Crown Of Spells

Chapter 15 - Wand

I gave a final wave back to Miya and nodded to Auntie that I was ready to go. She stood by the swinging fence and opened it for me when I approached. Our footsteps were the only noise as we strolled down the pavement and up the little hill that led to our cottage. I glanced at Aunt Matilda, who seemed exhausted. Our house wasn't that far from Miya's, but the long day must have taken a toll on her. Deciding it was best to keep my mouth shut, I resolved to reflect on today's activities.

The sunset had already passed, and darkness enveloped us as we approached our home. "Auntie," I said, pushing the door open. "Let me make something for us to eat; you go rest." She gave me a tired nod before heading into her room. I turned on the lights and lit up the candles, searching for any clean pots and pans we had. Since it was late at night, I couldn't prepare anything too fancy. I grabbed fresh baguettes from the basket and warmed them up in the oven until they turned a beautiful golden color.

Pulling out the warm bread, I lathered garlic butter onto them and placed two slices on each plate. Reheating our leftover vegetables, I arranged them beside the bread. It wasn't a lavish feast, but it would suffice for the late hour.

Carrying the two plates, I set them on the table along with the utensils. Aunt Matilda came to the dining table, having changed into a simple brown dress with her hair loose. Upon closer inspection, I noticed white streaks in her dark brown hair. Were those white hairs always there?

"Auntie, sit down; I made dinner for us. It's not much, but it should get us through the night!" I took my seat, eager to bite into the warm bread.

"Thank you, Delisa. While you were busy, I got this for you," she said, placing a brown leathered box next to me. It was horizontally shaped with intricate carvings.

"Huh?" I asked, pulling the top open. Inside rested a beautiful cherry-wood wand, laced with small holographic lines swirling around. A wand!

"Auntie, did you buy a wand for me when we were out with Miya? This must have cost a fortune!" I exclaimed, my eyes widening at the craftsmanship before me.

"No, it's mine. I was granted a wand when I worked for the imperial family. I kept it hidden all these years," she replied. I nodded, absorbing her words.

"Besides, you will need a wand if you're going to train with Miya. Doing magic with just your hands is incredibly difficult and takes years to master." My mind flashed to the memory of touching a lily pad, making it glow under my fingers.

I kept staring at the wand, afraid I'd break something so exquisite. I delicately picked it up and observed it; it felt hollow in my hands. Trying a soft flick, I hoped for a spell to burst out. A faint flicker erupted before fading.

"Are you sure it's not broken?" I asked, waiting for something exciting to happen.

"It's not broken, Delisa. The wand has to bond with you first." I swiveled my head around and gave her a dumbfounded look.

"Bond with me? Like how I would bond with a dog?" I looked back at the wand curiously. I already had trouble bonding with the cat that lived in our cottage; how was I supposed to bond with an inanimate object now?

"I suppose so. Once you're bonded with your wand, it's easier to pull the magic from inside you and into the wand. I was forbidden from the castle to bond with the wand, so I'm unsure how to do it, but I'm sure Miya could help you out," she explained, sitting in the seat opposite me.

"Forbidden? How so? Isn't bonding with the wand a good thing?" I asked.

Aunt Matilda raised her eyes, looking at me before placing her fork down.