A Wishing Moon (14 page)

“
Patience, child.” Nanette stood still and listened to the wind. Finally, she began to speak.

“
Come to me fossil, ancient as the earth

I know your power, I know your worth

Earth, air, water, fire

Help me find what I desire

Candle, cup. Wind and seed

Help me find what I need.”

Elizabeth watched her mother. “How do you come up with those rhymes so fast?”

Nanette gave her daughter a withering look. “Rhymes add power, they fuel my intent.” She began to turn around, looking on the ground. “Your eyes are better than mine, Elizabeth. Walk around and look closely, we should find a fossil very close to where we’re standing now.”

Elizabeth began a widening circle around her mother, watching the ground for a piece of bone or any rock that might catch her eye. A spiral shape jumped out at her.

Elizabeth leaned over and picked up the small rock. “Look mother, an ammonite. I remember reading about these; they were once a type of squid that lived in a shell. They became extinct with the dinosaurs.”

She handed the fossil to her mother. Nanette seemed pleased.

“
Now, that’s exactly what I’m looking for. It will work perfectly. Look at the shape—it’s the horns of Ammon, the healing spiral, the Golden Ratio. This will add great power to our healing ritual.”

“
You know, we’re not supposed to remove stuff like this from the park. It says so in great big letters on the paper the ranger gave us.”

Nanette slipped the ammonite in her pocket. “Then we’ll bring the fossil back when we’re through with it.” As they walked, Nanette asked one last question. “You can’t hear that boy’s thoughts at all, can you?”

“
No,” Elizabeth answered. “I wish I could. It’s all of that electrical machinery, I think. They create too much interference.”

“
That’s all right.” Nanette assured her. “All will be well. I’ll make sure of that. This will be a Christmas to remember.”

Chapter Seven

Arabella knew they had thwarted the doctor’s nefarious plans and he was not happy about it, at all. Three times, he had returned to perform some test or another. This was probably the most attention Jade had received since he’d been admitted. She only moved from Jade’s side long enough for them to perform their perfunctory examinations.

When they were alone, she returned to his side. “Jade, I need to tell you something before my mother and grandmother return.” She looked steadily into his eyes, hoping he could understand her. “What we are about to do is unconventional. My family practices magic. I know what I’m saying sounds farfetched, but this is real. I have grown up with magick, so its everyday stuff for me. Don’t be nervous, nothing will happen that will make you uncomfortable in any way. I don’t know what has drawn us together, but a power greater than us has ordained this and I know we will be able to help you.”

Thoughts of what they had done together in her dreams past through her mind’s eye and she felt a flush of heat travel upward to her face. She picked up his hand and looked at it—strong, capable—so familiar to her. She knew his body intimately, as he knew hers. “I have so much to tell you. When you are better, we will make our dreams come true—if you still want to…” She wished she could be certain this was not all one sided. This man might be lying here, wondering ‘who in the hell’ these nuts were. Arabella shook her head and pushed those thoughts away. Time would tell.

* * * *

When Nanette and Elizabeth arrived at Wildflower Way, they found the house empty. “Angelique, Evangeline!” Nanette called loudly. Elizabeth searched through all the rooms before checking the outside. She found Angelique at the back of the yard putting on a pair of boots.

“
She’s gone,” Angelique stated flatly.

“
Evangeline?” Elizabeth suddenly felt nauseous. “How long has she been out there?”

“
Just a few minutes, she followed one of the black cats that ran out of the house.”

“
There comes the cat, but she has other company, the bad kind.” Elizabeth saw things in her mind’s eye that caused her blood to run cold. “I’ve got to get out of these damn heels, some psychic I am. Wait here, I’ll be right back.” As she opened the door, the fat, black cat ran through in to the house.

* * * *

Evangeline tried to keep her wits about her. She knew she only had mere seconds. The very air vibrated with electricity. The woods were so thick here she knew he could be very close to her and she wouldn’t be aware of him. If she turned her back on the creep and tried to run, he would most likely overtake her. She needed a diversion and knew it would have to be one she created herself.

She held her hands up to the skies.

“
Element of Air hear my cry.

Send a storm, let lightning fly

Winds will blow and rain will fall

Air, Fire, Wind, Water, hear my call.”

She had nothing with her to fuel her spell. Normally, she would have poured out rice and water as an offering to the gods. Instead, she began quoting a verse of Psalms over and over, one she had used many times when calling rain.

“
He shall come down, like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. He shall come down, like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. He shall come down, like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. Chango! Chango! Chango! Hear the voice of a daughter of the silver crescent! Send a storm! Send your fire!”

Evil stepped out from behind a tree, some one-hundred feet in front of her and all she could see was a broad brimmed hat and a long coat. No features were visible. He began to walk slowly toward her. She stood her ground. Intent and power flowed upward from her fingertips and moments later, the rain began to fall. The man looked upward as if in amazement. Evangeline kept her hands in the air and willed the elements to come to her aid. The man kept coming, slowly, with measured steps.

