Page 11 of Charmed

Corbin stared expectantly at the flowers, waiting, but they appeared entirely ordinary. His little shoulders slumped. “Nothing happened.”

“Are you certain?” Alden asked. “Perhaps you should try touching them.”

Corbin gave the nearest flower a tentative poke. The clear chime of a bell filled the room. Corbin’s eyes widened in wonder and delight and he immediately poked another, which emanated another sound in a different pitch. With each touch, a cheerful tinkle emanated from the flowers, all unique, creating an instrument that would provide my brother hours of entertainment and brighten up his often monotonous days.

His joyous laughter filled the room, causing my heart to swell. Alden offered me a secretive wink that effectively caused my annoyance which I’d firmly clung to since our meeting to vanish in an instant.

When Corbin had finally satisfied himself in exploring his new magical toy, he smiled contentedly at the flowers a moment more before looking up at the wizard. “Thank you, Mr. Wizard.”

Alden tilted his head. “Why are you thanking me?You’rethe one who enchanted them.”

Corbin’s little body straightened. “You can’t trick me. I’m seven and I know you just made methinkI cast the spell.”

Alden’s lips twitched. “Perhaps, but you inspired the trick, so we can share the credit.” He leaned closer, as if to share a secret. “Since we worked together, let me tell you how the spell works. These are special flowers that won’t wilt, which will allow you to not only enjoy them for years to come, but will remind you of your adoring sister who gave them to you.”

In that moment I realized Alden’s true motive behind his charm—he’d created a parting gift for my brother that would not only bring him joy, but which would ease some of my worries about leaving him behind, all while demonstrating another example of how I could use my powers, should I master them.

The odious man had likely calculatingly chosen the best means of softening me, leaving me entirely defenseless when with another wave of his hand he conjured a floating parchment and quill. I didn’t resist when he flicked his wrist and the quill began writing the words as he dictated them.

“Maeve, daughter of Lilith from the village of Cedar Ridge, in good faith and without equivocation, places herself in the service and engages herself to become the apprentice to Alden the Wizard, making her home with him for learning the art and craft of magic for a period of…” He glanced at me. “What length is agreeable to you for your studies? Two years? Four?”

Four felt entirely too long; even two seemed an eternity to part from my family. “Let’s begin with one.”

His eyes widened. “One?There’s not much I can teach you in such a short span.” He muttered something indiscernible, the one word I caught beingdifficult, yet he obediently transcribed the length of time I’d requested. “…for a period of one year, at the salary or wage of…” Here he paused again, his expression kind as he glanced at me. “What wages do you deem adequate for your apprenticeship?”

Wages?I hadn’t even considered that I would be paid. Knowing that my family would be financially compensated for my year-long absence cast away any remaining doubts as to this path I had chosen.

We spent a few minutes negotiating a tidy sum that, while modest, would be a boon to my family’s finances, further easing my lingering worries in leaving them. Alden instructed the enchanted quill to write these out.

“Any further conditions?” he asked.

Each one surrounded my dear family, watching our exchange with love and joy despite the cost to them in letting me go. “I want to be allowed to visit frequently.” I’d no sooner made the request when I realized such a wish was unattainable. The capital was a several-day journey that would make regular visits impossible. The thought squeezed my heart.

“That will be easy to arrange.” Alden glimpsed my dubious gaze and smiled. “Trust me, Maeve.”

And to my astonishment I realized that, despite our rough beginning, I did.

The enchanted quill wrote, “Granted a visit to her family every weekend” in curly letters. Alden considered another moment before adding, “Will be granted the right to send a daily letter with the aid of Wizard Alden’s magic until hers is deemed sufficient” and “will receive magical compensation to her family for the loss of her labor.”

My eyes widened. “How—” I began, but Alden had already cast a spell on a nearby broom leaning against the wall. Corbin clapped in delight as I watched in astonishment as it quivered, lifted itself upright, and began sweeping the floor, as if guided by an invisible hand.

Alden’s smirk was triumphant. “Satisfied?”

I could only gape as he motioned the floating quill and parchment towards me with a gentle nudge. The quill angled itself towards me, inviting me to take it up and sign the contract. I stared first at it, then the broom tidying the house on its own, and finally to my family’s faces—though they seemed sad at the thought of losing me, their eyes were bright in anticipation for my upcoming adventure. Their support and encouragement finally gave me the strength to embrace the path my heart yearned to choose, a desire which had only grown with each of the wizard’s magical displays.

Alden’s magic had done more than bring smiles to their faces—it had softened my own stubborn resistance. Such simple spells had brought joy to Corbin, eased some of my mother’s burdens, and offered the only path that could potentially heal my brother and provide him the most fulfilling life possible. This thought, more than anything else, helped me embrace the journey awaiting me.

Impatient, the floating quill gave me an encouraging nudge until I accepted it, my fingers trembling slightly as they gripped the smooth stalk. It warmed my hand as I signed my name and I felt a sensation of peace wash over me rather than the dismay I feared I’d experience once my decision became irrevocable.

And that was how I, a common girl from a remote village, became an apprentice to a wizard and embarked on my magical journey that would prove far more surprising than I could have ever imagined.

CHAPTER4

Alden seemed eager to begin my apprenticeship…and in truth so was I. Luckily I needed very little preparation; all my personal effects fit into a single rucksack, which would make traveling easier. Yet I soon discovered we weren’t about to endure a lengthy journey on foot, but rather employ magic to quickly arrive at our destination, a discovery I only made after finishing my heart-wrenching goodbyes.

Corbin hugged me as tightly as his weak state allowed. “Promise to bring me back a souvenir and a story?”

I nestled my cheek against his curly black hair. “I promise to bring back not one but a whole collection of stories that will keep you up all night, should you choose.”

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