Chapter 3 #2
He glanced at the shelves stocked with herbs in glass jars.
“I may have something you can try. It’s like the spell I gave to the farmers, only I believe there’s something in this one specifically about nutrients.
Let me check my other books.” Morton hobbled into the back room, his green robe with yellow embroidery dragging behind him.
While she waited for him to return, Orelia leaned against the staircase, watching Polly’s short tail sway back and forth as she cleaned her paws with lazy sweeps of her tongue. Displaying contentment, the cat’s ears were now a cerulean blue like the waters of the Shallow Sea.
Orelia’s attention drifted out the window to the people occupying the main road. She spotted Rae and a few other pleasure girls on their way to Beron’s, and even from a distance, she could make out bruises on the brunette’s arm.
Orelia shook her head. Rae was the most spirited and defiant human she’d ever met and refused to be healed, as if her refusal somehow amplified her strength and resilience. She supposed it didn’t matter now, as she wouldn’t be there to help even on the off-chance Rae asked.
“Ah, here we are.” Morton appeared with a different book and flipped through the warped, yellowed pages. He set the tome on the table, adjusted his glasses, and began reading.
“To bind for growth: For dying or afflicted plants, sprinkle azure sugar around the roots. Next, place your palms on the plant intended to receive the spell, then repeat the following phrase three times: ‘To mend is to grow and to grow is to flourish.’ Be sure to envision the growth of the plant as you recite your incantation, putting forth your most concentrated wishes for healthy growth. The area that has received the spell will illuminate with a flash of pink light, signaling the binding has taken hold.”
He slid his pointer finger to another section on the page.
“For seeds: Bury the seeds, cover them with a few inches of soil, then place two sprigs of rosemary in an X shape on top of the soil. Place your hands on top of the X and recite the same spell. A flash of pink light will illuminate if the binding has properly taken hold.”
A smile burst across her face. “Do you think it’ll work?
I mean, if I combine it with my powers it has to, right?
” According to the Omnimagia, witches who dabbled in elaborate spells were evil, foul women.
Women who forsook the gods in the name of being ‘devout’.
She would never do such a thing, so Orelia stuck to using her natural healing and simple, trusted spells she got from Morton.
He cocked his head. “I’m not sure, but it couldn’t hurt to try.”
She sifted through her purse. “How much do I owe you for the rosemary, the sugar, and the spell?”
Morton closed a warm hand around hers. “Your money is no good here, my dear. Keep it.”
She hesitated. “But I want to pay.”
“How about you pay me back by bringing me some fruit when it grows. I am quite fond of strawberries.” His mustache curved upward.
Orelia hated accepting charity, but she desperately needed the spell and the extra coin. “Are you sure? I don’t feel right taking these things from you.”
Morton placed the rosemary and sugar in a jar and handed it to her.
“You have been a loyal customer for years, Orelia. And you’re the only other person in this village that enjoys reading and learning about the magic of our world like I do.
Consider this a gift. You have used your gift to help so many over the years that it is only right I return the favor. ”
Her heart swelled, and the warm feeling was almost enough to erase the embarrassment of receiving a handout. “Thank you, Morton. I appreciate this more than you know.”
He closed the book, and a puff of dust shot into the air. “Do you need me to write the spell down for you?”
“No, thanks. I remember. I need to say, ‘To mend is to grow and to grow is to flourish’ three times with my hands placed atop the plants, then do the same over the X of rosemary for the seeds.”
He pointed at her. “Remember, you must believe it will work. Belief is hope, my dear. Never forget that.”
She gave him a big hug. Orelia finally had what she needed. For the first time since being cast aside, real hope took root in her heart. “Thank you for everything, Morton,” she whispered into his unruly gray hair.
He patted her on the back, and she bid the wizard and Polly ‘goodbye’ before darting out the door and heading home.
Back in the garden, Orelia stood in front of her plants with a giddy grin.
She dropped to the ground and sprinkled the shiny blue sugar around the base of a tomato vine, then placed her hands on the rotting plant, letting her healer’s light come forth as she recited the binding spell three times.
When she was finished, a bright flash of pink burst from beneath her palms, making the entire plant glow for a few seconds before seeping into the vine.
“Yes!” Orelia did the same to the rest of the tomato plants and the squash. Each time she finished reciting the spell, pink light flashed. She buried a few leftover carrot seeds in the ground, covered them with soil, and placed the rosemary sprigs in an X shape on top.
Orelia closed her eyes and refocused, envisioning a cart overflowing with food of all colors to sell at the market. She cleared her throat and began. “To mend is to grow and to grow is to flourish. To mend is to grow and to grow is to flourish. To mend is to—”
A twig snapped, and her eyes flew open. She shielded her face, screaming as pink light shot out from her palms and hit a dark figure standing behind the fence. They both watched as the light absorbed into the man’s chest like lightning reversing out of the sky.
When the last bit of pink had disappeared, furious black eyes found hers. The man’s lips curled back from his teeth. “What in the gods’ names have you done?”