Niamh woke up the following morning feeling completely refreshed and rejuvenated. Her mother used to say that the first dreams in a new place were the best and she had been proven right once again. She always gave the best advice and no one could ever replace her.
Niamh’s mother, Aoife, had died at the beginning of the year at the respectable age of two-hundred and ninety-seven. While the magic running through their veins blessed their family with longevity beyond normal, the secrets of immortality remained out of reach. Only the practitioners of dark arts had ever come close to discovering them, but Niamh wanted nothing with them. Hers was a life of fun and joy, and not of obscure rituals and human sacrifices under a blood-red moon.
Although no one would give her more than twenty, the young sorceress was actually nearing her sixtieth birthday. She often used glamor and confusion spells to keep the non-magical from noticing how Time didn’t affect her in the same way but the rise of the digital world where everything is connected had made things more difficult to manage. When suspicions became too much to handle, she had to change the scenery and forge a new existence. Visiting Cyprus was the first step in her most recent transformation. By the time her vacation was over, she would have become someone else entirely.
Niamh stretched in bed and glanced at the two horny boys cuddling at her feet. Alexandros and Ioannis had served her well, and she was pleased. It would have been easy to make them pleasure one another after her needs were taken care of, but then she would probably have to wipe their minds clean to avoid traumatic memories, so she opted against it. Instead, she filled their minds with even more beautiful images of surrender to start the new day.
“Rise and shine, boys,” she declared as he got out of bed, her perfect naked body taking in the morning splendor.
“Good morning, Goddess,” the brothers said at the same time, their visages embellished by the sweet glow of ecstatic devotion. “Did you sleep well?”
“I sure did. One of the most comfortable beds I’ve been in a while and worth every penny your family charges for it.”
“Thank you, Goddess.” Alexandros dropped to his knees to kiss the soles of her feet. “Of course, we’ll make sure everything is on the house while you’re visiting.”
“That’s sweet but it won’t be necessary,” Niamh smiled and scratched behind his left ear as if he were a gentle puppy. “I have money to burn. You boys can help me with something, though.”
“Anything!” Ioannis exclaimed, a sheepish smile on his half-open lips. “What do you need?”
“I want to have some fun exploring the city. Since you’re locals, what would you recommend?”
“Oh, that’s easy!” Alexandros nodded. “You should definitely start by exploring Ancient Kourion.”
“Kourion? What’s that?”
“Simply our major attraction. It was one of the island’s most important city-kingdoms in antiquity and its remains are of an archeological beauty like no other. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen the Greco-Roman theater there.”
“Hmm, that sounds intriguing indeed. What else?”
“Kolossi Castle is also a must,” Ioannis said. “and I’m partial to the frescoes in Troodos Mountain churches as well. Whatever you do, don’t leave without seeing them. I swear you won’t regret it.”
“I believe you. What about markets and shops? I would love to get a few souvenirs for when I go back home.”
“You should definitely go to Anexartisias Street then. Lots of places to see, but it’s not the cheapest.”
“That’s okay. Anexartisias, huh? Okay, I think I’ll head there after breakfast. Thank you, boys.”
“You’re welcome,” Alexandros replied. “We can be your guides during your shopping spree if you wish, Goddess. Nothing would please us most.”
“Oh, I know, but who am I to deprive the hotel of its unofficial welcoming committee? No, I’d rather you stay here doing what you do best but ready to serve me again when I return, okay?”
“As you wish,” Ioannis bowed at her feet. “Can we at least take care of your breakfast?”
“Sure. Get me something sweet and typical. In the meantime, I’m going to take a shower.”
“Yes, Goddess,” the two brothers replied in unison again, happy to be useful. Niamh watched them scurry off the bedroom and licked the corners of her mouth in anticipation. If what they brought her was as good as the ice creams of the day before, she would be a happy woman.

* * *

The sweet taste of Tahinopittes, sweet pies made with flour, sugar, cinnamon, and yeast, was still on her lips when she ventured through Anexartisias Street on her own. Located at the very heart of the city and leading to the sea, the street was a haven for shops, coffee shops, and inns, that after a period of decline at the turn of the century, were now experiencing a slow-going renaissance. Despite being relatively short - approximately half a mile long - it was packed with oddities, most of which made her chuckle.
