Excantation

by Honor Raconteur

  Zoya encouraged, “Let’s ask her. Richard, why don’t you just go? You can survey the area as well as we can, and a single passenger will make it easier on her.”

  “Right, then I’ll give her a ring.” Richard pulled out his phone while muttering, “And hope she’s actually on Earth so it’ll connect.”

  That was kind of the problem with druids. You never knew what plane they were on.

  I lost most of the day to greeting people as they came in. And it was quite the gathering, let me tell you. Imagineers, architects, sorcerers, wizards, druids, witches, you name it. We had people of every possible specialty show up to help. House was constantly adding on rooms and staircases. From the happy rattle it gave, I think it was really excited to have so many people.

  Agna turned Sonic the Hedgehog on me, that’s how fast she zoomed around the place, showing her new guests in and settling them. I couldn’t seem to settle for more than five minutes before someone else showed up. It was insane.

  And amazing. I ended up hugging practically everyone, thanking them for showing up, and getting happy hugs in return. They were all really, really excited by this project.

  Somewhere around late afternoon, I took a few minutes to Skype Nana, partially to check up on her, mostly to update her on what was going on. She answered with a cheery smile. Seriously, it looked like she’d lost another five years since I’d seen her. She was de-aging in front of my eyes, and it was amazing.

  “Reagan!” she greeted happily. “How are things?”

  “Well, it started out as an absolute disaster, but things are looking up now.” I gave her the condensed version of how badly the Hub was doing. She lost her smile, frown replacing it as I listed off the sequence of events and what the Hub was like.

  “Rea, I have to say that sounds terrible. What are you going to do? I know the Hub was incredibly important and we still have that clan that’s lost, right? The one in Finland.”

  “Yeah, that’s an issue I’m not sure where we stand on right now, to be honest. But we do have a game plan for the Hub. We’re going to build a new one.”

  She blinked. “You can?”

  “We can. I mean, it’s not going to be easy, but we totally can. I take it you didn’t see my call for help?”

  “Oh! No, honey, I wasn’t aware of it. I haven’t been on the computer yet today. Did you send out a call for help?”

  “Yup, we all did. They had me start off, as everyone knows my name. I’m the one they correspond with the most. But then James and Aisling pitched in. Basically, we asked for everyone willing to help us build the Hub to come. Any expert, any magician, to just show up here in London. And holy guacamole, Nana, it’s…it’s crazy. Just crazy how quickly people are coming in. I’ve got a confirmed one hundred sixty as of this afternoon coming, and about forty people have already made it here.”

  Her eyes crossed. “But you sent out the invitation to join you?”

  “I had fifty people email me before I could even upload the saved video into the drive. That’s how eager they are to start this. They are all super, super excited. It’s actually kind of cute, really. I’m watching grown adults revert to children with a shiny new toy right in front of my eyes.”

  That got her to snort. “We never really grow into adulthood. It’s just a cloak we don and take off as the situation calls for it. Where does it stand now, then? Have you a spot to put the new Hub?”

  “Hmm, maybe. Richard’s gone on a scouting mission with Aisling, and we’re waiting to hear back from him. Jackson might not have known what to do yesterday, but he’s in his element today. He’s already organizing people into groups, depending on their specialty. He’s popped back up to the old Hub with a scouting crew. They want to do a seeking spell, see if they can find any blueprints. We’re still not sure exactly how they tied the platforms into the Alder Tree, just that they did. Aisling found the tether a little strange, because normally you have to tether directly to the tree, and that means a very close proximity. But the terminals were all a good two hour’s walk away from the tree.”

  Nana knew enough of druidic lore to be able to follow, and she looked perplexed as well. “That is strange. I can’t think of how they did it, either.”

  “Yeah, mass confusion over here. So, they’re looking for plans that will hopefully explain. That, and I think James wants it as a sort of base? He wants to hand this over to the architect team so they have an idea of what we need.”

