Fiction Book Snippet: The moon hung heavy and full in the midnight sky as Opa Lilycent stepped into the ancient circle of stones, her heart pounding with the anticipation of The Enchanting Rite. The smooth gray rocks made a slight pitter-patter sound when they touched the dark blue heels Mom had made her wear. Traced inside the circle of stones were six symbols with six indented feet around each. The circle of stones had been around for centuries. It was first created by the people who wandered to Dune Clouds. It had been made by strong magic and formed the start of the six covens, a tradition carried on for many years. Opa had traced the symbols many times and knew them by heart. Mom had quizzed her numerous times. Mom worked as the librarian at Arcane Archives. Mom was in the Azure House and always had a fun fact to keep everybody motivated, but it came at a cost. Half of the facts she told were disgusting. Opa vividly remembered one particular truth: "Did you know," Mom said with a mischievous grin, "that some witches in the olden days used troll saliva as a key ingredient in their most powerful potions? It’s said to give an extra kick to the enchantments, but it smells like rotten eggs and has the texture of slimy oatmeal! I used to put it into your oatmeal when you were little so that you would be stronger!" Opa shuddered whenever she ate oatmeal despite Mom saying she didn’t put troll saliva in it. Oatmeal would always be slightly too slimy for her liking. Opa looked back at the symbols and recited them. The green paw stood for the Emerald House, they were known for their strength, stealth, and agility. The dark blue feather stood for the Azure House, they valued wisdom, keen sight, and speed. The red scale stood for the Crimson House, they cared about resilience, adaptability, and knowledge. Opa rubbed her forehead, remembering how Mom described the remaining covens when teaching her. “Memento quad peruent,” Opa whispered the memory spell and said the trigger word she and Mom had practiced, “Domus.” “The light blue frog is the Aqua House. They value healing, alchemy, and flexibility. The purple wing is Violet House. They value transformation, beauty, and illusion. The black tarantula is for the Obsidian House. They value guile, cunning, and shadow manipulation!” her inner brain answered, delighted that it was called upon. Opa’s father, Linign, had instructed Opa and Mom to cast the memory spell. It was straightforward because all you had to do was whisper ‘momento quad peruent’ It could be either on paper or in your head, even though using your mind could be much simpler, the paper may incorporate pictures. Once you have gathered your knowledge you will use a trigger word to link the knowledge to the keyword. He belonged to the Aqua House and had always tried to get her to learn the various potions in their cabinets. Linign was a lead alchemist for Spellbound Serums, a store he created himself. A cool breeze touched her skin and a slight shiver escaped her mouth. Opa gripped the hem of her dress, running her fingers over the silky, midnight blue lace fabric that clung elegantly to her frame. The intricate lace patterns delicately adorned the short sleeves, and the dress fell gracefully above her knees. Her palms felt clammy and her legs had a slight shake. Her heartbeat was caught in her throat as she looked around. She was hoping for a cool familiar. After all, it could become a new friend.! I’m so excited and nervous. Maybe I will be in the Azure House, like Mom. There is a chance I’ll even become my coven’s head, after all, we Lilycents are a huge name in the witching history. The Lilycent family had a history of being strong witches, but usually, their magic got out of hand. There was a possibility that Opa’s magic would be different than the rest, but the chances would be slim.
She stood in the circle of stones and observed the area around her. She had never left Dune Cloud, because it was a rule for the Witchlets— a term used for young witches without a coven— not to leave the town for their safety. Around the town square were multiple stores, Mom’s library, and the town hall. Lanterns shifted through all the colors of the spectrum. Her best friend, Crepusclum Amare, shivered in anticipation but touched Opa’s back, it was comforting despite their having a chance of separation. Opa looked behind herself and noticed Cree wasn’t there anymore “Cree? We—” Opa was cut off as the Magia spoke. The Magia was the title for the head of Dune Cloud. They were chosen at the start of the city and had strong powers. They worked as the mayor and the identity of the Magia had never once slipped. This was because they always wore a concealing spell. Rumors said that the Magia was still the same Magia from the start of the Dune Cloud. That sounded silly even though the Magia had the power to grow a whole forest in a swish of their hand. A few years ago the Magia had even saved the entire town from devastating lightning. “All of you Witchlets must enter the circle of stones to join your coven. Let us sing the song of the Full Moon!” Then with a twirl, the Magia disappeared and the Witchlets covered their eyes with the flash of magic around them. The air grew silent and the softly chirping birds stopped. One of them had the chance of becoming hers. That would place her in the Azure House, known for their bravery, something Opa would like to be known for. The adults started humming something soothing and sad. Its melody grew stronger with each note, deep and rich but hopeful. A calico cat swished out of the forest. It twined around a girl with warm skin and wavy caramel hair. Her stardazzle, a piece of jewelry created at the birth of a witch, glowed a deep green and the girl smiled with delight her blue eyes sparkling with happiness. If Opa remembered correctly her name was Turtesta Flumentune. Opa’s stardazzle was a ring that had always fit snuggly on her pinky. It had a gold outside and until she joined a coven a black stone would be set into the middle. She stroked the dark gem and it was surprisingly comforting. A thumping of steps came behind Opa and she caught her breath as she gradually turned around to confront it. “Oh, come on Opa! It's me!” Opa wrapped up her 180° with a flourish to see Cree’s lavender-colored dress behind her. “Where were you?” Opa growled, “I was beginning to worry you abandoned me!” “My mom made me go change into this dress,” Cree slightly pouted as she did a twirl in her lavender lace dress. The floral patterns traced the contours of her figure, enhancing her natural grace. The bodice fit her perfectly with its heart-shaped neckline, while the cap sleeves draped softly over her shoulders. The dress hugged her figure in a flattering silhouette, the hem just above her knee, allowing her to move freely. Cree quieted Opa as more creatures began flooding the town square, “That peacock is lovely. I wish it chose me,” Cree mumbled. A huge firefly floated above the Witchlets and a chorus of “aw” traveled through the air. Whoever it would choose, would belong to the Violet House. As it floated closer Opa realized it wasn’t a firefly, it was a dragon! Not just a dragon, an iridescent dragon whelp! Opa’s ring shimmered a beautiful red color and Opa gasped in delight. Then the dragon flew above Opa and sadly, did its business on her head.
