by Vega Lizzie
“Probably not,” Shannon commented as she slowly rotated the crystal with her fingers. There were three eyelets woven into the cloth on one end and a square hemmed hole to one side. Shannon moved the crystal to the right. The rest of the rectangular cloth was blank. The room was silent.
“You guys are freaked out. I can tell,” Chloe blurted suddenly, “what’s going on?”
“It’s okay, just give us a second.”
“I mean you’re really intense…it’s scaring me.”
“It’s okay, Chloe,” Terra answered with a warm smile, “it’s just that we’ve seen one of these before and it was a clue to a larger event. It turned out fine, don’t worry.” Her smile seemed to soothe Chloe’s apprehension until Shannon reached in her pocket to pull out her phone. She glanced at Terra, “look vaguely familiar?” she asked, “only a few square miles larger?”
“Uh-oh,” Terra responded under her breath, as she watched Shannon find her flashlight app “What are you going to do?”
“Add a little sunset. Chloe, did your dad ever do any work up in the foothills above the city? Any prospecting maybe?”
“All the time,” she answered, “I got to go with a bunch of times.” Another look was exchanged between Shannon and Terra.
“You two are freaked out again,” Chloe murmured as she watched Shannon bring her flashlight slowly over the top of the cloth, “it’s like you read each other’s thoughts.”
Shannon smiled slyly as Terra put her arm around Chloe, “Maybe a little,” she said as she hugged her, “It’s usually pretty noisy in there.”
“Shh-hh” Shannon chuckled, “Witchy moment coming up.” Halting the flashlight just above the crystal, she raised it up slowly, “Secreta psalmorum,” she whispered, “arcana emitta furorem.”
“Secrets revealed,” Chloe repeated softly, “not sure on the other part.”
No sooner had she spoken; a shaft of light shot from the obelisk to light up the blank section of the cloth. It hovered for a moment to light up three small spots in the open field, then a rough shaped triangle appeared at the far end of the cloth. First a circle, then an arch over the rough triangle.
“The overlook,” Terra said quietly, “it’s gotta be.”
“And the bone circle,” Shannon added, “but there’s a path across it. It would lead to that ledge of the far side.”
“What are you guys talking about?” Chloe wondered, “Now you’re getting all excited.”
Terra eyebrow twitched, “That’s disturbing. Turn off the light and try it again. Maybe it’s not a one-time thing.”
A second attempt recreated the same design. This time the lighted path across the bone circle seemed brighter. Shannon glanced at Chloe’s windowsill, “Get your sculpture, let’s put on a light show.” She shrugged her shoulders as Chloe dashed for the crystal sculpture, “We are truly connected here. Fascinating.”
“Fascinating,” Chloe repeated in a deep voice and it made Terra laugh, “Connected more than you know.” Again, Terra looked at Shannon and they nodded, “Time for Marcus again.”
“Who’s Marcus, again?” Chloe asked innocently, “Oh your computer guy, right. He sounds cool.”
“He is cool,” Shannon chuckled as she began to bring the orb close to the light, “I think you’d…”
“...really like him a lot,” Terra finished.
Shannon gasped as a reflection from the crystal met the brightly faceted metals in Chloe’s orb, then caught herself, “Secreta psalmorum,” she whispered again, “arcana emitta furorem.”
Again, the triangles formed as the path of light appeared to overlap the bone circle. There was a low hiss and a faint image appeared on the tabletop. A three-dimensional image of a large ring appeared. “Terra, quick, get a picture.”
As Terra swung her phone up, Shannon set her hand next to the glowing image. It appeared to flicker and become more defined the closer her hand got. Moving her fingers slightly, the ring shifted to a crescent moon.
“It looks like you could pick it up,” Chloe whispered, “I wonder what it does?” The moment Chloe spoke, it disappeared. “I got it,” Terra grinned triumphantly, “this goes to Eliza right away.” She looked at Chloe, “Um, is that alright with you? It’s your pen.”
“I sort forgot about the pen,” Chloe exclaimed, “you mean my Dad had this all along?”
“Maybe so, sweetie,” Shannon half smiled. Suddenly both Terra and Chloe sensed that something was going on with Shannon. “I kinda forced the reveal with the incantation. I don’t know if that was the right thing to do.”
