The Witches of BlackBrook (2 page)

“I’m telling you, I think it’s her. I’ll fill you in when I get home.” Trin huffed. “Actually, will you be able to pick me up? I caught a ride to work this morning and now I’m stranded.” Trin pouted. “Okay, great. Thanks. See ya later.”

Trin returned her cell to her locker and closed the door. She had four more clients today and was looking forward to the tips from each one. Tonight would require a celebration, so she’d have Kit stop on their way home and buy some wine.

Trin greeted her next client and went through her practiced motions, losing herself over the next hour-and-a-half to the memories of a time when all three sisters had still been a family.

IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS

1683

“Karina, Kara, Kenna, gather ‘round.”

The girls tucked their dark red locks under the hood of their woolen cloaks and took their positions at their mother’s side. This was the first time they all three would be participating in an Esbat together, with little Kenna just turning six.

“All right, Kara, take this censer in your hand. Kenna, you hold the bowl of water. Karina, you’ll cast the circle, then make the callings with your wand.”

Karina nodded and removed her wand from the pocket of her cloak, then stepped to the easternmost point of their circle and began. “I cast this circle, once around, all within, magic bound. Protected from harm and sealed this night, through the Goddess’ energy the charm’s alight.”

Kenna reached out to the stump where all their tools precisely lay and added a pinch of salt to the bowl of water like she’d seen her mother do time and time again. Then, pacing the circle, she followed Karina’s steps, sprinkling the contents as she went. “I cast this circle, twice around, all within, magic bound. Cleansed with water, strengthened with earth, sealed this night with Spirit’s mirth.” Kenna returned the bowl to the altar and received a reassuring nod from her mother as she stood again in her place.

Next, Kara lit the sage and cedar within the censer and lifted the feather from its position on the left side of the altar, then encircled the space. “I cast this circle, thrice around, all within, magic bound. Inspired by air and sealed this night, protected from harm by Spirit’s might.” Kara returned the burner and feather to the altar, her protection set in place.

Karina moved back to the easternmost point, ready to make the callings. “Spirits of Air, hear my call. Protect this rite from one and all.” The pentacle she drew in the air glowed yellow in response.

Turning south she repeated the process. “Spirits of Fire, hear my call. Protect this rite from one and all.” The pentacle glowed red like the flames of a fire. She glanced at her mama and received an encouraging smile.

Turning west she continued. “Spirits of Water, hear my call. Protect this rite from one and all.” This was her favorite. The bright blue pentacle sparked and danced from the end of her wand.

Turning north she completed the callings. “Spirits of Earth, hear my call. Protect this rite from one and all.” The final pentacle shown bright green like the lush forest in which they stood.

“Well done, girls, simple and exactly enough.” Their mother then anointed two candles, one silver and one gold, placing each into a homemade wooden holder lined with lavender snips. “Lord and Lady, we invoke thee. Join us now for this sacred rite, protecting us with your love and might. Guide us now, in all we do, blessing our path, forged straight and true. Hail and welcome.” Flames burst to life, bathing their circle with an ethereal glow. “Girls, please come forward and deposit a single strand of your hair into the cauldron.”

Karina, Kara, and Kenna each did so in turn, receiving their mother’s kiss upon completion.

“Goddess of love, Goddess of light, bless my girls on this full moon’s night. Spark their powers from deep within, let their journey as witches begin.”

A hot white light burst from the cauldron, spanning the circle and passing straight through the girls.

“My beautiful daughters. Your path has officially begun. Take all I’ve taught you and let the Goddess now guide you, for you will be more powerful than I could have ever hoped. Together remain, and from fighting refrain, as the bond you share, time will not wear. So mote it be.”

“So mote it be,” the girls intoned in unison.

Beep, beep, beep
. Trin’s timer yanked her swiftly from the past.

“All right, Mr. Pruitt, that concludes our session for today.”

Trin moved through the rest of her appointments much the same, drifting through memories with a refreshed sense of hopefulness that her sister witch would finally be coming home.

After folding the sheets and clearing her room for the last time, Trin grabbed her things from her locker and checked her phone to confirm her ride.

Kit
: Trin, Looks like I can’t pick you up after all, sorry. Can you get a different ride?

Trin shot back her reply.

Trin:
Not sure. I’ll let you know. :)

Damn,
Trin cursed
.
Who could she call in this weather to ask for a lift? Her mind supplied the answer immediately and after quick search on her phone, she dialed the number for the local police station.

