Magic? The thought sends a shiver down my spine. I mean, who wouldn't want to learn it? I slowly nod my head, excitement mixed with trepidation.

"Right," Leonora says, holding up her index finger. She points to the Triskelion tattooed on her wrist. "You have to go over the symbol three times." Her finger traces the three spirals on her wrist, but only once. I watch intently.

A high-pitched whistle interrupts our conversation. The kettle's boiling. "Ah, tea is ready," Leonora announces, rising gracefully from her seat. With her back to me, she fetches teacups from a nearby cabinet. I seize the moment, taking a pen and tracing Leonora's lines on a piece of paper, over and over again, making sure I learn how to draw the symbol of the Triskelion.

"Is this right?" I ask, glancing up at Leonora. She turns around and sees me retracing the Triskelion. One of the cups in her hands crashes to the floor, shattering into pieces. Wide-eyed, she reaches out in an attempt to stop me. "Don't! You'll—!"

But I don't catch the rest of her words. Suddenly, Leonora is completely frozen, as if time itself has stopped. The other cup she was holding is now in mid-air, leaving a trail of tea floating in the air. Confused and frightened, I get up and try to touch her, but my hand goes through her as if I'm some kind of ghost. What the hell?

I turn back to the desk with a shudder, only to see myself sitting there. My body, too, seems frozen in the chair, perfectly still. Panic begins to set in. What's happening to me? What did I do?

"Leonora!" I cry out, desperate for her to hear me, but she remains motionless. I glance at the Triskelion on the paper and my heart races. Did I do this? Is this magic?

I blink, disoriented by the sudden change in my surroundings. Everything's eerily silent. Even the crackling of the fire is gone. The flames are frozen in time, and so is Nyx, lying on the sofa. My gaze drifts to Leonora once again and then I notice something else – a gigantic cherry tree has appeared in the room just behind her, its branches laden with white blossoms.

"How...?," I mutter, staring up at the enormous trunk that now takes up most of the space. A hole gapes in the ceiling where the tree seems to have burst through. Embedded in the wide trunk is a door. My heart skips a beat. That's... my front door!

Hurrying over, I confirm my suspicion – it's the slightly crooked number 9 from our house in Nottinghamshire. The only difference is a Triskelion drawn in white paint above the nine. What on earth does this mean?

"Only one way to find out," I murmur, grasping the doorknob and pushing. The door remains stubbornly locked. Almost instinctively, I reach into my pocket and find the key to my house. I insert it into the lock, turning it twice to the left, and the door finally gives in.

As I open it, I hear the sound of wind rustling through leaves. Without thinking, I step over the threshold, leaving Leonora's room behind.

"Whoa!" I exclaim as I find myself in the heart of a lush forest. Warm light filters through the treetops, casting dappled shadows on the moss-covered ground. The air is humid and cool, and mushrooms sprout here and there. Yet, what captures my attention are the floating specks of multicoloured light, dancing all around me.

"This is so beautiful!" I exclaim, feeling a sudden wave of happiness wash over me. The lush forest and the magical specks of light are mesmerising.

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I take a deep breath, savouring the cool, humid air before moving closer to examine one of the orange specks caught on a branch. As I bring my face near, it emits a sharp squeak. It's not just a speck of light – it's a tiny luminescent creature!

"Wicked," I whisper. The creature has a head shaped like a Brussels sprout with two round eyes, a stubby body, and a long tail ending in the shape of a leaf. It seems ready to flee, watching me warily.

"Hello there," I say softly, inching my face closer. Suddenly, it punches me in the nose, jumps to the ground, and scampers away. It doesn't hurt, but I can't help but shout, "Hey!"

"Cheeky little thing," I mumble, rubbing my nose.

Catching something out of the corner of my eye, I turn to my right and spot a red door standing in the middle of the forest. "Wait, this door looks familiar..." I realise it's the door to our house in Warwick. Curious, I explore further and find more doors – each one from a different home we've left behind, even some from my old schools.

"Is this some sort of joke?" I frown, feeling a flicker of frustration. All these doors are from my past. When I was a child, Dad and I moved all the time. I hated it, and yet here they are, taunting me. But there's no time to dwell on that now. Shaking my head, I notice a clearing up ahead with a small hill. Perhaps I can get a better view from there.

As I trudge along the path, my energy wanes. My breath grows heavier, and exhaustion seeps into my bones. It feels like an eternity before I finally reach the hill, where a majestic apple tree stands, laden with plump, red apples. For a moment, I'm spellbound by its beauty; but something's not right. I sense a darkness, an unsettling presence swirling around the tree trunk. Cautiously, I take a step forward.

"Who... Who's there?" I call out, my voice shaky. Silence greets me, yet the eerie sensation remains. Louder this time, I repeat, "Who's there?"

Without warning, a large, elongated creature drops from the tree with a thud. It slithers towards me, the blackness of its body so deep it makes my head spin. A purplish glow emanates from it as it leaves behind a slimy, vile trail. Though it somewhat resembles a snake, it lacks scales, and its face is hidden behind a wooden mask – four holes revealing ghostly white eyes devoid of pupils.

My heart races, but before I can react, the creature wraps itself around my feet. In a childlike, high-pitched, raspy voice it speaks, as if it's borrowing it from someone but doesn't yet know how to use it.

"Welcome, Eileen Wildcherry." The creature's voice sends shivers down my spine, yet there's no discernible mouth from which it speaks. As it rears up towards my face, I notice the crooked smile carved into its wooden mask. My heart pounds in my chest, but I force myself to remain calm. The creature's grasp is painless, but sickening to the touch.

"How do you know my name?" I ask, voice shaky.

"Knowledge is power, they say. It’s a pleasure to welcome you to the Forest of Souls on your very first visit," the creature replies. "Or, as your kind calls it, Wispwood."

So this world is where Wisps live? Are these the creatures that grant witches their powers?

"Are you a Wisp?" I ask, trying to keep the tremor from my voice.

The creature utters a high, dissonant laugh, and the rings in its body vibrate. "Yes, Eileen. One of many, for now. Would you like to know my name?" Its white eyes glow for an instant.

I can barely breathe with this creature pressing against me. Its white eyes, devoid of pupils, stare into my soul. The wooden mask adorned with a crooked smile sends shivers down my spine. As much as I want to run until it's out of sight, I'm ashamed to admit that my curiosity is piqued. Who is this sinister being? Is it toying with me, like a cat plays with a mouse before devouring it?

"Is this a trick?" I ask, my voice quivering.

"Oh, wow. You offend me," the creature laughs again – a sound that makes my skin crawl. "I have more than one name, but you can call me Aereda."

I don't like this Wisp. My instincts scream for me to run, but I can't seem to move. "Can you let go of me?" I plead. "I have to go."

"Do you want to leave so soon?" Aereda answers in his hideous little voice, his body tightening around my feet. "Don't you want to chat with me for a while?"

"No, thanks. I have to go..." I reply, trying to maintain some semblance of control over the situation.

"Aren't you hungry?" it asks, and something about its tone leaves me feeling uneasy.

Like it's the kind of thing it would say right before lunging forward and biting my head off.