Conjuring Fire and Whispers of Air

Ritual

I sat in a chair, eyes closed, meditating. I prepared myself mentally for the evening 'talk' with Nixon and the inevitable No. I worked closely with Cynthia over the past few days, preparing her and trying to get a feel for the magic as much as possible.

I knew the steps, the spell; I just needed the power to do it.

From her news a few days ago, my plan no longer mattered. No longer was it a matter of wanting this lock off; it was a must.

The babe was struggling.

Their heartbeat was faint and slow. Cynthia was immediately told to bed rest: no stressing, no walking, no chores. I relayed this to my mum and Nixon, who said, 'I will think about it'.

There was no room for errors.

Leo pored over the book I had placed in front of him. He would finish if I could not, but only as a last resort. I could not stop my legs from jittering with anxiety.

The worst part was waiting.

I sighed once more and Mum placed an empty cup and a transparent teapot in front of me. Steam poured from the spout, and a curled-up jasmine flower lay in the middle. As it steeped in the hot water, it unfurled and turned the water a pale yellow-green.

"Drink. It will calm your nerves," she encouraged, sitting down.

Green Jasmine Tea was great for anxiety. It often did calm me down.

"Is everything ready?" she asked.

I nodded, "Except this lock, yes."

The whole coven gathered at Seri's back garden when the time came. Although a lousy experience lingered here from a few weeks ago, there was no question it was the best place for us to convene away from prying eyes.

I spied Nixon nearer to the back of the house and peeked back at Leo. He gave me a nod, and I tried my luck.

"Nixon?"

"Lexi."

"You probably know what I'm going to ask."

He took a heavy breath and sighed, "I just don't think this is the right time for you. We have only just relaxed your lock a little; it is too soon."

"It's not just about me, Nixon; think of the babe."

"These things take about a week to break anyway. The child will be fine. You can pause and resume when you have recovered."

"This curse is making the pregnancy high risk... to both. The longer it's present, the more risk it poses."

"I trust in you-"

"She could die. The best chance for success is tonight. The full moon. Any time after that, it's a fool's game."

He shook his head, "You and I know these things cannot be rushed. The whole coven is here to support you; use their energy, and you will be fine."

I closed my eyes in frustration, "It's not that simple. I cannot channel effectively with this lock. You know that: you put it on me. It will be slower and more painful than it needs to be."

His lips pursed, "How's about one foot at a time, eh? Try it out, then we will re-analyse." he finalised, walking away from our conversation.

I took a breath to calm the rising anger.

"Alright! Gather around," Nixon stated, "Thank you for pulling together our newest members. We know this is a tough time, and it is going to be a rough week for all of us."