Page 3 of His Blazing Witch (The Silver City #3)

"Busy, I get it."

It’s always the same damn answer. I have only seen my older sister three times since I woke up, and according to everyone here, it's a damn miracle. Kelsi didn't even know I had an older sister, I apparently never mentioned her. I never brought up my family at all, and I didn't bother to keep any pictures of them in my room either. What kind of family is this?

No good family relationships, no friends... No one even knows what the heck I was doing at the university!

He lets out a long sigh and takes out his phone.

"Alright, I guess we won't get anywhere until I actually ask..."

"Put it on speaker."

He looks at me, surprised. I want to listen to what my older sister says, why she won't come to see me. I'm tired of always hearing it from someone else. He nods and calls her. To my surprise, she answers after only two rings.

"Dr. Epstein? Something wrong with Clarissa?"

"N-no, Ms. Garnett, but... I'm with your younger sister, and she insists that she really wants to leave the hospital. I am in one of my sessions with her, and Clarissa insisted that I call you personally."

"I already said no."

He and I exchange a glance. How can she answer so fast? She could at least consider it, or even ask how I'm doing! Why is she so bent on that fucking no? Dr. Epstein sighs and looks a bit distressed with me glaring at him.

"I think it might be better if you... gave a reason to Miss Clarissa. She is a bit sensitive about her confinement, and–"

"I don't have any reason to give. She's my younger sister, I'm her legal guardian. I make the decisions, Clarissa doesn't need to know why. Is that all? I'm busy."

"I understand, Ms.–"

I grab the phone from his hand, furious. I don't give a damn about her being busy! This is my life we are talking about, she is not the one locked up within these four walls!

"Tell me why you won't let me out!" I shout.

"C-Clarissa?" her voice is more high-pitched, she almost sounds like she's about to choke. "Why are you listening to this...?"

"Because I want to know why you are not letting me out!"

I hear her sigh.

"You don't need to know. It's also for your security. As long as you stay in that hospital, you won't get into any trouble, and this way, you can be–"

"What security?! You don't tell me anything! Amy, I can freaking make fire with my hands! What is there that I should be afraid of, what trouble?"

"Clarissa, enough! The police already made us pay for all the damages from that damn building, and I have three lawyers making sure no one sues you! Our people already think I have a crazy, pyromaniac, younger sister, and the damn werewolves are all over me trying to get to you! This city is already complicated enough to deal with!"

"...The werewolves? Why would the werewolves want something from me...?"

"Clarissa, stop asking questions. You're staying where you are and that's final. We will discuss it more when I come back to Silver City."

"When is that?"

She sighs at the other end of the phone. Damn, I really feel like a freaking fly trying to squeeze into her agenda. I wait for her answer, a bit too long, in my opinion.

"Give the phone back to Dr. Epstein."

"I'm listening," he says.

"I said to take the phone back. If I need to ask again, you're fired."

Oh, crap... I didn't mean to risk his job. Can my older sister even do that? Does she own the hospital or what? I let the poor man take his phone back, but I already know this is a lost battle. He apologizes non-stop for over a minute before hanging up with a sour face.

"She was a bit... upset," he says.

"Sorry about that."

He shakes his head, puts his phone back, and retrieves his things before getting up.

"Do not apologize, Miss Clarissa. To be honest, I understand your position too. It's not easy to be locked up when you have done nothing wrong... by your own family, no less. Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do to help you. On paper, you are here as a psychiatric patient, and this is hard to overcome when it comes to leaving without your family's approval."

"...Do you think my sister is lying?" I ask.

He seems to hesitate for a few seconds, playing with the pen between his fingers. After a while, he shrugs.

"From the few exchanges I've had with her, all I can say is that your elder sister is probably more stubborn than you are, and very down to earth. However, I do think the fact that she's the only one in your family who does call you and visit you says... a lot about her character."

