Rise of the Moon: Arcana Book One

by JB Caine

  “Close your eyes and breathe deeply, Lia. Smell the sandalwood? Focus on that scent. I want you to imagine the tendrils of air rising up from the earth, up through your feet and legs, up through your torso, spreading out through your arms, and finally filling your lungs and head. Then, when you exhale, I want you to imagine that air moving in the opposite direction, all the way from the top of your head, back down into the earth. Repeat that slowly for five breaths.”

  I followed her directions as well as I could, but even for this short period of time, I found it hard not to be distracted. I thought of Alex, of Treigh, even of Gemma. I wondered what Selene expected of me, and what her endgame was. I wondered what abilities would show themselves next, and who would suffer for my lack of control.

  “Just breathe, Lia,” my aunt instructed. “I can feel your tension, your worry. Push those thoughts away as you exhale. Watch them float away like smoke. Five more breaths; calm yourself.”

  I tried to focus on the air, just like she told me, and at first, I was frustrated. But as I slowed my breathing to really picture the air moving in and out, I found that I felt each part of my body more acutely, and yet in a detached way. I was aware of my feet, my knees, but with each breath, I actually felt them less. Occasionally, a breeze would caress my skin, but then that sensation would be gone and there was only the air moving in and out of my body.

  “Good girl. Now listen to the sound of my voice. I want you to imagine yourself standing in your bedroom. Can you do that?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. On your bed are several boxes. Each one of them is labeled with one of the gifts Selene has awakened in you. What is the first box you see?”

  In my mind, I picked up a white shoebox off my bed. “It’s labeled ghosts.”

  “Excellent,” Aunt Kitty continued. “Do you need the contents of this box right now? Do you need to perceive those on the other side?”

  “No, not right now.”

  “Good then. I want you to take a good look at the box lid. Make sure it’s closed.”

  “It’s closed.”

  “There’s a padlock on the front. Lock it up for now.”

  “It’s locked now.”

  “Well done. Now let’s look at the others.”

  We followed that same routine for several other boxes in my mind. Boxes labeled telekinesis, ghosts, and influence were securely locked, while glamour, dreams, and perception had lids on them, but did not need to be locked.

  “You can lock and unlock these boxes and move them around at your will. They are yours to use as you see fit,” she said. “But what you do with them is now a conscious choice. You will also need to check them several times a day to make sure the locks and lids are not popping open on accident. Last thing, I want you to imagine yourself putting all these boxes, one by one, on a shelf in your closet.”

  When I finished my mental task of putting away my ability boxes, my aunt instructed me to open my eyes. I was surprised to find that nearly an hour had passed.

  “Now, Lia,” my aunt said, taking my hand, “this exercise in mental discipline is basic but effective. It does, though, require maintenance. You will not only need to check the locks and lids of the boxes, you will need to, in moments of quiet meditation, take them down one at a time and study them. You will need to consider the contents of each, and how you want to arrange them. Imagine yourself writing a card of rules for each and placing it inside to remind you that just because you CAN do something doesn’t always mean you SHOULD.”

  I nodded, feeling overwhelmed, but more in control.

  Chapter 17

  Monday was an emotional stew. I seriously considered skipping English so I wouldn’t have to face Alex. What would he have told people about us? He smiled and said hello to me in English, but he sat across the room and didn’t wait for me when class was over. I took that as a pretty negative sign overall.

  Not that I could blame him, really. He probably couldn’t even figure out how he felt about me, now that I wasn’t influencing him. The memories of those feelings would still be there, though, and if I were him, I’d be very confused about how I could be full of feelings for someone one minute, kissing her like she was going off to war, and then feel almost entirely neutral suddenly and without warning. Who would want that?

  Gemma and Trina seemed pretty much oblivious to the entire thing. There was no discernible difference in their behavior toward me, and believe me, I was looking. I had to conclude that Alex hadn’t shared any of our drama with them. Yet another point in his favor. Somehow that made me feel even worse.

  Treigh kept tiptoeing around me, offering words of validation and support, but I really just wanted to forget the whole thing. If I couldn’t recapture the magic between Alex and me without using...well...magic, then I had to learn to let it go. If he didn’t feel anything for me without my influence, then it wasn’t meant to be. That didn’t make it suck any less, though.

  At the end of the school day, it started raining. I made my way to my car at the far end of the parking lot. By the time I got there, I was absolutely drenched. Even with the distracting effect of the rain, though, something felt...off. I had that prickling feeling again...the one I had felt Saturday afternoon at the coffee shop. I let myself into my car quickly and locked the doors, looking around the parking lot for anything out of the ordinary. I didn’t really see anything that struck me as unusual, other than a couple dozen teenagers dodging raindrops as they ran to their vehicles, so I carefully backed out of my spot and headed out the gate.

  I sat at a stop sign, preparing to turn onto Lewis Speedway, and stared across the street at the houses. One of the funny things you’ll see in coastal towns are these houses that have downstairs carports with an exterior stairway leading to the residence on the second floor. I’d always thought that was a weird design, because why wouldn’t you just make an interior stairway so that you wouldn’t have to climb the stairs in torrential rain? I mean, what if you had groceries? It really was stupid to build a house that way.

