Changeling Witch

Curse of Feathers

The owl beast stalked the floor of the living room, sniffing at everything she could. It had been too long since her host had let her out.

Far too long.

Trapped in the mind of a woman who didn't even want her there.

The joke was on her, though. She'd been too careless with that poison that she'd used to keep her at bay. And now, she could torment her until she lost control again---and she'd make sure it'd last for a while.

And in the meantime, both of them could try to find out who trapped her inside Edalyn's mind.

A clicking noise cut through the owl beast's thoughts. She looked over to see the little dog thing that Eda had taken in, holding something shiny in his hands.

Shiny, a greedy voice inside her mind whispered.

"Oh, my, what do we have here?" the dog thing said, tossing it up and down. "It's just so dang shiny. Oh, dear. Oh, my."

Need it, the greedy voice inside her head whispered. We need it! More than anything, we need it!

The owl beast ran after the dog thing, who scampered down the hall. As she skidded around a corner, she slipped on a pile of books that had been scattered across the floor.

Shiny thing is escaping! her thoughts howled. Where is it? Where did it go?

Someone threw a blanket over her head, getting her entangled in it. NO!

The owl beast shook it off and looked up, letting out a snarl when she saw the boy.

The insult to nature.

The red-eyed freak.

The creature with a heart made out of stone.

"Sorry about this, Eda," he said, finishing the drawing of the gigantic glyph on the wall, "but it's for your own fucking good."

He slammed his hand on the glyph, sending off a gigantic burst of light.

The owl beast could see nothing more.

................

Eda woke up with a straw in her mouth.

She sat up groggily, feeling her face. With a yelp, she realized that her gem was black instead of gold, and feathers covered the whole left side of her face. She quickly slurped through the straw, wincing internally at the weird taste.

"Ugh, my head," Eda groaned, rubbing her temples. "What happened? Why do I hurt? Why does my mouth taste like---"

She covered her mouth, leaned over the side of her bed, and vomited.

"Roadkill," she panted.

An owl pellet on the floor broke open, revealing a little pink monkey.

"I'm just gonna lie here for a minute," he peeped.

Eda noticed her elixir bottle on the floor and picked it up. "Huh. I was looking for that."

"Actually, we found an extra one in your closet."

She snapped her head up, narrowing her eyes in fury. "King? King, you stole my elixir?"

King looked a little sheepish. "Yes?"

Eda growled. "Why, I outta break every bone in your---"

"Shh!" He pointed. "Over there."

She followed his gaze and spotted Hunter sitting over on the floor, with little spheres of light floating over him.

As she watched, he drew a little glyph-like thing on a piece of paper and tapped it, sending another one into the air. The lights illuminated his gap-toothed grin and proud expression.

"Woah," Eda breathed. "How is he doing that?"

"Beats me," King admitted. "But he did it all on his own."

Hunter looked over his shoulder. "Oh! Eda, you're awake!" He scrambled to his feet. "Did you see that? Did you see? I found that pattern when that video I took of you doing the spell circle froze, and I traced it, and if you touch it, it becomes a light ball! I think this is how witches used to do magic before they got bile sacks, just like you said! They used these symbols, and there might be more out there! Maybe there's one for Abomination magic, and maybe there's one for Plant magic, and maybe---"

Eda raised her hand. "Calm down, kid, I've got a splitting headache."

"Oh. Right." Hunter let out a nervous laugh.

King cleared his throat. "Hey, I, uh, kinda messed a lot of things up back there. I'm... I'm sorry."

"Well, you better be!" Eda snapped. "I got a long list of disgusting chores with your name on it!"

"Yeah, I figured," he mumbled.

She looked between the boys, then sighed. "But... you aren't entirely at fault here, King. I haven't been entirely honest with you guys."

"Uh-huh, yeah, right," Hunter said, raising an eyebrow. "You kind of failed to mention the fact that you turn into an owl monster sometimes."

"I know." She took another sip of elixir. "When I was about your age, maybe a little older, I was cursed. I don't know exactly how it happened, but I do know that if I don't take this thing..." She trailed off. "Well. That's why people call me the Owl Lady, is what I'm saying. Congrats, kid, you got your answer."

Hunter kneeled down next to her nest. "And the elixir's all that can help?"

"Well, nobody likes having a curse," Eda admitted with a shrug. "But if you take the right steps, it's manageable."

"Sounds like a nightmare."

"It is."

"Are... you okay?"

"Hey, don't sweat it, kid," she told him. "I've been dealing with this since before you were born. And as long as no one steals my elixir, King, then I'm fine." She grinned. "But hey, look at you! A human doing magic---good on you, kid!"

Hunter looked a little bashful. "Eh, it's not that big of a deal. King's the one who encouraged me to try the light spell again, really."

"Huh." Eda considered this. "Well, good job, King."

Hooty's voice cut through the wholesome moment. "Hey! Hello!" he shouted. "Can anyone hear me? I'm on the floor! Hello! It's cold!"

"That voice," King groaned, running out of the room. "That horrific voice!"

Eda started to get up, but Hunter laid a hand on her shoulder. "We'll take care of him. You stay in bed."

He leaned down and picked up the monkey. "Okay, goop monster, let's get you situated."

"I think my tail was digested!" the monkey moaned as Hunter carried him out of the room.

Eda let out a happy sigh and fell back into bed, closing her eyes.

Within seconds, they sprang open again.

She was back in the dark place where the owl beast always chased her, and the door to her old bedroom was standing in front of her.

"No," she murmured, backing away. "No, not this memory again."

The door creaked open, revealing a person swathed in shadows---save for two glowing eyes.

"You."

Eda stabbed her finger at them. "You're the one who cursed me, aren't you?" she spat. "Who are you? Tell me now!"

She let out a gasp and flew awake, clutching her chest.

It's okay, Eda told herself. You're safe. You took your elixir. You're okay.

But that memory still lingered in the back of her mind.

A/N: Double update 'cause this one's short