Wicked Magic

by Cheyenne McCray

  Silver had her cauldron filled with consecrated water; Mackenzie, her tarot cards; Alyssa had a slender red taper candle and a dragon candleholder; Hannah was ready with her black mirror and salt crystals; Sydney arranged three candles and her silver bowl of consecrated water; and Cassia slipped her bag of rune stones from the pocket of her skirt. Copper sat between Sydney and Silver. Copper’s talent was dream-visions, and Rhiannon wasn’t sure if the witch had had any dreams that related to their current situation.

  Everyone was standing, automatically looking to Cassia for direction. Ever since the first battle with the Fomorii, Cassia had grown more and more to be the witches’ rock, the one they looked to for advice or healing.

  And she baked a mean cinnamon roll.

  “Before we begin”—Cassia had her hands folded in front of her as she spoke in a calm tone—“we will cast our circle to encompass the entire kitchen and weave a protection spell around us.”

  The witches murmured and moved into position to create a ring at the center of the kitchen. Galia hovered between Rhiannon and Sydney.

  Cassia produced an athame from her skirt pocket, entered the circle of witches, and stood at the center.

  With a nod to the north, Cassia turned to the east and extended her arms with the athame straight out in front of her. She began turning clockwise, deosil, moving the ritual knife from the east, continuing to the south, then the west, and ended facing north again. As she turned in the circle, she chanted.

  I cast this circle as a boundary between worlds.

  We ask Anu to be the protector and guardian of all who stand within.

  We ask the Ancestors to add to our combined strength.

  We welcome the elements. Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.

  Thank you all for your protective presence as you join with us in seeking the answers to our many questions.

  Once the circle was cast and the kitchen protected, the witches moved to the table, sat, and scooted their chairs close. Spirit settled himself beside Rhiannon’s feet.

  “We have something important to do before we begin divining.” Cassia drew from her pocket the small plastic bag with the black thing in it. “We need to perform two tasks. A protection spell for Rhiannon and Galia. And,” she added, “a banishing spell for Rhiannon.”

  Rhiannon blinked. “A banishing spell?”

  “First the protection spell.” Cassia’s expression was unreadable. “Then Galia will explain further.”

  Galia sat with her knees to her chest next to a bowl of juniper berries. Also on the table were two small vials of oil; a long, tapered black candle; a match; some tiny, red-hot charcoal pieces in a fireproof bowl; and salt in a glass vial. Rhiannon felt a small wave of heat from the charcoal.

  Cassia stood beside Rhiannon and Galia as she anointed the candle with the two oils then set it into Alyssa’s silver candleholder that was the yawning mouth of a dragon. Rhiannon caught the scents of cypress from the oils, patchouli from the candle, and burning charcoal. Cassia lit the candle and said several words in a language Rhiannon had never heard before. Could it be Elvish? She thought she heard Cassia say “Morrigan” and Rhiannon shivered again.

  The half-Elvin witch placed the juniper berries on the charcoal and the smell of the berries became sharper. Then she unscrewed the cap on the vial of salt and poured it in a circle around Rhiannon, including behind her chair. She continued to pour the salt until all the protection items and Galia were encompassed in the circle.

  Cassia set the salt vial down. “Our sisters stand within the protection of the triple-goddess.”

  Automatically Rhiannon’s hand went to her heart. “The protection of the triple-goddess lies within me.”

  Cassia took her seat and placed her palms on the table. “Galia, explain what you saw in Rhiannon’s mind.”

  The Faerie took a deep breath and her gaze met Rhiannon’s. “That day you blacked out, you had just visioned Ceithlenn, a warlock named Darkwolf, and a demon-woman named Junga. Not physically, but psychically you were in the room with them.”

  No matter the circle of protection, Rhiannon’s head still ached at the mention of the goddess’s name.

  “Ceithlenn saw you.” Galia drew her knees up closer to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “Her magic is so powerful that she shattered that part of you that can vision. Every time you hear her name, it invokes a part of her and she delights in causing you pain for spying on her.”

  Rhiannon’s skin went cold. “Does that mean the bitch is in my head?”

