by Ariel Hunter
Chapter 8
I looked at myself in the mirror and brushed an errant strand of blonde hair back behind my ear. It snuck back out and hung around my jaw. I glared at it and then gave up. I brushed my hands down the front of the maroon witch robes. They hugged my form nicely, except for the sleeves which were wispier. Golden embroidery was woven in waves along the waist and up my stomach, curling out in a dichotomous battle. The wave was shown again on the split skirt toward the bottom. The fabric was silken and inviting to touch.
It was a set that I had gotten at the color reveal. I didn’t know who actually had given them to me, but I respected that they were the wide pant-leg/split skirt style. Much more practical. At the time, I hadn’t been too concerned about writing down who all the gifts came from; after all, I had been hoping I wouldn’t be sentenced to use any of them.
Damn blasted pink magic.
The robe color did look pretty against my pale skin, matching the color of some of my deeper freckles dotted across my nose and bringing out the glints of gold in my blue eyes.
I sighed, and it was a bit shaky. I was nervous, but excited too. I was getting ready to get an animal that would be a companion for the rest of my life. They came with certain powerful benefits that would enable the magnitude of my skills to grow beyond even what the pink magic promised.
Plus, getting the visions under control would certainly come in handy. Depending on what type of Seer I was destined to be, I might actually enjoy being able to see visions of the future.
Granted, the ones I had had so far had been terrifying and basically prophesied my death or terrible destruction, but at least knowing about them, I would be able to defend against those occurrences before they happened. And perhaps build up my team of allies a bit better.
Callan knocked on my door and I jumped a little. “Come in . . .” My words were shaky. I breathed out deeply, feeling the heave of my diaphragm and focusing on the in-and-out flow as Callan stepped in.
“You nervous?”
I glanced at him and then looked back down at my hands where they rested on my stomach. “Is it that obvious?”
He stepped into the room fully and leaned against the wall near the mirror I was looking into. He looked me up and down, a slight hint of admiration in his eyes. It occurred to me that he had only seen me wear witching robes one other time, at the color reveal.
“You shouldn’t be. Cassandra will keep you safe. But just in case, I’m going to put an enchantment on you. It will be kind of a protective bell ringing. All you will have to do is say the phrase I assign you, and it will summon me. Say the protection words, and I am yours to command.”
“Guess that’s our version of a safe word,” I said, then immediately regretted it. I thought of Anya’s comment about bondage with Callan, especially since I had just held him hostage in the giant vines I made rise from stone. My face froze as I looked at Callan and a little heat went to my cheeks.
My joke elicited a deep chuckle, then he said, “This particular protection summons is in Gaelic, so it’s a harsh pronunciation. If we’re needing to use a safe word when we are having a bit more fun, I’d want your tongue to be twisted around something else, not the words you have to speak.” He winked at me and smiled.
I stared, shocked at the innuendo, but then laughed and shook my head. Some of my nerves washed away.
He nodded, as if satisfied that he had gotten a laugh from me. “I have been wanting to ask you about something. The Council is holding a big gala for Beltane. Dancing, catered delicacies, flame and aerial dancers. Should be quite the show. I am hoping you would be my date.”
I bit my bottom lip and smoothed the robes around my hips, fully conscious that he was watching my hands. “Do I have much of a choice?”
“You always have a choice.”
I frowned at him. “There’s a lot that I haven’t chosen recently.”
“Well, no. That’s a bit different.” He looked away for a little bit, fingers tapping down the mirror, trailing over the wave patterns on my robes, traveling up the bodice to my neck. He locked eyes with me in the mirror as his fingers came to rest on the reflection of my lips. “You will always have a choice with me.”
I sighed, and he swung his eyes back to look at me. “All right. I guess I will go with you.” I felt a little reluctant to appear in public at his side, on a formal date. But he was growing on me. Kind of like a fungus.
I laughed quietly to myself at the comparison. I waved away his curious look. “Just nerves. When will Cassandra be here?”
