The Witching Hour (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 1

Hey, guys! Sorry, but this is going through some major changes right now. I'm pretty much rewriting the whole thing, so bear with me. I'll update once or twice a week. Hope you enjoy the changes!

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Shadow hissed from across the room. "You shouldn't be messing with such foul magic, Faeryn."

I rolled my eyes without looking up. "We already discussed this, Shadow. You said it was worth a shot," I reminded my black cat.

"I know that you're getting nervous," Shadow meowed viciously. "Let's just stop now before anything bad happens. I can tell something will."

I continued to stir the green, bubbling fluid in the cauldron in front of me. "You know that when I say I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it."

Shadow wouldn't stop trying to convince me to stop. "Marak and Dusk are getting really nervous outside. Besides, why do you even need this potion?"

I looked up. Shadow was crouched on a wooden table near a window. Midnight fur rippled across his body. His teeth were bared to me. "If I do this," I started, "I will get a gigantic magic capacity, and I'll be invincible. This is a huge risk, and I know that, but think of the power we'll gain if I succeed! Aren't you tired of living in this tiny hut? Well, I am. Why shouldn't I do this?"

Shadow sat and glared at me. "First of all, you're only fifteen. Why are you so ambitious at such a young age? Second of all, the potion requires dragon blood. We both know how tricky that is. Male dragon blood and female dragon blood have opposite effects, and it's almost impossible to tell them apart! If you need male dragon blood to get you more magic, what will happen if you grabbed female dragon blood?"

I sniffed. "I may have messed up before, but I know I got it right this time. Don't tell me you're a scaredy-cat."

Shadow yowled angrily and jumped out the open window. I sighed, shaking my head. He didn't understand. I needed that magic if I was ever to become a respectable witch. Mother died two years ago. Her last words were, "Remember, Faeryn, power and beauty is everything to a witch. Without them, we are nothing." Since then, I've done everything in my power to live up to my mother's words. She was my life. Then, she was gone. I stared at the potion bitterly. This was for my mother.

The potion started to turn black. Soon, it would be ready. I could hear Dusk, my raven, caw. I shivered. There was one bad omen.

Marak, my Grulot, growled. That was number two. Grulots were magical creatures found in dark forests. They were a mix between horses and gargoyles, so they weren't the prettiest things to look at. They were grey, hairless, had wings, and needle-like teeth. They usually didn't like being around people, but Mother befriended Marak years ago. She had a way with the creatures near us. Grulots never growled. Unless they were threatened.

I gulped and glanced at the mirror I broke that morning. Three bad omens in total. I should probably listen to Shadow....

I grabbed my necklace with one hand to murmur a prayer to the death gods while the potion turned as black as ink. It was ready. Just looking at it made my spine tingle. I pulled the spoon out and laid it down. "It's too late now," I whispered. I grabbed a wooden mug beside me and got some of the black liquid. I held the mug in front of me. My hands were shaking. Any sensible person would stop right there, but I wasn't known for being sensible. "This potion," I thought aloud, "could make me the most powerful witch ever. What's to be afraid of?"

I stopped stalling. I drank the potion. I dropped the mug and gagged once I was done. My hands were over my heart. I definitely felt different, but it was wrong. I never felt like that before. I was empty. I gasped. If the potion took away my magic, then what would...

Crash! A part of the ceiling fellto the floor. Pots clanged together as I rushed to the door. I jumped back as awall caved in right in front of the door. I cursed silently while I looked foranother exit, but I was out of luck. I probably had been for a while by then. Irolled my eyes. Boom! My hut was literally falling apart. Finally, theroof collapsed. "Of course," I managed to spit out despite the rubble on top ofme. Then, I fainted.