The first thing she noticed was a store selling wooden toys. Huge Pinocchios, clocks, various carved figurines, etc. Some of them were quite old and carried the weight of a forgotten past in their creaking joints. She was sure her mother would have loved to receive one to remind her of simpler days.
A little ahead was a quirky Nepalese restaurant, followed by a second-hand shop divided into two sections, one specifically for men and another for women. Niamh peeked inside for a couple of minutes but nothing really caught her attention, so she left. As she walked out, she almost tripped on the leftovers of a bag of sand and continued straight ahead until she reached the end of the first block, which was marked by a crossroad. The road to the right led to the non-touristic part of the old town while the one on the left was all shiny and inviting. Niamh was about ready to head that way when a voice called out to her.
It was a woman’s voice. It belonged to a short, wrinkled figure slightly older than her, with gray eyes to match the handful strands of hair still on her head. She was wearing a traditional Cypriot costume, with a red-toned ‘sayia’, white blouse and long pants with embroidery, and a dark purple headscarf. Her smile comprised only a handful of teeth, with the rest of her mouth amounting to a hissing black hole. 
“Over here, girl,” she said, beckoning her with a slightly crooked finger. “You’re looking for something special, aren’t you?”
“What are you selling, old woman?” Niamh asked as she walked her way. The other people on the street ignored them and continued about their business. 
“Oh, nothing. It’s not about that at all. I would like to give you something, if I may. You love gifts, don’t you?”
“Who doesn’t?” Niamh stopped in front of the woman, who looked uncharacteristically out of place despite the attire. Wrapped around her neck was an old sorceress’ charm.
“May I see your hands, then?”
“You’re a chiromancer?”
“I am many things and right now the spirits are telling me I need to do this. Please...” she reached for her right palm, the rugged lines immediately drawing her attention. “You’re an old soul, older than you seem, are you not?”
“Maybe I am,” Niamh indulged her, one eye on her and the other on her surroundings. The bustling sounds of Anexartisias had faded into silence as if they had entered a protective bubble or were on the threshold of an alternate dimension. Filaments of forgotten magic crept at her feet.
“And you’ve come here looking for renewal,” the old woman said, tracing the contour of her fate line. 
“How perceptive of you... You must really be attuned to the spirits to make such a claim,” Niamh smirked.
“I see what they want me to see. I can tell you’re special and special women are the best. You’ll find everything you’re looking for, and more. In part, you already did.”
“What do you mean?”
“Please follow me and I’ll show you,” the woman pointed to the right side of the intersection.
“Where are we going?”
“I have a small space where I do most of my work a couple of houses ahead. I would love to give you a full reading for free.”
“For free? Now that’s something you don’t hear often.”
“What can I say? I’m intrigued by old souls like yours.”
“I’m sure you are.” Niamh checked her wristwatch. The handles were moving slower than expected. “Now I’m curious, so lead the way.”
The sorceress followed her recent acquaintance down the street. From the corner of her left eye, she glimpsed translucent sigils etched on the walls and sidewalks, creating a path that led to a pink square house with two broken windows. A worn-out sign by the main door read: “Madame Panayiota. Your future is here.”
“After you,” the chiromancer gave her the initiative and locked the door on the inside the moment they were both inside.
“Was that really necessary?” Niamh glanced over her shoulder.
“Of course. We don’t want to be disturbed, do we?”
The interior was dark and moldy, the opposite of a welcoming environment anyone would love to spend time in. A handful of magic symbols could be seen carved in the ceiling as well but their potency had waned with time. A handful of people were in the room with them, four men between the ages of thirty and forty, and another woman, slightly younger and with irregular burn marks on the left side of her face. It was she who spoke first.
“Did you bring us another, mother?” she asked.
“Yes,” Madame Panayiota interlocked her fingers. “Quite the specimen this one as I’m sure you’ll find out. Forgive me for the ruse, dear,” she turned to Niamh. “but you’re obviously rich and I’m sure someone will pay a nice ransom for you.”
