The Rise of the Spell Caster

"Pfft," said Daniel. "She'll be following us to make sure we're okay. Right Grace?"

He said the last bit into the air and felt Grace curse across the bond from upstairs in her room in the inn. Oddly, he felt Bitty close by her, as if she were... He grinned.

"Yeah," laughed Amy, sensing what Bitty and Grace were up to. "She will. Come on. Let's go! She'll have opened the store by now."

Minutes later, they all stopped at the door leading into the seamstress shop in Acron. Amber's mother Amanda ran the shop and had for years. She lived above it in a small apartment. Amber turned the knob and pushed open the door. A small bell over the door rang loudly.

"One moment!" shouted a woman from the back room. "I've only just opened."

"Mom? It's me!"

"Amber?" came an excited voice. "Is that really you?" The voice came closer and then a middle-aged woman, with white-grey hair, and a crocheted shawl over her shoulders despite the summer heat, came out from the back room. She took one look at Amber, Amy, and Jasmine and came to a halt. Then she spied Daniel and horror crossed her features. "You didn't! Oh, my Gods! Amber! Tell me you didn't!"

"Kind of, yeah. It's a long story, mom."

Amanda rushed to her daughter and hugged her hard, weeping. "You have to run! Hide! They'll find you! Kill you! Oh, my sweet Amber! How could you? I warned you!"

"It's okay, mom! Look! The king gave us these." Amber held up her adventurer badge. "See? All official. We're the first witches circle allowed by the king. Glenda taught us."

Her mother's face went ashen. "Glenda? The king? What's going on? Oh no, it's time. Just as she said..."

She looked ready to faint and Daniel moved beside her and took her arm. Amanda looked up at his face and her eyes fluttered. Daniel grimaced at the momentary look of lust that crossed her face. He looked at Amy. "Maybe we should go upstairs. Get a cup of tea or something."

"Good idea, Daniel," said Amy and she told Jasmine to lock the store door. "Let's go upstairs."

A few minutes later, they sat in Amanda's small living room. Amy, Amanda, and Amber sat in the single couch facing the corner and the windows. Daniel sat in a lounging chair beside the couch. Everything in the room was covered in doilies and crocheted things. The walls were covered in cross-stitch art of flowers, cats, and dogs.

The two closed corner windows allowed the early morning light to stream through, and Daniel could already feel the summer heat rising. Dust floated and shimmered in the sunlight. The place was tidy and neat, but Daniel couldn't help but notice a small worktable in the corner loosely covered in clothes being mended. A small wooden chair was placed before the table, also covered in clothing. Daniel imagined Amanda must work there, looking out the window to the dusty streets of Acron.

A small hallway led to where Daniel presumed the bedroom of Amanda and the childhood bedroom of Amber lay. It was a cosy apartment, but the room smelt overly strong of stale flowers and old people. And it was stifling hot, and it was still morning.

Jasmine was in the small kitchen that wasn't much more than a small alcove off the living room. She was trying to breathe life into the small pot stove that vented out the side of the building. Then she cursed and used her magic and instead of lighting the fire she heated up the kettle. It whistled loudly, startling everyone. "Sorry. I used a bit too much juice there."

Rather than talk, everyone watched Jasmine pour hot water into the teapot and then scoop some loose tea out of a tin and toss it in. Daniel frowned at what she did. Jasmine brought over the teapot, and some chipped cups and placed them on the coffee table. Then she plunked herself right down on Daniel's lap, her arm around his neck, and looked around the room.

Amanda was eyes wide open staring at all of them. "My gods," she muttered.

"It's okay, mom, really. Glenda really taught us at the Academy. With Roger, her husband. Grace Gales was there, too, with her party members Jason and Brian. I should say that Grace is the one who brought us to Whitehaven to train. But mom!" Amber bounced a little on the couch beside her mom. "We passed our testing and really made a mark at the Academy. Now we're trained witches in a circle with Daniel here." Amber looked so happy and looked to her mother with a hopeful expression.

Except Amanda didn't look pleased. "You bound a spell caster and formed a circle. They'll hunt you down and kill you. Nothing else matters. No one will care. No one."

"No, mom. This is different. We are in a party with Grace. She's the daughter of the Night fae queen. And we have a paladin and cleric of Syn with us! Syn blessed us, mom!" Amber had her mother's hands in hers. "We bound Daniel in a different kind of binding."

"Different, how?"

