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“You wish to call upon mischievous pixies?”

He shook his head in disbelief, but he let her teach him the song.

One arrived quickly, every block of forest having their own collection of pixies and fairies. They lived amongst the trees, mushrooms, and shrubs, sharing the land with the animals that lived in their woods.

Fairies were sweet creatures. Pixies, on the other hand, were considered vermin. Both were no larger than her hand, and they tried to remain hidden from the outside world.

A male pixie hissed at her before turning to Geryon with his own sharp little fangs. “You bring me to a Witch?”

“I need your assistance,” Valerie told the pixie before he could flutter away. “We need you to perform a binding hex on my witchcraft.”

He paused to squint his little eyes at her. “That is old magic, a kind we do not use anymore.”

“I know. Witches tried to rid the world of your kind because we discovered you could bind our powers away. It has all been forgotten but... I know you still can do it.”

The little creature fluttered its tiny wings while bringing its hand up to tap his fingers against his sharp, shark-like teeth. He grinned at Valerie, joyful at the idea of binding her magic.

“This will require lots of magic.” The pixie turned to Geryon. “Instead of one of us holding the key, do you intend the Dragon to be the holder?”

“Yes,” she answered.

“Do you give your permission to act as the keeper of her magic? I will require the use of your blood.”

Many believed pixies were the reason Strolguil the Vast discovered he could increase his magic with blood. Valerie could tell Geryon wasn’t pleased his essence would be required, but he accepted it.

The pixie left and returned with two others.

Valerie knelt inside the circle they carved into the grass and dirt. Special symbols were drawn on the outside of it before they drew a second circle to encase them. They untied the back of her dress to reveal the skin between her shoulder blades.

One asked Geryon to dig his claw into his scales so it could collect his blood and use it to draw a final symbol on her back.

Their magic glittered with greens and blues while they flew in a circle around her body, chanting in unison. The symbols on the ground lit up as tiny beams of light shot up around her body. Without warning, Valerie felt her witchcraft being taken away. It felt like a sucking sensation, starting from the tips of her toes and fingers, pulling up her limbs to draw it away.

It was painful, almost cold, but she didn’t make a noise nor any movement in reaction. That icy, sucking sensation flowed backwards until it burned like frost against her spine – right where they had drawn the symbol in blood.

Valerie gave a sigh, feeling the tension in her muscles fade when the worst of the pain was gone.

“There. The spell is done.” They turned to the Dragon. “If you wish to unlock her witchcraft, you must place your hand on the mark on her back and say ‘release’.”

They immediately left, unwilling to linger.

Valerie looked down at her hands, clenching and unclenching them.I feel so strange.She could tell it was gone, like a part of her soul was missing. It was different from what she’d done with Cecily, as she’d been able to feel the nagging desire to release her magic. Now, there was nothing at all.I already miss the feeling.

“It is true.” Geryon sounded surprised. “I cannot see free witchcraft in you. It is localised to the symbol between your shoulders.”

It burned, constantly reminding her it was there. She figured it was the concentrated power of her magic causing her pain, since it was no longer equally dispersed. Valerie attempted to create a ball of fire, but there wasn’t even a tingle to inform her she’d tried.

“I feel human.” She looked between her pale hands. “Such a weak sensation.”

“You still smell like a Witch.”

Valerie turned her head up to Geryon. “Now that it is proven I am powerless, may I have my sister returned to me?”

“I am considering snatching you as you are and taking you both as my prisoners.” He said this, but he lowered his paw to place Kaeylyn gently on the ground in front of her. “However, I will not break my word.”

Only when the child regained consciousness did the Witch finally set out on their journey.

Geryon followed them.