“Forgiven,” Niamh yawned as the other family members formed a circle around her. “but the funny part is that you seem to believe the ruse was convincing enough. Nice trick with the persuasion sigils outside, but those little parlor tricks won’t work on me.”
“Mother, what’s she talking about?” the older man in the group asked.
“I don’t...”
“Quiet because the grown-ups are talking,” Niamh snapped her fingers, irradiating green sparks that lit up the house from within. Immediately, everyone except the other two women flinched and cowered in fear. “Ah, it’s been ages since I had to deal with a group of wannabes. Now, what possessed you lot to play with things out of your league?”
Madame Panayiota waved both hands in a counter-clockwise spiraling motion, the first step in a basic narcotic incantation but was promptly thwarted by Niamh’s dismissive right-index finger that pointed upward and made her head bash into the ceiling. “Will you please be quiet and listen?”
The old woman was brought back to the old wooden floor, her entire world reduced to a meaningless blur. No one dared to say or do a thing.
“Okay then,” Niamh rolled her eyes. “Is this what you do, huh? Kidnap tourists in broad daylight with silly incantations you read in a magazine and hope you hit the jackpot? Seriously? I’ve seen many pathetic schemes but this one definitely qualifies as one of the worst. Have you no shame?”
“Who are you to judge us, bitch?” the younger woman spat at her feet.
“Honey, I’m the sorceress you’re pissing off right now, which is never a good thing. Playing with magic is a lot like playing with fire. If you don’t want to get burned more than you already are, I would zip it if I were you.”
“I’m sorry...” Madame Panayiota sobbed, a thin red line on her scalp. “I had no idea.”
“That’s not an excuse, old woman,” Niamh blew a circle of flames from her mouth, enveloping her nemesis and her children. “I don’t know how long you’ve been playing this stupid game, but it ends today, understood?”
“Oh yes!” Madam Panayiota kneeled to kiss the floor. “Whatever you say, o sorceress, but please don’t turn us into anything unnatural.”
“More unnatural than you?” Niamh scoffed. “I don’t think that’s possible. You are beyond pathetic! How about I burn this place to the ground so that you never prey on the innocent again?”
“Please no, mighty one! Yes, you’re right. We’re poor and pathetic,” the matriarch sobbed. “We don’t have much but everything we have is yours. We’ll do anything if you let us be. Please!”
“Anything? That’s the most dangerous word you can say to me. Are you sure about that?” Niamh tapped the floor.
“Yes. We’ll behave. I swear on mine and my children’s life! Truce, please!”
“In that case...” Niamh looked down at her like a mythological giant about to squash a bug. “I think I have just the punishment for you. Sleep!”
Drooping eyes fluttered and sank into blissful unconsciousness. The last thing any of them remembered was the sunlight hitting an outdoor pool.

* * *

Alexandros and Ioannis were the happiest men alive when their red-haired Goddess returned from her shopping with three bags behind her right shoulder, yet were confused at the six blank eyed-individuals following her like good, obedient drones.
“Goddess, who are they?” Ioannis asked.
“Your new help, of course. The hotel is always busy around this time of the year, right? Well, now you have a few extra cooks and bellboys to soften the blow. You’re welcome.”
“That’s quite generous of you, but I’m not sure we can afford the extra expense,” Alexandros scratched his forehead. “Our parents...”
“Don’t worry about that. I said I wouldn’t take your money and neither will they. This group has a lot to answer for. This is their one-time Get out of Jail Free card. If your parents need convincing, please send them to my room a.s.a.p., okay?”
The two brothers looked at one another, bewildered beyond belief. If there was anything appropriate to say in a situation like this, they had no idea what it was.
“Hmmm... whatever you say, Goddess...” Ioannis concluded.
“Good. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I need another shower. Get them all nice and settled around here in no time and there may be enough room for one or both of you...” Niamh winked.
The two young men worked faster this time around, tumescent cocks in control of their brains every step of the way. Another day, another memory, one more chance to start anew. Limassol was not ready for what was to come next.