A Modern Witch

CHAPTER 17



Moira: Are you there, child?

Lauren: I am, and I have a surprise for you. Do you see the little orange button on the right side that looks like a video camera? Click on that.


“Oh, goodness—I can see you!”

“I asked Nell to add video to our chat,” Lauren said. “It’s not the same as sitting in a room together, but I thought you might enjoy it all the same.” And so might I, she thought, looking at Moira’s comforting face.

“Is it magic, then? Our Nell is an excellent spellcaster, although how she does it with this Internet is an eternal mystery to me.”

Lauren laughed. “No magic at all, just a few lines of code. I think Ginia actually made the changes. She’s frighteningly good for an eight-year-old.”

Moira sighed. “I miss watching Nell’s brood grow. I remember holding those three girls on my lap when they were only wee toddlers.”

Lauren mentally slapped her forehead and sent a quick instant message to Nell’s house. “You’re close to Nell, then? I know Sophie spent summers with you.”

“She did, and the daughter of my heart she is. But Nell is special to me as well. I was present at Aervyn’s birth. The girls were only three then, and we had such fun together.”

“Well then, you’ll appreciate Aervyn’s latest stunt.” Lauren read Nell’s reply. Just let me tweak the code for a three-way—I’ll have the girls online in a few minutes.

“Oh, I’ve already heard, lass. News travels very quickly in the witching world, especially when big magic is involved.”

Lauren grimaced.

Moira’s grin was a little devilish. “I’ve been getting lots of visits lately from people wanting to hear about this new young witch we found on the Internet, the one who channels for Aervyn.”

Lovely. Add ‘Aervyn’s sidekick’ to her rapidly morphing identity. “I’m not sure I want to be fodder for witch gossip.”

Moira’s giggles were those of a young girl, and impossible to resist. “Sweetling, you don’t have much choice at this point. We haven’t had a case of witch-powered flight in over two hundred years. That must have been quite the experience.”

Lauren gave in and grinned. “It was unbelievable. I didn’t realize our physical bodies were really flying, which is probably a good thing, but even just thinking it was in my mind…”

Moira reached out for the computer screen, and then looked a little affronted that she couldn’t actually touch Lauren. “Hold on to that joy, my dear. What a gift.”

Nell’s new instant message pinged. The girls were ready.

“Moira,” Lauren said, “I have another surprise for you.”

“Auntie Moira!” Lauren could see three curly heads on one side of her screen, and a very astonished and delighted Moira on the other.

Moira clapped her hands and tried once more to reach through the screen. “Now this must be magic, I’m thinking. Ginia, Shay, Mia, my lovelies!”

Lots of giggles. “It’s not magic, Auntie, just computer code,” Ginia said. “I helped Mama write it.”

“When you’re a witch as old as I am, dear girl, this is pure magic. Lauren, was this your idea?”

Nell’s head popped into the screen with the girls. “It was—and I’m an idiot for not thinking of it sooner.”

Moira’s lips quivered just a little. “It’s a very fine gift you’ve given me today, Lauren.”

Lauren listened to the babble and smiled to herself. No magic needed—just good advice from her first mentor as a realtor. Find out what matters to people, and thank those who help you. Today, it felt solid to remember that not all good deeds required witchcraft.

…

Jamie walked into the kitchen where Lauren was frying a grilled cheese sandwich. Excellent—perhaps he could get food while he popped his question. “Smells awesome. Make me one?”

Lauren jumped, which gave him some idea how distracted she was. Sneaking up on a mind witch was usually pretty difficult.

“Sure,” she said. “Want onions?”

“On a grilled cheese sandwich? Heathen.”

Lauren smirked. “I take it that’s a no.”

Jamie shrugged. “Well, I’ll eat it, but I have very low standards.” In some things, at least.

Sometimes it was better to get right to the point, especially when it was making you a little bit crazy. Jamie took a deep breath. After he let this particular cat out of the bag, he was pretty damn sure there was no way to put it back in.