His words confuse me even more. Does he mean to say Amy cares about me? Does she? What kind of older sister does that? I'm trapped here, she barely visits me... I don't get it.

"I'll get going now, Miss Clarissa, I think we are done for the day. Please try to be a little bit more patient, hm? I sincerely hope it will all be solved soon."

I nod and watch him leave. As soon as he's gone, I let out a long sigh of frustration and lie down on my bed, with a grimace because I rubbed some of my bandages unintentionally. What the heck is wrong with my family... None of this makes sense. What was that about the werewolves too? No one ever mentioned them aside from Bonnie until now. I push the button, but another nurse comes, much to my annoyance. Bonnie's shift is probably over... Crap. I wanted to ask her to see if she knows anything. The old lady leaves my dinner there and almost runs out of the room. They all avoid me when I'm unhappy like this.

I stare outside. Another day lost, trapped here. Is Kelsi at her part-time job? I bite my thumb, nervous and pissed. What am I supposed to do? If things go on like this, Amy will never let me out, or I'm going to go completely crazy before that happens. I should just walk out... I feel the shadow, crawling in the back of my mind. I should walk out that door, follow my instincts, and leave. Burn anything and anyone who tries to stop me. I should just end this...

Suddenly, I hear some sounds coming from outside. What the heck? I run to the window, unsure. I don't see anything, but I can hear someone yelling, a woman screaming. It seems like it's coming from below the hospital, in the park.

Something's wrong. Why is no one coming to help her? The few silhouettes I can see don't seem bothered at all, what's wrong with those people?! I take off running out of my room. I hear someone yelling, trying to have me come back, but I ignore them. I dodge whoever tries to hold me back. I'm almost flying. It's strange, I can hear that woman's screams even from inside the corridor. I run down the stairs, trying to find the way out. A couple of senile grannies stare at me in confusion, I have to squeeze in between them to get out. Two furious nurses are behind me, running after me, but I don't care, that woman needs help!

I finally see the way out to the park. I've been there a few times, so why the heck does it seem so far?! I push through the door to find myself in the park. The... empty park. I look around, completely at a loss.

There is no woman, and no screams anymore. It can't be... I just heard them. It was so clear! Why don't I see anyone? There's only an ambulance at the other end, with a red-haired guy smoking his cigarette, who starts walking up to me with a worried look. Crap, what the heck... What the... What is wrong with me…?

I stay stunned in the middle of the park, completely perplexed. I keep looking around, confused. I don't understand what just happened. All the screams are gone, and even that strange shadow that was haunting me has vanished. It's like I just woke up from some dream... a dream in which I've been very much awake the whole time. What the hell is wrong with me?

The two nurses that were running after me suddenly arrive and grab my arms.

"Where the heck are you running to?! Go back to your room!" they yell in my ears.

I try to defend myself, get out of their grip, but they are stronger than me. Those damn women! They are holding on so tightly, it freaking hurts! I keep struggling. Won't those old hags let go?! I'm just going to burn those damn–

"Hey, hey, easy, easy. Let go, ladies, please. I got it. It's alright, I got it."

The guy I spotted earlier just arrived in front of us, and gently, he takes the nurses' hands off of me. My hands aren't on fire, yet. There is some smoke coming from my fingers, though, and he sees it too. He clearly glances at my hands.

"Don't give me that, little witch," he says. "No fire tricks and I promise these ladies will leave us alone."

I nod, still a bit shaken up. For some reason, I have a hard time containing my fire. I can’t stop shaking because I'm so angry. The smoke disappears slowly, and as soon as the nurses retreat away from me, it gets easier for me to control myself. The red-headed guy smiles.

"There we go. No need to get fired up."

"We have to get her back to her room," insists one of the nurses, as if I wasn't there.

"It's okay, I'll watch her," says the redhead. "She can't go much farther anyway, right? She can stay with me for a few minutes, get some fresh air, and I'll make sure she goes back. It's fine..."

