Page 9 of Charmed

“I’m a wizard. Perhaps your daughter has already told you about me.” Mischief filled his gaze as he tilted his head slightly towards me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” With a flick of his wrist he conjured a bouquet of flowers, which he presented to Mother with a bow.

Mother’s eyebrows rose in astonishment and I rolled his eyes at his excessive attempts to charm her. His purposeful omission of his name was much more obvious in this introduction than when he’d failed to go through the protocol of providing one during our first meeting.

“Is there a reason you’re intentionally withholding your name from your introductions?”

His easygoing expression faltered before he hastily tucked his confidence back around himself. “It’s common practice for a wizard to protect his identity. I’ll be inclined to provide it once you agree to be my apprentice.”

If he’d hoped to distract us from the matter of his name with such a statement his ploy worked, for Mother’s eyes bulged. “Pardon? You want Maeve to be your apprentice? Awizard’sapprentice?”

He cast me a triumphant smirk before offering a more genuine smile for Mother. “Indeed, ma’am. I happened upon Miss Maeve while in the forest yesterday and noticed she possesses a rare affinity for magic.”

Mother gasped and spun around to face me with a gasp. “Is this true, Maeve?”

I shifted guiltily, feeling as if I’d been caught in a lie. “It’s true I encountered this wizard yesterday…” I trailed off, having lost the words that would provide an adequate defense for my lingering silence.

“Is that what’s had you so distracted this morning?” she asked. “You seemed deep in thought about something, but this is admittedly far different than anything I could have imagined.”

The wizard glanced towards me, expression hopeful and dimple once more on display as he shot me a mischievous grin. “I knew you were considering it.”

I ached to deny it, but while it was one thing to lie to him—there was something about him that made it thoroughly enjoyable to toy with him, an impulse his interactions with me thus far indicated he clearly shared—it was another thing entirely to be dishonest with Mother.

My shoulders slumped in defeat. “I admit the idea is…appealing, but I simply could never—”

“I think you should do it.”

I blinked at her unexpected response. “You…do?”

She nodded. For a moment I could only stare in astonishment before I whirled on the wizard, jabbing an accusing finger towards him.

“Are you bewitching her into being so cooperative?”

He raised a dubious brow. “I told you yesterday magic cannot be used to eclipse another’s will. It doesn’t bode well for your apprenticeship if such a fundamental truth has already slipped your mind, one that I shared only yesterday and which will be foundational for your training.”

In truth Ihadforgotten, but the last person I wanted to admit such a thing to was him. While I yearned to accept his offer, something about him compelled me to remain uncooperative.

I squared my shoulders and faced Mother. “Becoming an apprentice would take me away from my responsibilities.”

“I can manage.” Though she seemed sincere, she sounded exhausted by the prospect, which only solidified my determination not to abandon her or my brother.

I clenched my jaw. “But my leaving will put you in a difficult position—”

She gently rested her hands on my shoulders. “You’ve always been a dutiful daughter, but as much as I appreciate both your company and your help, you have your own life. You need to explore and grow, not sacrifice your future to making my life easier.”

“But…how can I selfishly choose such a path when there’s no guarantee it’ll lead anywhere? I might not even truly have magic.” As I spoke the words, I realized that was one of the major variables holding me back. I was torn between the desire to find out what I was capable of and the fear that the answer might be nothing, leaving me worse off than I was now as I returned to my normal life with crushed dreams and no way to heal Corbin. That possibility felt more plausible when the one who claimed I possessed magic was an eccentric wizard with unknown motives, someone I’d only just met and who had not even shared his name with me yet.

With an impatient sigh he extended his hand, beckoning in invitation for me to take it. I hesitated before gingerly laying my hand in his. A tingle of energy passed between our hands as his fingers curled gently around mine and he flipped it palm up.

His proximity enfolded me as he stepped closer, a closeness that despite the way he continually frustrated me I didn’t resent.

“Summoning your powers will prove you possess magic.”

“I don’t know how,” I stammered, my eyes drifting to his hand hovering underneath mine.

“I’ll show you.” His patient tone softened my resistance and allowed my desires to coax the magic I supposedly possessed in order to obey his instructions. “Close your eyes and concentrate on the warmth simmering beneath your skin.”

I tried to focus on the feeling he described…but the only warmth I noticed came from his proximity. I edged a few inches away so I could better concentrate. The distance helped me focus on the feelings coursing beneath my skin, none of which seemed different.

As if sensing this, he spoke. “Considering magic has always been a part of you, the feeling may be difficult to distinguish since it won’t seem out of the ordinary. Silently beckon your powers and they’ll answer.”

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