PlayerOliver

When you were a kid, you lived with your grandmother in the small town of Silvertree, on the edge of a magical forest. Grandma is a witch, and she taught you how to use your magic to affect the natural world, too. “Magic is a part of you,” she always told you. “Learning how to use it means figuring out who you are.”

Now you’re 19 and on your own. After years of living in the forest while you perfected your witchcraft, you’ve returned to take care of your grandmother’s house and crow-familiar while she’s gone. Figuring out who you are feels more important than ever - not to mention, figuring out what Silvertree is. A lot is just as you remembered: the friendly generous next-door neighbors with a kid just your age, the proud town council, the quaint little shops with quirky punny names, the gentle shadowy forest full of magic.

Stone in the shoe

Yes—it just seems like the safest option. Since you're not confident enough that you know what, if anything, Mr. Clarence has been hiding since he's arrived, you'd rather forget it altogether and focus on something that might have a chance of working.


You don't have to say anything for your grandma to see the decision you've come to.


For a moment, all she does is let out a small breath. You can almost imagine that she's letting go of any plans she might have had to try and expose Mr. Clarence's company to the world—and instead moving on to the next remaining option.


"That's okay, Huknock," she says in a gentle voice. "It wouldn't have been fair for me to expect you to somehow know everything. It was only a thought, but I think you're right in recognizing that it's probably too much of a long shot. Which is why I've been working on my own plan of action."


Hearing that, you expect another silence to fall. You expect your grandma to think to herself for another few minutes, before maybe—just maybe—starting to explain herself at last.


But to your surprise, the moment she stops speaking, your grandma stands up from her seat. At once, Carys lets out a cry and flaps over onto her arm—and when your grandma turns to face you, the look in her eyes alone is enough to urge you immediately onto your feet.


"I'm sorry for all of this confusion, Huknock," your grandma says softly. "I've tried to keep all of this from affecting you as much as possible—but it seems like it may not be possible to keep you out of this. And if that's the case—then I suppose it's not fair to keep you in the dark."


Before you have a chance to reply, she turns and heads straight for the stairs. Doing your best to keep up with her once again, you follow her—down the spiraling stairs in the center of the tree and out into the forest once more.


Or at least, you expect to go out into the forest.


Once you reach the bottom step, your grandma puts out a hand to stop you from coming down any further. Confused, you don't have much choice but to obey, as she is still taking up most of the space by the exit.


You hear her voice from just below you in the near dark.


When she turns around, you can make out her face just well enough to see the hint of a smile around her mouth.


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