“Hello, could I please speak to Officer Hardy?...Trin Hartwell....Thank you.”

Trin stood, smiling to herself as she recalled Jason’s earlier words,
“I’m here to serve.”

“Hello? Trin? Is everything all right?”

“Hi, Officer Hardy. Yes, everything is fine. It’s just that by flagging you down this morning, I’ve left myself in a bit of a pickle. I need a ride home and wondered if you’d be willing to repeat the kind gesture?”

“Of course, it would be my pleasure. I’ll see you in ten.”

Trin exhaled. “Great! Thanks so much.” She started to ask if they could make a pit stop for wine but thought the request inappropriate and halted her words. She didn’t want to give Jason the wrong impression of her. Then again, why would it matter? It wasn’t as if she had any hopes of starting a relationship with him––not that she wanted to. If Caris
was
in fact Kara reincarnated, then through whatever twist of fate that brought them into this time, Jason and her must somehow be related through their distant past. So yeah...there’s goes that idea.

What idea? Why are you even thinking about this?
Trin shook her head and gathered her things, making her way to the front door to await her non-relationship-material ride to show up.

Eight minutes later she was once again cozy in the front seat of a cop car, feeling completely awkward for the first time in a very long time.

“So, were you able to fix my cousin?” Officer Hardy joked.

“I hope so,” Trin smiled.

A beep on her phone drew her attention. It was another message from Kit.

Kit:
Did you manage a ride?

Trin stole a look at Jason.

Trin:
Yes. When will you be home?

Kit:
2 days. Heading to NYC now. Show got bumped up.

Trin huffed. Kit was an artist. A good artist who had several showings in Manhattan on a reoccurring basis. Her upcoming event had been scheduled for next week. In light of Trin’s experience today and her pending celebration tonight, the change in timing couldn’t have been worse.

Trin:
Okay. Fill you in once you’re back. Be safe.

Kit:
You too.

“Something wrong?” Jason asked.

Kit noticed the police car had come to a stop, but it wasn’t in front of her house. Instead, she found herself outside the local strip mall and cast a speculative glance at Officer Hardy.

“What are we doing here?”

“I asked first.”

“What?”

“I asked you a question first. Is something wrong? You answer me, then I’ll answer you.” Jason’s confident air pricked at her, but his adorable smile, broad shoulders, chestnut hair, and hazel eyes had a way of putting her at ease.

Trin shook her head. “No. Nothing’s wrong. My roommate had to leave town, and I was hoping to have dinner with her to discuss something important. Now it’ll have to wait, that’s all.”

“Can’t you call her later?”

“Not really. This has to be discussed in person.” Trin crinkled her nose.

“Okay, my turn. We are here because I’m officially off duty and was going to ask if you’d like to join me for dinner.” Jason gestured to the Italian restaurant directly in front of them. “Caris has informed me that after the amazing massage she received today, she would be relaxing for the rest of the evening and not cooking.”

Trin laughed. “Oh my. Maybe I should pay to cover your inconvenience?”

Jason squinted and dropped his smile. “Ms. Hartwell, I’m not sure what you’re used to, but I’d never let a woman I’ve invited to dinner foot the bill.”

Trin caught the false seriousness of his tone and knew that while he meant what he said, he wasn’t actually offended. “From your tone and words, you sound as if you’re asking me on a date.”
What the hell am I doing?

“Now you’re catching on.” Jason winked and flashed his dazzling smile once more.

Shit
. “All right, Mr. Hardy, you’ve got yourself a date.”

Blood dripped into the charred stone bowl. “Block her sight, dark as night, separate must she be. Take this blood, and break this bond, never again the three.” A high-pitched screech filled the cave as drops of crimson dripped from his wrist and into the stone cauldron. He spat onto the sizzling potion, infuriated the time had come again for him to pretend to be something he wasn’t. Witch’s spells, though while they worked for him, always burnt his tongue.

Trin and Jason made their way into
Milano North
, exchanging small talk while they waited for a table. It was the only Italian restaurant in BlackBrook and was busy even on the coldest of nights.

“So, how long have you been working at the spa,” Jason asked as they finally slid into a booth at the back.

“About five years. I went straight to massage therapy school out of high school, and was hired at the Wellness Center upon my graduation.”

“That’s great. Not a lot of people know what they want to do right out of school,” Jason smiled.

“Didn’t you? I mean, have you not always been a cop?”