A sulphur smell and a sparking sound issued from the living room. Callan squeezed my shoulder, giving me an affirmative nod, and then led me out of the room.
“Oh, Marnie, you look so lovely,” Cassandra took my hands. She was wearing a light-yellow set of robes, long and trim that made her dark hair stand out like a shadow against a ray of sunlight.
“I would like to cast a protection summons on Marnie.”
Cassandra nodded. “That’s a good idea. There is nothing to worry about at the Seer induction, but I have learned a little more about you since our last meeting. I have my ways. It seems the Collector has already sent men after you. Callan hadn’t told me anything. I just knew of the vision you told me about. The fact that action has been made against you puts a bit of immediacy behind your Seer training though, doesn’t it?”
I nodded. Callan signaled that I take a seat on one of the ottomans and he stood in front of me.
“The phrase is Gairm thugam solas. Essentially, it means summon light to me.”
I smiled at him and raised my eyebrows. “You’re my light now, are you?”
He smirked at me, but ignored my comment. “Try to say the phrase, practice it a few times.”
“Gairm thugam solas . . . Gairm thugam solas . . . Gairm thugam solas . . .” As I repeated it, my smile grew wider, matching Callan’s. I hadn’t studied much Gaelic, though there were ample books in my mom’s library in the ancient language. Magic, in the end, responded more to the intention of the words you used, and could be transported through any language. That’s why the magicians who were multilingual tended to be the strongest in their magical colors: they could use the nuances of each language over which they had command.
Callan kept smiling at me, our eyes locked, as he began to spin gold light at his fingertips.
“Just recall . . .” Cassandra redirected our attention, breaking our gaze, “hopefully, through her Seer abilities, Marnie will be able to see those times when she might have need of this protection summons and you all can prepare for it with ample time in advance, so that she will never need to use it. Right?”
“Yes, of course.” Callan nodded, clearing his throat. He told me to close my eyes. He began the incantation. The warmth of his gold magic swelled around me, and it kissed my skin. It was as if a second skin was added to me, an invisible shield sticking to my body, then with a last heavy gust, he pushed it through, into my core, and I gasped at the power influx.
“There. It is anchored to your soul, and to my magic. Say those words and I shall be summoned to wherever you are.”
I put a hand to my forehead, dizzy. Callan grabbed me as I swayed and held me for a moment. I blinked and took a few deep breaths.
“Better?” Callan asked as I stood, steady again. I nodded.
“All right. Let’s go, then. I will have her back in a couple hours, Callan.” Cassandra held out her slender hand. I took it and she whipped us into a teleport before I could even say goodbye.
We were in a grassy courtyard of another mansion on the beach. Small flowers dotted the lawn. I couldn’t see the shore, but I could smell the salt and hear the crashing waves. Stone benches lined the courtyard and four beautiful apple trees, in full blossom, graced the corners. Gargoyles perched on the high walls of the courtyard, looking down at all of us.
There were six other people present. Three witches and three warlocks. When Cassandra had mentioned the Eastbrooke community of Seers, I h
ad wondered how many there were. The talent of being a Seer was very rare. Since witches and warlocks were immortal, you could never be certain how many were alive and willing to be open about their ability at any time. I was pleased that this would be an intimate meeting. I didn’t think there was anything that I could really do wrong at the induction ceremony, but it certainly made me feel less pressure.
Cassandra released my hand and then held both of hers out to welcome me to the Seers.
“Everyone, this is Marnie McTavish. Thank you so much for gathering to help us induct her into our Seer family. As you know, today we will be able to see which familiar she will be bound to for the rest of her long life.”
As Cassandra introduced me to the six magicians, their familiars appeared to meet me too.
