Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 115432 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115432 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“Druella—”
“I am trying!” I hollered, my eyes snapping open. “Druella. Druella. Druella! You can say my name a thousand and ten times. It’s not working! I am tired! I am hungry, and I want a damn shower!”
“Druella, we are talking about the fate of Wiccans—”
I could feel myself getting frustrated, a fire rising inside my throat that I just wanted to breathe out on them like a dragon. And because it was my desire, I could feel the magic, and it made me tremble. My hand clenched into a fist as the pull was strong.
“That’s right, Druella,” Uncle Axel said, still coaching, still pushing, still not listening to me.
Calm down. Calm down, Druella, I told myself, breathing in through my nose first, holding that breath before exhaling, relaxing my body.
“Druella—”
“I am done for the day,” I said to them.
“We are not finished. You barely even tried—”
My eyes snapped to Mrs. Magus in anger, and when I did, a bolt of lightning came from the still sky onto the ground beside her.
“Druella!” My uncle shook in anger. “You dare attack an elder of this coven?”
I looked back at him, and for a split second, I wondered…what could he do to stop me?
And the thought scared me.
Bad things happened to those who believed they were above all others.
“Sorry,” I apologized quickly. “I’m truly sorry. Uncle, I’m really tired. Please, may I go?”
Each one of them frowned at me. The look of disappointment was always the clearest thing on their faces.
“Go then.”
Nodding, I turned my back on them.
Sometimes, I wished I was born human or maybe…something else.
* * *
“Dru. Dru! Wake up!” She swiftly kicked my butt nearly off the bed.
“Simone, leave me alone.” I groaned, grabbing the blankets and yanking them over my head.
“It’s almost noon! You’re going to be late for your shift at work!” she hollered as she tried to pull the covers away from me, but I just held on tighter.
“Five more minutes!”
“Five—Druella, do I look like your mom? I have to go to work, too. If you wanted to sleep in all day and not be bothered, why the hell did you come over to my apartment! Stay at home.”
“Axel wouldn’t leave me alone,” I grumbled, trying to bury my head in the pillow.
“You are turning twenty-six soon! Get your own place!”
“Stop nagging me!” I huffed, kicking my feet. “Why does everyone nag me!”
“Because you are a pain in the ass! And I am throwing water on you in five, four, three, two, one—”
I sat up quickly to freeze the water before it could touch me. However, there was none. Just a very annoyed Simone, standing beside the bed, dressed in her work pants and white blouse with her arms crossed as she glared at me.
“Why would I throw water at you knowing you’d most likely stop it and fling it back at me?” she asked before throwing me my spare toothbrush. “Now that you are up, get ready so we can go to work.”
I sighed, scratching my mess of curls.
“Come on, and get moving. Your spare clothes are in the bathroom,” Simone said as she left the bedroom.
Grumbling, I peeled my way out of bed, taking my toothbrush with me, and entered the bathroom only to be terrified of by my reflection.
“What in the…” I grabbed at my sorry excuse for hair and wanted to cry. The rest of my face was a mess, too, from the dried-up drool at the corner of my mouth to the sand in my eyes. I looked like some sort of creature. I’d taken a shower before I slept to save some time when I woke up, but now I was tempted to take another one.
“And don’t even think of taking a shower! We are going to be late if you do.” Simone’s voice trickled through the door.
“Yes, Mom!” I shot back, annoyed at how well she knew me. Well, not really annoyed—glad. God only knows how I’d make it some days without her. She wasn’t my mom, but often, it felt like she was my big sister.
I glanced at the clothes she’d folded and kept on the counter for me, along with deodorant, lotion, perfume, hair gel, and a hair tie. I really felt like she’d make a better circle leader than I did. She was good at taking care of others. Brushing my teeth, I did my best to forget about all things magic, throwing my hair into a bun before changing.
When I came out of the room, I could smell…waffles!
“May the goddess of magic bless you!” I cried out cheerfully as I entered her little kitchen to see the stack of waffles and cereal waiting for me.
“Hurry. We need to go,” Simone said as she poured coffee for herself.
“Yes—”
“Call me Mom again, and I will turn your food to ash,” she sneered.