Ruby's Heart, A Blue Moon Coven Chronicle

5. Pythonissam ~ {Witch}

Ruby woke up twice during the long car trip. During those moments the driver pulled over the Rover so that Marny could call Delilah. The first time she called, Marny had held the phone up to Ruby's ear so that only Ruby was affected by the incantation. During the second call, Marny was a bit close to the phone and the incantation put her to sleep as well. Greg used those quiet moments to prepare himself with questions that he wanted to ask Delilah. He had never met his great-grandfather Algernon, so talking to Delilah was a way to connect with a past that was mostly hidden. 

After the four bathroom stops, two Starbucks runs, and three gas station fill-ups the group was finally near their destination. Jacob was driving when they turned onto the dark road that was Delilah's address. As it was nearly three in the morning, he had the brights turned on. The illuminated patches of forest on each side would reveal the creatures of the night as they escaped the blinding high beams. 

Marny started to wake. Greg had been petting her hair softly as she slept. She had been leaning against the car seat. He didn't think it looked too comfortable. As Marny lifted her head she looked out of the front windshield and commented softly. 

"Look at those gates. They are huge."  She seemed to be following the gates as the Rover passed them by. 

"I didn't see any gates Marny." Greg commented as he looked back at where she'd said the gates were located. 

"It doesn't matter now, I think we have arrived." Marny spoke in such a sleepy voice, she might have still been half asleep.

The road ended at another road. There was a small arrow pointing to the right. Before them, a valley lay open. At the crown of the valley was a small hut. Fairy lights were strung over and around the hut and at the sides of the pathway that led toward what was more than likely their accommodations for the night. 

Two large rounded dwellings were set up beside the hut. They looked like they were made of canvas material, but with wooden frames. There were wooden pathways that led to each Yurt and a deck around each one with chairs and a small table. These structures were also decorated with fairy lights, all in a twinkling bright white.

"It's beautiful, Greg." Marny yawned softly as Jacob turned right. He found what looked like it could be a parking area and there he pulled the Rover in and shut it off. 

Ruby began to make the noises she made before the wailing began. Marny quickly unbuckled her from the seat and backed out of the Rover with her precious pup in her arms. Ruby's wails began and they echoed eerily through the valley. Marny began to walk toward the hut and was relieved to see someone coming out.

Delilah had felt them drive up, and was going to wait until they got to the door, but she heard the pup crying and couldn't wait any longer. She opened the door of her hut and held the door open, ushering the weary group of travelers into her humble abode. 

"Welcome, welcome my friends. Please do come in and make yourselves at home. There are many places to sit, yes, come in." Delilah's arms ached to take the wailing pup from Marny. She did not want to seem overbearing. She had to remember, she was in service to them, not the other way around. 

When one observed the outside of the hut, they would expect the inside to match. This hut was clearly enchanted. Once you walked in you found yourself in the middle of a large temple. There were chairs and a sofa to sit on. A hallway left the chamber on the far end and doors to other rooms could be seen in the hallway. 

The temple was decorated quite eclectically. At one end of the large room, there was a kitchen and a table for dining. In the center of the room was an altar, made of heavy stone by appearance. All around the room, there were hangings on the walls of different celestial bodies. Deeply colored red rugs littered the floor wherever you walked.  The room was lit with nothing but candlelight. Sconces hung on the walls and there were standing candelabra about the room with tiers of white candles burning. The room smelled faintly of exotic herbs and spices. It was inviting and invigorating at the same time.