“Oh, no. I have. Straight to the academy, but in general, I think a lot of kids these days don’t have a clue where they see themselves in a month, let alone five to twenty years from now.”

“That’s so true. But I’ve always known I wanted to help people. I thought about becoming a doctor, but didn’t want to wait twelve or more years before I could feel like I was making a difference.” Trin shrugged. “A lot of people don’t get it, but massage can really help someone in a lot of ways.” Trin didn’t mention the magical touch she used during her sessions. She was a healer and skin-to-skin contact was one of the ways her magic worked.

Jason stared at Trin with a tilt to his head. “You’re interesting, Trin. I like you.”

“Such a bold statement for someone who’s just met me,” she teased.

“I may have just met you, but I feel like I’ve known you forever.” Jason winked as he reached across the table, taking her hand. A blue spark flared at the point of contact.

“Whoa. What was that?”

“My electric personality?” Trin giggled, amused at using his cousin’s earlier words, then stopped short. She had to stop flirting with him if Caris was who she thought she was.

Trin straightened, pulling back her hand. “Jason, look. You seem really nice, and I’m so very grateful for your help today and for dinner, but I don’t want to lead you on. I can’t follow this to any conclusion you might be expecting, and I think it’s best if I tell you that now.”

A slow smirk crept across Jason’s face. “Well, Ms. Hartwell, aren’t we full of ourselves? I simply stated that I found you interesting and that I liked you. That doesn’t mean I’m looking for a relationship.”

Trin was mortified. How could she have read things so inaccurately?

“I’m a man of few words, Trin, so I don’t like to mince them. I truly do feel as if I’ve known you forever, and I’d like to spend more time with you because I enjoy your company. If I start to feel anything more, you’ll be the first to know.”

“I’m sorry, Jason. I just...” Trin stuttered.

“Don’t apologize. Being single these days can be a difficult thing to navigate. That’s why I like you, though, you put me at ease and seem so...real.”

“Well, thank you. I do try to stay grounded and centered, though with this ridiculous display, I have failed miserably.” Trin laughed, feeling lighter again.

“No harm, no foul. Are you ready to order?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Trin and Jason gave the waitress their order and continued their evening, relaxed and engaged. By the time Officer Hardy dropped her off outside her house, Trin shared his earlier sentiment. “Jason, tonight’s been great. Thank you again, and you’re right, it does feel like I’ve known you forever. Give me a call anytime, and be sure to tell Caris hello for me as well, I hope to see her again soon.”

“How about you come over to our place tomorrow? It’s the first Saturday we’ve both had off together in ages. We plan to cook, watch movies, and hang out. You’re more than welcome to join us.”

“Oh, wow. Thanks. That does sound great, but I wouldn’t want to intrude on your joint day off.”

“Nonsense. Please come.” Jason flashed a confident smile and Trin felt her resolve slipping once more.

“Okay. Sounds fun. Anything I can bring?”

“Just the wine.” Jason winked.

They exchanged numbers, then Trin exited the cruiser and unlocked her front door, waving goodbye from her stoop before stepping inside.

“Who was that?”

Trin screamed, spinning to find Kit sitting on the couch.

“Jesus. You scared the crap out of me. What are you doing here? I thought you were on your way to the city?”

“I was, but Harold called shortly after I got on the road. They moved the show back again. Another ice storm.” Kit shrugged.

Trin hung her purse on one arm of the coat stand, depositing her jacket onto another. “Well, I’m glad your home, because I can’t wait to tell you what happened today.”

“Do we need wine?” Kit lifted her eyebrows.

“Sorry, I wasn’t able to stop for any.”

Kit unfolded her legs and jumped off the couch. “I was!”

Trin laughed, tossing flames from her fingertips, setting the fire alight. She followed Kit into the kitchen and grabbed two glasses from the cabinet.

“Okay, well, today, my first client was the new teacher in town, Caris Hardy.”

“Wait, wait, wait. Back up. How did you get to work and how does the cute guy fit in?”

“Oh, yeah. Jason...he’s the officer who gave me a ride to work this morning. I didn’t have time to dig out my car. And,
Officer Hardy
is Caris’s cousin.”

“Oohhh, how very entwined,” Kit grinned.

“Indeed. Anyway. When I first touched Caris there was a massive shock between us. I blew it off of course, but in reality, as I massaged across her tattoos I was flooded with visions. Visions of us in the past. All three of us.”

Kit’s eyes dropped to the glass in her hand. “Really? You’re sure it was us?”

