[wattys 2018 shortlisted]
Humans see her as a dangerous threat -a witch that must be executed. With the uncontrollable ability to form ice at her fingertips, Ravenna is forced into hiding amongst the humans, stealing to survive. That is, until she h...
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THE TAPESTRY BEGAN to glow bright white. It tore itself away from the wall and fluttered toward the stone covered ground. Caelan walked toward it, his hand glowing. He reached out and tapped the elegantly decorated petals of the flower.
There was a bright flash. Tendrils of smoke appeared, dancing in the air above the tapestry. A small sphere of white opened within the fabric, creating a small portal where the flower had been stitched in.
He stuck his hand inside the portal and then pulled back.
A very familiar looking spellbook sat within his hand. The moment it was free of the portal, the entire tapestry melted into the ground and disappeared. Caelan chuckled to himself and shook his head. He turned toward a nearby table and set the spellbook down. It immediately opened, allowing him access to its pages.
Ravenna cautiously approached the table, her gaze focused on the spellbook. It had been a while since she'd last skimmed through its aged-yellow tinted pages. A small knot twisted within her stomach. The spellbook was notorious for having a mind of its own — and it wasn't until she wore the spelled talisman that it completely unlocked itself for her. Now that the talisman was destroyed and Ravenna had very little control over her magic, she was unsure whether or not she'd be able to read its pages again.
Caelan stood over the spellbook, one palm pressed against the tabletop. His free hand hovered over the spellbook, his finger tracing along its pages as he read. Ravenna stepped up beside him and peered over his shoulder.
Surprise flooded through her when she realized that she could read the words that his fingertip touched.
Her eyes widened and a small, "Oh" escaped her.
Caelan glanced back at her and his brow furrowed with confusion. "Are you alright?" he asked her.
"It is unlocked," she said. Her voice sounded strange to her own ears. She reached out toward the spellbook and her gaze shifted upward, locking with his. "Do you mind?"
He did not hesitate. He stepped back, allowing her to move closer to the spellbook. A mixture of confusion and concern danced within his dark irises. He watched her intently as she turned her attention back to the spellbook and flipped through the rest of its pages.
Once she'd glanced at all of the pages, Ravenna stepped back, giving Caelan space to return to his spot. Her head shook slightly, disbelief plastered across her expression. His eyes skewered her face. "What is it?" he asked her.
"It is completely unlocked," she said. Her brow puckered and she rubbed at her face with one hand. "It is completely unlocked. I can read everything in it. Even though I no longer have the talisman. I don't understand."
He tilted his head and frowned at her. "Did it not unlock for you before?" Caelan questioned.
She shook her head. "It would unlock small pieces, sometimes," she explained. "One night I might be able to read a small passage. Another night I might be able to read an entire page. There were even some nights that I was unable to read anything at all. Never once did it fully unlock for me — not until I had the talisman."
