Gone With the Witch (4 page)

"Tell me about it." Storm clipped a sprig of climbing ivy
off the castle's stone wall. "This should help me skirt obstacles and protect my psychic venture with speed and tenacity." She sighed. "But since Aiden's the obstacle, I should maybe take another sprig."

Destiny clipped two. "Here. Try the power of three.
He's running like a cat with firecrackers tied to his tail."

Storm took the extra sprigs. "I'd like to tie firecrackers to his tailcoat."

Destiny winked. "He'd run faster,
goth
girl, but you
know what they say about protesting too much."

"He wants to go? You know that, because you see the fu
ture, right?" Storm asked, not expecting an answer. "I'll weave the ivy sprigs
into a
triquetra and bind it to the nature of triplicities, so in addition to protecting my psychicmandate to find the crying baby, it'll help overcome any difficulties we encounter along the way."

"Difficulties you
will
encounter," Harmony said, "because you'll have the stubborn Aiden with you ... if you're lucky."

"I plan to make my own luck. My psychic sense is
strong, here. Finding that baby is my destiny. I'm getting
scents, snapshots, too, and I know they're connected,
though 'I can't make out the pictures yet. I'll find the child clinging to Aiden, whatever it takes."

"Go for it," Destiny said, "whatever the universe sets
in your path."

"Destiny Cartwright, you know something about what I'm facing, don't you?"

"Only that you have rough roads to travel. We're too close for me to see more. You know that"

"I do know," Storm said. "But if you see roads, at least I'll be traveling."

Harmony caught the train of her veil over her arm.
"Storm, I'm proud that you feel so strongly about this.
Goddess knows you've heard enough babies crying in your
psychic career. It's time you went out and rescued at least one of them."

Storm's chin came up. "It
is
a rescue. Thanks, Sis.
A rescue.
Who can argue with a rescue?" She wilted. "Aiden can. But I was never one to back down from an argument,
and I won't start now. Not with a child at stake. Aiden may
be stubborn but he's not heartless. My mind is made up.
I'm doing this, and he'll thank me for it."

"Then we're behind you," Destiny said, each of her sis
ters nodding in agreement. "Speaking of consequences,
did you tell King
why
we were coming out here, Har
mony?"

"I told him that we wanted to say our witchy good-byes
before he and I left on our honeymoon." She smiled like a sleepy kitten with a bellyful of cream.

Storm nudged her. "What did he say?"

The bride blushed. "He suggested that we spell it fast, because he was getting
th
e
bends waiting for his witchy hello."

"Like you haven't already been introduced."
Storm scoffed.

"
Be nice," Vickie said.

"Spell you, Glinda. You may be admitting you're a
witch these days, but you're still a Goody Two-Shoes."

"And you're still the prickly
goth
with attitude that I
wanted to kick out the door the first time I met you." Vickie
kissed her cheek. "Most of
th
e
time, I'm glad I kept you."

"Aw stop it," Storm said. "I'm getting all misty-eyed."

"Well, you should," Harmony said. "Look around. Open
your senses. A fai
ry
-lit gazebo, orches
tr
a music, and rose-scented night air, the sea shushing against the shore. The garden looks like a cathedral created by the Goddess, herself."

"It does. It's incredible," Vickie said, her voice crack
ing.
"The perfect setting for our task."

"You're
not
crying," Storm said, instantly sorry, because
Vickie
had
gotten emotional with her pregnancy. "Hey,
c'mon, Vic, the last time you cried, you flooded
Salem. Cut
it out."

Okay, Storm thought, impatience wasn't
th
e
way to deal
with her sister's emotion.

Vickie sniffed. "I'm touched that you're letting me do

th
e
spell to protect the baby you're looking for."

Storm chafed. "Did you bring the bay leaves, or what?”

“
What," Vickie said.

"Spell me, Vic, 'I told you—"

"I have them." Vickie chuckled. "I was trying to cheer you up by letting you
be
comfortably grumpy instead of uncomfortably ... you"

"Another freaking Hallmark moment," Storm muttered.

Harmony,
th
e
peacemaker, put her arm around Vickie.
"You're
th
e
perfect choice, little mother. Don't let our
prickly Storm keep you from enjoying a good cry when
you need it."

"Barf," Storm said, trying to chill. "Vic, I'm quite
shocked that your rule-abiding Scot knocked you up before
he made you legal ... but I'm incredibly proud that you let him."

