CHAPTER ONE - The Curse

Long ago, a witch named Druella Brandal had cast a curse upon the Brandal family. As a punishment, they sent her away because they were a family of light witches, and Druella used dark magic. Light magic draws power from life and creation, while dark magic is the opposite—it gets its strength from anger and destruction.

Druella’s curse has caused the Brandal family to slowly collapse. They are running out of money, and their land is rotting and dying. Catherine is the last Brandal who can still perform magic, and she is their final chance to break the curse before her family is doomed forever.

Catherine awakens to a warm light shining on her face. It was already noon. She was working late last night researching, and her nightmares interrupted her sleep. Druella’s evil yet beautiful face haunts her dreams.

Knock. Knock! KNOCK! A loud banging on the bedroom door gets her up. She opens it and finds Mary Higgins, her maid, standing there. Mary gives her a smile.

“Your presence is being missed in the dining room, Lady Catherine,” she says. “I’m assuming you still enjoy eating?”

Catherine jokingly rolls her eyes and shoos her away. She quickly dresses and heads downstairs, thinking to herself, I must keep a smile on my face and appear calm. They all need me to keep things under control.

She passes the guest rooms, goes down the staircase to the main hall, and makes her way to the dining room.

Mrs. Higgins, who is Mary’s mother and the estate’s cook, comes in to serve her and gently smooths her hair. Catherine smiles at her and quickly eats her breakfast.

“Slow down, my lady,” Mrs. Higgins jokes. “The plate is not going to run away from you, I promise!”

Catherine gives her an embarrassed smile after she swallows. “Apologies, Mrs. Higgins. I have so much work to do today that I cannot afford a relaxed breakfast.”

Mrs. Higgins softly asks, “Are you sure this is the right thing to do, my lady? You are destroying yourself trying to break this curse.”

Catherine lets out a deep sigh. “Of course it’s worth it! You depend on me, and your daughter depends on me! It is my duty to break this curse for the life of the estate and the family!”

Mrs. Higgins is upset, but she knows arguing further will not solve anything. She tries a different, gentler tone. “Have you had any success?”

Catherine answers excitedly, “Yes, Mrs. Higgins, I have made progress! I’ve learned that the curse cannot be broken by my family’s magic!”

Mrs. Higgins is silent, more than a little shocked by this discovery. “What does this mean, Lady Catherine?” she asks carefully.

A hopeful smile lights up Catherine’s face, and she sits back down. “It means I will need the assistance of a warlock from outside our family. I already have someone in mind, and together we can break the curse!”

Catherine rises from her chair and sees Mr. Maverick, the groundskeeper, making his way to the staff kitchen. She waves to him to come into the dining room. He enters hesitantly, uncomfortable about his muddy boots and workwear.

“Lady Catherine,” Mr. Maverick says. “Is something the matter?”

Catherine shakes her head. “I need some advice. Mrs. Higgins is worried about me.”

Mr. Maverick is surprised. “Of course, my lady. What seems to be the issue?”

“Should I continue to try to break the curse?”

He looks thoughtful. “Do you think you can?”

Catherine nods her head. “I know I can do it, and I cannot give up hope! I will not let my family disappear!”

Mr. Maverick smiles. “Well, it seems like you have already made up your mind.”

Catherine thanks him and heads to her office. She sits at her desk and begins to write a letter to a warlock who has a reputation of solving problems for a fee.

CHAPTER TWO - Nathan Snow

Catherine works hard to manage the estate and keep things hopeful. One day, she is lost in thought at her desk when she hears a knock at the door. Mary enters the room with a letter in hand.

“Lady Brandal?” she asks, timid and quiet.

Catherine gives her a smile. “You don’t need to address me as a lady when we are alone, Mary. We’ve known each other our whole lives, and you’re one of my best friends!”

Mary smiles shyly and hands Catherine the letter. She sees the name Snow on the return address and quickly opens it. It is short and to the point.

Catherine clutches the letter to her chest, allowing herself to feel hope for the first time in years. She quickly writes back to Nathan, detailing the problem with Druella and her ideas for breaking the curse, and sends the letter out. To her delight, Nathan’s response arrives right away, and he agrees to come.

Nathan arrives two days later, and Catherine is the first one to greet him, rushing past Mrs. Higgins to open the door.

“Lady Catherine,” scolds Mrs. Higgins. “It is not proper for the lady of the house to greet the guest first.”

Catherine blushes slightly as she looks at Nathan standing in the doorway. His clothes, simple but worn in some places, sit plainly on his tall body. His dark hair hangs over the sides of his face as he studies Catherine.