I can't believe it... They are actually listening to him and going back inside, despite their dubious glares. I'm confused, who is this guy? I'm rubbing my painful arm in total disbelief. One of their nails really made me bleed... I turn to the guy, unsure who I'm dealing with. He looks like a normal guy, but he clearly knows about my power, and there's something oddly familiar about him too. I’m probably staring too much, because he shakes his head and chuckles.

"No need to give me that look. You don't remember me, do you?"

"You do look familiar," I admit.

"I bet. I'm Benjamin Lewis, Bonnie is my twin sister."

"Oh!"

I can't believe I didn't realize earlier! This guy is the male version of Bonnie, with red hair, big blue eyes, and even her little nose... I feel a bit relieved. Somehow, this guy being Bonnie's twin tells me I can trust him. That doesn't really explain why he defended me against the harpies from earlier, but he does have the attitude of a laid-back guy. He's wearing jeans and a simple shirt too, that actually shows a little bit of a tattoo he's got on his torso. Is that a white circle? Benjamin takes out another cigarette with a little smile. Meanwhile, I'm just in this stupid hospital gown... I wish I had real, proper clothes on, for once. It looks like I'm wearing oversized pajamas like a child.

I suddenly remembered his earlier comment.

"Wait, you said... I should remember you?" I say.

"Yeah, the fire. I was one of the guys who took you out of there. Not that we helped a lot, but–"

"You mean when I was in... that fire?"

He nods.

"Yep. The whole barbecue... To be honest, when we heard there was still someone alive inside, I didn't believe it. We fought the fire like crazy to find you and get you out of there. You're lucky, little witch, because anyone else would be dead."

I feel a bit embarrassed. I never met anyone who was actually on the site of the accident itself. I've only heard a few things from the doctors, my sister, and whatever the nurses would whisper in the corridors. This guy could have died because of me... Is he a firefighter, then? He's tall, and with his broad shoulders and thin musculature, he probably could be one. However, right now, he just has a simple ambulance staff jacket.

"Thank you," I mumble.

"Don't thank me, as I said, I really didn't get to do much... You were half-conscious, we dragged you out and sent you here as soon as possible. ...So, want to tell me why you just made those two poor ladies run? You looked a bit lost earlier."

I sigh and look around again. I'm feeling like an idiot now. I ran after something that wasn't there, as evidence shows. If they knew that I'm starting to hear voices, I'd never leave this place. What can I say so he won't think I'm completely nuts?

"I just... needed some fresh air," I lie.

"That must have been quite the emergency," he chuckles.

"Well, I don't get much at all."

Benjamin's eyes get a bit more serious all of a sudden, and he nods.

"I know. Everyone is wary of you... The new witch. I heard your family is keeping you locked here."

"I feel like everyone knows this kind of stuff but me. They are all walking on eggshells, keeping me behind closed doors, and no one is telling me a thing..."

"Yeah... Well, you can't blame them. Silver City has a dark history with witches...."

What dark history? I thought I was the only witch in the city, that's what everyone's been telling me for days!

"There were other witches before me?" I ask.

He looks surprised, raising an eyebrow.

"No one told you a thing?"

"Well, I don't talk to that many people, the staff freak out just by being in the same room... but I'm sure Bonnie never mentioned another witch," I state.

"Ah... It's... Bonnie doesn't really like talking about those things."

"Why?"

Benjamin sighs, looking a bit unsure and annoyed this time. His eyes wander elsewhere while he answers as if he couldn't bring himself to look me in the eye.

"A witch killed our older brother. She's still... not over it."

Oh, shit... Why? What happened? Bonnie never mentioned anything like that! I didn't think there was another witch here before me, let alone one who would commit murder! Their older brother was definitely a werewolf as well, right? Do witches and werewolves usually fight like this? I bite my lower lip.

"Can I ask... what happened?"

"He wasn't the only one who died. Over a couple of years ago, there was a war here in Silver City. A freaking big one that involved werewolves, humans, vampires, and... witches."

