Page 46 of The Soulless Witch

Celeste

“Wasthisplacealwayshere?” Lily asked when we stopped in front of the magic shop huddled between two towering buildings. With the sun up and the pleasant weather pulling everyone out of their houses, the shop looked even more inconspicuous with people coming in and out from the buildings nearby.

“Yes, but it’s spelled so humans don’t pay attention to it. Only those who come specifically to look for it can find it,” I replied as I climbed the two small steps leading to the door. Jake was looking at the storefront with his mouth open, hand reaching to touch one of the magical symbols drawn on the glass. I caught his wrist just in time, and he gave me a startled look. “Better not touch anything, alright? You don’t want to accidentally lose a finger.”

His face paled, and he nodded obediently.

The shop was just as I remembered—the light muted, the smells strong, and the desk at the back empty. The only difference this time was that we weren’t the only visitors. Another witch was rocking on her heels with her hands clasped behind her back, her eyes examining the top shelves of the wall opposite the door. Curly black hair fell in tangled locks around her shoulders, and when she turned at the sound of the bell, I noticed she was wearing big, round glasses on the tip of her nose.

“I’ll be right with you!” a female voice came from the back room so I stopped by the window, keeping a hand on Jake’s shoulder. The runes on their necks—runes they had willingly accepted—should have been enough to protect them from regular spells, but I didn’t want to test that theory just yet. Luckily for us, the other witch was too busy gawking to reach for her magic.

“You’re her!” she gasped, and I was forced to stop ignoring her. She took a step toward us, but then she paused when I narrowed my eyes. She took in Lily and Jake with light curiosity before focusing on me. “I’ve only heard rumors that you’ve awakened again, but to run into you? What luck!”

I was about to say that luck wasn’t the word many would use, when the old woman who ran the place appeared through the back door, carrying a big box wrapped neatly in a dark cloth. Patting it gently, she looked at the dark-haired woman.

“It’s all in here, Miss Mariam. Thank you for your purchase.” Her voice was polite, but impatient, as if she couldn’t wait to get rid of the woman. I wondered if it was because her granddaughters were in the back again, or maybe this Mariam person wasn’t as sweet as she looked. “Have a safe journey back home.”

“Oh, I’ll be staying until Samhain,” Mariam replied excitedly, sliding her hand over the box. “But thank you, I appreciate it. And so does my Coven.” She inclined her head in gratitude, and the older woman did the same.

The old witch switched her attention to my companions, then to me.

“What do you need, Miss?”

I nudged Jake toward his sister, pulling the list of ingredients from my pocket before handing it to the woman. She read through it, muttering the names of the herbs as if trying to commit them to memory, then returned the paper and disappeared in the back. I looked at the other witch, who was still lingering for some reason, only to find her watching me with curiosity.

“Those ingredients,” she said, cocking her head to the side, “are for accelerating healing and magic recovery. I’d think someone of your caliber wouldn’t worry about something like that.” I met her eyes head-on, holding her gaze even if my heart was trying to burst through my chest. She still didn’t reach for her magic. “I guess even the most powerful witch in the world needs a bit of a boost sometimes, eh?”

“Do I know you?” I asked, trying to keep the sharpness out of my voice. She finally picked up her parcel, grunting under its weight, and she turned to face me.

“Unfortunately, no. I was born after you…well, died. The last time,” she added with an awkward chuckle. “My name is Mariam Castle. I’m part of the Coven of the Silver Flame. It’s an honor to meet you!”

I sucked in a sharp breath, and before I knew it, I was taking a step back.

“Castle? As in Moira Castle?” I asked, and the way her eyes lit up was answer enough.

“Yes! That’s my grandmother!” I had to force myself to stay still and keep my expression blank. Of all the people I could meet, how did I run into the Castle bloodline? This woman, did she know she was one of the few people in this entire world I couldn’t hurt, even if I was in full power? Was that why she was acting so confident? “Did you know my grandmother? She died before I was born, but I’ve heard stories about her and the objects she made in her life. I strive to be just like her!”

When I didn’t reply, Mariam’s smile withered a little. I heard Lily and Jake approach, so I made sure to stand between them and the other witch in case she tried something.

“You don’t have to be so wary of me,” Mariam said with a note of apology, the parcel in her hands slacking against her hip. “I know that my Coven is not exactly forthcoming, and they almost got you killed several times, but things have changed since then. Witches have changed. There are fewer of us now, and keeping the Flame burning takes most of our attention. We won’t do you any harm, and if you ever need something made, I will be happy to work with you. I’m not as skilled as my grandmother, but I’m a fast learner.” Her eyes went to the door where the shopkeeper appeared, and Mariam smiled. “This isn’t the time to stand divided. Dark tides are coming.” The old witch stopped, giving her a weary look, and for a few seconds the store was perfectly quiet, the only sounds coming from the cars and people outside. “Well, I’ll be off. I hope to see you both on Samhain! I don’t know many people around here, and I’d be thrilled to see some familiar faces.”

The bell rang as the door closed shut behind her. When I looked back at the old shopkeeper, she was placing a pair of paper bags on top of the counter.

“I didn’t have the full amount ofSolomon's Sealyou required, but I put in there what I had. I’m expecting another supply right before Samhain,” she said, nudging the bags toward me and glancing at the door again. “A lot of witches have been coming over these days. With Samhain approaching, it’s not that surprising, but I have a feeling that something else is going on. A lot of them are buyingChimera Bone Ash. I had to restock twice.” I frowned, looking up at the jar with delicate purple powder just above my head.Chimera Bone Ashwasn’t needed in the potions and spells for Samhain, and it had very few uses in regular magic. And the potions that required it…

A warning. She was warning me.

“Thank you,” I said, meeting her eyes. Previously clouded with fear and hate, she looked at me with worry now. “I suggest you get your granddaughters out of the city for Samhain. These celebrations can get messy sometimes.”

“I will.” She smiled weakly, the wrinkles on her face growing deeper. “I’ll take them somewhere quiet to play and rest. We can all use more of that.” Nodding, I picked up the bags and motioned for Lily and her brother that we were leaving. I was just about to step out when the shop owner spoke again. “Watch your back, Ancient one. Dark tides are coming indeed.”

Giving her one last look over my shoulder, I stepped onto the street just as the sun slipped behind a cloud. Lily and Jake were waiting by a shelf holding several potted plants and herbs, pointing at one of the shrubs that had giant red petals with yellow dots on them. Jake reached to touch it, and I sent a whisk of magic to grab his hand. He let out a surprised yelp, looking at his fingers in shock.

“What did I say about touching? That thing will give you a nasty rash for a month.” I sighed, releasing his hand. “Don’t you know that the plants and animals with the brightest colors are usually the deadliest?”

“Don’t lump me up with him! I wasn’t going to touch it!” Lily grinned sheepishly.

“You just bet me twenty dollars to do it!” Jake complained, elbowing his sister at her side. “You’re so mean!”

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