The ringing of the bell made Alexis jerk awake. For a moment, he chided himself. Falling asleep at the register again. Thankfully, his Aunt hadn't caught him dozing off. At least, this time.

"Welcome to Bibliophilia, how can I-"

Alexis broke off. It was just Bernard. Their local postman. Sometimes, Alexis wondered if anyone aside from Bernard, Alexis, or his Aunt would step through that door.

"Hey, Alexis. You look like you had a nice nap."

"Shut up." Alexis gave him a meaningful look that underlined his words. "I am already in the bad graces of my Aunt. If she hears you- "Alexis shook his head. "What do you got?"

"A whole bunch of letters for you and one parcel for the shop."

Alexis grunted as he was handed the stack. The letters were heavier than the parcel. All with a sender from a university. He dreaded what was written in them.

"Thanks, Bernard," Alexis said after signing for the parcel. "See you tomorrow. Probably."

"Probably," Bernard agreed. "Don't worry. One of them will pan out. Keep your head up."

A wave for goodbye and the ringing of a doorbell later, Alexis turned towards the stack of letters. Time to get it over with. Grabbing a letter opener from beside the registry, Alexis sliced open the first envelope.

"Dear Alexis Skarlatos, we regretfully inform you-"

Alexis broke off reading aloud and fed the letter to the paper shredder. The little device worked overtime since Alexis started to work for his aunt. One by one, Alexis fed the little guy more letters. Every letter that turned his application down.

Halfway through, Alexis stopped. It was hopeless. His mood was utterly crushed. He couldn't figure out why. His marks hadn't been bad. He barely had missed becoming valedictorian at his high school. Looking up, he took in the dingy bookshop his Aunt called her own. It looked depressing too. As if a normal bookshop had been drained of its color. Of course, most of the books were old. Ancient. Bound in leather, their spines were all shades of brown. To top it off, Alexis could see a thick layer of dust laying on shelves and books alike. Even though he had dusted just last week. This was his reality until one letter finally said yes.

His eyes fell on the parcel. It was probably a book. Sometimes his Aunt received a new one. They came from all over the world. This one, if he perceived it right, came from Lichtenstein. Which, if he remembered right, was a small country in Europe. Suddenly, he got curious. What book would it be this time? Grabbing the letter opener again, Alexis posed to slice open the parcel.

His Aunt had forbidden him to open any parcels. Why? He had no idea. Well, maybe he could open it just a bit. Catch a glimpse of the contents. He could later say the parcel had been damaged being shipped around the world. Carefully, he sliced into the parcel. That was curious. There was a book in there. But contrary to all others of this book store, this one had a spine of pastel pink leather. Strange. Alexis could swear the book glowed slightly.

"Was that Bernard?"

Alexis dropped the parcel and looked up. There, on the stairs to the second and elevated part of the bookstore, his Aunt stood. Kalypso Loverdou looked impeccable and stylish as always. Not at all like an owner of a frumpy bookstore like this one.

"Yes."

"Anything for me? I am awaiting a parcel."

His eyes shot down to the parcel. It was hidden from view in the small booth that served as space for the salesperson and the cash register. The cut was clearly visible as artificial and not like transport damage at all. He needed time to fix that. To mask the evidence of his curiosity.

"No, Aunt Kalypso. Just letters for me again. Going through them right now."

"Ah. Don't worry. I am sure one of them will make you happy. Only a matter of time. Until then, enjoy your time here. Your mother did. I remember her working here for a year too when she was your age."

Alexis bit his tongue. How could one enjoy working in this dump of a bookshop? And had his mother worked here? He doubted it. Alexis knew that his mother was forty-two and his best guess was that Aunt Kalypso was around thirty-five. The math didn't work out. Because he remembered his mother saying that his Aunt opened the shop quite recently.

"Yeah. One of them has to work out," he said out loud. But looking up, Alexis saw that he had spoken to thin air. His aunt had already left the salesroom again and vanished into the back office.

Once again, Alexis focused on the parcel and the strange book within. It wasn't glowing anymore. Quickly chiding himself. Books don't glow. He must have imagined it or it had been a trick of the light from outside. Maybe a reflection of the window front on the other side of the street.

The ringing of the bell over the door made Alexis look up in confusion. Had Bernard forgotten to deliver something and came back? To his surprise, in the doorway didn't stand the middle-aged postman Alexis saw every day. Instead, there was a teenage girl. Dressed in a cheerleading uniform no less. Even stranger was the fact that Alexis couldn't place it. It wasn't a cheerleading uniform from any school in the surrounding area.

