08/09/2022
𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬
Excerpt from Chapter 28 - 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈
Patricia lights three incense on the mantle while Clara stacks the wood on the hearth. Elizabeth stands back for a moment, muttering under her breath and checks the area before waving Patricia forward. “That should do it. I believe we’re about ready to begin. If you could like the fire, please, dear.”
“You got it, Lizzie.” Ignoring Elizabeth’s dirty look, she winks at Olivia and flips her hand toward the neatly stacked wood. “Flamma!” As the wood ignites, Helen hangs the cast pot over the flames and steps back, grabbing two of the ingredients from Clara’s hands. “Shall I give the water a bit of a kick?” Patricia wiggles her fingers toward the pot. “You know, add a little heat to that baby,” she grins.
Olivia can’t help but chuckle, watching Elizabeth tense as she closes her eyes and shakes her head with a feigned smile. Patricia is undoubtedly doing everything in her power to irritate the high priestess, and Elizabeth is doing everything within her power to ignore the attempts. “No, dear. That won’t be necessary. The water is already beginning to simmer.”
“Alrighty then. I’ll just sit with Olivia and let the rest of you do your thing.”
But before Patricia can walk away, Clara holds out two small jars of liquid. “Not so fast. It’s your job to deliver the dragon’s blood and clove oil. Once Helen has delivered her offerings, you’ll add three drops of each to the pot, calling out your element, and you’ll take your position when required. Understood?”
The corner of Patricia’s mouth tightens as she nods. “Yeah, I got it.”
“Look, I know you don’t like these ceremonies, but I need—” Clara stops herself. “No. Olivia needs all of our strengths right now.”
“I said I got it.” She lowers her gaze and quietly joins her sister, watching as Elizabeth draws the invoking pentagram in the air above the altar. She then takes one of the glass bottles marked verbena and counts to nine, dripping it into the simmering pot above the fire. “Goddess, we ask you to help us loosen these binds that hold Olivia from the gifts you’ve granted her.” She waves her hand through the steam in a circular motion, then pushes it skyward. “I come to you with the power of air.”
As the air element, etched on the bricks below, begins to glow a brilliant yellow, Clara steps forward. She drizzles tiny pieces of vetivert root into the pot and opens a small satchel of soil. Pouring the pouch into her palm, she rubs her hands together, letting the granules fall into the simmering water as she speaks. “I offer my strength from earth and air.” Then, just as Elizabeth had done, she waves her hand through the steam in a circular motion and pushes it skyward before stepping aside.
The earth symbol shimmers a vivid green, and Helen steps forward to join Clara, emptying the lemon juice and rose water into the mix. “I come with the strength of water,” she says, moving her hand over the pot in a stirring motion.
Blue illuminates the water symbol around the pentacle, and Helen shifts to the side as Patricia moves toward the altar. Then, just as Clara instructed, she adds three drops from the first jar and three from the next. Finally, she holds out her hands and looks skyward. “I bring the power of storm and fire.” Thunder rolls above as the fire sign glows red.
Clara takes the large wooden spoon from the side of the altar and begins to stir the pot. Three times to the left, then three times to the right before carefully resting the spoon across the top of the bubbling brew. She then pulls a small anointing flask from her pocket and dips it into the mixture. “Come kneel here in the center and place your binds in front of you,” she says, gesturing to the ground just in front of the altar.
Olivia takes the knotted rope in hand and points to the center of the etched pentacle. Her eyes flit to her grandmother’s. “You want me to stand inside there?”
Clara lights the tall white pillar candle and places it on the mantle before turning to face her. “Yes. You are the focus.”
As she moves to kneel in the center of the pentacle, the small circle etching at the top point glistens, and the outer circle begins to glow. Olivia gasps, turning to watch as a vibrant violet slowly surrounds her. “I feel like I’m being locked in.”
“We’ve called to the Goddess, and her attention is now focused on you.” Elizabeth hands her a thick piece of paper. Not like something you’d purchase from a store. It screams ancient, similar to the pages of the journal. “This is what you’ll read aloud. It’s a standard unbinding incantation.”
Olivia can hear the high priestess speaking, but movement has caught her eye. Her gaze bounces to the ladies shifting their positions around the pentacle to stand on their elements. Her mind suddenly vacates the conversation, making a note of their places. 𝐴𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝐻𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑝 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡—𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟. 𝐴𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡—𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒. 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑛’𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡—𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ. 𝐼𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼’𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤?
𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞:
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