Jewel of Inanna (Perils of a Pagan Priestess Book 1)

by Hannah Desmond

  She saw torch light glowing in the distance and stopped, wary of the tone of the voices traveling down the beach. She ran to an outcropping of rock with scraggly bushes at its base. Peering through the sparsely leafed branches she watched as several men gathered around a small boat with something tied to the mast.

  The men pushed the craft out onto the lake. The boat drifted on the receding tide as flaming arrows arced across the sky thudding into the small wooden boat. A woman’s scream filled the night, as the craft burst into flames. The scream stopped abruptly.

  A growling voice rose to a bellowing threat, “I told you not to shoot her. She was to experience the full horror of the fire. Now you have given her a short cut out of her punishment. I have a strong urge to put you in her place.”

  A whimper answered the growling voice. Lilly remained motionless, watching the fire on the water as it drifted and sank into the cold gray water.

  ~

  She struggled through a dark fog and fought her way to consciousness. The sight of the burning woman tied to the boat, lingered in her head and bile rose in her throat. Her head spun when she moved quickly. Swallowing bile, she inched her way up to a sitting position.

  ‘Where the hell am I? Oh gods!,’ Putting her head in her hands she cried. “What has happened to me?”

  There was a movement near the door. She looked up and saw a dark silhouette standing motionless. ‘I’m hallucinating,’ she thought as the black silhouette approached her.

  “It’s me Lilly,” Regina said, taking her hand. “Are you still feeling ill?”

  Lilly nodded her head but the spinning reminded her to be still. A low moan escaped from deep in her throat.

  “You’ve come down with something awful. Don’t worry, you can stay here. I will take care of you.”

  No longer able to sit up, Lilly slid onto the couch and passed out again.

  She awoke in the late afternoon, her head fuzzy and her stomach growling. Regina served her tea and toast. She ate slowly and felt a little better.

  “I need to get to the bathroom,” she moaned. Her rubbery legs collapsed as she plopped back onto the couch. Regina took her arm and helped her to the bathroom. Lilly splashed cold water on her face and rinsed her mouth.

  Regina, Prissy and Dodger were waiting for her when she opened the bathroom door.

  “Lilly, can you make it up the stairs? We have a bed up there and I am sure you would be more comfortable in bed than lying on the lumpy couch.”

  Lilly nodded, her thoughts fuzzy and her tongue too thick to speak.

  Her head was spinning again as Regina lead her up the stairs. The click clack of the dogs nails on the old wooden stairs, followed behind them. A dim light filtered through the dormer window of the attic and Regina led her to the futon near the magic circle where Claude had contacted Roland through the crystal ball.

  She stretched out on the futon on the floor. Regina suggested she take off her clothes. “You know you have been in those jeans and sweater for a couple of days. You have been throwing up. I think it is time to throw your clothes in the washing machine.”

  Lilly nodded, slowly sat up and slipped her sweater over her head. Regina unsnapped her jeans and slipped them off along with her socks. Lying naked, Lilly’s skin chilled and erupted in goose bumps.

  Suddenly the soft lighting disappeared and she lay in semi-darkness. Regina’s velvet voice grew spikes, “How gratifying to find you vulnerable and innocent! You are exactly who I’ve have been waiting for. I will relish harvesting your power before your beloved Roland shows up, if he shows up. Your centuries of power as a priestess and your Faery magic, will be mine. Surprise! The powerful Jewel of Inanna will also be mine. What do they call it down here in N’Orleans? Lagniappe, yes, that’s it. You are a package with an extra bonus. Thanks to you, I will regain the power my Valraven blood deserves.”

  Chapter 36

  Carrion of the Soul

  Lilly heard the door open and close. She called out when she heard the click of the key in the lock. “Regina, what did you say? Bring me a blanket.”

  Her head ached ferociously as she tried to sit up. Lying down again, she grabbed for the sacred Jewel around her neck as it thrummed gently beneath her fingers. Miserable, cold and disoriented, tears wet her face and rolled slowly down her neck. Soaked with tears of frustration, she called out to the empty room, “What is going on? We are friends. Why are you doing this?”

