Witches' Spells

by Morgana Best

  I wasn’t at all concerned for her, because she had plenty of room to explore, and was often away through the day time. I was, however, concerned that she would show up just when the boarder arrived. That would be typical behaviour for a cat.

  I went to the back door of the manor again, and rattled the packet of cat food one more time. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty,” I called. Finally, I gave up and went inside the house.

  “In the dining room, Valkyrie,” came Aunt Agnes’s booming voice.

  After I set the cat food on a kitchen cupboard, I walked into the dining room and gasped. The aunts had moved the dining table to one side—don’t ask me how as it was very heavy—and had drawn a pentacle on the polished wooden floor. A huge candle sat atop each pentacle point, and arcane symbols were drawn inside at intervals.

  Aunt Agnes caught my expression. “We’re more traditional witches than this,” she said, “but this calls for a different type of magic.”

  Misgivings washed over me. “Have you ever done this before?”

  “No,” Maude said, just as Agnes said, “Yes.” They both turned and glared at each other.

  I looked from one to the other. “We haven’t done anything like this for years,” Agnes said, shooting a look at Maude.

  “Did it work well the last time?” I asked.

  My question was met with a deathly silence.

  Finally, Aunt Dorothy said, “Cheer up, Valkyrie. What could possibly go wrong?”

  “I’m sure we’re about to find out,” I muttered.

  Chapter 17

  My nose twitched as the incense billowed through the room. “We’re using gum mastic, frankincense, and sandalwood incense,” Aunt Dorothy said. “Valkyrie, could you please pass me that jar of mugwort?”

  I did as I was asked.

  Aunt Dorothy looked up from inscribing mysterious symbols on the ground with chalk. “Did you find that cat?”

  I shook my head. “Not a sign of her. She’s vanished off the face of the earth.”

  “Where’s the Crown of Success Oil?” Aunt Agnes asked in a snappy tone.

  I picked up a bottle near me and held it to the light. I could see chunks of pyrite in there, and pieces of bay leaves, so I assumed the other ingredients included sandalwood and vetiver. “I think this is it.”

  She took it and thanked me.

  “I don’t think we have time for this,” Aunt Maude said.

  “What you mean, Maude?” Aunt Agnes snapped. “This is urgent. We can’t let that murderer run around Lighthouse Bay, murdering everyone.”

  “What an exaggeration, Agnes! The killer has only murdered one person so far,” Aunt Maude said. “It’s not as if we’re dealing with a serial killer.”

  Aunt Agnes crossed her arms over her chest. “Have you already forgotten that someone tried to run Valkyrie off the road?”

  I nearly pointed out that he didn’t actually try to run me off the road, but I knew better than to speak when the aunts were arguing.

  Aunt Maude put her hands on her hips. “Agnes, have you forgotten that a boarder is expected here this afternoon?”

  “Are you calling me senile?” Agnes said in a raised voice. “Of course I know that a boarder is expected here this afternoon. I’m hardly likely to forget something like that. What’s your point, Maude?”

  Maude held up both hands, palms upwards. “Do we have time to do this spell? What happens if the boarder arrives before we finish it? Should we wait until the boarder is settled in before we do this spell?”

  Aunt Agnes waved a hand at her in dismissal. “We’ll get everything ready, and then one of us can look out the window. If we can’t see the boarder, then we can do this spell. By the time he drives up here and knocks on the door, we’ll have finished the spell.”

  Aunt Maude was not placated in the least. “I don’t know, Agnes. I don’t think this is a spell that should be interrupted part way through. I don’t think it’s safe.”

  Aunt Agnes ignored her, and rubbed Crown of Success Oil on all the black candles. Aunt Maude continued to stand with her hands on her hips, looking decidedly put out. Finally, Agnes looked up. “Are you going to help, Maude, or are you just going to stand there?”

  Maude pouted, but then joined in. “Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked them.

  “I’ll give you some powder to throw at the right time,” Aunt Agnes said. “And when we start the spell, you’re going to need to focus.”

  “Focus on what in particular?” I asked her.

