Chapter Forty-five
KING woke Aiden and Morgan and found Reggie and Jake waiting for them inside when they got back. The saplings forming the circle each sported a blue balloon, and a bouquet of balloons was tied to the table, er, altar, leg.
Three gorgeous visions came down the stairs, three kittens walking behind them. Harmony—in a red robe that caressed her breasts, hugged her waist, and flowed to wide points at her hands and bare feet—wore silver sea horses on her earrings, pendant, and toe ring. But on her finger, she still wore the Celtic puzzle ring. Destiny wore butterfly jewelry with her yellow gown, and Storm wore dragon jewelry with her orange gown, each different, and beautiful all three, even the spike-haired rebel. But none were as startlingly radiant as Harmony, the high priestess.
King didn’t know whether to be scared or turned on.
“I invite you all to take part. If you wish, take off your shoes and step into the circle of trees.” Harmony spoke in an ordinary tone, which surprised King. “Remember,” she added, “that after I cast the ritual circle, you can’t leave until I close it down.”
Reggie and Jake joined Destiny and Storm in the circle.
He, Aiden, and Morgan looked at each other.
Jake came and grabbed his hand. “Come on, Grampa,” he said, pulling uselessly. “Mama,” Jake called, “Grampa’s scared again.” King laughed and let his grandson lead him into the circle, and he felt . . . as if he belonged. The area radiated a kind of peaceful warmth. Or was that Harmony’s smile?
Morgan shrugged and joined them.
“If you don’t believe in what we’re doing,” Destiny said, “get out, because anybody who doesn’t help bring peace is feeding strife.”
Morgan slipped his hands into his pockets. “Want me to go, King?”
“This isn’t my ceremony,” King said. “I have to respect the girls’ wishes.”
Morgan chuckled. “You never let anyone tell you what to do, but you’re letting a woman take control? You’ve changed, buddy. I guess black magick wins. Or is it sex magick?”
“You don’t believe in any kind of magick,” Destiny snapped. “But for the record, we work white magick.”
Morgan scoffed, and Aiden steered him toward the door. “King, I think Morgan needs me more than you do.”
“That’s probably true,” King said. “Come back later.”
“You don’t have a ghost of a chance,” Morgan yelled as Aiden shut the door.
Harmony tied the balloons to Jake’s wrist. “You have an important job. Bright blue is for protection, and we chose you to protect us.”
Jake beamed.
God, how he loved that boy, King thought, though he’d never actually said so to Jake or Reggie. He had been scared.
Harmony stood before the altar to face them. “We’re dressed in the colors of midsummer to honor the sun. Close your eyes and imagine sending roots into the earth like a tree.”
Jake smiled. “My tree grows balloons instead of leaves.”
King knew the drill.
The girls walked the circle: “Three times around, I cleanse the circle with salt,” Storm said as she sprinkled salt while Warlock sat on her shoulder and followed a dangling earring with his eyes.
“Three times, I cleanse the circle with water.” Destiny sprinkled water from a scallop shell, Caramello hitching a ride on her gown’s train.
“Three times, I cleanse the circle with incense,” Harmony said, Gingertigger hopping around her skirts to catch its points.
Jake giggled, and Reggie tried to quiet him.
“Let him laugh,” Harmony said. “Joy makes the circle stronger.” She and her sisters began to chant:
“We gather at the tree The root and crown so tall Together we make our call In hope, with a plea for all.”
After making three full clockwise circles, Harmony stepped to the altar, her sisters behind her.
“Divine light, enter this sacred sphere. Ban negativity from entering here. Peace and love, grow and adhere.”
The mother cat jumped on King’s shoulder, and he shouted his surprise.
“Relax, King,” Harmony said, her breath at his ear and her hand at his back, infusing him with peace. “Let her stay. I’m glad she’s joining us. She has a powerful protective energy, don’t you Star?” Harmony petted the cat, then she combed her fingers through King’s hair, raising a shiver of awareness between them, before returning to the altar.
His peacemaker became a dagger-bearing high priestess then, and she wielded her dagger to construct a circle around them. “For a future of peace and love, this circle is cast.” She placed the dagger on the table and lit the corner candles.
“At the dawn of the solstice sun,
Ancient elements join as one,
Air, fire, water, and earth
East, south, west, and north
With your strength let peace be won.”
Gussie’s whimper echoed, weak but rising, the first they had heard from her with Harmony inside the castle.
Harmony lit four tall candles in the center of the altar. “I light this candle for peace . . . this for protection . . . this for positive energy . . . this for harmony.”
Gussie’s wail gained momentum and volume. The triplets hummed together, and the objects on the altar trembled:
“Father God, Mother Goddess,
For this island, aid in our resolve
All negativity to absolve.
Free its people, land, and shores,
Sweep the evil from its doors.
This is our will; set Paxton Castle free.
And it harm none, so mote it be.”
Lightning flashed, and with it, Gussie’s wail grew strong.
Harmony looked at her sisters, and concern passed between them.
King’s protective instincts went on alert. He knew from his stint in the parlor car that lightning was Gussie’s ally.
“Lightning is a powerful energy,” Harmony said. “Gussie is gaining strength, so we have to grow stronger, as well.”