Divining Destiny

Chapter Fourteen

Tia wanted to go back to Living Energies, but she was needed at home and she couldn't find time to go back, but after a few questions to her three friends she learned they hadn't returned to Apothika, Ngaire's shop, to which she felt great relief. She'd started writing in her Book of Shadows, her first entry a narrative of her life so far, up until the day she'd received the Book of Shadows. She didn't write in it daily yet as she wasn't learning much, but she hid the book under her bed and drew the rune Nauthiz on the base of the bed to stop prying eyes.
"That won't keep the strong witches out." Courtney said. Tia looked at her.
"I know, but I doubt any powerful witch will find their way in here, and if they do, then they deserve to find it. Besides, there is nothing in the book that people would be interested in. Yet." Tia said. Courtney frowned.
"What have you written in it?" She asked. Tia lay down on her bed, ankles crossed in the air.
"That Mum had me, we moved here from Elpherton, and that there are bad witches after me. Is there anything else?" Tia asked.
"Have you mentioned us, your mind-friends?" Courtney asked.
"Not by name, but that I have invisible guides, yes." Tia said. 
"Best not to write our names down. In case someone does try something, they may use us." Courtney said. Tia sat up.
"You mean, there are witches that can control spirits?" Tia asked, her grey eyes wide.
"Oh, yes. We are but energy, and powerful witches can control that energy. That is why you must be careful who finds out about us.  The last thing any of us want is an enemy using us to find you." Courtney said.
"Maybe we should make a password that only the seven of us know." Tia suggested.
"I think that's a good idea. Do you have any suggestions?" Courtney asked.
"I was thinking...Amber. It means something special to you all, and it's the warning colour on a traffic light." Tia said. She looked at Courtney as she spoke, and saw a wistful look on her face.
"I think that's a great choice." Courtney replied.
"Promise me you'll tell me about her. She means a lot to you." Tia said. Courtney smiled.
"We will, when the time is right, you'll know. We will explain everything." Courtney said.
"Tia, dinner's ready." Susan called from the kitchen and Tia climbed off her bed, heading to the kitchen. Her friends watched her go, then vanished back to the other plane to wait.

