Chapter Twenty
Between Debbie and Misty Justine stood nervously at the edge of the gathering wearing a burrowed silver robe, surprised by the large number of people. There were twelve of them, mostly comprised of Patrick's family and including her, thirteen.
Lila approached her last, garbed in a garnet red cloak, a burning sage stick in one hand. She paused, glancing into Justine's eyes. Her own eyes serious and deep.
With a heavy voice, quietly she asked,
"Justine, do you come into this circle of your own free will? Do you come wishing to not be harmed and wishing to harm none?"
For a moment Justine simply stared. She felt the warm summer winds run over her skin, twelve pairs of eyes seemed to be staring at her encouragingly. Then there were the sapphire blues that seemed to reach inside her body and stroke her heart so tenderly, yet so temptingly.
Stepping forth, closer to Lila, Justine said,
"Yes." Her voice strong and clear.
"Very good." Lila smiled then blessed her with by tracing a pentacle on her forehead in the area of the third eye with holy water using her index finger, and then cleansed her with the smoke from the sage stick ridding Justine of any negative energy.
"I cleanse and welcome thee in the name of Goddess, the Lord, Gaia and all that is nature." Lila said before placing a light kiss on Justine's brow.
Then she stepped aside and said,
"Enter in perfect love and perfect trust."
Within the center of the circle was a large black cauldron, a small fire was burning fragrant,
ceremonial herbs within it that seemed nearly intoxicating and very likely were. Next to the cauldron was a small round table covered in red velvet clothe with a silver pentacle on it. The table contained two large pillar candles, one green, one white, and a goblet of water, another of wine, an empty silver chalice and a plate of corn bread. There was also a very menacing looking black handled knife much like the one Justine had seen at Patrick's, on the altar.
Lila and an attractive man about the same age as Lila stepped into the center of the circle. The man picked up the lovely silver chalice while Lila wrapped both of her hands around the knife, and the two of them stepped together.
Lila's strong, booming voice broke the silence and seemed to cajole the wind to rise with her. The trees stirred dreamily as if awakened from a deep slumber and began to sway in a gentle dance like rhythm with the wind.
"As the athame is to male," Lila said.
"The chalice is to female." The man said finishing the statement.
Lila raised up the knife, its blade which Justine realized actually looked quite dull caught the reflection of the crescent moon and shined in reflective silver beauty. The chalice and the athame met, the athame dipping into the chalice, forming a connection.
The significance of the intent was immediately clear, and Justine dared take a glance at Patrick who so sexily winked at her. She looked down biting at her lip to hide her smile. The gesture between her son and his beloved were not lost on Lila. Putting down the knife she walked around the circle.
"Justine in our faith, it is okay to smile as a matter of fact it is encouraged here. This is not church. As followers of nature, we believe in feeling and expressing that feeling. Love is meant to be embraced, rejoiced and yes even sexually expressed."
Justine smiled shyly and nodded politely at Lila trying to release some of her excited attention. Lila knelt down and pulled out what appeared to be a faceless doll made of straw. Gracefully, slowly she walked along the edge of the circle pausing quickly in front of each convener so that they could see the doll up close. When she paused in front of her, Justine realized the doll was made of corn silks.
Returning back to the center of the circle, Lila raised the doll up high.
"We are now in the time of Lughnasadh, the harvest time, presided over by Lugh, an ancient god of the harvest and the arts. We also are standing under a Hazel Moon. This is a time to celebrate a good harvest, to enjoy the fruits of our labor and time to explore and improve upon our divination skills. In the time of Lughnasadh, we are under the strong point in the zodiac ruled by Leoness, the mighty and courageous Lion. One of our beloved conveners here is ruled by the lion. Patrick please step forward."
Without missing a step, Patrick entered the circle with his sapphire robe swirling around his ankles and stood next to his mother. Justine stared on in awe as a feeling of warm belonging seemed to spread over her skin in a surprising embrace.
Patrick bent and kissed his mother on the forehead before returning his attention to the expectant circle of people.
"It is now time to thank the gods for the season of warmth and long days that we have enjoyed and to acknowledge the fruits of our own work." His voice rose out strongly and confidently.
Patrick placed his hands in the deep pockets of his cloak, starting with his mother, he placed something tiny into one of her hands and deposited a handful of dark, rich soil into the other. When he finally made his way to Justine, she was surprised to realize that the small item was a seed. He winked at her affectionately before turning away.
"I have given each of you the seed of a sunflower, the flower of Leoness, and a handful of soil. It is our duty, our thanks and our gift to give back what we have been given. I ask that each of you please kneel down where you are and with no tools, using only natural implements, open the earth, gently lay the seed and deposit the soil over
it, keeping the seed safe and secure in the womb of Mother Nature."
Instead of feeling foolish like one might think, Justine gloried in the ability to add her own little mark to the circle, to give back some of what she had been given. The cool soil felt lovely and substantial in her hand, she buried her seed gently, wishing it luck in her own way.
Lila walked around the circle with a watering can and wet down the soil that covered each seed.
Patrick bowed before his mother and again before the gentleman whose name Justine still did not know, before returning to his original spot in the circle, directly across from Justine.
