Crime and Punishment

Part 8

Well, this isn't working out quite like expected. You frown down at the large pot in front of you, seeing that recreating a curse is a lot more difficult than expected.

You put in all the ingredients, you chanted the words, but the liquid is still lavender rather than a deep purple. Do you not have enough rage or hatred to get the same effect? Shouldn't it be changing colors now in a burst of smoke?

"So.... are you sure you have this figured out?"

You scowl at the vampire standing beside you, towering over you as you try to create the curse. If you can get it exactly right, you can use the potion to make an antidote or at least something to guard against it. 

Oh, that reminds you.

"Here," you tug the little black bracelet out of your pocket, the braided threads thrumming with the magic you poured into them. You keep forgetting to give the vampire his protection bracelet, although in your defense you've been quite busy the past week. You offer it to Cerulli, who peers down at your palm suspiciously.

"What is that?" It looks so very childish like a thirteen-year-old just made their best friend a bracelet. 

"It's... a protection charm. I know it's simple, but I was in a hurry." You flush, embarrassed now. Maybe you should have made it a little more sophisticated, but he better be glad that you didn't just grab a rubber bracelet that said girl pride on it from the convenience store and charm it.  "It'll defend you from any magic that means you harm, and so long as it doesn't break, or the magic isn't stronger than my own, you're safe."

"Ah." Cerulli delicately plucks it from your palm, inspecting the hurried threading. "I should be fine then, you're quite the capable witch. I'm not aware of a stronger magic than yours."

You blink, staring up at him for a few seconds; did he just... compliment you?

"Oh, well, of course." You mumble, looking back down at your pot of water. He usually insults you, a compliment is certainly a turn of events. "I just... I have one for Vinny, too."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it," Cerulli slips the bracelet on his wrist, amused. It's not something he would typically wear, but he likes the fact you've put forth the effort to try to protect him. Of course it's still a selfish move, considering if he succumbs to this disease you'll be the last witch standing. Now that he's had something to drink, he's not as grouchy as he was getting earlier, although he still thinks you should get some rest. "Thank you."

You shrug your shoulders, and turn your attention back to your mothers book. Your eyes flick down the words, and you sigh, bracing your hands against the counter. "I don't know why this isn't working, I'm doing everything correct. Maybe I'm just not angry or hate-filled enough for it? Mother must have been enraged when she cast it for it to be so strong."

"Your mother was many things, but she never seemed hateful." Cerulli says thoughtfully, rubbing the back of his neck. Clarissa was petty sometimes, but she never appeared to hate anyone, just expressed disappointment when they didn't do as she thought they should. So why would she murder your father? Jealousy? Upset that he took you from her and that you ended up loving him more than her?

He can't wrap his mind around it, it makes no sense.

He can understand why you hated your mother for killing your father, and you had your revenge on her. You took her power, her life, her coven, and now you've turned it into your own. You took her house, you took her things, and other than memory, it's as if the woman never existed. If she was as cruel to you as you stated, perhaps the world is a better place without her.

He always saw her as a rival, and he respected her power, but he never trusted her. It's a little different with you, but he can't explain it, why he does, begrudgingly, trust you. You're naive and gullible sometimes, but you mean well, and in this world, he's surprised that's not been destroyed considering your age.