When Words Are Magic – A Short Story

When Jacob approached the basin, they tried to keep a clear mind.

The water in the basin started boiling right away. That was a good sign. It meant that the spirits were listening. There had been times when Jacob had approached the basin and there had been nothing in it, other times when they had to light the fire themselves and had to find the water for the large round basin and still, nothing had happened. Tonight, it was waiting for them. Jacob supposed that with the veil being thin, even the spirits had something to say.

They had brought the knife and had chosen their sacrifice. As the days neared All Hallows Eve, a sacrifice was given and a gift was received. Jacob tried to look at it was a fair trade, but it felt like they were selling a bit of themselves for stronger magic. They knew that every act of magic had a price, Jacob just wasn’t sure they wanted to pay the price because they didn’t know what the magic would take from him.

“It’s how things are done. The Witch gives a gift to the spirits, something that means the most to them.” His Gram gave him stink eye over her cup of tea. “You would know a thing or two if you took the time to read your grimoires and scrolls instead of writing your own.” She gave them a small smile to let Jacob know she was only kidding.

Shrugging, Jacob took a sip from his own cup of tea. “You know very well I’ve been writing in my book of shadows, Gram,” they said.

“I know what you write in there and it’s powerful magic.”

“Have you been reading my book of shadows?” It was one of the cardinal rules: a Witches book of shadows was sacrosanct. The idea that their Gram had read one of his stories was slightly worrying. They must have been wearing a shocked look on their face.

Gram let out a laugh that made their teacups shake as if they were chucking right along with her. “My heavens no, child. I don’t have to. Whenever you write in your book, you carry the words with you. See?”

Taking hold of one of Jacob’s hands, she lifted it into the air so that the sleeve fell away from Jacob’s arm. Words were written there in black ink, the mirror of the words that they had carved into the paper that evening. The words covered Jacob’s skin, and they looked as if someone had tattooed them there. They curved around Jacob’s arm and looked as if they had been tattooed. Even as Jacob watched, more words flowed onto their skin.

Loosening their arm from Gram’s grasp, Jacob went to pull their sleeve up so that the words were covered. Gram stopped him. “Don’t do that. Never cover up your magic, it’s part of who you are.”

Shaking their head, Jacob tried to cover up their discomfort by taking another sip of tea. “They’re just stories, that’s all. I should be writing spells.” Jacob looked away from Gram. “I’m not a very good Witch.”

Slapping his hand lightly, Gram raised the same hand and pointed at him. Sparks flew from her fingertips. “I don’t want to hear you say that ever again, do you hear me? You don’t need to write spells. Anyone can do that. What you’re doing is creating worlds to live in, words that pull a reader into the story so that they can escape somewhere else for a while. There is a reason that they call it spelling. You are arranging letters to make words, words to make a story. That is incredibly powerful magic. Never doubt that, Jacob. Okay?”

“Okay, Gram.”

“Now, sip your tea and I’ll get some cookies.”

She had made a mix of lavender and chamomile tea that made the room smell wonderful. Taking another sip, he let the tea flood his mouth with flavour. The tea tasted divine. She always mixed-up different types of teas to set the mood for the day or the evening.  That was Gram’s real magic. She could calm fears, mend a broken heart or let someone experience joy. She always knew which tea to mix and what a person would need when they entered her shop. As the days inched closer to All Hallows Eve, more people came to get the tea that they would need for the most important night of the year.

As the days crept closer, Jacob tried to think of the gift they would give to the spirits. They looked down at the words that ran along their skin. He didn’t have much that he considered special. They had turned forty-eight just a week ago. Gram always said that every birthday that made a number three when added together was a magical birthday numerologically. Jacob didn’t feel very magical. They weren’t able to make things grow or create illusions like other Witches. They weren’t able to heal plants with their touch or fly. As far as Witches go, Jacob was fairly ordinary. Jacob had always felt this way. All they had were their stories.

They would make the perfect gift for the spirits. Jacob hadn’t told Gram what they planned to give to the spirits. Last year, they had given them what they feared the most. The year before, Jacob gave the spirits what he most desired. They wanted to give spirit a gift that meant something this year since their birthday was added up to three. Jacob felt that it had to be a gift that would make a difference. Their words were the most important thing to them. Jacob had to give the spirits his magic.

Jacob didn’t know who they would be without their words, but they would find their way. The spirits would show them which direction they had to go in.

