Rosemary pointed to the red card with a lion’s head outlined in gold. “It means power and strength. The card radiates a strong amount of energy from it. You, dear, are far more powerful than you realize, and will soon come to find out. You were right to come here for help. I will help you with that spell.”
Astonishing was the word that came to Kayci’s mind. Hearing that she could trust Adrian lifted the concern and weight she had lingering in her chest. The thought had already crossed her mind with Adrian’s pattern of protecting her from other vampires, but hearing it come from Rosemary provided the confirmation she needed.
Outright knowing that he would come to love her was overwhelming, and part of her wished Rosemary hadn’t told her. It meant she had to admit to her own growing feelings for him as well as her concern for Adrian’s safety if the Covenant found out about her.
The Revival card made her curious. She wished the card had provided more insight. She honestly already felt she was going through a change emotionally and spiritually. The last few days had opened her eyes to a whole new world and more about who she was. She wasn’t comfortable with the new changes, by any means, but it felt right to continue forward with an open mind.
The Power card surprised her. Being strong, yes, that was something she was fully aware of, but she didn’t feel powerful. Especially right now. Kayci found herself a bit more eager to embrace the spell and experience more of her vampire nature.
“Thank you, Rosemary, for helping me again, and thank you for the reading. It was…” Kayci paused. “I don’t even know what to say. You’re very gifted.”
“My pleasure, Kayci. You need to know you’re special, as are you, Elise.” She looked at Elise and smiled.
“Kayci, you came into my shop today with a heavy weight on your shoulders. I see that weight has lifted. You’ve overcome the shock of what you are and the new world around you. I think you’re ready to embrace it.” Rosemary gathered the four cards and placed them with the rest. She looked back at Kayci.
“Are you ready to do the spell?”
Kayci exhaled lightly. “Yes, I am.”
Rosemary rose from her chair, entered the shop, and returned shortly with a stone that appeared to be an emerald but was dark and rigid. It wasn’t smooth like the emerald stones Kayci had seen in jewelry stores. Rosemary held the stone up for Kayci and Elise to see.
“I just recently bought two of these stones from my gem dealer in Winter Haven. They are pricey stones, but my intuition told me to purchase them. When you asked about the spell, this stone immediately came to mind. It’s rare and powerful. Used for inner transformation. It’s called moldavite, the emerald that fell from the sky,” she said in a singsong voice. “Just by wearing this stone, it is powerful enough to help a normal person break free from their mental, physical, or emotional barriers.”
As Rosemary moved it back and forth in the light, Kayci admired the rigid edges that to her expressed freedom rather than conformity of the usual smooth-edged gemstones bought from a jeweler. Entranced by the shifting shades of green, she wanted to touch it, hold it, and rub her fingers along the edges. She sensed energy emanating from the stone. It pulled her in like a magnet. She found herself selfishly wanting the beautiful green stone for herself, as if it were a coveted diamond.
“I’m going to cast a spell on this stone to focus on bringing out your true nature and for you to be able to harness the energy of the stone at will. It will also give you healing protection. Any confusion, negative emotions, mental obstacles will ease when you wear this stone. I’ll put it on a pendant for you to wear. Don’t wear it while you sleep though. Set it somewhere away from your bed when you sleep, or you will hardly feel rested. It causes lucid dreaming.”
Rosemary held the stone out in her palm for Kayci to take. As soon as the stone touched her fingers, a tingling sensation slowly spread up her arm. She stared at the stone, admiring its pretty green hues, yet was distracted by the feelings it evoked. A strange warmth steadily spread throughout her body. Even her face felt flush.
The recognizable humming sensation she had experienced when she and Adrian kissed came alive. She stood in response, trying to overcome the unfamiliar sensations. She stumbled forward, light headed. She placed her hand on the table to gather her balance.
Rosemary studied Kayci with an expression of amusement. “You better set the stone down, my dear. It apparently works very quickly on you.”
