"What is that thing supposed to be? A magic circle?"
"An invocation circle. It's fascinating. According to this book, each family of witches receives their own ancestral powers, transferred through blood. It's what enables magic, like some second, secret DNA. These circles are used to contact the dead, but they are never the same twice. This one belonged to a family of witches who lived two centuries ago; it was found in their attic after the last of them died."
"It's awesome, Kelsi, but even if this crazy thingy is true, I wouldn't know what to draw."
"It does confirm that it’s likely your mom was a witch, don't you think?"
I frown. We talked about this before. That herbology book we found, with the picture inside. Kelsi and I raised the idea that it might have been my mother's book, but... we have nothing to confirm that theory.
"The problem is, in all the books I found, the cycle goes the other way," sighs Kelsi. "Water, fire, earth. If your mother was an Earth Witch, you should have been..."
"...A Water Witch," I sigh. "I don't think I ever was. One of the books was about fire demons, Kelsi. Why would I bother with fire demons if I was already a Fire Witch? I…"
Come to me.
I freeze. What the heck? That's... a new one.
"Mara?"
"Yeah, sorry... You..."
Come to me, child.
What the heck is that now? I've never heard that voice before! It's a different feeling from before. It's not making me feel... angry or agitated. It's just as if I was hearing it through headphones or something. I wait a bit, but I don’t hear it anymore.
"Hello... Earth to Mara, do you copy?"
I shake my head and turn to Kelsi who, unlike Ben who's making fun of me, looks concerned.
"Are you alright?"
"Sorry, I think I just felt... dizzy for a second."
"You guys have been fighting for a while," she says. "Let's go back inside for now."
"We should order pizza!" says Ben, ecstatic.
"My goodness, do you werewolves ever stop eating? And you should take a shower first, you seriously reek of sweat, Ben, that's absolutely gross."
"Rude! It's my manly scent!"
"It's sweat, you idiot, it just stinks. Is it worse because you're a werewolf? Don't get close to me, I hate it!"
Of course, that's all it takes for Ben to have fun chasing her. While they playfully bicker, I retreat to one corner of the elevator, a bit lost in my thoughts. I can't shake off that strange feeling. Why the hell is another voice calling out to me now? Am I just going to keep getting more of these from now on? I haven't even told them about that other voice that wants me to kill people, now I got a new one?
We finally get back to the apartment. It's only been a week, but I'm getting used to this place a bit better now. Living with Kelsi and Ben 24/7 helps a lot too, even if I have been forbidden to leave without a proper reason. Kelsi doesn't have classes as the school year is almost over, so we dedicate most of our time to solving the mystery that is me...
"Oh, crap, Spark!"
Kelsi screeches as my cat approaches us, carrying something in his mouth. I frown and crouch down, and he spits it at my feet. A dead bird?
"Where the heck did he get that? We left all the freaking windows closed and we don't even have a balcony!"
I'm clueless as well, but this is his third prey this week. We have no idea how he does this, but Spark has been bringing dead birds or rats inside the apartment as if he walked out every day. I don't get it. I sigh and grab the cat, who starts purring immediately.
"You're the only thing weirder than me here," I whisper to him.
He lets out a cute meow while Ben gets rid of the poor dead bird. Next to me, Kelsi suddenly jumps.
