Chapter Eight

Theodore wrapped me in his coat and told me to close my eyes. The England country scent was replaced by inner-city streets, the coos of passing birds replaced by the chatter of people and engines of cars.

I opened my eyes and saw we were standing in the shadows of an alleyway, out of public sight. "You okay?" Theodore asked.

I nodded, blinking away nausea. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Excellent."

When we ventured into the streets, the light seemed to burn away Theodore's shadows, making him look like a cold person on a sunny day. I trailed along behind him, following his footsteps to weave through the crowds easier.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"A friend of mine," he informed, "I've got some business to discuss with her anyway. While we're here, she can have a look at you, see if there are any enchanted items you can have."

I widened my eyes. "Enchanted items?"

"We're here!" Theodore stood before a wooden shop. The display windows showed off an antique bookstore, but it looked dark and gloomy when I peered inside.

"Is it open?" I asked, unsure.

He nodded, "Yep. Light isn't good for old books," was his explanation as he entered the bookshop. When I followed, I was overwhelmed by the scent of parchment and dust. The air felt thicker but wasn't stale. "Wait here one moment," he instructed as he disappeared down one of the aisles.

I rocked on my heels at the front of the store. The only light source I could see were dim candles sitting on tables or desks around the room. I turned to look out the window onto the street only to see they were clouded over, offering an ambiguous locale to an otherwise old smelling place. I grew bored standing in one area as I wandered around the front of the store. The floorboards creaked with my light steps, the wood on the floor was black, and the walls were painted a glossy black, bookcases and trunks I passed were dark in colour as well, one footlocker had gold edges and lock. When I opened it, there were moth-eaten scrolls written in a language I didn't understand. They made me sneeze.

I couldn't tell how high the bookstore was or how many bookcases were crammed into a single room; I could scarcely remember which aisle Theodore disappeared down. I approached one of the bookshelves and ran my hands over the spines of leather-bound books. I wasn't a big reader, but I was always fascinated by the feel of paper against my hands. A few steps into the maze, my knee knocked a chair; a study nook was amongst the shelves, a small wax candle recently lit sat in a candleholder. I stepped around the chair, picking up the candelabra as I continued down the ledge.

Some books were in better condition than others. While some had cracked spines, others looked like they had been ripped apart and then hastily put back together. I came across one large volume that seemed to have never been opened at all.

I tried to read its title, surprised it was written in English; "1001 Blank Pages of Random Magic." I didn't want to begin to understand what that meant.

"I love the smell of books," a creaky voice said. I twirled around. A hooded figure was in a nook across from me, their back to me with a candle on the desk. "They hold much knowledge and power." They shifted in their seat, making them side on to me. "Kind of like you, hatchling."

I pressed my back against the shelves and gulped. "Pardon?"

"A little hatchling alone in a place like this? Surrounded by people like us?" They rose from the chair, their cloak still piling on the ground. "A great source of power is hard to come by these days." I couldn't grasp the gender of the speaker. "Human Factorum is a rare feat indeed, not designed to be nurtured, but consumed."

I wanted to walk away, but something kept me glued against the bookcase. My mouth felt parched, and my limbs growing cold. "I've heard about you," they grew taller, "And your Master…" and taller. "His little experiments are such a waste when it's more worthwhile to consume you than to nurture you." It sounded like a different person said that.

The hooded figure grew to be ten feet tall, but the folds in its cloak emerged a bony, grey hand. Nothing about it was logically proportionate.

"Your kind is most well-known for suffering. It's in your nature, in your DNA to not feel fulfilled, to not feel complete, to crave self-destruction." Their words started sounding airy and echoey as if its mouth was much closer than it looked. "Why fight your destiny, hatchling? Why not give in while you're ripe? Why not let us help you?"

The hand extended towards my face, ugly yellow nails chipped at the end of its fingertips as it got closer and closer to me. And I didn't feel compelled to move. It felt like an invisible blanket had been placed over me, weighing down my body and slowing my mind. I could sense the danger but watched it approach without objection.

Another hand shot from the darkness, snatching the grey hand by the wrist and lifting whatever spell had washed over me. In a single movement, the sudden figure threw the cloaked person down the aisle, whatever physical body they possessed shrinking as their cloak fell to the ground and something leading from the head shuffled them away.

