by Pat Esden
Blocking out every thought of failure, Chloe held the jar out in front of her. Devlin did the same with the crystal he’d chosen. Even as the power of the magic engulfed her, Chloe could sense Devlin following her lead. She thrust the jar out even farther and the energy from his crystal was there to connect with the jar’s contents. The magic roared between them, a humming current spinning faster and faster. Her head swam from the crackle of its power. She breathed deep, pushing even more magic into the jar.
The power screamed in the room, then shattered into swirling colors. Without warning, the colors rejoined and transformed into something Chloe hadn’t seen the other night: a whirling mandala, a shimmering temple, and layers upon layers of prayers to Gods and Goddesses etched into every grain of sand. The mandala blurred, colors blending and shifting until the circling rainbow returned.
Chloe pulled the jar away from Devlin’s crystal, the rainbow still circling over Keshari even as she lowered the jar to the floor. She looked skyward. “Air. Fire. Water. Earth,” she intoned. “I call on you. Gods. Goddesses. Gatekeepers. Take the wound from our sister. Release her from the spell’s magic. Free her. Restore her. Bless her.”
In an explosion of colors, the racing energy shifted direction, streaming down toward the crystal Keshari was holding and into her. An instant later, the energy reversed direction, gray colors rising out of her and fogging the room.
Chloe jumped up, seized the smudge stick, and lit it. Even with the open window, there was no way Greta wasn’t going to smell something, but tough luck for her.
“Turn on the vent over the stove,” she shouted to Devlin.
Waving the smudge stick, Chloe chased the fog out the open window. When all of it was finally gone, she let out her breath and turned back.
Devlin was helping Keshari to sit up.
“How do you feel?” Chloe asked.
Keshari pressed her hand against her chest and blinked. “I am not sure. Exhausted. Drained.” Her eyes widened and brightened. “Clean. Clear-headed. I can hardly believe it. I feel well. Oh, so many blessings to both of you. So many blessings.”
“Frankly, I’m surprised too,” Devlin said. He glanced at Chloe. “Your magic felt different. Stronger, even without the jar.”
“Ah—Well, something happened to me at the awakening, not just to Merlin.” Since she hadn’t really tested out her theory, she drew up a burst of energy and flung it from her fingertips at the tray of votive candles on top of her dresser. The candles flared to life, all ten of them lighting without effort. She curled her fingers toward her body, gesturing sharply. Without a word, they flickered out.
“Nice,” Devlin said. His voice deepened. “I’d rather stay here, but I have to get going. It’s too warm to leave Henry in the car much longer. Also, someone needs to watch over Athena and the coven until we find a way to put the Shade back where he belongs.”
Keshari’s eyes bulged. “Shade? I feared something dark might happen. That is why I went to the ritual: ‘Friends look out for friends.’” Her hand went to her mouth smothering a gasp. “Oh, no. Merlin’s father was a—”
“A demon.” Chloe finished, then she told Keshari the rest of the story, stopping when she caught herself launching into her thoughts on the length and extent of Athena and the Shade’s relationship, not to mention the goth and the leather bracelet. It would be easier to keep everything emotionally on an even keel if those subjects were left untouched for now.
“Ahem.” Devlin cleared his throat. “There is something else you both should do.” He grimaced apologetically at Chloe. “Remember the hangover cure I gave you?”
“The honey and liverwurst stuff. What about it?”
“Um, you should make some. Have it on hand in case—” He licked his lips. “I’ll tell you how to make it.”
Her emotions tumbled into a confused free fall: fear, anger, trust, love, sympathy, all spinning together into a messy whirlpool. Whatever this was about, it didn’t sound good. “First tell me why.”
His chest rose as he took a deep breath. “You need it to counteract the Circle’s magic. Its buzz is over-the-top, not natural. I’ve been taking the cure as a preventative, for a while now.”
Keshari glared. “And you did not tell Chloe about it?”
