Annie's Song
Page 14
I am going with the straight up: Lucifer placed himself above God, and was cast down to Hell with the angels who followed him. He became the Lord of Hell, Satan, Beelzebub – whatever name you want to label him. Claire fell with him, served at his right hand, until she remembered what she had once been, and lost the venom and the hate needed to torture condemned souls. Lucifer is always in the background, a reminder of who and what she was, what she became because she believed in him.
pentagram/pentacle – a five point star, typically drawn in five straight strokes. Used by the Ancient Greeks and the Babylonians, it is best known for its magical ties, and is worn by many who practice and believe in pagan faiths. If the pentagram is inside a circle, it is known as a pentacle. In Christianity the pentagram was believed to represent the five wounds of Christ, and was protection against demons. If the top point of the star is reversed – pointing down – it is a symbol of Satan, literally reversing its meaning.
Claire’s tattoo is broken, useless. But with the wall Azazel created, she no longer needs its protection. I use them as they are listed in the Wicca faith – pentagram is the star, and pentacle is the star inside a circle. Most jewelry is in the form of the pentacle.
standing stones (stone circle) – a circle created using standing stones. The most famous is Stonehenge, and the huge circle at Avebury. These are dotted around Britain, and are considered a place for ceremonies, as research has not revealed evidence of human occupation inside the circles. The standing stones in circles I have visited range in height from waist high to over ten feet.
I use the standing stones as a center of power, and where the evil that becomes Diana’s downfall is buried. Stone circles are such an enigma, and a mystery, I enjoyed having one that became an important part of the story.
tarot – tarot was originally a card game, played in Italy from the mid-fifteenth century, its popularity spreading to France, Switzerland and Germany. Like a modern day deck, it has four suits, plus an augmented fifth suit of permanent trumps, creating a 78 card deck. It was only later that tarot became a source for divination and readings. The occult tarot deck is different, consisting of the major arcana – 22 cards with no suits, and the minor arcana – 56 cards broken into four suits.
Tarot is not touched on in this book – but it plays a huge role in the next one. Stay tuned.
triquetra – Latin for three cornered, a triquetra is also known as the trinity knot. As a religious symbol it has been used to represent things and people that are threefold. An example is the Christian blessed trinity of Father, Son, Holy Spirit. In the Pagan religions it is a symbol with several meanings – the three stages of the Triple Goddess, the three realms of earth, sky and sea, and the connection of mind, body and soul are some examples. It is also considered a symbol of protection.
Claire’s triquetra tattoo is as useless as her pentacle, and she covers it with a wide leather band, to keep it from reminding her about what she lost, and what hides behind the wall inside her.
Wicca – a spanking new religion, it appeared at the first part of the 20th century, and was officially named Wicca by the 1960s. Many practice ritual magic, and they follow what is known as the Wiccan Rede: “an it harm none, do what ye will.” It can be practiced in solitary, or as part of a coven, and is as involved, and often as convoluted, as any religion.
Claire used Wicca as a cover – now she has Annie as the resident witch, and the shop is her haven, her way of reconnecting to the human part of herself, while still able to make a living.
witchcraft – by simple definition, it is the practice of magic. The full definition would take another book. Short and sweet: before the Church stepped in, those who practiced witchcraft for the good of all were respected, and often revered for their talent. They were sought out for their skills with healing. In modern society, witchcraft has regained a sense of the respect and awe it once had, and people openly practice without fear of persecution.
Annie practices witchcraft – and has gotten more proficient, especially with Marcus as a teacher. She uses her power and skill in ways she doesn’t want to – and is forced to use them this time to save her life. There is so much to be mined in the area of witchcraft, I don’t need to embellish.
ANNIE’S SONG
THE CLAIRE WICHE CHRONICLES BOOK 4
Cate Dean
Copyright, 2013
All Rights Reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except for use in any review. This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, locales, and events are either pure invention or used fictitiously, and all incidents come from the author’s imagination alone.
Cover art by Nadica Boskovska
Cover design by Indie Author Services
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Books by Cate Dean
The Claire Wiche Chronicles
Rest For The Wicked – The Claire Wiche Chronicles Book 1
A Gathering of Angels – The Claire Wiche Chronicles Book 2
Carry On Wayward Son – The Claire Wiche Chronicles Book 3
Annie’s Song – The Claire Wiche Chronicles Book 4
What Doesn’t Kill You – The Claire Wiche Chronicles Book 5
The Claire Wiche Chronicles Volumes 1-3
Choices - A Time Travel Novella
Last Chance Jack – A Fantasy Short Story
When Walls Can Talk – A YA Fantasy Novella (The Black Mountain Saga)
Danel of Black Mountain – The Sequel to When Walls Can Talk (The Black Mountain Saga)
Alex Finch: Monster Hunter (The Monster Files Book 1)
Author’s Note
A book is never the product of the writer alone. Standing behind them are the people who help make them look good, who help complete the process, and do so with grace and incredible talent. These are my people, and without them, I would still be mucking along, reaching for a dream instead of living it. Thank you, Janet, of Dragonfly Editing, for the last set of eyes on my work; it made all the difference, and to Christine, for another beautiful cover design. A special thank you to Nadica, for the stunning art that graces my cover. It is such a joy and a pleasure to work with you. To my readers, Theresa McClinton and Rhonda Hopkins – my most sincere thanks for all of your help and support. I never could have done it as well without all of you.
And a special thank you to Michelle and Penni, for letting me into your lives, and bringing what I found to life on the pages of this story. You helped enrich it in a way that would not have been possible without you.
About the Author
Cate Dean has been writing since she could hold a pen in her hand and put more than two words together on paper.
She grew up losing herself in the wilds of fantasy worlds, and has had some of her own adventures while tromping through the UK, and a few other parts of the world. A lover of all things supernatural, she infuses that love into her stories, giving them a unique edge.
When she's not writing, she loves cooking, scaring herself silly in the local cemeteries, and reading pretty much anything she can get her hands on.
There - I got the official biography out of the way.
I love to write, and yes, I have been doing it most of my life. I've made up stories in my head for as long as I can remember, and I am thrilled to be able to write them down and share them with you.
The Claire Wiche Chronicles is my first series. I am incredibly proud of it, and floored by all your wonderful comments and emails.
Now with the last book in that series finished, I have more fun planned for me, and for you. Stay tuned.
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Table of Contents
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
Reader’s Guide to the Claire Wiche Mythology
Books by Cate Dean
Author’s Note
About the Author
Table of Contents
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
Reader’s Guide to the Claire Wiche Mythology
Books by Cate Dean
Author’s Note
About the Author