  “Focus on the revealing,” she said. “This is a spell to reveal the identity of the murderer. We need to focus on the revealing part. Now where are those tortoiseshell spectacles that belonged to Beckett?”

  “Over there,” I said, pointing to the glasses sitting next to a particularly hideous marble statue of a cherub. I wasn’t sure if I should touch them, considering they were going to be used in a spell.

  Aunt Agnes had no such reservations. She grabbed the glasses and put them in the centre of the pentacle. “Now, everyone, we’re about to start. Do we have everything? Weston’s hair, Molly’s hair, Francine’s hair, Frank’s hair, Alec Aldon’s hair, and Geoff Currey’s toenail clippings?”

  Aunt Maude winced, but then said, “Yes.”

  Agnes nodded. “Good. As there are five items, but only four of us, you can all put one item into the pentacle, and I’ll put in two.”

  “What?” Aunt Maude said. “There are six items, not four. That means two people put in two, and two people put in one. And you’re not the boss of us. You didn’t have to cut someone’s ghastly toenails from their wriggling feet.”

  “But I had to cut a chunk of hair from an irritating woman’s head,” Aunt Agnes countered. “Still, if it means so much to you, Maude, you can have Geoff Currey’s toenail clippings and Francine’s hair.”

  “I want Weston’s hair and Molly’s hair,” Maude said, pulling a face. “I don’t want to be anywhere near those toenail clippings.”

  “You have to take what you are given,” Agnes said through gritted teeth.

  “Why do you think you are the boss of us?” Maude said. She was clearly put out.

  Agnes crossed her arms over her chest. “Last time I looked, I was the only member of the Council in this room.”

  Dorothy finally piped up. “Oh Agnes, you use that excuse for everything. It might give you rights on the Council, but it doesn’t give you rights over your sisters.”

  Aunt Agnes held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. “Whatever! Take whatever you like. I’ll use what’s left over.”

  For people who were a few hundred years old, they were certainly acting like a pack of bratty teenagers. Dorothy and Maude descended on the personal concerns like a pack of vultures. Aunt Agnes followed them, and then I was left with Geoff Currey’s toenails. I pulled a face.

  “Sorry about that, Valkyrie,” Aunt Dorothy said. “I have Alec Aldon’s hair. I can swap it for Geoff’s toenails if you like.”

  “That’s fine,” I said.

  “I’m just going to look out the window and see if I can see the boarder approaching,” Agnes said, “and then we can start our spell. I was going to ask someone else to look out the window, but I’ve realised it’s easier if I do everything myself.” She stormed out of the room.

  No one spoke until she returned. “All right then, it’s time to begin. This is what will happen. I’ll speak the spell, and each of us in turn will empty the contents of the packet into the centre of the pentacle. But first, we will put more mugwort in there along with clary sage. We can’t step into the inner circle. That’s very important. Do you all understand that?”

  We all nodded.

  “Right, then make sure you don’t go anywhere near that circle, but you have to bend over it and drop the personal concerns in the centre when I give you the signal. Is everyone ready?”

  We nodded again, and then Aunt Agnes said, “Focus. We all need to focus on the murderer being revealed. We’ll do that now, and
our spell will begin.”

  I shut my eyes and thought of the suspects, and then focused on my desire that the murderer would be revealed. I could feel the energy in the room rising—it was almost palpable. At one point, I opened my eyes to make sure I was still in the room. The pulsating power was tangible. I suddenly remembered that the phone Lucas had given me was in my pocket, and I hoped like crazy it wouldn’t ring.

  Aunt Agnes gave the signal to put the personal concerns in the circle. We went clockwise, and I was the last. I stood back, careful not to get too close to the circle drawn in chalk on the polished tallow wood floorboards.

  The power in the room continued to increase, and Aunt Agnes’s chanting did likewise. “The truth now be revealed in its true form!” Aunt Agnes said, raising her arms.

  I stood there, holding my breath, wondering how the truth would be revealed, when I saw Hecate run into the room. Before anyone could stop her, she ran straight through the middle of the circle.