“I need you to find me an apartment.”

Lauren looked confused. “Why?”

“You’re a realtor, aren’t you? I figured you’d have connections, someone who might know a place that’s available now.”

Communications were still malfunctioning, judging by Lauren’s face. She spoke very slowly, as if doubting his IQ. “My connections are all in Chicago, Jamie. I don’t know anyone out here. Why do you want a new place, anyhow? This is a great house.”

“It’s my parents’ house; I’m just house-sitting. They’ve been in Costa Rica for the last year with my brothers.”

Lauren put the sandwiches on two plates and handed him one. “That’s awesome—what are they all doing in Costa Rica? I’ve always wanted to go there.”

Dang it, could he not keep a simple conversation on track? “My brothers are doctors. They’re building a clinic. But I need you to find me an apartment, fast.”

“Are your parents coming back sooner than you expected?”

“No. I’m going to be in Chicago in two days, and it’s freaking cold there. If you don’t find me an apartment, I’ll probably freeze to death. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy, just something close to downtown.”

Lauren sat down and shook her head, as if that might reboot something critical. “You want an apartment in Chicago.”

For a mind witch, she seemed awfully dense. Then again, there was more than one way to communicate with a mind witch. He reached for Lauren’s hands and held her gaze. “Look.”

Lauren looked. When she surfaced, her face was considerably paler and tears threatened. “Jamie. You need to tell her how you feel.”

“I’m a guy, okay? I need some time. Which we won’t have if you two leave on Tuesday and Nat’s half a continent away. I figure if I come to Chicago for a bit, then we can take it one step at a time.”

“You’ll move across the country for her, but you can’t say three little words?”

Maybe the guy excuse wasn’t the right one. “Precog sucks, Lauren. It’s hard to just let things take their natural course when there are visions of the future flying around. Not to mention she’s spent the whole week surrounded by witches. I want us to figure out who we are for each other without all that in the mix.”

“All that is already in the mix,” Lauren said. “She knows her own mind and heart better than anyone.”

“Then help me out here, so I can be around while she figures it out. I don’t want to pressure her, so I want a place to live. Month to month would be great. I can stay with Nash, but it’s hell trying to work at his place. Too many distractions.”

“I think I know the perfect place—I’ll check with the landlord.” Lauren grinned. “Walking distance to Nat’s studio; you can take her 6 am class every morning.”

Jamie groaned. “Can’t I just watch her? That’s a lot more fun than trying to turn myself into a pretzel.”

“If you want to truly know Nat, take her classes. I’ll arrange the rental.”

“Thanks. And one more thing.” Jamie waited until Lauren was paying full attention. “Don’t tell her. Please. It’s mine to do.”

Lauren contemplated him for a moment, and then nodded in agreement. “I hope it works out for you two, Jamie—I really do. She’s my best friend in all the world, so I don’t say that lightly. I like you, and I think you’re good for her.”

She paused. “Screw her up, and I’ll see just how much damage I can do with these new powers of mine.”

Now didn’t seem like a good time to talk about the ethics of witching. Jamie chose an expedient alternative. “I have to go pick up Sophie at the airport. Want to come?”

…

Jennie watched Aervyn in her viewfinder, waiting for that moment when light and small-boy grin meshed. It came, and she clicked.

Nell sat on the grass nearby, watching her youngest four play in Jamie’s back yard. “Thanks, Jennie. Today, it’s good to think of him as a little boy in a sandbox.”

It was always harder to be those who loved. “A camera in my hand is always therapeutic. Today, I’ll capture your small boy.” And tomorrow, she thought, I’ll capture the witch.

“Do you think they’re ready?”

Jennie knew what Nell asked. “I do. Aervyn is young, but he’s been well trained. Jamie is wonderful with him.”

Nell laughed. “He gets to let out his inner child.”

“I suspect you’re right. But Jamie is also innately cautious in his magic when he works with others. He’s passed that on to Aervyn. Your son is very careful to keep others safe. We both know he had lots of power left in the tank when he flew us. It wasn’t nearly as daring on his part as it looked.”

