The hissing, fluttering, clicking sounds grew louder as she began to walk. Stopping, she stifled a scream. A pair of yellow eyes glowed in the back corner of the attic.
Straightening she called out, “What are you?”
A black mass separated from the darkness and flew toward her, its talons catching strands of her hair as it flew to the ledge of the dormer window. She stared at the raven, her heart pounding and bile rising in her throat. Perched on the windowsill, the bird cocked its head to the side, getting a close up view of her. It turned and beat its wings against the window pain, tapping the glass with its huge beak.
“Don’t worry, I am not going to climb out of the window, or is it you who wants to escape?”
In answer, the bird beat on the window pain, paced about on the sill and lifted its wings again and again. Lilly screamed as the bird shot into the air. It flew back and forth through the attic, screeching and cawing in anger. Lilly curled into a ball and put her arms over her head. The horrid bird finally flew down the center of the attic and back to its perch in the darkness.
Trembling and numb from cold, Lilly peered into the darkness at the back of the attic. Weak sunlight barely pierced the darkness. Lilly was determined to use whatever light she could to search for a warm cover. She kept one eye on the glowing eyes of the raven and felt along the walls and floor for something to warm herself. She found a coat rack with one long ritual robe. “No!” she said firmly, “I won’t wear Regina’s ritual robe.” Beside the coat rack, her hands found something soft. She picked it and felt it. Thank the goddess, it’s Claude’s sweatshirt. She held it close and felt no malevolent energy. I don’t know what Claude has to do with this or where he has gone. I’m going to trust my intuition and believe he has no knowledge of Regina’s plans.
She quickly slipped the large sweatshirt over her head. The sleeves encased her arms and hands and dangled down to her knees. The thick shirt reached her ankles. Returning to the futon, she pulled her legs up into the warmth of the sweatshirt and curled into a ball.
The key turned in the lock and Regina arrived carrying a bucket a bag of warm beignets, a cup of coffee and a roll of toilet paper. “Good-morning Priestess. I know you are ready for some breakfast.” She walked to the futon and held the bucket out to Lilly. “I bet you are needing this badly. Take it into a corner and relieve yourself.”
There was no point resisting, she removed the warm food and gratefully took the bucket to the back corner opposite the raven. Peering into the shadows, she could make out the form of the bird, but his eyes were closed, his head down.
Regina unwrapped the beignets and removed the plastic top from the styrofoam coffee cup. Tempting as it was, Lilly resisted. It could easily be laced with poison. Ignoring Regina’s manic chatter, Lilly lay on the futon and closed her eyes. When she heard the lock click open and the door slam, she opened her eyes and glanced to the rear of the attic. The raven’s yellow eyes were glowing.
Sitting up she looked for her crystal. She always kept it next to her body. Panic built in her chest as she searched. She picked up the futon, retraced her steps to the coat rack, and the corner of the attic where she had relieved herself in the bucket.
The sun was setting before Lilly gave up her search for the crystal. Great sobs shook her body as she admitted to herself Regina had taken the Jewel of Inanna.
Chapter 38
The Knight Arrives
Roland woke with the sunrise in Richmond, VA. He quickly dressed and left a note for Trey explaining there was an emergency. He didn’t want to explain his dream message. Trey had trouble understanding Roland’s Druidic gifts. He put the note where Trey would be sure to see it, threw some clothes and his mandolin in a duffle bag and called for a cab to the airport.
It was shortly after noon when he arrived in Jackson Square. He wasn’t sure exactly where Raven Moon was, but he knew it was on Decatur. ‘I must have passed it on the way from Jason’s up to the Square,’ Roland thought as he ran down Decatur Street.
He slowed when he reached the Abbey Bar which was unusually quiet. Squeaking metal drew his eyes upward to the huge metal Raven perched on the crescent moon. He stopped and slowly approached the magic shop. He sauntered past the large front windows, but the shop was dark. On the opposite side of the building, he found a narrow alley. The old brick wall that housed the shop was windowless. Higher up, there were the windows of an upstairs apartment.
