Chapter 7
In this night and in this hour, I call to ancient powers
Open the veil, there’s much to tell
My magic no longer hides
Your knowledge and wisdom guides
Come to me, speak to me
Come to me, let me see
Come to me, as I will, so mote it be
Isit inside a circle of salt ringed with alternating white pillar candles and quartz crystals of varying shapes and sizes.
The candle flames rise tall and straight in the still night, and the glow reflects off the crystals.
I tentatively chant the spell once and pause, waiting to see if anything happens.
When all remains calm, I try once more. Again, stillness surrounds me.
The third time I chant the spell, I do so louder with more conviction, and as I do, I immediately sense a shift in the atmosphere. A burst of wind billows around me, and then an ethereal visage begins to form before me. Then another and another until I’m surrounded by the ghosts of my ancestors.
Astonishment has me frozen in place. I need to speak. I need to do something other than stare, mouth agape, at the spirits before me. But before I can gather myself, they beat me to it.
“Blessed be.” The ghost who speaks wears attire reminiscent of what would have been worn in the Victorian era. I stutter as I try to get my suddenly dry mouth to form words.
“B… Blessed be. I…”
My ancestor smiles, patience and understanding written on her face. “You have questions. Some we can answer. Some we cannot.”
And then another spirit speaks somberly.
“Some we will not.”
Okay. That doesn’t sound ominous or anything. Then the first spirit speaks again.
“Ask your questions, Sadie.”
I take a very deep breath and begin. “I’m a hereditary witch. Why did it take so long for me to get my powers?”
Yet another spirit speaks, “Every generation of Ashworth witches receives their powers at different times. Some manifest at puberty, but most do not until a defining moment in their lives materializes.”
Instantly, everything clicks into place. “My defining moment was my divorce.”
“Yes, Sadie. Your divorce, but not just that, the purchase of this home. The combination of the two brought out your magic. You are powerful, more powerful than you realize, and more powerful than we ever dreamed.”
“What all can I do?”
“Dearest Sadie,” the first spirit speaks again, “the question isn’t what all can you do; the question is what all do you have the gumption to do?
Because, with your magic, you can do anything you dream of doing.
You are more than you ever realized. You are capable of more than you’ve ever given yourself credit for being able to do.
You must listen to your heart. You must listen to your mind.
When they tell you the same thing, you will be on the right track, and doors you were unable to see will open wide to usher you through. ”
I ponder their words before I ask more questions, and as I do, fragments of my arousing dreams float through my mind. “So, if I wanted to make a situation happen, something that seems out of reach right now, I could potentially do that?”
“You could. Keep in mind that you need to be very specific in your spell casting. Your magic, though a blessing, can be tricky. The more you practice your craft, the more naturally it will come to you.”
“I see.”
“We must go now. The veil is thin, but we cannot pass through for long.”
My heart begins to race. I have so many more questions and am curious about so much!
“May I ask one more question before you go?”
“You may, child.”
“Can you tell me about my paren…” A different spirit cuts me off.
“No. That is not something we can share with you. Everything that happened in your life happened for a reason, and your adoption was part of that. Accept it as you’ve done previously and move on with the fantastically magical life you have ahead.”
The circle of apparitions begins to fade with a chorus of “blessed be.” Before I know it, I am alone once again. My mind swirls with questions, with possibilities. More importantly, it swirls with hope for my future.
I knew my divorce was for the best, that it was necessary. Now, I know just how vital it was to my becoming who I was meant to be. Without my divorce, I might never have gained my powers.
Now, to practice, to grow and learn, and to use them to my advantage.