Spellbound: a Tale of Magic, Mystery & Murder

by Louise Ann Barton

CHAPTER 39 - THE CHARMED

  "Let's face it," Boy said, as he lounged his large frame on their tiny, hotel room couch. "It's always easier to be destructive than it is to heal or protect. Our brand of bright magic isn't going to be a match for Ramon."

  "I don't believe you," Robin whispered. "Good always triumphs over evil."

  "Where, Robin? In fairy tales? In the movies?" Boy took her by the shoulders and shook her gently. "It's really happening! If he wounds us, we will bleed! Some of us may die!"

  "Even if his attack is cowardly and non-magical, such as attacking one of us from behind, he'll still get us, won't he?" she whispered.

  "Yes, and as you well know, magic isn't limited by miles. Even if we caught a flight tomorrow, even if we crossed a thousand oceans, any evil he directed toward us would find us. We're already in too deep."

  Robin managed a weak smile. "We're in over our heads, aren't we?"

  "Yes," agreed Samantha, "and unless we're prepared to murder him first, we're like sitting ducks." Her green eyes flashed. "Well, I'm not just sitting and waiting!"

  Raven clasped Samantha's hand. "We won't go down without a fight, I assure you!" Cat rose to her full height, an Amazon ready to battle. "Let's get on with it then!"

  Raven went to the closet and began fumbling in the depths of her suitcase, pawing the souvenirs out of the way. "Let's see what we have here besides my athame," she muttered. Her fingers touched the wooden mortar and pestle. "Hmmmmmm. I'd forgotten about this." She set it beside her dagger. "Needs consecrating," she muttered, glancing up. "Hey! Am I the only one searching for useful objects in this dire emergency? Move it!"

  Her companions began to move about the suite, searching their belongings for objects that could be useful in the upcoming ritual. Finally, they brought forth enough objects to be used as magical tools and assembled them on the table.

  "We'll have to consecrate the newer pieces," Cat murmured.

  "That will be our first step," Raven agreed. "Let's boost the protective powers of any talismans, amulets, or charms we've brought with us," Robin suggested.

  "Absolutely!" Boy said. "And we'll make new ones as well. Look amongst your souvenirs for any jewelry, natural stones, silver, filigree," Boy said. His words sent everyone back to rustle through the contents of their suitcases. He crossed the room and took the large mirror down from the wall. Carrying it to the window, he set it to face the wooded area, reflecting back in the direction from which he deemed Ramon's black thoughts would emanate.

  "Brilliant, Boy!" exclaimed Cat. "Now all his curses will return to settle on their maker." She paused. "There is just one little problem. If you turn all our mirrors toward Ramon, how are we expected to do our hair or makeup? Tell me that, genius?"

  "Ladies, do you mean to tell me you can't make the sacrifice of temporarily using a purse mirror or bathroom mirror for your toiletries? Not even to save your lives?" he scolded.

  "Well," sniffed Cat, "when one considers the alternative."

  "I'm taking that as a yes," Boy grunted, struggling with a second, larger mirror, which threatened to break free of his grasp with every step he took. Cat helped him brace the mirror and, together, they carried it across the room and set it against the other window. Boy set sturdy chairs behind the mirrors to keep them upright.

  "Oooh, the maid's gonna love this!" Raven observed. "Come on, Sam, we're going outside, near the water, to pick some berries."

  "For making ink?"

  Raven nodded and started toward the door. "Wait," Samantha said. "We'll need some fresh herbs for rituals."

  "Take my boleen," Raven offered. "Using the curved blade and gathering after dark," she instructed, "ensures herbal potency."

  Sam hurried back and took the boleen from the secret pocket in Raven's case. Sam and Robin remained behind with Boy. They stacked the suitcases neatly back on the closet floor.

  "I will never understand how Raven manages to travel through airport security and customs checks with a ceremonial dagger and an herbal-gathering blade," Cat murmured.

  "Raven is Raven," replied Robin. "She just does these things and no one ever stops her. They don't even question her."

  Boy began sorting the items on the table into several piles.

  "If you could explain why large, black birds always appear in her vicinity, you'd probably have your answer. Raven is special," he said. "She inherited ancient powers and abilities passed down in a long line of female ancestors. All Druids like herself."