Kayci released the stone from her palm while using her other hand to grab the chair as she swayed to the right. As soon as she released the stone, the tingling and humming settled.
Kayci’s eyes widened. “That was intense.”
“You good?” Elise asked with evident concern as she watched Kayci regain her composure.
“Yeah, I’m good. Have a look at it. I’m curious if anything happens to you when you touch it.”
Elise smiled with curiosity. She gathered the stone in her hand and touched the edges as she turned it over and over in her hand. Elise’s eyes sparkled. Her posture eased into a more relaxed position.
“I feel so relaxed.”
“Any tingly sensation?” Kayci asked.
“No, just really relaxed. I had a ton of emotions going through me a few minutes ago, and now I just feel so content. Not even any stress about my next article, and I am always stressed about my next article,” Elise said with disbelief.
“Hmm.” Kayci frowned. “It had a very different effect on me.”
“The stone helps the person overcome their personal barrier. For Elise, it’s her emotions and her writing. For you, Kayci, it’s your energy and power wanting to break free.”
Elise set the stone down on the table so Rosemary could use it for the spell.
“I’d like to keep my active emotions. They help me write. That stone mellows me out too much.”
Rosemary walked toward her armoire. “Moldavite isn’t for everyone. If you want something that won’t mellow your emotions but will help you focus on writing, you could try putting a couple stones of sodalite or chalcedony in a bowl where you write. I have a few chalcedony stones in the shop, if you’d like to purchase a couple.”
“If you think it will help, then yes, I’ll buy them. I wouldn’t mind a little assistance on those writer’s-block days.”
Rosemary came back to the table with the same bowl she had used for Kayci’s test that discovered the vampire blood in her system; two candles, one being the earth candle and the other being the air candle; a knife; a long, thin dry wooden stick; and six different herbs.
Kayci helped take the items out of Rosemary’s hands and set them on the table.
“Elise, can you light the candles for me?”
“Sure.”
Elise used the candle already burning on the table and held the flame against the earth and air candlewicks until they ignited with a small flame. Rosemary set the moldavite stone in the center of the bowl in front of her, then picked up the small knife and looked at Kayci.
“Only a small prick.”
Kayci gave her a crooked smirk before putting her hand out, palm up. Rosemary pressed the tip of the blade against Kayci’s finger until a small bubble of blood formed. She held Kayci’s hand over the stone and squeezed her finger until the blood dripped onto the stone, and then she let go of Kayci’s finger.
“I’m going to bind your energy and the stone’s energy together. That way the stone and spell will only work for you, in case your pendant is lost or stolen by another being.”
Kayci nodded appreciatively.
“This spell is going to take several herbs for it to work. What I am going to do is add them one at a time, burn them together as I say the incantation, then add water to soak the powers of the herbs together and into the stone.”
Rosemary picked up a handful of herbs and held out her palm for Kayci and Elise to see the mixture.
“The first component will be clove. This will be the base of the spell. It is a compelling herb to initi
ate power and will help enhance the power of the other herbs following it.”
Rosemary dropped the herb over the blood-covered stone and proceeded to gather a different herb. “This is masterwort, a key element to the spell. This will draw out your inner force of energy and power, provide you with strength, courage, and even add a bit of protection for you.”
She released the herb over the stone and gathered another. “This is patchouli. It is an herb for power and manifestation. This will help reveal your vampire nature and cause your transformation to take effect.”
Rosemary smiled warmly at Kayci. “This herb is nettles. It’s a personal addition I’m giving to the spell. It will provide you with protection and help you confound any enemy you cross.”
Kayci shuddered. It was difficult to accept she had to think about enemies now. “Thank you, Rosemary,” she stated with profound gratitude.
Rosemary held up the next herb. “This is orris. It will assist with focusing the powers of the other herbs to work as I instruct them to.”
Rosemary held up the last herb. “This is rosemary. It is a binding herb and will help bind my incantation with your energy and the stone’s.”
