The Witch's Key

Episode 19: May My Magic Be Quick And Strong

Despite my exhaustion, I tossed and turned all night. Images of those demons pouring in through the Petersons' windows kept terrorizing me, and I wondered how much worse it might be when we found Algrath.

How many demons would he have with him?

What kind of traps would we face tonight?

If we could find him at all.

It was just before dawn when I finally gave up on sleep and crawled down to the kitchen to make coffee. To my surprise, everyone else was already up and eating breakfast.

My long brown hair was like a bird nest from all the tangles, and I hadn't bothered to brush it or pull it back this morning. I thought I would find the kitchen empty.

Oh well. I shrugged and just rolled with it. These people were family, anyway, right?

But then I caught sight of Kai standing in one corner talking to Darius.

Oh my God.

I quickly ran a few fingers through my hair, wincing as I tried to pull a few tangles apart. This was not going to work.

"I'll, uh, be right back," I whispered, hoping no one had really noticed me yet.

Gianna grabbed my arm, though, and tugged me toward her. "Oh, no you don't," she said. "I was just about to come get you, anyway. We need to get out to the training grounds pretty soon. How did you sleep?"

I shook my head and pointed to my hair.

"I can't be here like this," I said. "I didn't think anyone would be up."

"You're fine," she said. "No one here cares what you look like."

I gave her a pointed look and moved my eyes toward Kai. "Cute angel witch guy in the corner," I said very softly. "I care what I look like right now."

She turned, and I squeezed her arm.

"Don't look. Come on," I said, hiding behind her.

Gianna laughed. "Here. I'll help."

She took my shoulders in her hands to straighten my body in front of her. Then, she took strands of my hair on either side of my head into her fingertips.

"Bellus."

My tangled hair fell across my shoulders and down my back in waves as it completely untangled itself.

"Whoa. What just happened?"

I turned to stare at my reflection in the stainless steel refrigerator, and I gasped. My hair was the most beautiful I'd ever seen it. Thick and falling just right, with a little bit of body and wave to it that I could have never achieved on my own.

"Simple," Gianna said, tossing her own beautiful red hair back. "You still have to wash it, of course, but that will save you some time getting ready in the mornings."

"Thanks."

It didn't exactly help the fact that I was still in my pjs, but at least I hadn't been wearing anything too embarrassing. Just a pair of old sweats and a tank top.

She'd helped just in time, too, because Kai and Darius must have finished their conversation and had joined Asher and Gowan at the table. Everyone turned to a discussion of how the day would go.

There were potions and remedies to be made. Reagents to pack up and take with us, just in case. We still needed to have a training session for the morning, and Martin said he planned to see what he could do to speed up that location spell.