DIE OR DIE
Gia
"You deserve to die Gia Carvel," The High Septon said again.
My eyes were fixed on the torches hanging from brackets on the walls. They cast grim shadows across the floor and bathed everything in a flickering orange glow.
I was on my knees, and my hands were bound in front of me. I hated my last name and everything it stood for.
"I don't deserve to die for the sins of others…it's unfair to…"
My words fell short. There was a lump lodged in my throat. I felt the High Septon's gaze roam over me, picking me apart like a carcass found on the road side.
I couldn't look at him. He was the chief warlock, and it was forbidden to gaze into his eyes, and even though I could've summoned the courage to, I couldn't bear to see the disgust on his face.
"The fact that you were born is enough reason to put you to death," He said.
I flinched at the harshness.
My last name was a curse. But it was also the only connection I had to a legacy I knew nothing about.
A legacy that I was just finding out was drenched in bloodshed and chaos and destruction.
The walls of the large chamber I stood in felt like they were closing in on me. The air was stale and damp, and each word that was uttered resonated through the vast space. The five members of the High Council made up of three men and two women all sat on their elevated high backed chairs and glared down at me with varying expressions of repulsion on their faces.
The sheer magnitude of power present in the room made all the hairs on my body stand erect.
A rectangular patch of midday sunlight reflected through the high windows directly in front of me, yet I was shivering and cold. My faded pink shirt and blue jeans did little to warm me up.
Another member of the Council spoke up.
"Your bloodline carried out some of the worst atrocities ever to be heard of in history with forbidden magic. Corrupt and tainted magic and death flow in your blood, you're a ticking time bomb and a danger to others."
My teeth sunk into my bottom lip. If there truly was any magic in my blood, I would have used it to escape this shitty situation I'd found myself in. Unfortunately, I couldn't summon the most basic spell to save my life. Literally.
My shoulders sagged and my throat constricted.
"I know nothing of forbidden magic. I swear it…"
"Enough of your lies!" The High Septon roared losing his patience, "You're obviously going to follow the path your foolish parents took. Your family was wiped out years ago. You'll be joining them today!"
Sweat dribbled down my spine. Was I really going to die at the age of sixteen, just because of a stupid last name? I didn't know who I was or where I belonged. All my life that was the question I'd had the burning desire to get an answer too.
"Take her-"
The High Septon didn't get to finish his sentence because the doors to the quiet chamber banged open suddenly, He didn't take lightly to the interruption.
"Who dares to walk into the presence of the High Council in such a rude manner?"
Two cloaked figures strode in, their footsteps echoing on the stone floors. They accompanied a tall, lean shaggy haired boy in their middle. He wore a dark brown cloak and his boots were covered with dust.
His features were chiseled and handsome and emphasized by his dark locks. His eyes captured my attention. They smoldered with an intensity that was backed up with defiance.
I was filled with curiosity. His hands and feet were chained and the links clanked with each movement he made. I wondered what could have been his offense. He looked so young, probably the same age as me, perhaps a year older.
The boy noticed me looking at him and gave me an appraising once over. His arrogant scrutiny made me feel raw and exposed. I would've crossed my arms over my chest if my wrists weren't bound in front of me.
The trio stopped just a few feet away from me to my right. One of the men guarding the boy bowed at the waist and spoke with respect. He was a warlock, they were the ones in charge of maintaining law and order among the all factions in the supernatural world.
"My lord, I'm sorry for interrupting, but you said to bring him to you immediately he was caught,"
I dared to look up. The face of the High Septon turned an impressive shade of purple and his fists balled up tightly. My gaze flew between him and the boy. I sensed there was some kind of connection between the two of them from the malicious looks they exchanged.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" The High Septon demanded from the boy.
The boy shrugged and stifled a yawn, "Not really no,"
The tension in the air could've been cut with a knife. The members of the High Council shifted in their seats uncomfortably as if embarrassed to be witnessing the exchange.
"You set the whole east wing of your school on fire and damaged property worth millions. You could've gotten someone killed,"
"You have no proof that I did that," The boy responded insolently,
"Then what about leaving the school grounds without permission? You've been missing for two weeks."
"I needed to run a quick errand."
My mouth was hanging open at this point. We were standing before the most powerful members of the different factions and the boy was not displaying any visible evidence of distress.
The corners of his lips were curled up in a self-serving mocking smile as if he was in on a joke no one else was. Despite my dire circumstances, I found myself fascinated and studying his features as discreetly as I could.
