The Pregnant Mate

20: A Summoning

***Lilly***

We created the circle of protection by walking in the snow, compacting it. With 42 pillar candles varying in color from white, blue, purple surrounding the circle. Colored chalk symbols, each cast by the oldest, wisest, and most potent of the coven, providing even more protection to us. The sun sinking in the west cast a rosy glow on the snow. It looked like a romantic meeting. Mom and dad stood in the center, placing the finishing touches on the alter that we would use. It was an old card table that mom wanted set-up. Mom smoothed a black cloth with a silver seven-pointed star printed on it. Dad placed white taper candles on the corners so we could have light. It was sometimes hard to believe that it took us a week to pull all this together, but with temps around 3 degrees Fahrenheit and keeping the Bramble Rose open, it was a wonder we got anything done.

"Hey, I brought the stuff," I say, gesturing to my overstuffed backpack.

"Did you remember my cedar, rosemary bundle?" Mom asked, placing a crystal on each corner. Her long black coat brushed against the hard-packed snow with every move, creating a thick layer of white on the bottom.

"What about my sandalwood?" Dad asked.

"Yes, and yes, I brought half of the apothecary, just in case."

Mom looked up from her task, eyeing my bulging backpack. "Yes, you did. I assume that there's an incense burner in there."

"Absolutely," I said, dropping the bag at my feet.

"Did you bring a lighter?" Dad asked, eyeing the ring of unlit candles.

"No," I said, grinning as I kneeled in the snow, pulling my ceremonial blade from my bag.

"That's my girl," Mom said, helping me dig stuff from the bag. "What is this?"

"My bathrobe," I say, looking at the white terrycloth sleeve in her hand. "I think we'll need it."

"Hm," Mom sounded, giving me a doubtful look. Standing, she waved her hand over a candle, lighting it. I lit another candle with the first. Dad did the same as mom lit the last candle. We each lit our bundles with the candles, smoke cleansed ourselves and each other. Dad's sandalwood drove away negative energy and purified whatever the smoke touched. Mom's cedar lavender bundle summoned helpful spirits and promoted calmness. My rosemary mullen bundle rased positive energy and offered protection from ill will.

After purifying our alter and ourselves, dad and I followed mom as she walked around the circle lighting the candles with a wave of her hand. We each carried our bundle, muttering protection spells under our breath as we walked single file around the circle three times. We returned to the alter to complete the summoning.

Mom pulled a small brown bundle from her inner breast pocket of her coat. "What's that?" Dad asked.

"Something, my mom, left me," she said, looking at the bundle. "It's supposed to help with Magie." She broke the wax seal and pulled out a slight slip of paper and a coin of sorts. "To call the fair one attached to this talisman," Mom read. "Spin the coin and call his title three times."

I turned the coin in my hands; it was light and dull looking, faded with a brown stain on one side. Some silver paint had chipped away, showing something brown underneath. "Is this made of wood?"

"Yes, it's a wooden nickel," Mom said, taking it from me. "Fair ones get sick when they touch metal."

"So spin it," Dad said, rubbing the warmth back into his hands. "It's fucking cold out here."

"I'm not sure how?" Mom said, turning the coin in her hands.

"May I?" Mom handed the coin over. Holding the coin on edge between the forefinger of one hand and thumb of the other, I set it spinning across the table like a top. Quickly I whispered echo, echo, echo under my breath. A crash of thunder erupted from the cloudless sky.

"YOU BLOODY BITCH!" the blond man that now lay in the snow yelled.

"What have you done?" Mom hissed in my ear as her fingernails dug into my arm.

"Who's the dude?" Dad asked as the man stood in all his naked glory.

"Who the fuck are you!" he asked as I turned away, face getting hot.