  Her drugged mind drifted into an uneasy sleep. In her delirium, she was looking into a black mirror. Her pale face and sunken eyes stared back at her for a moment. She blinked, and mist drifted over the surface of the mirror. Out of the mist, Roland’s face appeared. He was sitting staring into the still water of a pond. His eyes widened as he saw Lilly’s face in the dark water. Shocked, he leaned forward and spoke to the vision, “Lilly, Lilly, what’s going on?”

  Lilly lifted her hand to the mirror. She touched the surface just as Roland hand lifted. For a moment, she swore she could feel his warmth. Suddenly his hand disappeared into blackness. Her heart ripped as she cried out in her sleep, “I miss you, I love you.” She tossed restlessly and awoke to the sound of sleet beating on the slate roof. Shivering in the darkness of the attic, she groped around the room looking for something to cover herself. She found the door, twisted the doorknob and fell to her knees. Crawling through the room, she found nothing to warm herself. Standing on shaky legs, she found the futon, lay down and sought the refuge of oblivion.

  “Hiss, scratch, creek, flutter,” Lilly lay barely breathing, listening to the small sounds. It didn’t sound like a rat. The fluttering and scratching with an occasional hiss continued intermittently. She curled into a tight ball, closed her eyes and ears and cast her mind into the past. Her memories sustained her for a time. Slowly the memories faded, replaced by thick, cold fog.

  Regina’s Chanting cut through the fog in Lilly’s mind. The sickly smells of storax and sulfur filled the air. Lilly opened her eyes. Flickering candles surrounded the futon and arced out into a wide circle. Regina stood over her, “You are mine now, Priestess. I have tracked you through centuries of incarnations as priestess, princess, sea captain, high lord of the manor and now pitiful little bitch from the bayou. You cannot believe how easy this has been. You are finally in my grasp and it was worth the wait!”

  “I am so close, so close to having what I want!” She exclaimed as she moved within the circle and lifted her arms in front of a tall triangular mirror. Now she would get revenge for all the lifetimes she had been thwarted by the soul known by many names over the centuries; Marga, Elsbeth, Loren, Elric and now, Lilly.

  Finally, she would reap the reward for her years spent summoning the Raven to her service and honing her ability to use its magic to manipulate human hearts. Ah, and a bonus, this time her nemesis through many lifetimes, held the sacred stone. Stupid girl did not know how to use the power.

  “I will make the crystal mine and learn to wield the violet power.” Heart thudding with the thrill of success and the taste of retribution on her tongue, Regina stood before the triangular mirror in the circle. Her voice rose to a crescendo over the approaching storm:

  “Raven come as black as night,

  Magic take her inner sight.

  Mystic carrion of the soul,

  breath in her power, be so bold,

  Enter through the rift now torn,

  That my full power shall be born.”

  Lilly squinted. Her eyes burned in the putrid smoke. She kept her half closed eyes focused on the standing mirror. Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes blinked away smoke and her body trembled. A creature, larger than a man, appeared in the mirror. Her eyes widened when she saw a vulture quickly morph into a huge spider, then a scorpion. A scream clawed at her throat as a huge black raven stepped out of the silvered triangle.

  Thunder shook the old building. Lighting flared at the gable window. In a moment of total darkness Lilly saw the glowi
ng yellow eyes of the raven. Closing her eyes, she prayed she was hallucinating. Scrambling to her knees she stood searching wildly for a place to hide. She thought briefly of jumping out the window.

  The giant raven approached and knocked her onto her back. It loomed over her for a moment, moved quickly and engulfed her trembling form. Discordant chimes grew louder, thunder boomed as Regina struck a gong, chanting louder and louder.

  Lilly’s body grew rigid as the huge figure moved on top of her. The raven’s burning eyes stared into her soul. His razor sharp beak opened inches from her face. She twisted her body, tried to turn but the creature’s weight held her pinned to the floor. Pain seared across her cheek as the black beak slashed at her. A powerful voice invaded her mind. “BE STILL! This won’t hurt a bit.”