  There was a blinding flash of blue light, and the next thing I knew I was sitting on the floor, gasping for breath. I took a moment or two to recover, and then looked across at my aunts. They did not appear to be hurt, although also were on the floor. They were staring, transfixed, at the centre of the pentacle. I followed their gaze, and let out a shriek.

  Hecate had gone. In her place was a woman.

  Chapter 18

  I continued to stare, open-mouthed, at the naked woman crouched in the middle of the pentacle. She had awfully pale skin, and roughly cut, short black hair. Had the spell turned my cat into a human?

  I realised I must have said the words aloud, because Aunt Agnes answered me. “No, Valkyrie. Hecate must be a Shifter.” Her voice was trembling.

  Hecate looked at me with wide eyes. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

  “We had better get that cat some clothes,” Aunt Dorothy said, hurrying from the room.

  I was trying to come to terms with it all. “A Shifter? There are such things as Shifter cats?”

  Aunt Agnes pointed at Hecate. “Apparently.”

  “How could the spell turn a cat into a person?” I asked. I soon added, “This is a terrible shock. I need a glass of Witches’ Brew.”

  Aunt Agnes was taking the turn of events better than I was. She tapped her chin. “The spell didn’t turn her into a person, as such. She is already a person, as a Shifter. I’d say something must have happened to keep her in her cat form for so long. See how startled she is? If she had reverted to human form in recent times, she would be able to speak. Hecate, can you speak?”

  The woman looked at Agnes blankly.

  “We don’t even know her real name,” I said.

  “Could you call Linda and ask her to hurry here?” Aunt Agnes said. “She knows more about Shifters than we do.”

  I did as I was asked. To my relief, Linda answered at once. “Linda, could you come over to Mugwort Manor right now? It’s a Shifter matter. I can’t really talk now. We’ll explain when you get here.”

  Linda agreed to come at once. I could tell she was entirely mystified, but I didn’t want to try to explain what had happened over the phone. I just didn’t have the words.

  I was still in shock when Aunt Dorothy hurried into the room with some clothes. Hecate made no attempt to protest while Dorothy helped her get dressed. However, as soon as she was dressed, she ran, hunched over, out of the room. We all raced after her.

  Thankfully, she stopped in the kitchen. She sniffed the packet of cat food and then knocked it to the ground with one hand. Some spilt out on the floor, so she crouched down and ate it.

  I clutched Aunt Dorothy’s arm. “Does she still think she’s a cat?” I asked in alarm.

  Aunt Dorothy patted my hand. “Try not to worry, Valkyrie. Linda will know what to do. I think your Aunt Agnes is right for once. Hecate has been in cat form for a very long time and now she’s having trouble making the transition back to her human self.”

  Just then, the front door bell chimed. “It couldn’t come at a worse time,” Aunt Agnes said as she took off in the direction of the sound.

  “Oh no, it’s the new boarder.” Aunt Maude pulled a face. “I’ll make him a cup of tea. Dorothy, could you and Valkyrie watch Hecate? Hopefully, Linda won’t be too much longer.”

  Hecate was now sitting on the floor, looking quite pleased with herself. I was still trying to come to terms with what had happened. It was so entirely strange, that I wondered if I was dreaming. I’ve had dreams where I have been convinced I wasn’t dreaming, and I wondered if this was happening to me right now. I continued to stare at Hecate as Aunt Maude made the tea.

  “Will you bring in the plate of Tim Tams, and I’ll take in the tray of tea?” Aunt Maude said to me. “Dorothy, can you stay here with Hecate? Maybe give her a saucer of milk?”

  I looked at Maude, wondering if she was joking, but had no time to ponder the matter as she ushered me through the kitchen door. I walked into the living room to see a blustering, red-faced man. I took an instant dislike to him.

  “This is my sister, Maude, and my niece, Valkyrie,” Aunt Agnes said.

  The man looked me up and down. “Valkyrie. That’s an unusual name, isn’t it?” His lips curled back, revealing a set of long, yellow teeth.

  I simply nodded.

  He greedily accepted a Tim Tam. “Thank you for your hospitality, ladies,” he said. “I’m so glad you don’t have any pets. I particularly dislike animals.”

  And I’m sure it’s mutual, I added silently.