  “I see. Easier to show than tell, I suppose. What will you be doing while they’re planning all this?”

  “I’m not entirely sure at this point. My immediate task is that after the location is decided, I’m going with Brigid to plant an Alder Tree in the location. I offered to put up a greenhouse around it, protect the tree as they work on growing it.”

  Her eyes crossed. “You’re going to travel on the druidic plane?!”

  “Sounds cool, right? I’m legit excited to do it. But after that, I’m not sure what I’ll be doing. No one’s even hinted about me going back home, though.”

  “The devil you are,” James protested as he stomped into the room. He shook a finger at me, mock scolding. “You started this, young lady. You’re not skipping out on it now.”

  I laughed at him and shrugged. “Didn’t expect to. What’s up, James? Come say hi to Nana.”

  “Oh, hi, Julia,” he greeted, coming around my chair to see the screen.

  “Hello, James. I hear things are hopping over there.”

  “Like a frog on a hot tin roof,” he agreed wryly. “Mostly thanks to your granddaughter. I think she was a rebel leader in a former life. She certainly knows how to get the rallying spirit up. If enthusiasm could build, we’d have a new Hub tomorrow, that’s how excited everyone here is. Say, I’ve meant to ask, how do you feel about joining us?”

  We both stared at him as if he’d said something nonsensical.

  Getting those twin looks, he hastily explained, “I want to learn from history and not repeat the mistake. The main trouble we’ve had with the Hub this whole time is that no one documented what was done, who was involved. Wouldn’t it be better to have someone dedicated—that is to say, a professional observer—record this history as it’s being made? Write it all down, take a ton of pictures, and assemble it all into a record that will survive? I can’t think of anyone better suited to the task, Julia, to be frank. You’re an academic, and you’ve written and published multiple papers and journals. You’ve the right experience for this.”

  “James.” Nana looked beyond touched at this invitation, and I could see the enthusiasm reach her too. The same sort of glee. “I am beyond touched that you thought to ask me, and I will be ecstatic to join you. I’ll book a flight for London.”

  It would be super cool to have her here, but it did bring up the question. “Is your health up to it?”

  “Yes, it is. Honestly, I feel like I’m ten years younger and more mobile besides. I can manage very well for this.”

  “Then come as quick as you can,” James encouraged, grinning from ear to ear like a leprechaun. “You’re already missing the beginning of this saga.”

  “I’ll pack today,” she promised him, rubbing her hands together with anticipation. “Reagan, take pictures and notes for me before I get there, so I have something to refer to.”

  “You got it.” I really did think this was a smart idea James had. It would hopefully curtail a future disaster, having a detailed record of this. And who wouldn’t want to learn about the history of the new Hub?

  “I’ll end the call. I need to pack and buy a ticket. Rea, I’ll email you the flight itinerary soon, alright?”

  “Sure, I’ll be on the lookout for it. And tell Agna you’re coming too. See you soon!”

  “See you soon,” she echoed and then cut the connection.

  James came around the chair and sat down on the ottoman nearby, his eyes serious behind his glasses. “Reagan, I actually came to speak to you about that very thing. What you’ll do
after you’ve assisted Brigid, I mean.”

  “You guys are quickly going over my head,” I told him, passing my hand over my bun in illustration. “Not to mention over my paygrade. I’d love to help, really, I’m just not sure I know enough to be of help.”

  “There is something, in fact, that you know very well and can do swimmingly. But it’ll mean a great deal of travel. I need someone to go hunt up all the platforms on the old maps and rebuild them. And build or fix the buildings around them, get them operational.”

  I felt like someone had smacked me on the back of the head when he said that. Or maybe it’s that I needed a slap on the back of the head. Duh. The Hub wasn’t going to see much use if the platforms around the world weren’t usable. And he was right, the platforms were well within my abilities. I’d dismantled one and completely redone it, so I knew precisely what to do there. “I can do that.”

  “I know you can, but are you willing to do that much traveling?”

