Black Rituals

Chapter 3

This isn't as easy as I thought it would be, especially trying to pronounce every word using Google translator. Definitely not helping.

"Lucernam!"

Well, that was disappointing.

*Knock knock knock*

"It's open!"

Vivian storms in and says, "Estelle Doukas, I can't believe your practicing magic without me."

"Sorry, I didn't know I was supposed to tell you everything I'm doing." I roll my eyes and continue chanting,

"What the hell is a lucernam?" she grabs the book and looks at me straight in the eye and says, "That's not how you pronounce it."

"What are you talking about?" I get the book from her hands, "Then how the hell do you pronounce it?"

Vivian goes quiet, and throws the book under the couch. "There's someone here." she whispers.

"You're pathetic." I walk to the front door to only find my grandmother, she looks different. The last time I saw her, she had long black hair. Now it's shorter and it's curly instead of straight. "Grandma?" I croak.

"Hello, Estelle. I told you I was coming back for you." she smiles a little. She was carrying a black luggage and she was holding a closed umbrella.

"How are yo- Does mom know you- Where were yo- Are you okay?" I have so many questions for her, I never knew why she left for real. I know it's because it had something to do with magic, but after that day, she didn't even send letters or email me. She didn't do anything to ever try to reconnect.

She laughs, "Yes, I'm okay. I was staying in California when your mother.. told me to leave. Need not to worry, I have family over there who were able to take care of me."

Family.

"Family? I'm confused. Mom told me that you were the only family we had." I turn my head towards Vivian, "Wait, Grandma. This is Vivian, one of my best friends. Vivian, this is my grandmother."

Vivian smiles and holds her hand out, "It's nice to meet you, Estelle's grandmother."

"Oh please, you're practically family. Call me Florence." She shakes Vivian's hands and Vivian shrieks, "IT BURNS, WHY IS HER HAND BURNING ME?!"

Florence holds tight on her hands and mutters, "Egredi," Vivian falls on the floor.

"Vivian? What are you doing to her?" I yelled,

"She's not one of us, relax. She'll wake up in a few hours or so."

"Explain to me what you did to her." I grab a knife from the kitchen and point it towards her.

"Oh, calm down already. It was just a small spell. It's not like I'm going to kill her."

"What are you?"

"I'm just like you."

"What do you mean, 'just like me'?" I step closer.

"I'm a witch. Now, will you put that knife down, you're going to hurt someone!" She leaves her luggage by the door and throws her umbrella in a plastic bucket.

"Fine. But I need your help." I leave the knife on the counter.

"With?" She takes off her furry black sweater and hangs it on the hanger.

"I want to learn how to do like.. you know, magic."

She stops what she's doing and starts laughing, "Does your mother even want you to practice magic?"

"No, and you're not going to tell her."

"Estelle, you're forgetting that I'm much older than you and not to mention, much wiser than you." she chuckles.

"That doesn't bother me. With your help or not, I'll learn either way. I just thought that you'd prefer if I learned from you. Since you're a leader of the Mecidna Coven and all."

She stares at me and says, "How did you find out what coven I'm apart of?"

"I do my research. Are you going to teach me or what?"

She takes a deep breath in and whispers, "Fine."

"Perfect," I smile, "Now, let's start out with something small!" I hold her hand and yell, "Egredi."

Once she passed out, I made sure to leave her sleeping body by the fireplace. I make a run for her luggage and open it as fast as I can.

"Clothes, clothes, clothes," I mutter, "And a tube of plants?" I mentally hit myself on the head, "Herbs." In the bottom of her luggage, I found atleast 3 books. One leather brown, one green and hard, and another black hard one. It looks almost just like mine. I grab the closest bag near me and shove all the books in, including mine, and ran to my car.

I turn on my phone and dial in Serenity's number, "C'mon Serenity.. Answer the damn phone." I yell.

"Hello?"

"Serenity, whatever you do, do not go to my house." I was stuck in traffic, thankfully, I'm atleast 10 minutes away from my house.

"Wow, today really isn't my day. I'm right outside your front porch."

"Get as far away as possible. Tell me when you're in your car so I can explain everything."

"Okay?" I hang up and continue driving.

My phone is vibrating, it hasn't even been 20 seconds. "Finally, so-"

"Okay, you did not tell me that your grandma was in town!" she was whispering and yelling at the same time, "She's making me tea! She told me that Vivian came over earlier? Do you know where she is n-"

"Serenity? Hello?"

"You didn't think that you could trick me, did you?" My grandmother's voice echoes in my head. I swear, in that exact moment, I felt my heart stop for atleast a second.