  Just then, Hecate hurried into the room, followed by Aunt Dorothy who had a restraining hand on her arm. Thankfully, Hecate was walking upright this time. She looked around the room, and then headed straight for Mr Jones. She immediately sat in his lap.

  I gasped, as did Mr Jones. Dorothy and Maude had the presence of mind to pull Hecate from him. She made a hissing sound and ran from the room.

  “Why, I never!” Mr Jones sputtered. His face turned a deep shade of red, and his cheeks puffed out.

  “I’m sorry about that,” Aunt Agnes said. “She’s a new boarder. A rather strange girl, and she doesn’t appear to speak a word of English.”

  Mr Jones had been struck speechless. He sat there, his mouth hanging open. I excused myself and hurried back to the kitchen. I figured Dorothy and Maude might need help with Hecate.

  Hecate was sitting on a chair, but sadly, not like a human would sit on a chair. She was perched on top of it, crouched over. However, she seemed content, although was licking her hand. As I watched, she ran her hand behind her ear and then repeated the process. “What’s that sound?” I asked Aunt Dorothy, who was bending over her.

  “I think she’s purring,” Aunt Dorothy said.

  I shot another look at Dorothy, and it seemed she was close to tears. “Are you all right, Aunt Dorothy?”

  Aunt Dorothy shook her head, and Maude patted her shoulder. “This poor girl, and all this time we thought she was a cat.”

  “I’m sure Linda will be here soon,” Aunt Maude said.

  “That reminds me.” I whipped my own phone from my pocket and texted Linda to go to the back door. I didn’t want her running into the boarder. I turned back to the aunts. “Why did Hecate sit on that man’s knee?”

  “It’s obvious isn’t it?” Aunt Maud said. “He hates pets.”

  I was still at a loss, and said so.

  “Cats always sit on people who don’t like them,” Aunt Dorothy explained.

  I pulled a face. “Oh.”

  Just then there was a knock on the back door, and Hecate made to run past me. As quick as a flash, I blocked her way, while the aunts blocked the exit from the kitchen. Hecate glared at us and ran under the table.

  “That must be Linda.” I walked to the back door, but Aunt Maude called out after me, “Make sure Hecate doesn’t slip out the door when you let Linda in.”

  I nodded. I opened the door a little. “Linda, we have a situation inside. Get in here as fast as you can bec
ause I have to shut the door in a hurry.”

  Linda frowned, but did she as was asked. I shut the door behind her and locked it. The aunts were still guarding the exit from the kitchen. That door had no lock.

  “What’s going on?” Linda asked, looking around the kitchen. Just then, Hecate crawled past her swiftly and stuck her head through the cat door, and did her best to squeeze through it.

  The aunts hurried after her and took her gently by the shoulders. “She’s trying to escape!” Maude said.

  I sighed long and hard. “Linda, this is my cat, Hecate.”

  Linda’s mouth fell open. Her jaw moved up and down, silently. “It seems she’s a Shifter cat,” I told her. “Is that possible?”

  Linda stood dumbstruck for several more moments, and then finally said, “Yes, it’s possible.”

  “We were doing a spell to reveal the murderer,” I explained, “and right at the end when Aunt Agnes was yelling something about revealing, Hecate ran across the centre of the spell and then at once turned into this person. We think she’s been in cat form for a long time because she’s still acting like a cat.”

  “I need to sit down.” Linda crossed to the kitchen table and took the closest seat. She put her head in her hands and then rubbed her forehead.

  “What do you think happened?” I prompted her.

  She looked up at me. “I can only assume that she has been unable to change into human form for a very long time. A very long time,” she added.

  “Yes, but why?” I asked her.

  She shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe there was a powerful spell on her. She will be able to tell you—eventually.” A strange look passed over Linda’s face.

  “What do we do if she changes back into cat form now?” I asked her.

  Linda shook her head. “That’s not likely. I’ve never seen this happen before, but I’ve heard about it. Sure, she hasn’t been in human form for a long time, but then she hasn’t changed for a long time, either. I don’t think she’ll remember how to change at first, so it’s likely she’ll stay in this human form for a while.”