THE SHIELD AND THE SWORD

Chapter 4 - VISION & COVERT OPS

John

Last night, I had the strangest experience. It’s like I was watching someone else’s dream. A beautiful, ethereal woman was sitting on a bench. She had white hair and silver eyes. Sitting beside her was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She had the softest long, black head of curls and deep blue eyes.

They seem to be having a very intense conversation. I couldn’t hear what was being said. Sometimes, there was a look of surprise, sometimes sadness, but once, there was a big, beautiful smile that lit up the girl's face.

I wish I could meet her or talk to her. As I went to step forward to go to them, I found I couldn’t move. So I just stood and watched after what seemed like a long while. The beautiful girl just faded away. When I looked into the face of the beautiful woman, she smiled a slight smile. “Hello, John. I’m Selene. One day, you will meet her, and together you will do great things,” she said.

An overwhelming feeling of falling overcame me, and I jerked my eyes awake. Was that a dream, or could it have been real? I have heard of Selene before. She is supposed to be the Moon Goddess, the mother of shifters. Why would I be dreaming of her, and who was the beautiful girl my mind conjured up?

I guess it’s time to get up and start my day. I go into the bathroom to do my morning routine, grab clothes, and get dressed. I quietly make my way out of my room to wake my sister. After I entered her room, I couldn’t help but look down at her and wish she was always as peaceful and happy as she was now sleeping.

“Elizabeth, it’s time to wake up.” I gently shake her shoulder. “Good morning, Bubba,” she states. “Go to the bathroom and then get dressed, and we will have breakfast.” “OK, Bubba,” she replies. Although Elizabeth and I are a year apart in age, I feel incredibly close to her and overprotective. Who else is going to look out for her and let her know that she’s loved?

When she comes out of the bathroom dressed, we head downstairs quietly to the kitchen. She stated that she would like us to make pancakes for breakfast. “OK, Elizabeth,” I reply. I don’t know how to cook, but we will follow the directions on the box and do the best we can. “OK, Bubba,” she says in her sweet, melodic voice. I try to be as quiet as I can, getting the pancake mix, milk, and oil out and getting a pan for the stove. Much to my horror, however, I hear my mother's heels clicking down the hall. I internally cringed at having woken her up before we could leave.

“Well, good morning, you ingratiate,” she says in her screeching voice as she enters the kitchen. “You make a mess. You clean it up. Your father and I will be heading into the city today for a meeting. I don’t want either of you leaving the house. If I hear from any of the coven members that you have been seen outside this house, there will be hell to pay.” Thankfully, she turns, leaving the kitchen.

Elizabeth and I finished our breakfast. Yes, it was edible, thank goodness. We decided to spend the day in my room reading. When she falls asleep, I quietly listen to ensure there are no noises in the house. Once I established that we were still alone, I quietly made it to my mother's office. I’ve only been in here a few times, but once, I saw her put a set of keys inside her top desk drawer. I hope one of those keys is to her private library. If I am to be strong enough when I get my powers to protect us, I have to start learning now.

Sure enough, there is a set of keys there. I take them and quietly but quickly go down the hall to the door to the library. I start trying each key, and I find it. It is a gold one with a Weird emblem at the base. I’ll remember that for future reference. Once I get the door unlocked, I look at the other side of the doorknob and notice that all you have to do is twist the mechanism to get the door to lock once closed.

Without closing the door, I quickly returned to my mother's office and returned the keys. Make sure I don’t touch anything else and shut the door. I rushed back into the library and quickly tried to understand what order she had her books in—quickly scanning the rows and reading the bindings. I conclude that they’re by category. Potions are together, conjuring is together, rituals, earth, and then a section on elemental witches and powers.

Now, I have to figure out how I can get a few of these books to my room to study without her noticing any is missing here by seeing a space. Our parents rarely come to our rooms, and when they do, they step inside the door.

Goddess forbid that she would go in there to clean or tuck us in bed or do anything that a mother should do. We have to look after ourselves. I start thinking to myself. What if I took a book from down low or back in a corner and put it into the empty spot from where I take one I need? She would be less likely to notice one missing from the shadows out of the way where she wouldn’t usually see.

I decided to take one from each section to have a vast array of knowledge. First, I go to the far corner of the room, reach the bottom shelf, and take five books. Then, I carefully space and spread out the remaining books on the shelf so it doesn’t look like so many are missing. Then, I return to each row at the front of the library and pick a book from each section. I am carefully replacing it with the book I took in the back of the library.

I know I need to be careful. However, this is something that I have to try to do. I quickly go over to the door to the library with my books in my arms. I look at the lock to ensure it will engage when I shut the door back.

Listening intently, I make my way back to my bedroom. Noticing my sister is still asleep. I quickly but efficiently take the books individually and slide them between my mattress and the box springs on my bed. This way, everything still lays flat, and they can’t be seen.

I picked up my history book off my nightstand and thumbed to the back of the book, where I found a section on Hecate that we haven’t gotten to yet this year.

Although it doesn’t go into great detail, I enjoy reading about all the different witches and warlocks throughout history. I often wonder how accurate it is. My mind drifts to the dream I had last night and seeing Selene. Was that her? It also makes me wonder what Hecate looks like. What powers or gifts will she bless me with? Will she see fit to give me any, seeing as I can’t protect my sister and me right now?

I won’t let those thoughts overtake me. I will do my best to follow in my heart what I know is right. If Hecate is as powerful and all-seeing as we are taught in school, then she knows everything.