Theodore's body remained rigid as he dropped his arm, his hat and coat obstructing even by candlelight. "I told you to wait at the front of the store for a reason," his voice was grave and low.

I could feel my heartbeat in my ears. Before I could gather my thoughts, Theodore took the candle from me and picked me up, pressing me tightly against his front as he swiftly moved past the bookshelves. I could hear them. Hundreds of people were hidden in the bookstore, in the corners, behind books, in nooks and crannies. They were everywhere.

He placed me down when we came to a dead-end, his hand resting on my shoulder and the tail of his jacket pressed against my back. He reached a gloved hand out to a green book and delicately pulled it out before forcing it back in. The impact set off a chain reaction across the shelves, a blue light erupting from a hidden compartment behind the shelves. The outline of the bookcase glowed and slowly opened like a door.

"Inside, please." He gestured for me to walk in first.

I didn't object as I slipped by, Theodore following close behind.

This room was significantly brighter than the bookstore. While still lit up by candles, they seemed to provide a more significant stretch of light, coating the walls, the workstations and books in a golden glow. There weren't any windows, making the air smell like old leather. I didn't mind, though. I found myself standing idly by Theodore as he approached one of the workbenches.

I looked over my shoulder to the doorway we just came from but only saw a brick wall. Your kind is most well-known for suffering. It's in your nature, in your DNA, to not feel fulfilled, not feel complete, to crave self-destruction.

Theodore clicked his fingers in front of my eyes before I could dwell further on what they said. "Stay with me, Anya," he instructed, "Stay in the moment."

I blinked away the image of the approaching hand and nodded. "I'm here. I promise."

Theodore pressed a hand against my forehead, his eyes showing a glimmer of concern, but a small smile formed. "Good."

"Watch out!" A small voice shrilled.

We both turned in time to watch a purple pixie-like creature explode into the room, carrying, or dropping, a large vial of purple dust. When the glass impacted a workstation, the purple dust flew upwards in the shape of a mushroom, sticking to every surface in the room. Theodore had raised his jacket to block us from the immediate threat, but I watched as some tiny specks got past and lingered before my eyes. I reached up to touch them, but he grabbed my hands and swiped the dust away.

The once chaotically tidy room, filled with papers and tools with a rustic, candlelit atmosphere, was transformed into a comically animated space with bright purple flowers, bundles of mushrooms, dark purple reeds and exotic plants dedicated to spitting more of the purple dust into the air.

"Try to hold your breath for a bit," Theodore instructed with a tone of urgency. I held my breath and blocked my nose as I watched his back grow purple-spotted mushrooms and moss spread across his coat. He sighed like this was an inconvenience. "Good to see you too, Twinkle-Puff."

The little pixie I assumed to be Twinkle-Puff puffed her cheeks as she fluttered in the air. "Sorry about that, Mr Doldrum."

Flowers started to sprout on his arm, irritated. He brushed them off as if it were water, only to have new ones grow in their place. "I have a human here, Twinkle-Puff. Get the disinfectant or the hose or something."

Twinkle-Puff nodded as she zipped across the room and pulled a lever in the wall. Theodore took off his hat, brushing a stray mushroom growing on the rim and pressing it against my head. A sprinkler system was set off, green rain falling on every surface and making all the purple plants fizzle and steam before dying.

Theodore kneeled to me again, brushing aside stray specs of the dust. "Has any of it touched your skin?" he asked.

I scanned my arms and clothes, noticing a lack of mushrooms growing. I shook my head, "No. I don't think so."

He sighed with relief as the sprinkler system slowly died down. He took his hat back and made the last brush on his coat to rid himself of the strange plants. I heard someone running, a woman sliding rolling through the doorway, a silver shield raised as if she expected danger. "What happened, Puff?" she demanded, looking around and seeing no immediate threat.

The woman had a steam-punk aesthetic and overall leather skirt with long-sleeved white undergarments and black tights. Her boots stretched up her shins with diamond patterns on their sides. In a single motion, her shield retracted into a metal compartment on her forearm. Her head was dominated by a bulky set of bronze goggles with strange contraptions sticking out of it. She scanned the room with the goggles on until she rested on the two of us. The woman clicked a button on the side of her glasses, allowing them to release her face as she rested them against her chest. She had a very Hispanic appearance with dark hair and matching eyes.