  Boy and the women rearranged the furniture to make room for the magical circle they would create. Cat set a tiny pot with water on the stove and laid out a spoon. When this task was out of the way, they sat cross-legged on the floor, meditating, until Raven and Sam returned and rattled a key in the lock. Raven added the berries to the water and set a flame under the pot. Eager to take over the ink-making process, Robin picked up the spoon.

  Meanwhile, Cat had begun sorting and crushing the herbs. The others conferred and it was agreed that everyone would be taking a ritual bath to prepare for the circle.

  "We’ve enough herbs for everyone," observed Robin. "Who’ll go first?"

  "Boy should go first," insisted Samantha. "That way he can go out on the terrace afterwards and commune with the night, while the rest of us race around the suite in naked confusion." Boy nodded in agreement and made his choice from the pile of herbs.

  "Wait!" commanded Cat. She trotted out her makeup kit and came up with an assortment of little, plastic packets. "Here's the remainder of my personal stock," she said, placing the labeled herbal packets on the sink. "Of course, fresh herbs are better, but in case you weren't able to find your personal favorite …"

  Boy murmured his thanks, selected some of the freshly crushed leaves, then added a few sprinkles from each of the packets. "I put fresh towels on the sink for you," Robin said as Boy and his knapsack disappeared into the bathroom. He closed the door and turned on the tap. Withdrawing two containers from his knapsack, one of iron powder, the other rock salt, he sprinkled this into the tub, followed by the herbs.

  Boy stirred the mixture with his hand, inhaling the aroma released by the warm water. Then he quickly stripped off his clothes and sank into the tub. It was a soothing treatment and he relaxed almost immediately.

  Samantha, meanwhile, had cut up her least-favorite scarf into five, small squares of equal size. Robin, who had great faith in her own counter-magic formula, measured out portions of orris root, sandalwood, and cloves. She placed varying amounts of each herb in the center of the squares. "Cat, do you still have those bottles of oil?"

  Cat dutifully trotted to her makeup kit and returned with three, tiny glass vials of scented oils. "Patchouli, cloves, and musk!" she declared, plunking the vials down on the table beside Samantha. Samantha carefully added a drop or two from each of the vials while Cat scrutinized the process. "I prefer to add a dash of sage and basil myself. For bodily protection, you know."

  Samantha dutifully complied with the suggestion. She'd just expressed satisfaction with her product when Boy emerged from the bathroom. He'd changed into a clean tee shirt and jeans, but his feet were bare.

  "The better to cast spells, my dear," he said as he peered over Samantha's shoulder to view her handiwork. "You'd better add a dash of rock salt to each. It'll absorb the excess moisture." So Samantha added a bit of rock salt to the ever-growing piles on each square.

  It was Robin's turn to take the next purification bath and she chose the herbs she would use. She'd no sooner gone into the bathroom and closed the door, when she let out a shriek. Robin returned to the main room in a huff and pointed an indignant finger at Boy.

  "You! You've made a mess of the bathroom! Were you raised by wolves in a cave?" Boy's look of confusion really irritated Robin. "Look at this tub!" she commanded. "Just look at it!" Her friends crowded into the bathroom, the better to view the crime scene. "He didn't clean the tub! He just let the water drain. Look at those soggy herbs clinging to the sides!"

  C
at patted Boy's arm. "Next time you can borrow my little bag." She took a small, white muslin, drawstring bag from the bathroom cabinet. "Just put the herbs in here and tighten the drawstrings. That way you get the same purification, but without the mess."

  "Sorry girls," he began. Cat cut him short by handing him the can of cleanser. "I'll help you clean up." Boy nodded gratefully. Cat grinned. "You can begin by hanging your wet towels on the rack instead of the floor."

  Raven took Robin's arm and led her outside. "Come along," she said soothingly. "The bathroom will be ready in a few minutes." Robin allowed herself to be led from the bathroom, muttering, "And the swine used my towel, too!"

  Samantha trailed behind them, giggling. The purification bath might protect Boy against magical attack, but not against angry, little blondes in bathrooms. The mess was soon put right and Boy retreated to the terrace, while the women took their purification baths in turn.

