Page 26 of The Hearth Witch’s Guide to Spite & Spellwork

Magick with a K relies entirely on the power of someone else and thus can be performed by anyone. It is simply another form of prayer, asking for divine intervention, and, consequently, has varying results depending on the divine attention span.

17Hagstones are rocks with a naturally occurring hole straight through. Inherently powered by earth magic, these charms allow one to see past magical illusions by gazing through them.

The Mundane community agrees the stones derive their name from their protection against witches. The Magical community agrees the name was attributed after a man narrowly escaped a marriage to a very specific witch under false pretenses.

18A nazar (Arabic), or evil eye, is an apotropaic charm resembling a human eye, typically in shades of blue. If a nazar breaks, it is said to be because it has absorbed its limit of negative energy. Or because you are clumsy and dropped a delicate glass amulet from a moderate height.

Chapter 7 Saga

How much room did magic need? Was it contained like meditation, or did it need a lot of space like aerobics? Should she have asked about needing to pick up anything specific?

These were the questions Saga mulled over as she pushed the armchair against her bookshelf and took a few steps back to survey it. It wasn’t much, but it had given her a tad more floor space. She looked to the black cat perched on the bookshelf beside her. “Well? What do you think?”

Both of Riddle’s ears lay flat, sticking out like airplane wings. Without a familiar-and-witch’s bond, they could not speak as he and her grandmother might have, but that certainly did not prevent him from communicating in the slightest.

“It’s temporary,” Saga said. “Just for the lesson.”

A month ago when the truth about magic and fey had accidentally, and without warning, dropped into Saga’s lap, she’d confronted her family. That had come with its own challenges and upsets. She did not agree with her aunt and grandmother’s initial decision to keep things from her, but she did accept Leigh’s olive branch in the form of an offer to teach her.

The cat-sìth tilted his head to the side as if to inquire, “What do you think you’ll be doing, exactly?” He was far too sassy for someone who never actually spoke.

“You could provide helpful feedback, you know.”

He hopped down to the floor and began to reassuringly nuzzle against her legs.

“You’re right,” Saga sighed. “I’m overthinking it… Everything will be fine, and I just need to relax…” She took a deep breath as the cat head-butted her gently. Saga had to wonder if this was his version of her grandmother’s squeezing the anxiety out of her in a tight hug. “It’ll be like when Mamó used to teach me how to bake, right? I’m sure I’ll make a few mistakes here and there, but nothing world-ending.”

Riddle trilled in agreement and began to purr.

“And I can ask Leigh for pointers about the familiar ceremony. Show her Mamó’s grimoire and—”

Riddle growled. Actually growled. A low and guttural warning sound she had not heard since the day her grandmother passed.

Saga searched around them, looking for why he might be warning her to not take another step. “Do you see—”

The cat-sìth nimbly left her side, pouncing on top of the grimoire Saga had left on the altar. He looked apologetic to the Brigid statue behind him and focused an intense stare at Saga, his pupils constricted. He growled again to make his point.

Bewildered, Saga approached. “Do you…not want me to tell Leigh about the grimoire?”

Riddle chuffed through his nose and nodded.

“Why?”

He blinked at her, and his ears flattened out to the sides again. “Why?” was the question you asked someone when they had a full vocabulary to explain themselves. “Why?” was an invitation for reason. “Why?” was very useful when it was being asked to anyone who was not restricted to primarily “yes” or “no” answers.

“Right.” Saga looked at the clock, then at her furry roommate. “Are you concerned that she will be angry that I have it?”

Another affirmative chuff.

“Do you think she wants the grimoire?”

His tail swished back and forth. This typically meant he wasn’t sure of the answer and did not feel comfortable giving a definitive yes or no.

This was not the time for twenty questions, Saga knew. Her aunt would be there any minute, but now her familiar-to-be was warning her to keep some secrets of her own, and that was making her nervous all over again. “Okay, maybe she doesn’t want it for herself—which I would understand if she did. Just because the house was left to me, and it was in the house, that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t get her pick of Mamó’s belongings. Do we agree on that?”

Riddle chittered irritably like this was beside the point.

Saga sighed. “Goddess, I wish I could just talk to you like normal.”