Luckily, I had bought several frozen entrees, given sometimes I didn’t feel like cooking, and I pulled out two packs of frozen lasagna. “Why don’t you make a salad while I get this in the oven. Then we can toast some French bread to go with it. We have ice cream for dessert.”
As we worked together in a comfortable silence, Xi came dashing in and climbed up Killian’s leg. He laughed, setting down the head of lettuce to sweep her up in his arms.
“You are soon going to be too big to do that, little one,” he murmured. He gave her a kiss on the head, and then set her on the floor next to the food dish.
I popped the casseroles in the oven, then sliced the bread and spread it with butter and a very light sprinkling of garlic powder. I arranged the slices on a cookie sheet and set the pan to the side until the lasagna was almost ready. After I finished, I poured a glass of wine for myself, and one for Killian.
“So, I have other news,” I said, thinking about Rowan. “I found out something about—” The doorbell rang. “Will you answer that?” I asked, feeling just a tad bit gun-shy after everything that had happened that afternoon.
Killian obliged, and returned with Ari in tow.
“I had the feeling something was wrong,” she said. “So I decided to take a brisk evening walk to find out.”
“You must not have been that worried if you didn’t text,” I said, wrinkling my nose at her. “And yes, you’re right. It has been one hell of a day. You staying for dinner?”
She nodded. “Sure. So, what happened?”
I told her about what had happened at the Spit & Whistle, and then with the shadow man. “I’m thinking we need to bring in an exorcist, but that’s not going to take care of the vortex or the shadow men.”
“I’m pretty sure that between the two of us, we can deal with the shadow men there—you’ve got a lot of untapped skills,” she said. “And if we could ask your aunt to help us, too?”
“We might be able to do something at that. Esmara started me on a refresher course last night. She walked me through casting a circle again and I felt it take.” I paused. “Wait, how did the shadow man get through the circle?”
Because you didn’t fully ward the entire house. You need to do more than cast a circle, Esmara said.
“Oh, that make sense,” I said.
“What?” Killian asked.
“Esmara just told me that I didn’t fully ward the house.” I turned to Ari. “Can you help me? I have some idea of what my mother used to do, but it’s been quite a long time.”
“I can. In fact, tonight after dinner, we’ll go through and really ward this place. You need strong wards, given you’re right up against the Mystic Wood. Maybe Teran will join us.” Ari began setting the table. “How many for dinner?”
“Rameer, Teran, Louise, and the three of us. The doctor. Seven altogether, though you might want to put three of those on trays. Louise is too weak to get out of bed, and both the doctor and Rameer will want to stay upstairs near her.” I began to fix myself another mocha. “Caffeine?”
“I wouldn’t be me without it,” Ari said, grinning. “Make it a triple if we’re going to be working magic tonight after dinner.”
As I fixed mochas for the three of us, Teran reappeared. “What smells so good? Oh, hey, Ari.” She gave Ari a hug and helped her to finish setting the table. “And what kind of magic are we talking about?”
“We’re going to ward the house. Want to join us?” I asked.
Teran agreed, so while dinner cooked, and Killian finished making the salad, the three of us withdrew to the library to begin planning out the ritual.
Chapter Sixteen
Killian was in the living room, ready should we need him. I asked Rameer to stay with Louise, as long as she was protected for the next forty-eight hours. Teran and Ari and I had divided the ritual into sections. First, we would cleanse the house, clearing out residue energy. Then we would ward each room in turn, drawing a binding rune on every door, window, and vent. Finally, we would walk the perimeter of the house, or tromp our way around it, rather—given the more than twelve inches of snow that was glistening on the ground—to seal the warding. Warding the yard would take another day’s work since it was so large, and because the property was buttressed against the Mystic Wood, which had its own special energy.
As we readied ourselves, each washing with the special ritual bar of soap my mother kept for just such occasions and then using sage and cedar sticks to cleanse our auras, I felt a wriggle of excitement in my stomach.
I washed my hands with the rose-scented soap, feeling a calmness sweep over me that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Memories came back…preparing for ritual with my mother, learning what herbs would heal, what herbs would hex, what herbs would seal, what herbs would protect.
Snatches of her teachings began to filter back, and I found myself remembering summer nights—warm but not overly hot—spent under the full moon in the backyard as we toasted the gods with sparkling water and Mexican wedding cake cookies, and then she would point out different places in the Mystic Wood while I focused, trying to hone my inner sight.
How could I have swept that entire side of me under the rug for my ex?
The realization that I had blocked out an entire part of my life to try to make someone else happy made me want to cry. I had pretended it didn’t matter. I had buried an integral part of myself, and now it felt like it was reemerging, springing up through the soil like fine tendrils seeking the sunlight. Only for me, those tendrils were reaching for moonbeams.
I let out a long sigh and dried my hands on the hand towel. I swept my hair back into a ponytail and stared at myself in the mirror.
“January Jaxson, never let go of this part of yourself again,” I whispered to my reflection. “This is who you are. This is as much a part of your life as breathing.”
Feeling centered and grounded, I emerged from the bathroom to find Teran and Ari waiting there. Ari stared at me for a moment.
“You look different,” she said.
“I feel different.” I paused, then said, “I feel like I just reclaimed a part of myself that’s been missing for a very long time.”
“Shall we begin?” Teran said. She was wearing the same thing as Ari and me—jeans and a heavy sweater. Going outside would be cold work, and our magic adapted with the elements.
We had decided that my room would be the best place to start. Teran asked me to cast the circle, since this was my house. She and Ari would call in the elements, and together, the three of us would summon Druantia for her blessing and strength.
I cast the circle, remembering the instructions Esmara had given me. After I cast the circle, Ari invoked the Earth and Fire, and Teran invoked Water and Air. Then we cleansed the room, spraying it with Protection water and clearing it with sacred smoke. After that, we invoked Druantia.
Gracious queen of woodland and earth,
To our spell, please give birth.
Protect this house and all within,
As our magic, we do spin.
As our words died away, the room felt lighter and stronger, and I could feel the soft seal as the spell took hold. We went through each room, working around Louise, who watched us silently as we worked. Even she seemed more comfortable after we finished with the guest room.