Earth: The Elementals Book Two

by Jennifer Lush

  “Chamomile,” Kiara answered excitedly, confident she was correct.

  “Good.”

  ‘That was an easy one,’ Everleigh thought. “Of the ones in front of you, which one will be most used during Yule?”

  “Rosemary,” Jasmin answered as though bored.

  “I wouldn’t let our grandma hear that tone,” Everleigh scolded.

  Jasmin simply shrugged and continued her work.

  It was obvious the girls had been at it for hours already and needed a break. “Okay. Two more questions for Amber and Grace. If you answer both correctly, I’ll teach you a few quick fun things you can do with these herbs.”

  That caught their attention. All of the girls seemed to perk up a bit.

  “When would you harvest Yarrow for magical purposes?”

  “Midsummer’s Day,” Amber replied quickly.

  “That leaves Grace. Let me think,” Everleigh knew it would be unfair to make it a hard question as the rest of the girls got off easy, but she didn’t want to make it too easy either. “Which of these goes by the nickname of Bruisewort?”

  Grace looked at the plants covering all surface areas of the kitchen. “Mugwort!” she shouted. “No, wait. That’s not it. Can I change my answer?”

  Everleigh nodded.

  “It’s Comfrey,” she said timidly.

  “Are you sure?” Everleigh tested her.

  She looked around hesitant. “Yeah, I’m sure,” she said, but she didn’t sound like she believed it.

  “That’s right.”

  There was a heavy sigh of relief.

  Amber stopped what she was doing, and eyed Everleigh. “What are you teaching us then?”

  Everleigh picked up a chamomile flower and a lavender bud and placed them in a sieve over a cup. With the Keurig on the counter, she filled the cup with hot water and let it steep for two minutes. She removed the sieve and chanted quietly over the cup, “The dark of night… Make her mind… Dream of things to come… And things desired… Sleep… Sleep now… Awake refreshed… So mote it be.”

  She placed the cup on the island and asked who was brave enough to try it.

  “I’m not even the tiniest bit tired,” Amber declared. Her eyes challenged Everleigh as she took the cup.

  “Go on then,” Everleigh smirked.

  Amber took a sip. “See? Nothing.”

  Everleigh only watched as Amber continued to sip the tea. It wouldn’t take long for the effect to hit. As Amber lifted it to her lips again, her eyes began to close. Everleigh walked around and grabbed both the cup and Amber before they hit the floor.

  “Kiara, help me move her,” she instructed.

  The two of them struggled, but were able to move Amber to the couch.

  “That was amazing!” Grace cried out when Everleigh returned to the kitchen. “How long will she be out?”

  “It depends on how tired her body was and how much she drank. I would think not long. An hour, tops.”

  “Show us something else,” Kiara pleaded.

  This time Everleigh picked up a handful of basil leaves and breathed in the scent, but set them back down. She left the room and returned in a minute with a candle. “I will show you this one, but whoever casts this must put something good out into the universe to replace the positive energy bestowed to them.”

  Jasmin raised her hand weakly. “I’ll do it.”

  “This is a candle that’s been infused with basil. Look closely, and you can see pieces of the leaves throughout.”

  She turned the candle over in her hands then passed it down for the other girls to look as well. Kiara was the last to look at it, and she handed it back Everleigh.

  “You are going to light this candle, draw in the light to protect you, and then repeat the chant I give you. Then blow it out.”

  “That’s it?” Jasmin asked.

  “Simple and effective. This is the chant.” Everleigh said it to her slowly, allowing her time to repeat it to make sure she had it. “The moon… The sun… The skies… The ground… The waters… The Stars… Gather your luck… Flow through me… We will unite… We will shine bright.”

  Jasmin repeated it a couple more times under her breath before lighting the candle. She repeated the chant confidently. At the end when she said, “We will shine bright,” the candle flame shot several feet high then extinguished on its own.

