Tess sat in their hotel room, staring at her cauldron. She was brewing recovery potions for when Tom transformed again. She watched as he sat by the window, staring out into the night. He had been acting off ever since they had gotten back. Destru had really gotten to him. She glanced back at her potion; she had almost forgotten what she had already added to it.
Tess sat on her heels as she contemplated, annoyed with herself. White tea leaves, vanilla beans, honey... she forgot to add the rosemary. Tom’s closest ear swiveled towards her as she rummaged through their shopping bags. At least he was still paying attention to her. She sighed. Why couldn’t she find the herb?
“What are you looking for?” Tom asked, walking over to her, his ears at attention.
“The rosemary,” Tess replied, barely glancing at him. She had noticed his off behavior. His tail wasn’t absentmindedly wagging like it usually did. He knew she was annoyed with him.
Tom went to another bag that had fallen off the bed and pulled some sprigs out of it. “How many do you need?”
“That’ll do.” Tess held out her hand for Tom to give them to her. He walked by the cauldron and dropped them in, ignoring her hand. Tess gaped at him. This was not the Tom she knew at all. Her Tom would’ve never added an ingredient to a potion without asking first. “Okay, what’s your deal?” Tess asked, crossing her arms, glaring at him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tom replied, looking out the window once again.
“Yes, you do,” Tess pressed. She debated between letting the potion sour or going to her friend to find out what was bothering him. Tess let out a frustrated sound, then found a spoon and put it in the pot. She waited for her hand to glow, then waved her arm in a stirring motion. The spoon slowly copied her movements. She watched it for a few moments, then walked over to Tom.
“Tom?” Tess put a hand on his shoulder.
Tom glanced at Tess, then sighed, looking at her. His ears drooped down. “I’m just worried is all,” Tom attempted a smile.
“About what?” Tess pressed. She didn’t want to bring up what Destru had said to them earlier, even though she was curious.
Tom was about to respond when he got splashed with liquid. “With that!” Tom lunged towards the cauldron. The spoon was stirring at an uncontrollable speed, forcing the potion to slosh out of the sides. “Tess!” Tom called as the spoon continued to stir with his hands on it.
Tess held her hand in the spoon’s direction and closed her eyes. She concentrated on the spoon and pictured it slowing down. She cracked an eye open to see that Tom was now holding the stopped spoon, absolutely soaked in the potion. “I’m so sorry,” Tess tried not to laugh at the situation.
Tom shook his head before breaking out into a grin. “Well, if I can’t drink it I might as well bathe in it.” Tom picked up the cauldron and carried it to the bathroom. Tess heard him pour the liquid into the bathtub after he closed the door. She looked around the room, noticing how much potion got on the walls and other things in the room. “Guess I’m cleaning,” Tess muttered to herself as she got a rag out of her bags and cleaned up all the spilled liquid.
-----
Tom left the bathroom with a refreshed sigh, “I feel so much better.” He grinned as he saw Tess sitting in the chair he had occupied earlier. She was sitting with her chin propped on one of her knees. The other one dangled off the chair as she was reading one of the few books she owned. “Essence of Herbs,” Tom read, as he sat on the nearby bed. “Don’t you have that book memorized yet?”
Tess glanced over at him when she responded. “There are herbs in the area that I can’t get elsewhere, so I figured I could read up on them.” She read a few seconds longer, then closed the book. “Do I get to brew some more potions now?”
“Sure,” Tom got up and brought the cauldron back into the room. “What are you going to make now?”
“I found a good anti seasick potion in one of my books I thought of trying.” Tess pulled another book over to her and flipped through the pages. “I also found a warming one, too.”
“That sounds like it has potential,” Tom agreed. “Do you have all the ingredients?”
“I have most of them, but I’m missing this one,” Tess pointed towards a picture in her book. “I’ve never seen this plant before.”
“Rhizanthella Gardneri,” Tom read. “I don’t think I’ve heard of that one. Maybe we can ask a local and see if they’ve heard of it.”
“Good idea,” Tess grinned. “Do you think that mermaid receptionist would have an idea?”
“Maybe you should ask her for seaweed,” Tom ruffled Tess’ hair as he walked past her and laid on his bed. “How late will you be staying up?”
“I’m getting tired. I might head to bed soon. Most of these have to sit all night, anyway.”
“Don’t be enchanting anymore spoons,” Tom smirked as Tess rolled her eyes. Turning back to the cauldron and getting it prepped for her next potion.
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Tess rubbed her eyes as she sat next to her cauldron. Tom snored softly in his bed, his tail wagging as he dreamed. Tess added another item to her brew, making a small cloud of green puff out of the liquid. She checked her recipe book once more to make sure she was almost done. She smiled sleepily, as she realized she only had to stir the pot a few more times, then it could steep until morning.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Yawning, Tess stood up and stretched, looking for her spoon. She finally found it in the bathroom, where Tom had left it. She went back to the cauldron and stirred it a few times. Once she was satisfied with the mixed liquid, she put the spoon on a towel. She then went to close the curtains so she could fall asleep.
Tess began pulling the curtains closed, then stopped for a second, looking out the window. She thought she had seen a dancing light. Tess continued looking out the window, trying to make sure she hadn’t been seeing things. Pixies could light up at night, but she was certain it wasn’t a pixie light she had seen. She started when she saw movement behind a house. A figure was walking around with fire in their hands.
Fire in their hands... Tess finished closing the curtain, but her brain finally woke up enough to realize what she had seen. Someone was walking around with fire in their hands! Another witch, most likely! Tess looked at Tom to see he hadn’t noticed her excitement. What should she do? Sneak out and find the person? Or stay in the room and pretend she had seen nothing.
