She’s a smart witch.
I pedaled toward home, trying not to let my anxiety get the better of me, and tried to work through the vision that had come to me earlier in the day. So far as I could see it, as long as I kept us all away from that beach, we’d stay out of trouble.
I slowed to a stop when I rounded a corner and saw the dreadlocked environmentalist from the night before. He wore the same outfit as yesterday and his dreadlocks wereall but flying as he pointed angrily at Prudie Whittier’s shocked face.
Would it be small of me to laugh?
I smiled, watching as Prudie crossed her arms and shrank back as Dreadlocks shoved papers in her face, pointing at something on the paper. Deciding to move on before they saw me, I pushed my pedals down and left them behind me.
Who knows? Maybe Prudie would actually do some good in her life and help protect the turtles on that beach.
Pulling up to my house, I saw Hank’s ears poke over the windowsill. How did he always know when I was coming home? I briefly wondered if Hank was also a psychic before I opened the door to his barks of joy.
“Hey buddy,” I said, bending over to pet him before he raced across the room to find a toy to bring me.
“Let’s get you outside,” I said, knowing we didn’t have much time before Luna would be here to pick me up. I opened the door for Hank, letting him race out into the backyard, while I considered whether I needed to change for tonight.
What does one wear to a Pagan festival, anyway?
Figuring the maxi dress I was wearing would be fine –I paused to think about shoe options. Wondering if there would be any chance of us needing to make a run for it, I slipped out of my flip-flops and slid my feet into a pair of Toms. Even if they weren’t the best with the dress, I knew I could run in them.
“Hey,” Luna said, poking her head in the door. I paused, my mouth dropping open as I took in her outfit.
She looked like a goddess. Threads of silver ranthrough the white robe that floated around her, while a nude bandage dress fitted her like a second skin, creating the illusion that she was naked under the robe. A huge statement necklace dripping in crystals hung around her neck, and she’d woven a sparkly crown through her hair.
“Um, should I bow?” I asked and Luna laughed, before doing a little twirl that sent the robe flowing out around her in a graceful arc.
“Festival garb. I love it,” Luna admitted.
“Well, now I just feel underdressed,” I said, holding up a Toms shoe in one hand.
“Hmm, those certainly are…serviceable,” Luna said, one perfectly groomed eyebrow arching in dismay as she examined my choice of footwear.
“I just figured I’d better have good shoes on in case we needed to run,” I admitted.
Luna shrugged.
“Maybe. But I think Miss Elva and I can manage any danger. Honestly, I swear you forget your friends are magick. And that you’re magick too,” Luna said pointedly.
“Well, excuse me, I’m new to the magick thing,” I said, sliding the Toms on my feet anyway. What did I care? It wasn’t like I had anyone to impress at the festival. “Do I need to change?”
Luna looked me up and down, then shrugged.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, hands on my hips.
“I mean…it’s a festival,” Luna said slowly, like she was explaining something to a child.
“I get that. What’s wrong with the maxi dress?”
“If you want to draw attention to yourself, it’s fine,”Luna said, bending over to retrieve and throw a toy that Hank had dropped at her feet.
“I’m the one who’ll stick out?” I asked, pointing my finger from her ensemble to my dress.
“Oh yeah. For sure,” Luna nodded.
“I knew this was going to be a thing. Now it’s a thing,” I complained as I went upstairs, racking my brain for anything dramatic I might have in my closet.
I dug through my closet until I found a gift that my mother had sent me from Greece. Or Indonesia; I could never be sure with her. It was a flowing caftan in a screamingly bright floral print of red and purple, with coins dangling from the sleeves so that I jingled when I walked. I’d actually worn it with a turban one year when I dressed as a psychic for Halloween, and the outfit had been perfect.