One of the guards spoke up. "We found him at the Keep, close to the dungeons of Aralthar. He was trying to disguise himself as a guard and sneak in,"
There was a moment of silence as the High Septon took in this news. His mouth opened and closed a few times. And sparks of power danced and bounced off his knuckles where three signet rings were present.
"Take him back to school and tell Kaius to carve the suppressing runes into him again," He finally said in a cold voice.
"Your runes won't work very long you do know that right?" The boy snapped.
Outside there was a faint whistle of songbirds, I wished I was anywhere but in that room.
"Perhaps you want me to use the permanent ones?" The High Septon threatened.
"The law says you can't use that on children, but sure go ahead." A bone chilling aura of power exuded from the boy as he said this. And it made me want to crawl up into the nearest corner and curl up into myself.
Yet a part of me enjoyed the feeling. It was like standing at the edge of a steep cliff just before leaping, there was a certain thrill to it. Something tingled in my body, and a kind of awareness slid into my consciousness, like a lock being sprung free.
"Take him back to school and strengthen the wards around the premises. How he keeps managing to sneak through them is a mystery to me," The High Septon said. He sounded more irritated than angry now.
A soft voice sounding like the bored musing of someone filled my ears.
If the girl goes to the school, St Gordon's, she could be monitored and maybe controlled. To have the power of a Carvel in our arsenal would be a great asset. Too bad she has to die.
My head swiveled with confusion. I looked at the people seated on the High Table. I was pretty sure I hadn't seen any of their lips move. Where had the voice come from?
"Why can't I just go to the school?" I asked out loud. It felt only prudent to do so. If there was a way for me to not die, why shouldn't I be allowed to ask about it?
The gaze of everyone in the room swung in my direction. I sincerely believed that they'd forgotten I was here. Right after sentencing me to death. Way to make a girl feel special.
The High Septon's overwhelming piercing gaze fell on me and my eyes immediately fell to the floor.
But I still fired on, as far as I was concerned there was nothing worse that could happen,
"Someone just said I could go to St Gordon's instead of being put to death," I pointed out,
Though, the question begged to be answered, who had said that?
"No one said such a thing, and how do you know about St Gordon's?" He demanded.
I frowned, was I that close to death's door that I was now hearing things in my head? Still my instinct told me to follow through with this line of argument that the voice had brought up.
"What is St Gordon's?"
"A prison is what it is, but they'll tell you it's a school for young supernaturals," The boy was the one that answered. He was looking at me with his head slightly cocked to the side. He enjoyed anything that brought the High Septon discomfort, I noted. It was embarrassing how excited I was to have noticed this little thing about him.
My throat went dry for a second and I forced myself to tear my gaze away from his and faced the High Council. I kept my eyes at their chin levels and spoke,
"So why can't I go there? I've committed no crimes, and if I'm properly trained, I could be of service to the High Council,"
I was desperately grasping at thin air, and I didn't even understand what I was saying, but I let the words flow out of me.
"Nonsense. We have no need of the services of your kind," A man on the far right said.
"Look if rebel kid over there can go to this St Gordon's then why can't I?" I nodded in the boy's direction, "He set the school on fire and you're still sending him back, surely that must mean you believe he can be reformed there, so why not me who hasn't actually done anything?"
An elegant woman with silver hair and wintry gray eyes spoke up,
"She has a point. She wasn't brought up by her parents, so it's obvious she wasn't conditioned to believe their blasphemous ideologies."
The crow's feet on the sides of her eyes emphasized her advanced age, she waved a gnarled wrinkled hand in my direction,
"She could be used to cleanse her Bloodline. The Carvel's were an important pillar of the witch community. They produced some of the most powerful witches,"
"And you know the losses we incurred while trying to stop those powerful witches from destroying everything."
The High Septon interjected, and his deep set eyes flashed with potent hatred, "She's Katerina's daughter."
As soon as he said this, a feeling of dread swept across the room like a cold breeze. Throats were cleared and murmurs of phrases to ward off evil were whispered.
I was frozen in place and a tight twist of longing and curiosity clenched my insides. Was that my mother's name? Katerina?
The woman's brows creased, "We would be eradicating an entire bloodline by killing the girl. The gravity of such an action!"
"She's too dangerous," The High Septon retorted.
"She knows nothing. She can be controlled," The woman fired back.
There was a low murmur among the other members,
"Let her take the trials, that should decide her fate," The woman said, "That seems fair enough Jon, don't you think?"
The High Septon sniffed with disdain but conceded.
"Summon the silenced ones, the girl will be entranced and tested,"
"What kind of test?" I felt the need to ask.
"The kind that'll make you wish you were dead," The boy answered from beside me, and I really wished he'd sounded like he was joking.