The Witches of BlackBrook (6 page)

“Trin. If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s okay,” Jason offered.

“No, no. It’s all right. I’m just trying to recall as many details as possible. It all happened so fast.” Trin recovered. “I was relaxed and daydreaming too, and suddenly, I heard a noise and opened my eyes and saw you slipping in. I fell to my knees next to the hole and slammed my hands on either side of the ice, screaming your name. Then, once I saw your hair below me, I reached in and grabbed you by the shirt and pulled as hard as I could,” Trin shrugged. “That’s really all I remember.”

Jason looked from Trin to Caris and took a deep breath. “Okay, well, I guess that means I’m going crazy.” He shrugged. “Thanks for having us over, now let’s enjoy this fine spread, shall we?” he suggested with a half-smile.

Trin dished potatoes and biscuits and gravy onto their plates, then tried to fill the space with generic conversation as they all enjoyed their food.

“When do you two have another day off?” Trin asked.

“Jason works the entire week, but I still have tomorrow off,” Caris replied. “It’s scheduled as teacher work day, but I took care of everything I had to do on Saturday so I could have some extra time to myself.”

“Good plan. What are you gonna do with the extra time?” Trin asked, trying to remain engaged.

“Actually, I was thinking of making a run to Ipswich to get some supplies. Would you like to come with?”

Trin’s smile lit up the room. “Caris, that sounds fantastic. Let me make sure I can move any appointments I have for tomorrow, but yes, I would love to join you.”

“Well, that sounds like a party. Wish I could come,” Jason added.

“I wish you could too,” Trin replied shyly.

“How about this? I’ll let my cousin steal you away tomorrow, but come Friday night, you’re all mine.”

Caris laughed and began clearing the plates as Jason reached for Trin’s hand. Blue sparks erupted as their fingers met, knocking them apart.

“What the hell?” Caris gasped.

“Wow. That one was a doozy.” Jason shook out his fingers.

“You mean it’s happened before?” Caris asked.

Jason looked at Trin and she nodded. “Yes. Practically every time we touch,” he stated flatly.

“I wasn’t sure you noticed,” Trin replied.

“Oh trust me, I noticed. I told you, Trin. It’s like I’ve known you all my life, and when we touch, not only is there an actual spark, but there’s also a spark I feel inside. I can’t explain it.”

Trin stared at the two cousins and felt her heart sink. This couldn’t be anything more than magical energies recognizing and reacting to each other. Kit had warned her that she would get hurt again if she kept thinking there was more to it than that. So, resolved to spare herself any more pain, Trin accepted that this man was a fellow witch that she had a true connection with and nothing more. And right now, that worked for her.

“I feel a spark too, Jason.” Trin reached for his hand again. “Actually, with both of you. I feel like our energies recognize each other, and I couldn’t be happier to have found two more witches whose company I enjoy.”

“Two
more
witches?” Caris prompted.

“Yes. My roommate and friend, Kit, is also a witch. You’ll get to meet her this weekend.” Trin nodded to Jason.

“That’s awesome. Honestly, I thought Jason and I were going to be the only Wiccans in town. So cheers to that!” Caris raised her glass of orange juice and smiled.

“Perhaps we should add a bit of champagne and make this toast official,” Jason teased.

“Oh no you don’t. No alcohol for the recovering patient,” Caris’s tone was serious, despite the smile on her face.

“Would you like to see our work space?” Trin offered.

“Absolutely,” Caris remarked.

“We’d be honored,” Jason added.

Caris helped Trin finish clearing the food, then followed her down into the cellar. She and Jason’s sacred space was located in the shed at the corner of their land, and often times she wondered if they should convert a space indoors, like Trin had, for the convenience.

Jason stood, watching the girls as Trin showed Caris her stock and stores. Gray washed stone walls, wood shelves and cabinets lined with candles and oils. Dried herbs hung from a wooden lattice overhead, and a beautifully carved wood altar sat on a hand-woven rug patterned with stars and moons in the center of the room.

“This is lovely, Trin.” Caris spoke humbly. “Truly, such a perfect space.”

“Thanks.” Retrieving a piece of paper from the cupboard drawer, Trin lifted a quill and began to scribble down the list of items she planned to look for on their trip to Ipswich.

Candles, yarrow, mugwort, and rose petals.

“Looking for something?” Jason asked from over Trin’s shoulder.

“Yes, as a matter of fact I am.” Trin was impressed with his knowledge of her intended use of the ingredients, but as with every other life, she couldn’t elaborate.

“I prefer the pendulum to scrying, personally.” Caris pulled her pendulum from her pants pocket. It was a delicate pink rose quartz point with a beaded gem half way up its chain.

Trin stepped closer to inspect the bead but stopped short when the crystal started to spin wildly in Caris’s hand.

Trin looked up at Caris. “Did you ask it a question?”

“Yes, in my head.”

“What did you ask?” Trin demanded.

“Whether you’d find what you’re looking for,” Caris replied with a somber face.

“I assume that’s not your ‘yes’,” Trin replied.

“No, but it isn’t my ‘no’ either. I’m not sure what’s happening. It’s never done this before.”

Trin stared at the pendulum and became lost in the connection between it and Caris. “Slow and steady, find your way. Reveal the answer, and do not sway. Truth to truth, from the highest light, answer your mistress, proof of right.”

