Chapter 1

Tara

You, Tara, are like a dildo in the ass with no lube.I didn't get what it meant, but one of the witches had said it before telling me I couldn't join her and the others for lunch. Lilac always does have a way with words. I mean, why would anyone put something in their ass? Isn't it only supposed to work… in the other direction? I'll have to ask the blacksmith what she meant when I see him later, since he's the only one I can ask about this kind of stuff.

"Unless you know," I mutter, glancing at Wisp.

My will-o'-wisp floats around me in the tree I'm relaxing in. She's nothing but a bright speck of gold light until she gets close to my face, and then I can make out her cute little eyes and mouth. Sometimes I can't believe her kind are known for being such troublemakers, and sometimes I absolutely believe it.

"Your little light has gotten a lot of travelers lost, hasn't it?"

She darts around, shifting the leaves and making the bright summer sunlight dance as it falls on me. "Travelers lost," she says, her voice soft and musical.

"So you admit it," I say with a snort.

"Admit it," she says mischievously as she darts down below the tall branch I'm hanging on.

Wisp is an interesting character. For the most part, she repeats parts of what I say to her, but there's usually a meaning behind the words she chooses to say and the ones she doesn't. Then, on rare occasions, she says new words. Those are the ones that are really special.

I flip onto my belly and lay along the huge branch I'm on, following Wisp's descent with my gaze. She skims the surface of the big lake far below me with complete abandon. Her actions create a ripple on the surface of the lake before she soars back up to me, disappearing in the leaves. But my eyes cling to the water, and I frown, remembering why I'm in such a sour mood.

"I have to get my shit together to impress Mother with my Elemental Magic."

"Get shit," Wisp echoes me, in a tone that suggests I'm going to be in trouble soon.

Right?"I will get shit if I don't do well in front of my mother. I just suck at Elemental Magic."

Okay, that's not true. I suck at almost all magic, which is why my mother had talked with me in the first place about her expectations. She'd made it very clear before she left to have peace talks with the shifters that she expected me to vastly improve in at least one area of magic. Though not Metal Magic, as much as I love it, because "no witch respects Metal Magic," but something more important. Something fitting the daughter of the Queen of the Witches. So, I'd chosen Elemental Magic as my area of study… and did about as poorly with it, despite working night and day, as I do with all magic.

"You suck," Wisp whispers, like it's some kind of secret, as she darts past my ear.

"Gee, thanks a lot!" I glare, but I don't really mean it, because I do suck.

Being my mother's daughter, I should have this incredible wealth of magic. But despite the Healers looking me over, they hadn't found a single damn reason to explain why I'm bad at everything, I'm powerful and capable, according to them. A fact that pisses my mom off even more. I think she truly believes I'm choosing to suck at magic. Except, who the hell would choose to suck at the only thing that's important as a witch?

Wisp glows brighter, changing her colors to blue, then purple, and then back to gold, which makes me smile. I've learned so much from Wisp since the day she helped me when I was lost as a little girl. And what she's doing right now is trying to make me feel better because she knows how nervous I am about facing the wrath of my mom.

"You can't cheer me up with your jokes," I tell her with a sigh. "Thanks for trying though." I stretch, and the scars on my back pull, reminding me exactly what will happen if I upset my mother.

Wisp flickers then dims.

I chew my lip, glance at Wisp, then decide to be honest. "I hate how my mother puts me down just because I'm not as good as everyone else at magic. She's my mother. Shouldn't she… love me in spite of that or something?"

Even though, I mean, I get where she's coming from. I'm like a shifter who can't shift. A vampire without teeth. A monster without bloodlust. Or a fae without, well, their weirdo magic.

"Hate mom!" she says gruffly, flitting in my face and landing on my nose.

Yeah, Wisp doesn't like my mom. She never has. I know for a fact that's why she's never let my mom see her… even though she has her own reasons for not letting others see her. She's just not a "people person." But with my mom, it's personal.

I sigh. "Right again!" I stare out over the water, feeling some of my sadness fading away. This lake, this spot, it's so calm and peaceful. Meanwhile, I feel like chaos walking all the damn time. If my magic is going to work anywhere, it might be here.

"Let me try some magic."