  Samantha was the last to prepare for the ritual and, by then, she'd finished stitching shut the herbal amulets. Resembling tiny, brightly colored sachet bags with ribboned ties, they sat lined up on the dining table, awaiting the protection ritual.

  After everyone had finished bathing, the women called Boy in from the terrace and the group set about personalizing their new ceremonial tools and amulets. Raven poured the newly made ink into a jar and placed it within easy reach, in the middle of the table, while Samantha set out a supply of toothpicks to serve as pens.

  Each Wiccan took up a toothpick and dipped it in the ink. Then they began inscribing their Wiccan names on their tools. They followed the custom of writing in ancient, magical alphabet in order to increase their concentration and thus raise the energy needed for the task.

  Robin, Samantha, and Cat chose the Theban Alphabet, so often used by witches that it had been dubbed The Witches Alphabet, and each inscribed her name with care on the items to be used.

  Daring to be different, Raven preferred a runic alphabet and first inscribed her name in ancient Norse runes and then combined the symbols, tracing one on top of the other, until she had created a magical monogram.

  Frowning with concentration, Boy carefully wrote his Wiccan name on his tools, using the Celestial or Angelic Alphabet, as this was an alphabet almost exclusively reserved for the most adept magicians. The ink on each item became invisible as it dried and, once the task of inscribing was completed, Raven capped the jar and tucked it away. Samantha disposed of the toothpicks and wiped the table clean.

  And now it was time for the ritual.

  "Make sure you have everything you need before we draw the circle," Boy cautioned.

  "This nightstand will make a perfect altar," Samantha announced as she removed the lamp from the stand. Boy carried the stand to the center of the room.

  "I wish we could perform this ritual outside, down by the water. We could raise much more energy," Raven said.

  Cat snorted. "And we could add to our difficulties by being attacked by locals or getting ourselves arrested!"

  She gathered up the vials of oil and took down a cup from the shelf. She poured some of the clove oil into the cup and crushed bits of sage and basil into the oil. She stirred it with one finger and anointed her forehead and chest with the mixture. When she was done, Cat set the dish on the altar.

  "It will be more powerful if we do that during the ceremony," Samantha observed.

  "Ramon wants to get me bad," muttered Cat. "I'm taking no chances."

  Robin sniffed at the cup. "I just love that scent." She dabbed a bit behind each ear.

  "Delicious," murmured Boy and the rest agreed that there was nothing like the scent of fresh clove oil. When all their preparations had been made, it was time to draw the circle of protection.

  "Once the circle is drawn, anyone crossing over it will render us unprotected," Boy cautioned, "so if any one has to go to the bathroom, now's the time."

  When everyone was ready, Raven took up her athame and, pointing it downward, began to trace a large, invisible circle, which encompassed most of the room. Samantha felt the circle's protection would be doubly increased if she followed Raven's motions, allowing the salt to trickle from her fingers to outline the boundary.

  As the two moved as one in a clockwise direction, Raven intoned.

  "As in ancient times, we draw this boundary

  to keep enemies and evil entities out,

  to keep our energy inside the circle,

  to concentrate our power and protect us."

  Although circles are, by tradition, drawn by either the high priest or priestess, no one objected to Samantha's impromptu addition. It simply seemed appropriate. And, although, their home coven didn’t usually worship sky clad, the increased energy that would accompany a natural state also seemed appropriate. Without a word to one another, the worshippers shed their clothing.

  Once the circle had been completed, Raven turned to the East and raised her athame.

  "To the Guardian of the East,

  Guardian of Fire,

  protect our circle."

  She turned to the West, the North, and then the South, asking the Guardians of the Air, Water and Earth to protect them. Then she returned to an eastern position.

  "Air, Fire, Water, Earth

  We dedicate ourselves to you

  Protect us! Cleanse us!"

  Boy took up Cat's bracelet with the silver bell and shook it. Its sweet, gentle sound tinkled to alert those of the other world that the group was treading on the psychic plane. Boy and Raven took their places as the priest and priestess. When the others had assembled before the altar, Boy took up the dish of salt.

  "In the names of the Old Ones,

  take this salt.

  It is the salt of life."

  He handed the dish to Raven, saying.

  "I commend this salt to consecrate

  these tools for ritual use,

  to purify them, to cleanse them."