  “In a way.” Galia rocked back and forth, her wings slowly opening and closing and pink Faerie dust mingling with the salt surrounding the two of them. “That is how the Fomorii were able to penetrate the wardings and could transport into the common room. She used what essence she had stolen from you.”

  Rhiannon’s gut churned. Ceithlenn was in her head.

  In my head!

  “How do we get her out?” Rhiannon’s voice trembled.

  Cassia settled her hand on Rhiannon’s arm. “This is where the banishing spell comes in.” Cassia raised the small plastic bag Tiernan had given her. Rhiannon squinted. It looked like a broken fingernail. “Thank Anu this was discovered on that bus.” Cassia said. “It will help with the banishing spell.”

  “It’s C-Ceithlenn’s?” Rhiannon asked through the pain in her head, even though she was pretty sure she knew the answer.

  “Yes. Through my divinations, I am positive.” Cassia picked up a small mortar and its matching baseball bat-shaped pestle. Inside the rough basalt lava mortar she combined dried bay laurel leaves, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dried hydrangea blossoms, and sea salt. She ground them all to a fine powder while the witches watched. Rhiannon nearly sneezed as she breathed in some of the pepper.

  When she finished grinding the ingredients, Cassia picked up the plastic baggie, unsealed it, and dumped the piece of fingernail onto the tabletop. As Rhiannon shuddered, she thought she also felt a collective shudder from all the witches.

  Cassia took a small pair of scissors and snipped off a piece of the fingernail, then she produced a tiny paper envelope and a small pair of tongs. She used the tongs to put the piece of fingernail into the envelope and took the burning black taper candle to drip black candle wax onto the back flap to seal it. After she settled the candle in its holder, she placed the envelope and the tongs in front of Rhiannon.

  Cassia picked up the mortar, pinched some of the ingredients between her fingers and sprinkled the powder over Rhiannon. Some of it landed on the end of her nose and she sneezed, almost blowing out the candle.

  “Burn the piece of fingernail,” Cassia said in the most authoritative voice that Rhiannon had ever heard her use. “Do not stop whatever might happen.”

  Whatever might happen?

  Rhiannon swallowed and used the little tongs to pick up the envelope. She felt the hardness of the nail as she clamped it. The tongs shook as her hand trembled when she raised the paper containing the piece of fingernail over the candle flame.

  The moment the envelope burst into flame, Rhiannon heard such an incredible shrieking sound in her ears that she almost dropped the tongs.

  Her eyes burned and she felt as if her heart was being ripped out. She couldn’t hold back a cry of pain and held her free hand to her forehead.

  The Shadows! Oh, goddess, the Shadows! Ceithlenn was taking them, releasing their blackness in Rhiannon’s head. The Shadows squirmed and oozed in her mind, filling her head with dark shot through by white-hot shards of pain.

  Vaguely she heard Keir’s growling voice as he shouted at the witches to stop. By the sounds of the other male voices, she knew Hawk and Tiernan restrained him from intervening.

  Flames continued to rise even when the envelope was long burnt away. The shrieking didn’t let up. The darkness closed in on her, the Shadows ready to break free.

  No! I won’t let that happen!

  Although her vision was clouded, she could see the piece of nail still i
n the tongs. Sweat poured down the sides of her face from the effort it took not to drop the tongs because of the shrieking and Shadows in her head.

  Her vision grew blurry.

  Rhiannon’s mind swam and she felt as if something was beating on the inside of her skull trying to get out—or stay in.

  Maybe both.

  She struggled to focus even though she could barely see. She ground her teeth and lowered the nail further into the candle flame.

  Anu! Rhiannon cried out in her mind to the goddess for help.

  Don’t let the Shadows out, Goddess, please. Don’t let the Shadows out. Just rid my mind of Ceithlenn. Please!

  Tears streamed down Rhiannon’s face as the knocking against the inside of her skull magnified. Her whole body shook but she still kept the fingernail over the flame.

  She jerked in her seat. Fought the power of Ceithlenn as the evil goddess clenched her grip tighter on Rhiannon’s mind, while at the same time trying to force the Shadows out.

  And then what? Dear Anu. Then what?