Nell reached out a hand. “Thanks for that. I keep telling myself the same thing, but it’s good to hear it from someone else.”

“He’s done plenty of small circle work. He’s ready for this, Nell.”

“And Lauren? If training makes you ready, she’s not even close.”

Jennie tried not to bristle. They’d done a lot of work in the last week. “She lacks practice, for sure. But she’s a creative and confident witch.”

Nell just raised an eyebrow.

Jennie sighed. “Not after the magic is done, and can you blame her for feeling overwhelmed? But during the magic—you’ve worked plenty of circles, Nell. If you didn’t know she was new, what would you have thought, watching her channel for your son?”

Nell was quiet a long moment. “I would have been deeply grateful he’d found such a skilled and sure partner.”

“Exactly. She works with the confidence of long experience.”

“Or the fearlessness of a newbie who doesn’t know any better.”

And maybe that’s for the best, thought Jennie. “Some of that, too. I think it helps the two of them, actually. They don’t really have any idea how strong they are together. They headed into completely unknown territory yesterday.”

“Were you as scared as I was?”

Jennie laughed. “Watching them do five kinds of impossible? Heck, yes. The two of them didn’t know any better, and the magic was free to sing because of it.”

Pride burst out of Nell. “I’ve never seen anything like it, Jennie. Never.”

Neither had she. “Maybe it’s best for Aervyn to work with a channeler who isn’t completely awestruck by his power.”

Nell suddenly smiled. “Yeah. She gives him hugs and feeds him cookies. She doesn’t forget he’s four.”

Jenny raised her camera and clicked. “She’ll take good care of him, Nell. And trust your son. He was born to do this.”

…

Lauren felt like she was eight years old and at her first sleepover. She, Nat, and Sophie were all crowded into Nat’s room. Arriving guests for the circle tomorrow had taken up every inch of floor space in Jamie’s house.

Nat had won the coin toss for the bed, but at the moment they were all tucked into sleeping bags on the floor, eating pizza. They’d missed dinner because of Sophie’s delayed flight, and Lauren had decided, with some remorse, that they shouldn’t jump straight to ice cream.

Sophie laid out Lauren’s crystals, then pulled a velvet bag out of her luggage. “I brought you a couple more that will help with channeling, since we didn’t know about that talent of yours when I sent the first package.”

Nat sighed over the beautiful colors. “Sophie, they’re so lovely. This pink one is almost alive.”

Sophie beamed. “That means it’s yours. It’s a pink tourmaline, wonderful for heart opening and balancing the chakras. It makes sense that it would call to you.”

“I thought you brought these for Lauren,” Nat said.

“I did, but crystals tend to have a mind of their own. This one speaks to you. I don’t often get a chance to match people with the right crystal in person, since I mostly sell them online.” Sophie reached into her bag one more time. “Here, I have a lovely chain for it. A local artist makes them for me.”

Nat slid the pendant over her head and touched it to her heart. “It’s warm.”

Sophie cocked her head. “Jamie’s sure that you don’t have power?”

Nat blushed. “He says he’d know by now.”

Sophie laughed. “Yes, good sex with a witch will flush out even quite latent talents. You clearly understand and accept energy flows, even if you can’t create them.”

Nat blushed harder. “Jamie says that, too.”

I wonder what else Jamie says, Lauren thought, and then mentally whacked herself for being childish. Seriously, girl, be happy for your best friend. And be very glad she’s not moving several thousand miles to be with him.

Sophie looked over at Lauren. “Is the lapis still working well for you?”

“It is. Jennie says it’s a wonderful crystal, although she still doesn’t let me wear it for practice. I was wearing it when we did the circle yesterday, though.”

“Then it’s a darned lucky pendant, if it got to go flying with Aervyn. That must have been spectacular.”

Lauren wondered if it was too late to make up a handout of frequently asked questions and pass it out to all new arrivals.

