I try to steady my hands as I walk, distracting myself by memorizing the ups and downs of this place, mentally visualizing a map in my head. I look up as we pass through a side door into a grand hall, white marble pillars climb to the ceiling then arch inward swooping into giant arcs. It’s the biggest room I’ve ever seen in my life, it must have taken years and years to build it, not to mention the money it must have cost.

My guide, a middle aged man with gray hair and a slight limp beckons me forward.

I walk across the smooth white floor, nerves tugging at my stomach. I reach the end of the hall, two black iron doors loom over me, daring me to open them.

“In you go.” Says my guide, his voice sounds gravely and rough, like his voice is suffering from disuse. I reach up to open the doors but before I even touch the handles the door swings open.

I step into the room my eyes adjusting as I make out the two thrones and the people all around them. The only light in the room is coming from the windows lining the walls. The light is silver, moonlight.

“Come girl, we don’t have much time.”

The voice comes from a figure standing in the middle of the room, she’s covered in a veil and the only thing visible is her wrinkled hands, protruding from the cloth. Everyone knows who she is, everyone respects her. She is our leader. She is the queens advisor.

But right now, she is only focused on me. And it’s terrifying.

I step forward and kneel to the ground before her. “My name is Hazel Ravenscroft.” I say, willing my voice to sound calm.

She reaches her withered hand toward me and lifts my chin up, I find myself looking into eyes I’ve never seen before, there a dark brown, they almost look normal except for the sharpness, sharpness that says: I see you Hazel, I see who you are, and I know what you will become. I can cut straight through you if I wish, and fish out all your secrets.

She starts to speak.

“Kneeling before me you are a girl. But if the gods look kindly on you then you will leave this hall a witch. If not, you will stay with the gods and serve them until the end of time. Rise Hazel Ravenscroft! And seek your fate!”

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I kinda got the idea from the book I just finished, about a witch named Voya who lives in Toronto I think around the year 2050? So very cool because it’s about witches, which is a very old idea that’s been around for a while, but she lives in the future. So Definitely check it out if you can. the first one is called blood like magic by Liselle Sambury.

Please tell me if you like this story!