Werewolf

Chapter 5

When Klara returned home, she instantly raced upstairs to her room. Gerone was right, she had to put her gift to use. No one is going to believe Wiccans are good unless she did something. Luckily, she knew exactly where to start. Reaching her room, she locked the door behind her then pulled out her trunk. Feeling along one of the sides, she found the small lip for the hidden drawer and when she pulled it out, it revealed the tools of her trade including her mother’s gown. The druid style was simple, yet the vivid purple color showed the status of her mother’s powers. Only those who’d mastered the arts were gifted a dress like this and Klara remembered the wonderful moment when her mother presented the gown to her.

Klara had just turned sixteen, an age where most girls would be ready to marry and start a family. But she’d chosen a different path three years earlier, the desire to learn her mother’s trade. Though her father didn’t have magic, he supported both of them and would make sure to provide whatever materials they needed. With her parents’ guidance, Klara had mastered the arts of magic faster than anyone in documented history. Even her mother hadn’t been so quick to learn the craft. Klara’s mother took her out to the nearby forest, carrying a shoulder bag Klara had never seen before. When they reached a secluded spot, her mother took her hands in hers and said proudly,

“My darling girl, the Goddess has blessed you with power beyond anything I could have imagined. I’m so proud of how far you’ve come and how dedicated you are to our ways.” Klara remembered having a hard time not crying with joy. Her mother sighed and pulled out a folded garment and then a small wooden box.

“You are a Great Wiccan, now.” her mother said fondly as she presented the gifts. “Use your gifts to help others and make the world better.”

Klara wiped away a tear as she pulled out the soft garment. It still smelled like her mother.

“This is my only chance.” Klara thought as she undressed. “The people are in need of healing. A simple wellness spell should do the trick.” She put her mother’s necklace on with a soft smile.

As she finished off tying her hair in a braid, she pulled out an old ledger with spells her mother had created. Reciting the simple spell, Klara mixed together the potion in a small, glass bottle. As she spoke the ancient Latin words, the druid triple spiral materialized on the floor before her, creating an intense glow. It grew more intense with each word she spoke, not realizing that the glow of the magic could be seen from the underside of her door. As luck would have it, a maid going about her daily chores was walking by. She froze in terror upon hearing the strange words beyond the door then ran to report what she saw, dropping the basket of laundry she was carrying.

Finishing the spell, Klara admired her work. As she was about to put it away, the door flew off its hinges from a strong kick. Klara barely dodged out of the way but wasn’t able to avoid a man grabbing her arms and tied them behind her back. Another picked up the potion bottle like it was a dead rat.

“Let me go!” she cried. “I’ve done nothing wrong!” A third man entered the room. Klara didn’t know him but he seemed to know her. He took the bottle from one of the men and studied it for a moment. Then he knelt down and forced her to look at him. With a smirk he said,

“We are going to have a lot of fun, my dear.”

Klara glared at him bravely even as her blood ran cold. She knew exactly the kind of fun he was thinking about. He nodded to the man behind her then turned and left the room. Klara yelped when he grabbed her arms and forced her to stand, dragging her through the house then out to the street. There were people gathering in confused excitement as she was forced into a prisoner coach. She looked desperately for Gerone, but he was nowhere in sight. Any hope of someone saving her faded instantly. Klara closed her eyes and bowed her head in prayer, trying to keep the faith that her life wasn’t over yet.

Author: Katie (Crios) Editor: Elizabeth (Eala)

Patreon: patreon.com/ealacrios