Standing in front of the basin, Jacob held the knife in their left hand and took a deep breath. They could hear the hiss of water and the crackling of the fire. The wind moved around Jacob whispering, excited that they were there. Under their feet, the earth began to vibrate slightly as if their magic had entered into the ground. There was a hum in the air that came before magic occurred.

Taking a deep breath, Jacob pressed the point of the knife to their fingertip and let the blood well up. Jacob tipped his finger so that the blood would drop into the water and then put their finger in their mouth and Jacob could taste rust and old pennies. The drop of blood began to flow around the circle of the basin, creating a border. After a moment, the circle began to grow brighter, a line of pinkish light that made the very air around them glow.

Jacob pulled up the sleeves of their robes and put their hands into the water. The pinkish light turned gold first and then a light periwinkle blue. Jacob willed the words that scrawled across their arms to slip off of their skin. It was the only real gift that Jacob had to give, even if it wasn’t all that valuable to the spirits. The only thing was, as more words slipped from their body, they didn’t feel the joy that Jacob was supposed to feel at giving a gift. Instead, they only felt deep sadness. Jacob had no idea how to say goodbye to the only magic that they had ever known, but Jacob hoped that it would do.

The fire beneath the basin began to crack and pop in an angry sort of way and sparks started to spit out at Jacob who stepped back so that his robes didn’t catch fire. Pulling their hands from the water, but it was too late. The water seemed angry. Jacob felt a moment of sadness that their words hadn’t been enough.

When the water started to shoot out of the basin at them, Jacob tried to get out of the way, but they weren’t fast enough. The water flew up from the metal cistern and angled towards him, pushing him down on the ground. They lay there and watched as the ink that he had let slip from their skin crawled over the edge of the basin and slid towards them over the wet soil, sliding across the dirt towards them. Jacob felt no fear as his words began to slide along his arms again once more, almost forced back onto their body. The water in the basin began to boil at a faster pace. Fear began to flow through Jacob as they watched the water.

A being who looked as if they were made of the black ink he had gifted the water began to emerge from the surface and they were totally naked, their skin black as night and it seemed to be filled with stars. The stars and the darkness began to clear and the light from the basin shone off his skin. They stood above Jacob looking downward and Jacob couldn’t help but notice that the being was very well endowed. Jacob felt the blush flow into his cheeks.

The man who was surely some kind of spirit was well built and they had a tattoo that covered his shoulder. Looking at it, Jacob saw that it morphed and changed with the light of the flame. The man had bright orange eyes and a full mouth that was stretched in worry.

“No, no, no! What are you doing? You can’t give me an offering like that.”

Jacob stared at the man as they stepped out of the basin. Jacob tried to look away from his cock but it was difficult to do, even as they held out a hand to help the spirit as they moved to get out of the basin of inky black water. Giving Jacob a grin that somehow looked a little wicked, the fey took Jacob’s hand, and they felt cold and hot at the same time, as if the spirits body was filled with fire and ice simultaneously.

Then the man was the one to pull Jacob up. They pulled them up in one fluid movement and Jacob couldn’t help but realize that they were pressed up against the spirit. “Where are my manner. I’m called Elias. I already know your name, of course. It’s nice to meet you, Jacob.”

His voice was deep and sounded like it came from the earth. Jacob knew that Elias could feel their own dick start to thicken. Elias smelled of sun warmed pine needles and the deep ochre of the earth. His gold eyes shone and looking within them, Jacob could see the sea moving within them, and they wanted to swim within the waves. He blinked and shook his head a little. Jacob swallowed thickly. “I’m sorry?”

Elias let out a bark of laughter that sounded like the caw of a crow. “You don’t even know what you’re apologizing for, do you? Do you always do everything you can to appear small? Or was that a conscious decision?” He shook his head and gave Jacob a wink. “There certainly is something down below that’s not small, am I right?”

Jacob let out a breath. They felt like they would turn completely red if they didn’t breathe. Their whole body hummed with want and need. “You’re right,” they said, taking a deep breath. Jacob didn’t know where this foolhardy attitude was coming from, but they leaned into it. “I hear that you like big things.” He took in a deep breath and let it out again as he watched Elias’s eyes widen with mirth.

Letting out a laugh that sounded like the wind on a Summer’s day, Elias came even closer to Jacob. “I like you, you’re cheeky. That’s a good quality to have.” The spirit tilted his head and looked at Jacob and Jacob felt as if Elias was looking into the deep dark of him, laid bare for him to see. “Who hurt you? You’re carrying so much pain.”