Trin blinked, freeing herself from the involuntary spell that had just flowed from her lips. Caris and Jason were staring at her with gaping mouths.

Trin’s aura was glowing and the pendulum was frozen solid in midair, pointing straight at Caris’s chest.

“What. The. Hell?” Jason’s breathless question mirrored Trin’s thoughts exactly.

Ice clung to his boots as he stomped around the cave. Desire and need drove him, but it was anger that pierced his soul. He refused to let centuries of work be all for naught. He cast the stones then slid the knife across his mangled wrist once again, to add the final ingredient. “Bound by time, her soul and mine. Cast astray, day after day. I will not falter, I will not fail, charge these words by the crimson veil.”

“Holy shit! I’ve never seen anything like that!” Caris exclaimed, dropping the pendulum.

“Damn, Trin. You’re something special,” Jason stammered.

“Yeah, um...I don’t know what that was, it just kinda came over me.”

“Well, you were definitely channeling something, you lit up like a glow worm,” Jason teased.

Trin smiled and hoped they didn’t dig for a more solid explanation. “Well, whatever it was, I think I could use that drink now.”

“I’m down for that,” Caris added, casting a speculative look in Jason’s direction.

Trin gathered her list and put away her quill, then led them back upstairs.

“Actually, Trin, I think we’ll take a rain check. Jason needs to get some rest and I still have a few things to finish before our trip tomorrow.” Caris’s smile was genuine but it didn’t effectively hide her nerves.

“No problem. I’ve got a stack of laundry to get through and need to call the Center to rearrange my appointments. Thanks for coming over, though.” Trin felt awkward but relaxed when both Caris and Jason hugged her as they left.

“I’ll call you later,” Jason added with a wink.

Trin closed the door, then turned and raced back to the cellar. She opened the carved wooden box atop the cupboard and pulled out her favored tarot deck. Rapidly shuffling the cards, she practically threw them onto the altar. Three cards; one for past, present, and future.

Trin acknowledged the Magician card as her past, no surprises there. But the present and future cards had her undivided attention.

The Seven of Swords indicated deceit and deception surrounding her present, while the reversed Tower forewarned her of major changes where she could no longer count on those close to her.

Trin took a deep breath and focused her third eye on the second image, hoping it would reveal its secrets.

Flashes of bone and hair slashed through her mind like pictures reflected on sharp shards of glass. Blood and stone, and now three ghostly apparitions. Astral images of her and her sisters all fighting something and always losing.

Trin sucked in a breath and broke the connection, worried she’d make contact with this evil before she was ready. She promised Kit not to do real magic until her return, and after what she’d just witnessed, Trin would definitely be waiting for her sister before casting circle to look any further.

“What was that?” Caris’s voice sounded behind her.

Trin jumped. “Oh my god, Caris, you scared me.”

Caris was standing stock still and white faced. “What was that, Trin?” she repeated.

“What do you mean? I was just doing a quick reading for myself. And no offense, but why are you here? I thought you and Jason were headed home.”

“We were until I remembered my pendulum was lying in your cellar. I knocked and you didn’t answer, so I came in and announced I was coming down. Didn’t you hear me?”

“No. I was lost in my vision, I guess.” Trin reached under the altar and retrieved Caris’s pendulum from where it had previously fallen. “Here you go.”

“Thanks. And I don’t mean to pry, but you say you were having a vision, but how can that be if I saw it too?”

Trin gasped. “What do you mean?”

“I saw three faint images locked in a never-ending battle, playing out in the middle of the room, like a movie projected against a wall of fog.”

“You saw it? Here in this room?” Trin shivered.

“Yes. Exactly what kind of witch are you, Trin?”

Trin stood, dumfounded, debating if she should share her secret with Caris or not. Kit’s words from another lifetime, however, rang loudly in her ears.
“You revealed yourself once and ended up on a pyre. Keep silent, sister.”

“I don’t know what you mean, Caris. I’m a Wiccan witch, same as you.”

Caris grabbed Trin’s shoulders. “No. I don’t think so, Trin. You’re special and I’m so glad to have you as a friend.”

Trin fell into Caris’s embrace, then waved goodbye as she retreated up the stairs. Had she dodged another bullet? Only time would tell.

IPSWICH, MASSACHUSETTS

1693

“Karina, please calm down. What are you saying, ‘you’ve ruined us all’?” Jeremiah asked.

“I’ve just returned from Sarah Bishop’s where I eased an infant’s colic cries for her new neighbor, Ann Putnam. I couldn’t help myself, Jeremiah, the baby was in so much pain.”

“You’re a healer, Karina, how could you possibly do anything but?” He placed a kiss atop her head.

“When I gave the mother a tonic to use, she accepted it finely, but as I took my leave I saw an evil about her, hidden behind her eyes.”

Kara and Kenna walked into the kitchen as Jeremiah began to respond. Karina shook her head to silence him, not wanting to worry the girls.

“Have you heard?” Kara asked conspiratorially.

“Heard what?” Karina replied.

“A baby has died in the village and the mother is demanding the head of a witch.”

Karina swooned and fell into Jeremiah’s arms.

“Who’s baby?” Jeremiah demanded.

“Margret Danforth’s.”

Karina took a deep breath and looked into Jeremiah’s eyes, knowing no good would come from the deed she’d just done.