1 Chapter One

The doorbell goes off, I turn away from taking inventory and see two girls enter the shop. "Welcome, welcome!" I said with a huge smile, "let me know if you need anything dears."

They walk around for a while, looking at our spell books and charms we have on the shelves. They even wander over to the ingredients, catching my attention for just a moment. Eventually one of the girls sighs and they start having a quiet conversation about how "this store may not have what they need".

"Are you girls looking for anything specific today, or are we just curious?"

"Do you have anything... that would help us get our crush to notice us?" The blonde girl asked.

She seems nervous. Like she knows this is something they shouldn't be doing. "Of course! We have some wonderful charms up on the front counter that will make you more 'pop out' to whoever you want."

"Oh...would it, would it like make him like me more?" The girl with red hair spoke up.

Of course. "Oh, no dear, this is to make you more noticeable!" Magic never seems to be used properly, anyone wants to use it for is for their own gain.

"Oh..." the red headed one said, "I just think we're destined to be together so I was hoping I could buy something that would make him see how good we'd be together!"

Perfect, "oh my dear, I know exactly what you need." I walk closer to the girls and tower over them as I whisper, "but it will cost much more than just money." The girls eyes both widen, and they seem to squirm in place for a moment. I need to step it up a bit. "If you want to keep hoping for the best, and possibly lose your soul mate, that's fine. I'm only trying to help." I say as I quickly stand up straight and start to walk away, going back to inventory.

The girls start their whispered conversation again, I can't hear them as well this time but it seems one is more into the idea than the other. I turn my back to try and sell the idea that I won't help unless specifically asked, then I hear the doorbell again. I turn around to see only the red headed girl standing there. "Well dear?" I smiled, "are you ready to make a deal?"

******

"It's really that simple? Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yes dear of course, it's nothing to bad of course! I wouldn't still be in business if I was doing anything to terrible." I lied through my smile, it's become easy at this point. "It'll just make you a tad bit sluggish after you sign," and possibly take 5 years off your life, "but he'll see exactly what you want him to see."

"Oh goodie!" She squealed, they're all the same.

I pushed the book and pen toward her, "I just need you to sign this for me dear." Now comes the real test. She took the book and signed her name quickly, Ellie. "And if you could dear, write what you bought?" I peak at the book across the counter, black ink. It figures. I realize she hasn't written anything else down and she looks a bit nervous again. "Oh dear, you can write 'charm and ingredients' if you don't want anyone knowing what you bought."

She looks giddy again and writes exactly that in the book, and immediately her back slumps from its upright position just a little and I can see the bags under her eyes form. "Oh, it really did make me sluggish. I'm so tired now."

Once again, not another witch. "Well that's the price of magic!" for you mortals anyhow, anytime a mortal signs my book it saps 5 years of their life for me to redistribute to the coven at a later point in time. My pen shows me their true intentions, or if they've got witches blood, both pen and book enchanted by my own hand of course. My pens ink is usually one of three colors, black could mean a number of things but they're all bad. Devious intentions behind the purchase, fraud or lying, most mortals who sign the book, their ink usually turns black.

Red is fear, usually whatever they're buying is related to something they're afraid of and are trying to do something about it. Abusive relationships are a big one the ink turns red for, but they're still mortal. They're still not using magic the way it should be used. They're still in the wrong.

And then gold, the color I'm always on the look out for. The color I need to pop up more often.

"Well dear, just follow these instructions and wear the charm. It's as simple as that! He'll see what you need him to the next time he sees you wearing the necklace."

"I'm so excited!" Ellie shouts, "he'll finally be mine!" She says as she leaves my store.

I scoff to myself, mortals are all the same. None of them want to use magic correctly, only for themselves.

I close my book and put it away in my desk drawer with the pen, and lock the drawer with the key hidden in my necklace.

Mortals can't be trusted with magic.

That's why any who try to use it, must be punished.