“What does the waxing crescent moon have to do with anything?” Philip knew that the new moon and the full moon were special to witches, but nothing about other moons.
“With the waxing moon is a phase of growth and symbolism,” she explained. “Magic is strong in gaining what one wishes. Tonight, Lady Antonia will ask that the words appear. If that does not work, or if there is no reversal spell, she will return to the center of the garden each night of the waxing moon at midnight to visualize, meditate her intentions, which is to free you from this spell.”
“What if that spell only makes this worse?” he demanded.
Antonia pulled back with a gasp.
“Isn’t there a rule or something that witches should not recite spells without intention because of the dangers?” His anger was growing, and he knew that it was out of fear.
It was his mother who sat forward. “Witches long before me, read from spell books in the safety of a magic circle, especially when with their coven and when they believed no harm could come to anyone or anything,” she told him.
“It came to me,” he reminded her.
“That is because you did not let your presence be known.” She stood. “Lady Antonia did not know you were there! You were raised by a witch. Your sisters are witches. You know of the circle in the garden, yet you went there and did not announce yourself.”
He pulled back, guilt seeping in.
“This is not on Antonia, or your cousins.”
“She recited the spell,” he reminded, though his tone grew weaker because his mother was correct.
He wanted to be angry at Lady Antonia and part of him was, but he was just as angry at himself, and he did not like having to admit he was partially to blame. He had known better, especially since Amcaster said that they were probably doing a New Moon ritual.
“Now, set aside your anger as it does nobody any good, especially Antonia. She needs her concentration and support, not to be flooded with your emotions.”
He blinked at his mother. “You know of her abilities.”
“Yes, her mother told me.”
Again, he wished someone would have told him.
“She needs peace, Philip, and I know it is in you to give.”
He came out of his chair. His mother was asking too much. It was hard enough to let go of the anger and impossible to let go of the fear.
“She drew on it in London and needs to draw on it now.”
He shot an accusing glance at Lady Antonia for sharing something with his mother by way of her mother that she never bothered to tell him, except she looked as confused as everyone else.
“I said nothing. Only I knew and kept that confidence within myself,” Lady Antonia insisted.
“Son, you are the only gentleman Antonia has danced with, ever.”
Philip had been aware that she had danced only with him last Season but had no knowledge of the Seasons before. He looked at Lady Antonia again. “Is that true?”
Her face began to blossom into a lovely shade of pink. “Yes.”
He was honored to have been able to provide something that nobody else could, but that did not mean he could provide it now.
But he would try. He needed to find that peace because she needed to concentrate if she was going to find a way to reverse the spell.
“How long does the waxing crescent moon last?”
“Through the nineteenth. The first quarter will appear on the twentieth and then we will experience the waxing gibbous moon until the moon is full.”
“And the full moon is on the twenty-seventh,” he murmured. It was a date he had learned after he returned from the Romani camp, and it had become even more important since then.
“You must also join Lady Antonia in the circle since her intentions will be focused on you,” his mother added.