"Mister Doldrum," she said, folding her arms. Something clicked on her belt, showing off different tools and weapons she could somehow balance on her hips. "I should've guessed you would be nearby when disaster strikes, what with your constant exposure to fairies."

Theodore gave a coy smirk as he folded his arms, "Can't pin this one on me, Isabella. Your pixie was having trouble before we came in."

Isabella glared at the little pixie, who gave a nervous laugh. "I spilled a vial of Sara Dust, Miss."

She made an exasperated grunt, "Puff, you need to be careful with stuff like that. It's not easy to get." She looked around at the remains of the plant life. All the dust had been fizzled out by the sprinkler water. "What a waste."

"I'll clean it up!" Twinkle-Puff exclaimed.

Isabella widened her eyes, "Not with magic."

The pixie deflated. "Very well, Miss."

Theodore cleared his throat, getting Isabella's attention. She scoffed at him, "Who would have thought you'd ever come out of your hole, Doldrum?" She pressed her hands on her hips.

"You're no less of a hermit, Enchanter."

She rolled her eyes, "Come."

Theodore followed Isabella out of the room; I was distracted by one of the deflated purple plants behind me. "Anya!" he called.

I jumped, "Y-Yes!"

I ran down the hallway, the air damp and the walls sticky to touch, following Theodore's shadow as they spoke. "I thought I'd have you gather the things this girl needs."

Isabella looked over her shoulder as we walked, her eyes making me feel subconscious as they scanned me. "The hatchling is with you?" she asked.

Theodore dipped his head, "I made her my apprentice yesterday."

Isabella stopped walking and faced him, a gobsmacked look on her face. "Apprentice?! Again?!"

Theodore smiled as he put an arm around me, holding me close as if we had been friends longer than one day. "Yes."

*

I was left alone for a moment while they discussed something in another room. Theodore placed me on a stool by another workstation in a separate room from the one we entered. This one seemed more personalised and cozy. Three green lamps were lighting the room, three large oak bookcases lined the wall behind the large desk covered in trinkets, crystals, tools, yarns, books and loose papers. There was an oversized lounge in the opposite room with a blanket and pillows sprawled about, with great sketches of animals and diagrams on the wall. In the corner was a giant red bird with fire-like feathers sitting on a stand sleeping. There were other animals in the room; the only one I recognised was a large orange tabby curled up under one of the lamps.

I could hear Theodore and Isabella chatting in the next room. The topic seemed to be about a business transaction between them before their attention turned to me.

A few moments later, they re-entered the room. I hadn't left the chair.

"Wow," Isabella said as she looked me over again, "A redhead, huh? Anya, right?" I didn't offer an answer. She did, however, hold out a mug for me to take. "Here you go."

"Thank you." The glass was warm against my chilled fingers, and I took a sip, not wanting to be rude. I didn't know what I was drinking, but it tasted bitter. "She's cute," Isabella commented, still looking at me. "And really young, you better not have done anything shady to get her." She turned her attention to my owner, a scowl forming.

Theodore held his hands up in surrender, "The money I bought her with was clean."

Isabella's mouth hung a gap, a moment of sheer disbelief as she shouted, "There's nothing proper about buying her!" Her hands screwed into fists as she turned back to me, coming down to my height as she asked, "He hasn't done anything to you, has he?"

Theodore looked offended as he pressed his hat against his chest. "What do you take me for, Bella?"

"Anything?" I fitted my thumb into my mouth as if in deep thought.

The longer I pause, the more agitated Theodore became. "Anya, darling, you need to be quicker at denying then that."

Isabella struck Theodore's gut with her elbow in one swift motion, sending him to the ground. He laughed, "Oof…"

"After buying me, he washed me after taking off my clothes and put a sleeping charm on me last night. Does that count as anything?" I asked, feinting ignorance as I tilted my head.

"Oh really?" Isabella straightened. Theodore shot upright, no longer concerned by the pain in his gut. A frightened look washed over his face before she turned around, grabbed his shoulder so he couldn't flee and buried her fist into his stomach. There was an audible crack that had me sitting in the chair with wide eyes and a hand over my mouth. "You perverted mage!" She grabbed his shoulder and shoved him out the door, "Go take care of your business next door!" She slammed the door behind him.

