Rest For The Wicked (18 page)

I am going with the straight up: Lucifer placed himself above God, and was cast down to Hell with the angels who followed him. He became the Lord of Hell, Satan, Beelzebub – whatever name you want to label him. Claire fell with him, served at his right hand, until she remembered what she had once been, and lost the venom and the hate needed to torture condemned souls.

pentagram/pentacle
– a five point star, typically drawn in five straight strokes. Used by the Ancient Greeks and the Babylonians, it is best known for its magical ties, and is worn by many who practice and believe in pagan faiths. If the pentagram is inside a circle, it is known as a pentacle. In Christianity the pentagram was believed to represent the five wounds of Christ, and was protection against demons. If the top point of the star is reversed – pointing down – it is a symbol of Satan, literally reversing its meaning.

Claire uses a pentagram to bind her true nature, her demon, in the form of a tattoo. Because it is inside a circle of flames, it would be a pentacle – though many think the terms are interchangeable. I use them as they are listed in the Wicca faith – pentagram is the star, and pentacle is the star inside a circle. Most jewelry is in the form of the pentacle.

tarot
– tarot was originally a card game, played in Italy from the mid-fifteenth century, its popularity spreading to France, Switzerland and Germany. Like a modern day deck, it has four suits, plus an augmented fifth suit of permanent trumps, creating a 78 card deck. It was only later that tarot became a source for divination and readings. The occult tarot deck is different, consisting of the major arcana – 22 cards with no suits, and the minor arcana – 56 cards broken into four suits.

Tarot is only mentioned in this book, but will be explored further in future books. I will not deviate from what is widely known and believed about tarot – it is fascinating enough on its own.

triquetra
– Latin for three cornered, a triquetra is also known as the trinity knot. As a religious symbol it has been used to represent things and people that are threefold. An example is the Christian blessed trinity of Father, Son, Holy Spirit. In the Pagan religions it is a symbol with several meanings – the three stages of the Triple Goddess, the three realms of earth, sky and sea, and the connection of mind, body and soul are some examples. It is also considered a symbol of protection.

I am using it as a protection symbol, another barrier that Claire puts between the world and her true nature. She discovers that the protection also extends outward when her tattoo burns Marcus.

Wicca
– a spanking new religion, it appeared at the first part of the 20th century, and was officially named Wicca by the 1960s. Many practice ritual magic, and they follow what is known as the Wiccan Rede: “an it harm none, do what ye will.” It can be practiced in solitary, or as part of a coven, and is as involved, and often as convoluted, as any religion.

Claire uses Wicca as a cover – her powers are contained, but enough leaks through, and she needs an outlet for it. Practicing small magics gives her that, and a livelihood that allows her a somewhat normal, quiet existence.

witchcraft
– by simple definition, it is the practice of magic. The full definition would take another book. Short and sweet: before the Church stepped in, those who practiced witchcraft for the good of all were respected, and often revered for their talent. They were sought out for their skills with healing. In modern society, witchcraft has regained a sense of the respect and awe it once had, and people openly practice without fear of persecution.

Annie practices witchcraft – not well, but with enthusiasm, and she will get better, as anyone does, with more practice. She will make more blunders, of course – not all of them ending in disaster. There is so much to be mined in the area of witchcraft, I don’t need to embellish.

REST FOR THE WICKED

THE CLAIRE WICHE CHRONICLES, BOOK 1

Cate Dean

© Copyright, 2012

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except for use in any review. This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, locales, and events are either pure invention or used fictitiously. No character is based on or inspired by any known or unknown persons, and all incidents come from the author’s imagination alone.

Cover art by
Nadica Boskovska

Layout and cover design by
Everything Indie

http://www.everything-indie.com

As the saying goes, it takes a village … well, I had my own little village to help me create the final product of a long-held dream. Thank you, Nick, of Everything Indie, for your detailed editing, formatting, a beautiful cover design – and for your infinite patience. A special thank you to Nadica, for the stunning art that graces my cover. It is such a joy and a pleasure to work with you. To my readers, Theresa McClinton, Jessica Nicholls, and Tamara Ward – my most sincere thanks for all of your help and support. I never could have done it as well without all of you.

Cate Dean has been writing since she could hold a pen in her hand and put more than two words together on paper. She grew up losing herself in the wilds of fantasy worlds, and has had some of her own adventures while tromping through the UK, and a few other parts of the world. A lover of all things supernatural, she infuses that love into her stories, giving them a unique edge. When she’s not writing, she loves cooking, scaring herself silly in the local cemeteries, and reading pretty much anything she can get her hands on.

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