Jangles, on the other hand, was emotionally bonded to me, and I was her human. I pushed my plate away and scooped her up in my arms, breathing deep into her fur. A calico, she had that dusty, warm scent that cats tended to have, a comforting fuzzy smell that made my heart sing. I gave her a squeeze and kissed the top of her head. She looked up at me with wide, round eyes and let out a little meep, then began grooming my face.
“Aw, does mom need a bath?” I asked.
She wriggled in my arms and, purring, bounced down to the floor and ran over to her dish. Penn had fed the cats, and Murdoch was already eating. I returned to my food.
“This is so good, and you’re right—it’s much better hot.”
“Of course. Cold fries suck. Okay, here—here it is,” Penn said, glancing up from her tablet. “I found it. I thought it was in my email, and it was, but it was an ad on one of the shopping sites I shop on. It was in one of their newsletters. It’s a notice that they’re having an open meeting Thursday night at seven.”
“An ad?” I asked.
She handed me the tablet. The newsletter for a local store—Cast A Spell Books—was open, and at the bottom was a banner ad for the Tetrachordian Temple. Sure enough, they were offering a free meeting for anyone interested, Thursday night at seven PM.
“I think I might just mosey on down to take a look. Want to come with?”
Penn shrugged. “I guess I could. Oh, you said you have something you want me to suss out?”
“Yeah, if you can get anything from this watch, I’d appreciate it. And here’s the actual flyer. I thought maybe something might still be attached to it.” I pulled the watch and flyer out of my purse and handed them to her.
Penn took them. “Let’s go sit by my altar. It amps up the energy.”
I finished off the fish and chips and followed her to her office, shutting the door behind me to keep the cats out.
She’d set half of it up to handle her online business, and the other half was a ritual space. An altar to Hecate was spread out on a large credenza, with a statue of Hecate, a ritual blade that witches called an athame, and a crystal ball. A few other items were spread out in front of the bronze statue, including a wooden box that I knew contained a mandrake root.
I sat to the side while Penn picked up her dagger. It was a wicked looking blade, double edged and razor sharp. The blade was cast from copper, and the hilt was carved from ebony, with three serpents entwined around the sides. Their eyes were inset with rubies, and a copper wire wound around the dark wood.
She held it out, tip pointing toward the north, and began to circle the room.
“I cast this circle in the name of Great Hecate, Lady of the Crossroads.
Open the gates, open the door for me to make magic in your name.
I cast this circle once, in the name of your Maiden Self, fresh as the morning breeze.
I cast this circle twice, in the name of the Mother, blood ripe and heavy with creation.
I cast this circle thrice, in the name of the Crone, spinning magic with every breath that comes from her body.
Great Hecate, seal this circle and let nothing unwelcome enter within.”
As she drew a pentagram with her athame, Penn let out a slow breath and I felt the tendrils of magic sealing the gate shut, enclosing us within the protective circle.
“Spirits of the roots of earth,
Spirits of the gales of air,
Spirits of the sacred fire,
Spirits of the tumultuous waves,
Come to this space and guard the watchtowers of power.
All those unwelcome, we cast thee out.
Guardians of the Elements,
Protect this house,