Rosemary picked up the long wooden stick and held it up to the earth candle’s flame. As soon as the wood began to smolder, she moved the wooden stick to the air candle and held it to its flame. She then brought the flame-lit stick to the herbs in the bowl. They quickly began to burn. Rosemary blew out the wooden stick and set it aside. She put her left hand on the side of the bowl, closed her eyes, and began slowly rotating her right hand, palm down, in a circular motion above the bowl.
“Vis vacare intrinsecus. Sit forma futuri figura. Instrumentum vas potestatem. Da huic esse fidem. Circumda tibi in perpetuum.”
Kayci watched as the herbs popped and crackled and molded together before quickly becoming sand-like ash. Rosemary opened her eyes and lowered her hand to the other side of the bowl. She leaned down, bringing her lips close to the bowl, and gently exhaled into it. The herbs flickered from the gust of air. Kayci watched as the ashes took on a glistening appearance.
Rosemary stood up and retrieved the teakettle from the counter. She brought it over and poured the warm water into the bowl in a clockwise motion. The ashes swirled with the moving water and then separated between ash that floated and ash that settled to the bottom. Rosemary picked up the wooden stick and stirred the ash and blood into the water. She pushed the bowl aside.
“This will need to set for a few minutes.”
“That was amazing!” Elise announced. “What made the ash get sparkly?”
“That was the last bit of magic I had to contribute to the spell. It sealed the spell.”
“What did you say in the incantation?” Kayci asked.
“I said: ‘Let the power from within be free. Let the form that should be take shape. Give power to the vessel of this instrument. Give protection to this being. Bind thee for eternity.’”
Elise giggled. “Wow.”
Kayci smiled at Elise and Rosemary. She was just as impressed as Elise was. She felt energized and hopeful. She looked forward to experiencing the effects of the spell.
“We can help you clean up,” Kayci offered.
“Thank you, ladies.”
Rosemary leaned down and blew out the candles. She began gathering the items on the table. Kayci and Elise grabbed the remaining items and helped Rosemary put them away in her armoire.
“Elise, would you like your reading?” Rosemary asked when they were finished putting things away.
She smiled. “Absolutely.”
Rosemary moved the bowl to the counter and came back and took her seat across from Kayci and Elise. She shuffled the cards twice, then fanned them out.
“Elise, close your eyes, form a question in your mind, then ask it out loud before picking a card. You may ask three questions.”
Elise closed her eyes, let out a small puff of air, and then eagerly opened her eyes and reached for a card.
“Will I find love?”
Elise pulled a card and set it down.
“Will I get the new-world journalist promotion?” Elise eagerly pulled her second card and placed it on the table.
“Is Kayci’s father alive?” The third question came quickly, followed by the final card.
Kayci’s eyes widened. She silently and anxiously awaited Rosemary’s responses. Rosemary set the unselected cards aside and slowly moved her hands over the cards on the table. She paused above each one, with an expression of concentration.
“The first card is the Lover. It seems you have already found love, but he will not be the only one. You, Elise, will have several lovers in your lifetime.”
Elise smirked. “I didn’t expect that.”
Rosemary grinned. “You will love each and every one of them, as they will you. They will enrich your life and bring you great joy, but not without heartbreak, of course. Fortunately, that heartbreak will fuel your writing.”
Rosemary looked down at the second card. “This one means you will have good fortune, undoubtedly in your career. You will receive the promotion, but not as quickly as you would like. Be patient, and it will be worth the wait.”
Elise’s mouth twisted. “Patience is not my virtue.”
Rosemary chuckled before looking at the last card. She seemed puzzled by it. “The Shield,” she mumbled. She looked at Elise and then Kayci, with an expression of empathy. “I’m sorry, ladies. I cannot answer the question. The card is not providing insight. Another’s magic is blocking my perception.”
“Another witch?” Elise asked anxiously.
“Yes, another witch with magic older and stronger than mine.” She addressed Kayci. “If your father is alive, he doesn’t want to be found.”
