by Jane Tara
The monk’s cape was made out of the softest velvet and seemed to skim every sinewy angle of Tye’s body. Around her wrists and ankles were silver bracelets. Bejeweled stars dripped off her ears and fingers. She pushed the hood back and Rhi saw she was wearing makeup. Her eyes had been lined, her lips painted the color of blood. Her face shone with shimmering glitter. In the center of her forehead was a moon. Tye was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.
“Spring Equinox,” Tye said. “Get dressed.”
Rhi didn’t argue. She ran upstairs and tore through her drawers. She found what she was looking for and threw it on. The night-blue empire dress fit her body like a second skin, caressed it like an old lover. Then she raced to her mirror and applied some color to her cheeks and lips. She scattered gold across her brow, and fastened her amber and jet amulet around her neck. She was quick. She had done it all before, countless times.
Finally, she pulled a small trunk out from under the bed. She stalled. This was what she’d said she wouldn’t do. She’d decided she wouldn’t practice any more. Oh sure, she would believe. How could she not believe the truth? Her truth. But what if someone saw her? The jokes would start, followed by the fear. People would point, whisper, avoid her even.
What if Tad saw her?
“To hell with them,” she muttered. “Just tonight. I owe the Goddess this. Tonight. And then…no more.”
Rhi opened the lid and burrowed to the bottom of the trunk. There she found her athame. To a non-initiate it would look ominous with its carved black hilt and silver blade. To Rhi, it was anything but. It was an instrument of magic. The athame had never known blood. It had never known darkness. The average kitchen steak knife had seen more murder than this ornate dagger.
She slid a garter on, up to her thigh, and slipped the athame securely in. Then she grabbed her cape from the trunk and closed the lid. She tied the cape around her shoulders and made her way back down the stairs. She didn’t need to check herself in the mirror, she knew how she looked. There was no one to impress. She was dressed for something much greater.
Tye nodded when she saw Rhi. “Perfect. Let’s go.”
She took Rhi’s hand and led her out the back door, through the garden, past Pip’s oak and into the forest. Rhi could feel the earth beneath her feet. Even when the path was rocky it seemed to caress her soles. They ran further into the darkness. Branches scraped at Rhi’s cheeks, spirits nipped at her heels. Tye ducked between two rocks and disappeared. Rhi followed and came out in a clearing, lit, almost violently, by the full moon.
Crystal was waiting, sitting in the center of a ring naturally charred into the earth. Candles were placed in the four quarters of the circle, in the east, south, north and west. The flames flickered and danced even though the night was deathly still. A flat rock formed a natural altar, covered in tools and spring flowers and facing the east.
Rhi could hear the waves crashing on the nearby beach but the space was protected from prying eyes by a circle of trees and rocks. Rhi smiled. Mother Nature had provided a grove.
Crystal rose and welcomed Rhi with a hug. “Tye and I have been looking forward to tonight.”
“I wasn’t sure you knew.”
Tye laughed. “I knew from the moment you first walked into the shop.”
“I knew before then,” said Crystal. “I dreamed you would come.”
Rhi shifted uncomfortably. She couldn’t even escape it here. Tye understood and took her hand.
“No one else knows, Rhi. They don’t even know about us. Sure they come to us for readings and stuff, but they don’t truly understand. We’re eccentrics to them, psychics. Not witches.”
“I came here to get away from all this,” Rhi explained.
Crystal smiled gently. “You didn’t come here to get away from it. You came here to find it.”
“You know my parents?”
“I know who they are.” Crystal drifted back over to the altar and picked up a beautiful wooden pentacle.
“Then you understand why I need a break from all this.”
“Their television show has helped destroy many of the myths and preconceptions about the Pagan religions. They are two of the most powerful witches alive. Despite the hype, they are true followers. They know their craft. Now you must discover yours. That is the beauty of the Old Way. Every Way is different. You’ve come here to find yours.”