Justine had been a bit confused at first, however, she was beginning to see the way it worked. Lila was the priestess and the man was the priest. It made so much sense to her; both sexes have an equally important role in their faith.
The gentleman took his place next to Lila.
"It is now time for Ale and Cakes." He paused, "Lila?" He handed Lila the plate of cornbread and lifted up the chalice of wine. The two of them stopped at every person
repeating the same phrase before first giving them a small piece of cornbread and then a sip of wine.
"May you never hunger."
"May you never thirst."
Justine accepted the offering graciously and smiled happily into Lila's eyes. When the two of them returned to the center of the circle, they shared the same offering between the two of them repeating the same lovely phrases.
The man dropped the remaining amount of cornbread onto the ground, before Lila proceeded by pouring out the last of wine in offering to Mother Nature.
Lila lifted the knife which Justine now knew was called an athame and raised it up high.
"We thank you Goddess with all of your warmth and generous abundance, we thank you Lord for your mighty protection and courage. We thank you Lugh for your endless lavish gifts of fruits and the bountiful harvest. And we thank you Leoness for your gift of the fertile sun. Go if you must, stay if you will."
Lila turned, hugging and kissing her gentleman friend, before the two of them turned to face the circle and spoke in hand held harmony together,
"So shall it be said, so shall it be done."
As if on cue, the rest of the coveners repeated them and in perfect unison the conveners instantly grabbed hands and sang out,
"Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again." It was said with a warmth and joy that church had never left Justine feeling.
Each convener turned to one another and shared a thrilled hug. Justine fou
nd herself hugging, Patrick, Lila, and strangers alike and not feeling weird about it for one moment.
Patrick warmly pulled Justine into his arms,
"I love you Justine Ramsey, my Celtic Witch, damn I love you."
Feeling overwhelmed and a lack for words, Justine hugged Patrick back just as tightly,
"I love you too, Patrick McCullough."
Watching them, giving them time to part, Lila stepped up to Justine and Patrick. She hugged her son tightly. And just as quickly and warmly embraced Justine.
"So Justine what did you think?"
"It was, "she hesitated trying to find the words, "different."
Lila paused her brow knotted up in worry.
"Different good, or different bad?"
"Oh it was lovely. I don't think I've ever been so moved." Her words were sincere Justine knew as she embraced Lila once again, this time initiating the contact herself.
"I don't think anything has ever made more sense to me, religious wise." Justine was amazed at how familiar the ritual had seemed when she had never before attended any such type of ritual.
Both Lila and Patrick laughed conspiritually.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
As Justine sat quietly on the large porch, her thoughts dwelled on the magickal ritual she had just participated in. Although it was the beginning of August, which meant the last month of the summer season for many places, in Florida there were still at least two full months of wild thunder storms, heavy humidity and stifling heat left.
The ritual itself had been fascinating and completely unlike anything she had imagined it would be. The problem was that it caused more doubt and curiosity to her own beliefs than she was ready to explore. Being that it was nothing like Hollywood's version of Witch craft, she was very pleasantly surprised.
Justine and her fellow attendants from the circle had removed their cloaks in favor of light shorts and t-shirts. A hearty meal had been prepared, barbequed ribs, baked beans, and potato salad in an addition to a large fresh garden salad as well as many other yummy treats.
Justine sat next to Patrick quietly eating her meal; she was finally able to meet the fellow attendants of the ritual. They were friendly and very easy going, people that have a knack for immediately making you feel comfortable and welcome. She met Jeffrey, the High Priest and Lila's husband who was shy but pleasant.
On the ride home to Justine's apartment Patrick stopped at a small convenience store and grabbed the two of them an ice cold fountain soda while Justine waited for him out in the car. The night was so muggy and hot that Justine was ready to go inside the second Patrick pulled into a parking space. Justine quickly slipped out of the car intending to take a long, cool shower. Patrick grabbed her hand and drew her back against him.
"Wanna take a walk?" He asked.
"Actually I was thinking a shower and a cold beer sounded lovely."
"Oh come on, just a short one, I need to walk off some of this energy."
"Well okay."
Patrick dropped her hand lightly and reached into his pocket casually pulling out a pack of unopened cigarettes and a lighter. Justine's eyes grew three times the size of a saucer.
"What are those?"
"This?" Patrick waved the cigarette nonchalantly, "Oh I always smoke after a ritual, it's the only thing that brings me back down to earth."
"Oh." Her voice sounded a bit miffed, yet she found she had no valid argument.
"I'm sorry Justine, I smoke once a week tops and never in someone else's space."
"Okay." Her voice was as nonchalant as his had been.
The two of them walked in silence for a few moments while Patrick guiltlessly smoked his cigarette enjoying both the rush of the nicotine and the woman whom held his hand warmly.
"So tomorrow we get to investigate Lawrence Washington Elementary. I gotta tell you, after reading the fact sheet, I'm a little bit spooked about the place."
"Yeah, after we deal with that then I get to go see my mother and hear how much she hates me now." Her voice sounded so crestfallen that Patrick instantly stomped out his cigarette and put the butt into is pocket before stopping to pull her into his arms.