  Raven sprinkled a pinch of the salt into the souvenir goblet chosen to serve as the ceremonial chalice and spoke.

  "Let these sacred elements, water, and salt

  remove all impurities from everything they touch,

  so that these items may also become sacred.

  She struck a match and lit the candles. Raven touched the flame to the dish of incense, then dipped her finger in the oil and traced a pentagram on each of the tools and herbal amulet bags, while whispering her prayer.

  "We consecrate this place and these items.

  May the God and Goddess favor us."

  Raven began sprinkling the magically charged salt mixture on the ceremonial tools and bags. She dipped her finger in the oil and anointed the center of Boy's forehead and chest.

  "Lord Guy, may the goddess grant you

  protection and purity from this moment on."

  Boy smiled, dipped his finger in the oil, and similarly anointed Raven.

  "Lady Raven, may you be protected

  and pure from this moment on."

  Raven dipped back into the oil and turned to Cat. Once anointed, Cat continued the prayer.

  "And may any local gods and goddesses

  protect and purify us. Let all benevolent

  deities, spirits, and entities hear our plea.

  Let all malevolent persons and entities

  turn their faces from us.

  Let them not speak our names!

  Not speak our names!"

  Boy anointed Samantha. She took up the chant in a clear, even voice.

  "Purify us! Make us worthy

  of the tasks set before us."

  Raven anointed Robin as Robin whispered.

  "May we be pure of heart and motive.

  May we work magic in the Goddess' name."

  Boy extended his arms out and upward, head thrown back, eyes closed.

  "Let us be righteous in your eyes.

  Let us become pure from this moment on!"

  Raven took one of the bags and stepped behind Boy. She stood on tiptoe and pl
aced the beribboned amulet around her friend like a necklace, tying a small bow at the back of his neck.

  "May the magic of this amulet

  make you doubly protected."

  She stepped back to the altar and Boy came forward with the wine chalice. He took a sip and handed it to Raven. "Perfect love, perfect trust," he smiled down at her.

  "Perfect love, perfect trust," she responded, took a sip from the chalice, and handed it back to Boy. Boy tied an amulet around Raven's neck, praying for her purity and protection. Raven returned the chalice to Boy, whispering, "Perfect love, perfect trust." Boy sipped the wine again and repeated the pledge, while Raven tied an amulet around Samantha's neck.

  "Lady Samantha, may you be doubly protected

  by this amulet and remain pure."

  Boy sipped the wine. "Perfect love, perfect trust." He handed the chalice to Samantha. "Perfect love, perfect trust," she whispered, sipping the wine, and returning the chalice. The presentation of the amulet and chalice were repeated with Lady Catherine and Lady Robin. When all had been blessed and shared the cup of friendship, Boy returned the chalice to the altar and the circle of Wiccans joined hands. He intoned.

  "May our protection against evil increase

  with every breath we take."

  The group took up the chant, repeating the prayer over and over. Energy began to build within the circle. As the chant increased in volume, Raven took her athame, inscribing pentagrams in the air. The air within the circle began to tremble with the power they'd released. Raven pointed her athame upwards and shouted to the heavens.

  "This is our will! SO MOTE BE IT! "

  The air in the room seemed electrically charged and, as Raven spoke, a wind sprang up within the circle, whipping wildly against them and blowing their hair. Then the wind disappeared as suddenly as it had begun. Raven dismissed the Guardians of the Gates in a quavering voice. The others still held their collective breath.

  "That was powerful," Raven muttered, her long, dark hair wildly framing her face. She exited the circle, slipped into her robe, and tied the sash.

  "I could feel it!" Catherine insisted in a trembling voice.

  Robin brushed back the hair that had fallen across her face and edged against Cat for comfort. Raven handed Robin her nightgown. The small blonde witch pulled the gown down over her head, then smoothed her hair with nervous fingers.

  Samantha crouched, shivering. Her long, red, wavy locks stood out wildly in all directions. Tears welled up in her green eyes. "The energy we raised seemed so much stronger than usual," she whispered.

  Boy staggered across the room in an equally distressed state. He managed to locate his shorts and pulled them up over his legs. Raven located Sam's nightshirt and threw it to her friend.

  "Maybe it had something to do with Cat's penchant for calling down the local deities," suggested Robin wryly.

