CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

 

Three days later, Aryiah paced in her mother's private quarters as sunlight filtered in through the vertical windows of the tower.

"Will the kiss of death hurt or disrupt my magick in any way?"

"No, my dear. You are already so powerful that I'm not even sure it's necessary, but since you still retain a connection to the human world, I feel like it's better to be safe than sorry. Upon waking, you will truly be a citizen of Ovialell and can take your rightful place at my side."

Aryiah sighed deeply. My rightful place.

While she was confident in her magick, Aryiah was still unsure about the ceremony her mother had planned for later tonight. With the weight of her new position sitting heavily upon her shoulders, the idea of announcing Aradia's return to all of Ovialell caused a lump to form in her throat.

As she turned and caught sight of herself in the mirror, Aryiah's nerves got the best of her. She could barely believe she'd agreed to marry Damarius on the same night as her initiation rites.

"Are you sure this looks alright?" She twirled in front of the mirror, holding out the gauzy white sections of her wedding dress.

"There has never been a more beautiful Goddess," Diana replied.

"Maybe we should postpone the wedding to see how the citizens react to my return first, instead of hitting them with two major announcements at once." She knew her statement was rooted in fear, and her mother must have thought so too, because as the Goddess reached for her long raven hair, she smiled a knowing smile.

"Do not fret, my child. You will be loved by all. Some may doubt, but once you hold my book in your hands, you will be welcomed with open arms, for all know that only I and Aradia can command the magick within it."

Once her mother finished braiding her hair and pinning it with a silver, diamond encrusted crescent moon clip, she turned and wrapped her in a hug.

"Thank you for believing in me," Aryiah whispered.

The two stood embracing as the rest of The Witches filtered into the room.

Aryiah took in the faces of the other Witches, as Diana led her to the dais in the middle of the floor. "Aryiah, meet your Witches." Gesturing to each of them one by one, the Goddess introduced them all. "This is Verta, Fern, Carmen, Camille, Josephina, Lydia, Basha, Dassia, Gayle, Rozalyn, Yuna, and Zaria."

They all bowed to her, already aware of what her position within their ranks would be. Aryiah was to be their Queen once more, just as Aradia had been in the past.

Needing to get this done before she lost her nerve, Aryiah laid down on the raised platform, her Witches surrounding her on all sides. As the Goddess approached, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, forcing herself into a deep relaxed state.

There was no spell spoken, just a light kiss from her mother's lips, and then darkness.

Only a few hours must have passed, because upon her waking, Aryiah noticed the waning light filtering throughout the room. She was still surrounded by her Witches, and her mother stood next to her with a beaming smile. "Life must end for life to begin, join us now as daughter and friend."

Once she sat up, they all began cheering and hugging her. She hadn't realized it would be so easy. But this was just the beginning. Next was the actual initiation rite, which was also held in the privacy of her mother's chambers.

As Diana spoke, all The Witches fell to their knees. "Aryiah, you are now a citizen of Ovialell, and your place among The Witches has been chosen. Do you accept the rank of Queen?"

She knew she didn't have a choice; Aradia's powers were far superior to any other Witch here, but to officially accept her place as their queen was truly a monumental step.

Bowing to the Goddess, she simply replied, "I accept," and in that moment her magickal life had truly begun. The wind picked up as cheers broke out once again. The Goddess now held a gorgeous silver crown encrusted with moonstones and emeralds. After placing it gently on Aryiah's head, all The Witches stood in a circle and linked hands.

As soon as Aryiah completed the connection, a ring of silver magick shot from her heart then raced from Witch to Witch, forming an unbreakable circle. Suddenly the entire group was being lifted into the air as the magickal energy increased in speed.

Everyone closed their eyes and lifted their faces to the crystal dome ceiling. Feeling the moonlight surrounding her, Aryiah closed her eyes and shared in this glorious bonding experience. She could feel each of her sisters in turn, pinpointing each of their specific energies separately. No longer was she alone on this journey, and the unity she felt with these women almost brought her to tears. They were a cohesive unit once again now that she'd completed their coven of thirteen.

As they eased back down to the ground, she opened her eyes and looked upon The Witches for the first time as her family. She now knew each of their names, and their life experiences since joining The Witches, and they hers in return.

"Thank you for accepting me as your Queen once again. While most of you will remember Aradia, I know this may be an adjustment, but please know that I will use all her knowledge and power to be the best Queen for you and our people."

After a small celebration of cakes and ale, The Witches left and Aryiah rejoined her mother, who'd been watching from the high-backed wooden chair that sat next to her Book of Shadows.

"Is that what happens every time a new Witch is inducted?" Aryiah asked.

With a light laugh, the Goddess answered, "Not exactly. When the coven is complete, the magick does connect them all, but only when the Queen is in place do their shared memories flow. It's a way for you to connect to them, and get a sense of their hearts' desire, past and future. That connection will allow you to monitor them at all times."

The explanation left Aryiah wondering why she would need the ability to monitor her Witches, but before she could speak her question, Yuna stepped back into the room and bowed. "Goddess, the ceremony is about to begin."

Aryiah's nervousness immediately returned, slamming into her like a runaway train. Completing her rites had been a piece of cake, but facing the entire realm of Ovialell was something she didn't think she'd ever be ready to do. Not to mention her impending wedding.

"Just breathe," the Goddess instructed.

Aryiah did just that as she followed her mother down to the throne room through a winding staircase that led to the back side of the dais. There was a large curtain surrounding the area, and two elaborately carved chairs sat side by side. Though Aryiah hadn't seen her mother grab her Book of Shadows, it now rested on a small table between the chairs.

Diana gestured for her to take her place, so Aryiah walked forward and sat in the chair. She didn't see Damarius or any of The Witches, but she could make out the mumbling of throngs of people on the other side of the curtain.

Once seated in the opposite throne, Diana reached for her hand. "Are you ready?"

All she could do was nod her head.