"That man…" she hissed as she stomped across the room, "Doesn't have a smidge of common sense."

I couldn't suppress my smirk as I pressed the cup to my lips to hide. The longer I looked around the room, the more animals seemed to morph from blurry colours; many seemed to fly around or jump from one shelf to the next.

"Geez… that Doldrum found another apprentice, huh?" I overheard Isabella say. She was standing by a sink, washing her hands. "But to get one so young again…" She seemed to realise something. "Where did he buy you from?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Were you kidnapped, or did you willingly put yourself up for auction?" she said.

I bit the inside of my cheek. "I put myself up for auction," I informed, looking down at the liquid of my mug. It was pink.

There was a long pause, the sound of the running tap and the scurry of animals being the only sound lingering in the room. "'Put yourself up for auction…'" she scoffed, "Sorry you had to put yourself through that."

I was surprised she didn't ask me why. I placed the mug on the table as she walked in front of me, "I haven't introduced myself yet, have I?" She smiled, "My name is Isabella Porez. I'm an Enchanter. A branch of mage which is almost extinct."

"An Enchanter?" The title sounded impressive.

"I craft items for specific magical purposes. Tools, contraptions, weapons, rings, jewels, canes, and others powered by magic instead of electricity. I also repair wands and sell ingredients for potions, as well as tools like cauldrons, equipment for animal taming and others." She picked up a strange spherical device made of black metal. She ran her fingers over the grooves and etchings. As she did, they glowed a lime green.

"Mother!" A little girl ran to the doorway. When she saw me, she gasped and backed down the hallway, peering at me shyly. "Another visitor?" The little girl was the spitting image of Isabella, except with shorter hair and a black leather tunic over a short sleeves shirt. She appeared seven or eight years old.

"Janine. Mama is working. What do you want?" Isabella asked.

She was leaning against the doorframe, doing the shy-child dance all children did around new people as she swayed. "Twinkle-Puff is trying to shrink the garbage again," Janine informed, "And I don't know how to stop her."

Isabella sighed through her nose. "You have my permission to Spark her, Jan," she informed.

The permission seemed enough for Janine's body to react, as small orange jagged lines sparkled between her fingertips as she bolted down the hallway and out of view.

"Was that your daughter?" I asked.

"Yes," Isabella turned her attention back to me, "She's a mage-in-training, but her shyness restricts her magic abilities."

I looked back to the hallway, "Traits can affect magic?"

She nodded, "Of course. Magic is just manipulation of one's inner energy. Someone loud and erratic will have uncontrollable bursts of magic, while more reserved or inward mages can have issues even summoning magic on their own." Isabella showed off some paper that manifested at her fingertips. "I have a contract with my daughter when given my permission. Any power that stores up in her body will be released for whatever task I give her."

The paper started burning behind her green flames. "For the rest of her life?"

Isabella shook her head. "Once she turned twelve." She smirked, "Could be worse, though. I could have a sorcerer for a daughter. I'd take a shy mage over that any day."

One of the creatures landed on my lap, their heavyweight too much for me to lift, so I left it alone. "Aren't sorcerers and mages the same thing?" I thought the titles were interchangeable. Theodore had called himself a wizard before.

Isabella raised an eyebrow, "Doldrum hasn't explained it to you?"

I shook my head as the creature snuggled into my lap.

Isabella sat down in a work chair opposite the desk, "There are magic and sorcery in this world. Do you know the difference between them?" I shook my head. "To put simply, sorcerers employ a science called 'sorcery.' They understand reality and use their own power to rewrite it and change it to their own ends and create a new reality. Think how Tesla used his magic to manipulate the transport and communication industry, cars replaced horses, and people could talk without being in the same room. He changed the world with his own inner power." She lifted her hand and pointed her finger, prompting the release of green light that floated in the air like a snake. "Meanwhile, the magic that mages use refers to the miracles that are caused with the help of fairies and spirits, their powers bending said reality. Mages can gather their energy from within as well as from natural sources in the world." She closed her fist as the snake retreated back to her palm, extinguishing at her touch. "Sorcerers can't call on the help of magical creatures; some can't even see them. For future reference, I wouldn't ever call a mage a sorcerer or vice versa. It can be seen as disrespectful."

