The Herbwitch's Apprentice Ireen Chau (best life changing books txt) 📖

Voices faded away as I stared at the door before me. It was emitting a soft aura the color of Papa’s favorite sangria. Almost unconsciously, I stepped forward and touched the brass knob. Hot and cold prickles ran up my arm. The knob turned freely in my hand.

The three women stopped bickering as the door swung open. They looked at me in surprise.

“It was unlocked,” I said.

“Oh.” Miriam pursed her lips. “I could’ve sworn she put some type of nasty enchantment on it this time. Ah well. In we go.”

I cautiously trailed behind her. It didn’t seem wise to enter a witch’s territory without permission. Especially a witch who was expected to put jinxes on her door. I shuddered, wondering who this Lana was and why, out of all the witches in Witch Village, my nannies chose her to help me.

It was considerably darker past the threshold, but bright enough to observe that the interior was circular and filled with strange knickknacks. The smell that lingered in the air was both acrid and sweet. A bubbling noise came from the closed door before us, underneath which a pale purple light shone.

The door burst open and the purple light flooded our surroundings. I staggered into Theodora, blinded.

A woman’s firm voice reverberated through the room. “Intruders! State your business or prepare to be melted.”

“Relax, Lana. So dramatic.”

“Miriam.” The name was spat out in distaste. “I thought you learned your lesson from the warts.”

The snail shop owner sniffed and stepped aside. “I’m here with guests.”

My vision recovered. Before me stood a tall, middle-aged woman, a bucket of something bright and bubbling slung over her shoulder. Her face reminded me somewhat of a strict school teacher, pinched and scowling.

“Who is this?” she asked when her gaze met mine. I froze.

“She’s half witch,” Theodora said. “She wants her magic removed.”

There was a long, drawn out silence that I longed for someone to break. I stole a glance over Miriam’s shoulder. Lana was no longer scowling, but her expression was nowhere near welcoming.

“So it’s you two. Here to cause trouble again, aren’t you? Haven’t you done enough?” the witch said bitterly.

Rowena bristled.

“If you will just listen,” she said, stepping forward. “I know we haven’t been on the best of terms, but—”

Lana barked out a sharp laugh. “That is an understatement,” she said. Swinging the bucket of liquid from her shoulder, she walked back to the room from which she came. My nannies followed, and I with them.

“I’ll wait out here,” Miriam said with a shrug.

If the previous room was odd, this one was even stranger. It was about the size of a large closet, but instead of clothes, it held a red brick oven and a myriad of shelves that spiraled up and up the rounded walls.

A large cauldron filled with something thick and viscous hung above a fire. Lana poured the contents of the bucket inside and to my amazement, the solution turned clear and fluid like water.

“I know you still have your grudges,” Rowena said. “But Amarante needs your help. Just make a potion to remove her magic.”

“And what do I get in return?” Lana said, hardly sparing any of us a glance. She took a pinch of something from a ceramic jar and sprinkled it over the cauldron. Pops of blue smoke erupted from the solution and disappeared in the air.

“Redemption,” Theodora said stiffly.

Lana slammed the ceramic jar on the counter, rattling the shelves above her. “I do not take custom orders,” she said. Her green eyes flicked over me. “Especially not from humans.”

“She is half witch,” Rowena said, scowling. “You know perfectly well that she is.”

“And you are ruining my business,” Lana said. “I sell what I wish to sell at the Witch Market and even there I don’t get enough for my work.”

“Listen—”

“Move,” Lana said. “All of you. Except you, girl. Come here.”

Theodora and Rowena backed away, dissolving my protective wall. I was exposed to Lana’s scrutiny yet again.

I forced my legs to step forward.

“Can you tell me what potion this is?” Lana asked.

I glanced at the contents of the cauldron, noticing that the bubbling had stopped. The liquid was now the color of amber, shimmering and shifting in the firelight.

I shook my head.

“What about this? Do you know what this is?” She held the ceramic jar before me. It looked like tea leaves, but the smell was high and fruity. Blue flashed before my vision. Repair.

I shook my head again, my vision spinning from the scent. My mouth felt glued shut, as if I couldn’t move a muscle under her glare.

Lana sneered. “I see.” She filled a rounded glass jar with the contents of the cauldron. “Any witch would know that this is a basic antidote for mild poisoning. You, however, had no such knowledge.”

I watched the liquid swirl inside the glass, too humiliated to say anything. Rowena wrapped her arm around my shoulders.

Lana corked the bottle. “I’ve seen enough to know that this girl is not a witch,” she said. “Now get out. Do not trespass again unless you have a death wish.”

“How could you?” Rowena said. “You owe it to Sera—”

“Do not speak her name!” Lana shouted. The bottles on her shelves rattled.

Rowena fumed. I cowered behind her.

“Very well, Lana,” Theodora said, frowning. “But I daresay you’ll regret it.”

We found ourselves once again trudging along the dirt path, this time downhill. Miriam gave a loud sigh.

“I told you she was testy,” the snail seller said.

“Typical,” Rowena growled. “I never liked her.”

Theodora shook her head. “Never mind that. What’s important is that Amarante figures out how keep her powers under control.”

“Can’t you three help me?” I asked. “Can’t you teach me how to use magic?”

They all exchanged glances. I was getting tired of not knowing what was going on.

“Are you sure you want to use it?” Rowena said, furrowing her brows. “It could be dangerous.”

“If there’s no other option, yes,” I said. “I only need to know enough to keep it hidden.