I hated feeling this way. Was it cowardly of me to run now? My wrist ached, the pain dulling but refusing to fade completely. It had been invisible my entire life. Why was it acting up so frequently now?

It flared again as I ran through an open door to outside. It was sharp and hot, like being stabbed with a superheated knife.

My legs were shaking and I felt like I was going to throw up.

The cool evening air helped clear my mind. But only a little. I slumped back against the wall closest to me.

In and out Serafina. In and out.

The throbbing in my hand didn't stop.

"What do you want from me?" I asked no one.

I yanked the glove off my hand. The curse mark was giving off sparks of that same green energy. My entire arm shook and I tried to hold onto my wrist with my other hand.

The skin where the mark was felt very warm to the touch.

A spark of dark green energy shot up above my head. A lightning bolt that ripped itself out of my body causing my entire body to seize. I had never been hit by lightning. But I could imagine this is what it feels like.

My eyes closed. I was unable to keep them open after that.

Why was it doing this now?

"Serafina? What's wrong?"

My arm was still trembling.

"The curse…" I groaned.

There was a hand on my forehead. Checking for a fever maybe?

"Where does it hurt?" I knew that voice. Vivian Hearth? What was she doing here?

"Professor Hearth?" I asked. Why did my throat hurt?

"Shh…That was some scream Serafina." Vivian Hearth was sitting next to me as the world came back into focus. "Wait, you shouldn't push yourself-"

I was already standing. Or well I was trying to. The cold stone wall was a useful support. I looked around and found myself staring up at a familiar dragon statue.

Seriously? Dragon Tower?

And it was hard to see in the light of the setting sun, but was that a scorch mark near its head?

I looked at Vivian Hearth. "Did the curse do that?"

"You certainly didn't. That looked far too advanced for someone who has only ever cast one spell in her life. And I know what color your magic is, and it is not green."

No. No it wasn't.

"But this isn't a good place to discuss this. Come, I have tea in my office that should help your throat."

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I wasn't left with much of a choice, was I? I followed Vivian Hearth back inside.

This school really was a maze in some places. Sure, the way to the main hallways where classes were held was easy, but why were the offices squirreled away into the most confusing section of this place?

Though if the alternative was having the classes in this maze…

Vivian Hearth's office was just like the last time I saw it.

"Please. Take a seat." Vivian Hearth pointed to the chair in front of her desk. "I know my reputation amongst students but I am here to help."

"I don't. Know it. I mean…I don't talk to enough of the other students about that kind of thing. My friends and I have other worries."

She had her back turned to me while I fiddled with my hands.

Did she want something from me?

"Yes. I suppose you would. Has the curse been bothering you like that frequently?"

I looked up as her as she handed me a pastel yellow mug filled with a greenish yellow liquid. It smelled like a field of wildflowers. I took a tentative sip and found it far too sweet. It was familiar. Mom made tea like this when I had a cold. Entirely floral and with too much honey.

I smiled.

I hadn't expected to be reminded of home in a situation like this.

"Is something wrong?" Vivian Hearth asked.

"No. Just…Mom makes the same kind of tea."

She froze. "Oh. I see. Homesickness is…inevitable really. Most deal with it in some form or another here."

I rubbed the side of the mug absentmindedly. "Were you one of her teachers?"

Vivian Hearth leaned back against her desk and cocked her head to the side. "You're mother and I…it's complicated."

"More complicated than a mysterious curse or seeing ghosts in an ancient Tower?"

She laughed. "There's the bluntness."

I took another sip of tea. It was like liquid sugar with a floral aftertaste. Was she dodging the question on purpose?

"Would you believe me if I said it was?" Vivian asked quietly.

"At this point? I might be willing to believe anything." I held my wrist up to find it had gone back to normal. The only indication of my curse being the eye-shaped patch of unharmed skin amid gruesome looking scars.

"Does it still hurt?"

"No. It's stopped for now."

"Any idea why it…did that?"

"I don't. I know I was upset and angry and sometimes it flares up when I get that way but it's never done that before. It sparked a little when Angelina tried to read my fortune but nothing like that level of energy."

Was…was it getting worse?

"And you never noticed before?" Vivian asked.

"I've never been able to cast before that day in Dragon Tower. But I've never had other…symptoms before the day my magic lashed out at me," I explained.

"I admit curses are outside of my area of expertise, but I don't think it acting up now when you're surrounded by more magic than ever and have somehow overcome it is a coincidence."

"Is it possible that it's…punishing me in some way?"

"Possible? Not unlikely. It's at least reacting to you differently. There must be some reason."

"I bet if I could find out who cast it, we would know."

"Asking the caster would make it easier, I suppose. But you don't have much information to go on."

"I'll have to make do. The Curse Breaker will do their job and then I will figure out the next step."

Vivian Hearth frowned. "I hope it's that simple."

It wasn't, was it?

"Can't it be simple? Just this once?" I pleaded with the gods out loud. "I don't remember the part where I signed up for this."

"Nothing worth doing is ever simple."

"I know. I know," I sighed. "I should probably get going though. Thank you for the tea Professor."

(********)

I couldn't sleep again.

This was quickly becoming a problem.

"I swear if one of your symptoms is preventing me from sleeping, I am finding your caster and punching them in the face." I glared at my wrist as I held it above my face.

To my relief the curse didn't react.

Mists of Hecate. Dark green magic. Goes around cursing children. Not nearly enough information to go on, if I tried to find them. But maybe enough to identify them if they found me.

"Try it," I challenged the curse. "If this curse can't be broken, I'll find a way around it and become one of the greatest witches ever known. And if you want to stop me you'll have to do it person."

The curse still didn't respond. But that was okay. It wasn't going to stop me. Nothing would.

I was getting into Dragon Tower. I was going to learn how to cast spells. I was going to graduate from this school.

And there was no force in the heavens or hells that was going to stop me.

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