Arabella

With the binding spell broken and the compound exposed, I had to work hard at getting a powerful protection spell. This wasn’t anything like I’ve ever had to do before. This was a spell to protect an entire Clan of bear shifters. I spent most of the day in the Alexandria room, where I researched relentlessly. Arcane records and spell books that dated back to the early sixteenth century lay open before me and yet, there was no spell in them that I could cast. Most of them required blood magic, which I was not a great fan of. The worst part was that the spells I cast as a Strega witch required herbs, and it wasn’t as if I could go to the nearest grocer. Edmund had their greenery but it was mostly for food, there were no magical herbs to be harvested and time was ticking.

I stood up and stretched my arms and legs to get my blood circulation flowing again. Surely Maura must have had access to such a spell. Why else would they have acquired her services?

I tapped my index finger against my lips and scanned the books before me. They may have had value in the old world, but here they were pretty useless. Then something caught my eye. A small insignia on one of the books at the bottom of the pile, that looked very familiar. I trawled through the recesses of my memory and I tried to recall where I saw this symbol before, but nothing came to mind.

It was a combination of the symbol of the goddess, blood and death. It made no sense. The goddess was the giver of life, why would she be associated with blood and death?

I rubbed my hands tiredly over my eyes and slumped down on the chair behind the desk and closed my eyes. I had to centre my thoughts, do some serious housekeeping and get back to the basics.

I glanced around me and noticed that there was no one else left in the library, which was pretty convenient, but I also didn’t feel at ease here. Despite my earlier yearning to visit this room, the presence of an entity lingered here, and was most likely placed here by Maura. I quickly gathered a few of the books, including the one with the insignia and made my way back to my room, the only place I felt safe. Having cleansed it from all evil, it was my own space of solitude and peace.

I locked the door behind me and went to pull the box that contained my magical arsenal out from under the bed. I was going to have to start with a locator spell, it was my only hope to find the protection spell I could cast to protect my clan. My clan – when did these creatures become a part of my life circle? A few weeks ago I was a mere semi-mortal. A witch, who only by the grace of magic and the gods, was able to defy time and live longer than the average human and now I was staring at eternity as if it was a life sentence. Chronos, the father of time, clearly had a few tricks up his sleeve.

I emptied the satchel filled with white and black pebbles onto the ground and started to place them in a circle with the exact measure of distance between each one. This time instead of white candles I used the black ones and placed them in strategically, representing the elements. Once the circle was cast, I entered it and sat down with my legs crossed.

“Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna,” I chanted over and over until the candles lit up one by one. The goddesses have heard my plea and I could feel their presence as they all formed an ethereal circle around me. Their ghostly whispers soothed my soul as I sat amongst them focusing on the peace that surrounded me.

With my eyes still closed the room materialized in my minds-eye and I reached for the small cauldron filling it with the last of my rain water, then placed it on the altar in front of me. Next I took the rune with the eye of Horus, and dropped it in the cauldron.

“Keeper of all that’s real, let all that is hidden be revealed. Far and wide, across the threshold, what my eyes cannot see, bring forth to me.”

In my vision I saw the hem of a black cloak as it floated over the floor near the bed, and then I saw what I needed to see, a blue haze of smoke resonating from under the bed.

“Thank you!” I cried out as I opened my eyes, and the magic around me vanished instantly.

I jumped up and pushed the bed out of the way. Underneath the bed was a small opening carved into the carpet that covered the floor and as I waved my hand over it, I could feel the tingle of an ancient force traveling up from my finger tips to my shoulder.

This was dark magic, I realized as I peeled the carpet away. But if dark magic was the only way to protect my clan I would do so willingly.

I took out the small wooden box and slowly opened it, then took out the small scroll that was tied with a red ribbon.

Reflectempra pestem, mystifendio celestiteus. This spell not only protects but it locates as well. With the right combination of blood from either source, the clan would not only have the protection of the gods, they would be able to locate Lucifer’s Hordes long before they could breach the compound. The only problem was that I don’t have a Vampire hanging around for local blood donations.

This was quite the predicament. No wonder Maura could never apply this magic.