Dragon Witch ✔️

12 - Phoenix

I stood on my bedroom balcony, leaning over the railing to look at the forest two stories below. Somewhere deep within those dark trees roamed a ferocious dragon. What if it was strong enough to break through the estate barrier?

Something knocked behind me, and I jumped. When I turned, Grandpa was standing in the balcony doorway. I waved him out onto the balcony. He came to lean against the railing and unrolled a scroll he'd brought with him.

"I never wanted to go against your parents' wishes." Shaking his head, he looked out over the forest. "Lies and betrayal have no part in a family."

I swallowed. He was probably as upset with me as he was with Grandma, but he didn't show it. He never showed his anger. It was always something you felt surging in the air around him.

"I'm sorry." Hugging myself, I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "It's just, if I'd waited until after I was eighteen, I would've lost my powers."

"That old wives tale has been disproven by dozens of skilled witches who bond with familiars later in life. It's easier to bond as a child, but I've known witches in their late thirties and forties who've done it."

"Oh." That was a relief. It gave me more time to convince Mom that magic wasn't the most evil thing on Earth.

"Now, the four of us adults have been discussing your predicament for the last few hours, and we've come to an agreement." Reading from the scroll, he said, "Your parents will choose a house within two hours of Sorciereville, and I will take out a mortgage in their stead, to work around their unfortunate credit situation. Since you'll be an adult soon, that doesn't apply to you as much as the following conditions."

He shook out the scroll. "The first is this: I'll take care of your college tuition, as long as you attend a school that allows witches. It's your decision whether you study magic or not, but if you do, I suggest you attend a mixed-magic school. They have classes for people who learn magic later in life. As long as you fulfill a few conditions, your parents have agreed to refrain from arguing, shaming, or guilt tripping you about magic."

When he paused, I leaned forward to read the scroll. The word "Rothworth's" jumped out at me.

"What does it say about Rothworth's?" I asked.

"Your parents want you to attend a week of classes at the academy. Until classes start next month, they want you to be-" He sighed. "Your mother's exact words were 'un-brainwashed.' I assume she thinks you will be more open to the Rothworth's experience after going without magic for a month. That means no learning magic from books or from your grandmother, no practicing magic, and no venturing into the forest."

I wanted to argue, but I held my tongue. This deal could possibly let me keep everything I'd wanted--both my family and magic--assuming my parents kept their word. Besides going to Rothworth's, the other conditions weren't too bad. I'd never actually made a potion before, so giving them up for a month wouldn't be hard. And without a familiar, I couldn't do spells anyway.

The only controllable magic that might be a problem was my ability to hide under illusions. Though, I was pretty sure I wouldn't need it, as long as I stayed out of the forest--which I definitely planned on doing.

But going to Rothworth's? The witch hunters would eat me alive if they figured out I planned to practice magic.

"I'm not sure," I said.

"Isn't a week of unpleasantness worth a lifetime of keeping our family together?

I swallowed past a growing lump in my throat. Going to Rothworth's for a week was worse than unpleasant, but Grandpa was right. A week of torture was worth keeping my family together and keeping my magic.