  I inched slowly up the line as I prepared to hang a right, and I noticed that one of the houses had a very nice black Range Rover parked in one of the carports. Two people sat in the front seat. I couldn’t see their faces, but I imagined them sitting there, cursing the rain and the idiocy of the architect who thought exterior stairs were a good idea. The thought amused me, and I smiled in spite of my crappy mood.

  I finally made the turn, and internally grumbled at the traffic all the way home. Granted, it wasn’t a far drive, 15 minutes in good traffic. But early afternoon traffic generally meant I could nearly double that. My phone buzzed repeatedly in the cup holder, but I decided that with the combination of the rain and the traffic, I’d better wait until I got home to check who was trying to reach me. I was pretty sure who it WASN’T, and that made me care a little bit less about who it actually WAS.

  When I finally pulled into the driveway, I checked my phone and found texts from Trina asking if I had brought the English handout home, and could I please send her a photo of it? With a rather melodramatic sigh, I reached into the back seat where I had tossed my bag. From this twisted vantage point, I spotted a car driving slowly down my street. That in itself wasn’t all that unusual, but none of my neighbors owned a black Range Rover.

  The prickling on my neck made sense now, and I felt a rush of adrenaline. There was no way it was a coincidence. I jerked my bag out of the back seat and bolted into the house as quickly as I could manage. Usually, I loved being alone in the house in the couple of hours before my mom got home, but today, I really didn’t want to be alone. There was no question in my mind that the couple from the coffee shop owned the silhouettes I’d spotted in the fancy SUV, and that meant I was being watched. Stalked, even.

  I checked every lock on every door, set the alarm, and then parked myself by my window to watch the street. I tried calling my mother to see if she could come home early, but I got her voicemail. I didn’t leave a message, because I d
idn’t know what to say. The next number I called was my aunt. She picked up on the third ring.

  “Aunt Kitty, remember when you asked me if anyone had followed me, or approached me about the card?”

  “Lia, what’s happened? Are you safe?”

  “Yes, I mean, I think so. I think there is a couple following me. There were these two people maybe watching me at Dotz the other day, and now there’s this black SUV that I’ve spotted a couple of times today. I’m pretty sure it’s them. But I’m locked in the house and the alarm is on.”

  “Is there someone who can come over and sit with you until your mother gets home? It would take me over an hour to get to you.”

  “Yeah, I can call my friend to come over, I think.”

  “Do it,” she said. “And I want you to call me back right after.”

  “Okay.” I was unnerved at the seriousness of her tone. I hung up and called Treigh, and but got his voicemail.

  I called my aunt back. “Treigh didn’t answer.”

  “Okay, listen, I think you should go someplace very public until I can check out the security of your house. Someplace where you can sit for a little while, someplace that will probably be busy. They probably won’t approach you if you aren’t alone.”

  “Who are THEY?”

  “I can’t be sure, but I would bet they are associated with at least one of the other Tarot cards. No doubt they want to see what kind of person you are, and if you’d be likely to align with whichever faction they represent. I don’t think you’re in any danger, but I don’t like that they are being so sneaky about talking to you. It doesn’t bode well for their intentions.”

  “Like maybe bringing the cards together?”

  “Maybe. I’ve been out of circulation for a long time, so I don’t really know their game anymore. I just know that several of the families had ambitions that ran counter to the beliefs I held, and they didn’t really take kindly to my refusal to support them.”

  “Is that why you buried the card?”

  “Like I told you, part of it was that, and part of it was that I didn’t want the temptation of the power. It not only made me a target to the factions, but power like that makes shortcuts to getting what you want awfully attractive. And sometimes shortcuts have a price. Sometimes people get hurt.”

  I felt like I shouldn’t press the point, but it sounded like there was some deep history of which I was not aware. Something pretty bad must have happened if she had felt the need to turn away from the deep connection with her goddess that the card offered.

  “Lia, is there someplace you could go? Maybe where there would be tourists or something that would be crowded?”

  “Well, I could go to Dunkin. It’s really close to the Fountain of Youth and stuff, and with the rain, there are probably a lot of people looking for coffee or doughnuts.”

  “Good. Go there. Don’t come home until your Mom is done with work. I’ll head over that way as well, but it will take me a little while. Check in with me every twenty minutes, okay?”

  ‘Okay, Aunt Kitty. Thanks. I’ll go now.”

  Fifteen minutes later, I was nibbling on a chocolate cake doughnut in a tourist-filled Dunkin Donuts. I had taken a table in the middle, facing the door.

  I heard a tinkling sound behind me and realized that I had forgotten about the side door near the bathrooms. The prickling feeling that had been plaguing me on-and-off for days fired up again. I swiveled my head toward the sound and spotted two now-familiar faces coming toward me. My heart thudded in my chest.

  “Hello, Lia. I think it’s about time we introduced ourselves. I’m Claudia, and this is my brother John. John, be a dear and get me some coffee, will you?” John nodded mutely and walked to the counter.

  “Why are you following me?” I demanded.

