PROLOGUE: His right arm was outstretched, his eyes wild. His lips were forming a chant, with every word precise. I couldn’t believe he was taking part of my life away from me. Slowly, it seemed that my aura was letting go of my soul, making my body numb and cold.
“Please!” I pleaded, kicking my legs and arms, the air squeezing out of my lungs.
Through my wet teary eyes, I looked at the eighteen year old boy in front of me. I couldn’t believe that this used to be my best friend, and had become one of them. His once deep brown eyes had turned a mossy green; his short hair turned a ghostly white, far from its original dark blonde. He wore only a black robe with all black clothing underneath and his gemstone pendant; white, with different colors symbolizing long life.
“Please.” I gasped again, my voice becoming raspier and faint.
“I have to do this. They told me too. They said you were the enemy.”
I had no response for this statement, partly because my throat would burn at the slightest sound made, and because it was true. He was an Elder, and I was a Witch. How could we be even close to friends now? Our families have been torn apart long ago, ever since the beginning, nothing could possibly change that.
Suddenly, a bright light made its way out of my own black rose pendant.
“Give it back!” I screamed my voice burning as I fell to the ground.
I am not the type of girl to shed a tear, but as of now, I was bawling my eyes out. How could he take away my aura?
He took the light in his hands, and captured it in his pendant, closing it shut tight. I started to scream in pain. My whole body tingled, and it felt as though I was being ripped apart. It hurt so much to be parted from my power.
He put his hand out in front of me again. Every motion I was doing; the crying, the screaming, the pain. Everything just stopped, like I was being closed up, making it impossible for me to move. I was lying still, and nothing else moved.
Nothing moved, only for the one person I hated most right now. Coming towards me in a silent pace, I notice a single tear falling from his left cheek.
“I’m sorry.” He said. “But I had no choice.”

It was quiet after a few moments, and I was sure I was going to die. He came towards me and started to chant something else, but I couldn’t recognize the language.

“Mai dormi si nu rememeber”
And then it went black.


I awoke quickly, grabbing my black pendant from the table beside my small bed. I held it closely as if it were my own child, safe in my arms again. I stroked my hand on its soft petals, as I tied it around my neck.

“Ember!” A shrilled, deep voice called from outside. I winced as I walked slowly out of the darkness of the damp study, patting down my white, wild hair that fell down far past my shoulders. I covered my bruised, red hand with the end of my pale brown dress that I had fell asleep in while cleaning the house.

Walking outside, I had almost instantly smelled a crude scent, which lingered in my nose even when I pinched it with my thumb and forefinger.

“Yes?” I asked, straightening my shoulders up to face my father. His face was stuck in a frightening expression, with his eyebrows pushed together, his eyes frowning all the time, and his mouth was in a scowl that showed how he never smiled. His black hair and beard was shining from the mid-day sun.

“Where have you been doing?” He yelled, stepping away from his job cutting the wood.

“I’m sorry, I was cleaning your study and I must have fallen asleep.” My voice shook and quavered slightly as I was rambling, and my father knew it.

“I am going to ask you one more time. What were you doing?”

I breathed in a huge gulp of air, hoping that I could’ve died right in front of him from lack of oxygen. Slowly, I pulled back my sleeve, showing him my hand. It was still there, the black birthmark that I have had ever since I was a baby. The words Rowan Locke were scrawled across the palm of my hand, reddened from this morning when I tried to scrub it off with a bristled brush.

He grabbed my hand hard, pulling it up to the sunlight to get a better look at what I had done.

“You can’t take it off!” he yelled, throwing me to the ground. I tried to sit back up, but he pushed my shoulders back down. “Why are you so useless?!” he demanded. I figured that he was talking more to himself then to me.

“I’m sorry.” I mumbled shortly. “Can I do the rest of my chores now?” I asked, wanting desperately to get away from him.

“Fine, go to the market and get me my supplies.” He pulled me upright harshly, before taking my chin in his hands. “I’d be careful because they will come.” He emphasized on the word they and said it in a way to give me chills.