Walking across the street he examined the roof line of Raven Moon and gave a silent cheer. There was an old chimney close enough so he might get a grappling hook on it, if he was lucky. He looked up at the gable window and saw a shadowy figure standing there. He couldn’t see if it was Lilly so he made no sign. He ran to the sporting goods store on Canal Street. Thirty minutes later, he was standing in the narrow alley on the side of Raven Moon holding a grappling hook and a sturdy climbing rope. He hoped no one would notice him climbing up the side of the building and call the cops.
It took him a couple of throws, and then the hook finally caught on the chimney. His booted foot found small niches in the old bricks as he made his way up the vertical wall. A brief flash of the summers he had spent in Yosemite, climbing the sheer face of El Capitan, gave him a surge of confidence.
He made it to the second floor windows which were locked. In minutes, he was crawling across the slate covered roof. Tapping on the glass of the dormer window, he made sure Lilly saw him. The old window frame had been painted shut at least a half a dozen times. Signaling Lilly to stand back, Roland turned his face aside and smashed the window panes with his elbow. Removing large shards of glass from the edges, he kicked in the frame. Lilly ran to him. In one swift move, she was in his arms. He carried her out of the window and onto the roof as Dodger and Prissy sounded the alarm.
The slate shingles were damp and Roland slipped for a moment. He put Lilly down, keeping a strong arm around her waist as they carefully crept across the pitched roof to the ledge.
The barking grew closer and Lilly heard Regina screaming. She turned and looked over her shoulder. Prissy had two front legs out of the attic window, barking and growling. Regina leaned out of the window with the raven on her shoulder. She screeched a curse and extended her arm, one finger pointing at Lilly. The raven sprung from Regina’s shoulder and slammed into Lilly’s back. Roland grabbed her, steadied her and held her for a moment. The raven circled over them and with a loud screech flew at Lilly’s face. She ducked and the raven circled again. Roland took the rope in hand, lowered himself over the edge and signaled for Lilly to do the same. She wavered for a moment and peered over the edge of the roof. “No, don’t look down,” Roland said calmly, “come on, I won’t let you fall.”
Lilly took hold of the rope and lowered herself over the edge. The raven harried them with its wings for a moment, lost interest and flew down to examine the contents of the metal dumpster in the alley.
As soon as his feet hit the ground, his eyes met Lilly’s for a moment, she nodded and they ran to the end of the block. Turning the corner, they ran toward Chartres Street. Lilly’s legs buckled, Roland scooped her up and ran along the banquet towards Jackson Square.
Jolene and James were getting out of a cab in front of Panthea’s, arriving home from their vacation, when Roland came around the corner. Jolene dropped her luggage as she saw Lilly wearing nothing but a sweatshirt, blood running from a gash across her cheek.
“Can you open the gate?” Roland gasped. James ran to the heavy wooden door, passed his hand over the lock, dissolving locks and wards in seconds. He pushed the gate open and followed Roland into the courtyard and up the stairs.
Roland placed Lilly on her bed. His eyes roamed quickly over her body looking for blood or injuries. She stared at him, hardly believing he was there. She caught her breath as he sat next to her on the bed. “I knew you would come,” she said weakly.
Roland kissed her lightly on the lips, nodded and smiled.
“Regina won�
�t come after me here,” Lilly whispered, “the wards are too strong.”
She sat up slowly, “I want to have a bath, immediately.” Roland drew a bath and helped her get out of the oversized sweatshirt. She sank into the warm water holding a cool, damp cloth to her bloody cheek. Roland grabbed a bath sponge and a bar of soap and gently washed her body and her hair.
He helped her out of the tub and was wrapping her in her pink fuzzy bathrobe when Jolene came in. “What has happened? Was there an accident?”
Lilly gave her a short and garbled version of what had transpired over the last three or four days. She wasn’t sure how long she had been at Regina’s.
“We must get your cut looked at right away,” Jolene said as she disappeared out the door.