"Well, Amy and Jasmine started it. They bound Daniel without knowing but they were already in love, you see. Then later, Daniel helped me with a curse placed on me, and then I bonded with him. Oh, and Amy's the heart, not me. I'm not right for it. But I'm the strongest, right girls? Well, except for Daniel, of course."

Amy and Jasmine nodded enthusiastically.

Amanda reached out for the teapot, but pulled her hands back when they shook violently.

Jasmine tutted. "Allow me." She sat forward on Daniel's lap, causing Daniel to wince in pain, and she poured tea for everyone. Everyone could see the loose tea leaves pouring into the cups. She looked for the sweetener, saw she forgot it, and bounced back into the kitchen, causing Daniel to wince again. Daniel made a quick motion, and the tea leaves in the cups swirled out and returned to the teapot.

Amanda was staring at Daniel now. No one could mistake the look of envy that crossed her features for a brief moment.

Jasmine came back with a small honey pot and plunked herself back down on Daniel.

"Dear, you're hurting him," scolded Amanda.

"Yup, he deserves it."

Amy grinned. "He wouldn't let her sleep on him last night, said it was too hot outside."

"And that's not going to happen again, is it, love?" declared Jasmine.

Daniel shook his head. "Nope."

Amanda shook her head. "Are you all right, Daniel?"

He grinned at her. "Yeah, I'm just messing with her. She barely weighs anything... ooof..." Jasmine bounced hard on his lap. "It's no problem at all."

Amber made a cup of tea for her mom the way she liked it and soon they all sat with hot cups, sipping. Amber sat fidgeting for a time, sipping her tea, and watching her mother. Finally, the words spilled out.

"Mom, it's time to tell me everything that happened that day. I know about Gwydion. And all about the Witches' War! Did you know she taught us for a brief time at the Academy? She was horrible! But she's dead now. She tried to steal Daniel from us. She thought I was the heart, but it was Amy. Her spell backfired on her and killed her. She said a lot of things about my father. How you stole him away from her. Glenda said it started the witches war all those years ago.

"I really need to know everything. I was cursed, mom! I had a remnant of my father inside me that Gwydion placed there! Making me hate men! Everything was so dark all the time, but I thought it was so normal! But now, mom, I can see so clearly! Daniel freed me of the darkness. And everything seems so bright!"

Amber, urged by Amy, told the story of what happened at the Academy. Then she seemed to run out of air. "What happened, mom? That night... you know the night. Please? I have to know. The truth. Tell me."

Amanda placed her cup down on the coffee table, the bottom rattling for a moment before she let go of it. Her face had undergone several transformations listening to her daughter's words. It settled on horror. "I'm not ready for this, Amber! I can't... It's too much at once. You were cursed? That's... horrible! I had no idea, Amber! Believe me!" Her voice trailed off, and she lowered her head and shook it slowly back and forth.

Amy, sitting next to Amanda, rubbed her back a little. "For the strength of our circle, I must insist you tell us everything, Miss Aine. This wound has festered for far too long. Amber needs to hear everything so she can move past it. Take your time, but I'm sorry, I must insist."

Amanda gave a short laugh and half sob. "That sounds like the true heart of a circle! Amber, I really thought you would be the heart if you ever formed a circle." She looked startled at her own words. "Not that I wanted that for you."

Amber blushed and looked away. "Well, the curse kind of messed with that. I really wanted it, but Amy is the better heart, mom. We can all feel that."

Amanda looked wistful. "I remember those days and those feelings." Then she sat up straighter and seemed to steel herself. "I knew this day would come. So be it. All right, I'll explain what happened. You have a right to know, Amber, my darling daughter. You all know circles are evil. I know you say yours is different, but I have trouble believing that. You might start off that way, but the power always corrupts. My circle was made up of thirty-nine witches of varying skills. Three by thirteen, the lucky number, a perfect number. We found each other through search rituals, as was often the case back then. We grew in numbers and then started to make a difference.

"Circles are the masters of deception and hiding in plain sight. We have to be to stay alive. We were happy. We did nice things for people. Everything was about our good intentions. But the day I saw Bruce in the market was the day that changed. Everything turned for the worst.