  “You’re very direct,” Claudia said, studying me. “I like that. I shall return the courtesy. By now, I’m sure you have discovered certain...changes...in your life. Specifically since coming into possession of a certain card. A depiction of the Moon, I believe.”

  I didn’t respond; I didn’t trust myself to avoid saying something stupid.

  “This must all be very new to you,” she offered.

  “Well, yes…”

  “And we would like to offer to assist in your training. I take it you did not have evident abilities prior to the Awakening of the card?”

  “I’m not really sure I should be discussing this with you. I don’t even know you.”

  She raised a perfectly-shaped eyebrow and smiled. I couldn’t imagine what was so amusing, but it rather annoyed me.

  “I’m pleased to see that you have so much sense, Lia,” she said, covering my hand with her own. “I do hope that we can build some sort of trust between us. It is an exciting and important time for you, and proper training is so important, don’t you agree?”

  She seemed to be making so much sense. “Yes, very important. But why all the cloak and dagger stuff?”

  “Oh, I do apologize about that.” Her voice was soothing, calming, like hot chocolate. “We weren’t sure if it was safe to approach you. You see, my brother and I felt the power building in this area and set out to find its source, which led us to you. Surely your family has told you that you are not the only person who has a card of power?”

  “I know there are others, yes,” I responded carefully.

  “Ah, good then. The Moon has been off the grid for quite some time, it seems. It’s nice to know that is has not been lost somehow. At any rate, John and I have come to offer our assistance and guidance, as it appears this is all very new to you. With great power comes great responsibility and all that.” Her brother arrived at the table with her coffee, and they both sat down.

  “How kind of you,” I responded. Why was I feeling so calm? Just minutes ago, I was terrified. And now, here we were, talking like we were old friends. “But I have someone who can train me.”

  “I’m sure you think so, dear, but I assume you are referring to your aunt? Lovely woman, but she is quite out of practice, I should think. The card has been inactive for what, two decades? No, I doubt she is prepared to properly train you for the deep magic that is to come.”

  “Deep magic? What?” I was so enthralled by her voice. She seemed so very wise. She might be right...Aunt Kitty herself had told me that she hadn’t practiced any major magic in years.

  “The time has come for those of us in possession of the Cards of Power to unite and help undo some of the messes the ordinary humans have made.”

  That sounded like it was important. Alarming, even, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel much of anything. I looked down at where her hand still held mine. Why would I allow a stranger to hold my hand? Blinking hard, I pulled my hand back and reached up to tuck my hair behind my ear. Instantly, my heart rate started climbing. She had been doing something to me! Trying to influence me the way I had accidentally influenced Alex. Fear melted away and was replaced by anger, but I also knew it was important to tread carefully.

  “You’re talking about uniting the cards. I’m not really sure that’s a good idea,” I said, trying not to reveal how little I actually knew about the different factions arguing about how the cards and their powers should be used.

  “I don’t think you understand what’s at stake here,” Claudia pulled her hand back with poorly-concealed disappointment. She stirred cream into her coffee slowly. “We aren’t talking about you and your little life, my girl. We are talking about changing the world. This world is a disaster, wouldn’t you agree?”

  “Well, generally, yes, but…”

  “Exactly. And that is precisely because people like us, people who truly understand the connectedness of all things and the true elemental powers of the Universe, we’re powerless to use what we know on a large scale. Less evolved creatures like these,” she waved at the news report on television mounted in the corner of the room, “are the ones with the power to make policy and decisions. It’s a tragedy.”

  I didn
’t really know what to say to that. She wasn’t wrong. I probably wouldn’t have used the term less evolved, but I got her point. Even without her trying to use her magic on me, there was a certain amount of logic to her argument.

  “Imagine,” she continued, “what we could all do together as a united force! We could right the ship of this world’s foolishness. We could help the environment, we could make people see reason and behave better. We could be the politicians making decisions and policies instead of these egomaniacs who don’t understand how things really work. We could CHANGE things.”

  “So if we can find all of the cards, reunite the Major Arcana, that would do what, exactly?” She was very persuasive, but she was leaving things out, I could tell.

  “Ah, that’s the question, isn’t it? Bringing all the forces those cards and the families who hold them represent together would change the fabric of reality. It’s our belief that magic would be released into the world on a massive scale, and those descendants of the Major families would be awakened to their rightful place in history. Change, glorious change. Creating a better world for everyone, not just ourselves.”

  “But...what if all those families don’t share the same vision?” If things seem too good to be true, they probably are. This definitely fit into that category.

  “That’s why there are so many families. Diversity. Those individuals, magical or otherwise, who don’t share the vision can either be persuaded, brought into line, or removed from power and contained as long as necessary. We wouldn’t want anyone using the power with ill intent, of course.”

  “You said we could change how people act. What about free will?”

  “Free will is a luxury not everyone deserves. There are people out there who stubbornly cling to ideas which are not good for the world as a whole. We can bring harmony. Peace. A world where people take care of each other and the earth instead of being ruled by material greed. If we unite, they won’t even be aware that changing their minds wasn’t their own idea.”