Chapter 1
IVY
I looked back over my shoulder, knowing full well that I wouldn’t see anyone. After weeks of having my magic stripped bit by bit, I’d come to realize I wouldn’t be able to sense my predator. However, the latest drain of my magic this evening had me in an illogical panic so I was still desperately trying to catch a glimpse of something that could signal what was after me.
It was late in the evening, the road was quiet and mostly dark, only illuminated by a single flashing streetlight on the fritz. The cobblestoned street narrowed and the tall brick buildings I was surrounded by were sitting closer and closer together as I ventured towards Reyna’s.
I didn’t know Reyna personally, but her reputation amongst the community had me hopeful that she’d be able to help. Through a few contacts I’d made since I’d arrived in town, I was able to connect with her. We had spoken on the phone for just a few minutes before she demanded I come see her at once. Twenty minutes later I was arriving at her shop. An aged fluted hanging sign confirmed I was in the right place, The Magical Florist.
There was a single light on in the floral shop and several more in the apartment above, the only building showing life at that hour. I walked up the few steps to the entrance and knocked, not seeing anyone through the glass window to the shop. I looked down both ends of the street as I waited. The evening breeze sent a shiver up my spine. I rubbed my hands along my arms, wishing I hadn’t forgotten to grab a jacket in my hurry out the door. It was late spring; the days were warm while the nights still required more than the t-shirt I was wearing.
The door swung open to a tall, pale, elderly woman in a long billowing navy dress. In human years, she looked to be over 60 but with a witch, you never knew, she could be centuries old.
“Come in Ivy, quickly!” she urged, motioning for me to enter the shop. Her demeanor was frantic and all business, not wasting a moment for pleasantries or hospitality.
I stepped inside and surveyed the small shop. It had old wooden floors and walls to match, made up of long reclaimed planks of wood. The store was full of flowers and greenery occupying the ceilings, walls, tables, and floors. It didn’t look like there was much room for customers to maneuver around the space.
Reyna looked through the window, down both sides of the street before locking the door and saying, “follow me.”
I followed her towards the back of the shop, angling myself to avoid bumping into any pots or plants. We walked through a dark hall with two curtain covered doorways before entering another room, larger than the storefront. The room was warmly lit with dozens of candles along mantles and surrounding a large oriental rug laying across the floor. Unlike the front of house, the room was well organized with shelves along the walls. In glancing around I noted many old books and scrolls, talismans, crystals, a broken crystal ball and many jars of tea leaves, herbs, and objects in liquids I couldn’t quite make out.
“Sit here,” Reyna pointed to a place on the rug across from an open grimoire. Reyna picked up a wide shallow bowl from the floor and quickly moved around the room gathering different ingredients and liquids into the bowl before seating herself across from me in front of the open book.
I’d been told that Reyna was a powerful soothsayer and someone well respected amongst the witches in the community. I wasn’t sure if looking into my future was going to lead me to a solution or simply confirm my demise but I was desperate at this point.
Reyna stretched her arm out with her palm up, motioning for me to put my hand in hers. As soon as I rested my hand in hers, she pulled me by the wrist till my arm was extended and hand held over the bowl. Before I knew what was happening, she picked up a blade and put a tiny slit in my finger, releasing a drop of my blood into the bowl. I gasped in surprise at the fresh pain in my finger. Ignoring my reaction, she released my hand back to me and used her index and middle finger to stir the contents of the bowl.
I watched her as she leaned closer to the bowl, her look intensifying, as she continued to stir and look into the mixture while mumbling an incantation I couldn’t follow.
After a moment, her eyes slid shut and she inhaled deeply. Suddenly, her head and torso shot back from the bowl so that she was now sitting up, her posture rigidly straight. Her eyes had reopened, wide, and were covered with a milky glaze, her pupils and irises barely visible.
I didn’t dare say a word. I tried to keep myself perfectly still as Reyna was deep in a vision. I could feel her magic humming around us and traveling through me. The sensation sent a tingle through my whole body. It was both stimulating and comforting; I was in safe company with Reyna.
For several minutes she spoke under her breath, it was neither loud nor intelligible enough for me to know what she was saying. I watched her expressions closely as if that might give me some indication of what she was seeing or hearing. Her brows furrowed for a few moments before her face returned to an even expression.
Suddenly, Reyna threw her arm against the side of the bowl, spilling the contents across the floor and wall as she let out a horrified gasp. The glaze had cleared from her eyes and she jumped up and grabbed me by the wrist, pulling me to get up.
“You must leave!” she shouted as she pulled me towards the doorway.
“But –,” I stuttered, shocked by her sudden outlash.
“You are in grave danger and we’re both at risk with you being here!” her voice was serious and fearful as she continued to drag me back down the hall we entered.
“What did you see!” I yelled, trying to pull my arm out of her grasp and get some insight into what just happened.
She stopped in the storefront and with a wave of the hand not holding my wrist, she shut off every light in the brownstone. She turned to me and yanked my wrist towards her so that she could get as close as possible to me.
“You were right, there is something very dark following you, siphoning your magic,” she whispered in my ear with a shaky voice. She pulled away slightly so that our faces were just a couple inches apart but that I could see the terror across her face.
“What do I do – what did you see!” I pressed, desperate for help and nearly in tears at this point.
She put both her hands on the sides of my face, looking at me intensely and forcing me to hear her final words, “Go to the Draders, Ivy. I don’t have any more answers, don’t come back here,” she said firmly before letting go of my face and pushing me out the front door.
I stumbled down the stairs as I was thrown back into the cool evening air. I turned to look back at the door that was slammed and locked behind me.
