Strings of Fate by Kit Bryan
Chapter 249

Cam 6- Sharing and sneaking

“Well… now that we’re all here, not that I knew we were actually expecting so many people, would you be able to answer some questions about magic for us Cam?” Ryann asks. I agree. and lead them into my workroom slash storeroom out back. I open the door myself as I keep it warded. If anyone other than me tries to open it they will not like the outcome. I did plan to bring the Alphas here and I don’t mind including their Oracle friend. But I did not count. on letting Harrison into my personal space. I love my workroom, it’s a perfect combination of work and extras. I have a Witches circle, a secure area to keep my more dangerous potions and enough alcohol to hide all sorts of spells. Alcohol is actually a weirdly good base for a lot of potions. Some of the more traditional Witches refuse to use it, preferring to stick with purified water or water from obscure springs or lakes insisting that it works better. It doesn’t, it’s about the same, it just doesn’t taste as good. Plus I’ve found that alcohol makes some potions more potent, particularly ones that affect the mind more than the body. Probably because it reduces inhibitions. A person can fight a spell, even if they don’t know they’re doing it. I also replace that most potions work best if the person doesn’t know that they’ve imbibed it. It’s why I keep my more dangerous potions locked away. I don’t have to worry about the ingredients at least. Only a Witch can make potions, they have to be infused with magic to work. Still, back to the issue at hand. I’m not sure I want Harrison in my workspace, but I don’t want to offend the Alphas by refusing him. Sigh. I stop him in the doorway with a hand on his chest and have to ignore how firm his muscles feel and the rush of heat that goes through me. I don’t think I’ve ever touched him before. My knees feel a little shaky. What the hell? Stupid Incubus magic. I glare at him, tempted to tell him to leave.

“Touch. Nothing. Do you understand me?” He nods and smiles but I don’t miss the slight smirk on his face. His eyes are darting around the room and he looks far too interested in everything

Te. I just know I’m going to regret this.

Ryann explains to me all about how there are these people who have been stalking her and how they’ve been going around killing people and how they’ve taken a little girl. It’s absolutely awful. I wish they had come to me sooner. If I had known it was this important a problem I would have come to see them immediately. She then tells me about some of the spells that they suspect the criminals have been using. They sound kind of familiar, definitely not the kind of magic I usually use so I’ll have to look it up.

“I have a couple ideas about what it could be. Let me double check something.” I approach my secure storage and unlock it with my assigned magical phrase and a dose of my personal

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Cam 6–Sharing and sneaking

magic. It’s a lock that no one can open but me, even if they know the password they would need my magical signature and that’s pretty much impossible to replicate. To copy someone’s magical signature you need to know and understand it. To do that you have to basically have a perfect understanding of a person, of what makes them who they are. It’s very rare that someone manages something like that and usually if you know someone that well, that intimately… Well you wouldn’t have a reason to be stealing from them now would you? I locate my grimoire. It’s my personal one, not the family one. It has a record of every spell I’ve ever studied. I could probably replace out more if I had access to my family grimoire but if the cost of that information is my freedom it’s just not worth it. I lock up and drop the leather bound book on the table. Technically it doesn’t need to be a dramatic leather bound book, it could be a regular notebook or something. But there is just something so appealing about the

aesthetic that I can’t resist.

“What’s that?” Harrison asks, leaning over my shoulder. I can feel his breath in my hair. I didn’t realise that he was so close. I snap my grimoire shut. I might be planning to share SOME information, and I might be more open that most Witches, but this is MY grimoire. It’s practically a diary of all my knowledge and experiences. It’s not something I want just anyone reading. I realise I’ve not moved away from him and I quickly duck out under his arm. clutching my grimoire to my chest and hoping no one can see how rattled I am.

“It’s my grimoire. Not something for you to read. I tell him, trying to keep my cool. Harrison seems like he’s going to argue and I’m prepping to send him packing when Ryann prods him. in the arm with a finger and tells him off.

“Leave it Harry.” Harrison reluctantly steps away and begins to wander the room, looking at my shelves. Seriously? One warming from her and he shuts up. Where can I learn that trick? I start flicking through my grimoire again when I see him reaching towards some of my

ingredients.

