Witch, Wolf, Woods

CHAPTER 15: HELFERIN HELP

Katja woke early the next morning, eager to finish her work and begin looking for the spell to create an enchanted wolf. She hadn't realized how much of a difference having something to look forward to could make in her life, but it was nice to have a goal related to something outside of improving her metal-working skills.

After dinner, all members of the Hexen were required to attend the naming of the new Sprechen, in conjunction with the arrival of the new moon, and while she avoided Elise and her followers, she clapped enthusiastically when Tante Bettina was named Sprechen, much to the blacksmith's surprise.

Then, as soon as it was conceivably polite to do so, Katja slipped out of the Treffen Hall and made her way to the library. Tante Winola was in her usual seat, but this time she was awake, and she waved Katja closer.

"You might consider moving a bed in here," she said, lifting the pince-nez that hung from a chain around her neck and settling it on her nose, "given how much you've been visiting lately."

Katja winced. "I tried to be quiet," she began, but Tante Winola waved a dainty hand through the air, silencing her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't more helpful to you," said the librarian. "I'm especially sorry I wasn't there when you opened the metal box on the third floor."

Katja's heart dropped into her stomach, and her mouth was suddenly so dry, she could barely swallow. How did Tante Winola know what she'd done?

Correctly guessing the thoughts swirling through Katja's mind, Tante Winola gave her a knowing smile.

"As a librarian, I'm intimately connected with the library. I can't explain how, exactly, but nothing happens here involving a book without my knowing it."

Katja's shoulders slumped, and she wrapped her arms around herself. "I didn't mean to do anything wrong," she said softly.

Tante Winola studied her closely. "Perhaps this would be a good time for me to mention that anything spoken between a librarian and a visitor to the library is kept in the strictest confidence."

Katja raised her head. "It is?"

Tante Winola nodded, her short brown and grey curls bouncing even as her expression became serious. "I always assume everyone knows that, but clearly I need to do a better job of spreading the word. No one should ever be afraid of seeking out knowledge about something that interests them, so any conversation I have with someone here about finding a book is strictly confidential." She glanced fondly around the large space. "The library holds us to it.

"I'll tell you something else," continued the librarian. "Even with your metallurgy, that metal box didn't have to share its contents with you. Everything in here can sound an alarm if it so chooses, letting me and the other librarians know something's wrong, even if we're not close by. If the box wasn't worried about whatever you were searching for, I promise I won't be, either."

Normally, Katja despised lying, preferring even the most difficult truths over more pleasant lies...however, over the years she'd carved out one very specific area in her life where telling falsehoods was acceptable, and that was limited to pretending she was fine and assuring others as much, even if she wasn't, in order to protect herself from enduring more pity than she already received.

Her current situation didn't seem to fall into that category but, at the same time, she wasn't sure she should tell Tante Winola about the spells on the wolf necklace; she was still worried a more senior Hexen would say it was too big for her or too important to be trusted to a girl of only sixteen.

More than anything, she feared having the necklace taken from her, so it seemed she might need to expand her definition of when lying was acceptable, or at least not share the entire truth. Swallowing, she stepped closer to the librarian's desk.

"I want to make something like a Helferin," she explained, which was at least true. "I was too scared to ask anyone for help, even the Leiten Stone, but I assumed the book containing the spell would be locked up, so I was searching for where it might be. When I saw the box on the third floor, I decided to start there. But I didn't find what I was looking for, and I was too nervous to check another box."

"What exactly are you trying to make?" asked Tante Winola, her brow furrowing with curiosity.

Katja showed her the necklace. "I want to use this as a template for an enchanted pet. I know we're not supposed to have real pets in the castle, so I thought I could alter the Helferin spell and make a magischer wolf—a magical wolf." Her chest tightened. "I'm tired of being so alone."

Tante Winola reached out, as if to take Katja's hand, but Katja flinched and drew back, years of being bullied by Elise making her wary of getting too near anyone. She busied herself with smoothing the front of her dress, hoping Tante Winola wouldn't think she was rude, and while the librarian studied her for a moment, she eventually said, "Well, it's a good thing you sought my help. I know just what you need."

She rose to her feet and beckoned for Katja to follow her, causing Katja to let out a soft sigh of relief at the change of subject. She'd spent so long wishing, dreaming, that someone would care about her, only to have those hopes dashed again and again, at some point it had simply become easier to accept being alone.

While she appreciated Tante Winola's effort at kindness, she also wasn't ready to let down the walls she'd spent years building to protect herself.

"You're not the first witch to want such a thing," Tante Winola explained over her shoulder. Katja rarely found herself feeling large, but standing so near the diminutive librarian, she felt like a giant from a children's story. "Nor the first to try to create a pet of your own. Be advised, though, it's not an easy spell to master, especially for one so young."

Katja nodded, even as she quickened her pace, surprised at how fast the librarian moved, and while Tante Winola never consulted a reference guide or the Leiten Stone, she led Katja directly to a shelf, where she selected a book entitled, Enchanted Creatures and Conjurings.

"This contains the spell used to create the Helferin," she explained. "I'm not entirely sure how it'll have to be tweaked to create a wolf, but I suspect you can figure that out."

"Thank you!" whispered Katja, hugging the book to her chest.

Tante Winola smiled. "Go read your book. I'll handle the paperwork. And," she raised her eyebrows in mock severity, "once you create your magischer wolf, I expect you to bring it here and introduce me."

"I will!" assured Katja. "Thank you!"

She felt as if she floated the entire way back to her room and once there, she read through the spell to see what, if any, equipment she might need.

As it turned out, creating a Helferin wasn't all that difficult. The challenge seemed to lay in the need to replenish the spell every couple of weeks, lest the enchanted helpers begin to fade until the sigils that held them together disappeared altogether.

That must have been the main reason people avoided creating conjurings of their own, decided Katja...too much upkeep. She didn't mind, though. If she'd had a real dog, it would require feeding and walking every day. Reapplying a spell every two weeks was barely an inconvenience compared to that.

"Tomorrow night, then," she said as she stroked the wolf pendant. "Tomorrow night we'll remove those spells and see about turning you into a real wolf...or at least something that looks like one!"

(Artwork by bboellinger from Pixabay)