"Even vampires? No one told me there were vampires..."

I can't believe it. It was already complicated for me to accept that this city is split between two species, werewolves and humans, with me belonging to neither, but now, even vampires? What kind of crazy world am I waking up into? I feel like a single drop of water lost in an ocean. My lost memories are not getting me anywhere, I'm learning everything, but there is this sort of common knowledge that was left behind, telling me what is normal and what is not. I know what humans, werewolves, and vampires are, everyone does. I'm aware that at least two of those shouldn't even be able to get along.

"Well, they didn't belong to Silver City. They just tried to overpower us. Humans and werewolves united together against the vampires."

"What about the witches, then? Were they on... the vampire's side, then?"

Damn it, do I belong to the bad side? I'm already friends with a werewolf and a human, why do I have to be a witch if our kinds are enemies? Is that why everyone fears me? If witches killed people in that war, why do they even bother keeping me alive at all?

Benjamin seems to slightly regret bringing up this topic. He scratches his chin, which has some hair growing back on it, looking a bit unsure.

"Yes and no... There were only two witches. One on our side, one on the other. They both died in that war, that's why you're the only living witch we know of in Silver City at the moment."

"Oh..."

Well, that doesn't make things much better... I didn't imagine witches would fight against each other. I had actually somewhat decided that, even if those witches were on the vampire's side, I would stay on the human and werewolf one, but I guess that solves the problem... It doesn't help me with who I am or why I'm locked up here, though.

"So that's how you guys all knew I was a witch?" I ask.

"Yes and no. See, we have never seen a Fire Witch, but we know they exist. You were able to survive in a fire that would have killed a human or a werewolf ten times over. And those marks..."

He points at my bandages, the ones that the earlier struggle kind of unraveled. It revealed my remaining markings, a bit red and darker than before. I wrap it back quickly, as I don't like to have them exposed.

"What about them."

"We suspect it's a witch's markings. When witches use their powers too much, those marks appear on their bodies as a sign that they are overdoing it."

"What? Really?"

He nods.

So my scars are some sort of spell? This is insane... I look down. I still remember the charcoal look of my legs weeks ago, the first time I saw them. No sane doctor thought I could heal from that, those were the highest-degree burns possible. The flesh was supposedly dead, yet it started healing and regrowing by itself. Is that how they came to the conclusion that I was a witch? This healing ability of mine is certainly not normal... even I can tell this much.

Benjamin is still smoking his cigarette, looking pretty calm. I'm not calm! I can't believe no one told me my markings were a symbol of witchcraft! I thought my ability to make fire was all they had as proof to say I'm a witch, I didn't even suspect they had more clues than that... or that there had even been other witches before me.

"So, those two witches... They had them too?"

"We never witnessed them getting as bad as yours, but yes. It can affect your internal organs too, so be careful with fire, little witch."

"You said they weren't Fire Witches," I say, ignoring his warning. "What were they?"

"One was a Water Witch, the other one was an Earth Witch. Very different from you, Mara, but the same markings and the same ability to play with their element. We all witnessed it. The two witches we knew about were already frighteningly powerful with just water and earth, so now that we have a young chick like you playing with fire, we are all kind of on our toes, waiting to see what is going to happen next."

So that's why... I mean, it doesn't explain everything, but at least I know why they are all so afraid. I'm not the first one, there were precedents. Those other witches were here before me and left quite an impression on the people of Silver City. This would explain a lot. I'm not just confined in my room, I'm under tight observation. The thermometer, the fact that I can't go out, my doctors, my psychiatrist, everyone watching my every move and trying to understand what happened. It's not just because I'm a freak, it's because of fear. Fear of what I can do... I glance down at my hands. I know this is dangerous, I get it. Even I have trouble controlling myself sometimes.

However, wouldn't it have just been easier to tell me all of this? I'm not an idiot! Why do I have to bump into Bonnie's twin to finally get some answers I've been asking for all this time?!