Crystal handed Rhi the pentacle. Its energy shot up her arms like warm liquid gold. Rhi knew Crystal was right. Her belief was energy, like this wood, this symbol: pure, real and wondrous. But she had misplaced the joy and the innocence somewhere inside a television studio.
Crystal was right. She needed to find her own path, and in doing so perhaps understand theirs.
“Let’s begin,” whispered Crystal.
Rhi had never worked with anyone but family. She had grown up casting spells and working magic with her parents and brothers. There were festivals and celebrations that involved other witches but on those days the children played together while their parents prayed together. Her parents had never been intimately involved with a particular coven; they were both hereditary witches and believed practicing the craft was a family affair. It was fine to educate people, enlighten them on the finer aspects of the craft. It was okay to use your psychic abilities—after all, not all psychics are witches, and not all witches are psychic. It was even acceptable to have a line of merchandise ranging from T-shirts to lunch boxes. But any serious veneration of the Goddess, any acknowledgement of the eight holy days, was done as a family, or alone.
In recent years Rhi had traveled a solitary path. She practiced alone on all days but the holy ones. Those days she spent with her family.
Tye sensed this and embraced her. Crystal began to cleanse and then consecrate the circle. All thoughts of Rhi’s family, her past, were lost like petals in the wind. Suddenly these women were familiar. They had been friends, sisters for centuries. All three naturally understood what needed to be done. They worked together silently, their glances, their emotions and their faith louder than any words.
The called upon the guardians, the rulers of the elements. Their request echoed across the astral planes and the elementals took their places. First came the sylphs, who rode in on a wisp of a breeze. Their ethereal forms floated above the eastern candle, their attention drifted and scattered like the wind they dwelled in. Next came the salamanders, bursting forth from their home, the fire. Their ever-watchful yellow eyes assured the women they would protect the south. The undines brought the illusion of water with them as they swam to their post and agreed to keep watch in the west. Finally the gnomes arrived in the north. They were slow, methodical but ever eager to be involved in magic.
The circle was alive, the energy was raised. Rhi could feel the power spiraling around and around until her body too rotated with the force. She was aware, connected, as Tye danced and Crystal rocked. The Lord and the Lady were honored. The darkness of winter cast away and the new beginnings of spring, internally, externally, embraced by mind, body and soul. The power, for a time reined in, was now let loose. It increased, roared through the night, into the point of a cone, spinning, throbbing, creating, until finally, together, they let it go, set it free, into the universe from which it came.
Afterward, they sat in comfortable silence and shared a picnic with the nature spirits and each other. It was Tye who broke the silence.
“I’m yet to find a man who can take me to such heights.”
Crystal gave a knowing chuckle. “He’ll come along.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Tye had obviously heard that before.
“Sooner than you realize,” Crystal added. “What about you, Rhi? Have you found the one yet?”
Somehow Rhi felt Crystal knew more than she did about her past and future love life—or lack of. “I’m enjoying being on my own at the moment,” she admitted. “I ended a relationship a couple of months ago. I’m over it, but I still need some time.”
“Wh
at was he like?” asked Tye.
“Flexible.” Rhi giggled. “He was a yoga instructor.” Oh what the hell, she thought. These two women knew more about her than anyone had in years. She may as well ’fess up. “I lived with Chandra.”
“The Chandra? The Yoga Guru series Chandra?” Tye burst out laughing. “But he’s so slimy.”
“I can see that now. I met him when he was just starting to make a name for himself.” Rhi laughed at Tye’s disbelieving stare. “What can I say? For once I paled into the background. It was a nice change.”
“I think we carry a coffee table book of his,” said Crystal.
“Chandra in India.”
“Oh yeah,” said Tye. “His amazing spiritual journey through India, pose by pose.”
Rhi snorted. “That’s such a load of lies. He hated India. Took an endless supply of antibacterial wipes and bottled water. Had a full medical when he got home, including a CAT scan.”
“Did they find anything?”
