Chapter 1 – The Magical Disaster
The town of Everspell was never quiet. Between potion shops that exploded at least twice a week, enchanted cats that chased glowing butterflies through the streets, and wizards who argued loudly about which love potion worked better, chaos was practically part of the city’s rhythm.
At the center of that chaos stood Lyra Dawnwell, a junior potion-brewer with more ambition than actual skill. Today was supposed to be her big moment, her shop, “Dawnwell’s Delights”, was testing a new product: The Potion of Eternal Charm. According to her recipe notes, it would make anyone irresistibly likable, at least for twelve hours.
Lyra placed the glittering vial on the counter. Her best friend and shop assistant, a talking crow named Pip, tilted his head and muttered,
“Careful, Lyra. Last time you tested a potion, you accidentally made Mr. Higgs bark at the moon for three days straight.”
Lyra brushed him off, cheeks puffed in annoyance.
“This one’s different, Pip. I triple-checked the ingredients. Nothing can go wrong.”
Of course, something went wrong.
The shop door burst open with the jingle of enchanted bells, and in strode Kael Rowan, a swordsman-turned-mage apprentice with sharp green eyes, a scar across his jaw, and an air of someone who did not have time for nonsense. He had come to pick up a standard healing potion, but the moment Lyra turned, her elbow knocked the vial off the counter.
Time seemed to slow. Pip squawked, “Don’t let it shatter!”
Lyra lunged, arms flailing.
Kael stepped forward to catch it.
The vial exploded between them with a flash of pink smoke. Glitter rained down. A wave of warmth whooshed through the shop, and suddenly the magic took hold of both of them.
Lyra blinked, coughing through sparkles.
Kael blinked back, scowling, and then, in the most un-Kael-like way possible, blurted out:
“You… have the prettiest sneeze I’ve ever seen.”
Lyra froze. Pip cackled. The potion, instead of enhancing charm, had clearly transformed ordinary thoughts into spoken words. Neither Lyra nor Kael could stop themselves from blurting whatever crossed their minds.
“You’ve got glitter in your hair,” Kael muttered helplessly, his face turning red. “It… kind of suits you.”
Lyra clapped a hand over her mouth in horror, then realized she couldn’t stop either.
“Your scowl makes you look mysterious, but also kind of adorable.”
They stared at each other in mortified silence, the truth spilling magic bubbling between them. Pip, still wheezing with laughter, flapped his wings.
“Ohhh, this is going to be fun.”
