The next morning was dark and solemn. Casey was told the factotum and Victor’s father had retrieved and casketed the bodies of her grandparents from the smouldering ruins of the farming estate the night before as Casey and the boys slept deeply. 

No, no, no… no! 

In her sleep, Casey screamed and moaned in horror but never woke up. The next morning before breakfast, they all gathered in the dawn light to bury her grandparents in the safe lands of the Waltz Estate. Casey didn’t cry or say a word for the entire day. It had dried her eyes and throat since that time she had been in front of the flames that took everything from her. Casey couldn’t think of anything either. Only the living images of her grandparents burning were running through her mind again and again. 

In the half-light of the next morning, Casey’s mind raced. Casey was sure Victor could no longer dispute what he had seen that night. He could no longer deny it. They all saw the beast. That was a dragon. That was a fairy tale come to life. Magic. Hopefully, Victor would at least try to attend the academy. 

As the morning sun rose over Calne, Casey took deep breaths to calm and centre herself as she knelt in front of the graves of her grandparents. Amelia and Thomas Cardnell’s graves. Silence penetrated her soul. The burning knell of the candle inside her didn’t want to fade, but her voice remained chained. The cold of her hand found warmth in the hard and fertile hands of Victor that came to keep her company. 

Casey, who had remained silent for almost the entire day, formed a few words of gratitude to the Waltz family as they prepared the children for the journey to Winchester. Casey’s and Tyler’s wounds have been attended to, and they have been given new clothes. Victor’s mother gave each a tight hug as her husband got their stuff on the horse-pulled carriage that would soon head south. 

The Waltz family factotum returned from what appeared to be a private talk with Victor. 

“Considering what has occurred. Have you thought about what we talked about weeks ago? I highly implore you to reconsider.” 

“I’m sorry about earlier,” Victor muttered. “I see now that Magic is real,” he finally admitted, wearing a smile that Casey returned. Her first one in a while. She would not be alone anymore. Her friend was going to be with her every step of the way. 

“I will go to Darklight Academy, as you all suggested. And I will study hard with Tyler and Casey in Winchester to pass the entrance exam.” Edward smiled and squeezed his shoulder supportively. 

“We all will,” said Casey. 

“I will see you soon, Victor. Stay safe. Remember to write to your family. They will appreciate it a lot,” Edward said. 

Victor nodded. His expression was solemn. The reality that he would not see Edward or his family for some time was something Casey could relate to. Victor looked at his father, who was quietly standing by the clarence that he had paid for them. For some reason, he didn’t want them to travel by train or car. They shared an acknowledging glance and a nod. Victor and Tyler stepped inside first, and Casey followed, and the horse pulled them away. 

The journey was not long, at least for Casey, who fell asleep. Though it was well into the night by the time they arrived on the outskirts of Winchester. 

Through blurry eyes, Tyler’s cottage was ... small compared to the Waltz’s country house. As the clarence slowed to a halt outside, Casey wondered if it could even house all three of them. Her grandparents didn’t own a manor like the Waltz family. It was a decent farmhouse, but sometimes it felt tight for three people. Tyler’s house was the size of a barn and even shared the same colours. A forge stood behind it. 

“Didn’t you say your dad was well known?” Victor asked. 

“Well, yes, but he doesn’t like to live a life of luxury. If you ask me, I think he’s cheap,” Tyler responded, getting the door. 

The cottage looked humble in design, but as they went inside, it seemed cosy and comfortable. Split into three rooms, the little house was warm and smelled of burning wood and roasting meat from a slow-cooked carcass that was speared above a deep fireplace that sat at the centre of the kitchen, and subsequently heated the entire building. 

“That you, lad?” came a woman’s voice from around the corner of the kitchen. 

“Yes, Ma,” said Tyler as the woman came into eyeshot. Dressed in a well-made dress that covered her from neck to toe, she didn’t resemble Tyler at all. Her hair was curly brown, a match for her eyes. 

“Oh!” she exclaimed, as if caught off-guard by her sudden guests. “Who are your friends?” 

Mrs Windwood impressed the image of peasantry about the way she held herself, and yet offered a certain warmness and intelligence that was often absent from Victor, thought Casey. 

“These are my new friends from Calne, Ma.” She frowned. 

“I heard about the fire in Calne. Terrible! Are your families alright?” There was a silence that prevailed before Victor extended a hand to Mrs Windwood. 

“I’m Victor... Victor Waltz, ma’am,” he told her politely. She smiled and seemed to think for a moment. 

“Waltz,” she thought out loud. “Lovely to meet you, Victor dear, and who is this?” She turned her attention to Casey, the silent one. 

“Oh, this is—” Tyler murmured. 

“Casey. Casey Cardnell,” interrupted Casey, extending her hand to greet and putting a smile on with dancing eyes avoiding eye contact. “Tyler said it would be alright if we stayed here for a while, but I hope we’re not imposing.” 

Mrs Winwood shook her head. 

“Not at all, dear. You would both be welcome.” 

“Victor and Casey will both be taking the entrance exam for Darklight Academy, too,” interjected Tyler, grinning. 

“Oh, wonderful! Then you should all make sure to study in the coming month. It won’t be long until the exam is here, you know!” 

Victor nodded. “Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs Winwood,” he said as she motioned to take his jacket. “We’re happy to do whatever we can to repay you for it.” 

