THE SEARCH .
991 Words
Ten days had passed since Emily’s arrival on Earth, and frustration had begun to weigh heavily on her spirit.
The mortal world moved quickly—too quickly. Faces changed, streets shifted, and magic hid itself beneath layers of noise and human distraction. Emily walked through crowded roads and quiet corners alike, her senses stretched thin, her scrying mirror offering nothing but blurred reflections and false echoes.
No sign of Thaddeus.
Each failed attempt made the mission feel heavier. Thaddeus was powerful, cunning, and well aware that he was being sought. Emily suspected he had woven protective spells around himself—spells designed to mislead witches and guardians alike.
At night, as Lucy slept peacefully in the apartment, Emily stood by the window, staring at the sky. Somewhere in this vast mortal realm was the wizard she had been sent to retrieve. Somewhere was the key to her freedom—or her destruction.
And time was already slipping away.
Elsewhere on Earth, far from the city lights, Rihanna and Toby moved quietly through unfamiliar streets. Their cloaks shimmers as they attempted to blend into the mortal world, though the effort drained them with every step.
“Where could she be?” Toby muttered, his voice low with concern.
Rihanna scanned the surroundings, her eyes sharp. “Emily wouldn’t abandon her mission. Something must be delaying her.”
They stopped beneath a flickering streetlight. The air felt heavy, unresponsive.
“Should we try again?” Toby asked.
Rihanna nodded reluctantly. Together, they closed their eyes and summoned what little power they could safely use in the mortal realm. Symbols glowed faintly beneath their feet as they whispered Emily’s name.
Nothing.
The magic dissipated uselessly into the night.
Rihanna sighed. “The barriers here are too strong. We can’t trace her.”
Toby looked around uneasily. “It’s getting dark. Mortals don’t respond well to strangers wandering at night.”
Rihanna nodded. “Let’s find shelter. We’ll continue at first light.”
Though they moved on, worry lingered heavily between them.
The following morning, Emily made a decision.
If raw searching would not reveal Thaddeus, then wisdom might.
She left Lucy’s apartment early, moving with purpose toward the main outskirt of the city, where the mortal realm brushed dangerously close to the unseen boundaries of magic. At the very entrance of that boundary stood a small, weathered cottage—hidden from ordinary human eyes.
It belonged to Ethan.
At Ethan’s Cottage
The cottage sat quietly among tall trees, its walls covered in creeping ivy and protective runes disguised as harmless carvings. Inside, Ethan, a five-hundred-year-old wizard, carefully polished his crystal ball. His movements were slow, deliberate, as though each action carried meaning beyond the physical.
The crystal pulsed beneath his touch.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
Ethan paused.
With a subtle gesture, he summoned his magic mirror. The surface shimmered, revealing the image of a familiar face standing calmly outside.
“Emily,” he murmured.
He continued cleaning the crystal ball with his right hand while his left reached out, seemingly on its own, to open the door.
Emily stepped inside.
The air shifted immediately.
They exchanged brief pleasantries, both aware that courtesy often concealed deeper intentions in their world. From the corner of the room, a sleek black cat leapt down gracefully and approached Emily.
“Ava,” Ethan said calmly. “Be gentle.”
The cat circled Emily, sniffing her cautiously. Emily remained still, allowing the creature to inspect her aura. After a moment, Ava flicked her tail, satisfied, and walked away without a sound.
“She approves,” Ethan said lightly.
Emily allowed herself a small smile.
Ethan placed the crystal ball aside and gestured toward a wooden chair. “Sit. I’ll make you worm tea.”
Emily sat, her posture straight, alert. Ethan handed her the steaming cup and took a seat opposite her.
“So,” he said, studying her closely, “what brings Queen Anora’s most punished witch to my doorstep?”
Emily met his gaze steadily. “I need your help.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “With?”
“I’m searching for a wizard,” she said. “His name is Thaddeus.”
At the sound of that name, the room seemed to grow colder.
Ethan leaned back slowly. “That wizard,” he said carefully, “is trouble.”
“I know,” Emily replied. “That’s why I’m here.”
Ethan shook his head. “Why would you risk your life locating a rebellious wizard who has defied both witches and wizards alike?”
Emily hesitated, then spoke honestly. She explained everything—her mission, her punishment, Queen Anora’s command, and the unspoken truth behind it all.
Ethan listened silently.
When she finished, he sighed deeply. “Anora knows exactly what she’s doing,” he said. “She’s sending you toward danger for her own gain. She fears what Thaddeus represents.”
Emily’s eyes darkened. “I suspected as much.”
“I’ll help you,” Ethan said finally. “But you must promise me something.”
“What is it?”
“You must not get too close to Thaddeus,” he said firmly. “Anora knows that involving you with him could endanger your life—and perhaps hers as well.”
Emily nodded slowly. “I understand.”
Ethan rose and began gathering rare herbs and vials from his shelves. “I’ll prepare a portal potion. It will reveal the hidden paths Thaddeus uses.”
“How long will it take?” Emily asked.
“Seven days,” Ethan replied. “Come back then.”
Emily stood, gratitude softening her expression. “Thank you, Ethan.”
As she turned to leave, Ethan added quietly, “Be careful, Emily. Some searches lead not to answers—but to truths we aren’t ready to face.”
Emily paused, then nodded once before stepping out into the mortal world again.
The search had finally begun.
- Writer
