Pink Moon Rising: The Witches of Enumclaw Book One

by K A Miltimore

  "Care for a cup of tea? I'm going to take a quick break - we've been busy these last few hours."

  "No, thank you, but you go ahead. I am going to wander and see what the camping set up looks like. I'm not much for tents so I reserved a yurt." Rachelle gave Helen a wink and followed the trail toward the campsites. Helen noticed a food truck pulling into the lot and they would need direction on where to set up. So much for her break, she sighed.

  "Let's not host again, eh, Hester? I'd rather just attend the next Festival." Helen took a quick sip of her tea and walked back toward the parking lot, passing Diedre as she went.

  "I'll be browsing the market if you need me, Helen." Diedre said, receiving a wave in return.

  Diedre turned away from the vendor area and hurried after Rachelle, who was strolling toward the campsites.

  "Rachelle, wait up for a minute." Diedre called out to the High Witch of the Witches' Council. The woman wore a gauzy short dress and a pair of sensible flats, which hardly seemed in keeping with her role as the High Witch of the whole Council.

  "Diedre, isn't it? I think we met briefly last year at the Yule dinner. Nice to see you again. I'm very pleased with the work you and your Coven have done preparing for the Festival. It should be wonderful." Rachelle said, pausing on the path so Diedre could catch up.

  "Yes, it is quite a lovely set up. I don't agree with opening it up to the public, but that was Helen's idea and there was no persuading her otherwise. Let's just hope we don't have any troublemakers come to call. I'd hate for things to get out of hand." Diedre said as Rachelle's expression turned grim.

  "Any reason to suspect that might happen, Diedre? Has there been any threats or concerns raised?"

  "Oh, a few comments in town, that sort of thing. It probably is nothing. But I wasn't comfortable with the idea of opening up our world to the everyday people who don't understand what it means to be a witch. Perhaps the Council could consider whether things are becoming a bit too progressive in our network? In fact, I feel strongly that we need someone a bit more traditional to help serve on the Council. There is an opening, yes?" Diedre walked slowly along side of Rachelle. The campsites were still well out of earshot.

  "Yes, we do have an opening. We are going to announce that today, during the welcoming speech. We'll be accepting nominations for the newest Council member. You are welcome to petition for the seat, Diedre." Diedre chuckled lightly in response.

  "Oh, goodness, I don't picture myself in the seat but I might know of someone who would be especially suited to serve on the Council. In any event, I wanted to be sure you had received the schedule for today. I sent it to everyone a few weeks ago." They were getting closer to the campsite where Sage and Frankie were setting up the last of the tents.

  "Yes, it looks wonderful. I was a little surprised by the closing event - I thought Helen had planned to do a community blessing circle. Instead, it is a power summoning? I haven't participated in a Cone of Power in years." Rachelle paused as Diedre touched her arm lightly.

  "Yes, we thought with this many witches together, why not draw on the full moon and raise our power. I have a spell ready that will work nicely, I think. Blessings are fine, but without power, can one really be effective? I think not." Diedre tapped the Head Witch's arm lightly before releasing her and turning back toward the main area.

  "Let's chat again, after the ceremony tonight."

  Elements

  Ten Hours Until Full Moonrise

  Most of the Covens from Washington, Oregon and Idaho had already checked in at the registration booth. The members of the Witches' Council had all arrived, as had Naomi Green, banished witch from Wilkeson. Helen saw her coming up the grass, decked out in a robe that wouldn't have been out of place on Endora from Bewitched.

  "I'm here, as promised. I trust there will be no problems." Naomi said, jotting down her name on the clipboard. "Email address? Are you serious? Ha!" Naomi drew a line through the space and handed back the clipboard with a smug smile.

  "No problems, Naomi. The Council agreed to let you come as a sponsored guest of the host Coven. Please be mindful that we are responsible for any...incidents." Helen didn't want to suggest that Naomi would be causing havoc but if she did, it was the Sisters of the Crescent Moon who would be held to account.