“You must think highly of yourself, Lady Catherine, to request I come immediately with such a vague job description.”

She rolls her eyes but cannot stop a grin from appearing on her face. “You will be well paid for your services.”

“Yes, my services,” he replies. “I’ll need to know more about Druella’s curse. It sounds complicated. Why are you so sure I can do anything to help?”

“Your reputation is a good one,” Catherine responds. “I’ve heard you can solve even the most difficult of problems.”

“We’ll see,” he answers with a smirk. “You may be putting your trust in me for a situation that can’t be fixed.”

She tries not to look discouraged. “Well, I have confidence that you can do this. I have a room set up for you with a connected studio so you will have space to work,” she says.

Nathan nods. “Can you explain the curse? How are you sure it was cast by your relative?”

As they walk to his room, Catherine begins to explain. “My great-great-great aunt Druella Brandal was using dark magic. She cast a curse that would allow her to drain the life from our estate to keep her young and beautiful forever. Her mother found out and sent her away. Now, our land is slowly dying.”

Nathan nods when she’s finished with her story. “I’ll help for my normal fee. This is a job that I can do.”

Nathan spends the next day examining the estate’s grounds to understand the Brandal family’s magic—and what magic could be used to break the curse.

He finds Catherine in her office after he is done.

“What have you found?” she asks, worried and curious.

Nathan pulls out his notebook. “The person who cast this curse must have an enormous amount of power. Druella would not be able to keep all that energy in her body, so she would need an object to hold the spell’s force. As long as she has that object, Druella will stay alive, and the curse on your family will continue.”

“There was a necklace that went missing when she left,” Catherine explains. “My great-great-great grandmother made note of it in our family records. If that’s where she holds her power and anger, will destroying the necklace kill her?”

Nathan shakes his head. “No. But when the necklace is destroyed, she will no longer be able to live forever. The curse will be broken, and her anger will disappear.”

Exhausted by these discoveries, Catherine excuses herself and retires to her room.

The next morning, Nathan asks Catherine to meet with him.

“We need to do some training before we can begin,” he says firmly.

“Training?” she asks, surprised. “Training for what?”

“To break the curse!” he answers sternly. “This is war. You need to be combat trained. This is not something you can do in a weak condition.”

The thought of war makes Catherine shake with fear, but she knows that she hired Nathan for a reason. She agrees to meet with him later to train.

That afternoon, the pair meet outside in the courtyard. Catherine’s determination quickly turns to fear, however, when she sees the violent ways Nathan wants her to fight.

“Nathan, using magic in this way goes against everything I believe in!” she argues.

Nathan does not understand her hesitancy. “You cannot hold back! Fight me!”

Catherine tries to cast a spell in his direction, but it is not in her nature to make anyone experience pain.

“Get into a fighting position,” he shouts, frustrated. “We aren’t going to finish unless you cooperate!”

Catherine prepares to block Nathan’s next attack but struggles to shield herself from his spell. She collapses to the ground, winded and sore.

“What are you doing?” he says, impatiently walking over to her. “You need to take this seriously! This could save your life!”

“I have no desire to fight!” Catherine responds, pushing herself off the ground. “I have been taught my whole life to be peaceful! How can I save my family by going against their teachings?”

Nathan sighs. “You’re being foolish. You cannot break this curse by being weak and peaceful!”

Catherine glares at him as he continues.

“Do you want to break this curse or not?” he asks angrily.

“Of course I do!” she shouts at him. “I have to save my family! I have to save everyone!” Catherine’s eyes fill with tears and she turns away. Nathan, realizing his cruel behavior, gently places his hand on her shoulder.

“I know this is hard for you,” he says, “but trust me—you cannot beat someone like Druella Brandal if you are not willing to break the rules.”

She looks at him, considering for the first time that he may be right. They smile at each other and get back to training.

CHAPTER THREE - The Journey

Catherine and Nathan train together for a month. Their skills and friendship grow stronger day by day. One morning before training, Catherine finds Nathan hunched over his desk.

“Have you been working all night? Or did you wake up early?” she asks, startling him.

Nathan jumps but quickly offers her a grin. “Does it matter? I’m still using up the candles!”

She laughs. “I have plenty of candles, but you need to take care of yourself! You’re no good to anyone if you are exhausted.” Her face shows concern. “I don’t want you to destroy yourself just for this.”

He brushes her off with a reassuring smile. “You don’t need to worry about me, my lady. I know when it’s time to stop.”

She decides it’s better not to push him. “What are you working on?”

“I am preparing a tracking spell, so we’ll be able to follow Druella. Now that you know how to fight, the next step is to find her and destroy this curse once and for all,” he explains.

