15. Kizzi
CHAPTER 15
Kizzi
M y feet dangled, swinging freely as I sat perched on the counter at Fiella’s Finds—my best friend’s cluttered and chaotic (but admittedly charming) trinket shop. I had shoved aside her messy ledgers to make room for myself—I refused to sit in the cozy nook and shout at her across the room as she worked. I preferred a closer seat.
She dealt with it.
Sookie, Fiella’s fluffy gray cat companion, brushed against my ankle, taking the opportunity to use my boot to scratch her head. I held my feet still and let her. Cats are so weird . Eventually, she let out a quiet meow and moved along.
I chewed slowly on a toasted oat cookie, appreciating the gentle sweetness that was enough to satisfy but not overpowering. The perfect cookie. I ignored the crumbs that fell onto my lap.
I had brought Fiella two cookies, because I was the best friend in all the realms and nobody could say otherwise.
“So,” Fiella said around a mouthful. “You’re going on a mysterious trip? And you’re bringing Tandor?” She wagged her eyebrows suggestively. “That sounds fun.”
I laughed, rolling my eyes at her. “I already told you, he’s the only folk I know that’s strong enough to carry the largest cauldrons.”
“There are other orcs in town,” she argued. “Or strong shifters.”
“I don’t really know them. They might be freaks. And you’re forgetting the part about how I accidentally drugged everyone in town with a love potion.”
Fiella snorted. “Oh yeah. Thank the Gods you put that—” she shivered dramatically “— garlic in there, or Redd and I would be chasing after you too.”
I reached out and shoved her shoulder. “It’s not funny!”
“I believe that’s exactly what I said about the garlic ,” she retorted. “And you used it anyway.”
“That was different! That was just a harmless joke, this is serious!” I whined.
“So, you’re telling me that the entire town wants to get in your pants?”
“Ugh, no! At least I hope not.” I stopped and considered. “A lot of them probably do. But they can’t help it! The love potion affects all folk differently. Some of them will want to get in my pants. Some of them will just want to be around me. And some of them will obey my every wish and command.”
“Shit. That’s—that sounds kind of nice, honestly.”
I groaned in frustration. “It’s not nice! It’s shaving away at their free will!”
“Okay, when you put it that way it does sound bad. Does everyone know that you’ve drugged them and turned them into your own personal mindless drones?”
“No! Only the coven knows. And you.”
“Tandor doesn’t know?”
“Gods, no. And I’m going to keep it that way until I can figure out how to cure it.”
“It won't wear off on its own?”
I shook my head slowly. “Nobody really knows. I can’t risk it.”
“And you figured out the cure?”
“Ani thinks that ground dragon eggshells might do the trick…”
Fiella gasped, clutching my wrist. “Dragon eggshells! Dragons haven’t been seen since the Old Gods abandoned the realm. I’ve read about them in books. Are any eggs even left? How are you going to find one?”
I shrugged. “I’m going to have to look. There’s no other option.”
“Well… I won’t judge you if you and Tandor…” She winked. “Get to know each other on this trip. I’ve seen the way he watches you.”
I brushed her off. “That’s just the love potion talking. Tandor hardly looks at me. Not any more than he looks at anyone else. And even if I wanted to take things further, have a little fun on the trip, that would be wrong considering he’s quite literally drugged. Not happening.”
Fiella just lifted her brows at me.
T he days preceding the trip passed quickly—I kept myself busy enough that I hardly had time to breathe, let alone think.
I completed every order I had lined up, and even a few that weren’t needed until after Hallow’s Eve, just to be safe. I distributed what I could, and anything that couldn’t be delivered now, I left with Fiella so they could be picked up while I was gone. I only had to bribe her two silvers for the trouble and swear that I would bring her back a baby dragon if I happened to find an actual dragon egg.
I didn’t have the heart to remind her that dragons were extinct.
I sat on my favorite stool, tense, feeling uneasy now that I had my list of tasks completed. I was leaving in the morning and had gotten everything done. Absolutely everything. I had even cleaned my shop, wiping down every surface instead of utilizing a cleaning enchantment like I usually did.
I was still irritated with the sprites, but my anger had dulled, losing its sharp edges. I allowed them to follow me around, only threatening and cursing at them every once in a while.
They still tormented me, of course. They never stopped messing with my shop, moving things, opening jars, dipping their tiny fingers in ingredients. I just learned to expect it and deal with the consequences as they came.
I didn’t let their presence rile me anymore.
The more time I spent around the sprites, tolerating them instead of trying to force them to flee, the more I was able to see them. Make out their actual forms instead of just vague blurs.
I could see that they were shaped like normal folk, for the most part. They were just tiny and winged. I could almost discern their elemental affinities, as well. The fire sprites had a brighter appearance, while the water sprites were murkier.
