Beth pulled up outside of Carol’s store at the same time she hit the button to turn off the speaker on her phone. She didn’t need to tell me anything because I'd heard the conversation on the ride, but she did anyway, in a nervous voice. “The narwhal is back in the pool, and he’s angry, so I have to go take care of that. I know what happened was rough, but Carol should be able to help you figure out what to do next if that’s okay.” She was babbling, because she was nervous, as nervous as I was.
I released a slow breath. “Yeah, that’s fine.” Tension clung to my back, tightening the muscles. No, it was more like I had a shirt on that was slightly too small. Must’ve been the stress physically messing with me.
She looked at me with those intense eyes of hers. “Are you sure? Really? Because I could always—”
There was nothing else she could do. She was the only person I knew who could talk to animals, and this was her job. I forced a smile. “Seriously, I’m great.” The great came out so forced it was almost a joke, but I unbuckled and headed out of the car before she could ask me again. “Have fun,” I said oh-so-chipper as I closed the door. All I really wanted to do was run for the ocean and swim until I was exhausted, but that wasn't an option right at this moment.
I felt Beth’s gaze on me as I made my way into Carol’s shop, but I didn’t look back. If I did, I was pretty sure I'd burst into tears.
Inside, Carol and Hazel were by the register talking. The inside of the craft store was as cozy as usual, filled with dazzling colors and endless crafty possibilities. The walls were lined with shelves full of ribbons, buttons, fabric, yarn, and pretty much every crafter's dream inventory.
When Carol’s gaze landed on me, her eyes widened. “What happened?”
I shrugged one shoulder and sort of mouthed wordlessly at her. I couldn't say much in front of Hazel.
She pulled me to the back of the shop, and in a quiet corner, surrounded by yarn, I told her what happened, in the best detail I could remember. She was a great listener and let me get it all out, including my fears. "Then we headed here, and Beth got the call to go deal with the narwhal again."
I finished talking, and Carol’s expression was that of a soldier. “It’s time we talk to the witches.”
“Do you think they can help?” If they could, shouldn’t we have spoken to them already? Or was the fact that we saw the old woman finally enough for everyone to realize this was serious? I didn’t know, but Carol gathered her bag, shooed me out the door, and we were off.
Pulling up outside of the witch's mansion, I stared at the beautiful place for a moment. It looked exactly the same as last time. Rolling lawns, a gate that had automatically opened for us.
Opulence everywhere, from the statues on the lawn to the very structure itself.
“Do you think they’ll mind us dropping by?” I asked, my heart racing.
Carol shook her head. “Not for this.”
We climbed out of the car, and Hildy met us at the door. It'd been a while since I'd seen her, but she looked exactly the same as if time had frozen for her. The crystal witch greeted us sweetly, reminding me of the first time we’d been here. Her attitude had been warm and friendly then, but something about her set my teeth on edge. It had then, too.
“We need to talk to Khat,” Carol said, her tone one that said this was a business trip, not one for pleasure. We weren't here for a visit and a chat.
Hildy nodded and led us into the foyer. "Wait here a moment." She hurried off to speak to Khat, the leader of the coven.
The interior of the mansion was as opulent and beautiful as its exterior. The walls were covered with intricate tapestries, depicting scenes of witches in their element. In the center of the room, a grand chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a soft glow over everything. There were doors leading off to other rooms, but I didn't want to explore. Instead, I looked around, feeling a little overwhelmed.
Witches came and went, women from all walks of life. This was a diverse coven, and each woman had an edge to her gaze that told me why my friends and I weren't invited to be members.
We didn't have to wait long before Khat came out of one of the side rooms. She was an imposing figure, and I wondered if she practiced dark magic. Her intense eyes bored into us, scrutinizing our every movement. “Karma, Carol, I was told you needed to see me.”
“It’s a private and rather delicate manner,” Carol murmured.
She waved a hand. “Follow me.” She led us deep into the mansion, to a sunroom decorated in sunflowers. A bit on the nose, but okay. Everything was white, yellow, and blue, and the room looked out at a garden in the backyard. She gestured toward a small table. "Please, have a seat." She joined us, and a moment later Hildy appeared with a tea service.
When Hildy slipped out of the room, Khat poured us each a cup and handed them out. “Tell me, what's this private and delicate manner?”
Carol explained everything. From Alice’s vision to my dream, the trouble with the mother and child, the dwarves, and the gnomes. With each part of the story, Khat looked more and more troubled, until Carol finished with what happened with the older woman and her demand for my powers.
Hildy took a slow sip of her tea, and then her gaze locked with mine. “Since our last visit, my sisters and I've done some research into Karma and her powers. Do you know what we found?” She didn’t wait to answer. “Not much.” She must have seen my disappointment because she continued. “However, there's a spell we can do to try to see the truth of this woman’s words.”
My back stiffened. “Let’s do it. If you’re willing.”
