I shivered a little at the idea of the Sun Witches inside my head. "I didn't know that was possible."
"It's a rare and very difficult spell that few can master. I pray you'll never come up against it, but I want you to be prepared in case you do." She paused and studied my face. "I'm going to have to do it to you so you know what it feels like, and then I'll teach you how to stop it. I apologize in advance."
I drew in a breath and stood a little straighter. There was still a part of me that wanted to impress my mom. "I'm ready."
She didn't even say a word out loud or move her hands, but then I felt it. A voice inside my head telling me to kneel, while Celeste's eyes bored into mine. I wanted to resist but it was impossible, and before I knew it, my knees hit the sand and my head bowed. I was hers to command, and terror raced through my veins, knowing how easy it had been for her to control me.
Then she released me and stepped back, turning her head away. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice cracking. "I never wanted to do such a thing to my own daughter."
"It's okay," I said, though my voice was a little shaky too as I got off my knees. "How did you do that?"
"It's not something we teach among Moon Witches, but I learned it from my father long ago." She pursed her lips before adding, "He was a Sun Witch."
I recoiled, taking a step back. "I have Sun Witch blood too?"
"Yes, though I don't think it's very strong in you. The Moon Witch and Cancer blood leave little room for the sun."
Thank the goddess for that.
"You never speak about your past," I said softly.
She let out a long sigh. "No, I try to think of it as little as possible, but I suppose you should know your family history. My father was the High Priest of the Sun Witches and a truly evil man. He raped my mother, a Moon Witch, and then took me from her as a child to train me as a Sun Witch. Eventually, the Moon Witches rescued me from his clutches, but my mother lost her life defending me. I trained with the Moon Witches after that." She swallowed hard, though her face remained stoic. "Perhaps you can see why I was desperate to avoid a similar fate for you."
"I understand." I took a step closer to her. "The Sun Witches have taken so much from you. Your mother, your husband..."
She lightly cupped my cheek with her hand. "Yes, but none of those compared to the thought of losing you." She sniffed a little and then composed herself. "Now, we need to make sure you're protected before you return and face them."
"Show me." I lifted my chin and steeled myself for another of her mental attacks.
She waited for the moon to come uncovered from a few clouds, before murmuring a few words. As I watched, moonlight infused her whole body, pouring out of her as if she'd swallowed it and it was coming out of her very pores.
“Did you catch what I said?” she asked, as the glow faded away.
I repeated the words back to her slowly, paying special attention to the enunciation. I'd learned a lot of Greek these past few weeks, and I was fairly certain that if I heard new magic being spoken by the Sun Witches or Moon Witches, I could piece together what it meant.
“Good, that was correct. As you say the words, let the moonlight flow through you. Give yourself over to it, and let it take control. Allow Selene to protect you with her grace."
I shook out my hands and stepped back, eager to try it. We'd practiced this many times, just letting the moonlight soak into me to give me more power or recharge my energy. It felt like welcoming in an old friend, pulling her in for a hug, and immediately feeling like I was home. I could bask in that kind of energy forever if I had the time.
“Speak the words,” Celeste said. “And imagine that the moon is holding you, protecting you, building a shield around your mind and soul.”
I said the words of the spell, feeling the power flow through me even faster. It filled me up and strengthened me, and I imagined the magic forming a barrier around my thoughts. When Celeste mentally ordered me to kneel again, I was able to grit my teeth and fight back, though it made sweat break out on my brow. My knees shook with the desire to bend, but I resisted, gathering more moon magic around my mind until I felt her back off.
She beamed at me. “You are so strong, my daughter. Only a few are able to get it on the first try.”
My heart hammered in my throat as I dropped the mental shield. "Can the Sun Witches really do that?"
"A small number of them can. Unfortunately, Evanora is one of them." Celeste hesitated, and then added, "You should know that she is my half-sister. We grew up together."
Shock and horror ran through me. "Somehow I doubt you were one big happy family."
"No, with the father we had, there was no happiness in our home."
We practiced a few more times until Celeste was satisfied that I could quickly pull up a shield to block a mental attack. “You're ready,” she said. “There's nothing more I can teach you that you need to learn before you go back to Earth.”
"Ready?" I asked, as my heart lurched. "I can go back now?"
"Yes, you can return tomorrow after we initiate you as a full Moon Witch." She came forward to squeeze my arm. "I'm so proud of you."
I threw my arms around her, tears welling up in my eyes. I'd worked so hard to reach this point, and sometimes I'd thought it would never happen, but it was really here. Kaden, I'm coming. "Thank you."
"No, thank you." She hugged me back tightly. “These have been the best few weeks of my life."
I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead against her shoulder, wanting to commit this moment to memory. “I'm so happy I got to spend time with you."
Celeste pulled back and wiped at her eyes too. "I don't know what I will do when you're gone."
"You could come with me." I glanced in the direction of the village. “You and the other Moon Witches could help us fight, instead of hiding. If we face the Sun Witches together, they won't stand a chance." And I don't want to lose you again, I thought but didn't say out loud.
Celeste looked pained, as if she'd heard my words in her head. “I cannot, I'm sorry. None of us can. I have to protect my people, and the Moon Witches are not fighters any longer, but you can always return to Lunatera for safety.” She paused, as if she wanted to say more, and I let her have the few moments to decide. “Or just to see your mom, perhaps."
“Of course I will come back for that reason," I said, hiding my disappointment. I'd known what her answer would be, but I'd had to try anyway.
“I truly hope that you can save Kaden,” she said with a kind smile. “I'd love for you to bring him the next time you visit.”
The thought of introducing Kaden to Celeste made something hurt in my chest. "I'd like that too."
Something in the sky caught my eye, and I looked up just as Larkin swooped down at us.
"When do I learn that spell?" I asked.
Larkin grinned at me, her freckles shining under the moonlight. "Hey, you have your gifts, and I have mine." She turned to Celeste. "Did she pass the test?"
"Yes, she did," Celeste said with a warm smile for both of us. "Tomorrow she will become a true Moon Witch."