"Why did no one tell me this earlier?!" I exclaim, furious.

I'm getting so mad about all this. At the very least, Bonnie should have told me! She sees me every day, why couldn't she give me that little bit of information right away? She knows how much I'm struggling with my lost memories! I bite my thumb, angry. This is ridiculous! This is about me, yet no one is giving me the slightest clue!

Benjamin sighs, pulling on his cigarette before answering me.

"This isn't just to annoy you, little witch. It's not just Bonnie and our family, almost every human or werewolf living here in Silver City lost a friend or a family member in that war. It was a horrible fight, okay? Some people are still dealing with its consequences, like how my sister is still unable to talk about it. The ones who started it and caused the most damage were the witches. We just don't know how to deal with all of this, with you. It's not that simple."

I am stunned. The witches actually caused that horrible war he's talking about...? The most damage too? He can't mean they were the ones who killed the most people, right? It can't be... I try to process it, but I just don't understand.

"You said there were only two of them..." I mutter.

"Exactly. There were only two witches, but they were the root of everything we went through. I won't get into the details, and I don't want to push it all on the witches, but these are the facts everyone here in Silver City remembers: witches are powerful and scary. They are not human or werewolf, and we don't know that much about them. To be honest with you, we actually thought that your kind had died in that war and that we were done with witches. But you're here now. We have a new witch in town, playing with fire, and she already burned down a building before we even knew she was around. A Fire Witch in Silver City, after the earth and water ones. You're saying you feel trapped here and all, but how do you think people will react once you go out and your existence is made public?"

I... I don't know how to answer that.

I can't even begin to imagine. It's... terrifying. This whole city isn't just split between humans and werewolves. All these people are traumatized by a war that witches caused. Only two of them. If there were as many deaths as Benjamin said, and the witches were responsible for all of it... I'm probably a monster to them. They thought they were done with witches, probably ready to move on, but here I am.

On top of that, I revealed myself in the worst way possible with that big fire. I know it made the evening news for a whole building to go up in flames with one survivor...

"Don't worry," says Benjamin. "It doesn't mean all of Silver City really thinks witches are bad. At least, probably not the werewolves. There was one of them on our side, remember? It's just that we are... wary of witches. Especially the humans, who don't have much affinity with witches. The fight was mostly us against the vampires, but the humans had to participate anyway. Things are... tense, outside. You're not confined here only for people's safety, but also for your own. Until we figure things out."

He means until they can figure out what to do with me... How dangerous I really am. I take a deep breath. So far, I've barely been able to control myself when I get angry. Moreover, there is this voice in the back of my mind that comes up at unexpected times... No, I shouldn't think about it. As far as I know, it might just be my imagination, my own mind playing tricks.

I need to think of something else. I can feel some stares on my back. I probably don't have much time left to ask questions before I'm dragged back to my room. To think Benjamin, whom I just met, is the first one to explain so many things to me... I think about his words again.

"When you say until we can figure out what's going on... Who is this ‘we’, exactly?" I ask.

Benjamin chuckles and raises his hand with the cigarette toward the building behind me.

"You know this facility is called the White Hospital, right? This hospital belongs to the northern clan of werewolves in Silver City, the White Moon. That's why Bonnie and I work here, you're on werewolf territory, little witch. Your older sister made an agreement with the White Luna, for your protection."

"The White Luna? Isn't Luna the other name for the... Queen of Werewolves?" I ask, remembering what Bonnie and Kelsi taught me only a few weeks ago about the hierarchy among werewolves. "You're telling me my older sister made a pact with someone that important for my sake?"

Benjamin starts laughing, shaking his head.

"Of course she's important, but she's not almighty! Moreover, the Earth Witch, who was the good witch, was a friend of the Luna. So, of course, she's going to keep a close eye on you. She's a good friend of our family, actually."

"What's her name?"

"Selena. Selena Whitewood."