When Magic Flows

NICHOLAS GRAVES

“As I told you before, my name is Nicholas Graves. The security here measured my intentions when I got in here, but I must confess, I exchanged this invite for complex bewitched token. All to get to know you.” Then after a few deep breaths, he continued “The reason I am here is that I heard other counsel wizards talk about the star alignment and how they think you are the promised leader that is been expected for generations, so I have to know you. I need light, Allegra. My family desperately needs your help.”

“But I just know the basics. My training has not even started!” I told him scared.

“I know, we are not in mortal danger, not that I am aware of right now, but I needed to ask for your help when you are prepared. Only a light priestess can save my family.”

“If you need this kind of salvation, you’re probably not from my coven… Where are you from, Nicholas?” I started to get more suspicious now. 

“My dad was expelled from his former coven when I was a baby. We have no coven to belong to, and this affected my whole life. You see, something happened in his life that changed him completely, and he harmed so many people around him that he was excommunicated from his own coven. He used to be a lieutenant in his time. Now there are just the two of us, our own coven.” He made this small joke and smiled, but this smile did not get to his eyes this time. 

I had no words. He faced a lot of trouble to get here tonight and I could see that his fate was not his fault. As he was trapped in his own troubled life, I felt compassion and wanted to help him, but for now, I had no idea how. 

“Look, Nicholas, I want to help you, but I still don’t know how. For now, I just can offer my shoulder and try to comprehend your situation. I’m sorry.” I told him.

“I know, you’re about to start your training, but I could feel your power. You know that witches and warlocks can sense other magical creatures’ powers. I know you have the potential for it. Tonight, I just wanted you to know that I need, or better, I’m begging you to help us.” He seemed so desperate that I wish I could take away his pain, but I couldn’t. At least, not yet.

“What is really going on, Nicholas?”

“First of all, you have to understand that my dad does not know I’m here. He is the one who most needs your help, but he might not want it. You see, years ago he got involved with dark magic. Are you familiar with the effects dark magic can have over a wizard?” he asked me.

“No, I was just taught to not get even close to it,” I told him making a face. I was not liking where this conversation was leading us to. 

“In a desperate act, he resorted to dark magic years ago and was never able to get rid of it. Darkness started to destroy his soul and deteriorate his body, and now I am afraid that he could not hold on anymore. He is dying, Allegra, and he is my only family.” He was so sad, and I wished that I could take his sadness away. 

“How about you? Do you have effects of dark magic on you?” I was getting disappointed. I thought that we had potential together. My heart had skipped a bit when I met him.

“I live in a gray area, Allegra. I try to reach the light every moment of my life, but my dad’s darkness sometimes finds its ways to get to me. This is not the type of life that I want to live in forever, but the perspective of losing my only family is the main reason I’m here right now. Could you please learn everything that you can to help him to save his soul? He tells me that he has no soul left in him, but I can’t lose him, Allegra. I don’t know what else to do.”

“Fine, I will help. I will learn what I can to save you and your father, but he probably will need to want to do it too, okay? I can’t promise you a lot right now, but I will help you in any way that I can.” I told him and could hear his loud sigh. “I will probably have to see you again for it, right? Could you please not observe me from far, from now on? I could get a little self-conscious.” I told him smiling.

“Anything you want, my dear.” He told me smiling. And as the heavy conversation was being left behind, the easy-going Nicholas was resurfacing again. 

“Now, for a light conversation, you look beautiful tonight. I saw you from far, so I haven’t noticed a lot of you so far.”

“Thanks. You’re not bad yourself.” I told him, but I was not admitting to him that he was not bad at all. 

“Can I ask you for a second dance right here?” The ballroom music was loud enough for us to hear it from the gazebo.

“Sure. Let’s dance again. Who taught you to dance like this?”

“Believe me or not, nobody. My dad just told me that this would be an ability that I would like to learn for life and then I decided to observe it from movies and the internet. We live isolated from other covens, so I don’t have a lot of social interaction myself." He told me grabbing my hand again, and one more time sparks flew from our contact.

“You’re doing great so far. Congratulations!” I smiled at him.

“Your smiling is infectious. It is the most beautiful smile I have ever seen in my life. You are adorable. I don’t know if I am going too far, but as time passes, I want to get closer to you. Maybe you are working your own magic over me.” He smiled back at me. 

“I don’t know why but I want to get closer too,” I confessed to those hypnotic eyes that were facing me intensely.

And then suddenly he was getting closer to me, holding me in place and looking me as if I was the only one in the world. His face came even closer, to the point that I could see the small freckles he has on his face, the details in those eyes. I got closer too, closing my eyes and bracing for the magical moment.

He kissed me as if I was a delicate flower, and I could feel tenderness and affection. I never felt so adored and appreciated like that and although nothing supernatural happened, I could feel magic, and most importantly, I could feel his magic. He told me about feeling mine, but he was powerful too. 

We ended the kiss with him touching my forehead with his and smiling down to me. It has his own magic and I felt It. It was special and a moment only for the two of us. I would keep this moment in my mind forever. I didn’t want to say goodbye, but eventually, we parted ways and went back to our homes.

When the night was over, I was laying in my bed thinking about Nicholas and his lips and how they made me feel special. With a wide smile plastered in my face, I fell asleep and dreamed about the most wonderful moment of my life, at least, so far.