Ever After

☾Chapter Two☽

Ever finished up the rest of the deliveries quickly while Aubergine stayed in the truck.

With empty boxes in the trunk, Ever pulled onto a dark alley way between two magic shops.

"Why are we going down here?" Aubergine asked nervously.

"I said I know a guy. His shop's down here." Ever parked the truck beside a small back alley shop. The one window was tinted black and the only thing you could see was a neon sign that read open in bright pink lettering.

Ever pushed open the door. Inside were a bunch of odd commodities, shelves labeled haunted, and weird trinkets that lined tables. Behind the counter a guy smiled, his teeth all sharp points.

"Well, if it isn't the beautiful Miss Lockewood. To what do I owe this fine pleasure?" He smiled a toothy grin.

Ever's lavender eyes sparkled, "Aren't you too kind." Her face then straightened and she rolled her eyes. "Listen Keto. You said you owed me a favor. So here it is." Ever laid the scroll across the counter top. "I need to know what language this is."

Keto laughed, looking over the scroll, "I hate to tell you love, but I have no idea."

"Then get an idea. Surely you must have books or spells somewhere to help with this."

"Oh, I do," Keto pointed at Aubergine and said in a hushed voice "but they aren't exactly legal." Ever sighed and asked the nervous Aubergine to go wait in the truck as she handed her the keys.

Keto went into the back and carried out a large, dusty book. "This was some old witch's grimoire. Darn thing never sold, and nobody now a day wants to buy it. Surely there's a spell to help in there."

Ever flipped through the pages careful to not tear the yellow stained paper. "There's so many great spells in here. Its a shame they banned witch magic. Its so much more- powerful, than the mundane stuff that's allowed."

"Of course, you would think that." Keto snickered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ever looked up from the book.

"You were raised by some of the most powerful and feared witches of the time. You could summon spirits by the time you were twelve. If they hadn't banned dark magic think of where'd you be now."

Ever sighed. "That was long ago."

"And now what? One of the world's most potentially powerful witches now makes medicines and potions."

Ever huffed, her eyes locked on Keto's deep red ones.

She then smiled, "I asked for a favor. My favor is this book." She slammed the grimoire shut, causing dust to sprinkle into the air.

Keto grinned wide. "That's the Ever I know."

Ever rolled the scroll back up and shoved it in her bag before taking the grimoire in hand and heading out of the shop.

"What is that?" Aubergine asked addressing the big book in Ever's hands.

"Don't mind it."

"I know perfectly well that that is not a cookbook Ev." Aubergine crossed her arms. "That is a witch's grimoire. Which is illegal may I remind you."

Ever rolled her eyes. "Auber, I own a bunch of grimoires. I even have one of my own."

"You promised you would stop using magic after what almost happened last time." Aubergine argued as they pulled out of the magic district.

Ever sighed. "That... That was an accident. Besides I just need to find a spell that will let me decipher this scroll."

"And now you have an obsession with this scroll!" Aubergine yelled. Ever pulled over onto the side of the dirt road.