Chapter 13

13

LECTURE NOTES FROM REALM RULES she was unable to speak.

So, Leora shared her story.

“There once was the happiest little witch, skipping through a field full of flowers. She was on her way to the forest for a tea party when a toad leaped in her path.

He asked, ‘If I could grant you one wish, what wish would it be?’

The witchling twirled in her pink ruffled dress, then wished for her woodland friends to come to life, and for a true tea party.

‘Granted,’ croaked the toad.

That’s when she invited the sweet toad to join her, and so, they crossed the small river leading to the forest together. He even taught her how to hop across the lily pads, keeping her shoes clean and dry.

Entering the forest, the witchling was greeted by a creature shaped like a mushroom, wearing a small, yellow hat. Another creature, made of twine, curtsied and offered her a flower crown. There were rabbits tending to the tea, and foxes dusting the tableware with their tails.

As the guest of honor at a true tea party, she was as happy as a little witch could be.When it was time for her to return home for supper, she hugged her woodland friends goodbye, and offered the toad a kiss on the cheek. ‘For the happiest day of my life.’

The toad replied, ‘Anything for you, princess.’

She smiled, feeling like a princess.

Back at home, the little witch told her parents about her tea party over supper, which happened to be the same story her parents listened to her share every night.

You see … a long time ago, when the little witch was even littler, sh e fell. One rainy afternoon, on her way to the forest she tumbled down the riverbed and crashed into a boulder. She didn’t know it, but that toad watched it happen. He couldn’t help the sleeping girl, but she was breathing, and beautiful. He croaked as loud as he could, trying to signal for help. When no one came, he sat with her for hours, watching her chest rise and fall. He felt horrible and most of all, useless. But, when the sun began to set, a large male with identical white curls as the witchling came and scooped her up.

Guilt and worry consumed the toad, so he followed them, leaping as fast as he could. When she was carried into a house, the toad hopped from windowsill to windowsill until he found her. It was there where her mother wept, and her father prayed. It was there he watched the healers come and go, shaking their heads.

Days like that turned into weeks.

But one day, the toad yawned awake on the witchling’s dewy windowsill … and so did she. He leaped for joy, as did her parents.

But not all was well. She never remembered her fall and she couldn’t store new memories. She woke up each day reliving the day of her fall.

So, every afternoon the little witch would skip through the field of flowers. Amidst the multi-colored blooms, a toad would leap into her path. He’d ask her, ‘If I could grant you one wish, what wish would it be?’ She would twirl in the same pink dress she picked out every day. Side note: my mother said her parents would terrorize the tailors until they made the same exact dress for her every year. Anyways, she’d wish for her woodland friends to come to life, and for a true tea party every time.

‘Granted,’ the toad replied, today and every day. Because while the witchling’s wish was to have a true tea party, it was the toad’s wish for his true love to live happily. So he waited for her every day, making sure of just that.

But what the little witch didn’t know, nor did her parents, was that a long time ago, in a kingdom not so far away, a wicked queen cursed a magical princeling. She cursed him to a lifetime as a toad, until true love kissed his lips. The princeling didn’t know he would fall for a girl who woke up each day without a memory of who she was, but he spent the rest of his life as a toad, granting her wishes, and getting kissed on the cheek, so long as she remained happy.”

Thessa whispered, “Only you would have me feeling sorry for a toad trying to kiss a child. At least tell me he got his true kiss eventually?”

Leora laughed. “My mother said they went on to live happily ever after in the afterlife . Then, she would kiss me goodnight and say, “ You must seek happiness every day my little Ora. Sadness will come in waves, some are small and others are larger, but there’s always a break. Just remember what’s inside ,” then she’d wiggle her finger on my chest until I giggled before adding, “ That’s your heart in there and you must feed it with love .”

“Quite the lesson for a child.”

“Indeed.”

Thessa sighed, unaware of when her pulse and breath had calmed down. “Thank you, Leora, I?—”

“You don’t have to talk.”

“No.” Thessa sat up, unlaced her boots, and slipped them off. “I need to talk to you.”

The two witches curled up together in Thessa’s bed. Facing Leora, Thessa asked, “Promise you won’t tell anyone?”

“Tess, don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m serious, promise me.”

“I swear across the stars. Now out with it, where were you?”

Thessa swallowed before answering. “My Summoning.”

Leora shot straight up and screeched, “What?”

“Shh.”

“What happened Tess? Tell me everything. ”

Thessa whispered, “It happened around witching hour. I was called back to the library. My gift is an old tome.”

“A Night Summoning,” Leora said the words slowly.

Thessa sat up. “You’ve heard of it?”

“No, I just like the sound of it. How peculiar.”

She shook her head, refocusing Leora. “You don’t understand, I can’t conjure my magic.”

“I can barely either, that’s normal in the beginning.”

“No, I mean I can’t show anyone.”

Leora’s puzzled face flashed with clarity. “Oh, no. Tess, I’m so sorry.”

All those nights ago, Thessa had shared with Leora her biggest fear—to become one of them , an Elemental.She knew the last place Thessa wanted to go was back to the capital for training.

“No, it’s not even that .” Worse she wanted to say, but couldn’t bear it.

Leora’s gaze narrowed. “Show me.”

Thessa spoke through her teeth. “ I can’t .”

Leora cocked her head in confusion. “I’m going to tell you this again, Thessa Skiafer. You’re about all I have in Andera and I care about you, a lot. Now out with it.”

“You’re stubborn too, you know that right?”

Leora grinned.

Thessa threw her covers off and crept across the room, to the space where she’d collapsed earlier. As she pulled the tome from her satchel, her magic sparked to life. Her heart thumped in her chest, but she turned back to face Leora—whose mouth fell open.

Thessa’s words came out in a rush. “No one can know. Tell me it’s a curse, tell me I’m hexed, tell me we’ll figure it out. Tell me it’s not what I think it is . ”

Leora’s mouth was still resting in that “O” shape .

“Say something,” Thessa pressed.

“I—I?—”

Thessa groaned and dropped the dust-ridden book. She was done with her magic, done with her gift, and done with everything.

But the impact caused the book to fly open. The pages flipped frantically while Thessa’s hair blew in their frenzy. The inked parchment shifted back and forth, until settling.

Nervousness edged Thessa’s voice as she said, “I know gifts are magical and all, but that was not something we learned about in school.”

Leora agreed.

Thessa peered down at an otherworldly, dark feminine figure with raven-like wings drawn across both pages. “Who, or what is that?”

Leora scurried over to her. “I’m not sure, but we’ll figure this out together. Hex, curse, or—” Leora paused before adding, “We’ll undo it.”

Thessa bent down to slam the old book shut, unbothered by its delicate structure. Her demonic magic sparked at the touch. Shaking it all away, she stomped to her wardrobe, opened the doors, and stripped from her sleeping tunic at last.

She changed into a linen dress and glanced over her shoulder. “Get changed then, we’re leaving.”