She started to pace the circle clockwise, as Grandmother had instructed; then, making a spiral, she circled in a smaller and smaller circumference, feeling the energy in the circle compress as she reached the centre.
‘Levantiana, Mistress of the Cup!’ Faye shouted at the top of her voice, imbue her voice with as much feeling as she could. She imagined Levantiana as she had seen her at the faerie ball, with roses in her golden hair, and her dress of silver and lilac.
Faye paced an unwinding spiral to the edge of the circle, and felt the energy loosen. She paced to the centre again and felt it contract, like a wave breaking and building. She called out to Levantiana again, feeling the energy rising in her and in the circle. The tide crashed on her feet and ankles as she stood in its shallows; slowly, it advanced into the circle. This was a much greater magic than she had done before, and Faye could feel its toll on her, especially as her energy was still so low. The spiralling energy threatened to engulf her, growing in depth with every contraction; she fought with herself to stay in control.
Faye flicked on a mini torch and read the invocation from Grandmother’s grimoire aloud.
Beloved of the Fae, Queen of your Element, Mistress of Magic,
I seek communion with you; I seek knowledge of you and your realm,
Bestow your magic upon me, I am fain to know your secrets,
I am open; fill me with your blessings.
Levantiana, Mistress of the Cup, I call on you!
The tide was coming in, but faster than it usually would; rather than half of the circle being submerged, now three-quarters of it had been erased by the water. Faye steadied herself, breathing deeply and refusing the rising panic that wanted her to give up, to lose her focus. She pushed up the bottoms of her leggings and continued the call:
Levantiana, Mistress of the Cup, I beseech you, enter the space I have prepared for you.
Levantiana, Mistress of the Cup, I would love you with my mind, my heart and my body.
Levantiana, Mistress of the Cup, I summon you from your kingdom.
I offer something of mine that I can give freely;
this is the bargain.
This is the promise between faerie and human that I make willingly.
So mote it be!
The tide was much higher now; a cold wave broke and soaked Faye to her thighs, flowing over the last of the circle she had traced in the sand. She still felt the energy of it there, but there was a shift; the power was no longer balanced between earth and water. The tide threw her off balance and she fell forward in the freezing salt water.
Gasping, she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, the taste of salt in her mouth like blood. Grandmother, you should have told me, she thought.You should have taught me. If you had, I would be stronger now.
Levantiana stood before her in the water, a tall silver crown on her head, dressed in black robes that merged seamlessly with the waves.
‘I am here as you request, Faye Morgan. Be assured that I do not take this summoning lightly,’ she intoned, and her voice was like fracturing icebergs.
27
Faye felt Levantiana’s voice rather than heard it; despite its harsh quality, it was hypnotic like Finn’s and drew her into a trance almost immediately.
‘Why do you summon me?’ Levantiana faced her across the waves which surged around them both. Faye stood up; she was up to her waist now in the water, and she struggled to stay upright, digging her toes ferociously into the wet sand under her.
‘I…I…wish to make a bargain.’ Faye’s teeth were chattering; she was wet through.
‘I see. And what do you offer as your end of this bargain,sidhe-leth?’ Levantiana cast a cynical eye over Faye’s soaked coat. ‘You hold no appeal to me as a sex slave. My brother is the one you should have summoned. He pines for you, although I have no idea why.’ She raised an imperious eyebrow. ‘In fact, I should bring him here, and the two of you can continue your tryst.’ She raised her hand, as if to snap her fingers.
‘Please. No,’ Faye cried out. ‘Don’t. I can’t go back to him.’
‘You will find that you have little choice in the matter,’ Levantiana replied, but she lowered her hand. ‘Still. One of yourkind has not summoned me for many years, and I find I enjoy being back on your land for a brief moment.’
‘Was it my grandmother, E-E-Evelyn Morgan? Who last summoned you?’ Faye tried to stop shivering, but it was impossible.
‘Yes,’ Levantiana answered crisply. Faye noticed that her silver crown featured a crescent moon which curled upwards on her brow like horns. The rest of the points were made of crystal rather than silver, which reflected milky moonlight as the clouds parted and the waning crescent of the moon appeared in the sky above.
