught because it still meant she was alone. She glanced at the now closed door of the backroom nervously then down at herself. She was a normal colour now, thank goodness.
Claire decided to call it a night. The sun had now fully set and only darkness could be seen in the wood surrounding the cottage. Mary wouldn't be coming back tonight. She hated travelling in the dark. Even if the Singer's would offer her a lift. Claire got dressed and turned off the main lights so that only her bedside light remained. She was scared. Was she meant to be glowing back then? Why did she even go in the room. Then another realisation dawn on her. She had left the book out on the table. Her hands gripped tightly on the sheets as she pulled them up over her as if they could protect her from Mary's anger. Still, there was no way she was going back in that room tonight.
Claire spent a long sleepless night that night. Alone. With her bedside light on. She didn't dare turn it off in case she started to glow in the dark again.
–
It was mid-morning before Claire woke up. The bright sun taunting her with its cheeriness. Begrudgingly she forced herself out of bed to get washed and dressed, knowing Mary would expect her to do her chores even if she was not around.
Her feet dragged on the floor and she trudged still bleary-eyed to the kitchen to make herself a much needed cup of tea. She filled the kettle and put in on to boil.
"It seems rules mean nothing to you now you have come of age." Mary's course voice called out.
Claire nearly jumped out of her skin, instantly awake. She turned to see a very cross looking Mary pulling the door closed behind her. Mary glared at her for a few seconds before removing her cloak and shoes. The old woman slumped in her favourite wicker chair with a sigh. Her sharp eyes darted up to the young woman who was still standing in shock staring at her.
"Well what are you waiting for the kettle is already boiling. I'll need a rest and a good breakfast before I ready to scowled you properly today child." When Claire hesitated she snapped again "Now girl."
Claire blinked a few times then spun around and hurriedly prepared breakfast for them both.
They ate in silence. Claire tried to make conversation by asking about the Singer's and their son. Mary, who would usually be more than happy to go into detail about the ailment and family and family history and neighbours gossip, would only nod or shake her head in response. The boy would get better but that was all Claire was going to know for now.
It's wasn't until Claire had tidied the dishes away that Mary spoke again.
"Did you read it?" she asked quickly. Claire squirmed under her guardians stern glare. She could pretend not to know what she meant.
"Read what, Aunty Mary?" Claire replied with a nervous smile.
"Don't mess with me child." Mary's voice was cold and her eyes narrowed dangerously.
Claire's face fell and she felt on the edge of tears. It wasn't fair. How could Mary possibly have known she had been in the back room at all? She shook her head feeling incredibly guilty.
"Go get it and bring it here."
Claire hesitated again. She didn't want to go back to that room. What if she started glowing again?
"Now, Child!" Mary snapped which made Claire jump slightly. She took a deep breath and held it and walked quickly over to the room, entered, grabbed the book of the table and walked out again before breathing out again.
Mary watched carefully. She gained a little amusement in the girls' behaviour but also from what the girl had clearly not noticed yet. It was easy to see the girl was every bit as tired as she was. There was only one way they she would have found that book and that was if her magic sight had opened as was likely when she reached maturity. It was unfortunate she was not able to be with the girl last night but that did not mean she was going to let her off the hook for blatantly breaking the rules. Especially, after she had been caught practising magic outside the cottage fence just yesterday.
It was hard to keep a straight face, especially as the girl finally realised she was glowing again. The poor thing was looking wide-eyed in fear at her trembling hands as they held out the book to Mary.
The old woman took a little pity on her and spoke in a gentler voice. "You have always had that glow child." Claire's head snapped up.
"What? Really?" Disbelieve and relief mingling in her strained voice.
Mary couldn't help but chuckle a bit now. She could never stay mad at this child for long.
"Yes. Child" a smile slipped on to her face briefly then she forced herself to look more serious. "Look around you." She waved her hand gently around the room. "Look carefully. What do you see?"
The girl at first looked confused then her face dropped as she appeared to see the room for the first time. Eyes and mouth wide, her head and eyes suddenly flickered this way and that, looking at different parts of the room. Finally gazing directly at Mary.
"Aunty Mary, your green." She informed her guardian with a nervous giggle.
"Yes dear." She replied matter of factly. "I always have been. Magic has colour you just were not able to see it till now. I should imagine you had not seen this either." The old woman gave a knowing smirk as she reached forward and waved her hand back and forth in the air between them.
Claire watched not understanding at first but slowly noticing what looked like a red wisp of smoke wafting around in the breeze created by Mary's movements. Her eyes followed the pretty swirls for a moment before following the red to its source.
"AH! W w what is that?" She screeched jumping backwards as if she could get away from it. The red only following her movements as it continued to seep out from between her legs.
"That is your omega pheromones my love and proof you need to practice more." Mary said tiredly as got up from her chair and walked over the bedroom. "I need a rest. And I had better not be able to SEE even the tiniest bit when I wake up. I'll be keeping this." She finished holding up the notebook briefly before closing the curtain that separated the bedroom from the main room.