In answer to her prayers, a white-hot, bolt of lightning struck the ground right between them. Electricity peppered the air and the bolt caused dust to fly and limbs to break. Then the bottom fell out and rain began to pour down in thick sheets. Knowing this might be her only chance, Evangeline turned and ran back toward the house as fast as she could. If he kept coming, if the lightning did not deter him—a hand could halt her escape at any moment. Seeing the property line, she bounded over the invisible barrier and headed to safety.

Elizabeth and Angelique were just about to start out, when Evangeline ran up to them in the pouring rain. “He’s out there.”

“
I know he is, baby.” Elizabeth gathered her niece close to her and they returned to the house.

“
Did you call up this storm?” Angelique asked.

“
Yes, I did.”

“
Good girl.” Elizabeth opened the back door for the other two.

“
How about Pickins?” Evangeline asked.

“
Oh, he beat you back,” her aunt assured her. “If we hadn’t had the door open when that lightning bolt hit, we would have a cat-shaped doggy door.”

* * * *

They all went back to the hospital. Nanette had said there was power in numbers. Angelique had gathered all the supplies they would need. Her big bag contained a water basin, some herbs, a blue candle, a lodestone and the ammonite fossil from Enchanted Rock.

As they traveled, Elizabeth brought the others up to speed. “He was right where Arabella said he would be. The doctor didn’t want us anywhere around him. He had terrible plans for that boy. I just wonder how many people he has let die, just so he could sell their organs on the black market. I can’t believe this is happening right here under our noses. What a dirty shame!”

“
Do you think they will let us all go into his room?” Evangeline asked, her voice still a little on the shaky side.

“
They don’t have a choice, baby,” Nanette stated emphatically.

“
Mother, something is bothering me.” Elizabeth adjusted the air condition vent. ”This is no ordinary man. Arabella has found herself a rather prominent politician. I took the opportunity to look into this matter last night and I also talked to Tyler about the situation. If we heal this man, we won’t be able to keep it off the television or out of the papers. Everything this man has done makes the news. Can you imagine the headlines, WITCHES HEAL PARAPLEGIC CONGRESSMAN?”

“
We don’t have a choice, Elizabeth,” Nanette spoke quietly. “This is Arabella’s heart. This is Arabella’s destiny. Fate has chosen to intertwine their lives. I don’t know what the future holds, but not healing this man would cause our little girl to suffer immeasurable hurt.”

“
I’m afraid she’s in for hurt, either way we go,” Arabella’s mother said with a sigh.

When they arrived, the receptionist did not attempt to delay them. They walked down the hall and pushed open the door. They found Arabella sitting in a chair at his side with her head lying on the bed next to his hand. She rose immediately when they walked into the room.

“
Oh, I am so glad you’re here. I have been so nervous.”

“
We’ve been busy,” Nanette said without explaining. “Fill the basin with water.”

Angelique cleared off the rolling table that sat next to the hospital bed and started arranging the candle and the other things she had brought.

“
Pull the covers off him,” Nanette instructed. At Arabella’s reluctance, she explained, “This is no time for modesty, Arabella. We need to wash him with the lodestone.”

Arabella uncovered Jade, hoping he would understand, laying a cloth over his groin for modesty’s sake. “Is there a lock on the door, Arabella?” She went to check for her grandmother.

“
No, ma’am, there’s not.”

“
Put a chair under the door knob. We can’t be disturbed.”

Jade’s eyes followed their movements as much as his paralyzed neck would let him. Nanette walked up to him. “Sweetie, we are going to heal you. What I need you to do is have faith. What I am about to do to you is an ancient ritual. I am going to bathe you with water we have empowered with herbs. I am going to rub your body from head to toe with a lodestone. This stone will draw out the malady and transfer what hinders you to this water.” She picked up the ammonite. “This is an ammonite fossil I picked up at Enchanted Rock where you had your accident. This is a very special stone. It’s called the horn of Ammon. He was an Egyptian God known as a protector of his people. This stone will aid our efforts. We’re going to have to turn you over after we wash your front side, so don’t be alarmed. Soon, all will be well.”

They stood around and watched her work. First, the candle was lit. Next, she placed the fossil at the base of his throat. Then, she dipped the lodestone in the water and began washing him at the crown of his head. She stroked all the way down his body, from top to toe. Repeating the procedure, Nanette dipped the lodestone in the water and washed him in long, slow strokes twenty five times.

“
Roll him over.”

Very carefully they did as she asked, replacing the fossil at the base of his neck, near his brain stem. Arabella prayed they wouldn’t hurt him any worse than he was already hurt. Nanette repeated the procedure on his back. As she did she chanted.

“
I banish this paralysis

I banish the pain

I command feeling to flow through this body

I demand the nerves be reknit

And power flow through these limbs once again.”

When Nanette completed the fifty strokes, she instructed Elizabeth to take the basin outside.