Beauty in the Bones: Season 1

Episode 36: Rallying the Bold

Early the next morning, before I left for class, I spoke Mother's contact to my wristcom.

She answered with a yawn, the waves of her hair disheveled. "Hello, my darling. This is a strange time for you to call."

"I apologize for the rude hour, but this can't wait." I went into the lavatory, closing the door to avoid waking Gerald, as well as to keep the conversation private. "I need to talk to you."

"Go on."

It was always best to be frank with Mother. "I've attracted a little problem of sorts. Well, it's actually a rather large problem."

Her thin brows knotted.  "Levay..."

"Yes." I flinched at how easily she divined the issue. "He's taken quite a liking to me."

"What has he done?"

"He touched me, and cast a link of influence, which apparently still lingers despite my attempts to banish him. I've confronted him in my dreams every night since the gathering."

"How dare he. The misbegotten swine." Even without her makeup, Mother's eyes smoldered within her pale face. "Has he manifested outside of your visions at all?"

I hesitated. "Yes. He opened my scars, and I bled when I woke."

Mother threw her head back, closing her eyes. Her lips moved in quiet prayer. "I had a feeling this would happen. I wasn't going to let you visit the Nether Sanctum at first, but I changed my mind at the last minute."

"Why?"

"I wanted you to see firsthand what The Order has degenerated to in Amerixca." She looked at me, her face the cold visage of vengeance. "You've met our enemies now, face to face. The Guardians have called you to this. We can only guess the reasons. But, in the meantime, we can stop Levay from harassing you."

I sat on the edge of the bathtub, ignoring the bite of the cold porcelain. "There are more banishing rituals than the ones you've already taught me?"

"There's much, much more." She adjusted the silk of her dressing gown closer around her shoulders, her voice purring sarcasm. "Levay and Selketh think I'm ignorant of the more advanced ways of power, as I've hidden my true abilities from them. Now that they've pushed us this far, it's time we show them what they're up against."

"I'm ready to learn."

"I know you are. Now listen carefully. All of your tools must be upon the altar--your athame, your dog's skull, the Runknostar. Invoke the full Rite of Asulma at the dark of the Moon. You know the words of the sacred chant well. Perform a contrary Sun Dance four times, acknowledging each point for the Guardians and ancestors at your circle. When you reach the shores of your spirit's haven, the way will reveal itself to you. Listen to your guide, and to your heart."

I kept a lunar cycle app on my wristcom, and checked the status. "In this time zone, the next dark moon will be in two days."

"Good. If you have another person to perform the ceremony with, it would be ideal. As I'm not there with you in body, I'll perform my own rite at Highveld, and send you my strength through the Otherworld."

"Would Elifas be a suitable partner for this?"

"He'd be an excellent choice, provided you're comfortable with him. There's one more thing I forgot to mention. The ceremony must be performed skyclad."

I smirked. "Reuben and I have become good friends, but I doubt we're ready for that yet."

"Ask him regardless." She ran a slender hand through her hair. "I must be off. I've got a long day of work ahead. Surely you've heard of the Kaezer's latest skirmishes on the borders here in Sahajia."