With a bright smile, the teenager walked over to Alexis. She had a certain preppiness in her step. And maybe a yearbook under her arm? Alexis was confused as heck. She was the third customer since he had started working here and both of the first two had been middle-aged academics. The blue-eyed blonde magically drew in Alexis' gaze.

"This is Kalypso Loverdou's shop, right? Is she in?"

Shaking off his confusion, Alexis pointed to the back office. "Yes, she is. I can get her if you tell me your-"

A bright light flashed and made Alexis turn away. Followed by a crashing sound of splintering wood and breaking glass. When Alexis collected himself, he saw the teenager had fallen against the entrance door. Or rather she had impacted there. Alexis could see the wooden door frame had burst and splintered and the window glass had spiderwebs of fractures all around. Still, it all held in place. As if someone had done a shoddy job of fixing it all with super glue.

"You are not welcome here, Margrit."

The voice belonged to Alexis' Aunt but sounded like he had heard never before. Hard and full of malice. Once again, she was standing on the stairs leading to the upper portion of the shop. This time holding an open book in her right hand.

"I go by Mary now," the teenager replied while pushing herself up. She dusted herself off debris as if nothing special had happened. "And really, Kalypso, is this how you act around your elders?"

Both women twitched into action and two flashes of light blinded Alexis again. He was thrown back and onto the floor as something exploded right in the middle of the room. Around him, shelves started to topple and shredded books were thrown all around. Thankfully, he was mostly protected behind the sales booth. At least he thought so until the old cash register impacted beside him. That ancient piece was still made of cast iron. University rejection letters rained down on him. Not needing the paper shredder anymore as they were already torn apart. Right beside his head and close to his hand the parcel fell. Was it glowing again?

With his heart beating a mile a minute, Alexis scooted to the booth. Seeking safety behind the heavy old wood it was made of. More explosions were sending shockwaves through the store. Making him twitch with each and every one of them. What the hell was going on? Alexis had no clue. The world didn't make a lick of sense anymore.

At last, the shop fell silent, so Alexis risked a glance over the booth. His Aunt, Kalypso, had retreated to the upper portion of the shop. Being elevated half a floor to the lower portion. There, she stood panting. Her hair tousled and her clothes were partly torn. In front of her, there was a half-sphere of something. Like a shield, but translucent.

Her opponent, Mary or Margrit, stood in a corner. Between the entrance and a row of massive bookshelves that now had toppled over. Behind a similar translucent glimmering, she smiled. For she barely looked scratched. Despite having crashed into the storefront and standing in the middle of a devastating book store, she only had a few splinters of wood and glass shards peppering her cheerleading uniform to show for it. It was clear that Mary had the upper hand.

Then Alexis noticed the books both women were holding. They glowed. Just like the one in the parcel. Were they magic? Alexis wanted to dismiss the notion. Magic wasn't real. But the destruction around him spoke of another truth.

"Come on, Kalypso. You know you can't beat me," Mary said with a sneer and gruel smirk. "We both know you were born a few centuries too late for that. Hand over Heartbreaker and we call it a day."

"I don't have it," Kalypso shouted back. Scattering a few droplets of blood around her. The few that escaped her mouth, she swiped away. "It didn't arrive yet."

Alexis' eyes turned back towards the parcel. To the pink book that poked out of the cut, he had made earlier. Was Mary after it? With trembling hands, Alexis reached for it. Now, it felt heavier than before. Or did he just imagine it?

"Bullshit! I know it is here!"

With trembling hands, Alexis tore away the rest of the parcel. Until he held the book in his grasp. The spine and cover were in the dyed pink leather he had seen before. New was the title in gold lettering. It was written in a language that he didn't know. At least, for now. Before his very eyes, the words blurred. Until they settled again and proudly proclaimed: Heartbreaker.

"I swear it is the truth." His aunt sounded desperate. "It was supposed to arrive, but it didn't yet."

Unbidden and all by itself, the book Heartbreaker opened in Alexis' grasp. Page by page turned itself until it reached the middle of the book. There, strange letters were written in blood-red ink. None of them Alexis could read. In fact, he couldn't even recognize what language they originated from. But despite that, he knew they were spells. One of them spoke to him. Urged him to use it.

