After getting Eris off the couch long enough to help me find all the ingredients I needed for this spell, I was finally ready to attempt conjuring a familiar. I planned to do it in my basement, so other witches couldn't trace the spell.
I didn't need to alert any of the coven members of what I was doing. One of them was bound to stop if I tried conjuring a familiar. I could practically see it.
Eris, of course, had been kind enough to put up a barrier for me around the basement after I bribed her with getting her Netflix. The barrier would make sure the basement wasn't impacted too much by any… hiccups.
And as soon as she was done, Eris had to head back to the Seelie Court, saying something about an important ritual. Wasn't sure what she meant by that and as usual she didn't bother to explain.
Instead Eris promised to come back tomorrow for her TV rewards and to make sure I hadn't killed myself. Thus, I was left alone in my basement preparing for the conjuring.
Honestly, I didn't even understand why I was doing this without anyone to help me. Maybe it was because I feared the spell going wrong and accidentally hurting someone.
Or rather, I didn't want others to see me lose control over my magic.
The coven had mocked me enough when my magic control began going downhill four years ago. People abandoned me and a fear grew within me whenever others watched me use magic.
I didn't want any more to see how much of a failure I was as a witch. Especially the last remaining person by my side. Eris was a good friend for a Fae at least, but a part of me worried that if I failed this…
Then would I ever be able to gain control of my magic or would my fate be the same as my mother's?
Sighing at my depressing thoughts, I turned my attention back to the spell book on the wooden floor. It was opened up to the seventh page on a spell to conjure a cat familiar.
The book had multiple options on familiars. Everything from your standard cat to different kinds of birds, dogs, rats, rabbits, dogs to more wild animals like tigers, bears and even snakes.
It had taken a while to read through all the options and decide on the simple house cat. Mostly, because I wanted minimal room for errors and the cat familiar was the easiest spell.
Not to mention having something like a tiger roaming around would cause unwanted questions and attention. At least with a cat I could fake it being a normal pet. Plus I had a soft spot for cats.
Maybe it was because I was a witch.
Or you just like playing into the stereotypes. I thought to myself before shaking my head. Nope! Focus! You need to channel your magic correctly here. Don't get distracted now!
With that in mind, I double checked the ritual rune circle I'd drawn in chalk, making sure all the symbols were correctly drawn and in the right place.
I then placed the sage and piece of cat fur Eris found from Goddess knows where in the center of the circle with a bowl of cat food. Once I was done, I glanced back at the spell book and slowly chanted the words on the page.
As I spoke out the words, my hands hovering over the circle, my magic hummed within me. Soon my blood warmed up and the palm of my hands began to glow a soft golden light as the magic worked.
"Quaeso!" I finally called out the last word of the spell.
Light shot out from my hand hitting the circle drawn on the floor. It glowed red, a light wall building up around it. Everything was going as planned!
I quickly crawled backwards, making sure to grab the spell book as I watched the spell take effect. Light flashed blinding me as the smell of brimstone and fire filled my nose.
No!
Panic clenched at my chest as my vision slowly returned to find the dim room now dark with smoke and a horrid smell. I coughed, waving my hand around the smoke, trying to find my way towards the exit, ignoring the pain.
The dread and disappointment that I had failed once more. That there was likely no hope for me to ever gain control over my magic and become a powerful witch.
Tears stung my eyes, not just from the pain of the smoke, but because of the bitter pill I had to finally swallow. I would never be able to avenge Mom's wrongful death.
"I'm sorry, Mom." I cried, letting the tears fall. "I failed you… I couldn't become a witch powerful enough to avenge you like I prom-"
"What the fuck!" A deep voice suddenly grumbled, making me freeze.
I turned back to the direction where the voice had come from, on edge at the sudden appearance of an intruder. How the heck had he gotten there? And who was he?!
Smoke began disappearing from the room, almost as if it were retreating. And in the center of the rune I had drawn stood a massive guy, even by my standards and I was 6ft.
He was on the leaner side of muscular with pale skin and rune markings covering his naked chest and wrists. His short black hair was slightly tousled, like he had just gotten out of bed.
A black collar wrapped around his neck that his faintly clawed hands tugged at and he wore pants that hung dangerously low and screamed sinful.
The sight of him made my mouth go dry, forgetting for a moment that he was a trespasser. One that was exactly my type.
That was until I noticed two small black horns poking out of his head, almost hidden away by his messy hair. It was then that I realized I had made a grave mistake.
I had accidentally summoned a demon.