  Her hands tingled, and for a moment, her mind cleared. She willed the tingling in her hands to move through her entire body. Gathering her Faery magic, she drew strength from her connection to her soul group, the members of Panthea’s coven, her bonding with the Druid, Roland, and the ancient crystal between her breasts. Power stirred as the crystal grew warm. The persistent thrumming heat of the Jewel energized her. She continued to struggle until she got her hand up under the beast.

  In one quick motion, she jerked the crystal from around her neck and stabbed it into the raven’s eye. With a screech, the creature dissolved in a rancid plume of smoke. Dark, oily feathers drifted through the room as Regina’s scream filled the night.

  The room swirled in slow motion. Lilly tried to get up from her splayed position on the floor but her legs wouldn’t work. She lay still, hoping Regina would disappear. The odor of decay filled the air. Lilly turned her head and vomited. Regina stepped forward and slapped her. Her voice, sharp as a whip lashed through the air, “Enough of your spewing.” She turned and fled through the door leaving the candles burning.

  Lilly heard the key turn in the lock. Sitting up slowly, she took control of herself. In spite of being brutally violated, or possibly because the horror had passed, a calm came over her.

  The diabolical machinations of Regina’s twisted mind were no longer hidden. Lilly was aware of what she was up against. ‘Goddess take me, how did I get myself wrapped up in this mess?’

  Regina’s actions were unexpected, still Lilly berated herself for trusting her and failing to examine the negative vibrations the young witch masked with her friendly overtures. Lilly’s hands balled into fists, ‘I’ve been stupid, a part of me knew something wasn’t right yet I denied it. I sensed the emptiness around Regina and I knew she was shielded. If I had explored a little deeper and trusted my feelings, I may have avoided this debacle.’

  The dark cupboard opened in her mind once again, as blood from the gash across her cheek, ran into her ear and hair. She tossed her body around in misery and the warm sticky blood ran down her neck and between her breasts. She was trapped in a nightmare panting in fear and exhaustion. Her hands began to tingle and Lilly paid attention. She focused on gaining control of her breathing. As she calmed herself, the dark dreams she had been plagued with recently came into focus in her mind. They had been trying to shake her memory, to warn her of danger?

  Lying back, she closed her eyes. Lifetimes of study and practice rushed before her eyes. She recognized Regina in a variety of guises, as centuries passed in a heartbeat. The tableaus from her dream journey through the eye of the crystal skull came to life.

  For many lifetimes Lilly had encountered the dark sorceress now known as Regina. Through centuries the sorceress insatiable hunger for power and control grew. Lilly became her nemesis using the white light to absorb the dark manipulations, lies and thievery Regina used indiscriminately. It was Lilly who had brought charges against the power hungry sorceress. It was the information and accusations the Priestess of the light brought forth that lead to Regina’s disgrace and banishment in more than one lifetime. It was Lilly’s testimony that sealed the ruthless woman’s fate. It was for this, Regina was determined to destroy her.

  Recoiling in horror, she told herself it was not so. Immediately, a powerful voice filled her mind, “Her craving for power is bottomless, you have been the agent of her doom in the past, you can do it again.”

  “I don’t want to be an agent of doom,” Lilly declared. “I want her to wake up and develop her own power and leave me, and everyone else, alone.”

  Her stomach clenched with dread. Regina had been scrying her for years, searching for the signature of her power. She had tapped into Lilly’s awakening energy from her home in California. Securing the cover of a partner and a shop, Regina had come to New Orleans to find her and drain her power for herself. Finding her nemesis was the guardian of the Jewel of Inanna had been an unexpected bonus. She stepped up her plans to annihilate Lilly, drain her power and claim ownership of the ancient crystal.

  Aware of the danger she was in and the possibility of losing the violet crystal, Lilly mustered her energy, stood up and dragged the futon out of Regina’s dark magic circle. Crawling around the circle she blew out all of the candles, but one. She piled the remaining candles next to the futon. Her mind and emotions were blunted allowing the instincts developed over many lifetimes as a priestess to guide her. Weakly, she felt around for the crystal. She ran her hands along the floor nearby. Staring into the darkness, she saw a dim glow of violet light. The crystal, her sacred responsibility, lay tossed on the floor amid a whirl of dark feathers. The gold chain was broken. She took the crystal into her hand and stared into the violet light. She lay back on the futon placing the crystal over her heart. Her breathing slowed, her fear subsided and she slept.