  “Honestly, I’m really keen about traveling. Before this year, I never went anywhere. Seeing the world sounds awesome. I just have to ask, who’s going with me? And is it just me going?”

  “To start with. I’ll draft someone to help you, as it’s too much for any single person to do. Hopefully at least two others. But to start, it will be you. Your guardians are a given. I doubt they’ll let you traipse around the world without them.”

  I snorted because yeah, Captain Obvious, that was a given.

  “Aisling, if she’s willing, because someone needs to undo the tethers on the platforms and prep them for the new tether to our Alder Tree.”

  Ohhh yeah. Old tethers would go to the wrong place. Yeah, that’s no bueno.

  “And likely Zoya, as I doubt she’s willing to let you go anywhere without her, either.”

  “Yeah, probably,” I agreed. I thought it through, but really, I doubted we’d need more help than that. Two Imagineers and a druid could do the job handily enough. Even the sigils in the power boxes were something I could duplicate, the design straightforward enough. It wasn’t like they were inherently magical, just a function to draw and harness aetheric power. “Have you asked Zoya about this?”

  “Not yet. I mentioned it to her this morning, the need for the platforms to be renewed, and she agreed to that. But I’m not sure if she’s up to that much travel.”

  “I’m not sure either, but I’m willing to go.”

  “Alright, I’ll go and ask her.” James let out a sigh. “Thank you. I didn’t say that before, and I should have. Thank you for giving us all that push. This really is the only path forward. I think we were all a little scared to take it. That fear blinded us to the wonder—the magic, I guess—of what we could do.”

  I grinned at him. “You’re welcome.”

  He smiled back, then stood with a grunt. “Alright, let’s see if I can track down your master. House, where’s Zoya?”

  House gave a rattle.

  Frowning, he turned and walked from the room, asking the ceiling and walls, “Where? I’m not following.”

  Ciarán in cat form hopped into my lap. I gave him a good stroke along his spine, which he liked, and he purred at me for a moment.

  “I’ll be glad to travel some more with you,” he told me, tail flicking.

  “You’re probably getting bored just sitting around watching us talk math and building materials, huh?”

  “Can’t say it’s riveting,” he admitted, flicking an ear. “But it’s fine, I didn’t think it would be. Still, a chance to stretch the legs would be welcome. Although the question of where to start comes to mind.”

  “I think we should start with the clan in Finland that’s in trouble and possibly lost,” I admitted. “And the platforms around them. We can at least connect the platforms so they can travel within country.”

  “Ah.” His ears flicked again, a sign he was thinking. “That’s probably wise. Dangerous for us, though. You seem to attract danger, a stór.”

  “That is totally not on purpose,” I protested. “And isn’t that why I have you and Klaus? Because Imagineers attract danger?”

  “True enough.”

  Agna popped her head around the door jamb. “Reagan, dinner’s soon, so wash up.”

  “Sure. Oh, wait, Agna!”

  She reappeared, still just her head in view. “What?”

  “My grandmother is coming soon. She’s volunteered to document the whole process of rebuilding the Hub,” I quickly explained. “Can you open a room for her?”

  “Oh! Jolly good thought, that. I’ll put another one on the second floor, then—”

  “Ground floor,” I could hear Klaus call to her. “Julia’s hips are bad!”

  “Ground floor,” she immediately amended. “Thanks for the head’s up. Wash quickly, now.”

  I barely got the laptop closed and off to the side when Richard came through the front door. I kid you not, he was bouncing, literally bouncing on his toes as he stepped through.

  He spied me and lit up. “Reagan! I’m back with fantastic news. Where is everyone?”

  “Dining room, probably. Agna’s putting dinner on the table now.” I didn’t have to ask, as I could pretty much tell from his expression, but I found myself asking anyway. “Is Devon Island a good site?”