“Chloe, you have to believe me.” His eyes met hers, their dark depths full of remorse. “I confronted Athena about the buzz. She convinced me the magic’s enhanced strength would help you and the other initiates relax. But I gave you the cure anyway, to help with the hangover and to protect you.” His hands fell to his sides as if surrendering to his guilt. “I also suspected that someone had messed with the sake and tea. I thought that was solely Jessica’s doing, until that night at the quarry when Jess claimed Athena had put her up to it. But I swear Athena wouldn’t intentionally harm anyone—not even if someone seduced her into doing it.”
“Devlin, I do not wish to say anything against your family,” Keshari said. “You have been a blessing to me. But these are not things a high priestess does to build up a coven. These are things that are used to destroy one.”
The cords in Devlin’s neck tightened, taut as if he were holding back a scream. A bead of sweat glistened on his temple.
Chloe jumped in, her voice straining. “Keshari, please. We need to focus on what we can change, not things we can only guess at.” Keshari was right to be angry, especially after what happened to her last night. But she didn’t know anything about Devlin’s relationship with and devotion to his sister. Chloe suspected she didn’t even know the half of it herself. But in truth, the extent of his loyalty cast a shadow of doubt deep inside her. Still, her intuition said she could trust him on this. She rested her hand on Devlin’s arm. “Once we make this preventative-cure, should we take it right away?”
“No, wait until the last minute. It’ll dull the rush from the power. It’s a sure bet the buzz from the Shade’s energy is even stronger, capable of lulling even a powerful witch into submission before she can even sense it.”
She knew who he meant by a powerful witch. Athena. And maybe he was right, but there was also the possibility that she’d become involved with the Shade of her own volition. Both Athena and Devlin had told her their childhoods hadn’t been the easiest.
While Devlin told her and Keshari how to make the cure, Chloe jotted down notes in her Book of Shadows. It was a simple recipe and spell. But simple roots often gave rise to the most powerful potions.
When he was done, he touched her cheek. “I really have to go. Don’t text me or call—or use any sort of magic link. I don’t want to give them an excuse to not trust me.”
Chloe pressed her fingers over his heart. She wanted to tell him not to leave. But she knew if she held him back, he’d never be able to live with himself. “Be careful. Midas is probably on our side, and maybe Em. But I don’t know about anyone else. Maybe just trust yourself.”
He smiled. “Are you forgetting about Henry? Even biscuits can’t buy him, especially after what the Shade did.”
She laughed. Keshari joined in weakly. But the energy in the room rang with their joined fear and the shadow of doubt about Devlin’s loyalty burned inside Chloe as if it were made of smoldering embers. But it was not just where his loyalty lay that made her afraid.
“Ah—What about me? I mean, the Shade’s going to notice I’m not around. Do you think”—she swallowed around a lump in her throat—“do you think he’ll come looking for me?”
Keshari let out a sharp exhale. “I did not think of that. Your blood woke him. He healed your wrist. In his mind, you two are bound—”
Devlin raised a hand to stop her. “I’ll make excuses for you. Keep his mind elsewhere. Later, I’ll find a way to come back. Meanwhile you need to make that cure as fast as possible.” He squeezed both of Chloe’s shoulders. “If I can’t get away, I’ll send you a direct message on Facebook. If someone takes my
phone, they’re less likely to look there.”
Chloe stepped closer and placed her hands on his chest, raising her face to him. He lowered his head and pressed a tender kiss on her lips. She gripped his head gently, pulling him closer, tilting her head and deepening the kiss. A sense of urgency surged inside her. Devlin responded, matching his desperation to hers. A desperate kiss, one that could quite possibly be their last.
Chapter 25
Lightly pack a pint jar with fresh rosemary tips. Fill to the top with unrefined coconut oil. Seal and set in the sun for two weeks. Strain and add four drops of rose or lavender essential oil.
—Rosemary Hair Oil, Chloe Winslow’s Book of Shadows
“I’m with Devlin on that point.” Chloe paused for a second to light the burner under her chafing dish, also known as the best substitute for a cauldron ever. “Why would Athena want to destroy the Northern Circle? She’s worked for years to rejuvenate it.” She stared at the burner’s flames, thinking back to what she’d learned this morning. “The Shade’s fully capable of controlling people and animals, some more easily than others. But I don’t think that’s what is going on in Athena’s case. There’s nothing zombie-like about her.”
