Clara Anne took up the narrative. “Together we claimed the land, this place of power, and the buried circle as sacred, sanctified, and sacrosanct, set aside for future use, for such a time when evil would need to be fought, set aside for the women warriors, the witches of this land, to use and call upon.”
Bedelia continued, “We expectedmento try and take it. Instead, those of our own sex have always been drawn here, and once again, one such has sought to use this place for evil vengeance.”
Clara Anne said, “The buried circle is a place of power for the women. But its purpose is for the good of humankind... and is under...”
Together they all said, like a pronouncement, “The Rule of Three.”
Together they stepped over the long-buried stones, a single long stride that carried them within.
Mabs said, “For the good of humankind, and beneath the Rule of Three.”
“Three women of power,” Mabel said.
“And no single power and no single user mayexploitit orfilchit orconsumeit untoevil,” Bedelia said.
“The Rule of Three. So let it be,” they said together. The energies began to rise through the earth, a tingling and sense of expectancy, like the feel of lightning before a strike. The air rising up the cliff swept through the circle in a whirl of power, a strong but small tornado.
“Let us claim the circle,” Mabs said. “Who shall be north?”
“Bedelia,” Clara Anne said, “for the Everhart witch clan has been challenged.”
“Accepted,” Mabs said. “I shall be east.” Mabs went and stood at east.
“I shall be west,” Clara said, taking that place.
“And so south shall be vacant,” Bedelia said. “I’ll place the calling items in the center of the circle.” Taking the pillowcase from her bag, she went to the very center of the buried circle and upended it. The two items landed together, the bra wrapped around the hairbrush, and she took her place at north. North meant she was the leader of thiscallingworking. She said, “Thrice around the circle we go, sunwise, each time dropping an item of our power at south.”
“Sunwise,” they repeated, and Clara added, “deosil, sunward, the path of power.”
The women dropped a sweater or blanket and anything they didn’t want to carry at the moment. Then, as if on the same beat of an unheard drum, they began the trek clockwise around the buried circle, feeling the path with their feet. And each time they passed the cardinal point of south, they dropped something they had planted in the yard and gathered just now.
None of their actions werenecessaryparts of magic. Magic simplywas. It was everywhere, a part of the universe, a part of all life, a part of every stone and flower. It was energy and life and the beginning of all creation.
Unless one had direct access to ley line energies and had the ability to work raw power without getting drunk and falling over to sleep it off, one had to gather the energy of the universe slowly through meditation, and then channel that power through the math of geometry and a little calculus and physics, while adjusting one’s own inner energies to merge with the will and purpose of the group. Tapping into the power of the Earthand stars and sun and moon and water and air and stone, and binding it to one’s will, was difficult, but that hard work had been done, sealing the circle here, years ago. Now they had only to claim the energies through the treading of their feet.
The three sunwise trips were done quickly and they retook their places. As one, they sat and got comfy. That part wasn’t as easy as it used to be. The ground, even with the ugly sweater beneath her, felt a lot harder than it had been last time, though Bedelia had more backside padding now than back then. They all closed their eyes. Their power rose. The witch energies raced through the buried stones, freed after being bound so long. Released, the circle sent images of other witches who had crossed this land. The last time, the strongest time, was last night. Seven paranormals had gathered here, three of them both witches andother. Theotherparanormal energies were unfamiliar, sharp and slivered, cutting and cold, like broken obsidian lying on frozen ground. Bedelia’s eyes popped open and found Mabs and Clara Anne staring at her. They had seen the same wrong energies—witch andother. The four nonwitch magic users were alsoother.
Bedelia felt through the ground the vibrations of the witches who had tried to find and claim the circle. They smelled the witches on the breeze, tasted their magic in the air.
“Foul,” Mabs whispered.
“Abomination,” Clara Anne said.
“Can we trap all the witches?” Bedelia asked.
“We only need to call one,” Clara Anne said, reminding her. “When she drives up, the vampires can grab her and put the null cuffs on her. From her, your vampires can find the others and claim them. One at a time.”
Clara meant that Lincoln and his vampires could bleed and read the captured witch. If she hadn’t tasted the abomination in the witches’ magic just now, she would have thought the suggestion repugnant. Now, anything that cleansed the Earth of these foul creatures would be the right thing to do.
She linked to the skin cells on the personal items and said, “By the Power of Three, we call the witch.” The others echoed her.
Linc
He was watching Bedelia speaking the words of a summoning when the stink came to him on the air. Wet dog. Odd sweet-sick scent overlaying its primary scent. Female dog, in heat. The scent of sweetness and blood and... insanity.
Female werewolf.His hunter’s mind knew it.
Quickly, he sought his Mithran scions through their fresh blood bond and directed them into different positions. Through that bond, he felt their reaction of shock as the scent reached them all, and he directed calm into them.