She looks at him thoughtfully. “Can I help?”

“Actually, yes,” he says. “You are Druella’s blood, and that is what the tracking spell needs.”

Catherine rolls her eyes. “I know how tracking spells work. Either an item from the person or the blood of a family member allows you to track.”

He grins at her. Catherine pricks her finger and lets a drop of blood fall onto the map. The blood settles on an old, destroyed castle deep in the mountains. The rocky terrain provides a natural fortress for Druella to hide in. It will not be easy to reach.

She takes Nathan’s hand in hers, and the pair lock eyes. "A journey there will take eight days. Guess we’d better pack for a trip.”

The next morning, they meet in the stable, wearing riding clothes. Nathan holds Catherine’s arm gently as she mounts her horse. “Are you sure about this?” he asks with concern.

She shoots him a worried look. “I have to be sure. My family’s life depends on it!”

Nathan nods, and they set out to find Druella. Mary, Mrs. Higgins, and Mr. Maverick wave goodbye from the estate until the pair disappears from sight. After riding for a few days, their supplies start to run out, so they follow the map to a small town where there is a shop to stock up on food.

People in the town have heard of Nathan, the “Wandering Warlock,” and they begin to whisper. Both he and Catherine are met with stares by the townspeople.

“We don’t want you here!” the shopkeeper hisses at them when they approach. “You bring danger.”

Nathan holds up his hands in defense. “We just want to buy some supplies, and we’ll be on our way.” The shopkeeper grumbles but allows them in.

Catherine hands Nathan some coins while she tends to the horses.

Nathan returns, mumbling to himself about the shopkeeper.

Catherine laughs. “And here I thought you had a positive reputation throughout the land,” she teases. “I suppose you needed this job as an opportunity to clear your name.”

He bows playfully. “I am grateful for the chance, my lady.” They share a smile, pack up the supplies, and continue on their journey.

CHAPTER FOUR - Love and Hope

The pair set up camp about a day’s ride away from Druella’s crumbling castle. They need to keep themselves healthy and well-rested to face the dark witch.

In the middle of the night, Catherine wakes suddenly to Nathan shaking her shoulder.

She sits up quickly and asks, “Is everything all right?”

Nathan’s eyes are terrified, and his face is pale. “Can you feel her eyes on you? I can feel her magic. She’s watching us!”

Catherine can sense something crawling over her skin but tries to remain calm. “She will do anything to keep this curse going,” she says.

“What was she doing that made your family cast her out?” he asks.

She sighs. “It was not just her use of dark magic—it was how she was using it. She was learning how to lengthen her own life by taking life from our land. Our trees and plants are dying, the birds have left, and even the ground is dry, all because she wants to stay young. Our land is tied to her curse, and that is how she is still alive.”

Nathan looks furious. “Magic should not be used that way!”

Catherine gives him a small smile. “Now do you understand why she must be stopped? It is not just what she has done to my family. She is using magic in terrible ways!”

He frowns thoughtfully. “What do you actually know about her? Did your family ever talk about the cause of the curse with you?”

She laughs. “Druella told my great-great-great grandmother that our family would regret that we turned our back on her.”

Nathan notices the slight tremble in Catherine’s voice and places a hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right?”

Tears fill her eyes, but she stops them from falling. “I have had time to get used to the fact that my ancestor is a monster, but it can still hurt sometimes.”

Nathan pulls her into a hug and gently strokes her hair. “We’ll stop her, Catherine, I promise. We’ll free your family from this curse.”

They wake up early the following morning and quickly pack up camp. Between her yawns, Catherine barely hears Nathan suggest they stop to rest.

“We need to reach her and defeat her,” she insists. “We can’t stop now!”

Nathan abruptly slows their horses to a stop. “I know you want to keep going, but we cannot fight her if we’re exhausted,” he says. “We need rest and food, and then we will face her tomorrow.”

Catherine frowns. “How do we know she won’t come after us?”

Nathan thinks for a minute. “We are not directly in her path, so she won’t get her hands dirty to come and find us. Let’s set up camp and finish this in the morning.”

CHAPTER FIVE - Confrontation

Early the next day, the pair enters Druella’s crumbling home and finds her waiting, just as they expected.

“It seems my family has finally noticed me,” Druella snarls. “Why are you here?”

Catherine stares at her directly in the eyes. “I’m here to break your curse on my family!”

She laughs. “I should’ve known no one would appreciate my talents!”

“You’ve caused our family to suffer for centuries! You use your magic in unnatural ways! You have nothing but anger!” Catherine nearly screams at her.