  "No need to worry about me. I have no intention of stirring up trouble. I won't even look for my old Coven, though I doubt they'd miss this event. They are here, somewhere..." Naomi said darkly and Helen had a bolt of worry shoot along her spine. She better ask Frankie to keep an eye on Naomi for a while, just to be sure.

  "Well, have a good time. The musicians are playing at the picnic shelter and of course, all the vendors are set up. Enjoy the Festival." Helen replied, hoping that Naomi would take the hint and move along. She didn't.

  "I have a question for you. I don't expect an answer right away, of course. But what if I were to ask you if I could join your Coven? I'm a good witch to have in a pinch, I've demonstrated that, and I'm easy to get along with." Naomi sat on a folding chair near the table, close enough that Helen could smell the bacon she had eaten for breakfast and her last cigarette. She wasn't sure she could think of a person she was less likely to get along with than Naomi Green. Maybe Diedre, these days.

  "We will certainly take it under consideration, Naomi. We appreciate your interest in the Sisters of the Crescent Moon." Helen replied, in her best "don't call us, we'll call you" voice. Naomi nodded.

  "Well, beggars can't be choosers, so don't get too flattered by my interest. But you seem like good witches - if perhaps a bit unskilled. I can help you there. Say, how did that curse ever work out? Did you confront the witch who cast it?" Across the lawn, Helen spotted Mel greeting a Coven she didn't know. By the looks of their exchange, it was the Widdershins Circle - and Morgan Cornwall. Speak of the witch.

  "Well, not exactly. Diedre woke from her sleep, but she hasn't been exactly herself. I can fill you in later; there are people coming over to register."

  "Ah, say no more. We can talk more about it all when you confirm me to the Coven. For now, I'm going to go check out the merchants. I could use some herbs but I expect their prices will be sky-high, taking advantage of all these novice witches running around who don't know a casting herb from a cooking pot. Too lax...just too lax." Naomi muttered to herself as she left the shelter, heading in the direction of the white tents with the pink and orange balloons.

  "Helen, I'd like you to meet Morgan Cornwall, Head Witch of the Widdershins Circle. Morgan, this is Helen Griffith, Head Witch of the Sisters of the Crescent Moon." Mel said in greeting as the group of witches approached Helen's table. There were six of them, dressed in matching deep pink gowns with pale green chiffon overlay. Morgan wore a filigree diadem with a gorgeous gray pearl in the center.

  "Thank you for coming to the Festival. Please check in here on these clipboards. You've made quite an impression on our Mel." Helen said, giving them a smile far bigger than she felt. Morgan smiled mildly in return.

  "Oh, we wouldn't have missed it. We're hoping the Council will honor us with hosting next year. And Mel has made quite an impression on us as well. She had latent ability, untrained and untapped, but there is so much potential there. We can't wait to help her access it." Morgan said smoothly, as if there was no insult in her words.

  "Whatever Mel decides to do, I know she will succeed. She is a special young woman and we believe in her good judge of character and temperament." Helen replied, taking back the clipboards from the women who studied her as if she were some bug in a jar.

  "Is that your familiar, in the cage?" One of them asked, pointing toward Hester.

  "That is Hester." Helen replied, considering that answer sufficient.

  "It never occurred to me to bring my familiar. I think I can handle any spell casting we do on my own." The woman replied and her Coven members chuckled lightly.

  "Speaking of, I was so pleased to read that we are having a power summoning at full moonrise. What an unex
pected choice from your group. We expected some kind of blessing or some such. It is wonderful to hear that your group is embracing your power as witches. Well done." Morgan replied, turning to wander toward the merchants' tents. With a wave to Helen, Mel joined them.

  "What? A power summoning? What is she talking about?" Helen pulled out her phone and sent a text to Frankie and Sage.

 

  Helen caught sight of a group of men and women, crossing the grass, heading toward the merchant area; one of whom was sporting a walking cast. From their pace, Helen was sure they weren't here to just look around. They seemed on a mission. She rose from the registration table to intercept them.

  "Here's one of them now." Helen heard a man say as she approached the group.

