Page 2 of Wayward Witch

"Selene," Lyptico began, his tone as stern as his gaze. "I understand that your curse presents unique challenges, but..." His words trailed off, replaced by a heavy silence that hung between us.

I couldn't push myself to say a thing. Not like it would be the truth, anyway.

"However," he continued, his voice shifting from understanding to reprimand, "you must follow the library's policy. You should have used magic to redirect the patron to someone else."

"How was I supposed to know?" I tried to agree with him, but my words betrayed me like they always did. Even though my voice was barely audible even to myself, I knew he heard every one of them. "The policy isn’t useful and they should be banned from the library."

"Regardless of whatever you're trying to say," he interrupted, his eyes narrowing as he continued. "You must remember that the library relies heavily on its reputation and the approval of the local witches."

I lowered my gaze, feeling a mix of guilt and frustration as his words sank in. My lie-laden tongue was a constant drawback, leaving me at a disadvantage in every interaction.

"Any dissatisfaction among the witches could have serious consequences for the library," Lyptico continued, his voice aharsh reminder of how precarious and renowned our spell library was. I knew he was right, but it stung all the same.

"I don’t care," I whispered, fighting back tears as I tried to fight for my job.

"It would benefit you to cast a silencing spell before you come into work. If this happens again, I’ll have no choice but to let you go." Lyptico warned, his tone softening ever so slightly as he dismissed me with a nod. "I expect you to find a better way to manage your curse and communicate effectively."

I held my thumb up, not trusting my mouth. Gratitude filled my chest despite his reprimand. I wasn't fired, yet. As I left his office, I knew I had no choice but to use the spell he mentioned. The library was my sanctuary, my home away from home, and I would do whatever it took to protect it. And keep the only job I'd been able to keep for any length of time.

As I made my way back to my desk, I couldn't help but notice the eyes of my colleagues on me. They didn't say anything, but their gazes spoke volumes. I avoided everyone as much as possible on a normal day since I didn’t really communicate with them anyway, but I tried extra hard because I didn't like the extra attention.

"Is everything alright?" one of my coworkers asked hesitantly as I sat down at my desk, careful not to meet their eyes.

"Couldn't be better," I lied, my curse twisting my words as always. I didn't care. They weren't asking because they were worried about me. They were just looking for drama. I only had one friend, and they weren't them.

As the hours wore on, I found myself lost in thought, my mind racing with ideas on how to manage my curse. I'd spent somuch money on failed attempts. I didn't really want to spend more money on something that probably wouldn't work, either. Tomorrow morning, I would try Lyptico’s silence curse.

When I arrived home that evening, Luna, my pet cat and witch's familiar, greeted me. Her soft purrs provided a small comfort amidst the constant turmoil of my life. She rubbed against my legs, her black fur shining in the dim light of my apartment.

"Hey, Luna," I murmured, scooping her up into my arms. "I don’t need your support right now because I had the best day ever." Thankfully, Luna always saw through my lies.

"Meow," she replied, nuzzling against my cheek, her unconditional love washing over me like a balm.

As I prepared for bed, my mind buzzed with thoughts of the future… a future where I could speak freely and live without the fear of driving everyone off. I couldn't know whether it was attainable, but I knew I had to try. I had to have hope… right? And as Luna curled up beside me, her warm presence was a constant reminder that someone loved me unconditionally.

The shrill sound of my alarm invaded my dreams, forcing me back into the reality I dreaded. With a groan, I silenced it and rubbed my eyes, feeling the constant ball of anxiety launch into overdrive for another day. Luna stared at me with her wide green eyes.

"Horrible day, Luna," I muttered, trying to hide my frustration. Why couldn't I even get pleasantries right? "It's always a pleasure to approach the day with the hope I'll be affected by the same curse."

Luna tilted her head, giving me a sympathetic look as she purred and nuzzled against my hip. She had been my constant companion through the years of struggling with this curse, providing silent support and understanding when no one else could. I had one friend, but even she wasn’t impervious to the harm my curse caused. Though she was usually pretty understanding.

I dragged myself out of bed and began my morning routine in preparation for work. As soon as I finished brushing my teeth, I cast the silencing spell on myself that Lyptico recommended toensure I wouldn't accidentally let any lies slip out. Despite how much I wanted or was tempted to help someone.

"Silentium Oris," I whispered, feeling the tingle of magic enveloping my throat. An itchy sensation spread over my vocal cords before they tightened. That was quite uncomfortable. Hopefully, the sensation would loosen up.

With a heavy heart, I grabbed my bag and headed out the door, leaving Luna behind with a silent promise to return later. The walk to the library was lonely, as always, but it allowed me time to mentally prepare myself for the day ahead. That was how I lived life… one miserable day at a time.

As I pushed open the heavy doors, I was greeted by the familiar scent of old books and the faint whispering voices of enchanted texts. A sense of comfort washed over me, momentarily easing the burden of my curse… and my life. The library was my home away from home. It was a place where I could lose myself among the shelves and forget about the world outside. As long as I could keep my distance from inquiring patrons.

"Good morning, Selene," called Marcus, my colleague, as he noticed me entering the library. "You're looking very... nice today."

The tingle in my throat started as soon as I was tempted to open my mouth, but no sound came out. Instead, I waved at Marcus and headed for a row of shelves I'd been working on this week. We'd created a new initiative to restore some of the books and this was the section I was focused on.

Marcus raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. I was thankful he dropped it, even if he didn't know the whole story. As the day wore on, I used magic to help patrons find theappropriate librarian or to wordlessly guide them to the area they were searching for. Thankfully, my magic didn't lie.

The large library doors creaked open, and a mysterious patron entered, shrouded in a dark cloak that concealed their face. While it wasn't completely out of place in a magical library, there was something strange about them. I felt a sudden chill sweep through the room, stirring the pages of the books on the shelves around me. My heart skipped as I watched them bypass the circulation desk and come right to me.

"Excuse me," the patron said, their voice barely audible. "I'm looking for a rare book on ancient curses."

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