I've been playing that memory in my sleep constantly. More like I dont have control over the memory of James' last breath strangling my mind and telling me I could have done something to save him. I lost him over a month ago and I still cant shake my guilt. I could have done something. I wake up sweating and smelling that sweet smell that made me lose him.
My base knows about what happened, all they said to me was that on the bright side they could finally confirm that I was truly part of base one. After everything I told them all they could say was how powerful I really am and how much of an asset I will be to base one. Yet I havent been out in field ever since.
I live at the base now, they wont let me go back to my house. Then again I should have seen this coming. They aren't going to sell it, but they wont let me go to live in peace with the only thing good in my life. They have me under security cameras all day, apparently its for my own safety, but in reality they are scared. This is what they do to witches they are scared of, they treat them like an experiment.
They dont want me to turn out like sugar. She was part of a base once, actually she is the reason we call them bases in the first place. We are all against her. The one she was part of was for full body witches. She was the most powerful witch at her base and all she wanted to do was to lead her fellow brothers and sisters. Yet when is was time for the spirits to pick a new leader, they didn't pick her. They picked her sister, Venus.
Sugar was outraged. She burnt down their entire base with everyone in it. Base one is for the witches that were "born to be fighters." We didn't thank sugar for that. Basically anyone that has a chance at going up against sugar and winning with a team behind them is sent here to train. Then there is the exception of me.
Sure I am partially here to fight against Sugar, but also because I am half witch and half spirit. My da was a witch and my mom was a spirit, therefor, me. Their love was forbidden and they were executed for it, but since my Dad was good friends with the Head, he was able to convince him not to kill me too.
All witches are born with a special birthmark that is supposed to hint at their greatest power, so when I was born and the spirits saw my birthmark they put two and two together. My parents tried to convince them that it was just a birthmark but it didn't work. So now the Head takes care of me, but at least when I was a kid he didn't make is obvious that the real reason I'm still here is because Im an experiment.
So now I stay in my room most days in my true form because it takes a lot of energy to keep up the disguise. I need that energy to plot my revenge against Sugar. We are supposed to be attacking her, but we have just been watching her for the past year.
"Hey girly." Amanda says as she comes to sit on my bed. She is one of the few people that know what I actually look like, "Planning on going outside today?" she sounds hopeful.
"Not really." I flop back on my bed.
"Well, you kind of have to." I shoot up.
"Why?"
" You have a meeting with the head," I groan in disapproval, "And Henry." I groan louder.
Henry is from France and when ever he came to visit our base he would always make a point of how to pronounce his name "on-ree" instead of Henry. So what did I do? I pronounced his name like a normal person would. Sadly that's not what bothers me about him.
"He is too peppy. I cant deal with that today." I havent seen him in two years but people, especially spirits, dont change much with the acception of height.
"And why not?" Amanda smirks.
"I have stuff to do."
" Sitting in your room doesn't count as something to do. Plus you're just bitter."
I stand up slapping her with my tail,"Cats aren't ment to be sweet."
You know how people joke around saying they have spirit animals? Well, its true for spirits. No, I dont have fur, I have normal hair on my head just like everyone else. I have cat ears and a tail though.
"You know your tail hurts," Amanda says rubbing her face.
Usually cat tails are the length from the tail bone to the back of ones knee. Mine goes from my tail bone to the point where it brushes the top of my ankle, which makes it hurt more when I hit someone.
"Sorry, I just woke up." I say softly, feeling bad for hitting her.
Her smile fades as she remembers when she stayed with me the first week after James died.
"Stop thinking about it." I growl at her. Sometimes I cant control when I can read minds. So when she thought about that week all the memories of me waking up screaming and crying come flooding back.
"Im sorry." she says.
"Stand up." I tell her and she does and I hug her. She tells me I have 30 minutes so she helps me get ready.
~
When I walk into the meeting room the first thing I notice is Henry. He is standing with his hands on the table and his head down so he doesn't notice me walk in. The last time I saw him was two years ago, he was shorter than me and very thin like a twig. He stands up strait and now I notice that he is at least 5 inches taller than me. His hair used to always be slick back but now its messy, like cute messy.
Two years have done him good. He has muscle now, not too much, but it is noticeable. As I walk up to him I find him a bit intimidating.
"Rose, its been a while." His smile has always been the best thing about him and its not failing to show now.
"It has" I respond and put my hands behind my back to stop myself from pocking him.
The Head walks in and we face him, "Nice to see you are both here."
The Head sits down and motions for us to follow his action. We do. Henry and I both sit across from the head and I can already tell this isn't going to be good. I cross my arms and lean back in my chair," I'll bite, why are we here?", Im glad Amanda brought one of her potions to help me stay calm. If she didn't I would have bolted out as soon as the Head walked in.
"Ask Henry", I look to him but he shrugs, "Do I have to do everything?!" Henry and I jump.
"Here is what's happening, we need a peace treaty between the spirit and witch bases." he looks at us.
"Okay so we sign a contract?" I rais an eyebrow.
"technically yes. Henry is the commander of the army at the spirit bases and you are the head of the army here."
"Hold on, I didn't agree to -" he cuts me off.
"But you will! In order to take down Sugar and her army we need both parties to work together. So in a way of showing unity between spirits and witches......We need you to get married."
"WHAT?!" Henry and I exclaim in unison.
"Its not right away and it is only pretend, but it needs to be convincing. Spirits and witches dont hate each other, but their unity is forbidden because we dont know what will become of the product between the two. We need to do this so that we have both with the best fighting abilities." I know what that product will turn out like. This was the Heads plan, I can tell, he's smug.
"But I'm not even-" The head cuts me off with a look daring me to let out the biggest secret both leaders have ever kept, "Old enough to get married." I change the end of my sentence.
"Rose, you're 18. You are four years past the age requirement to get married." Henry says running a hand down his face.
"I will leave you two to talk. Rose, you are now part of the higher council along with Henry and myself. You both have a meeting at 2:30 PM sharp. I advise you not to be late." with that the head exits.
"i am not doing this." I growl and push back my chair.
"We have to."
"Im not doing this!" my eyes glow a brighter red out of anger.
"You think I want to do this? I have someone I love!" Henry counters
"So did I!" I scream in his face, "So did I." I repeat in a whisper.
Henry moves to pull me into a hug but I push him away. I dont need his pitty.
"Rose please dont blame me this isn't my fault."
"I know its not! Damn it Henry, if you love this girl so much why didn't you fight for her?" how could he not be more upset right now?
"Because this is pretend, but what her and I have is real."
I slap him,"Stop being so calm and positive all the time. Its so annoying."
"Its only annoying because I'm not bitter about when James died over a month ago!"
Everything goes quiet. I can tell Henry regretted it right after he said it, but I dont care. I stop pacing the floor, "You have no right! You didn't even know him!" I sharpen my nails.
"Rose, I'm so-"
"NO!" my nails are at his throat. " You dont talk about him. Ever. You dont understand so you have no say." Im almost slicing his skin open. He moves to pull his hand away but I move my nail to his jaw and cut. He flinches. I Walk to the door and open it.
"Not so positive now are we?" I wipe the tear off my cheek and slam the door.