One water sprite in particular was bolder than the rest. She stayed out in the open longer. Approached me with boldness. Refused to flee when I fluttered my hand at her in a threat. She was currently perched on the lip of the cracked cauldron, sitting abnormally still. Watching me, always watching me. Like I was a performer there for her entertainment.
My new familiar was a huge pain in the ass.
The purple sludge was furious that I had unceremoniously shoved a portion of it in a jar (understandable, I guess) and it held a grudge impressively. Even when I opened the jar and reunited the sludge chunk with its larger counterpart, it hissed and spat at me. For three entire days, it sulked in the corner, hunkered in its cracked cauldron and covered with the sheet like it was literally hiding from me.
It was fucking ridiculous. Kind of hilarious, seeing an all-powerful magical concoction throwing a tantrum, but ridiculous all the same.
I ignored it as much as I could. When it couldn’t be ignored, like when I needed to pass by or use that corner of my shop, I tried my best not to roll my eyes or flip my middle finger at it. It was sensitive, apparently. I learned that lesson very quickly after receiving a wayward drop of sludge to the eyeball.
I hadn’t told anyone else about the situation. I still couldn’t wrap my mind around how I’d accidentally created myself a familiar. A familiar . A thing of legends, of storybooks, of the witches from the time of the Old Gods. Familiars were a sign of power, of strength. Of immense magical control. I knew I was great, but I didn’t know I was that great. If I’d thought defying the realm of possibility was an option, I would have attempted it a long time ago. I would’ve much preferred a cooler familiar, though. Like a cat. Or a squirrel.
The sludge gurgled in the corner, a big bubble bursting with an echoing pop .
My magical witchy companion, everyone. Behold.
I sighed inwardly. If I created it, I could at least attempt to form peace with it. Could familiars speak? I had no idea.
I cleared my throat. “Hey, cauldron sludge. How are you doing over there?”
The gurgling ceased, and the sludge stilled. Not a great sign. I walked over and removed the sheet covering the cauldron, clutching it awkwardly in front of me.
“I’m sorry for shoving you in a jar without asking first. In my defense, I didn’t know what was happening and I was having a crisis.”
The sludge shrank down, shriveling until it formed a tight mass that was about the size of my torso. It looked… petulant, almost.
“Come on, don’t pout. It was just a misunderstanding.”
The sludge didn’t move, it just sat there looking mopey. I mentally cursed my life and what it had become. I was reduced to bickering with purple, gooey slime.
“What if we find you a real name? Would you forgive me then? I’ll stop calling you Sludgey. Or any of the other terrible names I call you behind your back.”
The sludge softened slightly, losing some of its rigid intensity.
Encouraged, I continued. “I’m great at names. Let’s see.” I cleared my throat. “Do you have a preference on typically male or female names? Something more in the middle?”
Nothing.
“... Okay then. I’ll just start spit balling, you let me know if something sounds right. Sludgey.”
The slime spat at me, showering me with tiny flecks of goo. I laughed, scrubbing the goo from my face. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I’m serious this time. How about Bob? Suzan? Ivy?” I looked around the shop for inspiration. “Oh! Rose? Basil? Dragonfly?”
The sludge sat still, waiting. I hadn’t nailed it yet, apparently.
“Okay let’s try a new direction. Maybe something more magical?”
The sludge stretched slightly, standing at attention.
“Magical. Okay, I can do magical. How about Spell? Caster? Enchanta?” I thought harder. “Hmm… Curse? Hex?”
The sludge stretched and grew, filling the cauldron once more and hugging its edges. It jiggled slightly, the surface quaking like a puddle. “Hex? You like that one?” I shrugged. Not what I personally would have chosen, but it would do the trick. “Okay then, Hex. I’m glad we’ve got that settled. Now, are you just going to hang out here in the corner for the rest of time? I’m just curious. Not pushing, or anything.” I grinned nervously, hoping I wasn’t offending the magical slime.
The surface bobbed in and out. I nodded in understanding. “Fair enough, Hex. Fair enough. I would do the same if I had the chance. Now… am I supposed to take care of you somehow? I’ve never had a pet, but I assume I have to feed you?”
The slime bobbed again, more enthusiastically this time. I grimaced. “I was hoping the answer would be no. Okay, okay. What to feed a magical familiar cauldron sludge…”
I paced around the shop, peeking into baskets and glancing at jars. I stopped at a bowl of dried berries. “How about this?” I picked up one of the berries and tossed it at Hex. The berry hit the surface, and then slowly sank, engulfed by the slime.
I shivered. Going to have to get used to that.
Hex settled, curling up in the cauldron and somehow appearing content.
“Is that… enough?”
Nothing.
“Alright, then. Wow, motherhood is easy.”
I smiled to myself as I packed up my traveling bag and prepared for the journey ahead.