  "Welcome to the Eve of May Festival. I take it you are community visitors." Helen replied, hoping to keep things civil with the strangers. She recognized a few faces from town but most of them were people she didn't know.

  "We aren't witches, if that is what you are asking. We're not crazy." The man replied, much to the amusement of the crowd.

  "Ah, well, what brings you here then, if you don't mind me asking. You don't seem much inclined to celebrate with us." Helen could hear Frankie’s jangling charm bracelet; she must be coming up behind her. From the merchants' tent pathway, she saw Sage walking with her daughters, who were carrying flower wands.

  "We had to see it for ourselves. A festival for people who think they have powers. You all are crazy!" Another man shouted, more agitated than the other.

  "Look, we don't want any trouble, so why don't you move along before we have to call the police." Frankie said, now standing next to Helen. She had her phone in her hand, ready to hit the call button.

  "What, you can't handle us on your own? No spells to turn us into animals or slobbering fools? Come on, what can you do?" The man taunted, with the rest of the crowd egging him on. Sage and the girls were coming closer and Helen tried to wave them off. This had the potential to turn ugly.

  "Oh, they can do plenty. Like break my leg. That one - my late brother's wife - she did this to me. She cursed me and made me fall. I’m lucky she didn’t kill me." The woman with the broken leg spoke and Helen realized it was Claudia. Sage must have seen her as well because she heard a gasp from the walkway.

  "Don't be ridiculous. No one cursed you. No one broke your leg. You had an accident. Accidents happen." Frankie replied, moving behind Helen so she could get between the crowd and Sage.

  "I know what I saw. I know what I heard. She did it and if she thinks I am going to let her warp Chris' daughters with all this, she really is crazy. They are coming with me." Claudia started to hobble across the grass toward Sage. Frankie stood between them, her finger hitting call on the phone.

  "I'm calling the police. You are making threats and need to leave. Hello? I need an officer to come to Kanaskat-Palmer state park..." Frankie said, now talking to the 911 operator.

  The crowd jeered and yelled, urging Claudia to get the girls and all the noise drew festival goers from the merchants' area, with Mel and Morgan leading the way.

  Everything was happening quickly, but Helen saw Morgan whisper to Mel, who nodded. The pair clasped hands and seemed to be chanting something, but Helen couldn't hear them. Over the noise of the crowd, she heard a buzzing in the clearing. Buzzing coming from a swarm of bees; bees that seemed only interested in the protesters and Claudia in particular.

  The first wails of "ouch" and "bees!" came from the group, which quickly started to break apart, running for the parking area. Claudia, who couldn't move quickly, was swarmed as she tried to hobble away.

  "Mel!" Helen screamed, running toward the pair. Whatever they were doing, she needed them to stop. She approached them as they let go of their hands and turned to face Helen.

  "What did you do?" Helen cried out, unable to control herself. Mel's smile slipped from her face.

  "But they were going to hurt Sage...I..." Mel said, tears springing to her eyes.

  "You protected your Sister, Mel. That is what Covens do. Proper Covens, anyway. Come on, let's go." Morgan ushered Mel away from Helen, throwing her a look that was unmistakable. Clearly, they would be speaking again later.

  "Was that Mel doing that?" Sage asked, coming up to Helen with the girls, who were running around the women waving their flower wands.

  "Yes, with Morgan's help. Is everyone alright? That's exactly what we didn't need to happen." Helen said, looking back toward the parking lot where Claudia struggled into the passenger seat of an SUV.

  "I think everyone is okay. Good thing Claudia doesn't have a bee allergy. She took the brunt of it." Sage whispered, watching the girls circle them.

  "I don't like this one bit. Morgan and I will be having a chat later. She's clearly a bad influence on Mel." Helen said, turning back toward the reception desk. She understood the desire to protect Sage but attacking those people wasn't the way to do it.

  "I'll go find her, she looked upset." Sage said. "Frankie, can you keep an eye on the girls?" Sage headed off after Mel, leaving Frankie and Helen with two princesses and unanswered questions.