“I’m sorry,” Sophie said. “You must have answered that a lot, already.”

Lauren sighed. “It’s not you. I’m just grumpy, and I’m not sure why—it’s not like me. I feel like a sulky teenager.”

“I could maybe help a little with that. Will you let me scan you?”

“I thought you weren’t a mind witch.” Lauren was having trouble keeping witches and their talents straight.

“Not even a tiny bit. I’m asking to do a healing scan—I do have some talent with that. Mostly physical healing, but I can also help soothe power channels, things like that. The scan will give me an initial reading, and I won’t take it any further than that, for now.”

Anything that might fix her cranky mood was worth a try. Lauren nodded, and Sophie reached for her hands. She began to hum quietly, something Nat obviously recognized. Lauren listened more closely and realized it was a track Nat used often in her yoga classes. Terrific—she was being scanned by a new-age witch with a penchant for crystals and potions.

Sophie opened her eyes and smiled gently. “We’ll get you believing in crystals and potions yet.”

Lauren’s felt her face flame. “Oh, cripes—I’m sorry. It’s not very nice to be rude in my own head, but at least I could not broadcast it.”

“Well, I know why you’re out of sorts. Brace yourself—it involves some more new-age mumbo jumbo.” Sophie handed Lauren a slice of pizza. “Eat first. One of the problems is that you haven’t been properly fueling yourself.”

“I eat like three hungry teenagers.”

“Cookies and ice cream don’t count. You need protein.”

“I’ll make smoothies in the morning,” Nat said. When Lauren grimaced, she laughed. “And omelets.”

Lauren turned to Sophie. “That’s it? I just need to eat protein?”

“Proteins are the building blocks of all the little chemicals in your brain that keep you happy. Your serotonin is crashing, which makes some people depressed. Apparently you just get cranky. It’s a fairly common side effect of circle work.”

Lauren laughed. “That’s the new-age mumbo jumbo part?”

Sophie shook her head. “No, that’s my biochemistry degree.”

“So, how do I keep from turning truly mean after tomorrow’s circle, besides eating omelets before we start?”

Sophie’s grin had ‘I told you so’ written all over it. “Crystals and potions, my dear. That would be the mumbo-jumbo portion of the program.”

She’d walked right into that one. “I don’t want to be a cranky witch, so what specific mumbo and jumbo do I need?”

“It would be easier for now if you’d just trust me. I’d like to drop you into a light healing trance. Your channels are a bit clogged up, and clearing them out will help. I can also encourage your digestive system to get to work on that pizza, which will help your serotonin levels rise gently while you sleep.”

Lauren frowned. “Assuming I can sleep. That’s been a bit of an issue the last few days.”

Sophie nodded, apparently unsurprised. “That’s the low serotonin again. With your permission, I’ll set a light sleep spell when we’re finished.”

What’s a little more hocus-pocus. Nat and Sophie both laughed. Shit, she was still thinking too damn loud.

Sophie asked Lauren to lie down on the bed, and looked at Nat. “Will you help with this? Lauren trusts you, and you have a very serene presence. That can be very helpful for healing.”

Nat looked fascinated. “Sure. Just tell me what to do.”

“Are guided meditations part of your yoga practice? If you could walk Lauren through a visualization to relax, that would be extremely helpful. If I don’t need to draw power for that piece, I can do her more good.”

Lauren did feel better with Nat walking her through a familiar shavasana meditation. She felt warmth slowly seeping into every muscle in her body, gently making everything heavy and quiet. Sophie was chanting in the background, but Lauren couldn’t quite catch the words.

Her lapis pendant suddenly felt almost hot, and she was aware of other crystals on her forehead and outstretched palms. Then four hands began to lightly brush her skin, and she smelled rosemary. Must be the potions part of the program, murmured her lazy brain.

Her pendant cooled, and Sophie’s words came through more clearly.

“I call to sleep,

That it may come and carry deep.

Let this mind rest held safe in love,

And friendship three.

As I will, so mote it be.”