A sudden calmness overcame Alexis. Gone was the fear he felt a moment before. Grasping the book tight, Alexis stood up. Two sets of eyes turned towards him. Then gazed at the book in his hand. Too late. Alexis had raised his free hand and pointed towards Mary. Strange words escaped his lips. The meaning eluded him. In fact, he didn't even know his vocal cord could produce such strange sounds.

A bright deep red ball of light materialized over his free hand. Just for a split second, it hovered there. Then raced as a bolt of fury towards Mary. Narrowly missing her translucent shield and slamming into her. Flinging her into the wall behind. A web of cracks split the stucco where the woman impacted. So deep that Alexis could see the broken bricks underneath.

Despite everything, Mary wasn't beaten. Shaken and hurt? Sure. But not willing to give up. A wry laugh escaped her. "For a moment, Kalypso, I believed you. But there it is." She took a step towards Alexis. Then another. "Heartbreaker. And you brought backup. That, I didn't expect."

"Oh, shut up," Kalypso hissed. Conjuring a green ball of energy in her free hand.

Mary reacted, but too late. The magic impacted just a step before her. Vines and roots quelled forth. With nasty looking thorns of deep red. They all lunged for Mary who retreated back. But not far as there was a wall at her back. There, the magical plant found her. Enveloped and buried her beneath. Alexis could see blood well forth as thorns broke the skin. Mary screamed in agony. But only for a second. Then she fell silent.

Alexis tore her gaze off from Mary. Now hardly to be seen under the magical plant. "D-did you kill her."

"Hardly. She's sleeping. For a century or two. Depends how many thorns bit into her." Kalypso took two deep breaths to look at her beaten foe. Then turned towards Alexis. Before he could react, she had a second green ball of magic in her hand. "Not that I don't value the help, but who the fuck are you?"

Frowning, Alexis took a step back. Only to run into a bookshelf. This shop definitely was too small for retreats. Or battles in general. "It's me, Aunt Kalypso. Alexis."

For a moment, Kalypso regarded him with curiosity. As if she was seeing him for the first time. At last, she made up her mind. "Interesting. Prove it. Stretch your t-shirt so I can see the print on it."

It was a strange request. Its print should be visible without help. Maybe there was dirt or debris on it. Alexis moved his free hand to obey. Only to be confused. His shirt indeed sat strangely on his frame. Alexis broke eye contact with his aunt to glance below. Only for his gaze to be riveted by the view. That wasn't right. His t-shirt sat as if-

Slowly, he grabbed for the collar of his shirt and peeked beneath. "Those are breasts." Was that a question or a statement? Alexis couldn't tell himself. Now, other details registered with his brain. The strands of hair falling into his face. The strangely high pitch in his voice. Not to mention that the feel of his pants was all wrong. Loose around most of his legs, but tight around butt and hips. There was no mistaking it. Shocked he looked to his Aunt. "I am a girl. When did that happen?"

A second passed. Then a few more. Eventually, Kalypso dismissed the sphere of magic in her grasp. A sigh escaped her before closing her book and placing it under her arm.

"My guess, the moment you opened Heartbreaker. It's alright. Give it to me."

Alexis needed a moment to parse her request. Give her Heartbreaker? Only now did he remember that he still held the pink book. In fact, his fingers' skin turned white under the pressure with which he held it. It took him an immeasurable amount of will to let off, close the book, and hand it over.

"I can't be a girl," Alexis said into the room. Looking a bit forlorn. "That isn't possible."

"It is." Kalypso gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Magic makes it possible. Don't worry. You will turn back tomorrow."

"I am not stuck?" Alexis turned towards his Aunt. "This isn't forever?"

"No. You are what we call a Trail-Witch. I think we need to have a talk. A long one." She gave him a squeeze of the shoulder. "But not here. It isn't safe anymore. Follow me."

Without waiting for a reply, Kalypso turned around. Walking towards the upper portion of the shop. Alexis automatically followed but stopped after three steps up the stairs. About halfway. Looking back at the chaos around him. The shop had been turned into a warzone. Of the many bookshelves, only two stood still upright. Hundreds of books lay thrown around. Torn to shreds and pieces. And in a corner, a thicket of vines and roots had taken real estate. Hiding beneath a woman in a deep slumber.

"Right. Guess I could tidy up a bit."

