Page 23 of Uncharmed

‘...So a little transfigurative practice sounds like it could see us right, don’t you think? I thought we’d start with some basic enchantment, with a touch of girly sparkle. After all, what’s magic without sparkle?’

‘Unbelievable,’ Maeve grumbled, folding her arms emphatically.

‘Thank you! I thought perhaps we’d begin with something inspired by some of the most precious, celebrated magic of all time.’

At that, Maeve’s ears pricked up. ‘Well, alright...now we’re talking,’ she said, surprised.

But her excitement quickly waned when Annie gestured to two large, fat pumpkins that she’d gathered (with a lot of struggle) from the garden, almost tumbling backwards into the stream when she lifted them.

Maeve slumped back down into her seat in a huff.

‘You’re about to tell me we’re putting my extraordinary, otherworldly powers to good use by making vegetable soup, aren’t you?’

Annie simply gave her an excitable wink.

With a flutter of her left hand, one of the pumpkins began to transform from bright orange to a paler, almost crystal-like surface.

The sprout changed from natural to metallic, twisting into an elegant swirl.

Finally four spindled wheels popped from beneath the pumpkin, along with a heart-shaped window on either side of what was now a small, finely crafted carriage. Annie gave a delighted ‘yay!’

Maeve simply sniffed.

‘You don’t like it?’ Annie asked, dejected.

‘I’m not really one for princesses,’ Maeve shrugged. ‘But my transfigurative magic worked okay yesterday...Alright, let me have a go, then.’

‘Excellent! I love your enthusiasm,’ Annie chirped, returning to Maeve’s side so that she could attempt to give some further guidance.

‘Now, you’ll need to recite the spell verbally while you cast, seeing as you’re new to all of this.

Once you’ve performed it perfectly, your witchcraft will be able to recall the spell silently in the future.

But, for now, we need a very clear and succinct “ Puella Magi Iter ”.

That recitation refers to a girl’s magical journey – you see how that sums the spell up nicely?

It’s all about personal intention. Do you think you can remember that? ’

Maeve blew her hair out of her face and pushed up her glasses determinedly, glaring at Annie. Annie cleared her throat and shuffled a little as she tuned into the emotions that began to cloud the air above them. Irritation, a spark of anger. She cursed herself for taking the wrong tone.

‘ Puell ...What was it again?’ Maeve asked.

‘Make sure you’re...Not quite, more like...You must hold out your leading magic hand as you speak,’ Annie interrupted, noticing Maeve’s hand was off target. ‘Are you concentrating properly? Focusing on guiding your powers towards the object as you...’

‘I am, look! I’m pointing, aren’t I?’

‘Yes, but it’s not...’ Annie leaned across Maeve and held her arm up at the slightest, most fractionally different angle. The spell tuned in sharply to more unrest in the air. Impatience, resentment, a roughly bristled pride that felt like an electric shock...

‘That’s exactly what I just did!’ Maeve shrugged off Annie’s hand with a shove. ‘Let me—’

‘On second thoughts, maybe I’d better...’ Annie tried again to encourage Maeve’s arm down a fraction. She felt her heart quicken when she spotted a crackle of magic snap between Maeve’s fingers. ‘Let’s take a moment to—’

‘I can do it!’ Maeve said stubbornly and a little louder. The squeezing, fiery feelings prickled at the back of Annie’s neck, sent a panicky feeling up into her throat.

‘It’s my fault. I’m getting carried away with myself,’ Annie rushed to say, keen to placate the rising temper. ‘You’re not ready just yet and that’s fine.’

‘Of course I’m ready! That’s literally why we’re here!’

Now it was fury, a deep sense of injustice, yelling furiously at Annie from inside Maeve – emotions that felt dark and dangerous and unpredictable.

Annie kept desperately trying to calm the girl’s rising emotions.

‘Let’s go back to some much more basic theory, Maeve.

If you’ll take out your notebook instead—’

‘Just let me have a go, will you? You’re not listening to me! You’re not trusting me!’

‘Let me give you another example to—’

‘ Puella Magic Eater! ’ Maeve shouted.

The pumpkin exploded. Slushy, bright orange guts flew in every direction, splattering the entire cottage in an alarming volume of wet mush that smelt distinctly and horribly of very, very burned pumpkin.

Karma, who had been peacefully snoozing on the couch, let out a furious yowl as a splat of pumpkin landed directly on her tiny soft head.

Both witches froze. A few moments passed before Annie finally moved to wipe a few inches of pumpkin from the ends of her hair.

‘Puella Magic Eater? Are you serious?’ Annie said in a dangerously calm voice.

Maeve used her forefingers to clear her glasses like windscreen wipers. ‘Well, it was worth a try. You weren’t giving me a chance.’

‘You’re not taking this seriously enough, Maeve.’

‘Me? You made a princess carriage from a pumpkin. I want to do real magic!’ Maeve jumped to her feet to measure up face to face with Annie. The pair of witches glared at each other, covered in soggy pumpkin guts.

‘ All magic is real magic, Maeve. Especially the fun and joyful kind. You don’t have anything to prove here,’ Annie said as she shoved her hands onto her hips. ‘I already know you’re talented. But power without control leads to chaos,’ she said with a sigh, flicking away more mush from her fingers.

‘I’m not a kid. I don’t need you controlling me or my magic,’ Maeve bit back. ‘And I definitely do not need a nanny.’

‘Oh, I can see that. But your magic might need one. You seem highly capable and very clever, but your magic can’t go around sending flames every which way towards curtains and canteens whenever your emotions catch fire.’

‘Those were accidents,’ Maeve said angrily.

‘Exactly. I think the coven would be less concerned if you had meant to do it, if you were committing purposeful arson. Then we could just punish you for it and that would be that. How do you expect me to trust you if you keep being so reckless and messy with your magic?’ Annie hoped that the question would be enough for Maeve to reluctantly admit that she was right.

Instead, her words seemed to stoke more fire.

‘And how do you expect me to respect you if you keep being such a ridiculous, people-pleasing pushover?’

Annie tried her very best not to burst into tears at that.

Maeve glared at her, fists balled at her sides, knuckles coated in a crackle of magic.

And yet Annie noticed the slightest twitch in her resolve, as though she had surprised herself by blurting out the words and was forcing herself to stick to her guns.

But the brief flash was gone in a moment.

‘I can’t believe I’m stuck with you,’ Maeve fumed. A slop of pumpkin fell from her shoulder to the floor with a wet splat, which sounded horribly loud in the silence that hung between them. ‘Leave me alone.’

With that, the girl stormed into her room and slammed the door behind her, leaving Annie frazzled and defeated, dripping in pumpkin and wondering what on earth had just happened.