  “Perfect,” Everleigh smiled. “It’s a short term spell. The effects will wear off soon.”

  “What is it for? Good luck?”

  “Yes,” Everleigh told her.

  “How will she know it worked?” Kiara asked.

  “Oh,” Everleigh chuckled. “She will.”

  The girls exchanged doubtful glances. “If it works,” Grace began, “what’s to stop a witch from using this spell all the time?”

  “Abuse of power,” Everleigh stated. “I’m sure that was one of your first lessons.”

  “Yeah, but-” Kiara started.

  “No but’s. A witch must always exhibit caution when using their magic to their own benefit or to extremes, and you must always replace what nature gave you in some way.”

  “What if we don’t?” Jasmin asked, but Everleigh wasn’t sure if she was genuinely curious or trying to find a way to beat the system.

  Before she could answer, Jasmin’s phone rang.

  “Hello?” She didn’t say anything else for a couple minutes, but her eyes widened in surprise. “I will. Thank you!”

  The rest of the ladies waited for her to say something.

  “You know that Halloween party we went to last weekend? I filled out a form and won a gift certificate to the restaurant.”

  “There’s your luck,” Everleigh winked at her.

  It was clear by the look on her face that Jasmin wasn’t convinced. “I probably would’ve won that anyway.”

  “Maybe,” Everleigh told her, “But you never know.”

  Before she finished speaking, Jasmin’s phone rang again. The entire group gasped collectively.

  “Hello?” This time she stared at Everleigh throughout the entire call and started shaking her head by the time it was over. “Wow. Thanks. That’s amazing.”

  Everleigh crossed her arms and waited for her to spill the news.

  “Um, it appears I also won the costume contest.”

  “What did you win?” Kiara asked.

  “A two hundred dollar Visa gift card.”

  “Holy hell!” Grace shouted.

  “Still think it’s a coincidence?” Everleigh asked.

  “No, I shouldn’t have won that.”

  “Why do you say?”

  “Her costume was horrible,” Kiara snickered.

  “What was it?” Everleigh was really intrigued.

  “I went as a witch.”

  “Well, I don’t think that’s horrible,” Everleigh told her, but Kiara was in the middle of a laughing fit at this point. Everleigh looked back and forth between them wondering what she was missing.

  “Her costume,” Kiara gasped. “It was just the dress and hat. Cheap looking.”

  Jasmin’s face flushed. “I decided to go last minute, and they insisted I dress up. I grabbed it as I ran out the door. It wasn’t like I knew there was a costume contest or anything.”

  Everleigh got a chuckle picturing Jasmin dressed up in a cheesy low quality costume without any makeup or accessories. “So what do you think of the spell now?”

  “That one was definitely the spell. It had to be. There were so many really good costumes at that party.”

  “Think about what you won. You have to replace these good vibes somehow, or it will be taken from you in another way.” Everleigh explained.

  “What do you mean taken?” Jasmin was confused.

  “It’s like karma,” Grace told her.

  Everleigh bobbed her head from side to side contemplating the comparison. “A little like karma, yeah. That’s one way of saying it.”

  “Except times three,” Kiara chimed.


  “Exactly. The rule of three,” Everleigh said decisively.

  “So what do I have to do?” Jasmin looked worried.

  “Do something good for others. Something unexpected and without them asking for it,” Everleigh told her. “We should always be putting that good out into the world anyway, but you especially need to now.”

  “I’m just going to donate it. I didn’t deserve to win it anyway,” Jasmin decided. “But I’m keeping the restaurant one.”

  “I think that will do it,” Everleigh smiled in approval. It was exactly what she would have done in her shoes.

  Eloise walked into the room and looked around before spying Amber lightly snoring on the couch. “Teaching those fun spells, I see,” she said, not necessarily approving.

  “It was a reward for getting all the answers correct to questions I asked about these herbs,” Everleigh explained.

  Her grandma’s attitude changed hearing that, and she nodded favorably. “Did you teach them about flying ointment yet?”