Kayci sat back in her chair with a sigh, annoyed. Rosemary’s answer disappointed her. The moment Elise had asked the question, she had strongly wanted to know the answer. She shoved the disappointment down into her gut and chose to ignore it.
“You wanted to make a pendant for the moldavite stone, right?” Kayci asked, intentionally changing the subject.
Rosemary picked up the three cards and set them aside. She looked at Kayci with sympathetic eyes. “Yes, I can get started on it. Bring me the bowl, my dear. The stone should be ready. I’ll get the materials for the necklace.”
Kayci headed toward the bowl on the counter while Rosemary went into her shop. Elise stood up and followed Kayci.
“Kayc, you aren’t mad that I asked that question, are you?”
Kayci turned to Elise and smiled. “I appreciate that you asked the question. I was disappointed by the answer.”
Elise frowned. “Yeah, me too.”
Kayci turned back to the counter and reached for the bowl. She stopped midreach from utter surprise. “Elise, look at this!”
Elise rushed over and peered inside the bowl. Kayci and Elise looked from the bowl to each other and back to the bowl.
“Incredible,” Kayci murmured.
Kayci stared at the bowl that now held the moldavite stone, with more visible variations of green and shades of brown intertwined with the greens. The water was nearly gone, and all that remained were a few droplets around the inside of the bowl. There were barely any remnants of ash. What was left had coated the edge of the bowl.
“Seriously, this is awesome. I’m so glad you brought me here,” Elise said.
Kayci chuckled. “I assume the spell worked.”
Rosemary entered the room. Kayci and Elise gawked at her.
“Ah, the spell worked, then?”
Kayci nodded. “I think so. The water and ash are pretty much gone. Absorbed into the stone, I assume?”
Rosemary nodded. “That was the intent.”
“So you literally meant soak into the stone?” Elise asked.
Rosemary smirked. “Precisely.”
Rosemary set the materials on the table. “Bring the bowl over here, my dear.” She set jewelry tools on the table, with a
silver chain and metal clasp for the pendant.
Kayci watched with fascination for the next several minutes as Rosemary attached the moldavite stone to the pendant and then the pendant to the chain. She handed the necklace to Kayci when she finished. Kayci carefully held the chain in her hands while admiring the design on the pendant. The pendant had a round chunk of silver at the top of the moldavite, and then several diamond-shaped pieces of silver trailed about halfway down the moldavite stone in a shield-like formation from the solid piece of metal at the top. It reminded Kayci of the Celtic jewelry she had seen at the local art shows. She had always admired those pieces of jewelry and had even purchased a couple items that ultimately she’d tired of wearing, but this necklace had meaning and value that those pieces were without. The stone itself had developed a glimmer it didn’t have before. She found herself quickly entranced by the transition of its beautiful forest colors gleaming in the light.
“Should I put it on?” she asked while still admiring the stone.
“Yes. We should test the spell while I’m here with you.”
Kayci noted the slight concern in Rosemary’s statement, which made her nervous, but she was even more excited to see if the spell worked. Kayci slowly and carefully undid the clasp of the necklace and placed it around her neck. The stone’s energy was undoubtedly alive, and its warmth against her chest affirmed it. The tingling sensation she had felt on her skin when she held it before now developed at her core. It grew within her stomach, transforming into a fiery, prickling sensation that bubbled and festered as if it would explode right out of her abdomen. Kayci leaned over, holding her hand to her stomach instinctively to help alleviate the strange sensations. She fought back the urge to hurl.
Kayci reached her hand out and placed it on the table to stabilize the dizziness swirling inside her head. Her vision became hazy. She lost focus on Elise, Rosemary, and the room around her. The pain in her stomach grew so intense she gripped the table fiercely. She thought she heard splintering.
“Kayci, are you okay?” Elise asked.
Kayci’s complexion turned pale. Her eyes glistened. She appeared weak and feverish. She heard Elise’s voice—it seemed distant.
Embrace The Dawning (The Covenant Series Book 1) Page 12