ONE-SHOT
Burning a witch at the stake is an old ritual only reserved for those who have betrayed their coven.
Poppy is the last witch from the Le Rouge branch, the founding witches of The Circle. A coven that has always created the strongest witche...
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With a tight smile on my lips, I bid farewell to my last appointment of the day. Another fake prediction doled out to the humans ⏤ my fifth to be precise, all just to make a living. With a heavy sigh, I placed my hand under my chin. About that moment the bells on my workshop door tinkled, announcing a customer. I lifted my gaze, even as the patron chuckled, only to encounter Azalea's vibrant red hair. My gaze fell to connect with her chocolate brown eyes. Seeing her brought a smile to my face.
"Azalea." I acknowledged my apprentice's arrival.
She stopped chuckling, but kept her amused smile, "The Old Ones would not be pleased with you for giving false predictions."
I scoffed at her and continued to count my day's wages.
Standing up, I pushed in my chair while I unplugged my magic ball. My magic ball, not even pausing to watch the swirling galaxy light fade to black. For some strange reason, humans loved the effect.
"The Old Ones are dead," I growled. "They can watch me all they want, whisper all they want in my ear, but they can't tell me how to do my business. This is the 21st century, not the 1600s."
Shrugging her shoulders, she swept the rest of the floor before we grabbed our things and locked up the place.
Azalea drew closer. "Are you going to teach me a hex tonight? Do you think I am ready for the ceremo-"
"No," I cut off her inquiry.
Who does this child think she is? She would die before she even arrived at the Void.
Azalea dropped her head, ashamed to ask such a deadly question.
"But Lady Poppy..."
"I said no and you will respect that and will not bring up the ceremony until I deem you ready." I paused to blow out my candles. "You are not to bring it up to me again. I will tell you when you are ready."
After a couple of minutes of walking toward our coven's territory in silence, Azalea squirmed a bit, a sure sign she had yet another question bubbling.
Azalea broke the tense atmosphere a moment later, "have you ever been in love?" Her eyes glittered in anticipation of my response.
"No."
"Do you want to be?" She stopped and looked down at her hands fiddling with them. I wondered what brought on this topic.
This question light something in me that I hadn't thought of for a long time. The topic of soulmates and lovers.
Did I want a lover? Am I waiting for my soulmate?
I frowned, the idea of love was foreign to me. Lovers felt superficial. Soulmates seemed unrealistic.
I ignored her question, not wanting to answer her. Azalea did not need me feeding into her idea of love.