Tess glanced at Tom once more, then grabbed the key to the room. She opened the door, then closed it without making a sound. After she was certain Tom was still asleep, she walked down the hallway as fast as she dared. There was a receptionist in the lobby, but they didn’t pay her much attention as she walked out into the fresh night air. Tess looked around the street, trying to remember where she had seen the light. “Fire, fire,” she muttered to herself, then turned to her left. Their room was in that direction, after all.
She was losing hope when she didn’t find the person after searching for almost an hour. Sighing, she sat on a nearby crate, debating on if she should continue searching, or go back to her room.
“Where is the master meeting tonight?” a soft voice whispered. Tess tilted her head, trying to locate the voice.
“On the hill,” a second voice answered. The voices seemed detached from anything that could make noise.
A flame. Tess sat up, making sure her mind hadn’t been making her see things, then she started following the flame. It didn’t appear to be attached to anything, but was contained in something. Tess followed from a short distance away. She wasn’t certain of how she was going to address the flame. How do you address fire? She thought to herself, intrigued.
The flame wove its way through town, bobbing through alleyways and market streets. They went by the docks, then began winding their way out of town. Tess began feeling nervous. Should she be following the flame? What would Tom do if she wasn’t in the room when he woke up? What was causing the fire? Could she make the fire? Or could she touch the fire? Tess looked around and noticed she was becoming surrounded by the fires. Where had they come from?
Tess looked at her hand and attempted to envision a flame in it. Energy tingled in her hand, making a soft glow. It smoked for a few seconds, then flickered out. Maybe she was too tired for this. Although her magic wasn’t supposed to come in for a few more years.
“Here you can share mine,” a voice floated into her ear as a flame stopped by her.
Tess looked at the flame and looked up to see a woman with an old, haggard face. She smiled at Tess, grabbing her flame and splitting it in two. “Here, take part of mine,” she offered it to her.
“Thank you,” Tess stuttered out, cupping the flame in her hand. It was acting like her father’s orb, alive yet not fully sentient. Where did this woman come from? She thought as she watched the flame dance in her hand. She looked back up to see the flames were ahead of her, the woman no longer in view.
“Wait!” Tess called, running after the flames as they continued up the hill. She struggled to keep up with them. They were so far ahead of her. They finally came to a clearing in the trees. The flames surrounded a big rock stage that was filled with carvings. Tess looked around to see what seemed like a hundred flames. So many witches.
One flame walked up the stage and turned to face the crowd. A hand reached up out of nowhere and pulled a hood down, revealing a face. They were wearing invisibility cloaks. That’s why she couldn’t see them! Tess watched from the edge of the trees, not wanting to disturb an obvious ritual that they did not invite her to. She hated when Tom would walk in on her rituals. She couldn’t imagine walking in on such a big one herself.
She looked up upon hearing a bird call. A crow. It flew and landed on the presenter’s shoulder, its beak acting as if it was telling secrets. After a few moments, it finished its secret and flew off. Tess watched in wonder, still cupping her hands to keep her flame safe from any winds that tried to blow it out.
“Sisters and brothers of the elements,” the person on the stage announced, raising their hands. “Today we celebrate the coming of the High Priestess!”
The crowd murmured. Tess wasn’t sure if they were good murmurs or not. Did the ritual change randomly? Could you do that? She didn’t change her rituals at the last minute often, because they rarely worked if she did.
“I have gotten word that the High Priestess is not far,” the speaker continued. “We all know that when she comes of age, we will all-”
“Lass, tis not safe here,” a hand grabbed Tess’ shoulder while covering her mouth, so she wouldn’t scream.
Tess grabbed at the hand on her mouth as the flame in her hand went out. She turned and was ready to defend herself when she saw Destru. “Destru?” Tess whispered. The crowd behind her was getting excited at whatever was happening on stage.
“You’re not safe here,” Destru grabbed her hand, and began pulling her out of the forest. “Where’s your mate?”
“Tom?” Tess asked, confused. “He’s back at the hotel. What are you doing out here?”
“I saw you walking on the docks in a trance. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Destru glanced back at her, trying to make sure she didn’t stumble. “Good thing I did, too. It looked like they were going to do a sacrifice ritual.”
“S-Sacrifice?” Tess felt sick. If she would’ve gone into the clearing, would they have sacrificed her? “I thought those kinds of rituals were banned.”
“They are, but there are those that wish harm on others,” Destru explained. They were finally on the docks. Tess wasn’t sure how to explain it, but the salt air seemed to calm her nerves a little. She looked up at Destru’s concerned face. “Are you certain you’re okay?”
Tess examined herself, checking for scrapes or anything that hadn’t been on her before. Destru and Tess’ heads whipped towards the way they had come from when a scream rose into the air. “I-I think so,” Tess looked back towards Destru, her face turned white. “Thank you Destru.”
“Shall I walk you back to your place of residence?” Destru gave a toothy grin while offering his arm. He saw Tess shaking from her experience. He placed an arm on her shoulder to calm her down.
“Yes, please,” she squeaked out. It terrified her that someone could follow them and drag her back to be sacrificed.
Destru walked Tess back to the entrance of the hotel. He gave her a deep bow while twirling his hat before walking back to his ship. Tess grinned, realizing she was extremely tired. She walked back up to her room to see Tom was still asleep. She laid in her bed, her mind still reeling. After a while, she sat up and looked towards Tom. He had rolled to his side, still snoring away. Tess got up and moved to his bed, curling up next to him. Completely oblivious that Tom had seen Destru and her outside, she felt calm when his arms wrapped around her waist, falling asleep within minutes.