Warlock Lyall’s giant owl hooted from his perch on his shoulder, head rolling and lolling as he gazed at me. Lyall’s rather pointed black eyes softened as he bowed and patted the owl’s head. Witch Tallista’s wolf skulked behind the group of Seers, appearing from the shadows and sitting down at her feet to leer up at me with piercing golden eyes. Tallista tucked her dark pixie-like face down close to the wolf and nuzzled it. Witch Heather held up her leather gloved hand and whistled, standing taller than the rest with very pale skin and white hair, though she, like all immortals, appeared no older than thirty. All the Seers covered their faces as a red-tailed hawk swooped in, dust flying with it, she came in at such speed, wings pumping as she halted onto Heather’s outstretched arm. Warlock Antoine whipped back his black dreadlocks as a lynx crawled up the leather jacket covering his orange warlock robes to sit on his shoulder, a trait the animal must have picked up when he was a bit smaller.
Maely came out from under the courtyard’s covered archways and growled at me slightly, turning it into a purr as Cassandra rubbed her head. The tiger was still the most powerful seeming familiar. I wondered if that meant that Cassandra had the strongest future Seeing abilities, or if that meant she needed a very powerful familiar to keep her magic more tamed. I wasn’t sure the significance of what type of animal a magician received, but all of these familiars were formidable, fierce, amazing animals. I couldn’t wait to see what I would get.
The last two Seers each had a fox, both of which were curled up next to each other asleep. Warlock Gustavo and Witch Lian smiled and greeted me warmly with slight bows, no less powerful or intimidating without their familiars by their sides.
As introductions finished, Cassandra pointed to some benches that were arranged in a small hexagon. “Let’s sit and speak for a little bit. I imagine you’ve been doing some research, but we can answer questions that you might have and perhaps provide insight that you won’t ever find in books.”
“We are a tightly knit community. The Council and Seers are often in conflict.” Heather stroked her hawk’s back.
“Mainly because they know they can’t control us,” Antoine said, pulling his lynx down and cradling her in his lap like a baby, rubbing her belly. The lynx flicked her ears back and forth, the tufts at the end moving in little whisper movements. “Therefore, we rarely write down all that we are. We don’t want them to have more ammunition or information to use against us.”
“It is why a Seer community is so important,” Lian said. Her voice had a trilling melody that was quite unique and sweet. “There are a few places around the globe where we have gathered. Eastbrooke is one of them.”
“Is that because the Council is here?” A few of the Seers chuckled at my question.
“In part,” Cassandra admitted. “But not as you might think. It is more so we can keep tabs on them. It is unlikely they know how many Seers live here. And though your mother is one of the thirteen Council heads, we hope that you will not share all that you will learn here.”
I nodded. “The Council so far has made express effort to control everything about me. To lead my life in ways that I haven’t wanted. They’ve betrayed me, tried to erase my best friend’s memory, and threatened me with elimination. I have no loyalty to them. My mother has done what she can to protect me, and I see that now, but I don’t trust the Council. I need to get my magic under control, and that includes my Seeing ability. I need to work on my independence so that I can protect those that I love and . . .”
“And decide what purpose you will serve?” Tallista’s voice was kind. Her wolf nuzzled my knee.
“Yes. That’s one way to put it. It’s about survival and getting my freedom. I have to be able to control my magic to have that. I want to make those decisions about what purpose I will serve and the life that I will live. I don’t want to be a tool, or a weapon. I don’t want to be controlled.”
“We understand. And being a Seer is definitely a new, empowered freedom, that you must be willing to accept.” Cassandra’s voice was serious.
“I understand and I am ready.”
“There are a few different types of Seers. Some can commune with those who have crossed the plane of death.” Cassandra nodded to Heather. “Some can see the future as only relates to the way wars will be waged against societies.” She nodded to Antoine. “And some can only see things that relate to people they have actually met in their lifetimes.” She gently touched Lian’s hand. “Then there are Seers who are blessed—”
“Or cursed,” Tallista quipped.
“—with the ability to see many things, seemingly without restriction. Whether their visions come unbidden in dreams, incited by potions, or revealed during intense power usage, they have the ability to focus on specific subjects or must just read whatever it is that comes before their mind’s eye.”
“What kind am I?”
“We can’t know yet. You will discover more thoroughly once you begin training with me, once we discover your familiar.”
“How do we do that?” I tried not to sound too eager when I asked, but all the Seers smiled.