Jaina sent up a prayer to the Goddess and to the sister-friends of Tia. She worried about the girl, hoping she was okay. Jaina had hoped Tia would have visited again, but she understood that at her age she couldn't get out much. Tia was very young, yes, but the brief contact with the girl had shown Jaina that Tia was a firecracker, full of power and could explode at any moment. When that happened, Jaina knew that would spell disaster for the child.
"You called?" Jaina heard, and turned to see another girl in white standing there, her black hair long, but green eyes met her own blue ones.
"Which one are you?" Jaina asked.
"I'm Sierra, the eldest of the daughters. Are you all right, Jaina?" Sierra asked. Jaina blinked.
"Oh, oh yes, yes I'm quite all right, thank you. But a little baffled as to why you're here. I merely sent up a prayer that Tia was okay, that she was safe. I didn't know when I would see her again, and..." Jaina stopped, unsure of what else to say.
"You felt her power. In a normal witch environment she'd be close to initiation, learning how to control that unbridled power. She wouldn't have a way to block herself off, true, but she would be able to not use so much power when doing her magick. Right now..." Sierra paused, and Jaina nodded.
"Anything she does will be like a firework." Jaina supplied. Sierra nodded.
"Precisely. We will try and get her here soon. I would like to try to pull some of that excess energy into the earth, or up to the Goddess." Sierra said.
"Yes, but both of those actions will send out a ripple at least. That amount of energy going back to the land, or to the Goddess will turn heads. If anything it might be easiest to perform a dampening spell, but that will make her very weak, she may not even see you all." Jaina said. Sierra sighed.
"It is definitely a predicament. But we need to do something before her thirteenth birthday. Her power will increase then, as it is normal for a witch to be initiated when they turn thirteen. Maybe do it the night before, but that's only three months away, and she may get stronger after her birthday." Sierra said.
"I suppose we just need to get her started, but how can she perform magick to do her initiation if the enemies would feel it? Will it be best to cast a shield or dampening field?" Jaina asked. Sierra looked to the side.
"We will figure something out, until then we will work on getting Tia back here, as often as we can. It is very hard at her age, but the Goddess must have something in mind, and I think it has to do with Ngaire. Ngaire was never meant to know about Tia, or where she came from. But things happen for a reason, whatever that reason is." Sierra said. Jaina pushed blonde hair behind her ear and moved to her office.
"I'm sure I'll see Tia soon, and I'll work on a shield spell. I should have it in place by the end of the week. This shop is already protected, I won't have anyone coming in with negative intent. I have no doubt Ngaire and her coven have been in here, but they won't be able to enter if they want to harm anyone. Normal people sadly can enter, though they feel incredibly uncomfortable." Jaina explained. Sierra smiled.
"That's wonderful. Well if you don't need us, we'll go, but we are here for you too, and if you need us to tell Tia anything, we can. Think of us as your...what is it they call it now...instant messaging service? One day we'll test how good the communication between channels are. Maybe one of us with you and one with Tia, instant messenger?" Sierra laughed. Jaina smiled.
"That would come in handy. Sierra...can I ask something?" Jaina asked. Sierra nodded.
"Of course." She replied.
"How old were you when...when you died?" Jaina asked. Sierra's smile faded.
"Susan and I were twelve when we all died." Sierra said softly. Jaina sighed.
"And Tia is twelve, nearly thirteen. So how did you come to look like this?" Jaina asked.
"The Goddess gave us the choice of staying the same age, or 'growing up' with Tia. She would have the friends she needs, and guides. We will all stop "aging" at eighteen. The plus side of us growing up this way is we develop as we would have in life, even change our appearance. and no menstrual cycle. But once our purpose is completed we will join our parents in the next life." Sierra said. Jaina opened her mouth but Sierra shook her head. "I cannot tell you of the next life. It is different for us all. It depends on the life you lived. I can say that someone like you, and someone like Ngaire or Pernilla will definitely be in two different places." Sierra added. Jaina looked at Sierra.
"Who is Pernilla?" Jaina asked. Sierra looked slightly ashamed and bashful.
"She is the witch that murdered us all." Sierra said. Jaina gasped.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to make you remember." Jaina apologised. Sierra smiled.
"It's quite all right. I will see you soon, I think myself, Susan and Clara will make ourselves available to you. We're all older and the younger three can stay mostly with Tia. That way we can help any time, Though in the end, if it's the Goddess's will, then we won't be able to interfere, but we will be close by. You are never alone." Sierra said.  With that the girl faded away, and Jaina looked at her watch. It wasn't a coven night, so she contacted her security company, advised them she would be locking up an hour later than she'd nominated, then pulled down a few books from the shelves, writing out spells and ingredients that she needed for a shield spell, for the shop and at home. If Tia was to become her student, she couldn't keep doing it at the shop. her protection spell would need to be re-cast often, and she couldn't keep that up. Jaina wrote out the necessary spell and gathered the ingredients, bagging them up and putting them into her handbag. She then found the crystals and gemstones she would need, but she couldn't cast the spell immediately. The crystals would need at least 24 hours to purify in salt.  Jaina got a ceremonial bowl she kept in her work room, one she kept for just such an occasion as many clients wanted her to cleanse crystals for them, also when she got new stock. She never trusted new stock to be cleansed and purified before shipment. And she never let any stock onto the shop floor without purifying it herself, whether it be books, tarot decks, anything. Even clothes. If any of her clients were harmed by her stock she would never forgive herself. One the stones she needed were buried in the salt and fully covered she put the bowl away on a high shelf so it wouldn't be touched by anyone but herself, and after locking everything, made her way to her car and drove home.