Sapphire Spells

Chapter 11 - Eight of Swords (reversed)

Three hours after learning that Luna is not a dog but a golem, I am sitting in a circle with those who are to be my new coven.

We are meditating together in an attempt to sync up with each other through breath and magic. The connection is something that should start growing our coven link. It is also something that feels incredibly weird.

I have always been able to sense magic in others. That's not the problem. The issue lies in connecting with the power someone else has. I hate the feeling of someone else's magic touching me, let alone moving through me. Whenever it presses up against me, I can't help but push back.

"Take a deep breath, Emma," Phiona instructs.

I inhale, and my mind wanders.

Luna, my dog that has been with me for five years now, is a golem. I thought I had adopted her from an animal rescue. Apparently not. Apparently, she was sent to find me and stay with me.

I take another deep breath.

A golem. Created of mud and sticks, tied together with a spell. Oh, and witches also take a soul from the afterlife and jam it into a golem to give it life. So, in other words, my Luna, at one point belonged to someone else. She lived out her life as their pet, passed away, only to be forcefully reincarnated into a golem by my aunt.

Apparently, I never needed to take her to the vet. That kernel of knowledge could have saved me money over the years.

"Emma, focus." Phiona snaps.

"On what!" My voice is raised, forcing everyone's eyes to open.

"Maybe we should take five?" Violet, one of the young witches, asks. She offers a friendly smile when I glance at her.

"No." Phiona silences her with a look before turning to me. "Focus on your breathing, on the energy running through all of us, feel it connecting."

"Can't we just prick our fingers, mix some blood, and sing coombaya?" I grumble.

Fallon, the male witch, laughs under his breath. Earning the icy stare of Phiona, who apparently doesn't care about anything but this torture.

"Maybe we should get to know one another a bit more? So it doesn't feel so forced for her?" Wren, the other young witch, asks, running a hand through her loose brown curls.

"I can't say that I disagree." Fallon turns to me. "We don't know one another. It feels strange forcing a bond."

The three of us then turn to the head witch in charge.

Phiona sucks in a deep breath through her nose, exhaling a displeased sigh. "Perhaps you are correct, Fallon."

Everyone looks at her with wide eyes, not expecting that.

"Take the rest of the day to get to know one another a bit better." She stands, breaking our circle. "We will continue tomorrow morning."

"Umm..." I pull everyone's attention to me. "I have work tomorrow and every weekday."

"Not anymore." My aunt informs me.

"You planning on paying for me to live?" I challenge.

She offers a tight smile. "You won't have much of a life without us. And you need one of those in order to be able to live. Figure it out. We do not have time for you to go off living your fantasy of being normal. If you need, sell your house and move in here." She then leaves without waiting for a response.

"Is she always such a witch?" I grumble after the door shuts.

Fallon laughs, "I like you."

Violet frowns. "Phiona is tough but is trying to help you the best she can."