“Hands in your pockets Harrison.” I order without looking up. I resist a smug smile when he shoves his hands in his pockets. Good. I don’t think he could do any harm with what was on that shelf, but I don’t especially want to have to replace any of my supplies. Some of that stuff is expensive. After a few minutes of flicking through pages I replace what I’m looking for. Stealth spells. I focussed on them for a while as a teenager when I wanted to sneak out without getting caught. I guess it’s nice that it’s finally paying off. The spell she described isn’t EXACTLY like the one I learned, but it would requiry similar magic.

“Okay, so it looks like it’s probably a spin off version of a basic stealth spell. Instead of hiding

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Cam 6- Sharing and sneaking

magic. It’s a lock that no one can open but me, even if they know the password they would need my magical signature and that’s pretty much impossible to replicate. To copy someone’s magical signature you need to know and understand it. To do that you have to basically have a perfect understanding of a person, of what makes them who they are. It’s very rare that someone manages something like that and usually if you know someone that well, that intimately… Well you wouldn’t have a reason to be stealing from them now would you? I locate my grimoire. It’s my personal one, not the family one. It has a record of every spell I’ve ever studied. I could probably replace out more if I had access to my family grimoire but if the cost of that information is my freedom it’s just not worth it. I lock up and drop the leather bound book on the table. Technically it doesn’t need to be a dramatic leather bound book, it could be a regular notebook or something. But there is just something so appealing about the

aesthetic that I can’t resist.

“What’s that?” Harrison asks, leaning over my shoulder. I can feel his breath in my hair. I didn’t realise that he was so close, I snap my grimoire shut. I might be planning to share SOME information, and I might be more open that most Witches, but this is MY grimoire. It’s practically a diary of all my knowledge and experiences. It’s not something I want just anyone. reading. I realise I’ve not moved away from him and I quickly duck out under his arm, clutching my grimoire to my chest and hoping no one can see how rattled I am.

“It’s my grimoire. Not something for you to read.” I tell him, trying to keep my cool. Harrison seems like he’s going to argue and I’m prepping to send him packing when Ryann prods him in the arm with a finger and tells him off

“Leave it Harry.” Harrison reluctantly steps away and begins to wander the room, looking at my shelves. Seriously? One warning from her and he shuts up. Where can I learn that trick? I start flicking through my grimoire again when I see him reaching towards some of my

ingredients.

“Hands in your pockets Harrison.” I order without looking up. I resist a smug smile when he shoves his hands in his pockets. Good. I don’t think he could do any harm with what was on that shelf, but I don’t especially want to have to replace any of my supplies. Some of that stuff is expensive. After a few minutes of flicking through pages I replace what I’m looking for. Stealth spells. I focussed on them for a while as a teenager when I wanted to sneak out without getting caught. I guess it’s nice that it’s finally paying off. The spell she described isn’t EXACTLY like the one I learned, but it would require similar magic.

“Okay, so it looks like it’s probably a spin off version of a basic stealth spell. Instead of hiding

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Cam 6- Sharing and sneaking

a person’s presence WHILE they’re at a place, it hides it afterwards.” I explain. I’m happy to actually have useful information for them. I was worried I wouldn’t know the answers to their questions. I’m a competent Witch, but I don’t have the benefit of a coven’s worth of knowledge or the option to consult my elders when I’m stumped. I’ve been doing my best to experiment and learn, trying not to let that limit my progress. I can’t even learn from another coven because they’re too secretive. They would worry that I would just be trying to steal their secrets for my family. I can’t blame them. I used to feel that way too, it wasn’t until I left my coven that I realised how inaccessible magic is for most people.

“Is there anything about it that we could use to replace the caster?” Bellamy prompts. Damnit. It wanted to be useful, but honestly I don’t think identifying the magic is actually all that

helpful. I hate to admit it but it won’t tell them anything.

“Well… it’s a spell that technically any Witch or Warlock could cast… but it isn’t a super well known variation. Most people who use stealth spells are worried about being seen, heard or smelled WHILE they’re actually at a place, less concerned about afterwards. It’s not a variation someone stumbles across by accident, they would have had to go looking for it.” As

I said, not all that helpful. All it tells them is that someone who wanted to commit a crime, went out of their way to research magic that would be useful in committing a crime. I’m really just stating the obvious. All we really confirm is that there is a Witch or Warlock involved because it’s not the kind of spell that can be prepared in advance.

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