“Nada.”
“So what happened?”
Rhi fiddled with a twig, drawing pentacles in the sand. “Walked in on him and my best friend having sex.”
“How devastating!” gasped Tye, her eyes wide in horror.
“Not really. I didn’t really love him.”
“I’m not talking about him.” Tye playfully punched Rhi’s arm. “I’m talking about the friend. How devastating for a friend to do that to you.”
A wave of anguish engulfed her. “It has been.”
Tye took her hand and looked straight into her eyes. “I can see it still hurts. You’ll get over it one day.”
Rhi sipped her wine. “It has been healing moving here.”
Tye smiled at her, both aware that their friendship was secure now.
“Why are you single, Tye? You’re so gorgeous.”
“I’m waiting for a man who sees beyond that.”
“He’s not far off,” said Crystal.
“Goddess, Mom, will you zip it!”
“What about Tad? You guys make beautiful music together.”
“Only with instruments. He’s like a brother to me.” Tye watched Rhi carefully over the rim of her goblet. “You think he’s cute. Why don’t you ask him out?”
Rhi turned her face into a shadow so the others didn’t see how flustered the mention of Tad had made her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?” Crystal asked. “He’s gorgeous, sweet as any man who’s ever lived and writes beautiful music.”
Tye’s eyes gleamed wickedly. “And I’m friends with an old girlfriend of his who says he’s amazing in bed.”
“Tye! Way too much info.” Rhi turned to Crystal for support but found nothing but a knowing smile.
She decided to confide in them both. “I’ll admit it, he’s extremely attractive…but I often feel like I’m dealing with two different people.”
“How do you mean?” Crystal asked.
“When he drove me home the other night, it was so easy being with him. He’s smart and funny and, yes, incredibly hot.”
Crystal and Tye both nodded. They knew all that.
“But when he auditioned for Hamlet for me—”
“He what?”
“He was doing some dances and songs for me and then launched into Hamlet.”
Tye was obviously dumbfounded. “Tad performed Hamlet for you?”
“Yep, center stage at the theater. I’m furious that he’s using his position as landlord to manipulate me into staging Hamlet, but on the other hand…he was so incredible, I’d be stupid not to.”
Crystal stared at Rhi, speechless. Tye waved her hands around, trying to clarify things.
“So Tad has gone into the theater—?”
“A few times.”
“And on one of those times…auditioned for you?”
“Am I missing something here?” Rhi asked.
“Yeah! Apart from the fact that it’s totally out of character.” Tye turned to her mother. “Hamlet?”
Crystal looked upset. “I don’t know. We know he needs closure. Always has.”
“By performing Hamlet?”
Rhi was completely confused. “What’s going on?”
“Hamlet was the last play performed in that theater,” Tye explained. “Tad’s father was killed during it.”
“Are you serious? I knew he was killed during a play but I had no idea it was Hamlet. Why would he want to revisit that?”
“What do you think, Mom?”
Crystal didn’t say a word. She was lost in thought, staring into the darkness.
“I asked you what you think, Mom.”
“I think you’re right…it’s totally out of character.”
She lifted her head and the moonlight lit her face. Rhi noticed she had tears in her eyes.
“I’ve already emailed the ad to The Examiner, but I can call and ask then to pull it,” Rhi said.
“Things unfold the way they’re meant to,” Crystal said simply.
Both Rhi and Tye waited for her to say something else. But she was silent.
Chapter 22
Rhi paused outside the theater. Her mother’s calls were always inconvenient, but she couldn’t ignore all of them.
Brigid seemed to sense that her daughter was distracted. “I’ll make it quick. I just wanted to tell you that we missed you at Ostara.”
“It was a lovely night here,” Rhi said evasively. She was busy looking at the new path that had just been laid. Jake had done a great job.
“Did you celebrate?” Brigid sounded surprised.
Rhi walked along the path, crouching to touch the corner where she’d signed her name and the date before the cement set. “I did. I celebrated with friends.”