  “Perfect,” he responded, looking a little mad scientist with that grin stretching from ear to ear and his hair in a wild, white halo around his head. “Absolutely perfect. We’ll have all the room we need and there’s not a blessed soul in sight for thousands of miles. I’ve found just the spot for it. We’ll need to buy the land, of course, all that. But should do the ticket splendidly. James!”

  I followed him through to the dining room, and yikes, when did it get this big? Agna and House had definitely added a good twenty square feet to this room. I swear, the table was used at the Last Supper, that’s how huge it was. Granted, we already had a good two dozen people seated around it, so it needed the expansion.

  James was half-seated but paused, turning to see Richard. “Good, you’re back! What’s the news?”

  “It’s perfect,” Richard repeated, still bouncing like he was Tigger in a previous incarnation. “Mountains in some places, but there’s a good, large, flat patch that will be the right size for our Hub. No one about for thousands of miles, and I do think the bedrock dense enough to support the weight of a building. We’ll not find better. I took the time to do some surveying, with Aisling’s help, I’ve got hard numbers to work from. Video, too, so you all can see.”

  People were very interested to see, so he fetched his iPad and pulled up all sorts of things, which everyone poured over. Surveying results was outside my wheelhouse, but the video was interesting. It looked extremely flat with barely any grass to be seen. Mostly patterned dirt, like the wind and ice had shaped it into cobblestone-looking waves. I could see why Richard thought it easy to build on. Nothing to clear away, for one.

  “That’s the place,” James decided. “Everyone in agreement?”

  Lots of nods and noises of assent.

  Richard seemed smug as he put the iPad down. “I thought you’d agree. Reagan, I suppose this means you’re planting a tree tomorrow.”

  I shrugged, but I did feel rather excited about that. “I guess I am.”

  Brigid came and got me at some bird’s hour of the morning. I say that because only the birds were awake. Goddesses didn’t really sleep? That was my guess as she looked all bright eyed and bushy tailed and I was tempted to kill her just for how awake she was.

  She took us out of the city and into a park, where grand old trees stood. I vaguely had been aware there was a Tree nearby the druids were using, but I hadn’t thought much about where it stood exactly. A park made sense, since we were literally in the middle of London. I noticed no more details than that, still struggling to get my eyes properly open and focused.

  “Step lively around the Tree now, keep your hand on the bark,” Brigid instructed.

  Bark. Right. Hello, Tree. Such
a nice Tree you are. I kept my fingers trailing on the bark, the other hand covering a yawn as I stepped around the base of the Tree. As I did, I felt a tingle. Like static electricity on the verge of a buildup, but without the actual zap. That woke my brain up as nothing else could while the world was still dark. What was this sensation?

  Then I circled the Tree entirely, Ciarán at my heels, and realized our surroundings looked a bit hazy. Like a mist shrouded my view even though that wasn’t the case at all. It was a surprisingly clear morning, for London. I kept walking, because Ciarán prodded me if I hesitated, and we wrapped around the tree for a third time. Huh. Definitely hazier, and the air had a dense feeling to it. Not quite humidity, but something like it.

  And it smelled earthy? Like damp soil and green, growing things.

  On the fourth rotation around the Tree, I lost sight of the city altogether. The fifth, I was obviously in a different plane, one of thick, primeval forests, although I couldn’t see the fine details as it was hazy still. But on the seventh rotation, I’d stepped completely onto a different plane and it was obviously no longer on Earth. The air felt different, richer and clearer, the sky overhead a totally different time zone as it was high noon here. Had to be, or near that, as it was incredibly bright even through the canopy of trees. And the trees—seriously, Sequoias, move over. These trees were the granddaddy of all trees. I could move my three-story house into one of them and have a little room to spare. No kidding.

  Brigid turned to look at me and giggled, a surprisingly girlish sound. “The look on your face!”

  “I’m sure it’s a good one,” I allowed, still looking around myself in wonder. “Brigid, where are we?”

  “This is the realm of the Tuatha Dé Danann,” she answered, a smile toying around the edges of her mouth. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”