Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 68024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
She’s already drifted off when I look down at the dog, who’s been agitated with worry.
“You stay with her while I go back down with Lorelei and Breena. Keep guard, and if anything is wrong, come and get me. Okay?”
The big dog nods and jumps up onto the bed, resting his head on Lucy’s chest. He’s alert and on guard, and it relieves my mind to know he’s here with her. Lucy’s hand automatically comes up to stroke Nera’s head as though, even in sleep, he brings her comfort.
Secure in the knowledge that he won’t leave her side, I return downstairs, where Breena and Lorelei glare at a stone sitting on the kitchen table.
“What, exactly, happened here?”
“That happened,” Breena says, pointing to the stone. “Lucy said it was delivered just before she closed. She was expecting it and excited to have it, but when we all opened it, and Lucy touched it, she just…changed.”
“Changed how?”
“She wasn’t herself,” Lorelei says. “She acted drunk and young. And stupid. She didn’t act that way when she was young and stupid.”
“Selfish,” Breena adds. “Like a kid who doesn’t want to share her toys. And I did not like the vibes coming off that thing when I picked it up.”
“Me, either,” Lorelei agrees. “It was beyond creepy. It was…malicious.”
I reach for it and frown when I feel absolutely nothing. “The stone is clean.”
“No way.” Lorelei takes it from me and blinks rapidly. “You’re right. I don’t feel anything at all now.”
“I don’t want to touch it,” Breena says, shaking her head. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“How could it feel so sinister, so awful just a few moments ago and like nothing at all now?” Lorelei demands. “What in the goddess’s name is going on here?”
I brush my hand down my face, trying to think clearly, but all I can see in my mind is Lucy, retching and crying.
I couldn’t even reach her telepathically when I ran back here from Astrid and Hilda’s house. I’d never been so damn frustrated.
“Something was attached to it,” I say as Lorelei sets the cracked crystal on the table. “And it transferred itself to Lucy. How it got in, I don’t know.”
“I do,” Breena insists. Her voice is thin with fear. “Lucy brought it in herself. By bringing the box inside, she invited whatever that was to come inside with it. It must have attached itself somehow.”
“It could still be here,” Lorelei says. “We have to cleanse the whole house. Sage and palo santo.”
“I think we should use the singing bowl, too,” Breena adds. “We need to put all of our tools to work here.”
“I know where Lucy keeps her cleansing tools,” I offer to the others. “Let’s get to work.”
Lorelei chooses a fresh bundle of sage and rosemary and a stick of palo santo from the shop and uses Lucy’s personal bowl to hold the lit bundle and wood, beginning to work her way through the house, moving widdershins to banish.
Breena does the same with a bowl she holds on a pillow, using a thick wand to trace the rim, creating a beautiful noise.
Both women chant protection spells as they make their way through the house toward the open door, ushering out anything bad.
I use my own methods.
Using an anointing oil that I mixed myself, I draw protection runes on all the windows and doors, also working counterclockwise after the women to keep out anything that’s left after their smudging and sound healing.
When I reach Lucy’s room, I also draw a rune on her forehead, being careful not to disturb her sleep.
Then I do the same for Nera.
Evil will attack a witch’s familiar, especially when the only purpose is to cause pain.
And something was doing its best to harm Lucy tonight. I wish I could bring my coven in to help me with this. To surround the house with the circle and cast out anything that may wish her harm.
But for now, I have Breena and Lorelei, two powerful beings in their own right, to help me keep the woman I love safe.
When we’ve combed through every inch of the house and closed out anything we swept away, we return to the kitchen.
“I’m going to set new wards.” Breena cleanses a bowl. “I know it’s best when a witch sets her own wards for her home, but this will have to do for now until Lucy is strong enough to do it herself.”
“She won’t mind,” Lorelei says, agreeing with her cousin. “In fact, if it were me, I’d be mad if we didn’t do this.”
“Agreed,” Breena concurs. “I’m going to set a protection simmer pot on the stove, as well. I know it’s a lot of protection in this house tonight, but—”
“Under the circumstances, I’d say there can’t be too much,” I assure her and pat her shoulder. “Not tonight. Do what you need to do. I’m grateful.”