Chapter One
Katherine Anderson stood underneath the shade of the large oak nearby her house, the wind was strong but it was humid and the sun beating down on the sidewalk warmed her even in the shade. In her hand, she gripped a black sketch pad with a regular pencil stuck into the coiled binding and she used her free hand to wipe a small amount of sweat from her brow. A dog barked nearby, and she turned her head to see it straining against it's leash towards her. A man was holding it, she could tell he was a bit too warm, and his shirt was slung over his shoulder as he walked, oblivious to her. His muscled chest gleamed with a sheen of sweat, but she was not repulsed, and he raised a hand to wipe sweat from his brow. Who is he?, she wondered idly. Her pencil fell free from the sketch pad and tumbled to the ground and that was when he looked up, startled, as if he'd heard something. His eyes found her and she gave him a nervous smile, unsure why he looked so grim or furious, but he did not return her smile. Instead, as he passed her, he bent to retrieve her pencil and handed it to her while keeping an irritating mask of disinterest on his face. "Thank you." she spoke formally, it was how she was raised and watched as he walked away, his dog still straining to get near her. Later, she would wonder why it was the creature seemed so frantic to be near her.
****
Her and her family lived in a small town, the only real luxury was the large houses that had been built more than a hundred years ago and even then they were nearly in ruins but they were always well fed and bathed until now that is.
When Katherine pushed open the groaning oak wood door, she was nearly overwhelmed by the horrible stench of both rot and herbs mingling together. A blonde haired woman appeared from the kitchen's doorframe, "Oh, Katherine. It's you!" said her mother in a breathy exclamation of relief. "Could you please bring me that bottle of Jewelweed extract?" she asked, already dissapearing back into the kitchen. Katherine's enjoyed the sweet bitter smell of the herbs her mother used to treat her patients, and as she brought the bottle she couldn't help but wonder whom it was for. She rounded the corner to the kitchen and gaped, it was a little boy around her sister's age with dark patches of poisonous red covering his body. His hand twitched at his side, and she couldn't help but notice that the poor boy's hair was disheveled and he had dark bruise-like circles under his eyes. His eyes, she noticed were adeep auburn with little flecks of green in them and that was when she gasped. "Henry," she said, her voice sympathetic. "What happened to you?" she asked, while her mother took the bottle and daubed a ball of fabric with the liquid. "I.." he sighed in relief as her mother applied the extract to the patches, "I fell in poison ivy." he responded. That explained the patches, she thought, and the twitchy hands. Mother must have told him not to scratch. Katherine tisked good-naturedly and smiled at him, "Well if I know my mother, she'll have you well enough to play foot ball with the others." she told him, as she crossed the large kitchen foor to the cabinets where a she found a small flask of water had been stored. "Is there any water left, mother?" she asked, shaking the flask gently and hearing the slosh of liquid inside. It was nearly half full, but she wanted to be sure there would be water for her siblings as well. "No, dear, but would you mind going to fetch some from the well?" her mother asked, still preoccupied with her patient. Katherine sighed, she unscrewed the lid to the flask and took a small swig, the water cooling her parched throat. She set it against the back of the counter and made her way out towards the front door just as a hard, three-tapped, knock was heard against the old door. "I've got it." she cried, and took three long strides before opening the door and flashing a rare smile that said that everything was fine.
"Oh." she couldn't help the shocked gasp from coming out of her mouth. "Mr. Bensteirn." she greeted, immediately taking up the formal greeting. "Ah, the darling Katherine Anderson, would your mother be in?" he asked with a casual raise of his eyebrows and before she had the chance to reply her mother responded with a quick and formal, "In here, Mr. Bensteirn." The sound of the man clearing his throat had her step to the side and make a sweeping gesture to invite him inside. "Mother is treating little Henry." she explained, as he made his way across the threshold towards the kitchen. Her mind was reeling with questions. Why was he here? What did he want to speak to mother for? Did he somehow know what she had done? No, she instantly rejected that thought with a vigorous shake of her head. Of course he wouldn't know. There was no possible way - unless someone had seen her? She could feel her breathing speed up, becoming more shallow as the possibilities seemed endless.
"Katherine, would you please join us in the kitchen area?" she heard Mr. Bensteirn call to her, and she shuddered absently at the cold fingers that trailed down her spine. She made her way towards the kitchen, scuffing the toe of her ballet slipper against the hardwood floor while noticing the burn marks from the fire that had originally taken place here and then slipped inside the kitchen. Katherine looked up, and gasped. Little Henry lay crumpled on the ground, a puddle of crimson covering the hardwood floor his arms splayed at his stomach and a grimace on his face and his shocked eyes were glazed as he gazed up at the ceiling. "You monster, what is it you've done!" she screamed, her balled fists raised as she ran at him but suddenly strong hands wrapped around her arms and restrained her, their grips tightening as she struggled. "He was expendable." he said, as though that were to explain his action. She noticed his hands twisting an object at level with his hips and her eyes drew down towards the item. A knife was twisted from hand to hand, it's blade covered in crimson and slowly dripping the substance to the floor. "Mother?" she whispered, she hadn't noticed earlier but her mother cowered in a corner of the kitchen with the flask's contents of water spilled across her pale blue gown. "What is going on?" she demanded, surprised to hear that her voice was steadier than she felt.