Vickie chuckled. "I'm pretty sure you knew when it happened
. '
I heard you tell Harm and Des to leave us alone
th
e
afternoon I conceived. We were locked in my attic bedroom, remember?"

Destiny gasped.
"The day we left Chinese food at your bedroom door?"

"Um-hmm."

Storm winced. "Spell me; I'll never be able to look at Chinese food the same way again."

"While I now find the thought of Chinese food sexually
stimulating," Vickie said.

"Me, too," Harmony agreed.

"Well, you're about to go on your honeymoon," Storm pointed out, "so you would. I'm
th
e
one about to take a journey fraught with problems."

"Since King and 'I will also be journeying, I'd like you
to end our ritual on the beach with the spiral spell for a journey of discovery, Storm. It'll be good for both our travels."

"Destiny," Storm asked, "
what
spell did you bring?"
Des raised a chalice. "A sprig of rosemary in wine to toast your adventure and spell you luck."

"Perfect," Storm said. "Let's make us some blue moon magick"

Vickie let a handful of bay leaves float to the oaken altar
and recited the spell she'd written to protect the crying child.

chapter
six

"Bay leaves nine, the child entwine.

Goddess speed this psychic race;

Defeat all bounds of time and space.

Protect and bless the weeping one,

With a loving dad, a loss undone."

Destiny placed the chalice of wine with its sprig of rosemary in the center of the altar.

IN the gazebo, they surrounded the Oak King altar from
the wedding. Harmony cast a ritual circle with the silver, sheathed athame hidden in the chatelaine pocket of her wedding dress.

The four sisters held hands to work their magick with
the power of four as one, while Storm chanted:

"Mother Goddess, moon
of
blue,

Accept my goal; make it true.

Lace the child's call through the man.

Help the man to understand."

She placed the triquetra of ivy sprigs in the center of the
altar, before she continued.

"Send the babe's cry loud

Enfold me like a shroud.

Signs point to a path true

Open my mind, Aiden's, too."

"We drink for luck

To a journey struck

With hope and love,

And the peace of a dove.

 
With every mile,

a
kiss
With every moment, bliss."

Destiny raised the chalice. "Storm, I give you this wine to sip as we join in your rescue.
Luck and safe journey."

Storm sipped. "Harmony, I give you this wine to sip as we give you into your love's keeping.
A life's journey in bliss."

Harmony sipped. "Vickie, I give you this wine to sip, barely, to keep your child, and the child Storm seeks, safe and secure."

Vickie sipped, barely. "Destiny, I give you this wine to sip as I ask for your goddess namesake to see us through
our two weeks' separation and reunite us here together.
May luck and safe journey be your
destiny.
"

Destiny sipped. "God and Goddess, I leave this wine on
the altar as an offering to you, to thank you for guiding us,
apart and together, and for bringing our travelers home
safe again."

Harmony opened the ritual circle, and they moved to the beach, each of their kittens following to lend their magickal

essence
to the spells. "Envision a circle of light," Harmony
said as she took a stick and drew a clockwise spiral in the sand, five rows deep. Walking clockwise also, the sisters
placed five smooth beach stones at regular intervals on the
outer circle.

"The symbol of five signifies the four of us, and Vickie's
little Rory, safe in her womb, with us in body, heart, and spi
ri
t, who represents for us, tonight, the child Storm is seeking. Imagine a line of light coming from the pebbles and meeting in the center, and then watch it spin and gain speed. Now step into the center and send your positive wishes spinning into the universe ... for the crying child, for each separate journey, and for Aiden's
collaboration."

A group hug ensued, with tears, life wishes, and a bit of
Stormy sarcasm. "Now get the heck out of my circle."

She composed herself and looked to the moon for guidance.

"Understand my behest.

A love bond is not my quest.
I like freedom, so does
he;

Two rebels, wild and free.

My quest is pure,

The child, unsure,

Into its father's arms, I lure,

And trust your wisdom to ensure

Whatever my price,

I embrace the deed thrice."

The four sisters chanted the final words that would seal each individual spell:

"This we will as one

With harm to none,

So mote it
be
done."

They walked back to the castle, across the beach, lawn, and garden, arm in arm, bound in blood, spi
ri
t, hope, and love.

Back in the castle, the sisters headed for the ladies'
lounge, Storm gathering the rest of the evening's players along the way. Once inside, she paced. "All of us, includ
ing Aiden, have to go back to the
Salem dock together
later. In order to begin my psychic journey, I need to get
into his motor home
alone
with him. Does everybody
know their parts?"