Alexis turned around to see his Aunt intoned strange words. Similar to the ones he had spoken himself not long ago. No light flared up this time, but the very bookshop came alive around them. As Alexis looked around, bookshelves righted themselves. Their splintered wood flying back in place and fusing to them. A whirlwind of paper filled the salesroom and condensed to repaired books that flew back onto the shelves. By the time the room settled, all shelves had been repaired and each book had found its home. Even the wall, glass front, and door had fixed themselves. It was back to the shop Alexis knew. Save for one addition. A large plant in the corner. Now in a fitting ceramic planter.

"Something is missing," Kalypso mused behind Alexis. "Oh, right."

More strange words filled the room and Alexis' eyes grew wide as he saw the effect. Each surface grew a blanket of dust. Speaking of months of negligence.

"It was you!" Alexis twirled around. "I dusted the whole shop last week. It took me hours. But you magicked it all back."

His Aunt shrugged. "I didn't ask you to do that. If you had asked me before, I would have discouraged you. Now, come. We can't stay here."

She walked towards the back office but stopped short at the only wall that had been left free of shelves. At least, that had been the case. Where once had been a blank wall a door had found its place.

"Since when has that been here?"

"Since forever," Kalypso said while grabbing the handle. "It is just invisible to mundanes."

"And I am not mundane anymore?" Alexis asked as his Aunt opened the door.

"At least, for now," Kalypso said as she walked into a hallway that shouldn't be there. Its geometry intersected with the backroom office.

Following his Aunt, Alexis gaped like a tourist. The hallway was wide. At least five meters across. The floor grew marble with a black texture to it. The walls painted in a strange color between muted purple and dark grew. Exhibits lined the side. Display cases showed artifacts of the past. Some looked quite old and valuable. There were many portraits on the wall. All displaying his Aunt. But she was dressed differently in each of them. As if she had stood pose for them in decades or even centuries past.

At last, something made Alexis stop and fall behind. It was not a painting that drew his eyes. The reflection of a large mirror drew him close. And as he walked closer a girl mirrored his movements. Logically, he knew it was him. The new female form he had. But it was still strange to have a young woman mirror every move he made. And what a woman she was. Young, in the early twenties. Just like Alexis' normal age. And he could see the resemblance. His old features, but shifted towards the feminine. But where male-Alexis had been mediocre in looks, she was the epitome of beauty. The face of a model, but the body of a seductress.

"Alexis. Come. You can stare at your reflection later. It won't vanish for another twenty-three hours."

Turning away hurt. He wanted to see more of her. Even though logic told him again that she was him. Alexis had never pointed in the looks department, but now everything was different. If this hadn't been temporary, he wondered if he would have minded staying her. Even though he had never thought about becoming a woman.

They arrived at a library at last. It was the total opposite of the bookshop they just had left. Only two bookshelves dominated the room. On each shelf a single book. Framed by their own bookends. Kalypso walked to one of them and placed Heartbreaker down. As if the bookshelves knew its duty, two bookends appeared beside it.

"I guess you have many questions," she said while walking to an armchair. Offering Alexis one as well with a single gesture.

"A ton," Alexis said as he took his seat.

"Let's start at the beginning. Well, the beginning of modern times. Around one thousand and five hundred years ago."

"That doesn't sound very modern to me."

"Stop thinking technology as a measure of all things. Before science, magic reigned supreme. In ancient times, there were people born with a special talent. To shape the universe around them with thought alone. But as mankind grew older their gift weakened. Fewer were born with the talent. And those that did struggled to reach the height their forefathers achieved."

"But it didn't die out," Kalypso added after a dramatic pause. "There was a witch. One in a line of witches. She was heartbroken when she only bore a single son. And one quite mundane. She looked for a way to remedy that and she succeeded. That witch created the first Grimoire. A book that could bestow magic to its user."

"One like Heartbreaker? It's a Grimoire too, right?"

"Correct. Her invention was groundbreaking. The first Grimoire was copied. Or rather its enchantment was. In fact, the Grimoire itself was created in a way that itself could create copies."

"That doesn't explain why I am a woman now," Alexis pointed out.

"It doesn't? Think about it. That witch wanted an heir. And not any heir. All those with the gift in her family had been female. She wanted to continue that tradition."

"So, if I get that right, the first Grimoire doesn't just give magic, but also makes the user a woman," Alexis said after a moment of thinking. "And since copies of the Grimoire take over all aspects of the enchantment they retain the female gender correction."

"Quite so."

"You said I turn back after a day. If the witch wanted an heir then why make it temporary."