“And how does one celebrate up in the boondocks? With a keg?”
“With love and respect, mother. I was with my friends Crystal and Tye.”
Brigid went silent.
“Are you still there, Mom?”
“You need to be careful when choosing friends, dear.”
“I know. I learned that lesson with Victoria. Fortunately I’m meeting some wonderful people here. It has been incredibly healing.”
“I thought you weren’t going to tell anyone that you’re a witch.”
“I haven’t. Crystal and Tye knew. But I don’t want anyone else knowing. I’m too happy here.” Rhi stared up at the theater. She’d never tire of looking at it, especially now it was painted a brilliant white. She noticed a car pull up. “I’ve got to go, Mom. Toby has just arrived.”
“Toby Bryant? What’s he doing there?”
“He’s giving me a quote on the tech box.”
“Give him my love.” And with that Brigid hung up.
Toby headed up the path and scooped Rhi into a hug. “Gorgeous girl.”
“It’s so good to see you, Toby.” Rhi slipped her phone into her pocket. “That was my mother. Sends her love.”
Toby pulled a face. “Oh dear, not sure I want it. It comes with so many strings.”
Toby was handsome, with coffee-colored skin and long-lashed eyes. He was of medium height and extra large build. Some would call him fat; Rhi called him cuddly. In fact, a lot of women called him cuddly—he’d never been without a string of panting girlfriends skipping faithfully behind. His latest girlfriend, Darna, had been around longer than most. She was a doll, so Toby was smitten, and a witch, so Toby’s rather overbearing mother also approved. Toby’s mother was America’s leading voodoo practitioner, and often appeared on Afternoon Dee-light with Rhi’s parents. Their families had long been friends.
Toby spent a couple of hours surveying the theater and the lights. “Finn mentioned your money problems.” Toby gave her a squeeze. “You know your mom, all Bs and Ws.”
“She’s either a witch or a bitch.”
“She’s either Brigid or Wigid.”
They cracked up at the joke they’d shared since they were kids.
“Come here, darling.” Toby
slung a chubby arm around Rhi’s slim shoulders. “You’ll be pleased to know this won’t cost an arm and a leg.”
Rhi breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank Goddess.”
“Just a few fingers,” he said. “Perhaps an elbow.”
“That I can handle.”
“The lights are all great but you’ll need a new phase board and digital control board. They go here,” he said, showing her around the lighting box. “Also, the globes all work. It really is in great condition.” He patted one of the spots. “I know they look dated, but they’re in top condition. I’m not surprised. Patterns like these last forever.”
“That’s such great news.”
Toby held Rhi at arm’s length and scanned her face. It was his way of asking how she really was. He rarely needed to ask the question out loud.
“You’re happy, Rhi.”
“I am Toby, I really am,” Rhi agreed. “All the pieces are coming together. Hamlet, the theater…”
“Love?” Toby had once held a flame for Rhi but that had long burnt down to the warm embers of friendship.
“No time for love. Unless you count this place,” she said, gesturing to the theater.
“I have to head back to the city tonight, but I’ll call you next week with a price.”
“Thanks, Toby.”
“I’m doing a show from mid-June in LA so I’ll have this done well before then.” Toby gave Rhi a long, affectionate hug. “You take care, Rhiannon. Blessed Be, dear one, Blessed Be.”
After Toby left, Rhi decided to tackle the second dressing room. The only place that hadn’t been cleared during the various community help days. Even big, burley Stan Knight had told her, in no uncertain terms, that he would rather see women play in the major leagues than enter that room himself. But Rhi wasn’t frightened—the theater wasn’t haunted. Obviously if it were, she—of all people—would know. People were just used to old town tales, that’s all.
Rhi flung open the door and clapped her hands together. “Right, prepare for battle.”
“Rhiannon!”
“Fabulous,” Rhi muttered to herself. “My lord and landlord has arrived.”