“Eliza will tell us,” Terra reassured them both, “Maybe Robin too.”
“And now there’s Robin,” Chloe grinned, “Is he cool, too?”
Terra looked at Shannon and grinned, “I wonder, could she pull that off?”
The comment jogged Shannon from her thoughts, “That would be interesting. We’ll have to ask her.”
“So, Robin is a girl,” Chloe said, mildly embarrassed, “oops. She’s cool, right? Duh, you guys are all cool.”
“Thanks, you are too,” Shannon added. “Let’s put our toys away and have a glass of wine, then we’ll let you get a good night’s sleep. We have work to do.”
After the glasses were poured and a gentle toast to happiness was made, Chloe carefully placed the small crystal back in its wrapping and slipped it back inside the pen, “I’m not going to sleep much tonight,” she confessed, “I’m kinda excited for what might happen.” Terra looked at Shannon, “How did you know to use your flashlight?”
Shannon shrugged, “Seemed logical. When Chloe first touched it, it seemed to flare a little. I just added more light.” She grinned at Terra, “You should show her your tattoos.”
There was a moment of silence and Terra began to grin happily, but it was Chloe that picked up her wine glass first, “That’s what you do, Shannon, you add more light. When we’d go prospecting, my Dad carried this monster flashlight…super powerful and bright.”
Terra gasped, “Yes, that’s perfect. When in doubt, add more light.” They clinked their glasses together. “When you were up in the hills,” Terra asked, “ever see anything…unusual?”
“Or have a weird feeling that made you uncomfortable?” Shannon smiled suddenly, “or made you feel welcome or happy?”
Chloe shook her head, “Not that I remember. My father was always deliriously happy up there. Him and his rocks.” She took another sip of her wine and made a face. Then looked shyly at Terra, “You have tattoos,” she asked, then blushed, “did they hurt?” she waited a moment, “Can I see one?”
Terra caught Shannon’s eye, then looked down at her slim cut jeans, “They’re, um, higher up on my calves,” she said as she began to stand. “If you don’t mind me dropping my pants…”
Chloe’s eye got huge.
“They are cool,” Shannon added, “It might be a good idea if you see them,” she looked up at Terra with a sly smile, “plus her legs are amazing.” Terra grimaced as she watched Chloe drain her wine glass and follow it with another grimace.
“I’m gonna stare, I’ll admit it now,” she said straight-faced. “It’s gym class…it just gym class.” As Terra quickly lowered her jeans past her knees, Chloe gasped at the first shielding tattoo, “That is really…elegant.” Terra rotated to show her the snake version and Chloe drew back, then leaned in, completely surprising Terra as she reached out to touch her leg, “It looks almost real.”
Terra held her comment for a moment, “There are days…”
“Hey, look at the time,” Shannon snickered, “we should probably let you call it a day. We fly out tomorrow, crack of dawn and a rare return flight.”
Chapter 37
The following week, the family began training in earnest. Terra met Robin twice at the quarry for speed training and Olivia joined Lima and Issac for orb work. The first days went well, but they began to slowly bog down as the week progressed. Shannon called a meeting for the next morning.
While Terra and Robin sat at the kitchen island discussing plans for Darien, Shannon seemed distracted as she flitted about the kitchen. It seemed she was more interested in keeping everyone’s glasses full. They had made progress but had yet to define a specific plan.
A knock on the door signaled Eliza’s arrival and she greeted everyone, throwing her jacket over an open bar stool, “Sorry I’m late,” she apologized, “Marcus is having some success in his searching.
Hearing Eliza’s enthusiastic voice, Olivia peeked her head into the kitchen. She was subtle as she sidled up to the island, “I made a few notes while you guys have been discussing your Montana visit. I think I can help.”
“Honey, I have no doubt of this but there isn’t going to be a fight. I’m just going to talk to them and work out some sort of arrangement.”
“So, we’ve been training for nothing?”
Shannon was taken aback by her daughter’s bluntness. “No, Ollie. I assure you that we never train for no reason. I just want to avoid conflict if possible.”
“Well, Karly said…”
Shannon cut off her daughter, “I’m sure Karly means well, but we’ll take it from here.”