She laughed. “Of course we’re willing. The last thing we need is some psychopath gaining powers as dangerous as yours.”
Setting down her cup of tea, she motioned for us to follow her. I placed my cup without ever having taken a sip. Tea seemed to be the thing these witches did with company.
“Hildy,” Khat said, “Tell Cleo, Sacha, and Orchid to join us in the backyard with the components for a truth spell.”
We followed her into the backyard, stopping in a clearing partially surrounded by the woods.
The clearing was lush and vibrant, and the surrounding trees provided a canopy of deep green. The sun shone through the branches, creating a dappled pattern on the ground. Wildflowers bloomed in all directions, their colors bright and inviting. A gentle breeze blew through the trees, carrying with it the scent of pine and sunshine.
A short time later, three women walked across the yard, looking about as different as I could imagine.
Cleo was an older woman with long yellow hair, glasses, and hippy outfit. She had a cheerful disposition and seemed to be high as a kite. It was clear that she was one of the more powerful members of the coven.
Sacha was young and had long black hair that she kept tied in a tight braid. She wore a leather jacket over a black dress and boots, giving off a rebellious vibe. Orchid was a curvy woman with bright pink hair and electric energy that emanated from her very being. She wore a flowy dress that hugged her curves in all the right places.
The four of them set up a circle of stones in the clearing and set four orange candles in the center.
Cleo stared at me behind her giant glasses and then walked straight to me, destroying my personal bubble, and placed her hands on my cheeks. I looked at Carol for help, only able to move my eyes as the woman squeezed my face, but then jerked my gaze back to Cleo as she spoke. “You have such power, but sadness too. Don’t ignore the sadness, great one, because sadness isn't a bad thing. It is emotion, like happiness, and gratitude, and shouldn't be ignored.”
Okay… “Uh, thank you.”
“Ignore her,” Sacha said, her monotone words making me uneasy. “She doesn’t understand personal boundaries, and that not everyone wants to know the things that we see.”
Orchid laughed and shook her head. “These two are the best when it comes to truth spells, but not so much when it comes to parties.”
Khat sighed. “Okay, start the fire and put the ingredients in the flames.”
They did as she said. Sacha lit the flames with a wave of her hand. Cleo placed a handful of white sage on the fire and said, “Let this sage purify us and our intentions.”
Sacha put her hand into a pouch that she'd brought with her and pulled out a small amount of powder. "Dragon’s blood resin." She tossed it onto the fire and the fire erupted into a burst of red flames as the Dragon’s blood resin hit it. The smoke from the fire filled the air as Orchid added a pinch of cinnamon to the flames. The scent of the burning herbs was intoxicating, and I got a little bit lost in the moment.
Khat motioned for me to watch as the smoke filled the air, taking on a deep red hue. The scent intensified, and I could feel its potency even from where I stood, slightly back.
Orchid took a bottle of wine from her bag and poured it into a small silver chalice. She passed the chalice around the circle, and each of us took a sip. The wine was strong, but it had a sweet aftertaste that lingered on my tongue.
As we drank, Khat chanted in a language I didn't understand. Her voice was low and rhythmic, and it echoed through the clearing.
At last, Khat spoke in English, her voice filled with power. “Show us the truth of Karma, of Emma. Show us what binds her. What promises. What lies.”
A vibration rolled from my feet to the top of my head so intense that I would've let go of the people holding my hands if they hadn’t gripped me so hard. As vibrations continued, my anxiety built. This wasn’t right. This couldn’t be what they'd wanted to happen. I tried to open my mouth and voice my concerns, but my teeth chattered, and lips clamped together. I couldn't speak.
Khat’s voice rose again, “I see strong bindings. Powers tied to you. Power that will change on the night of the full moon.”
“What she said was true?” Carol asked as she eyed me worriedly. She'd voiced the exact question I had rolling around my head.
Khat shook her head. “I don’t know if what this old woman said was true, but I do know that you’ve been bespelled by magic in some way. Powerful magic.”
Desperation flowed through me, as uncomfortable as the vibration. Khat released my hand and stepped back. As soon as she did, the horrible feeling left me, and exhaustion rolled through me. Carol supported me as I struggled not to show my weakness. “Is there anyone who might know what’s true and what’s not? Anyone who can tell me that I do or do not have to give my powers away?”
The silence that followed my words was painful.
Finally, Khat spoke, although she sounded unsure. “There's a magical cave with an enchanted stone. The stone can talk and answer questions. The spirit of Cyrene Whisper, a powerful witch, was embedded in the stone many years ago." She held up one hand. "An offering must be made, and it must be unique. There's a chance the spirit of Cyrene will have the answers you seek.”
The coven witches doused the flames and the last of the tingling left me. I didn’t feel any better. I was on a wild goose chase to try to save my powers, my way of life.
I didn’t like it one bit.