The Witch's Candelabra

Chapter 14 - Enigmatic Alliances

Braids:

In the shop, amidst the clutter of antiquities and oddities, I was lost in my usual routine, dusting off relics that spoke more of the past than the present. The bell above the door jangled, heralding the entrance of a new customer. He was about my age, with an air of seriousness that seemed out of place in the whimsical disorder of the shop.

"Can I help you?" I asked, not bothering to mask my usual grumpiness.

"I'm Leon," he introduced himself, his tone straightforward. "I'm here about the candelabra. It belongs to my family. My brother, he's... well, he's quite upset about it."

I raised an eyebrow, my interest piqued despite myself. "Your brother sent you here to fetch a family heirloom? And he thinks I'm using it for magic? That's ridiculous," I scoffed, though internally, I was evaluating this Leon, trying to gauge his intentions.

Leon shifted uncomfortably. "He's convinced you have it. He doesn't understand why you'd want it so much. He's... not the easiest person to deal with."

I leaned against the counter, crossing my arms. "And why should I just hand it over to you? What makes your claim any more valid than mine?" I challenged, my tone tinged with skepticism.

To my surprise, Leon didn't react with anger or impatience. Instead, he listened, really listened, as I explained my side of the story. He didn't interrupt, didn't scoff, just took it all in with a calmness that was both unexpected and disarming.

"Well, at any rate, his girlfriend left town, and he's pretty upset about that too," Leon said after a moment, a hint of sympathy in his voice.

I couldn't help but smirk at the mention of the girlfriend. "I had nothing to do with that," I replied, though internally, I felt a sense of satisfaction at the chaos I had orchestrated.

Leon nodded, seemingly accepting my response. "I'll let him know I couldn't convince you. Thanks for your time," he said, turning to leave.

As he walked out, I found myself pondering over the encounter. I had expected Leon to be just another pawn of his brother, another antagonist in this tedious game. But his patience and willingness to hear me out left an impression. It was a rare thing to find someone who didn't immediately jump to conclusions or react with hostility.

I turned back to my work, the conversation with Leon replaying in my mind. It seemed the saga of the candelabra was far from over, but for now, I had an unexpected ally, or at the very least, someone who didn't view me as the villain in this twisted tale. The shop felt quieter after his departure, the dust settling back into its familiar patterns, and I, Braids, remained the keeper of secrets and spells, undeterred and unyielding.

***

Braids:

Alone on my rooftop, the cool night air wrapping around me, the weight of the day's revelations pressed heavily on my mind. The meeting with Leon had confirmed my worst suspicions: Damian knew about the candelabra and the magic I wielded. The thought of him being aware of my secrets filled me with a seething anger and a trace of fear.

In a fit of frustration, I let my emotions pour into my magic. My hands moved instinctively, channeling my fury into the plants in my rooftop garden. Vines twisted and writhed as if in agony, flowers wilted and blackened, leaves curled and dried up before my eyes. The destruction was a cathartic release, a physical manifestation of the turmoil within me.

But as the last petal fell, a pang of regret pierced through my anger. My garden, a haven of peace and solitude, lay ruined by my own hand. With a deep, steadying breath, I began the process of reversing the damage. My hands glowed with a soft green light as I whispered incantations of renewal and growth. Slowly, the plants responded, uncurling and reviving, their colors returning brighter and more vibrant than before.

This moment of breakdown and restoration on my rooftop was a stark reminder of the delicate balance I had to maintain. Damian's knowledge of the candelabra and my magic had changed everything. I couldn't afford to be reckless. The risks were too great now.

As I stood among my rejuvenated plants, a resolution formed within me. I needed to lay low, to curtail my use of magic. I had to throw Damian off, make him believe that his suspicions were unfounded. For a while, at least, I would have to act normal, blend in, and hide the extraordinary beneath a facade of the mundane.

The rooftop, bathed in moonlight, felt like a crossroads. The path ahead was fraught with uncertainty, but I was determined to navigate it with caution and cunning. I would protect my secrets, my magic, at all costs. The night air grew colder, whispering secrets of its own, and I, Braids, stood resolute, a shadowy figure in a world where magic and reality intertwined in a dangerous dance.