Romance Rules for Werewolves (Charming Cove, #3)(42)

“I do. Shall I call her?” I sure as heck hoped it worked.

“Yes, she’ll need to be here for this.” Hazel turned back to the women who were leaving the room. “The rest of you need to call your familiars as well, if you have them.” She shot me a look. “In an ideal world, the familiars would attend the meetings, but none of them listen to orders unless they think it’s important.”

“Hopefully, this will qualify,” I said, smiling. I wanted to see everyone’s familiars, and magic always worked better when they were present.

“Oh, it will. A new coven member is a big deal.” She held up a hand in a slow down gesture. “Not that it’s official yet. Let’s get your magic untangled, and then we’ll talk. I realize we haven’t even asked you if you want to be a member.”

I do! I wanted to shout. But I just smiled and nodded, trying to play it cool. “I would, I think.”

“Good. I like the feel of you. You’ve got good energy.”

“Thanks.” A grin spread across my face.

“Now, come on. We’ll go out back. It’s the perfect day for this.”

I followed her to the back garden, which was a beautiful rectangular space that stretched out from the house. It was surrounded on all sides by high stone walls covered in vines. Autumn flowers bloomed in profusion, and their scent filled the air. The sound of running water came from the back of the garden.

Familiars were appearing out of thin air to join their witches—a skunk, two cats, a large gray rat, and tiny teacup poodle—and I realized I’d better try to call Poa to me.

Poa? I need you. I called to her with my mind. I’d done this in the past and it had worked, so hopefully, she’d listen to me.

A moment later, she appeared, staring up at me with annoyance. This had better be good.

“It is, I promise.” I gestured to the other witches and their familiars, and she turned to look at them.

Now this is what I’m talking about. Approval sounded in her voice. Finally, you’re hanging out with some real power.

“I’ve got real power,” I said, offended.

But it’s a mess.

“Not for long. That’s why you’re here.”

Oh, good. Let's get this show on the road.





Chapter

Eighteen





Isobel



Hazel was definitely running this show. In her white dress and colorful jeweled belt, she looked like a bohemian princess as she swept her arm out in front of her and removed the grass from the ground with a shower of sparks. A perfect circle of fresh earth remained, and all ten witches took up positions around it. Half the witches had familiars, and the animals stuck close by their sides.

“You’ll be in the middle,” Hazel said. “But give me a moment to prepare the space.” She went to the center of the circle and knelt, drawing a delicate gold athame from a hidden pocket in her skirt. The ceremonial blade was inset with gems that glittered in the bright autumn sunlight, and she used the tip to draw a circle in the dirt about a meter across. She then pressed her hand to the soil and hummed a note that was so pure and beautiful, it didn’t sound human.

Lavender sprouted at the edges of the circle, and fresh green grass grew in the middle.

Hazel smiled and looked up at me. “Lavender. Unusual, but how appropriate, given that you own Lavender House now.”

“It’s normally another type of flower?”

“It depends on the person, but I haven’t seen lavender before. It’s ancient and powerful.” She rose and gestured for me to step inside the circle.

I did so, with Poa jumping over the lavender bushes to follow me. Once I was in the middle, Hazel went to the last open space in the ring of women surrounding me. She raised her hands, her athame pointed toward the blue sky. When she spoke, it was in a voice that vibrated with power. “Witches, begin.”

In a synchronized motion, each witch knelt and pointed an athame at the dirt in front of her. Their movements were so perfectly choreographed that they’d clearly done this before. The ceremonial blades were all different colors and styles—silver, gold, bronze, and even obsidian. Each witch drew a different symbol in the dirt, though I couldn’t make out the details from where I stood. I craned my neck to get a look at everyone, and they were all intensely focused on their work.

When the designs were done, the witches sank their blades into the soft, dark dirt and began to chant in low voices. They were so quiet that I couldn’t make out the individual words, but I was pretty sure they were each saying something different.

Magic swelled, sparkling brightly despite the sunlight. It swirled golden through the air, rushing around me in a spiral. Flowers budded from the symbols etched into the dirt, beginning to fill the circle with colorful blooms. More and more sprouted, drawing closer to me with every flower, until the entire earthy space was filled with fresh new growth.

The scent was incredible, and I drew it into my lungs. As I did so, the magic in my chest began to loosen. It was the strangest feeling—I hadn’t even realized it had been tight. I’d lived this way so long that I’d become used to it. But I could actually feel the power untangling, just like Hazel had said.

Poa leaned against my leg, her purrs vibrating through me. I could sense her joy, as if the magic inside her was feeling better as well.