Closing my eyes, I focus my breathing. I need to be like the water to control the water. I open my eyes, snap my fingers, and command, "Water!"

There's no change.

Let me be more specific.I stare intently at the body of water before me and bellow, "Lake!"

Nothing.

I clench my fists, then take a deep breath. I can't get frustrated. I have to be serene and peaceful. I'm like the water. Cool. Still. Flowing.

"When you get into water, you get WET!" I say, emphasizing the last word.

Still nothing. Sigh.

With another deep breath, I focus on drawing my power to the surface. I feel it. It's a warmth inside of me that's soothing and powerful all at once. My magic. I love it and hate it all at once because feeling it means that it's definitely there. So why do I have so much trouble accessing it?

Come on, I can do this. "Dripping wet! Soaking wet! Lake! Water!" Then, I stare at the unmoving water below me.

Nothing.

I'm cool. I'm calm. I have depth. Fish swim in me. Plants grow in me. "Moist! Super moist! Uh, dripping moist."

Ugh.I shudder. That's the worst word ever. Who even invented that word?

"Moist, moist, moist!" Wisp floats around my ear screeching the word over and over again in her tinny little voice.

I swat at her and try to quiet her down. She flies right up to my face, so I can see the smile plastered on her tiny, plump face, which, of course, melts my witchy heart. Even if she is trying to get under my skin.

We both freeze when some unseen change sweeps over our quiet area. I'm about to ask Wisp what it could be when a man and woman appear on the shore of the lake, right underneath us. I shush the will-o'-wisp as I lean forward, trying to figure out who they are and what they're doing here. It's summer, which means prime swimming weather, but it's a little early in the morning for swimmers.

Then, I recognize the girl. Edna. A fellow witch. Of course she'd show up here when I'm failing miserably with my magic to remind me of everything I'm supposed to be. I don't begrudge her it. I'm glad she's good at magic, tall, blonde, skinny, and beautiful. It's just that… sometimes I see myself in the mirror. Painfully short. Black hair. Brown eyes. And I think, if I could be just a little like Edna. Just a little prettier. Just a little better at socializing. Just a little better at magic. Then I think I'd be a lot happier, and that my mother would like me a little bit.

But that's not going to happen. Edna, and the rest of the witches, will continue to make my life hell, and I'll continue to act like I'm oblivious to it all. They can't have power over me unless I let them.

Edna pushes the guy roughly toward the lake, and he pulls off his shirt. I frown, wondering why they're in such a rush for a swim, and shake my head. Them swimming isn't my problem. It's probably time I told them I was here, even if that means I'll instantly ruin their swim. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's ruining a good time.

But before I can speak, Edna takes off her whole dress, followed by her bra and underwear. My jaw drops, and then he's taking his pants off. I almost look away, almost, when his dick springs out. Now, I'm staring. Openly staring. I've never seen a man's dick before. It's erect, but only a few inches long, with hairy skin sacks hanging beneath it like wet bags of porridge.

Gross. Shit. Is that really what a dick is supposed to look like?

"Are they all like that? It seems… small," I whisper, trying to hide my horror.

"Seems small," the will-o'-wisp tells me knowingly, matching my volume.

"And hairy."

"Hairy," Wisp says in a disturbed tone.

Okay, so they're not all that tiny and hairy. That's a relief.

Which is when I remember that I should have spoken up before they got naked. If I speak up now, I'll embarrass them, and Edna will have even more of a reason to hate me. So, what to do? What to do? I guess I can just wait until they're… done, right? This shouldn't take long. I imagine sex is what, ten seconds? Enough time for him to finish? Isn't that how it usually goes with animals? I'm not sure. I've never stared while they went at it.

These are more good questions for the blacksmith.

Not having anything else to do, I decide that I may as well watch. Part of me wants to look away, to avert my virgin eyes, but another part finds this whole act fascinating. How do they even know what to do? Is there an instructional guide somewhere that I haven't read yet?

I gawk as Edna and the mystery man feel each other up. "She has big tits."

"Big tits," the will-o'-wisp says, as if agreeing with my words.

"And he seems to like them a lot."

"Likes tits," the will-o'-wisp comments.