"I do believe you remember your trip to the forest?" and with those words brought a new meaning to fear. Katherine's mother looked at her with eyes of a frightened doe, "Is it true, Katherine?" she asked, "Is it true that you killed the guard?" her mother tried to meet her gaze but she bowed her head, looking at her ballet slippers. "Yes, it's true."
A small pinch in the crook of her elbow made her look up into Mr. Bensteirn's maniacally smiling face and the last thing she heard was the frantic calling of her mother before her vision faded and she fell in complete darkness.
When Katherine pushed open the groaning oak wood door, she was nearly overwhelmed by the horrible stench of both rot and herbs mingling together. A blonde haired woman appeared from the kitchen's doorframe, "Oh, Katherine. It's you!" said her mother in a breathy exclamation of relief. "Could you please bring me that bottle of Jewelweed extract?" she asked, already dissapearing back into the kitchen. Katherine's enjoyed the sweet bitter smell of the herbs her mother used to treat her patients, and as she brought the bottle she couldn't help but wonder whom it was for. She rounded the corner to the kitchen and gaped, it was a little boy around her sister's age with dark patches of poisonous red covering his body. His hand twitched at his side, and she couldn't help but notice that the poor boy's hair was disheveled and he had dark bruise-like circles under his eyes. His eyes, she noticed were adeep auburn with little flecks of green in them and that was when she gasped. "Henry," she said, her voice sympathetic. "What happened to you?" she asked, while her mother took the bottle and daubed a ball of fabric with the liquid. "I.." he sighed in relief as her mother applied the extract to the patches, "I fell in poison ivy." he responded. That explained the patches, she thought, and the twitchy hands. Mother must have told him not to scratch. Katherine tisked good-naturedly and smiled at him, "Well if I know my mother, she'll have you well enough to play foot ball with the others." she told him, as she crossed the large kitchen foor to the cabinets where a she found a small flask of water had been stored. "Is there any water left, mother?" she asked, shaking the flask gently and hearing the slosh of liquid inside. It was nearly half full, but she wanted to be sure there would be water for her siblings as well. "No, dear, but would you mind going to fetch some from the well?" her mother asked, still preoccupied with her patient. Katherine sighed, she unscrewed the lid to the flask and took a small swig, the water cooling her parched throat. She set it against the back of the counter and made her way out towards the front door just as a hard, three-tapped, knock was heard against the old door. "I've got it." she cried, and took three long strides before opening the door and flashing a rare smile that said that everything was fine.
"Oh." she couldn't help the shocked gasp from coming out of her mouth. "Mr. Bensteirn." she greeted, immediately taking up the formal greeting. "Ah, the darling Katherine Anderson, would your mother be in?" he asked with a casual raise of his eyebrows and before she had the chance to reply her mother responded with a quick and formal, "In here, Mr. Bensteirn." The sound of the man clearing his throat had her step to the side and make a sweeping gesture to invite him inside. "Mother is treating little Henry." she explained, as he made his way across the threshold towards the kitchen. Her mind was reeling with questions. Why was he here? What did he want to speak to mother for? Did he somehow know what she had done? No, she instantly rejected that thought with a vigorous shake of her head. Of course he wouldn't know. There was no possible way - unless someone had seen her? She could feel her breathing speed up, becoming more shallow as the possibilities seemed endless.
"Katherine, would you please join us in the kitchen area?" she heard Mr. Bensteirn call to her, and she shuddered absently at the cold fingers that trailed down her spine. She made her way towards the kitchen, scuffing the toe of her ballet slipper against the hardwood floor while noticing the burn marks from the fire that had originally taken place here and then slipped inside the kitchen. Katherine looked up, and gasped. Little Henry lay crumpled on the ground, a puddle of crimson covering the hardwood floor his arms splayed at his stomach and a grimace on his face and his shocked eyes were glazed as he gazed up at the ceiling. "You monster, what is it you've done!" she screamed, her balled fists raised as she ran at him but suddenly strong hands wrapped around her arms and restrained her, their grips tightening as she struggled. "He was expendable." he said, as though that were to explain his action. She noticed his hands twisting an object at level with his hips and her eyes drew down towards the item. A knife was twisted from hand to hand, it's blade covered in crimson and slowly dripping the substance to the floor. "Mother?" she whispered, she hadn't noticed earlier but her mother cowered in a corner of the kitchen with the flask's contents of water spilled across her pale blue gown. "What is going on?" she demanded, surprised to hear that her voice was steadier than she felt.
"I do believe you remember your trip to the forest?" and with those words brought a new meaning to fear. Katherine's mother looked at her with eyes of a frightened doe, "Is it true, Katherine?" she asked, "Is it true that you killed the guard?" her mother tried to meet her gaze but she bowed her head, looking at her ballet slippers. "Yes, it's true."