Lilly returned to her bed, holding a clean cloth to her cheek. Within minutes Jolene returned with Lucky who took one look at her face and said, “I’m going to call my doctor. That gash will need stitches.”
“Wait a minute,” James said steadily. “Let’s slow down and look at this wound.” Sitting on the edge of the bed, he took Lilly’s face between his hands. He passed his hand over the bloody wound and it seemed to fade in and out of existence. “This was created by dark magick and can only be healed with pure magick. I seriously doubt a regular doctor could see it much less stitch it up. Let’s get into the temple.”
Without a word, Lucky stepped forward and lifted Lilly into his arms. He carried Lilly down the winding stairs, a slightly puzzled Roland close behind. James walked ahead and opened the door to the temple. Jolene knocked on doors, summoning Sabine, Genna, Forest, Madeline and Owen, explaining Lilly had received a serious wound and needed healing.
Jolene was unsure of what had happened. Lilly’s explanation was garbled and Roland said something about a kidnapping. Jolene held her hand over her heart, fearful the Inanna crystal was the motivation behind the abduction. She was desperate to hear the details, but first they must tend to Lilly’s wound.
The coven gathered around the young priestess as she lay still on a large cushion. Jolene cast the circle quickly, invoking the healing guardians and guides who moved through time with Lilly. Together the members of the coven placed their hands over Lilly calling on universal healing energy to pour through their crown chakras and healing earth energy to rise up from the ground into their heart centers. The celestial light and the healing power of mother earth circulated, forming a taurus of energy which exited through the palms of their hands into Lilly’s prone body.
As the members of the coven poured healing love over Lilly, James called upon the Druid power of binding to seal her wound. He began to move his hands slowly across the side of her face, around her head and down to her heart. Time passed and the group slowly lowered their hands placing them on Lilly’s body allowing the last of the healing energies to fill her physical, emotional and spiritual bodies.
Lilly lay with her eyes closed for several minutes. Her eyes fluttered as she sat up and rubbed the side of her face. The bloody gash was gone. With the tips of her fingers she could feel a small seam that had not been there before. She smiled and opened her arms to her friends. She looked into their faces and thanked them for their care. Her eyes found Roland, “You saved my life. I am so grateful. Thank you for your courage.”
Roland smiled and scooped her into his arms. Back in her apartment, he set her feet on the floor of the living room, and drew her close. With his hands tangled in her red curls he brought his mouth to her cheek and kissed the narrow white scar. He kissed her eyes and lingered on her lips. Lilly’s arms went around his neck, she leaned into him and pressed her mouth to his.
Despair, longing, fear and grief melted; her world blurred for a moment. Everything she had longed for was here. She was home and safe, Roland was here and she wanted nothing more than to lie with him and melt into his warmth.
The rest of the coven gathered in Jolene’s kitchen to discuss the attack and injury. “Are we equipped to deal with this,” Sabine asked with an angry sob in her voice.
The members of the coven raised their unison voices in response, “We will deal with this!”
Chapter 39
Tainted Blood
Lilly’s bare feet stood on the damp bricks of the banquette. Her hands found a metal post to cling to as she tried to get her bearings in the thick fog. A dank scent wafted through the mist as a dark figure approached silently. She turned to run but the dark figure flapped its wings, landed in front of her and blocked her path. The Ravens’ eyes glowed as it opened its beak blasting her with the fetid smell of death.
A hand reached out and grabbed her as she took a step back on the slippery bricks. Regina held her arm in a vice grip as she spoke, her voice razor sharp, “You will not escape this time. You will suffer! Your blood will spill! Your life will be ruined!” Lilly struggled to get away but the fog grew thicker and the oily wings of the Raven engulfed her, pulling her close.
The Raven’s beak brushed the top of her head and she froze. “Ah, you don’t want another scar to match the one I gave you earlier? You are mine, marked by the raven. I have tasted your blood, I can find you anywhere. There is no place to hide.”
Roland heard Lilly struggling and ran to her bedside. He shook her shoulder gently, “Wake up, Lilly, wake up.”