“I’m sure. I was once again Karina and was there with you and Kara. It was us. Our original selves.”

Kit sighed then with a gentle smile laid a hand on Trin’s shoulder. “Trin, you know as well as I do that that doesn’t mean it’s her. In our last life, you had a similar vision and it was because your spirit recognized the energy of another witch. It wasn’t Kara then and I doubt it is now.”

Trin dropped her head, crestfallen as she always was when Kit brought her back to reality––a feat her little sister performed all too often.

“I’m sorry, Katrine. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up again, then spend another year depressed when your hunch proves to be wrong.” Kit’s tone was soft and gentle, but did nothing to ease Trin’s disappointment.

“Perhaps you’re right. I doubt our reincarnated sister would spontaneously show up with a cousin this time. It was always just us three, and I know it will be again.” Trin shook her head, mentally discarding her theory.

“We’ll keep looking. I promise. You and I are always able to find each other in whatever life we live, and soon, I know we’ll be able to find Kara too,” Kit promised.

“Okay. Maybe we could do another scrying spell on the next full moon.”

“Yes. Let’s. But for now, how about we enjoy our wine in front of the TV and the cozy fire you’ve created?”

Trin smiled. “Sounds great. Speaking of the wine, this is good.” She lifted her glass for another sip. “Where did you get it?”

“
Lost in Time
, a little specialty place outside of town on the 9N.”

“Ironic, and perfect. I’ll be able to grab a bottle on my way to the Hardy’s tomorrow.”

Kit’s glass shattered in her hand.

Trin jumped. “Jesus! Are you okay?”

Kit shook her hand out over the sink, taking a deep breath. “Yes, I’m fine,” she stated, wrapping a towel around the thin stream of blood running down the side of her palm.

Trin cleaned up the wine and broken shards littering the floor, then looked up to find Kit watching her like a hawk.

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m sorry I’ve ruined our night. I’m going to go tend to this then head to bed.”

“Just let me,” Trin said as she reached for Kit’s bleeding hand.

Kit pulled away. “You know I can heal myself. I don’t need your help.”

Trin frowned and crossed her arms.
What the hell is wrong with her?
Kit had always been somewhat petulant and stubborn, but lately, she was bordering on downright rude. Leaving her be, Trin eased onto the couch and watched the fire dance as she enjoyed the rest of her wine. Her mind wandered back to a time when she was able to use her healing gifts freely within their home.

IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS

1686

Karina, keep close watch on your sisters while I’m gone. I should be back in half the day.”

“Yes, Mama.”

“Girls, if you’re good for Karina I may have a surprise for you when I return.”

Kara and Kenna squealed with excitement and started running around the kitchen, sweeping and cleaning to prove their worth. They obviously wanted their surprise.

With the house tidy and the worsh hung on the line, Karina settled the girls at the table and dug out their spellbooks. Now that they had been blessed as witches, their mother encouraged them each to create their own book of shadows, as it was meant to be.

“Let’s work on a spell that gets rid of all the dust in the house,” little Kenna suggested.

“No, Kenna. You cannot use magic to take away your chores. Sweeping and dusting are tasks that ground you to this world. Be grateful you have a home to clean.”

Kenna smiled and nodded at her big sister’s wise words.

“We could work on controlling water, since we’ve already mastered fire,” Kara offered.

“Yes, we could, for that is an important skill. Why don’t you two gather the scrying bowl and start with that,” Karina instructed.

“What are you going to do?” Kara asked.

“I feel the need to hone my healing skills this day.”

Karina moved to their work area in the back room next to the kitchen and began to pull herbs from the cabinet. Arrowroot for cleansing, healing, and purification, birch shavings to remove negative energy and hexes, and evening primrose for healing and protection. Using the pestle and mortar she ground the herbs, setting them to steep over the fire then passed a beeswax candle through the vapor being produced. Setting her ingredients aside, she put ink to her book and notated the spell that was flowing into her mind.

Illness from an unnatural place, be gone from this person, leave in grace. Cleansed and healed you are anew, blessed by the Goddess, through and through.

As Karina returned the ink and quill back to the work cabinet, Kara and Kenna gasped.

“What is it?” Karina asked.

“Mama. There’s something wrong with Mama,” Kara exclaimed as Kenna started to cry.

Just then the door flew open and their mother struggled to cross the threshold, collapsing as she did.

“Mama!” Karina exclaimed.