A Modern Witch - By Debora Geary Page 0,99
everyone accepted the responsibility that came with strong magic.
Silly old woman, thought Jennie. The girl has wormed her way into your heart, and you want to keep her there. It’s not only the witching world that’s glad today.
And look at that. Lauren had won Grab the Thought, best three out of five. She was good—and well taught, too.
“Nicely done, Lauren,” said Jennie, rubbing Aervyn’s head. “Creative as usual.”
Aervyn was so revved by the competition, he’d scarcely realized he’d lost. “Again please, Aunt Jennie, just one more time?”
“That’s enough for today, sweetheart. With Lauren here, I want to try something else. Spring equinox is coming in a couple of days, and we’ll be having ourselves quite a few circles in celebration. I was thinking we could show Ginia how to connect to a circle today.”
That well-thought-out plan was about two minutes old.
Ginia’s eyes shone. Jennie went on. “Ginia, you’ll call earth, just like we’ve been practicing. Aervyn, I want you to handle water and air, and keep it gentle. I’ll do fire. Lauren, can you guide Ginia through the connection? It’s easiest to have a mind witch lead you, but I can’t do that and handle fire as well.” She could do it in her sleep, but she wanted to see Lauren try on trainer shoes.
Ginia plunked down in Lauren’s lap, and Jennie and Aervyn formed the circle. Her voice confident, Ginia reached for earth power, her strongest magic.
“I of the North call on Earth,
Of fertile life and new growth.
As I will, so mote it be.”
Aervyn grinned at his big sister and called on air.
“I of the East call on Air,
Breath of life and soul’s flight.
As I will, so mote it be.”
Jennie felt Lauren dial him back just a bit, stepping automatically into the shoes of circle monitor as well as coach. She added the call for fire.
“I of the South call on Fire,
Creator and destroyer, and force of will.
As I will, so mote it be.”
Aervyn smoothly split his channels, a feat few witches could match, and called for water.
“I of the West call on Water,
Of life giving stream and cleansing rain.
As I will, so mote it be.”
Lauren sent Ginia images of how to entwine her earth power with Aervyn on her left and Jennie on her right. Ginia followed instructions with the confidence and trust of a well-trained witchling. Lauren sent instructions with the confidence and light hand of a future trainer.
Well done, both of you, sent Jennie. Lauren, have Aervyn turn the power up a bit. Ginia, hold nice and steady, just like you’re doing.
Aervyn did as asked and upped the wattage slightly. Power hummed around the circle. Ginia’s delight was contagious.
Aervyn wanted to spellcast, and Lauren was more than willing to play. Jennie laughed, careful not to jiggle her connection with Ginia. That’s what happened when you had three mind witches in a circle—they had the communication links to invent things on the fly.
That’s exactly how accidents happen, she thought wryly. However, it would do both Aervyn and Lauren all kinds of good to feel that connection again. Go ahead, Jennie sent, but keep the magic small, sweet boy. Very small.
Aervyn did something nifty and complicated with his elemental streams and separated out a channel for Lauren. They hooked together with heartwarming ease, and then Lauren gently reached out to Ginia.
Jennie could see Lauren walking Ginia through the steps until her earth power changed shape and flowed smoothly over the dome. Jennie added her fire in quickly. Ginia was new to circle work, and she’d soon tire.
Clearly aware his time was short, Aervyn grabbed power and speedcast the spell.
Summer breezes danced around Ginia. Lightning bugs darted and a circle of dew-covered daisies rose out of the backyard grass. For the grand finale, nature sang.
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
You smell like a monkey,
And you look like one too.
The circle dissolved in fits of giggles.
As things quieted down and they all headed over to a bench where milk and cookies waited, Lauren touched Jennie’s arm. “Are you sure Ginia doesn’t have mind magic?”
Jennie nodded slowly. “I think so. I’ve run the usual assessments, same as Jamie would have done with you. What did you see?”
“I’m not sure, exactly. She pulled earth power, but she also had two small power sources that weren’t elemental. They sure looked like mind channels.”
Jennie considered. She hadn’t seen anything, but Lauren’s mind vision was a lot stronger. “She’s got some minor fire talent, but you’re pretty sure it wasn’t elemental.”
Lauren shrugged. “You’d see