“We will perform a ritual where you must release some of your magic, so that it can be imbued in the familiar that will take form during the ritual. Once the magic clears and you regain your perception, you will see the animal that the magic has determined for you. Then, that animal and you are bonded for life. They will be able to capture and hold your magic, acting as a conduit for you to focus your emotions through, so that you can streamline your power, without the interruptions of pure emotion. They can also go on missions for you, leaving your side for limited periods of time. But we will get into that more later.” Cassandra patted my hand as she sensed my excitement.
“What does it mean to you to be a Seer, Marnie?” Lyall asked.
“It is my understanding that some Seers, throughout history, have worked with human governments or organizations to help them. I like the idea of helping, but for the time being I’m not really interested in engaging my Sight in that way. For me, my main focus is on being able to control it and See to help those that I love because there is someone called the Collector who is seeking me.”
Gasps went up from the Seers. They turned to Cassandra.
“The Collector?”
“You didn’t tell us the Collector was after her.”
“How close has he gotten?”
“Does she know who he is?”
“He can’t do anything about her Seeing ability. It is for her pink magic,” Cassandra hissed back at them. “It is all the more reason to be expedient in her Seer training.”
“But what if he finds out about the rest of us?” Tallista demanded, looking at me with a bit of wariness now. The others were also looking at me with a different type of appraisal in their eyes. There it was again. The fear.
“Seers, friends, family.” Cassandra stood and held up her hands. Maely was also standing. I was tense inside. The mood had changed. “Marnie is being hunted because she has this very unique, strange experience of pink magic that oscillates between red and white. What we can do, as her family of Seers, is help instruct her to be as strong as she possibly can in her Seeing ability. That is our role in her world. Her role is
to defend herself and her family from the Collector’s affront. We do not mark her as something other the way the Council does. We don’t shun or fear those who are different. We never have, and that will not start today.”
The Seers looked from Cassandra to me, all of them primed, the hackles on the wolf raised, the lynx no longer relaxing into her belly rub . . .
Then the owl hooted, long and low, and everyone calmed.
“You’re right, Cassandra,” Lyall said. “Forgive us, Marnie. I believe we all had a momentary lapse in judgment. We do embrace differences. It is not you we fear, but for a brief moment, I think our fear of an outside source overrode our emotions.” He smiled at me and everyone else followed his example. “We are a family. We have never turned away from one of our own. We are happy to have you.”
“Thank you, Lyall. Now—” Cassandra clapped her hands and then rummaged in a leather pouch at her waist. I was a little wary of anything she asked me to drink. The vision-repression potion worked, but I didn’t want to be thrown into a vision again, like at her house. I didn’t think I could summon a tidal wave all the way into the courtyard, but some of those gargoyles looked like they had been up there awhile. Maybe their foundation was a little rickety. We didn’t need falling stone demons while I was occupied in some heinous life-threatening vision. Oh god . . . or me inadvertently making them come to life . . .
Cassandra passed around the vial and the Seers were taking sips. “We will take a sip of this and you will release some of your pink magic into the air after getting into a meditative state. We will wind a spell around you. It will be a bit windy, stormy. We will empower your pink magic to swell and the incantations of our combined magics will create your familiar.”
“Please, Marnie, come sit in the center of the courtyard.” Lian led me to sit in the fresh grass, a few of the flower petals crushing beneath my weight, but gracing me with their gentle fragrance as I did. “Your familiar will form in the area in front of you, here.”
“When I prompt you, just will a release of some of your pink magic. We just need it to hover in the air above you. It doesn’t need to have any direction, just a haze of your magic, okay? Now, go ahead and take some deep breaths. Get into a meditative state. Think of something that calms you. I hear you are a surfer. Perhaps imagine you are riding a wave. We just need you to stay in peace. Harness the harmony.” Cassandra led the other Seers to circle around me. They had all taken some of the potion. Their magics were starting to spring forth from their fingertips. A couple reds, one purple, even an orange. I wondered how old they all were.