Keshari shrugged. “Why else would she want to wake up the dark half of Merlin and not his entire being?” Her nose twitched. She bent over the chafing dish. Fanning the air with her hand, she sniffed the chunky slurry. “That is the most disgusting cure I’ve ever smelled.”
“Wait until you taste it. That’s even worse. Still, it’s better than the alternative.” Chloe dropped a handful of marjoram leaves into the dish and stirred it with her athame. She sighed heavily. “I’m not saying you’re wrong about Athena’s goal. It’s just counterintuitive to everything I believed about her.”
“You can’t even guess why she might do such a thing?”
“No, not in the least.” Now that Devlin was gone, she couldn’t lie. “But I’m not convinced Devlin isn’t still a little blind when it comes to her. They’ve always been super close.” A hollow sensation spread in her chest, a mixture of guilt and downheartedness. If only her relationship with her sisters and brothers had remained as close as Devlin’s and Athena’s, close like she’d been with them before she messed up. “Do you think I’m making a mistake? I don’t mean us creating this cure. I’m talking about not telling my family and the High Council about the Shade. He’s beyond dangerous to everyone, not just us and the Circle.”
Keshari remained silent for a long moment, pulling her hair over her shoulder and stroking it distractedly. “I don’t know. I once watched my grandfather vanquish a demon that was possessing a woman. It was not easy, even for a skilled shaman like him. This Shade, he is a more complex being. He is not contained within a body or restrained in any way.”
“But if I tell, they might think I’m making it up to get attention—at least at first. Either way, the High Council would send a special investigator.”
In her head Chloe could see the chain of events that an investigation would lead to, one thing leading to another like a runway of orbs pointing at a standing stone. Devlin and the coven members would be shamed for bringing the Shade into this world. Her family would be too, just because of their connection to her. Just like with the Vice-Chancellor’s son. Without a doubt, the Circle would end up disbanded. The Council would seize members’ assets: mystical objects, books, even businesses and homes…Worst of all, since Devlin was the Circle’s high priest, they might vote to have his ability to work magic permanently removed, and curse his genes so the restriction would last for generations.
Keshari nudged her with the jar of mandala sand and crystals. “Why don’t you add some of this to the cure? It will make it more personal to us.”
“That’s a good idea,” Chloe added a pinch, her fingers shaking from the worry in her mind. She set the jar down and folded her arms across her chest, rubbing the cold from her skin and thinking once again about her family. “The thing is,” she said, “even if the Council or my parents and yours combined could get rid of Merlin’s Shade, the Northern Circle is screwed. And the one thing I believe wholeheartedly is the orb’s message. The Circle needs protecting. It needs to survive. I feel that in my soul.”
Keshari pulled her into a hug. Resting her head against Chloe’s, she whispered, “You are a good person, Chloe. The gods and goddesses speak to you, I think. I also believe you should follow what feels right”—she released Chloe and looked her in the eyes—“and you do not walk this path alone. I am with you. This is the right thing to do.”
Keshari’s words only deepened Chloe’s fear. Keshari was a true friend. But she wasn’t sure she was someone anyone should follow. Her parents were right; she jumped into things too fast and didn’t use good judgement. She’d brought heartache and disgrace to people she cared about. Now she’d been involved with bringing a shade into this world. Still…
The new level of power inside her pulsed, a strong, confident beat. She drew a long breath, exploring the feeling. Maybe her parents were right about her. Maybe she hadn’t been the sort of person friends like Keshari should follow—and the way she’d failed to protect Keshari last night certainly proved that. But perhaps it was time she became the person Keshari believed she was, even if she had to fake it for a while.
She pushed her shoulders back. “Well, then, witch-sister, once we’re done with this, what do you think our next step should be?”
