Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 67614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“I know our normal isn’t normal at all to some people. But I miss it, and I can’t wait to have it back.”
“I’m with you there.” He kisses my forehead. “Sleep. We can deal with everything in the morning.”
I’m surprised to find that I actually feel sleepy, and with his arm loosely draped around my waist, I let myself fall into a dreamless slumber.
Giles was gone when I woke up this morning.
And, yeah, a part of me was disappointed. Giles has been incredibly affectionate with me since our date. He’s sweet, but he hasn’t made any advances in the sex direction, and I’m just too inexperienced to make the moves on him.
I wouldn’t know where to start.
Not to mention, is it weird to have sex on the brain when we’re trying to combat something evil and solve a curse?
Maybe.
“I’m not going to worry about it,” I say to Merlin, who’s sitting on my altar, watching me shuffle my tarot cards. I should be at the spinner, turning the wool into yarn, but after that particularly nasty nightmare last night, I felt I needed to spend some time grounding and talking with my spirit guides and ancestors.
I’ve already lit the candles, so I close my eyes and take some deep breaths as I continue to shuffle.
“Good morning,” I begin, speaking out loud to the spirits with me. “I’d like to spend some time with my guides and ancestors, both known and unknown. Those who support my highest good. I need some advice and guidance as I navigate this difficult time.”
I take another deep breath, set the deck on my altar, cut it into three piles, and get to work.
I always have a notebook and pen nearby when I work with tarot so I can jot down notes in case what I pull doesn’t make sense in the moment but will later when I look back.
For an hour, I ask questions and pull cards, making my notes. Some messages confuse me, so I pull out my pendulum and start asking yes or no questions for clarity.
It might be the most intense session I’ve ever had with my guides. I’ve never needed to go this deep before.
But goddess knows I need all the help I can get right now. I’ve never felt so uncertain or scared. It’s unsettling, to say the least, and I want to feel empowered.
“Thank you,” I say at last, taking another deep breath. “When I blow out this candle, the session is closed, and I ask that no spirits stay.”
I snuff out the candle and then look over at Merlin, who’s been watching me steadily the whole time.
“Some odd messages came through, but also some that made total sense. I’ll make some more notes and think it all over.”
“Meow.”
“You’ve always enjoyed altar work.” I lean in to brush my nose against his. “I’m so happy you’re here. You were gone a long while this time.”
“Meow.”
I grin and kiss his head. Lucy has a familiar, a huge Irish Wolfhound named Nera, and they can communicate telepathically. I’ve never been able to do that with Merlin. In fact, I don’t have any telepathic or clairvoyant gifts at all. It can be annoying sometimes, but I think it’s for the best.
I’m an empath and tend to take on the emotions of those around me. If I could hear their feelings and thoughts, it might unsettle me.
I bustle into the kitchen and check the protection pot simmering on the stove. I’ve been letting it go all day, feeling the need to add the extra layer of protection to the house.
“Well, that’s about done, isn’t it?” Turning off the stove, I set the pot aside to cool. Everything I used is organic and can be returned to the earth later.
My phone pings with a text, and I grin when I see Giles’s name on the readout.
Giles: We’re meeting with the coven in an hour. Want me to pick you up on the way?
I tap out my response to accept the offer and then sigh.
“I’m not going to get as much done today as I’d hoped.” Merlin blinks up at me. “Come on, we can at least get the yarn we’ve made so far organized by color. You know, I’m going to have to start sketching out what this tapestry should look like. Should it be Hallows End before the curse was cast? And if that’s the case, will all those people age and die in a matter of moments? Will the same happen to Jonas? I’ll have to ask the others what they think of the design. I also have about a dozen orders that came in this week that I need to get out the door.”
Merlin continues to listen silently.
“I wish you had opposable thumbs so you could help me.”
“Meow.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Okay, let’s get this organized for later. You can’t go with me today.”