  "Yes!" agreed Cat. "It really seemed as if something different was listening to me. You must have felt it." she insisted. The others nodded in agreement. "And the night Ramon sent that thing after me in the hall. I honored the local gods that night as well." She paused thoughtfully. "Maybe that's what saved me."

  "You may be on to something," agreed Raven.

  Boy perked up. "Maybe this is just the edge we need," he said. They glanced at Cat, who was still standing, windblown and sky clad in the center of the room. "Oh, Cat," Boy grinned, "the ceremony is over. Of course, if you don't want to get dressed, it's fine with me."

  Cat glanced around the room in confusion. She'd forgotten where she'd shed her clothes. Boy laughed and tossed her his tee shirt. Cat missed catching the shirt and it struck her in the face. She paused in annoyance, the shirt covering her face, hands on her hips.

  "Thanks a bunch, Lord Guy!" she muttered sarcastically. "What I need now is an amulet to protect me from flying tee shirts."

  Robin and Samantha had prepared an iced, herbal tea earlier and they now poured it into glasses. Boy and Raven dismantled the altar and put the tools safely away. Catherine picked up the clothes and papers that had been blown around the room. When they had finished straightening up, the Wiccans sat down in the dark room and sipped their tea.

  "What's that?" whispered Robin fearfully.

  "What's what?" queried Samantha.

  "Over there!" insisted Robin, pointing in the direction of the nightstand.

  "Little, blue, glowing things," mused Cat.

  "I'm going to turn on the lights," Raven announced. She crossed to the wall switch and turned on the light. The blue glow disappeared! She switched the light off. The blue glow reappeared! Everyone gasped.

  "Something's glowing," observed Cat. "Switch the light on again." Raven flipped the switch and the glow disappeared. "Look, it's the jewelry!" exclaimed Boy.

  The group hurried across the room to the nightstand and sorted through the pile, reclaiming their rings and pendants. As Robin slipped on her ring, she gasped in amazement. "Oh, I can feel it! These rings are really charged!" Samantha clasped her pendant around her neck and was stunned. "It feels almost alive!"

  Catherine shook out her mane and swept it back from her face. She slipped her silver hair combs in place and paused in surprise. She clasped the silver-bell bracelet around her wrist and shivered deliciously.

  Raven dropped the thin chain over her head and tucked the silver-filigreed-ball pendant down the front of her robe. When the power touched the hollow of her breasts, she nearly fainted.

  Boy sat, examining his rings in awe. He slipped them on his fingers and power surged through him. He looked up at them and grinned. "Damn! I'm good!"

  After the excitement died down, the group went back to sipping their drinks and discussing their magical options. Everyone agreed they'd put everything they'd had into the protection ritual and were proud to admit, they'd outdone themselves this evening.

  Raven drew back the curtains and peered intently at the moon. It was waxing nicely. "The moon will soon be full," she mused.

  Samantha looked up in surprise. "That sounds like the line from a werewolf movie."

  Boy set his glass down on the table. "Ladies, something disturbs me," he began in a serious tone. The women gathered around him. Robin crawled into the big armchair and drew into a ball, hugging herself in anticipation. "Is it bad news, Boy?"

  "We have a number of problems," he said. "First, we're at a disadvantage in that I didn't bring my horned helmet. That helmet is my magical focus, my connection with the ancient cults that would traditionally give me, as Wiccan high priest, my ritual strength and power."

  "True," agreed Cat, "but it didn't seem to cramp your style any during our last ritual. Quite frankly, I don't see that it made any real difference."

  "Ramon does very well without a horned helmet," sniffed Robin, "but he's obviously not Wiccan."

  "Boy," Raven began thoughtfully, "maybe it's different here. In this place. There are different deities here. Powerful beings." She paused, glancing around the room. "Invisible forces," she whispered, bending down until she and Boy were face to face. "Can't you feel it?"

  "I've felt it," Cat admitted, "and I know you have, too. You felt it, all of you, when I called on the local gods during the ritual."

  Samantha bent forward with excitement. "I think the local deities are using us as a focal point, as a sort of conduit, to serve their ends." She paused and gave him a crooked smile. "Perhaps they don't like Ramon any better than we do."