I nodded, the stain of the green light still present when I blinked. "Okay.'

Isabella started rubbing her fingers together as if the snake had left something behind on her hands. "Magic is a strange thing, isn't it? It's powerful and awesome, but it's like having someone else be your arms and legs when you're learning. Should you do more than what your body is capable of-"

"It'll destroy you," I finished, recalling Theodore's reasoning for making me run this morning.

"In extreme cases, yes," she agreed. She pulled up one of her sleeves, revealing several crisscrossing scars the colour of mint leaves. "I was reckless during my training; this was my punishment. Not all consequences are life-threatening when you use magic, but a lot of them are permanent." I watched her hand clenched as she pushed her sleeves back over her scars. "There's a lot to study when it comes to magic. You have to take it seriously, or consequences happen." Despite what she showed me, she smiled, "Make sure you study hard under Doldrum's instruction."

I frowned as I looked down at the now sleeping creature on my lap. "I've been using magic all my life," I confessed, "Before I even knew what it was when I didn't even know I was using it." My voice was quiet as I recalled all the times I accidentally used magic, and it gave me terrifying results.

"I would love to see it," Isabella said, standing. "Marcello!" she called into the air.

The green lights started shifting their glow, somehow turning their light into one specific spot. Green water and sparkles began forming in the air, clumping together and morphing like a lump of clay. There was a loud pop sound as the green hue intensified, momentarily blinding me. When I could see again, a strange floating creature twirled into being. It had a similar aesthetic to the fairies back at the cottage, but it had no wings, and his skin was a dark purple with green featurettes. Its eyes were a cheery red, and what I assumed to be its ears dipped downwards instead of upwards. It looked very feminine.

But its words weren't vowels or syllables; its dialect sounded like hollow bell chimes.

"Yo, senorita!" Marcello greeted, "My name is Marcello, and I am Isabella's Familiar. Congratulations, she likes you, so I will be nice." He shook his head as he made his body expand slightly, approaching Isabella to hang around her neck. My ears felt awkward hearing the foreign language yet somehow understanding it.

Isabella chuckled as she scratched the top of his head. "As he said, this is Marcello, my Familiar. He's a marsh tree sprite from Spain. He is annoying but hard-working."

"Don't be so mean, Mistress," Marcello chimed, "You sought me out, remember?"

"Our friend Anya here is gonna show us some of her magic," Isabella informed, "You will assist her."

"Pardon?" I stood up, and the creature on my lap slipped off, grunting in annoyance when it landed on the ground and waddled away.

Marcello's chuckle sounded like a grandfather clock. "Is she aware of it, Mistress?"

I had knocked over the chair when I stood up and was frantically trying to pick it up. "Do as I say. I'm curious about something."

I helped Isabelle pushed aside some furniture, making ample space in the centre of the room. She called something out in clicking language. It prompted all the animals in the room to leave. "Stand in the middle," Isabella instructed, pointing to the centre of a circular rug. I obeyed, standing still as she examined one of her crystals. "Let's see…" Her hands ran over the smooth stone when she swirled her fingers on one; it made a pretty sound. Isabella pinched the top of a crystal spiral and pulled it from the rest; it was as tall as her pinkie.

"Take this." The broken bit of quartz looked more prominent in my hands than it did in hers.

"Now," She took a step back from me and folded her arms, "Shape that crystal."

I ran my thumb over the rough edges. "Shape it?"

"Yep." Marcello floated around my head, but my focus stayed on the blue jewel. "Think of something you like, something small though so that the crystal can take its shape."

Marcello floated to my face and pressed his tiny hands against my forehead, brushing aside some hair to touch his forehead against mine. I was compelled to close my eyes. "Something I like?"

When I closed my eyes, everything stayed in the darkness, which was rare for me.

"Mages possess magic both internally and externally. Magic is like pressure; therefore, the crystal will shape to your will. Take Marcello's magic with your own, and picture something in your mind."