“I am glad you asked, sister.” Keshari grinned, a secret twinkling in her eyes. “We aren’t the only ones who the Shade’s escape would have angered. There is the Lady who imprisoned Merlin to start with.”
“Oh my Goddess. You mean, Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, right?” Of course, that was it. Except—“I’ve never heard of Nimue being seen outside Great Britain or France. Then again, the Shade came through one of the Earth Clock stones.”
“Nimue has many sister lake spirits, like Gemu in Tibet. A beautiful lake like Champlain must have its own native spirits. Even if our entreaty doesn’t draw Nimue, another Lady might help.”
A burbling sound came from the chafing dish, signaling the cure was done. As Chloe stirred it one last time, the grains of sand speckling the thick liquid gave her an idea. “We’re planning on pouring the mandala sand into the lake, so it can carry the blessings back to the ocean. Do you think the sand has enough power to draw a Lady’s attention, especially if we offer it near the Earth Clock?”
“Very much so.” Keshari shuddered. “I don’t like the thought of going back to that place.”
“I’m not really wild about it myself. There’s another issue, too. After we left, the tourists probably told the cop we were messing around near the Clock. If he spots us there again, he’s not going to overlook it, especially if the tourists showed him the blood and candlewax. But”—she lifted her eyebrows, pleased with her next idea—“I could lend you some different clothes. I have the perfect hooded sweater. It might be a little too warm and you’d have to roll up the sleeves. But it’s camouflage green and should fit. You’d look totally different.”
“That’s a good idea.” Keshari’s chin dipped. “But clothes won’t help that much. He saw my ID. He might have even asked around the community about me and my family.”
Chloe slung an arm around Keshari, leading her to the dresser. “We’ll have to be extra careful, then. I hate to wait. But, honestly, I’m bone tired. How about if we rest up, maybe do some research, then go to the lake just before dark?”
“I didn’t want to say anything, but I am exhausted. We could take turns napping. I do not think Devlin would be able to dissuade the Shade if he took it in his head to find you.”
“Unfortunately, I agree,” Chloe added, fear settling deep in her chest.
* * * *
While Keshari got changed and took a nap, Chloe used the Tears of Tara to create fresh protection wards. If the Shade showed up, the salt w
ouldn’t hold him off for long. But it would help.
Once that was done, she funneled the preventative-cure into ampules that she normally put her homemade hair oil treatments in. She ended up with six for her and an equal number for Keshari. She’d just finished setting out some folklore books they could use for research when Keshari got up from the bed.
She stretched and yawned. “That helped a lot.”
“You couldn’t have slept for very long.”
“Mostly I meditated. Truly, I feel much better.”
Chloe shook her head. “I’m not sure I could sleep. I’m so overtired, I feel wired.”
“You should at least try.” Keshari nudged her toward the bed. “Even if all you do is close your eyes.”
Chloe curled up on top of the blankets, her cheek against the warm pillow. She closed her eyes as instructed and listened to the pad of Keshari’s feet as she sat down on the couch, then the rustle of Keshari opening one of the research books and turning pages. Chloe stretched out, careful not to lay on her newly healed wrist. It was amazing how good it felt, even the stiffness was almost gone. She took a deep breath, and another. The rustle of turning pages faded as she fell asleep and slipped into a dream.
The Shade’s voice whispers in her ear: “I heard your voice with the others. Your blood roused me.”
She lies in a hospital room, curled up in a bed. She’s naked. Devlin is spooning her, his chest against her spine, one arm holding her close. The rhythm of his breath warms the nape of her neck. He’s deep asleep. But she’s wide awake, the fast pounding of her heart bordering on panic.
White curtains circle the bed. She’s certain the boy lays beyond them. But the fear pulsing inside her drives her to lift Devlin’s arm, to slip out from under its warmth and from the bed to see if she is right. The floor is smooth and cold against her bare feet. She steps toward the curtain. She doesn’t want to open it, but her fingers close on the rough fabric. She slides it aside. The walls of the room beyond are white. The floor is as black as unleavened bread, as shiny as unfermented juice. Lifeless foods.