A small pinch in the crook of her elbow made her look up into Mr. Bensteirn's maniacally smiling face and the last thing she heard was the frantic calling of her mother before her vision faded and she fell in complete darkness.
****
The slow dripping of cold water on her face jolted her awake, her back ached and her eyes were sore from the glare of sunlight filtering into the room. She looked around, surveying her surroundings and closed her eyes for a moment as her world tilted. She was in a cell, a prison cell. The dirty cement floor was what she had lain on all night and the barred window was where the light filtered in. She raised herself to her feet and stumbled over to the cell's iron bars and grabbed them in her hands only to find herself jolted backwards. She slammed against the far wall, and she looked at her hands where two red prints were beginning to fade. "I wouldn't do that." a voice told her, it sounded off to her right and she looked around, nearly spinning as she attempted to find the source of the voice. At the back left corner near the floor, a small barred window - nearly hidden in the shadows - was seen. She made her way over to it, and slumped against the wall. "Hello?" she called softly, but no one answered her.
It seemed as though hours had passed before she heard the slam of an opening door and the clattering of chains echo around the prison. Katherine scrambled to her feet and peered through the bars, careful to stay at least a foot away. Two burly men with bodies covered in copper armor appeared around the corner nearby the furthest of the cells and between them writhed the thin body of a boy. His black hair tangled on his forehead and his eyes - when they met hers- were alight with wild fervor while he struggled against the binding iron handcuffs around his wrists. However, he made no sound as he bared his teeth at the guards when they roughly shoved him into the open cell only to close it rather quickly before the boy could get to his feet. "You'd better get what's coming to y'a." growled one of the men, before locking the cell and turning to leave with his partner at his heels.
Katherine approached the bars, going as close as she dared to try and get a closer look at the strange boy in the opposite cell. "Don't go lookin' for trouble." the voice told her again, it was the same as before perhaps a bit raspier but it was a sign that she wasn't as alone as she'd felt when she'd first arrived. "What do you mean?" she asked, now a stream of questions coming from her parted lips. "Whom are you? How did you get here? When will I be leaving this retched place?" but a quiet cough from the other side of the prison made her whirl around, the boy was standing before the iron bars of electrified metal. He was watching her, with wild eyes that were a color so deep they seemed black in the shadows. "I would leave the elder alone, girl." he said gruffly, but his voice was unnaturally soft as though appealing to a rabid animal or crooning to a sleeping child. "He has nearly finished his time on the earth, leave him his last breaths." and then she understood. The old man in the next cell was dying, he had probably been sleeping when she'd been watching the light move across the floor and had only woken because of the commotion. "I'm sorry." she apologized, hoping the man would forgive her but there was no response to her words while she watched the boy smile. "It's not funny." she said, but there was the hesitation at the end of her words that symbolized her want of a name. "Valentio. Caden Valentio."
It seemed as though hours had passed before she heard the slam of an opening door and the clattering of chains echo around the prison. Katherine scrambled to her feet and peered through the bars, careful to stay at least a foot away. Two burly men with bodies covered in copper armor appeared around the corner nearby the furthest of the cells and between them writhed the thin body of a boy. His black hair tangled on his forehead and his eyes - when they met hers- were alight with wild fervor while he struggled against the binding iron handcuffs around his wrists. However, he made no sound as he bared his teeth at the guards when they roughly shoved him into the open cell only to close it rather quickly before the boy could get to his feet. "You'd better get what's coming to y'a." growled one of the men, before locking the cell and turning to leave with his partner at his heels.
Katherine approached the bars, going as close as she dared to try and get a closer look at the strange boy in the opposite cell. "Don't go lookin' for trouble." the voice told her again, it was the same as before perhaps a bit raspier but it was a sign that she wasn't as alone as she'd felt when she'd first arrived. "What do you mean?" she asked, now a stream of questions coming from her parted lips. "Whom are you? How did you get here? When will I be leaving this retched place?" but a quiet cough from the other side of the prison made her whirl around, the boy was standing before the iron bars of electrified metal. He was watching her, with wild eyes that were a color so deep they seemed black in the shadows. "I would leave the elder alone, girl." he said gruffly, but his voice was unnaturally soft as though appealing to a rabid animal or crooning to a sleeping child. "He has nearly finished his time on the earth, leave him his last breaths." and then she understood. The old man in the next cell was dying, he had probably been sleeping when she'd been watching the light move across the floor and had only woken because of the commotion. "I'm sorry." she apologized, hoping the man would forgive her but there was no response to her words while she watched the boy smile. "It's not funny." she said, but there was the hesitation at the end of her words that symbolized her want of a name. "Valentio. Caden Valentio."
****
"I beg your pardon?" she asked, her arms crossed at her chest as she looked at him incredulously. "Yes, quite a shock isn't it?" he asked, rolling his eyes at her theatrics. "Well, it's certainly not everyday that you hear someone claiming to be a witch." she replied with a glare. "Wizard." he corrected stubbornly, and she wrinkled her nose. "It does not matter, there's not one way we'll be leaving these cages even if you were a magical fly. The bars are electrified with some strange invisible substance." she replied, "You'd be magical fried."