"It isn't," Kalypso corrected him. "At least in the way you think it is. New Grimoires are empty. The moment you write in your first spell your fate is sealed. The Grimoire and you will be connected until the day you die. But here is the thing. Grimoires become inert if their owner dies. That means all their spells become inaccessible. The words blur. They can't be read. But if someone touches a Grimoire for the first time, it revives. Just for a day. Bestowing access to all the spells for a day. Along with all the benefits."

"That's why I will turn back. Because turning into a woman is part of the benefits." For a moment, a twinge of regret shot through Alexis' heart. Seeing his altered reflection had left its mark on him. That, he couldn't deny. Somehow, even separated from Heartbreaker, he felt powerful. "And when I turn back, I will never gain access to Heartbreaker again."

"Quite so." Kalypso turned in her armchair to look at the book in question. "Which is for the best. Heartbreaker is one of the oldest books. And the name is the program. Quite powerful. Full of spells to seduce and entice mundanes. But it carries the name for a reason. Heartbreak will follow. For the victim, as for its owner."

"I must admit, its power is intoxicating. I only held it for one spell, but I long to try more. It," Alexis pointed at the book, "has me in its grasp."

Both twitched in surprise as the Grimoire in question started to rattle. Shaking and fighting against the bookends that held it in place. But not for long. It broke free and flew through the room. Like a heat-seeking missile, it aimed for Alexis. But instead of crashing into him, the Grimoire slowed down. Setting down in Alexis grasp with the delicate touch of a feather.

"Fascinating," Kalypso said while leaning forward. "Looks like Heartbreaker isn't done with you. It followed your subconscious call."

Was it alive? Sentient? Alexis studied the book in his hand. Just the thought of the spells inside made Heartseeker open itself up. Showing off the spells written within.

After a deep breath, Alexis turned back towards his Aunt. "What does that mean? That I don't turn back?"

"No." Her words had a finality to it. "It means that you are gifted. That the magic within you is strong. If you chose to become a witch, you could become quite powerful, and in a short amount of time. I have no doubt that you would surpass even me. To be honest, I wouldn't even have offered you the chance, but now- It would be a crime not to do so."

Power was at his fingertips. Not just literally, the Grimoire in his hands, but something profound waiting for him. Of course, it would mean there was a sacrifice due. "But I have to become a woman to do so. And not just for a day."

"Well, there are altered Grimoires for male witches. What? Do you think people wouldn't modify the original enchantment to their liking? Don't be naive. It is possible but very difficult." Then she leaned back and gave a deep sigh. "But to be honest, I don't have access to one of them. Without that, I couldn't supply you with a male-focused Grimoire. Yes, your choices are to become a woman and a witch or stay mundane."

Silence settled over the room while Alexis pondered his options. At least, he arrived at a decision. "Yes, I want-"

"Not so fast," Kalypso interrupted him. "You should know what you are getting into. All witches collect spells. Your Grimoire is empty at the start after all. Depending on the spells you inscribe you will gain allies. Or enemies. Even those that you trust might betray you. Because once you are dead your Grimoire is open to be accessed by others. Just like Heartbreaker. Not to mention that the whole community of witches and mages is riddled with politics. And the grudges. Believe me, no one holds a grudge like a witch."

His mind flashed back to the teenage looking girl in the bookshop. Mary or Margrit. She certainly spoke like someone who held a grudge. "Like Mary? What happened between you two?"

"That's a long story," Kalypso waved him off. "Not worth telling. You know the saying. What happened last century is no-one's business but your own."

Something Kalypso said put Alexis on edge. And as if it had read his mind, Heartbreaker paged through itself until it stopped on an attack spell. Startled, Alexis put it away. For now, he would try the diplomatic way.

"Last century. That does sound like you are older than you look."

"Didn't your mother teach you to never ask a woman's age?"

"Oh, she did," Alexis assured her. "And that isn't my question. You aren't my Aunt, right?"

Kalypso rewarded him with a nod and a smirk. "No, I am not. We are related, believe it or not. You are my grand-son. Well, grand-son removed by twenty-five to thirty generations. I look out for my offspring. Usually, it works out better than today."

With those words, she pushed out of her chair.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to the shop," Kalypso said over her shoulder. "See if I can pry Margrit's Grimoire from her fingers. It would declaw her quite nicely. You should be safe here. And it gives you time. To really think about accepting the offer or not."

As Kalypso walked back to the hallway, Alexis looked at the book in his now feminine hand. It was intoxicating in its promise for power. But not as much as the reflection he had glimpsed at not long ago.

Alexis didn't need to think about it.

He already had an answer.

-

To be continued?