I felt my heartbeat through my skin. I could feel it slowing down as I took a deep breath and exhaled. My skin felt warm with the beat, my hands beginning to tingle as I heard a strange buzzing. In my darkness, I had an out of body experience. I saw the outline of myself, holding a blue light in my hand, one pressing against my head and my heart beating to pulse of more blue light. I watched as slowly the three sources of light-filled in the outline of my body, stretching up my arms, across my chest and around my head.

Soon I was enveloped by the crystal's light.

I heard Isabella for a while, but soon even she was drowned out by the mass of colour.

I opened my eyes to find myself in my happy place; the field of orange and yellow Butterfly Weeds I entered when I was on the stage at the auction. The grounds and colours seemed crisper and more real. Whereas before I felt safe but was aware I wasn't here, I genuinely thought I could reach out and pluck an orange flower from the ground, to inhale it deeply and smell it. But my hands were still cupping something. When I looked down, I could see the crystal I was holding still glowing.

I was reminded this environment wasn't natural. Regardless, I had a fleeting moment of real peace.

I sighed as I shut my eyes, hoping this moment lasted forever.

My eyes shots open from the sound of loud popping. I watched as stalk after stalk of flowers exploded, some bursting into clusters of fire that stained the ground in flames and turned the sky a blood orange. In a moment of distraction, my crystal glowed an intimidating blue, a pulse different to mine erupting from it and spilling onto the ground, turning the flames from orange to hotter blue.

I felt my breathing hitch, but when I tried, I was unable to inhale. The air was too hot, and my throat wouldn't allow me to endure any of it. My muscles began burning, worse than the morning sun, and my eyes started swelling with tears. I was forced to hunch over, desperately wanting to fall to the ground, but something plastered my legs to place. My body started retching, likely thinking something was obstructing my breathing as opposed to an inability. My hands still cupped the crystal as it continued overflowing. Despite my attempts to drop it, my hands couldn't move. My hands were freezing while the rest of me burned.

I gritted my teeth. My choked cries an inaudible squeak.

The cold feeling started stretching up my hands, spreading through my chest, up my spine, across my face.

"Anya…" Theodore's voice broke through the sudden chaos.

Theodore… I weakly pleaded. I screwed my eyes closed. Where are you? Please…

My mind ejected from my body again. In the darkness, my little figure was made of crystal, the blue overflowing from my hands and piling around my feet. I looked terrified.

Something stabbed me in the back, very weak in comparison to the piercing agony on the tips of every nerve in my body, but instead of adding to the pain, it eased it. I managed struggled gasps and was able to move my fingertips. I felt my body tremble as the blue grew weaker and weaker in my hands, the darkness slowly disappearing, replaced with the workstation room I was just in with Isabella.

Isabella hadn't moved from her place, but her eyes had turned cold. Marcello was coiled around her neck in a state of shock. I was panting, wanting to hunch over, but something was holding me upright. Despite the energy surging through my body, making me feel fidgety and wanting to break something, I ached, and exhaustion hit me in waves of fatigue. I felt sick.

I felt a presence behind me, so I wasn't worried about collapsing onto the ground. I fell backwards, Theodore's coat and arms enveloping as he held me. "I got you, Anya," he assured, "Deep breaths. Calm yourself." I had dropped the crystal Isabella gave me, and I attempted to voice it, but I noticed how blue the room was.

Looking on the floor, I was surrounded by crystal, my ankles were trapped, and all down my front, there was a thin layer of blue; slight movements caused it to crack. Marcello was trembling around Isabella's shoulders, almost hiding from me.

"What did I do…?" I mumbled.

Isabella's stare remained cold, but she wasn't looking at me. She was glaring at Theodore. "You cruel… thing," she hissed, slowly shaking her head. "Hang in there, sweetie. I'll get an axe." Her tone was sweet towards me, almost sympathetic, as she uncrossed her arms and left the room.

"I… I feel sick," I managed to say.

"I know," Theodore rested me on his knee, careful not to put my ankles in an awkward position.

Isabella came back into the room, a small axe in her hand, her eyes still a fierce glare. I sat up on my own, "I'm sorry," I said, looking at the chaos the crystals caused. "I didn't mean to-"

"Doldrum," Isabella snapped, ignoring my apology, "I want to hear it from you. What is this young lady?"

I looked up at Theodore, his face becoming indiscernibly stony, as the two glared.