Rosa was barely six years old when Mama Maëlys had rescued her from the cold wintery streets. The old witch taught her shape-shifting magic, and it was all thanks to her that, after many years of practicing, she found herself in the baron’s service.

This time I would like to share with you an excerpt from The Green Rose – a fictional short story from The Book of Forgotten Witches.

Rosa followed Mama Maëlys to the parlour where a hidden door in the bookshelf opened with a creak. A spiral staircase lead down into a secret underground cellar that had been transformed into a witch’s kitchen. Cauldrons of all sizes were lined up in the circular room, dusty vials stood on an old wooden table along with two frogs and a pair of crow’s feet, and poisonous mushrooms with a vast array of herbs hung from the beams. In the middle sat a magical stove whose flame never died out.

“So, tell me how your last transformation went!” Mama Maëlys said.

“I didn’t make a single mistake, and I even fooled the baron himself for a second!” replied Rosa proudly, now washing out some vials.

“That’s wonderful. I know how skillfully you’ve learned to transform, but I feel I must remind you of the most important thing of all – magic has a price. Small spells cost only a little, but big ones have a high fee. Look here!” Mama Maëlys pointed at the fire burning in the middle of the kitchen. “It’s not difficult to convince that flame to keep burning forever. It’s just a matter of agreement but I must also give the fire something in return.”

“What did you give?” Rosa raised her head.

“That’s our secret, dear,” she said with a smile. “Transforming, however, has a high price, so it’s important to only use it for worthwhile reasons. Remember that.”

~~~

Will she take Mama Maëlys’s advice? Read the full story of The Green Rose in The Book of Forgotten Witches!

Illustration by Lilla Bölecz.