The Break in Magic

Chapter 1

The paper trembled in my hands as I walked towards the tavern. The dark of night hid the faces of the drunk men and women exiting the building, laughing and singing joyful songs. I paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before tugging open the heavy oak door. The same songs filled my ears, the sharp smell of vomit and alcohol overwhelming my nose. A warm yellow candlelight illuminated the room, casting shadows on faces. Rough oak tables lined the middle of the room accompanied by long benches, made of the same material. A few chairs lined the walls but the majority of customers stood in the middle. To my left a large stone fireplace roared, making sweat on people's faces glisten. I walked to my right, where a long bar stood, lined with stools. Half-empty bottles lay neglected on their sides, amber liquid dripping slowly onto the sticky floor. Behind the counter was a shelf, filled to the brim with bottles, barrels, and cups. I took a seat on a decent-looking stool and used my skirt to wipe a mysterious purple liquid off the area in front of me.

A familiar looking man slung a wet rag over his shoulder and walked over to me, a tired look in his eyes. He reached across the counter, wiping the remnants of the liquid off before looking up at me, an annoyed smile on his lips. The annoyance changed, shifting into joy when he realized who I was. That joy then shifted into terror. He grabbed my arm and looked around, gently cursing under his breath.

"Tanika! Go home! If mother or father found out you were here they would lock you away for days!" My brother Anjen said, his gray eyes finally meeting mine. Anjen was my only brother, making him the most prized possession in the family. He would inherit the magic and status of our family, while my 4 sisters and I would be left with a few measly coins each. However, Anjen didn't want that. In fact, all he wanted was to move away to Tyonyo and never come back. But that was our little secret.

"Calm down, Anjen, I'm here to meet father anyway. I'm finally showing him my draft," I said, smiling proudly. Anjen smiled back, shaking his head, amusement glistening in his eyes.

"That's wonderful Tanika, but I don't believe a word of it," I tilted my head slightly, confused, "Well, first off, father despises the tavern, he would only ever come here to visit me. Secondly, he would never see you when you're wearing that," He gestured to my simple white dress, a brown corset drawn tightly around my waist, "And lastly, you swore that you would never show anyone your draft!" I said nothing. I placed my papers in front of him, my curvy writing glistening in the warm light. Anjen looked at me and then picked it up, looking skeptical. He flipped through the pages before starting to read.

I looked away from him and back towards the tavern. A group of men stood by the fireplace, tuning various instruments. A woman in pale yellow walked towards them, clearly flirting. One man looked at her and scoffed. It took me a moment to realize she wasn't Tecondan. That was odd- we barely ever see outsiders this far into the village.

"Wow. I'm surprised, Tanny. I didn't think you had it in you. When's he coming anyway?" Anjen scoffed and slid the draft back to me. I looked back at him as he glanced around the room, trying to spot our father. I knew he wasn't there, and he wouldn't be for a long while, however, I still looked.

"I'm not sure. He said he would come after he finishes his current spell pot," My father was the most influential Sorcerer in the entire village. People would come from the northern side of the village to trade for his spell pots. I didn't see how special they were, but everyone was always talking about the high quality.

"Well, much luck, sister," He grabbed my hand in his, "You're going to do splendid things if he allows for you to deliver this." I smiled, pulling my hand away and clutching my draft to my chest. He walked away, wiping the counter as he went. I sat there, never leaving my seat.