  “No, but I will when Amber comes around.”

  “Good. Don’t forget.”

  There was a knock on the door which opened right after it. Meredith’s voice could be heard down the hall, “Knock. Knock. It’s me!”

  She appeared in the kitchen moments later and groaned. “I feel for all of you. I hated this part of magic training.”

  “It’s not training, Meredith. Its life knowledge,” Eloise was easily agitated by her.

  “To-may-to, to-mah-to,” Meredith quirked. “Everleigh, why are you doing this? I thought you would be long past Intro to Witchy Plants 101.”

  “I’m helping out since Grandma will be gone for the afternoon.”

  “Oh,” Meredith raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips. “I’m impressed. Eloise doesn’t trust the education of newly called witches to just anyone.”

  “Enough of your mouth,” Eloise snapped.

  Everleigh stood back out of the crossfire. It still amazed her that her grandma agreed to ride with her aunt. It would be an awkward ride for both of them given how Grandma felt about the vampire side of Aunt Meredith.

  “I’ll be good,” Meredith acted innocent. “I promise,” she said, crossing her fingers in plain sight for all to see.

  A couple of the girls snickered which brought sharp glances their way from Eloise.

  “Let’s get going,” she told Meredith. “You know how I hate arriving late.”

  Meredith’s eyes widened, and she looked at her watch. She mouthed the words, “I’m early!” to Everleigh as Eloise left the room to grab her coat.

  Everleigh instinctively slapped her hand over her smile even though her grandma couldn’t see her anymore.

  “Meredith!” Eloise called from the doorway. “Time doesn’t stop for anyone, least of all you!”

  She balled her fists and scrunched up her face with eyes closed tight. Moving closer to Everleigh, she whispered, “You better cast a spell for us while you’re at it. We’re gonna need the help.”

  With that, she called out, “Right behind you, Eloise,” and hurried toward the door. In seconds, the door shut behind them.

  All of the ladies in the kitchen burst into laughter at once. They laughed until they cried. They were so loud Amber woke up, and in a confused state wondered aloud how she wound up in the next room asleep. This only added to their outburst. It was several long minutes before continuing any spell work was considered.

  Jackson arrived not long after that. It was time. The idea of producing a flying ointment made Everleigh nervous. Jackson would no doubt be careful with it, but some of her cousins might decide to play around. One in particular caused her alarm over the possibility.

  “What exactly is a flying ointment?” Jackson raised an eyebrow at the herbs spread out before everyone.

  “It gives witches the ability to fly,” Grace answered.

  Jackson pulled back the corners of his mouth and shrugged. “I wondered if it was that simple.”

  “Not exactly,” Everleigh countered, cutting a sharp look at Grace. This is why she didn’t think they were ready for such learning. They didn’t even understand what they were creating.

  “Go on,” Jackson encouraged.

  Everleigh grabbed a box of medical grade plastic gloves to pass around. “These herbs are deadly if not handled properly. I’m not taking any risks,” she told the group.

  “Flying ointment is a salve that has been around in one form or another long before the term witch was coined. Back around the medieval times, it got its name because it was believed to give a witch the ability to fly on her broomstick,” Everleigh rolled her eyes. It never ceased to disturb her the untold horrors and often comical accusations her ancestors had been dealt.

  “When applied, it will cause hallucinations before sending the user into a comatose state. Anyone who discovered your body would believe you to be dead. There would be no detectable heart rate or respirations. Meanwhile, you will be in the midst of an out of body experience.”

  Jasmin’s eyes lit up. “Astral projection?”

  Everleigh nodded. “Before you get to excited, you must use extreme caution. These herbs we’re working with and the salve itself can and will kill you if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

  The atmosphere in the room changed as Everleigh spoke the words which is exactly what she needed. This work demanded respect. It was hard to say which unnerved her the most. Teaching these novices how to make flying ointment would allow them to try to recreate it on their own. Sending them off with their own sample to be responsible for safe keeping when they barely revered the craft. There was also the glaring certainty that there would be a need for them to use it because it’s the only reason her grandma would have asked her to complete this task.

