Part 38 (1/2)
”What? You don't like the way I've conducted the ceremony so far?”
”You lit the fire first.”
”Excuse me?”
”The fire. You lit the circle of fire before you summoned the spirits of the coven. You're supposed to do that afterwards.”
”Then why didn't you say something?”
”How could I? You jumped in there and started waving the athame around like a second p.e.n.i.s, all-proud, high and mighty. Next thing I knew, whomp. Fire.”
”What now? You saying it's not going to work?”
”No. Try it. What is the worst that can happen? The elders can strip us of our powers and banish us to the eighth sphere?”
”Are you serious?”
She looked me square in the eye, her furrowed brows scolding my incompetence. ”What do you think?”
My heart sank. My eyes fell away in shame. What did I think? What could I think? I thought of Ursula. How I let her down. And Dominic, who wanted only to start fresh. A new life with his new wife. But no. I had to screw it up. My gaze returned to Lilith. She read like a stone. Cold. Emotionless. I realized then I had let her down, as well.
”You're serious,” I said. ”Aren't you?”
Her expression softened, and in her subtle way, I knew she would find forgiveness for me. I saw her chest rise and fall on a shallow breath. She wet her lips. Parted them softly. Smiled.
”Naaah. I'm just f.u.c.k'n' witcha. Go on. The spirits are cool. They like you.”
”Lilith? What the h.e.l.l?”
”What? You can't have a little fun? Man, you're a stick in the mud sometimes. Aren't you?”
”Please,” said Dominic. ”Can we get on with it?”
”Okay. You're right. Let us get on with it. Carlos.” I reached out and straightened the mirror in his hands so that it angled up at me. ”Hold this like that.”
I waved the athame over the black mirror three times and tapped the gla.s.s once. ”Spirits of the coven, I call to thee. Show thy selves that we may see. Come forth to us this starry night to free Ursula from thy witch's light.”
”Hey, that's good,” said Lilith. ”Did you just think that up?”
”Yeah. It came to me off the top of my head.”
”Not bad. You know I think maybe you”
”Excuse me.” Again, Dominic. ”Can we?”
”Of course.”
I waved the athame over the mirror once more and tapped it twice. Both times the blade made a solid sounding tic on the gla.s.s. On the next tap, the blade dipped into the mirror. Ripples from the disturbance radiated out in centric patterns like a pebble dropped in water. As the ripples faded, faces from the night before appeared in the reflection. They looked upon us warmly. I remember feeling a sense of welcome, a sense of belonging. This was especially so when Lilith leaned in and whispered in my ear, ”Nicely done, kiddo.”
I smiled at that. ”Thanks.”
To the spirits I said, ”Welcome all. Merry meet and happy ties.”
”Happy ties,” said Carlos.
A soft chorus returned. ”Merry meet you all.”
I cleared my throat and began. ”I'm new to this, as I'm sure you know. Maybe that's why we are here tonight. Oh h.e.l.l, what am I saying? I know that's why we are here tonight. You see, last night after the wedding ceremony, I kissed Ursula here.” I hiked my thumb up over my left shoulder. Ursula smiled and waved. ”Anyway, I didn't know better, but that kiss sparked a witch's light between us, and well.... I was hoping you all could help us break it.”
A scratchy old voice came from the mirror. ”You want to break the witch's light?”
”Yes. If it's not to much to ask.”
From the throngs of many came a singular face. It filled the entire picture frame like a portrait. This was the face of a witch's witch. Not ugly. Not pretty either. But definitely a seasoned old gal with more experience than Old Man Time himself.
”Anthony of New Castle. Yes?”
I tried to answer. Couldn't. Swallowed the lump in my throat and tried again. ”Yes.”
”You are new to the ways of witchcraft.”
”I am,” I said, nodding.
”We have but few males among us.”
”Oh? I uh...I didn't know that.”
She looked to Lilith. ”Lilith of New Castle.”
”Yes ma'am.”
”Your mother, the one called Gypsy.”
”Yes?”
”She is dead?”
”You asking me?”
”Aye.”
”I think so. Not really sure. She kissed the front of a moving train you know. Never found her after that.”
”A bad seed that one was.”
”Yup, but I'm not like her. You can ask anyone.”
Ursula piped in. ”'Tis true, Milady. But for the kindness of her heart I would not be.”
”That's right. I brought Ursula back from a pile of bones. She's some of my best work.”