Her Twisted Power // Fantasmical Character

Prompt 4 // Magic

I sit in father's vast, old library flicking through all of his out of bound books. When he was alive these books were locked up and hidden, but ever since he died I've managed to sneak around and find them.

I stumble upon a page about sacred tattoos and my intrigue heightens. The pages are yellowed and the ancient writing is like scratches across the page.

I try my best to translate it.

"Olive branches have been used as symbols of peace, abundance, and prosperity, which were chosen by the Greeks as a prize for the victorious. Therefore, an olive branch can also be associated with being ready to start over anew in life, with a clean slate full of fresh opportunities."

I read further down the page and my eyes dart to a sentence that details that witches that tattoo olive branches can transfer powers into the beholder.

My mouth curls up into a satisfied grin and my wings flutter in excitement. I'm ready to get a tattoo.

I fly down the halls of the palace, my features almost blending in to the white marble and ivy all around me.

"I'm going to go dance on the lake," I tell my mother, unbeknownst to her it's clearly a lie.

"Of course, Delaney," my mother is bathing in the snow, and earnestly believes what I tell her.

Fool.

I think she's just happy I'm not going out to do my job, lure mortals to death.

I travel quickly through the forest, the paths familiar to no one else but me. The green trees start to turn a weepy grey, and I continue on, knowing I'm close.

A small purple hut, with a rounded cone roof enters my view. Smoke floats out of the chimney and I smile to myself excited to see Estelle again.

The air around me is still and I see not a trace of anyone or anything around me.

The door opens by itself and I enter. Estelle never reveals herself until she's comfortable.

I wait for her and I pass the time by pondering her potion shelves and the bubbling grey cauldron.

Viles of unidentifiable substances sit atop the small wooden table. I take a seat on the small stool in the corner.

"Delaney, my child!" Estelle appears by the cauldron in the center of the circular room. She staggers over to me and strokes my long white hair.

"I haven't seen you in a while Estelle," I say affectionately. Estelle's contrasting fiery red hair dangles in front of me as she pulls at the chain around my neck.

"A gem or a stone would look perfect in the center of this necklace," she muses as she hobbles back to the cauldron.

I look down at the chain myself, a family heirloom.

"Estelle would you be able to do this?" I show her the page I ripped out of my fathers book. She squints looking at the words and her eyes widen in horror.

"Oh Delaney, how did you find out about this?"

"That's unimportant," I smirk, happy with myself, so the book is true.

Estelle would do anything for me, she always has. I think I am her weakness.

From a drawer at the other side of the hut she takes out a black bottle of homemade ink and a sharp animal bone shaped into a chisel.

"Lie down on the table," she points and demands. She takes another yellow vile from her pocket and pops the cork.

She dribbles the substance into my mouth and my thoughts immediately start to swirl. I slip into darkness, forgetting everything.

It only feels like after a couple of minutes, when my eyes flicker open. Estelle's satisfied smile hovers over my still limp body.

I sit up while Estelle puts away all the supplies. She silently brings over a shard of glass so I can admire my new olive branch tattoos.

They snake around my collarbones and they are absolutely beautiful. They are so delicately designed and divine that I am left speechless.

"Perfect, right?" Estelle asks.

I nod in agreement, still enthralled by my expertly decorated collarbones. Estelle also can't take her eyes from me and I can't say I don't blame her.

Suddenly behind me in the mirror I see a shadowy figure.

I scream, dropping the glass, and I scramble to turn around to see the figure, my heart-rate spiking.

"Estelle, who is that?" my sweet voice, comes out high pitched and scared.

Estelle looks past me and realization dawns on her face.

"My wicked Delaney, you now have the power to see creatures no one else can see," a proud smile graces her aging face. "That there is Damian, a protector spirit over me, I can only feel his presence but I cannot see him."

I gulp worriedly, taking another glance at Damian's shadowy form. Outside the wind rustles and my attention is brought to blue and pink orbs bouncing about. I spot an owl like creature now perched on trees, watching.

I can see creatures that no one else can see.

I am becoming one of a kind and that's absolutely thrilling.

I touch my fresh tattoos that are already healed. The black markings against my pale skin are angelic.

But I'm certainly no angel.

I grin to myself thinking of the power I now hold.