Brewing Them

Chapter 2

I sat on the edge of my seat, wondering possibly what Alexandria Sven could want from me—me—a twenty-three-year-old practicing black magic, the sort of magic that wasn't allowed in our world, the sort of magic that could get one killed.

She slipped the second cup forward, toward me. As much as I was eager to take it, I didn't. I already had plenty of drinks tonight, any more and I couldn't be able to walk on my own.

"Men," she began, flickering her gaze back to me. "In order to break a century-old curse, I need men, men that were marked by the curse all those years ago—"

"What curse?" I raised a brow.

"You'll never know about it nor will anyone else," she shut me off instantly while the truth rushed and hid behind her eyes. "I require those men and I require them before the trees began to flourish. You'll bring them to me, alive and in their conscious state."

"Before summer? How many am I supposed to do that?" My eyes widened a little as I tried to make sense of everything she had told me. What men? How many? And where could I find them? "Especially when you haven't shared any knowledge about this curse you're talking about."

"You don't need to know," she shuffled on her seat, leaning back and placing her one leg over the other one. "Use your magic, find the marked men and bring them to me. I'm sure you're powerful enough to do that. Do it and your life will be forgiven, you'll be free to practice your magic anywhere and anytime and no one will question you." Her eyes raced over my hands and I closed my fingers.

"In order to find anything by magic, I need to know what I'm looking for and I can't, not without any information," I stated, my mind running wild.

I had only practiced black magic several times and some of those tries were terrible failures that left my face scarred. Without any knowledge about the marked men, I couldn't find them let alone bring them to the Queen.

She stood up from her seat and her blue embroidered gown swayed as she began walking toward the bookshelf on my right. It was secured to the wall and it stretched up to the large ceiling of the room. There were at least several thousand untouched books on the shelves and since they were far away, I couldn't read any of their names even when I was curious too.

The Queen returned moments later with a single book in her hand. She sat on her same couch and her neck stretched back as she untangled the rope over the book and opened it.

Her gaze focused. She flipped a couple of pages before something, a small white paper, fell into her grip.

I didn't look at it until she placed it next to the cups and directed me to take it.

Only then I got a glimpse of a symbol, a drawing of a pentacle that showed meant the five elements of life. My thumb ran over the circle. It was a known symbol to us witches and I had seen it hundred times before.

"The men I need are imprinted with this, a pentacle. It could be anywhere, on their heads or on their bodies. Use your magic, and find them. Fail to do so and this will be your last winter." The threat in her tone was clear, it wasn't meant to be played with.

A quiver ran down my spine as I tucked the small piece of paper inside my bag and raised my head to meet her eyes, "Why me?" I questioned.

"Why not?"

"There surely are other witches who practice black magic. You could force them. Why me?" I repeated, my teeth pressing against one another as I recalled all the times I had done black magic.

"Your magic is different," she tossed the book over the table and leaned back before grabbing her cup. Mine remained untouched. Bringing the cup to her lips, she took a small sip. "It's wild and frightening. Whatever or whoever you had done it on, it came from pure rage and that is the kind of magic I need for these men to be found."

I pursued my lips and lowered my eyes. My fingers tightened around one another. The scar on my face throbbed at the thought of how I had gotten it.

"What else?" I cleared my throat and asked. "What else am I going to get if I find these men and bring them to you? Asides from my life."

"Is it not that worthy for you?"

"Not enough," I waited for more knowing I could bargain a better offer. My mother had always told me to never settle for less.

A smile spread over her face, from one edge, her lips curled wider and she gave her head a light nod, "Fine. Bring those men to me and I'll give you whatever you need from my kingdom."

"Anything?"

"Whatever you desire, Vivian."

It was the irony of it all that still didn't settle inside me. Yet, I agreed and promised her to bring the marked men before the winter ended and before fall arrived. I wasn't sure if I could do it but I believed in the powers that had been gifted to me. It was going to take a while to find these marked men but that wasn't the hardest part.

It was capturing them and bringing them here.

By the time I returned to the ball outside, there were a few odd glances at my direction before my mother walked up to me. I smelled the alcohol in her racing breaths as she placed her arm over my shoulder.

"Where were you?" she asked, slightly concerned. "I searched for you everywhere. I thought you left or something."

I tightened the mask behind my head and shook my head before wrapping my hand around my mother's, "Just somewhere. Don't worry."

She offered me a smile and squeezed my hand, "I want you to enjoy the ball. Have a dance with someone. It's been long since we have been outside the house."

My heart fluttered in excitement as I watched her enjoy the night. The invitation was sent to me, but I still wanted my mother to come. She had to get out of the house—we both needed to. And now, our lives were set to change forever.

"Oh, mother, we'll be coming here a lot more than often."

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