Druella hisses and raises her hands. Catherine manages to throw up a magic shield before Druella’s spell hits her, and it knocks Catherine off her feet. Nathan takes his chance and attacks Druella. She easily avoids his spell and throws one back at him. He takes cover behind a wall.

Catherine gets back on her feet and runs behind the same wall as Nathan. As she moves, she takes a good look at Druella and notices her necklace.

She locks eyes with Nathan. “I can see the necklace! She’s wearing it,” she whispers to him. “That must be where she’s keeping her anger and her power!”

Nathan gives her a knowing look. “I can keep her busy while you destroy it! Do not attack her—only defend yourself!”

Catherine nods, and the two of them jump out together. Catherine throws up a shield as Nathan attacks Druella. Druella is taken aback by how well they work together. Nathan attacks her again. Druella is an easy target for Catherine because she’s focusing on Nathan.

Catherine smiles. Looking at Nathan and forgetting me is a mistake!

She rushes toward Druella, keeping her magic shield up as much as she can. Druella sees her coming and clumsily throws another spell at her.

Catherine blocks Druella’s attack with the shield, and Druella is forced to turn her attention back to Nathan.

He continues to attack as Catherine gets hold of the necklace and tears it from Druella’s neck.

Druella screams as Catherine shatters the necklace on the ground, her magic and anger gone and the curse broken. “You’ve taken everything from me! I have nothing left!” she yells in misery.

Catherine studies the woman in front of her. “You’ve wasted your life on anger! What did it get you? What have you gained?”

Druella glares at her. “I could’ve lived forever! I had everything!”

Catherine laughs. “Really? Do you have anything worth living for now that the curse is gone? Was your anger keeping you healthy?”

Druella seems to crumble in front of her. “I had nothing except anger! I wanted them to pay for casting me out! What did I gain? Nothing!”

Nathan speaks up. “You don’t have to let her live, Catherine. She’s taken enough from you.” He seems to want revenge, but Catherine shakes her head.

“We cannot heal anything by ending someone’s life.”

Druella sobs. “Why are you sparing me?”

Catherine looks at her. “I want to give you a second chance. A chance to be better without the anger weighing you down.”

Druella nods, picks herself up, and walks away. Catherine and Nathan watch as Druella disappears from view.

With Druella gone, Catherine feels a renewed sense of hope. She intertwines her fingers with Nathan’s. He gives her hand a reassuring squeeze.

“I think you’ve managed to break this curse, my lady,” he says. “Now what do we do?”

She rolls her eyes at him, then laughs. “You don’t need to call me by my title, Nathan—not after everything we’ve been through together.”

He blushes slightly. “Are you sure? I remember your housekeeper giving a lecture when you greeted me at the door.”

Catherine faces him and plants a soft kiss on his lips. “Does that answer your question, Nathan? I want us to keep working together. Would you like to come back to the estate with me?”

His eyes widen in surprise. “Yes, of course. We make a good team. Did you perhaps not want to—”

“Try and sort out our feelings with the curse still hanging over our heads?” She giggles. “Yes, Nathan. That’s exactly right. But now we can focus on each other and the family.”

Nathan grins. “You won’t find any complaints from me there. I guess I’ll ask again, Catherine. What do you want to do now?”

She throws her bag over her shoulder and begins to walk back to the horses. “Now we go home and bring life back into our land.”

CHAPTER SIX - Home

The eight-day journey back to the Brandal estate is uneventful, and when they get back, they can both feel that the curse is finally gone. There are buds on the apple trees, and the ground beneath their feet is softer.

As they ride up, Mrs. Higgins runs out to meet them. Catherine notices the grass has started to grow again. Mr. Maverick, who’s working in the garden, comes over to them.

“The earth is healing, my lady,” he says happily. “The garden soil is healthy again. I think we can begin planting.”

After she returns, Catherine starts trying to solve the one problem that remains—money. The family simply doesn’t have enough to keep things running. While she’s in her office one morning, Nathan knocks and walks in.

“What are you working on?” he asks.

She glances at her books. “I’m trying to figure out how to boost our reputation now that the land has healed. We need income.”

Nathan thinks for a moment. “You could tell the truth and advertise that the land is now healed. If we spread that message, people will return to make use of the land.”

Catherine jumps up and hugs him in excitement. “You’re brilliant, Nathan!” Then she stops and has another thought. “Is there a way you could help spread the message? You must have some contacts from your years on the road.”

Nathan smiles. “I hope you know you’re brilliant as well!”

She blushes. “Let’s get to work.”

As the months pass, things are put back into working order. The land continues to heal and, slowly, life comes back to the estate. Fortunately, love comes with it, too.