A Witch's Song: Tales of Evermagic, Book 3 (excerpt)

Nim the Witch

CHAPTER 1

Once upon a time ...

My life as an ordinary girl came to an abrupt end the day I realized I had a sister whose life was a fairy tale. I'd been clueless all the while, never realizing what I was.

The signs were there, but I was too selfish to see. What was worse was that I was too angry to realize what I had become and how I fit into that story.

I've shed that part of me. I've even changed my name to Nim. It's always been one of my names, but now it is the one people call me by. I am Nim the witch. A novice one anyhow. But it doesn't seem to matter my intention.

Witches have a bad reputation compared to wizards and sorcerers. We're discriminated against. Many of us hide what we are and try to live normal lives, but my normal life wasn't worth living anymore.

My mother called the constable on me when we realized what I was. I had only just discovered my abilities then. My magic saved me from her, and now it keeps me hiding from her also. But that's all right because now––I'm free.

Nim wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and stood outside the door on her porch, smiling at the sky. The sun was making a beautiful ascent into the blue, proving to be worth waking up early to watch. Its rays pierced her baby blue eyes and set her white blonde hair to glowing. She hummed to herself, content to watch and not aware how its light made her shine.

The dog that sometimes visited her came up the steps then to where she stood. He stopped by her cottage often and today tricked her hand to pet his head by bumping it with his nose. She grinned and scratched behind his floppy pointed ears. He smiled, his tongue lolling out one side of his mouth for the pleasure of her touch.

"You ought to be home," she told him between her singing. The creature looked up at her with pouting eyes, but she shook her head at him. "Mr. Wolter needs your help herding the sheep," she explained. "Come back when you've finished your chores."

The dog dropped his head for her words, having seemed to understand her. He turned down the steps to obey and trotted across the white stone path in the overgrown grass of her yard.

Nim smiled after him. She would get a dog for herself if it wouldn't break the poor boy's heart. Living alone was quiet and sometimes lonely. She missed the social buzzing atmosphere of her old life but didn't think much about it. She couldn't let herself.

She patted the loose frizzy bun atop her head, remembering how straight and smooth it had once been. Without her mother's expensive hair products, her hair had lost all manageability. She didn't mind, though. It was less trouble to take care of now and seemed to fit her better.

Most days, she didn't even bother to brush it. She smiled, thinking to herself how much like Queen Rose that was. She was a Snow White who'd only recently been crowned queen and gotten married. A happy ending. At last.

Nim went to the kitchen, thinking of fairy tales as she heated the kettle to make tea. Learning how to take care of herself had been hard, but now she did everything from scratch. She'd made many mistakes at first, but things were running more smoothly. Especially now that she had a better hold on her magic. Every day she surprised herself with her power. Living became increasingly exciting as she progressed, and chores were easier with its help.