Shaking their head, Jacob chose not to answer. They didn’t want to start a list of all the people that had hurt him and cursed him simply for existing. Jacob had written their names down on pieces of paper and thrown them one by one into the fire. Jacob wanted to let go of the anger. They didn’t want to hang onto it anymore. Instead asked “Why wouldn’t you accept my gift?”

“Because it’s not a gift. You were giving me your magic, which is all of yourself.”

“My writing isn’t magical.” It felt like a lie now that Elias was looking into him. It was a weak defense and he knew it now. “I’m just used to people taking from me. It’s just the scribblings of stories.”

“And what did your Gram tell you?” The spirit stood up straighter and pressed even closer to Jacob. “I know what you write in there and it is powerful magic.” Elias said these words in his Gram’s voice and Jacob shivered. It was odd hearing Gram’s voice coming out of the Elias’ full lips. “You were giving me your magic. You can’t do that and I won’t let you. You would be a dried-up husk of a person if you did that and I’m only just beginning to know you. And I like what I see.”

“I don’t have anything else of value to give you as a gift.”

Fire flew into the Elias’ eyes and for a moment, and the sea within them thrashed wildly. Jacob was looking at eyes filled with pain and need and Jacob wondered what kind of hurt the fey had experienced. “Don’t ever say that again, do you hear me? You have plenty of gifts and the magic within you is strong. Whoever made you believe that you’re nothing is nothing, do you understand me?”

Nodding and trying to calm his breathing, Jacob tried to quell his hard dick and breathed deeply to slow his heart that was trying to beat out of his chest. Clearing his throat, Jacob looked away from Elias’ eyes and stared at the stubble that covered his chin. Jacob wanted to know what it felt like to kiss Elias and feel the stubble rubbing against his own chin. “Yes, I do. But I wanted my gift to mean something.”

“No, you thought your magic wasn’t worth anything. There’s a difference. You can’t go giving away all your magic to me because you don’t think you are worth anything. Do you realize what your magic does? What kind of contribution to the world your words are?”

Elias’ voice was filled with heat and they made the hair on Jacob’s neck tingle. Jacob nodded and then shook his head. “They’re just stories.”

“I’ve read your stories and they are about the power of love overcoming the darkness of the world. If that’s not magic, I don’t know what is.”

Jacob stared at this naked spirit and wondered how they speak so freely. “Then what is an acceptable gift? I don’t know what to give you.”

“You’ve already given me something.”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Yes, you have. The look in your eyes when you look at me is one of want and need, not one of fear. Do you know how many people come to the cauldron and give me secrets of their neighbours wrong doings? Or they come with names dripping off of their tongue of everyone that has done them wrong and what they would like me to do to them in return. Still others come and give me drawings of their younger selves hoping that I will be able to make them young again. They come to me with fear and a perverse kind of reverence and want me to do their bidding. You came to me ready to give all of yourself and asked nothing in return. That in itself is a gift.”

The fire underneath the cistern had gone down to ash and the boiling of the water had stilled. Jacob looked at the fey. “I thought you would disappear when the fire went out.”

The fey shrugged. “I normally do, but I like you. I want to get to know you.” The fey took in Jacob’s shocked face. “I assume that’s to your liking?”

Elias gave Jacob a wicked grin and Jacob liked the way Elias’ eyes wrinkled at the edges when he smiled. Jacob wondered what it would be like to love and be loved by him and what kind of story they could tell together. “It is,” Jacob said, blushing a deeper red as Elias ran his lips along Jacob’s neck and jawline and kissed him there. “Very much.” Once again, Jacob wondered who this daring person was. They had never spoken so plainly and with so much need. They had always been afraid of wanting too much.

Elias’ grin widened into a smile. “If you spend the night with me, I will tell you my other names. Would you like that?”

Despite the fear that ran through them, Jacob couldn’t help but feel excited. Here was a beautiful fey who, for reasons they did not yet understand, wanted him. “That would be lovely.” Jacob said. Their whole body thrummed with need and they were intoxicated. Jacob was pretty sure that they were drunk on lust.

“Then it’s settled. There is only one problem. You are wearing far too much clothing. We need to fix that. Come, walk with me.”

Jacob let Elias take their hand and they walked into the shadows of the trees. As the dark and stars claimed them both, Jacob could hear the clock in the bell tower of the village struck twelve. Rather than let the idea of being with a fey during the witching hour fill them with fear, Jacob only felt the thrill of excitement. Elias walked beside him and the slices of moonlight filtering through the trees revealed how beautiful he was.

What was more, Jacob felt beautiful, too, and they had to admit that there was a certain kind of magic in that.