"Justine, did you do the right thing for her?"
"I think I did." Her voice was nervous and unsteady.
"You did. And yes, she might hate you for a while but once she's sobered up things will be much better between you guys."
Justine sighed and resumed walking.
"Yeah, I know, it was just so hard. They just scooped her away like it was an everyday thing. Although, I guess for them it is."
"I know baby but it’s all for the best," he squeezed her hand and walked up to her doorway. "Let's go grab that shower and beer."
The cool quietness of the apartment rushed out on them in wonderful greeting as soon as Justine unlocked the door. She tiredly turned on the lights and set her purse down when noticing the frantic blinking of the red light on her answering machine. She hit the message button, only half of her attention listening while Patrick passed her a freshly opened beer.
"Justine. It's me Sheryl, oh my god you were right! Justine call me as soon as you get home, I don't care how late it is. Please be careful."
Patrick met Justine's eyes, both of them immediately alert as she quickly dialed Sheryl's phone number. When the phone rang for the third time, Justine felt a deep well of nervousness building up in her stomach.
"Justine?" Sheryl's voice sounded anxious.
"Yes hun, it's me, are you okay?"
"Oh my god Justine! Devin hit me! Then he left and told me he was going to have you."
"He hit you? Are you okay?"
Hearing Justine's words, Patrick immediately began putting his shoes back on and grabbing his car keys.
"Yes, I'm okay. But he, well he freaked. He was screaming and stomping. He said that I was a useless mortal. He said that I wasn't worthy of him or you."
"What? When did this all happen?"
"About two hours ago. Justine, he's insane, I think he means to hurt you."
"Where is Toby?"
"In bed right next to me."
Patrick grabbed Justine's hand to gather her attention.
"Tell her that we're on our way to come and get her," he growled angrily. Justine stared at him and then directed her attention back to the phone.
"Sheryl, Patrick wants to come…"
Sheryl interrupted Justine before she could finish,
"No, I'll be fine here."
"No, we're going to come get you."
Patrick jerked the phone out of Sheryl's hand.
"Sheryl, you are not safe there tonight alone with Toby, we're going to come and get you."
"You don't have to do that Patrick."
"Oh yes, yeah I do. Do not open the door without looking out the peephole first."
He hung up the phone and grabbed Justine's hand yanking her out the front door. Before Justine could even pull the door shut behind them, Patrick stopped short and stared into eyes that contained an endless evil.
"Patrick." Devin nodded and then smiled. "Justine, just the lady I wanted to see."
With a swiftness that seemed almost inhuman, Patrick shoved Justine back into the apartment and said,
"Lock the door," before slamming it shut in her face.
"Wait."
Justine could hear the scuffle outside her door and ripped the door open wide. Patrick had Devin up against the opposite exterior wall by the throat. He virtually towered over Devin who simply smiled up at him.
"Don't make me kill you, because I will if you do not leave Justine alone."
His voice raspy with the need for air, yet he was still smiling Devin replied,
"This is your way then, is it Patrick, physical violence? Why don't you fight me Witch to Witch?"
Patrick chuckled before slamming his fist into Devin's face with the hand that was not wrapped around his throat.
"Because I don’t have to. This playing field is fine for me." Jus
tine stood there completely stunned and unsure of what to do.
"Physically you out weigh me by at least 30 pounds, Patrick." The calmness of Devin's voice was completely unnerving to Justine.
"That's not my problem."
Devin smiled venomously despite the pain he was obviously in, the bright green of his eyes glowing in the dark night.
"Witch to Witch Patrick, I can take you. Is that what you're afraid of?"
"I don't use my magick for evil, Devin. And I don't need to use it to break you in half."
"You can beat me up, and you can also end up behind bars when I press charges, and I will." Devin's voice seethed like a pile of coiled snakes.
"Calling the cops, that's a good idea." Patrick laughed, his own laugh nearly as evil as Devin's. "This is the home of my girlfriend, I am invited here, you are not. How do you think the cops will look at it?"
Defeat seemed to gather in Devin’s eyes.
"Fine let me go, and I'll leave." Patrick stared the man down, waiting, trying to sense his intentions before slowing stepping away.
"I'll see you on the playing field Patrick, you have what is mine and I don't like sharing." Devin bowed at Justine before departing gracefully into the dark night.
Patrick stared at the departing figure unsure of whether or not to chase him down. His every instinct wanted to, yet he knew with a knowledge that was beyond formidable that he would kill Devin if he did. With a sorrow and disgust, Patrick knew that he would eventually have to play the game the way Devin wanted him to.
"Damn it!" He stomped angrily and reached for a fresh cigarette, but stopped himself before he lit it. "Let's go get Sheryl; he might be on his way over there now."
When they arrived at Sheryl's she was wide eyed with fear, her face swollen from crying. Before speaking a word, Justine pulled her oldest friend into her arms and the two woman cried tears for one another.
Patrick entered the apartment and gently grabbed Toby off of the couch he had been sleeping on. The child was so small and vulnerable; he instantly stole Patrick's heart and made him swear a silent promise of revenge.
Journey of Souls (The Mortality Series) Page 17