  Rhiannon brought her other hand to the tongs so that she was holding the utensil in both hands. But still she shook so hard the nail wavered. Tears flowed freely down her face.

  Doing everything she could to ignore the shrieking sound, the Shadows, and the pain, Rhiannon dug deep inside herself, reaching for her faith. For the aid of the Ancestors and the protection of the Elementals. For the power of Anu that lay deep inside her. For the strength of the triple-goddess. For every bit of faith she held tight in her soul.

  The fingernail crumbled to ash, falling into the pool of wax at the top of the taper. The ash vanished.

  The shrieking in her head turned to high-pitched feminine laughter. Loud laughter. Evil laughter. Laughter that pounded on the inside of her skull.

  Rhiannon dropped the tongs on the table. She grabbed both sides of her head and squeezed her eyes shut.

  She screamed, “Get out of my head!”

  But the laughter continued, and the Shadows threatened to burst from her mind and her body.

  She buried her face in her hands and cried, huge wracking sobs. No, no, no! she told the Shadows. Go back. Go!

  But Ceithlenn shoved and shoved. Laughed and laughed.

  As if it were happening somewhere outside her body— far, far away—someone wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into his embrace. Keir. It was Keir. So far away she heard her Coven sisters speaking. Keir’s growl and his harsh words.

  Rhiannon gripped his T-shirt in her hands and buried her face against his chest as she cried. She was barely aware of him carrying her. The moment they left the store, light burned her eyelids and her skin tingled from what sunshine made its way through the fog.

  He murmured words to her in Gaelic, words meant to soothe, but nothing would make the laughter stop or the Shadows go back where they belonged—hidden, where no one would find out about them. Where they couldn’t harm anyone she knew and loved.

  When they reached her apartment door she didn’t have the strength to use her magic to open it. All she could do was cling to Keir.

  She heard the knob jiggle and then she jerked in his arms and a cracking sound bit the air as he kicked open the door. In moments he had her in her bedroom, laying her on her bed.

  Rhiannon sobbed harder and clenched her fingers in his shirt, holding him close. Her nails bit into his flesh.

  Keir eased her over on the bed to lay down beside her and hold her in his arms.

  Terror ripped through Rhiannon like a jagged knife.

  A cry tore from her as an invisible force shoved her to a sitting position. Her back went ramrod straight and hair rose on her scalp.

  Two Shadows burst from her chest.

  She screamed from pain and fear.

  One manlike Shadow slammed the bedroom door and locked it. Then pressed against the door as if to barricade it.

  The second Shadow attacked Keir.

  He gasped and clawed at his neck, right through the black Shadow that choked him.

  Wheezing sounds came from Keir’s throat as he struggled against a foe he could not fight with fists, sword, or dagger.

  Rhiannon screamed, “No. Oh, goddess, no!”

  The laughter in her head went on and on and more Shadows fought to escape.

  Tears poured from Rhiannon’s eyes as she shoved down the Shadows still inside.

  At the same time she tried to draw the freed Shadows back to her.

  She had to save Keir!

  Banging and shouts from the D’Danann and witches came from the other side. The knob rattled. Blue and gold light bled from the spaces around the door and through the keyhole. The witches were attempting to use their magics to force their way in.

  The first Shadow remained pressed up against the door. It was so powerful, it held them all back.

  Keir thrashed on the bed. His face was purple, growing darker and darker. He clawed at his throat.

  Rhiannon’s body shook as she frantically tried to regain control of the Shadows.

  “No!” She reached out her arms to call the Shadows home.

  With all the strength she possessed, with every fiber of her being, she summoned the Shadows back to her.

  The laughter in her mind sounded strangled as the second Shadow’s hold on Keir’s neck slackened. He took deep wheezing breaths.

  Both Shadows fought her, but she could feel them weakening.

  With one last burst of effort she yanked them to her.

  The two Shadows slammed into her chest, knocking her back so hard her skull struck the headboard.

  Keir was silent, his eyes closed.

  He was motionless.

  Heart pounding with fear for him, Rhiannon reached for Keir. She felt for his pulse, and found it. Relief surged through her. His pulse beat sure and strong.