  Chapter 37

  Astral Scrying

  She woke in total darkness, sat up, pulled her shivering legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Long moments passed as she rocked back and forth in the darkness. ‘There has been enough blame and retribution,’ she thought. ‘Reconciliation is needed in this lifetime, but now is not the time to initiate a reconciliation. I am in danger and I must get out of this attic.’

  Lilly knew she needed help. The person she had the strongest psychic connection with was Roland. He had connected with her on the dream plane earlier. Possibly, with the help of the crystal, her emotional connection with him would be strong enough to call him forth in waking time. She chewed on her lower lip, took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, ‘It may be a long shot, but it’s the best option I have for rescue.’

  The hissing and fluttering continued in the darkness. Lilly closed her eyes and ignored it. She focused on her in-breath and out-breath, held the sacred crystal in one hand, opened her eyes and stared into the tiny candle burning beside the futon.

  “Great Goddess hear me and look with favor upon me. I am your servant in this physical world. I seek your immediate assistance in the dimensions free of space and time. I travel the astral planes in search of assistance and rescue. Guide and guard me with your love and ancient power, bright glow and glimmer, sparkle and shimmer. The magic of my inner sight, spring to life on this night.”

  Pulling the rhythmic chant from the air, she chanted until the violet light of the crystal flamed brightly. It was then she felt the magic stir. Releasing all attachments, she lay on the filthy futon and allowed her physical form to release her astral body. She drifted through the astral plane surrounded by the light of the violet fire.

  She sensed the cool marble floor beneath her feet when she stepped into an astral temple. Soft light infused the space and columns of lapis lazuli soared into the shadows of the high vaulted dome. Lilly drank in the sacred beauty of the astral temple and gathered energy. She approached the raised altar in the center of the temple and mounted the three wide marble steps. Leaning over the delicate jade bowl in the center of the altar, she saw her reflection in the still water. A bloody gash glowed red on one cheek. Despite her bruised and swollen face, her eyes were clear, opened and aware.

  A series of ripples disturbed the smooth surface of the water
. When the ripples calmed, Lilly was looking into the eyes of a Goddess. Her presence was magnificent. An ethereal halo of golden hair surrounded her face. A woven silver band adorned with a sapphire encircled her head. The Goddess held Lilly in her gaze as she touched the sapphire on her third eye, smiled and faded slowly.

  Once again, ripples crossed the surface of the water. Holding her hand on her heart, Lilly leaned over the jade bowl. Roland appeared, sleeping soundly. Lilly spoke quickly, “Wake up Roland, I need you. Wake up Roland, I need you. Wake up Roland, I need you!” She spoke firmly and he stirred slightly. She focused her mental energy on her need and sent the message to Roland through the scrying bowl. His human figure remained still but his astral body sat up. “Roland, it’s Lilly. I need you. I am in danger.”

  His astral figure rose and Lilly saw the powerful Druidic energy he carried within his shining form. The crystal she had given him radiated white light in the center of his chest. His hands closed around the crystal and he held it before him. Looking within the clear facets, he spoke “What is it? Lilly? Where are you?”

  “Roland, I have been poisoned and kidnapped. I am in the attic of on Decatur St. Regina Valraven is trying to destroy me. Pleases help me. I am in danger.”

  Roland repeated her message, making sure he heard her correctly. She thought she saw his head nodding as the water rippled and his image faded. Satisfied Roland understood her message and would come to help her, she curled into a ball and fell into a deep sleep.

  ~

  The light of a monochrome dawn crept through the dormer window as Lilly awoke shivering. She could see her breath clouding in the frigid air of the attic. Sitting up, she almost knocked over a glass of water beside the futon. ‘Regina has been in here.’ Despite fear of more poison, she took a sip of the water to soothe her dry and swollen tongue. The cold water splashed down her throat freezing her internally. ‘I must find something to cover myself or I’m going to freeze to death.’ Crawling onto her hands and knees she stood slowly. Her legs felt wobbly as she stared into the gloom and the dark corners of the attic.