"Do most guys?" I ask, looking down at the handful I've been blessed with.

I frown. If men like big boobs, they're not going to be very happy with me. Then I shake my head, trying to shake away the negative self-talk. Someone will like me and my breasts, eventually. When I'm ready. But that won't be any time soon, so I don't have to worry about it.

Edna and the mystery man, probably some guy from the village, are thrusting at each other in the water, their mouths all over each other, like they're trying to suck off each other's faces. I don't get it. I've had crushes before, but I've never felt the need to lick some guy's nostril or flap my boobs against him. Not that my mom would let me waste my time with anything like that, even if I wanted to, or that any boy would look at my terrifying mother and want anything to do with me.

Maybe this is just one of those things I'll understand when I've had sex? I kind of hope not. I kind of hope these two are doing it wrong.

"It's really hot down there," I joke, watching so hard I forget to breathe.

Wisp whispers, "Hot."

"Very hot," I whisper back.

Is this sex?I can't see under the water. Are they officially "doing it" and all that? Can a dick that small even reach Edna in the water? Or does it… like, get bigger now, sprout out like a horse wiener? Or maybe it's like some kind of water creature in a cave that squirts out to attack?

"Squirting and attacking, the motto of every dick."

"Squirt and attack," Wisp says, but she sounds more offended than like she's agreeing with me.

Then, something changes in the air. I sniff, picking up a hint of… smoke? It seems their thrusting and thrashing has made a fire in their pants. Or is that not a real thing? I mean, I've never seen someone with their pants on fire, but maybe that's where the saying comes from?

Except, the smell of smoke intensifies.

"Do you smell smoke?" I turn to my will-o'-wisp. She lights up like a flame and disappears into the air, which is oh so helpful.

I glance around, then scoot back in shock. There's fire burning on a little branch just below me, billowing up smoke and spreading rapidly. How the hell is that possible?

My mind scrambles for an answer, then freezes on one moment. Fuck! I said hot. Is this seriously when my powers decided to work? I guess I can use my Elemental Magic, but only at the worst time possible, which falls in line with most of my powers.

Luckily, the fire is small, small enough that I think I can blow it out. So, I scoot forward again, into the smoke, and start blowing. Which doesn't work. In fact, the fire triples in size within seconds.

Fuck. What can I do now?I'm not about to try my horrible powers again, so my mind starts working. I take off my satchel and beat the fire with it. For one second, I think it's working, but then I realize my actions have only served to push the fire up further into the tree… and my bag is on fire now too.

Holding back, I cling to my bag as flaming leaves fall down on me from above. I hiss as they sting my skin, and flap my arms, trying to keep from lighting on fire. Except, it throws off my balance, and then I'm falling.

A scream tears from my lips as I brace for a few broken bones. Luckily, I don't splatter to the ground. Instead, I fall right into the lake. Of course. I'd forgotten it was there. Surfacing, I spit out water and glance above me at the tree that's properly on fire now.

Someone clears their throat just behind me, and my whole body clenches as I turn around and face Edna and her mystery man. He just looks confused and scared. She looks pissed, no surprise there.

"Uh, sorry, but it seems the tree has caught fire. If you wouldn't mind, uh, helping me with that."

Edna rolls her eyes at me, and with a flourish of her hand, she puts out the fire in the tree. It's no effort for her. None at all. She doesn't even have to say a word; she can just think about what she wants. Because as bad as I am, she's that good, and she knows it. Always has.

Then, the two naked people are just staring at me, while I stand wishing I could just sink beneath the water and disappear. I mean, it's not just that I needed my ass saved from the fire. Both of them have clearly figured out I was in the tree watching them go at it.

My cheeks feel hot. "Uh, thanks, Edna. I think I'll be going." I inch backwards, wincing.

"Who is she?" mystery man asks, more than a touch of annoyance in his voice.

Edna doesn't miss a beat, her voice dripping with disdain. "That's just Princess Tara. A total fucking disappointment."

My heart aches, and I tilt my head. "Nice to meet you." Then I turn and race out of there as fast as I can, silently praying for the world to swallow me up before Edna tells all the other witches what I'd done.

Though I know full well I'm not that lucky.