Chapter 18: Coven Witch
Time seemed to stand still as Angelina and Jeanine remained frozen in their astonishment, their eyes fixed upon Jaegar as if he were a creature from another realm. The weight of their silent gaze bore down upon him, causing a flicker of uncertainty to dance in his mind.
But then, with a sudden shift in the atmosphere, Angelina regained her composure, her features transforming from shock to a mask of calm understanding. Her piercing gaze bore into Jaegar as if searching for something deep within his very soul. Slowly, her lips parted, releasing words tinged with a mixture of acknowledgment and a hidden tenderness that lay beneath her stoic demeanor.
"You are definitely her son, like mother, like son," Angelina uttered, her voice carrying a faint hint of both nostalgia and acceptance. A fleeting moment of vulnerability flickered in her eyes, though it was swiftly veiled behind her unwavering facade. She then posed a question that hung in the air, laden with unspoken knowledge, "How are you feeling, young man?"
Jeanine, shaken from her stupor by the sound of Angelina's voice, recomposed herself, her eyes darting between Jaegar and the enigmatic figure before them. Jaegar, though unsure of the woman's identity, felt compelled to answer her inquiry, his voice carrying a hint of both curiosity and a stirring realization that had taken hold within him.
"I feel fine," he replied, his words falling short of expressing the surge of power and energy that coursed through his veins. It was as if a dormant force within him had awakened, making him acutely aware of the thunder and fire that had danced at his fingertips and granting him the ability to soar through the skies.
He looked at Angelina and thought she might know something, so he asked her, "Do you know what happened to me?"
Jeanine cut in and said, "Jaegar, you shouldn't..."
Sensing Jaegar's inquisitiveness, a glimmer of amusement danced in Angelina's eyes, and a faint chuckle escaped her lips. "Child, do not fret yourself," she reassured him, her voice carrying an air of gentle wisdom. "He's just a kid, Jeanine. I can discern much about his origins simply by looking at him." Her words carried a tantalizing hint of secrets and untold stories.
Jaegar, his gaze fixed upon Angelina, raised an eyebrow in response, his curiosity piqued. He could sense that there was more to her words, a deeper meaning hidden beneath the surface. "And what exactly do you mean by that?" he pressed, his voice laced with restrained frustration.
Angelina's laughter danced in the air, light and infectious, easing the tension that had lingered between them. "Ah! Did I manage to rouse your ire, young one?" she teased, her words accompanied by a mischievous smile. "Fear not, for my intentions were not ill-intended. There is much I can glean from a mere glance."
Jeanine then started explaining the details of his curse and how he ended up here.
Jaegar was angry at the fact that he had been vulnerable all this time, not knowing that he was dying slowly. He had already died once, and the second time, he was so close to dying that this fact made him even more annoyed and frustrated with the fact that he didn't know anything about it.
He let out a sigh and said, "Thank you for saving me." Getting angry over the matter would not take him anywhere.
He didn't want to let his emotions pollute his mind, he cooled himself for now. Thinking himself that he would find the one responsible for this.
Angelina chuckled and said, "You seem very composed for the one who was just away from the death door.
"Well, it's not the first time something like this happened."
Angelina frowned, not understanding what he said.
"Nevermind, how about you stay here for a few days until you get yourself comfortable with your abilities? My child, the power that is now residing in you is both dominant and potent at the same time. You have to learn to control it, otherwise, it may take control over you and..." she sighed as a memory of the past hit her.
Jeanine was the one shocked to hear her, and Jaegar was simply staring at her, not knowing the value of her words. She quickly said to Jaegar, "Jaegar, do you know what you are being offered? She is the legendary witch, the matriarch of the sacred coven of witches, Lady Angelina. Anyone would die for a meeting with her, even for a second, and to get trained by her would be a dream for many.
And now she is asking you, Jaegar." Jeanine was frantic and blurted out whatever came to her mind.
Jaegar stood there, watching Jeanine talk continuously. He didn't know that Angelina was such a powerful being. He asked, "Why would you want to help me?"
"Your mother was my student. Seeing you, I remember the time when I first saw her. She was really the best student I ever had."
"but she... died."