  Her head still ached but the laughter vanished.

  The door to the bedroom burst open. Her Coven sisters and two of the D’Danann rushed into the room.

  Rhiannon slid down the headboard so that her head was on a pillow. She curled into a ball beside Keir, exhaustion filling her from the toll the Shadows had taken by escaping. Every part of her body ached.

  Silver rushed to the bedside. She held one hand to Keir’s forehead and reached for Rhiannon with the other. “You—Keir. What happened?”

  “I don’t know.” Rhiannon could barely get the words out. She couldn’t tell them how the monsters inside her tore loose from her body.

  “Was it Ceithlenn?” Sydney asked from behind Silver, the name causing the screeching pain in Rhiannon’s head again.

  “I-I think so,” she said through her tears. It was partially the truth. The goddess had manipulated Rhiannon and forced the Shadows from her soul.

  Cassia pushed through the throng and reached Rhiannon and Keir. She held her hands over Keir and iridescent sparkles swirled from his body and back—mixed with black clouds.

  One of the witches gasped, but no one in the room said a word.

  “I don’t understand.” Cassia shook her head. “Such … darkness.” She raised her palms and the darkness rose as if she was pulling it from him.

  A lump filled Rhiannon’s throat and her heart pounded harder. Should she tell them?

  Cassia continued to draw out every bit of blackness within Keir.

  Then all that was left were iridescent sparkles between Cassia’s hands and Keir’s body.

  Keir groaned, but did not open his eyes. Cassia lowered her hands, looking as if she might collapse herself. Rhiannon had never seen the half-Elvin witch look so tired.

  Cassia came around the other side of the bed to Rhiannon. She trembled, afraid of what Cassia might see within her.

  Oh, goddess, I can’t lose my only family, my Coven sisters.

  But what if Ceithlenn forced the Shadows forth again and they hurt one of them?

  Rhiannon forced her mouth open to speak, but no words would come out. It was as if something was holding tight within her chest the words she
needed to say.

  “Roll onto your back,” Cassia instructed Rhiannon.

  She trembled. This was it, then. Her secret would be known to everyone.

  Cassia held her hands over Rhiannon. Warmth traveled from Cassia’s hands to Rhiannon’s chest.

  Blinding pain slammed into Rhiannon like a firebrand in her chest. She arched her back and couldn’t stop herself from crying out. Deep black clouds marred Cassia’s magic and the half-Elvin witch’s eyes widened.

  The more Cassia struggled to draw the darkness from Rhiannon, the more powerful the pain in her chest and head. Red-hot knives of pain stabbed her chest and made her burn. She screamed and thrashed until Cassia finally stopped.

  Cassia moved her hands away from Rhiannon. Her expression was filled with shock, her voice with concern. More than concern. “The same blackness, only much, much darker than what touched Keir.” Her gaze met Rhiannon’s. “I can’t draw it out.”

  Rhiannon clutched her chest with her hands. Dear Anu, how she hurt. In her mind, body, and soul.

  “The—the goddess. She’s still there.” Rhiannon’s voice sounded more like a croak. “She didn’t go away.”

  Cassia nodded but still looked puzzled. She cast a look over her shoulder. “Someone please get Rhiannon some water.”

  When Cassia turned back to Rhiannon she said, “I’ll get my healing herbs, potions, and oils. Maybe I can relieve at least some of your discomfort.”

  All Rhiannon could do was nod and close her eyes.

  Chapter 16

  The chill of the breeze off Alcatraz Island hit Darkwolf full in the face as he, Ceithlenn, and Junga prepared to go to the cavern beneath the island where all the Fomorii and the other creatures toiled.

  After Ceithlenn loaded herself up on human protein and souls, they would join the beasts.

  Darkwolf nearly shuddered.

  He hoped to the gods it was only a visit and not to stay.

  It was dusk and the last tour group was loading onto the cruise boat—Ceithlenn’s target. He, the goddess-bitch, and Elizabeth-Junga had used transference to get to the island. Until it was time, they were staying close to the dock, but out of sight of Alcatraz’s park rangers.