  Measuring out the belladonna, devil’s weed and mandrake kept her cousins solemnly in line. Jackson was the one who needed to be informed of the harsh consequences of the herbs. Everleigh did most of the work not wanting to risk any accidents on her watch. It took longer than she’d have liked to finish up, but everyone was equipped with a balm tin of flying ointment when she was done.

  Amber was the first one to ask how to use it which didn’t come as a surprise. “Just rub it on your skin or something? How much? All of it?”

  Everleigh closed her eyes and swallowed hard. The one person she would expect to play around with the ointment was Amber. The girl had developed very little respect for the craft yet. It was becoming clearer by the day why she hadn’t been the original one to receive the calling. Witchcraft really didn’t suit her insubordinate ways. This was a lifestyle you had to take on as your own. It wasn’t something you could control and amend to your own needs. It was something you had to obey and honor.

  “Ask Grandma to give you the directions,” Everleigh said, opening her eyes. The ingredients on the table were all dangerous on their own, and she hurriedly began collecting everything to store them away.

  “You showed us how to make it and gave it to us, but you’re not going to tell us how to use it?” Amber seethed with irritation.

  That’s another reason why the calling should have skipped her. She was quick to anger. One needed to keep a cool head about themselves in this line of work. “That was all Grandma asked me to do. If she wants you to use it, she will tell you how.”

  Amber was about to object again. The irritation was growing into something more, and that rage could be felt by everyone in the room.

  ‘Let her get as angry as she wants. I’m not telling her what to do with it just so we can find her lifeless body in the morning.’

  Before either of them could speak again, the front door burst open, and Grandma Eloise’s voice could be heard yelling through the house. They were all needed and whatever was going on sounded urgent.

  “Jackson, wait a minute,” Everleigh told him, sneaking to look out of the sunroom.

  Matt, Rita and Luke were walking in the front door. There’d be alarm over Luke’s presence except it
looked like everyone from the meeting was showing up. “Where’s your truck?” she asked.

  “Way ahead of you, Lee-Lee,” Jackson smiled. “I walked over her because I suspected something like this might happen.”

  Everleigh was so relieved she almost let the use of the nickname slide without retaliation. “How about that?” she said slowly.

  Jackson squinted his eyes wondering what she was getting at.

  “You do have a brain in that thick head of yours! Who knew?”

  She caught the box of medical gloves Jackson whipped at her head. Everleigh held a finger to her mouth telling him to be quiet and nodded toward the hall. “Use the back door. Go back home and get your truck. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to show up if Lilah doesn’t get ahold of you first.”

  Everleigh waited for Jackson to disappear through the backyard before checking to see what all the commotion in the front of the house was about.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Eloise and Meredith came rushing into the house together startling the friends who were busy finishing up the work left for them to do. “Girls!” Eloise called from the front room. “Come now.”

  They filed in to see what was so urgent with Everleigh taking her time joining them. They had been waiting to hear the news of the meeting, but this looked too urgent to bring it up.

  “There is important work to be done,” Grandma Eloise informed them.

  A knock on the door was answered by Grace. It was Rita, Matt and Luke.

  The girls held their breath and waited for the fireworks to begin. It was beyond anyone’s comprehension that Luke would just waltz in the front door knowing Eloise was at home and knowing how much she despised him.

  “Boys,” Eloise called out. “Move this furniture post-haste. We need a place to work.”

  Luke and Matt immediately set to work clearing all of the furniture from the front room until it was empty. All that remained were the framed prints on the walls.

  This was surreal like a twilight zone experience. Everleigh walked in on Luke offering a helping hand like he was one of the family. She had questions and more were developing at lightning speed. What had happened to convince her grandma to work with the others like this was her main concern. Something forced this change.