The Witches of Marble Falls

XI

There was a secret place, deep in the woods near the bank of the lake, that she had found the day she had awoken. She went there whenever she needed the quiet, the calm, and the connection with something more than herself. When Valerie was out of the house, Emilia would pack her backpack and disappear into the forest where she would get lost in her own thoughts, in her books, in her gifts.

The remains of a stone cottage were scattered around the her secret place—an archway must have been the front door when the original owners had lived there. She ducked through the frame and picked her way through the tall grass. careful not to disturb anything as best she could.

At some point in the past, a wall had fallen to the ground, leaving a flat surface that could be used as a table—or an altar. She dropped her backpack and knelt before the stone, her hands on her thighs. The storm was still a ways off; she assumed it would not disrupt what she was about to start.

Emilia removed the wooden box and wrapped object, placing them on the stone—the book she kept in her lap, her right hand over the cover. She opened the box and removed nine small vials, a small jar of water and one of salt, and a white votive candle. Placing all of the items on the stone, she opened the book to the marked page and removed a small photograph. She unwrapped the object and laid the cloth down to act as a boundary for her ingredients.

She had been to this spot, with these ingredients, multiple times before—she had been trying to get an answer, some sort of image or word or something that would point her in the right direction, but each time she had performed the ritual, it had been unrewarding. Her resolve lowered, her drive depleting, Emilia was beginning to believe that she was incapable of performing the magic that was necessary to assist her aunt.

With a deep sigh, Emilia look at the book and started her process from the beginning, as she did every time. She read the first passage on the page:

When you feel as if you have been crossed, cursed, or are the recipient of Black Magic, your first step is to find the object that acts as a conduit for that darkness. It may be anything, from a symbol on a piece of paper to jewellery, clothing, or a jar. You must find this object in order to proceed with this ritual.

If you have searched for the object, or are unsure as to where to start, perform the following steps before continuing with the Uncrossing.

To Find the Object

To ensure protection, cast a circle of salt around your working area, to include where you will be standing. Walk counter-clockwise, sprinkling a thin line of salt as you say:

'I ask that Spirit bless this circle, So that I may be free and protected within this space. As I will it, so may it be.'

She placed the book on the stone and removed the lid from the jar of salt. She walked around her space, leaving a thin but unbroken line in her wake, chanting the words three times. As she finished, she placed the salt back on the stone and opened the jar of water.

'Bless the spring water by placing a few pinches of salt in the jar and saying:

Great Spirit, purify this water with your divine power, bless it with you light.'

Set the jar aside, preferably in the light of the New Moon, in order to absorb its purifying and renewing energies. Placing it outside will work just as well.

Emilia replaced the lid on the jar and set it aside, in the far left corner of the stone slab. She glanced up at the sky and saw that the clouds were moving overhead. The thunder that had been so distant when she had first arrived seemed to be drawing closer, and the flashes of lightning were brighter. She turned back to the book and continued reading:

You must have an image of yourself, or of the person who has been cursed, and a mirror. These items will not only assist you in this part of the ritual, but in later steps as well. Place the photo of the Crossed on the mirror (reflective side facing up) and place a white votive candle in the centre of the image.

Have ready a mixture of the follow herbs:

Jasmine for Clarity

Cowslip for Finding

Mugwort to See What is Unseen

Damiana for Sight and Visions

She lifted a small sachet from her pocket and untied the string; she sprinkled it around the candle, over the image, leaving just enough in the bottom of the bag for the next step.

Sprinkle this mixture in a circle around the candle. Light the candle and add a pinch to the flame, but be careful not to inhale the smoke. Hold your hands, palms out and fingers spread, before the items and close your eyes. Say:

'Keeper of that which is hidden, hear me now—find for me what I now seek, by Moon, Sun, Earth, Air, Fire and Water.'

She held her hands before the items, repeating the words, whispering them into the air as she felt the growing energy from the electrical storm. The lightning and the thunder and the threat of rain all fuelled her with energy, raised her hair, and charged her circle. She felt the power around her, the forest lending its strength to her cause.

When the candle had extinguished itself, she removed it and the photo from the mirror and lifted it from the stone. She gazed into her own reflection and finished the ritual:

'What I seek has now been found. Reflect the object from this mirror to my mind. Show me where I may find it.'

A locket. Silver chain. There were swirls and flourishes and odd shapes all over the outside. She knew the locket, she had seen it around her aunts neck every day since they had arrived. She remembered seeing pictures of Kittie wearing it throughout her life. It had belonged to Kittie and Agatha and Eleanora's mother.

That was the object, the locket was perpetuating the curse, keeping it going, draining Kittie of her energy and blocking her connection with her own power and that of her twins.

Emilia opened her eyes and set the mirror down. A smile slid across her face—she had performed the ritual and had received an answer! She was ecstatic about the revelation, and she gave herself a gentle applause. Something caught her attention—a sound, an image, something. As she looked up from the stone, a shadow crossed her vision at the boundary of her salt circle. The rustling of leaves, footsteps crunching through twigs and branches, the soft sound of breathing carried over the breeze.

'Who's there?' She called into the darkness. No answer came. The footsteps had stopped, the breathing no longer audible. She felt nothing but the life of the forest, the electrical charge of the air, and protective barrier she had raised.

Emilia stood and gathered her objects, placing them all in the backpack. The jar of water was last, and she promised herself that she would remember to place it in the windowsill once she returned home. With everything cleaned and packed away, she thanked Spirit for the protection and the assistance, and broke the circle of salt, leaving the ruins of the old stone house.

She was tired, but proud of herself. She knew that she would need Valerie for the next part of the ritual, but she was unsure as to how she would approach the subject with her sister, who thought she was too weak to handle her own gifts. Granted, she did not deny that the creature Professor Hale had summoned had an ill effect on her, she did not believe that it was the only cause of her episode.

There was something dark surrounding Marble Falls, and it stretched to the University and the surrounding area. Someone had opened a door, allowed something to seep into the world that did not belong, and she was able to sense its presence. Whatever it was, she knew that it would be coming to her, for her—she had no idea why, she just knew that it was true.