Olivia raised her hands in frustration and took a short breath, “She got a good read on this Darien guy and…”
“Ollie, please.”
“Fine.” Olivia slapped her hand across the counter to grab her notepaper, “If you change your mind, I’ll be practicing in the rec room.” Her emphasis on the last two words held more than a little attitude. She stomped out of the kitchen but not before she caught Robin’s eye with the tiniest of smiles.
“Uh, wow, I’m sorry but did I miss something?” Eliza was quick to say after she left, “she seems a little…”
“Bitchy?” Shannon said quietly, “and now I feel guilty that I didn’t let her engage.” She sighed heavily and shook her head, “Sorry.”
Robin stood up, “Hold that exact thought. I will be right back.” She walked out into the living room, following Olivia. A minute later she returned to the silent kitchen looking down at Olivia’s handwritten notes. She was shaking her head, then she grinned over her shoulder before joining the women at the island.
“So,” she began, still snickering, “what did your very impressive daughter just do to a room full of talented witches?” She smiled at Eliza’s blank expression, “keep in mind we really haven’t accomplished anything concrete this morning.”
“I wouldn’t say we haven’t done anything,” Shannon protested mildly, “she’ll be a tough one today.”
Terra spoke up, “Actually, we haven’t done squat, but…wait a minute,” She pointed to Olivia’s notes, “let me see that.” As Robin handed over the notes, Terra grinned, “Oh, yesss. She just schooled all of us.” She held up the paper to Shannon, “she just probed her enemy’s camp and created a weakness.”
Robin agreed, “Now when we are feeling down and guilty, she attacks when we are weak.”
Olivia appeared in the doorway, “Either an impressive attack to break morale, or a crushing strike to end the battle quickly.”
“My God,” Robin smiled, “You’ve been studying, haven’t you?”
Olivia nodded then put her arm around her mother, “Sorry, I was bitchy. I was just acting.” She tried to keep a straight face, but it didn’t last, and her musical laughter filled the room.
Terra just rolled her eyes, “Shannon has history with Darien, and he may use that to exploit her. If we expect it, or soften him up if needed, Shannon has more leverage.” She picked up the notepaper, “Ollie, you might want to explain these.” She pointed at the last entry, “I think I know what you mean by this. Care to enlighten us?”
“Find a dragonfly,” she read, “to draw him out into the open.”
“Bait,” Shannon said quickly, “I don’t like the sound of that, hun.”
Olivia didn’t miss a beat, “Maybe more than one of us.”
“Even less, now.”
“Just hear her out, Shannon,” Eliza suggested as she picked up the paper to read the other items. Her jaw dropped as she looked at Olivia, “and remind me never to piss you off.”
Shannon pulled on the back of an open stool, “Have a seat, hun. Let’s hear your ideas.”
“I only have about an hour, then Karly’s meeting me at the mall.”
Terra flipped her almost blank pages of notes over to a fresh sheet, “No worries, I’ll get you there on time.” Olivia glanced to her mother and smiled, happily accepting Terra’s offer, “Perfect.”
Terra pulled up at the shopping mall entrance, “Here ya go. Girls day shopping, that’s so cool. Marcy and Kristin coming too?”
“Nope, Just Karly. Marcy’s too…much and Kristin is fine but not for this. Karly has better fashion sense. I think anyway.”
Terra just smiled, “I would agree. She’ll help you find…the look you’re after. Art stuff?”
Olivia was busy staring out the window, “Mom mentioned a gallery thing in a couple weeks. I wanted to do this on my own.”
“I’m proud of you, hun. Especially after this morning. You kinda showed us all up.”
“I was worried you’d get mad, so I held back a little.”
Terra snickered, “I figured. You should have seen Robin’s face as you laid out your ideas for Helena.”
“She was quiet,” Olivia grinned, “Not as cocky as usual.” She turned to Terra, “How old do you think she is?”
“Interesting,” Terra grinned, “I’d guess mmm maybe forty-five or so. Why do you ask?”
Olivia shrugged, “She seemed happy to be with us. I don’t think she has anyone special in her life.”
“Very observant,” Terra said, then began to debate about how much she should disclose, “I don’t think she’s lonely. I mean I get that feeling.”