She slowly opened her eyes and propelled herself into his arms. “It’s Regina, she is never going to leave me alone. She says the Raven has tasted my blood, she can find me anywhere and take my power.”
“Not while I am on this planet!” Roland exclaimed.
Jolene, had insisted on keeping watch over Lilly with Roland. Sitting patiently in the living room rocking chair, she overheard their conversation. She moved quickly to the bedside. Taking Lilly in her arms, she rocked gently and made soothing sounds.
Lilly’s body shook with sobs as she pulled Jolene close. “I am so glad you are here and I lived to see you again. I thought I was going to die by Regina’s hands.”
Jolene tightened her hug and spoke quietly, “I need to know what happened, exactly. Lilly, can you tell me?” Dizziness overtook Lilly as her mind began to spin. Jolene placed her hand on Lilly’s and repeated the question.
Looking into Jolene’s loving eyes, Lilly nodded slowly. Putting her hand up she ran her fingers over the seam across her cheek. Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, great Goddess, it is true. The raven has marked me and I will be in its power forever!”
“Poppycock!” Jolene exclaimed. “Tell me what happened.”
Propped her up on pillows, sipping coffee, Lilly related the details of her visits to Raven Moon and her new friendship with Regina and Claude. She described the disturbing dream visions which had started to plague her immediately after meeting Regina. Tears ran down her face as she berated herself, appalled she had not seen through Regina’s offer of friendship.
“It was in the wine. Whatever she gave me, it was in the wine,” she repeated, “it knocked me out, made me ill,” Lilly’s voice faded.
“I think she needs some rest,” Roland stated. Jolene agreed, kissed her and assured her they would be nearby.
Over the next few day, the bits and pieces of her ordeal in the attic of the Raven Moon began to come together in her mind. Lilly was able to relate her story with more clarity. Looking at the faces of her friends, she was still bewildered by the sudden twisted behavior of Regina. “Initially, I liked Regina. I was happy to have a new friend. She gave me no reason not to trust her. It was after I drank the wine she gave me that I became disoriented and nauseas.
“The air was freezing, I was in the attic alone in the dark. Regina came in and cast a circle. She was chanting. She is always chanting! I saw the raven step out of a mirror and stand over me. It tried to draw something from me. It hurt me and I stabbed him in the eye with the crystal. Oh, I don’t know how it all happened! When he was gone, I remember Regina slapped me and locked the door to the attic.
“I scavenged the candle stubs from th
e circle Regina had cast. Keeping one candle lit I called upon the Goddess, invoked my inner sight, lay down and left my body. I contacted Roland and he came and rescued me.”
Lilly closed her eyes. “That is all I can remember. Maybe I will have more clarity later,” she said putting her head in her hands. Roland sat close and put his arms around her. Jolene looked at James and lifted an eyebrow. Sabine broke the silence and gave voice to what they all knew, “Thank the Goddess your strong Fae blood and your guardians and ancestors assisted you.”
Lilly shrugged one shoulder, “How does Fae blood have anything to do with this? It was Roland who helped me.”
James answered, “The Fae have a strong talent for communicating clearly through the astral plane. You were in great distress, injured and afraid. Your Fae instincts combined with your training as a Priestess, saved your life, Lilly.”
With the help of Roland and her friends at Panthea’s, Lilly began to recover from the emotional trauma she had suffered at Regina’s hands. Jolene insisted she drink gallons of cleansing tea to wash any remaining poison out of her body. Her spirits lifted and she was feeling stronger every day. There was one constant reminder, the narrow white seam adorning the side of her face. She knew only those with magickal vision could see it, but it tightened and tingled at weird moments.
She and Roland renewed their relationship making love slowly, getting to know one another again. Roland had recovered his duffle bag from the locker at the airport and spent hours playing his mandolin. He made up silly songs to make her laugh and love songs that made her blush. “I wrote this on the beach, remembering you, missing you. As I wrote it I realized what a fool I had been for leaving. I call this one, Violet Lady.”
Jewel of Inanna (Perils of a Pagan Priestess Book 1) Page 23