  "Girls, do you want to play a game?" Frankie asked, leading the pair away from the area, toward the woods. "Let's play hide and seek, shall we?"

  "Not close to the river though, Frankie!" Helen yelled toward them, turning back toward the reception area.

  She'd have to make things right with Mel, somehow. Why did she care if Mel helped use a hex to drive the protesters away? It's not as if they were here to learn or even discuss respectfully. Why shouldn't they use magic to protect one of their own?

  Helen's thoughts were conflicted - she wanted to protect Sage and her daughters but she knew that meddling in such magic has a price, especially for the witch who cast it. The law of three would bring back such energy to Mel, but at three-times the price. She must not have done a good enough job teaching this rule to Mel. Had she let her initiate down? She'd try to explain why this was dangerous, once Mel was away from her new friends.

  "Okay, don't make me look too hard for you. You heard Helen - stay away from the river area. I'll count to twenty and then come looking. Ready?" Frankie said, already regretting the choice of game. They could have gone to the horseshoe pits instead.

  "Yes, Frankie. No magic to find us, okay?" Grace hollered back as the pair were already at a run through the brush. Frankie chuckled. She wished her finding skills were that good; if they were, she wouldn't always be losing her keys.

  "One, two..."

  The girls raced into the woods, looking for a log or somewhere they could hide without getting their dresses dirty.

  "What about crouching behind that big stump?" Gabbi asked, already heading that way.

  "That's good," Grace said before bounding after here.

  The stump was on the edge of a clearing and the girls nestled in, trying very hard not to giggle. Frankie would have a hard time finding them here. Almost immediately, there was a snap of a twig nearby.

  "What? No way, that's too fast." Grace whispered, peering slightly around the curve of the stump. "Wait, that's not Frankie."

  Gabbi leaned over so she could see as well. Both girls watched a figure in a cloak holding something in her hands, something small and pale.

  "What is that?" Gabbi whispered to her sister.

  "It kinda looks like an ugly doll. Who is in the cloak?" Grace asked her, not daring to move away from the stump to see better. Gabbi was always the more daring of the two.

  "Can't tell. Someone tall, in a green cloak. Should we go find Frankie?"

  "No, let's wait until whoever that is leaves." The girls watched for a few more moments when another sound pulled at them; Frankie was calling their names and she was close by.

  "Frankie is coming, should we stay hidden?" Grace asked her sister, who was still watching the figure in green.

  "Let's cr
awl out of here and find Frankie. I'm getting hungry. This game is dumb." Gabbi said, turning to all fours and scrambling out from behind the stump to the nearby bushes. Grace trailed behind her.

  Behind them, the figure turned at the sound of them crashing into the bushes.

  Conjuration

  Six Hours Until Full Moonrise

  Helen stood on the makeshift stage and saw the large group of faces staring at her. She hated public speaking, but as the leader of the host Coven, it was her duty to welcome everyone and begin the Festival in earnest. The rest of the Coven stood behind her, with the exception of Mel, who had opted to stay out of sight. Helen lifted the microphone to her mouth and lightly cleared her throat for everyone's attention.

  "Good day everyone and welcome to the Eve of May Festival. My name is Helen and it is my duty and my pleasure, as the leader of the Sisters of the Crescent Moon, to welcome you to our Festival. Today should be a wonderful gathering of old friends and new, along with some announcements from the Council, some music and vendors, and then culminating in a...ceremony tonight at moonrise.

  “Those of you who are camping here tonight, you should have your information for setting up your campsite. I look forward to meeting many of you today and if you need anything, please contact one of the members of our group - you see them behind me and they are wearing the bright pink badges. Thank you for coming."

  The crowd broke into mild applause, seemingly more out of politeness rather than enthusiasm. Whatever kind of excitement they were expecting, apparently Helen didn't deliver it. She knew she should have asked Frankie to do the honors.

  "Good job, Helen. Did you want to introduce the Council now?" Frankie asked and Helen couldn't believe she had forgotten. The four members were waiting nearby.