“You mean she’s unconventional?” Olivia questioned, “No shortage of that.” She grinned, looking across the parking lot, “There’s Karly. Thanks for the ride.”
As Olivia got out of the car, Terra called out to her, “You two have fun playing dress up.” It surprised her as Olivia walked back to lean the edge of the car window, “We will. Thanks a bunch.”
Back in the same store as their first shopping day, Olivia seemed content to repeat the same outfit that Marcy and Kristin had chosen. Karly had other ideas. She gently waved off Olivia’s first selection, “Try more contrast,” she suggested simply, “Light top with a dark pair…” her eyes brightened, “how ‘bout a skirt? You can still be dark.”
When Olivia’s eye flared, Karly was quick to question it, “Is this like a dress up thing, or what?”
Olivia shrugged, “Mom says I need a couple of outfits. Something other than jeans and t-shirts.”
Karly stood back, pondering. “Art show stuff, right? You seem a little apprehensive.” As she watched her friend shrink back, she grinned, “Peopling…I get it.”
“Yeah, the um, art show thing.” Olivia put her hands on her hips, pouting at the full-length mirror, “I have no idea what I’m doing, but…” Karly caught her eye and held it for a moment, then she gasped, “I’ll be right back.” A few minutes later she returned with two outfits. “These are a little more, well-” She watched Olivia for a reaction, and instantly got one.
“You’re reading me, aren’t you? I know when you’re doing it. I would say now, is not a good time.”
Karly grimaced, “Oh…well, um okay.” She held out one at arm’s length, “This one says sophisticated senior recital. A nice summer knit.” She winked, “Charcoal, not too dark.” She followed that up with a grin. “This one, you are getting an award at a prestigious art school having dazzled them once again with your many talents.”
“That’s a little much…it’s kinda plain,” Olivia offered, as Karly produced a wide belt for the skirt from behind her back “Ah-ccessories,” she sang out into the dressing room lobby, then shrugged, “try ‘em both. Think bracelets and a simple necklace with the tank top.” Olivia stared at
the sparse outfit but spun and headed for the dressing room. “Tuck the tank into the skirt,” Karly called after her, “belt over the top to show off your hips.”
A few minutes later, Karly looked up. “Oh…oh wow, that’s it. You look so…different.” She put her arms up to flex, “Arms up, make a muscle.”
“What?” Olivia sighed, “I have zero experience with this kind of thing. It makes me uncomfortable.”
Karly shook her head, “You don’t look it…as usual. Just making sure your bra doesn’t show. You look like a senior.”
“I want it to be just right, but jeez, Karl, thanks for that. Thanks for all of this.”
“You can still wear your red Chucks as your ruby slippers. It would be super cute.” Karly’s eyebrow went up, “When?” she whispered quietly, “after Helena?”
“Shhh, you’re not supposed to talk about that stuff. I’m gonna change and put this up at customer service. My mom will pick it up later.” Olivia took a few steps then turned back to her friend. With her finger to her lips, she nodded once.
A few minutes later, Olivia was out of the dressing room and after bringing her choices to the service desk, she lowered her voice to Karly, “I have one other thing to do if you want to help me?”
Karly was quick to accept the invitation and as Olivia quietly told her the plan, her eyes grew wider by the moment. “You mean she can learn to do it?” Olivia grinned, “Maybe,” she said, waiting for Karly’s next question, “and I can too?”
Olivia smiled, “My way of saying thank you for all you do. Mom won’t mind. We just need to go somewhere that’s private, so no one sees.”
Ducking into a service corridor from the busy mall hallway, Olivia took out her phone and quickly explained her intentions. “Mom and Terra met someone out in Helena and she’s super cool.”
“Will I get to meet her?” Karly asked carefully after being quiet for a moment.
“Definitely,” Olivia grinned, “She’s kinda like Eliza and a little bit like you and…they have really opened up to her. I think I should too.” She handed Karly her phone. “Film me while I show you both how to maybe do a little something. Might work, might not but it’s just to say hi, anyway.” She grinned happily, “You can be in it, we’ll do a video selfie. I tell you what to do and when to zoom in on my hands.”