"I was intent on keeping my circle good. I knew it was a fool's errand, but I had to try. I think this is what stayed Glenda's hand in the end. That I had some good in me." She looked lost in thought for a moment, then resumed. "The day I first saw Bruce, and saw him use his magic, I knew I had to have him. It's part of what a circle is. It craves the male spell caster. It's instinctual. A deep needing. I loved him already; you must understand that. I loved him so deeply it went beyond thought. I followed him around. Watched everything he did. At night, I dreamt of him. Imagined being with him. How he would love me forever."

Jasmine snorted. "Sound familiar, Amy?"

"Shush," scolded Amy, but looked sideways at Daniel.

Amanda looked back and forth between them and then continued. "He noticed me and approached me. Then to my heart's delight, he courted me. I fell in such love with him. I couldn't help it. He was everything I ever desired. He was perfect. It took everything I had to keep him out of my circle's awareness. At night we made love. I was in a perfect place. We spoke of a future together. Having children. I wanted to bond him so badly, but I knew the moment I did, our relationship would be tarnished. He would hate me deep down inside."

Amanda went silent. Daniel reached into the bag of holding and pulled out two bottles of wine and glasses. At this point, tea wasn't cutting it. Amanda seemed nonplussed seeing the bag in action and Daniel surmised she had seen one before. Jasmine poured and Amanda gave them a nod of thanks. She took the offered glass and took a deep swallow. Jasmine refilled it.

"Then Gwydion came along. I knew of her, of course. All witches know of other circles when close enough to one another. It's part of who we are, I suppose. Whitehaven is a large city, but still far too small for two full circles. She had more witches than I did because she was far less scrupulous in her selection. I was careful with who I invited in. Discretion was always my first rule. Not so with Gwydion. She was already making waves in Whitehaven. Attracting the wrong notice.

"Whispers of witchcraft started to circulate. Soon, I knew the city was becoming too dangerous to remain in and I was thinking of leaving with my circle. It was my love for Bruce that held me back. I should have listened to my brain instead of my heart. The signs of witchcraft were already appearing in the surrounding countryside. Two-headed calves. Wheat rot. Still births. Milk souring straight from the udder. All the usual signs. Guards were doubled. Women were scrutinised and questioned if three or more gathered together. It was only a matter of time before it was going to draw the attention of that large asshat Quinten Cuirass and his gang of murderers. He had already murdered hundreds of witches across the Realm. I knew I needed to flee, but Bruce kept me in Whitehaven. That was my downfall."

Amanda chugged the last of her wine, and Jasmine refilled her glass. Amanda gave her a small smile of thanks and continued.

"That's when Gwydion found Bruce. He was a powerful spell caster. He had graduated from the Academy with honours. He had been a powerful force in the Wilds, defeating countless monsters. She wanted him. All witches are drawn to powerful spell casters. My mistake was thinking she would leave him alone because he was with me. She could sense my presence and my magic on him. Little did I know that Gwydion represented the worst of what witches are capable of."

Amanda's face contorted with remembered rage. "She BOUND him!" Amanda's voice cracked, and she wiped tears from her eyes. "That fucking skank BOUND MY BRUCE!"

Amy stroked her back and let her cry for a time. "Go on. Finish the tale. Let it out. Your daughter needs to hear this."

Amanda sniffed loudly and accepted a handkerchief Daniel produced from Eric's selection of fine handkerchiefs. She wiped her nose and then tried to hand it back.

"Er, keep it," mumbled Daniel.

"So, she bound him? What happened then?" asked Jasmine.

"We went to war," stated Amanda, like she was mentioning going to the market for fresh vegetables. A shiver went through Daniel. "It started small. I took out a couple of her weaker witches. It escalated pretty quickly from there. Whole districts of Whitehaven were wiped out. Quinten and his merry band of murderers descended like wolves, slaughtering dozens of my girls. We fled to the countryside. We unleashed horrendous powers. You know, even now I feel a little pride about how we stood up against Gwydion's circle with a bound spell caster like Bruce while Quinten was running around shining like some beacon of false justice. We held our own. But Gwydion had no qualms about killing innocents. We had to retaliate in kind."

She sipped her wine. If she was aware of the horror on the faces of Daniel and the girls, she didn't show it.

"Then I managed to steal Bruce away. I had discovered a dark tome. It was called Witch Circles: How to Control Your Spell Caster and Use His Power. I knew it would help me free Bruce. The need consumed me. And I used it. But I didn't do it right though. It should have killed Gwydion in the process, but I faltered at the end. Bruce believed he loved Gwydion, and in that moment, I couldn't complete the spell. But in the process, I had mounted Bruce. The spell demanded it. He was back inside me where he belonged, and he spilled his seed in me. When the spell failed, I ran. Gwydion went crazy with rage. The war exploded into even more open violence. All that remained of my circle was wiped out to the witch, until only Gwydion and what remained of her circle remained."

