Fate’s Magical Mishap

Thank you so much to my support team, Liz and Betsy. Betsy read this more times than I think she’s read anything I’ve written and offered helpful hints along the way. Liz has always been suppotive of me and continues.

And, of course, thank you to my own Hades who was both a joy and a terror in my life. So glad you showed me his picture and I brought him home, April.

Originally published in the Transitions anthology.

ONE

Reaching up, I tied my hair back with a blue ribbon that I’d selected because I was working with water before staring down at the glass bowl full of water. “I’m not asking for a great revelation, but a picture would be nice,” I said.

“Talking to it isn’t going to make it do what you want, Seppy,” my sister, Circe, commented from where she was lounging on the chaise our mother had recently added to the workroom. Her ferret, her familiar, chittered at me as if adding her own two cents. Circe ran a hand down her back, but it didn’t settle the animal. Circe had known immediately that the ferret was her familiar with the way it preferred her above anyone. If I opened my Sight just a little, I could see the glow that connected them. I hoped to one day have that connection with my own familiar.

“Don’t call me Seppy,” I snapped in response, rolling my eyes at her. “And talking can’t hurt. If you’re gonna be in here, don’t distract me.”

“Fine. Wouldn’t want the bowl to explode,” Circe muttered. “Oh, you’re gonna be late to work.”

I growled before spinning away from the bowl. “Don’t touch my bowl,” I called over my shoulder before hurrying from the room.

Behind me, I could hear my sister mimic my words. Trying to shrug off my annoyance, I grabbed my shawl from the hook and called out, “I’m going to work, Mama!”

“Be careful!” my mother’s voice floated back to me. My mom’s vampire deer, a strange familiar not just for her looks, but her type, poked her head out of the sitting room and I wiggled my fingers at her. My mother had never done anything the normal way and the appearance of the deer as her familiar hadn’t even caused the coven to bat an eye. Luckily the deer was on the smaller side and didn’t look overly out of place in our house.

I tried not to slam the door in my frustration as I ran out. I was so tired of everyone telling me to be careful, to be easy, to not try that spell. I knew I wasn’t the best at spells. Knew that it was more likely something was going to backfire than work well. Definitely knew that herblore worked much easier for me, but I was tired of not being able to do the things my mother did. Or even what my sister could do. Then again, Circe was the golden child. The heir to the Andreas name.

And I was just the spare.

I sighed as I reached the woods and it started to rain. The skies had been threatening all day, but I really thought it would hold off until after dark. It made my normally easy walk through the woods a bit more treacherous today.

Pulling open the door to the Mythos, I shook my shawl off my shoulders and hung it up on the hook designed for it, whispering the incantation that dried the garment without dripping on the floor. “Hi, Percy,” a cheerful voice called out to me.

“Hi, Litavis,” I called back. “Sorry I’m late.”

“You’re fine, darling.” Litavis bustled out of the kitchen, a trail of teapots bobbing through the air behind her. Flittering among the floating teapots was the small songbird who was Litavis’s familiar. I smiled at the sight of Litavis’s skill exhibited so easily. As the pots settled into place on each table, she asked, “Well? Are you planning just to stand there? Or did you come to work?”

I hurried across the room, lifting my apron from the hook and tying it around my waist. “How many are coming for the tea today?” I asked as I reached for the plates to set them on the table.

“A group of fifteen, so not full, but enough people.”

Litavis had set on the idea years ago to open a tea shop where natural humans could come and see magic used. She’d hired me when I turned sixteen, allowing me to create my own brews and teas using herblore. Now that I was nineteen and had experienced almost everything that working in the tearoom could offer, I was the one who people came to when they wanted teas for different reasons.

The tea parties were something different though. People came in for a traditional English tea that was crafted by witches. The teapots floated, the cups sang, and people begged for more. Although the more complicated magic escaped me, I could still do simple charms. Even if they sometimes backfired. Now I finished setting the tables, then headed into the kitchen to see what still needed to be done.

All too soon, I heard the excited chatter of the patrons of the day. Smiling, I put the last garnish on the plate and whispered the small charm that levitated it. Sometimes my life was a movie.

Entering the main room, I saw Litavis directing people to seats. I sent the plate sailing towards the table where some of the other tea treats were set up before returning to the kitchen for more.

The kettles warbled merrily, announcing that their water was hot and that was my next task, to carefully pour water into each teapot so that the next round was ready when Litavis called for it. A simple spell kept the pots warm as they waited their turns.

Satisfied that my tasks were complete, I re-entered the tearoom, looking to help with the service.

* * * * * *

Litavis breathed a sigh of relief as the last patron finished her thank yous and headed out the door. Turning towards me, she commented, “I took some orders for special blends before you came in. Do you mind starting on those for the rest of your shift?”

I smiled. “Of course not.” Moving towards the small desk, I picked up the sheets of parchment and read through them. Litavis liked to cater to the ideas that normals had of witches so she made her notes at the teashop with quill and parchment. I knew that the older witch had a brand-new smart phone that she used for everyday tasks.

Looking the notes over, I saw that the blends were simple; things I could make with my eyes closed. Still, it was something I was talented with and I enjoyed the challenges that some of the requests brought.

Taking the notes with me, I headed to my little work area. Litavis had allowed me to design it to my liking. A waist high oak work table dominated the area. Above it were shelves and cupboards with all the implements, including the leaves and tins, I would need to mix the teas. Lining six tins up in front of me, I began to create the teas.

As I was finishing closing up the last tin, the bell above the door tinkled. I turned away from my work to find a patron just stepping into the room. Brushing off my hands, I hurried towards her. “May I help you?” I asked.

She glanced around before saying, “I’d like some tea? Some… special tea?”

I smiled. “Then you’ve come to the right place.” Indicating one of the chairs, I continued, “Why don’t you tell me what you’re looking for?”

Stuttering and stammering, she finally got out her request. An easy blend, to make herself more fertile, but something that always seemed to embarrass the requester. It was a simple enough tea to create. As I worked, I chatted easily about anything that I could think of. The weather, animals, the new library that would open soon. By the time I was finished, the woman was much more relaxed. I packed the leaves into a tin and accepted the payment, handing over the tin. “Make sure you don’t steep it for more than four minutes,” I cautioned. “Blessing on you.”

She clutched the tin to her chest. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

I nodded, watching as she hurried out of the shop. Sometimes I wondered if it was better when witches weren’t well-known, when we could hide in the shadows, and didn’t accept monetary payments for our work. Then I always remembered the stories my mother had told me about Salem and the Inquisition. And I knew it was better that we were known, that we had protection. That we could call the police or hire a lawyer if we needed it. That we could openly practice.

And I realized the world was better and safer for us.

Onward to Part Two