"Are you trying to tell us that you're a witch?" Brian asked after I had explained.

"Well..." I thought about it. "Not really," I finally answered. "Witches learn how to get magic, and we have it by birth. Plus, wiccan has turned into mainly a religion and stuff, and ours hasn't, although we do have different gods and goddesses for it. They're quite different. And it gets passed down in our family, unlike witchcraft."

"But, you're full of magic?" Stuart asked.

"Yes. Please don't hate me, guys. I didn't want to lie to you, but we don't tell anyone. Mother and Father don't even know it exists, or we have it. The Queen does, because she trained us, but she's the only other one."

"So, you're saying that the Queen has magic, too?" Brian asked.

"Yes."

Brian sat back in his chair. "So, you can cast all sorts of spells, right?" I nodded. "So, you've been hiding in seclusion on this island for months, when you could be freely walking the streets of town?"

I shook my head. "I haven't gotten to the invisibility spells yet," I told him.

"Oh, no, not invisible. People should be able to see you, but not you," he continued.

I was confused. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"A disguise!" Stuart joined.

"Exactly."

"But I already have a disguise!" I protested.

"Yes, but you have the same face, and height and stuff," Brian told me. "With a magic disguise, you can look however different you want to. Heck, you can even be a boy!"

"But I don't have the spell," I said. "Jen doesn't, either. The Queen does, but I can't exactly go and ask her for it."

"But Jen can," Stuart said. "Talk to her, and ask her to get it." He handed me the mirror.

~*~

A week later, I stood in my little parlour/kitchen in front of the fireplace. Although, with the Australian summer weather added to the heat of the fire, the temperature was sweltering, I was shivering, in anticipation and fright of what I was about to do. Never had I tried to master a spell this big.

I was alone, for Brian and Stuart had admitted that watching me cast a spell was frightening. So, they had left, and I was alone, not even with Henry around.

I sighed, knelt in front of the fire, and started saying the spell, the words that would call on the God of Disguise, Markanos. "Markanos, open the gates to hidden identities, in hope that I can again walk in the city streets without being recognised." Pastel yellow magic flowed out of my hands and spilled onto the fire, turning it yellow. Then, I picked up a picture in my hand, and thrust both hands into the fire. I held them there, despite the harsh pain the fire sent up my arms. "Clever god, mysterious lord, I beg of you!" The pain intensified, then disappeared. "So mote it be," I uttered, and took my hands out of the fire. A coal was in my other hand, on a chain, and it glowed with an eerie green light, but neither that nor the picture were harmed, nor my hands. I put the necklace around my neck, and then picked up a mirror to test it out.

What I saw was a shock, even to myself. I had short, red hair, but it was a boy's long hair style, cropped around my head. I still had my yellow eyes, accompianied by a straight, medium-sized nose, and a full, red mouth. I was the same height and just as skinny, though. I smiled, glad the spell had worked.

James walked in and stared at me. "Well, your magic's getting better," he commented.

"You know it's me?"

"Of course, your appearance may change, but your energy flow does not, nor are you able to disguise your magic to me," he said. "That is how I can know it is you. Don't worry, only others with magic who know you will be able to tell it's you, if even then. I don't think anyone but the Queen and your sister would be, but even they are far away."

I sighed with relief. "I can't wait to get out of here. I mean, it's nice, but that's all I've seen for over the past six months. I need some change."

Brian came bounding in the room. "Alex-" He stopped short. "What have you done with her?" he demanded.

I smiled. "Calm down, Brian," I told him. "It's me, Alex." I took off the necklace and laughed at his expression. "I had no idea you cared that much."

He scowled and ignored that comment. "So, it really worked?" he asked, and I nodded. "This is great! You can come to school again, and come visit me and see my house..."

"How will I go to school?" I asked. "I have no records, except as Alexandria Greenwood."

"Well, can't you cast a few other deception spells?" he reasoned. "I bet those wouldn't be nearly as difficult as that one. Plus, it's the end of this school year, so you'll have all summer to think about it."

I smiled. "I guess you're right," I agreed. "But, I'm positively itching to get off of this island. Please say we can spend today just walking around the town."

Brian's smile was his reply. "Of course," he said. "My wish is your command. We can go wherever you wish."

"Well, first, I of course want to see your house," I told him. "I've lived here for half a year, yet I have not seen it."

"Then you shall see it," he said.

~*~

"Father, I have brought a visitor," Brian said as he walked in the front door. "It's not fancy, but it does the job of keeping us sheltered," he said to me.

His father, the same army man who had sheltered me when fleeing from my country, walked in the room and smiled, but he was on the phone.

"He's been on the phone a lot lately," Brian said, "talking to the chief commander of his home base. I don't know why, though. Father won't tell me a single thing." Just then, he hung up the phone with a sigh.

"Brian..." he started before noticing me. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't take notice of you before. You are...?"

"Alex Tirragen," I replied quickly, taking the name from one of my favourite book series. Well, it wasn't exactly the name, he was Alex of Tirragen. But it would serve its purpose.

"Pleased to meet you, Alex Tirragen," he replied before turning to Brian. "Son, I must talk to you..."

Last Chapter
Next Chapter
Writings
Home