Amanda was looking into the distance, remembering the events. Daniel and the girls hadn't touched a drop of their wine. Amanda was guzzling it like water.

"Defeated, I fled to the east coast and hid myself away and then soon realised I was pregnant. I had never been happier, Amber. I wanted to be a mother so badly and now carrying Bruce's child I didn't feel my loss so deeply. I know that sounds bad with all my friends in my circle dead—and I had lost my Bruce to that skank—but my pregnancy and your birth filled the void and calmed me. I put witchcraft behind me and vowed to never use it again."

Amy refilled Amanda's wine glass and watched Amber closely. She could feel the trepidation and the disgust that flowed from her. She could feel it from everyone. This was not a pleasant tale and Amanda seemed to be okay with describing the horrors she had inflicted on people like talking about going for a stroll in a park. This version of Amanda was not the kind, gentle mother she had known growing up in Acron. Frankly, Amanda now disgusted her.

"Everything was splendid for a few years. I placed wards at first, but as the years passed, I stopped. I thought I was safe. You grew up so wonderfully and you were so beautiful. You were so happy and carefree. I didn't know that Quinten and his band of murderers were still hunting for me. They had wiped out the remnants of Gwydion's circle, but she had escaped with Bruce. She still blamed me, of course. Then she got smart. She realised I might have gotten pregnant with Bruce, and she used that familiar bond to find me. I wasn't prepared. Years had passed at this point. Amber, you were just a child. I came home one evening and found you, frozen in a chair. I should have known. I should have done something different, but at the time my only thought was to get to you and free you.

"Gwydion had laid a trap, and I was frozen, too. She had Bruce strip me and then rape me in front of you, Amber. It lasted the night. To rape a witch, you really need to get depraved, and Gwydion was the most depraved of all of us. I pleaded with Bruce. Tried to pull on my love for him and his love for me. He had confessed his love for me before Gwydion stole him from me. I knew his subconscious could hear me. But once bound, he was powerless. He obeyed Gwydion in all things. He wasn't gentle. Everything he did was to cause pain.

"I still remember seeing the morning light coming through the window and stretching across my bedroom. I used to adore the dawn, but now it felt fake. It still does, even today. A broken promise and a lie. There was a moment of clarity and I looked at you, Amber. Still frozen in the chair. Your face expressionless. But inside I could feel your horror. Your mind had been damaged by what you had been forced to witness. All of the faults lay with me and my past choices. I felt so helpless.

"That's when Glenda and Roger arrived. I don't know what they did, but Bruce was killed in an instant. An arrow sped into the room through the open window and then split into three just before they struck him. One arrow in each eye, and one through the heart. I don't know who screamed the loudest, me or Gwydion. In that moment, she was defenceless. The death of her bound spell caster was shared with her across their bond. She felt those arrows in her eyes and heart. Then the loss of Bruce's power stunned her. She froze and then she was unconscious, struck by some force that Glenda used."

Amanda shook on the couch. Her limbs trembled. Her voice quavered. All around her the eyes watching her were horrified. Amber's expression being the most horrified of them all. But Amanda continued. Now that she had started, the words poured from her like puss erupting from a rotting wound.

"Gwydion falling broke Amber free of her confinement, and she started screaming! The sound was heart-breaking! It was pain, agony, fear, hatred, horror and worse, all wrapped in one horrifying voice. I tried to move to her. To help her, but I was a broken mess on the bed. And Bruce had collapsed on top of me, and I could feel his hot blood spilling on me. I was screaming, too."

Amanda wiped at her eyes. Daniel and the girls couldn't do or say anything but watch and listen.

"Glenda appeared in the room with Roger. She took one look at me and the amount of pity on her face was too much to bear. I hated her for that look. Hated her for killing Bruce. I wanted her dead. And then she touched my forehead, and everything went dark. When I woke up, it was morning. I was clean, healthy, and feeling right as rain. Memories of the night were there but muted. I tried to feel something about it, but there was nothing. Not even the loss of my Bruce affected me. I got out of bed and walked into my kitchen and found Glenda there, making tea and toast for us. We ate in silence, and I waited. I knew it was only a matter of time before she killed me.