Once more, she shook her head. “Nonsense! It’s a pleasure to have you here. Please, come in and get yourself comfortable. There’s hog roasting right now if you’re all hungry. My husband works late tonight, so maybe you’ll see him in the morning. For sleeping arrangements...” She thought to herself for a second. “Victor, you can stay with Tyler, we can set up something comfortable for you there. And Casey, dear, how about you stay in Nora’s room? She isn’t here right now, so it would be no trouble!” 

Casey gave a small, sweet smile and a slow nod. 

“Very good, very good!” she muttered to herself, clearly pleased with her excellent guest management skills. 

The days that followed were those of struggle, Casey’s healing process was slow but progressive. Mr Windwood arrived two days later and almost had a heart attack once he found out about the stolen goods. A few calls and the goods were tracked down and recovered near Calne. 

The three of them started practising for the exam in the following days, which seemed to come naturally for Casey and Tyler, but for Victor, who had never come across such reading in his life before, he was utterly confused and dejected. Casey had her mother’s textbooks, and Tyler had Nora’s from the year before to practice before joining the academy in about a year’s time. Victor was way behind. 

Was he going to pass the test and gain entry to the academy? Casey asked herself repeatedly. The thought of her best friend staying out of the academy and herself all alone with lots of strangers was terrifying. He was the only family she had left. 

Victor slumped in his seat, staring at the papers scattered on the bed, whereupon they all sat. 

“It’s okay, Victor,” said Casey. She was much brighter than a few days ago. Now that she was focused on studying, all the terrible memories were pushed to the back of her mind. “The Academy tests with theory and practicality, and you only need to show you can do one or the other.” 

“But I can’t do any of it.” He grunted, slapping the papers against the bed. “I need a break.” Victor tightened the bridge of his nose with crossed eyebrows. 

“Can I?” asked Casey, coming closer to him with open hands. 

“What are you doing?” Victor asked, confused by Casey’s behaviour. For a moment, memories flooded Casey’s mind. Victor’s feelings of anger for a certain boy at some school, the cold of darkness, and becoming overwhelmed with something... fear. 

“We know you can, Victor,” said Tyler, grinning at him. “We can sense your magic.” 

Victor stared at them. 

“Sense it? What do you mean?” 

“Every Warlock has a magical... thing about them,” Casey struggled to explain with her eyes closed, still focused on Victor’s mind.  “If you know it’s there, you can feel it in others. It’s so weird to explain.” Tyler nodded in agreement. 

“So, anyone who can use magic could tell that I have this... type of energy too? But why can’t I feel other people’s magical source or whatever it is called?” They both shrugged. 

“Maybe it’s because you have no basic training?” suggested Casey lowering her hands. A silence prevailed. “But you’ll get that eventually!” she finally thought to add. Another silence, but this time Victor nodded carefully. 

“That thing—” 

“I have to tell someone. But not Mum,” Tyler interrupted. “I can’t hold it anymore. I’ve tried to keep this a secret by wearing a fake smile. You may have realised that when we met Victor.” 

Victor nodded. The conversation had taken a serious tone all of a sudden, and Casey was lost in his watery eyes. 

“Do any of you know about the Thunderknyfe Brothers?” Tyler placed the pile of books on the floor near the bed and sat cross-legged again. 

“The ones who stole your father’s cart and goods?” asked Casey, trying to get a clear picture of the situation. Tyler nodded. 

“I told my dad I hid in the bushes until they left. He called me a coward because I let them take everything. That I was no good for the Academy.” Tyler looked at the bedsheet as he took a slow but deep breath. “I didn’t tell him everything.” 

“Tyler, are you okay?” Victor asked, putting a hand on Tyler’s shoulder. 

“They ... they killed a man and his daughter in front of me. Just to have their roof for one night. I couldn’t save them. I barely escaped. I had to cover the blood on my face with dirt and mud.” A great tremor filled Tyler, and tears escaped his eyes as his fists met the bed. 

“Tyler,” sighed Casey. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Yes, it was. If only I were stronger!” 

“Strength is not everything,” Victor added. 

“Yes, it is! I will be the most powerful warlock of all! I will study twice as hard! I will bring my body to the brink of destruction if it is necessary! But I will never ever be weak if the moment arises again!” 

Casey embraced Tyler. “I know how you feel. Right now, I try not to think about my grandparents. I try to forget their faces. Because I fear that if I think about them again, this anger inside me will take over and lead me to a dark path.” Tyler returned her warm embrace. He had calmed down a bit as Victor met her heavy eyes. “That pain inside you. The darkness I felt. It’s like what I’m feeling from Tyler right now.” 

“I can relate. A few weeks ago, I almost killed my classmates,” Victor whispered. 

“What?” asked Tyler, quickly separating from Casey and wiping his eyes. 

“I have this disease that seems to take over my body. It has recently become very present in my life. The reason I am going to the Academy is to find a cure. Just know that if I try to hurt you ... just know that it’s not me. Or rather just run.” Victor’s eyes widened and shrunk. 

Then, Victor got up and left the room. 

“Hey, wait!” said Tyler, trying to go after him, but Casey stopped him. 

“Maybe he needs some time alone.” Casey picked up her mother’s books and headed for the door. “I’m going to bed. Do your friend a favour and make his bed.”

...