7. Love, lies and closed doors

Mara smiled to herself as she turned from side to side, almost ignoring Nova. She thought for a while making Nova anxious on purpose. The later stood silently waiting for an answer. Mara finally looked at Nova, her eyes shinning.

"Now, now child you have to patient, curses are always better when made poetic."

Nova wondered whether the fact that witches were disliked by a lot of creatures was the fault of creatures like Mara. Creatures that became happier when others met their demise. Nova started staring at the crystals around the cave again, not giving Mara the satisfaction of knowing how worried she was. The crystals seemed to be of different colors, Nova noticed some Lapis Lazulis and some turquoise ones, before she could inspect more Mara talked again.

"For an honest child like you, an easy trial should do. I will allow you three lies, till the full moon arrives, if you lie a single time more, you'll lose every single chance. "

Nova wanted to process what she had said but she was simply thinking about how the solution started with a rhyme but did not go on that way. She told herself to snap out of it and think about what Mara had said, and it slowly started to get into her head. The next full moon was three weeks away, therefore Nova had to be honest for three weeks, something that sounded quite easy in theory.

"Is that all?" Nova asked cautiously.

"No, little girl." Mara took out her wand out of the pillows and cast something, three small flowers showed on Nova's arm, just like tattoos, they looked like black outlines of the orange flower. "One will disappear for every lie you say, be careful my dear." Mara smiled as she cast another spell.

Nova closed her eyes and the next second she was outside of the cave. Looking at the dark entrance and the orange flowers. She almost lost balance by the sudden transportation and fell to her knees.

Immediately two pairs of hands grabbed her hands and held her back. She looked from the left two the right and noticed Valeria and Fluvius looking worried. Before Fluvius could say anything Valeria started speaking.

"Tell me everything that happened."

Nova got up and started talking.

🔮

Fluvius turned into a wolf again and carried Nova into the woods as the three of them headed home. Staying silent for most of the road. Nova stroked Fluvius' fur and thought about the curse, she liked to think that she was honest and that the curse would be easy to break, but deep down she knew it would be hard.

Fluvius would glance back to her from time to time noticing that she was worried, but having no idea that he was the main issue she would have to face.

Valeria looked at the two of them knowing fully well she could do nothing to break a curse from Mara, since the later was more powerful. When they finally reached the tree house Valeria decided to do the only thing she could.

Valeria got inside the house and waited at the doorway. Nova got down from Fluvius' back and he shifted into a human again. The two of them started waking towards the wooden door, Nova entered the house but Fluvius got pushed back. He clenched his teeth and looked at the direction of Valeria, who was staring at him.

"What are you trying to do?" He tried to contain his anger, understanding that it was her who casted a spell.

"Mother?" Nova asked confused as she looked at Valeria.

"I will do my best so Nova can get her powers back, if all she has to do is not lie for three weeks, then I will keep her inside during that time." Valeria looked at Fluvius as if he were a threat. "And so little dog I will not allow anyone to converse with her, to make sure that she will not lie."

Before either Nova or Fluvius could argue with her she closed the door. A barrier formed outside the tree house and Fluvius stood there confused and angry.

Valeria walked inside the house as if nothing had happened and Olivia went towards her hugging her cheek.

"Mother!" Nova shouted, "why did you do that?"

Valeria sighed and gently touched Olivia's wings, the later just looked at them confused.

"Nova dear, you are an honest child, always have been, but we both know you are lying to the dog, and if you want you powers back you better cease contact with him for a while."

Valeria started walking towards the table in the room and casted a spell that lit the fire and made the tea pots levitate and move around.

Nova clenched her fists in anger knowing Valeria was right, but still feeling bad for what Valeria had done.

"Well then let me talk to him and tell him the truth instead of shutting the door in his face! You have no reason to treat Fluvius like that."

Valeria did not even bother to turn her head around Nova, and Nova stared at Valeria's dark curly hair waiting for an answer.

"Nova don't make me repeat my words, you will not meet the wolf until the curse is broken. End of discussion."

"Fine!" Nova ran to her room and immediately went to the window.

She looked around and noticed Fluvius in his wolf form laying under a tree. He noticed Nova and his ears perked up and he got close to the barrier. Nova opened the small glass window and got ready to jump when Basil got on her leg and wrapped himself around it.

"Basil let me go!"

But Basil tightened the grip around her leg making her flinch in pain, and reminding her of the wound she had.

Fluvius looked into her direction worried.

He thought about leaving but instead decided to stay right where he was. Waiting patiently until Valeria let them meet.

"Wait for me I'll find a way!" Nova said as she got inside the room.

She sat on the bed and thought to herself. Valeria was right she had been lying to him. Three months ago Fluvius had confessed his feelings and Nova said she loved him too. Which she did, but not in the way he wanted.

Nova felt confused on what to do, somehow Valeria had noticed that she was lying and that made her feel worse. She had planned on telling Fluvius the truth, but not this way. This felt forced. She did not feel ready.

As she laid on the bed she calmed down and thought to herself that maybe Valeria was right. She could just stay inside for three weeks. Have no contact with others. Maybe study or practice. And then she would meet Fluvius again, perhaps tell him the truth. Or maybe continuing to lie to him.

Her heart throbbed at the thought. The lies the past months had come in a natural manner but being put into perspective they felt wrong. Dirty even. Fluvius had always been honest, and had tried to help her, he did not deserve the lies. She was almost asleep when she decided to get up again.

Nova went close to the window and noticed Fluvius in the same spot as before. Her heart ached and she decided that tomorrow she would tell him the truth.