Written in Spell

The bell above the door chimed softly as I stepped into The Arcane Room. The wooden floor creaked under my feet, the sound familiar and almost comforting. Shelves lined the walls, filled with vials of mysterious liquids, bundles of herbs, and crystals that seemed to hum with energy. The scent of sandalwood mixed with something earthier—maybe sage—filled the air, winding its way around me like a comforting but heavy blanket.

I inhaled deeply, grounding myself in the space. I came here for a reason. I know what I need. At least, I thought I did.

Ms. Vesper was at the counter, her long, black hair falling in waves over her shoulders. She looked up from her task, her dark eyes sharp and unreadable, though I sensed a flicker of knowing in them. There was something about her—always calm, always steady, like the magic in this place flowed directly through her.

"Back again, dear?" Her voice was low and warm, a tone that suggested she already knew why I was here.

“I need a spell,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper. My nerves were getting the best of me. Why am I so nervous?

“For love?” Ms. Vesper asked, her lips curving into a slight smile as though she’d seen this many times before.

I opened my mouth to answer, but suddenly, I wasn’t sure. Was that really what I needed? I felt the familiar tug of indecision, and for a moment, it was as though I was a puppet—controlled by strings I couldn’t see.

“No... no, I think I need a protection spell,” I blurted out.

Ms. Vesper raised an eyebrow, studying me with that same patient, knowing gaze. “Protection can come in many forms,” she said, turning toward the shelves. “What, exactly, are you seeking protection from?”

What am I seeking protection from?

I shifted uncomfortably, my thoughts swirling. Was it protection I needed? Maybe... but no. It wasn’t really that, was it? The feeling inside me was deeper, a knot I couldn’t untangle. I hadn’t been able to make a clear decision in months. My life had been one long series of “maybes” and “what ifs.”

Ever since... him.

The thought came before I could stop it, a sharp pain in my chest. My ex. The man I thought I’d build a future with—the one who left me spinning in a cloud of doubt when he walked away. I'd been trying to rebuild ever since, trying to make sense of who I was without him, but it seemed like every step I took, the ground shifted beneath me.

Wait. No. That’s not it either.

I felt another shift inside me, a sudden change of heart. “Actually, no. Love. I need a love spell.” I wasn’t sure how or why the words came out, but there they were. Spoken.

Ms. Vesper, unfazed, simply nodded and moved to retrieve a leather-bound book from the shelf. “Love, then,” she murmured, flipping through the pages with the ease of someone who knew exactly where to look. “There are many spells for love. But you must choose carefully. Intent is everything in magic.”

I reached for the book, my fingers brushing against the aged pages. It felt heavy, and something in me twisted, uncertain. Was this really what I wanted? Was I ready to ask for love when I didn’t even know if I was deserving of it?

The pages swam before me, the words shifting, changing.

“No,” I muttered, shaking my head. “That’s not it.”

“What’s wrong?” Ms. Vesper asked, her voice steady.

“I don’t know,” I admitted, feeling the frustration bubbling up inside me. Why couldn’t I make a simple decision? “I just... I want it to be perfect. Maybe this isn’t the right spell.”

Ms. Vesper closed the book gently, looking at me with that same calm patience. “Magic is fluid, dear. It often changes as we change. Sometimes, it’s not the spell itself but the way we’re approaching it.”

Her words hung in the air, and I felt a pang of recognition. Maybe she’s right. This uncertainty wasn’t just about the spell—it was about me. About my inability to trust myself, to believe that I could make the right decision.

“Let’s try again,” I said softly, not even sure what I was asking for anymore.

Ms. Vesper nodded. “Perhaps we simplify. A basic incantation. Something that works with a single, powerful ingredient.”

She turned the book back toward me. “Rose quartz, for love and healing. That might be all you need.”

I stared at the page, at the gentle description of rose quartz, but something still felt off. My thoughts tangled together, a mess of conflicting desires. Was it love I wanted? Protection? Clarity?

The book shimmered in my hands again, the words changing. Suddenly, the spell was more complicated—requiring not just rose quartz, but basil, a feather, and a tear. It felt... wrong.

“No,” I whispered. “That’s not it.”

Ms. Vesper simply watched as I struggled, her face kind and understanding, as if she’d seen this battle a hundred times before. “It seems to me,” she said softly, “that you’re not looking for a spell at all.”

I frowned. “Then what am I looking for?”

Her eyes locked onto mine, and for the first time, I felt exposed—like she could see all the uncertainty inside me. “Perhaps what you seek is not magic, but a way to trust yourself. Sometimes, the hardest part of any journey is believing that you’re worthy of the outcome.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. She was right. I’d been searching for a spell, for some outside force to make things clear, when in reality, the problem had been with me all along.

It was as if my entire life had been lived in limbo since the breakup. Every decision I made felt like a gamble, and I had lost trust in my ability to choose, to act, to simply want. And now here I was, in a shop full of magic, asking for a spell to solve a problem that had nothing to do with magic at all.

I stood there in silence, letting the truth of her words settle in. For the first time in what felt like ages, the fog in my mind began to lift.

“I think I know what I need now,” I said, my voice stronger, more certain than it had been all day.

Ms. Vesper smiled softly, handing me the book. This time, the ingredients didn’t change. The pages stayed still, solid.

This was my spell. My choice.

I closed the book carefully, cradling it in my hands, feeling a quiet power rise inside me. It wasn’t about love, or protection, or clarity. Not anymore. It was about me learning to trust myself again. I was no longer waiting for someone else’s permission, for the universe to tell me what was right.

I looked up at Ms. Vesper, feeling a sense of gratitude, though I wasn’t sure she knew how much she’d helped me beyond the spell. “Thank you,” I whispered, meaning it with every part of me.

She nodded, her eyes sparkling as she spoke. “The magic, dear, has always been yours. You just needed to believe in it.”

As I stepped out of the shop, the cool evening air kissed my face, and I breathed deeply. The doubts were still there, hovering in the background, but they didn’t control me anymore. This time, I was in charge. This time, I’d decide how my story unfolded.