Chapter 1

Magic.

It’s always been a hot debate on whether it was really something that had ever really existed or not. Sure, there were lingering signs of a time when the world was heavily reliant on such things and records that many now consider more like myths that told of people that could create fire from nothing or bring rain with a snap of their fingers. However, there was none of that now. If there had been any sort of magic that allowed for such things, it was long gone with the advancement of technology and civilization. Now, we relied on things like electricity and various forms of science to keep us going day by day.

If there was anything like magic at some point, it was now long gone. Which was actually unfortunate, because there were times I wished I could cast magic. Like that time someone threw a water balloon at my head. Or when I would be teased by the other girls. I wish I had the power to do something about it.

Unfortunately, I don’t.

So when I was confronted by Sammy and Hira, the wolf-hybrid sisters that liked to be the bane of my existence, I once again found myself wishing I had magic. Maybe make myself a bit taller so they didn’t loom over my much shorter self. Or maybe bigger breasts, so there would be some cushion between the finger that pointed against my flat chest.

“Where’s the work you owe us, Mary?” Sammy, the older of the two sisters, hissed as her ruby-red eyes looked down at me with hate. Her white hair drifted lightly across her face, making her blow it away with her painted red lips.

“I don’t have it,” I muttered, my sky blue eyes looking back at Sammy’s in defiance.

This did not seem to improve her mood at all, as she sneered, reaching up her hand to grab my short, brown, pixie-cut hair. “What the fuck did you say?”

“I said I don’t have it, and I don’t remember saying I’d do anything for you. Now leave me alone,” I fired back with my own sneer, pushing past the pain of my hair being pulled on.

“You feisty bitch. You really should learn your place,” Sammy said with a growl, grabbing my hair rougher and giving it a little shake that had me straining not to yelp in pain.

“Leave her be. She’s useless to us right now. Just like she is to everyone else,” Hira said with a click of her teeth. She pushed a lock of her raven-black hair back over her shoulders, letting the long strands flow down the length of her back.

“But we needed that shit,” Sammy said, snapping her head to look back at Hira angrily.

“It’s fine. She wants to be useless? Let her be useless,” Hira said, shifting her tall, slender frame to turn to me as her ruby-red eyes, similar to those of her sisters, bore down on me. “Maybe if she’s reminded of what we do for her, she’ll be much more eager to make sure she gets done what we need her to do. I’m sure going a day without our protection will teach her that fact.”

I could only grit my teeth as now I tried my best to be as rebellious as possible against two sinister looks that bore down on me. I did feel Sammy release my hair before giving me a light tap on the cheek, further fueling my hate for the wolfwomen.

“Good point. Fuck this bitch. We've got others that are willing to put in the work. And far more deserving anyway. Good luck getting home, Mary. You’re gonna need it,” Sammy said with a devious smirk, turning to walk away without another word, Hira joining her with an elegant turn on her heels.

I was left there, waiting till the sisters turned the corner, before I would slam my fist against the wall in frustration, tears threatening to leave my eyes. I willed them to stay off my cheeks, knowing that’s exactly what these sadist sisters wanted, and I would be damned if I gave it to them.

Instead, I would turn on my heels and start to walk in the opposite direction, wanting to get away from everything as quickly as possible. Thankfully, I didn’t have to worry about any more classes for the day. I had specifically decided to have my classes in the morning as soon as I entered college, so that I could have the rest of my days to do as I pleased. Most of the time they were to focus on my hobbies, which I didn’t really get to share due to how different they all were compared to the rest of the people I knew. And by "different," I suppose you could say "weird."

Despite not having any sort of magic in the world, the history and mythos of it all still interested me nonetheless. So, I usually spent my days trying to find ancient tomes or books about the history and beliefs of magic and magic theory. It was one of the big reasons I decided to pursue my major in archeology so I could hunt down and study more about this supposedly lost art that fizzled out over the course of history.

With that in mind, I shifted direction, now with a thought in mind about how I would like to spend the rest of my day. It was a bit of a walk, but it would definitely make me feel better after how shitty my day had turned out. That and what the sisters said bothered me. I doubt they were actually protecting me from anything. If I had to guess, they would probably send some lackeys to give me a hard time under the guise that the same people are the ones they were protecting me from. I didn’t want to deal with either case, which made my feet move even faster in the direction of my favorite shop.

Walking down the street from the university, I nearly jogged my way in the direction of my destination. I made sure to keep buried in crowds, just in case anyone thought about causing me problems like I predicted. Though I highly doubted it, seeing as it was still quite bright outside and in the middle of the day. I could never be too careful, though. After turning a corner, I finally hit the street that the shop was on, taking a few steps before I found myself standing right in front of it.

The Tall Tales.

This was a safe haven for me the moment I found it. Despite being in college for a year now, I always found myself coming here any time I got the chance or had an excuse to do so. The place looked like an old cottage compared to the more modern brick buildings, and I loved the plants that lined the walls of the place and the small garden that decorated the front. It was like I was walking back into a time when knights and dragons were real, and that always brought out the nerd in me.

Stepping inside the place was something else as well, as the wooden interior made it feel like I was inside some sort of ancient magic shop. Tomes and books lined shelves on one wall, with various different plants and herbs, as well as various liquids in bottles, standing in a row on the opposite side. Shelves lined the way in between the walls with various other goods, like stones, crystals, bobbles, and talismans. It made me feel almost at home in a strange way, and I could always stay in this place for hours if I really wanted to.

“Ah, you’re back,” said a soft, familiar voice from behind the counter, seeming to always appear out of nowhere.

Her slim, delicate, elven features were graceful as she stood there next to the cauldron that sat over a fire in a large fireplace, bubbling lightly with some unknown liquid. She wore something of a dark blue gown that flowed and swayed lightly, as if in water and as if made of magic itself, and a large, pointed hat that matched the vibe that covered her head, with long, black hair that flowed down almost to the floor.

“Hey there, Shintalla. How’s it going?” I asked with a smile, always excited to see Shintalla behind the counter.

“It’s certainly going. I cannot complain. I would ask you the same, but you look like a rain cloud has followed you,” she said, a concerned look on her face. Despite my best attempts, I could never seem to hide anything from the woman. It was like she could read minds sometimes.

“Yeah. It’s been a rough day. I’m kinda looking for something to take my mind off it all,” I replied honestly, knowing it’d be better to just be honest.

“Well, you’re in luck. I had something come in that might be perfect for you,” Shintalla said, reaching underneath the counter.

“Oh? Well, I wouldn't mind taking a look if it’s something you’d suggest,” I said, walking toward the counter with a skip in my step, excited to see what the elven woman would have. She’d never steered me wrong before.

“Here we go,” she said with a wispy smile as she set a book on the counter.

“What is it?” I asked curiously, looking over the leather-bound tome.

It seemed pretty old. Older than anything I had ever seen before. It looked about ready to fall apart just by touching it. I cautiously opened it up to see old sheets of parchment that filled the book and writings that I couldn’t quite understand, making me frown. I would probably have to take some time to translate it from whatever old language it had been written in. Not that I would mind much. It would certainly give me something to do for the next few days.

“I had a friend stumble upon it not too long ago. They themselves didn’t have much of an interest in its contents, but from what they told me, it was found in a temple of a lust and fertility goddess,” Shintalla said without a hint of hesitation, making me look up with a raised brow.

“That does sound… interesting,” I said, my curiosity indeed piqued, but ...