Page 14 of The Arcane God

“See you in the Grove.”

***

Greya stood in the center of the Sacred Grove, the witches of the Auster Coven surrounding her on all sides. The bonfire burned behind her, sparks crackling into the cold, clear night, illuminating the ring of age-old trees that encircled them.

The group was silent, waiting for the ritual to begin. Unlike during Summoning ceremonies, all members of the Coven were invited to the Ascension, including children, since it affected everyone. The communal trust placed on the Coven matriarch—the right to negotiate and make decisions on the Coven’s behalf—was only granted based on consensus, so everyone came, and everyone witnessed.

Once she was certain the entire Coven had arrived, all thirty-four members, she looked to her right to where Thyla stood in the circle, holding the gold ceremonial chalice decorated with Gaia’s symbol, and a green-tinted bottle of deep, red wine, and nodded.

It was time to begin.

Greya had never attended an Ascension. Heran had already Ascended by the time she’d been born, but she’d read about them thoroughly in the years since her own Summoning, when she had been selected as Heran’s apprentice, so she knew what to expect.

Thyla poured the wine into the chalice, filling it three-quarters full. Then, out of her pocket she pulled a bundle of dried herbs, and reverently sprinkled a tiny pinch of them into the chalice, as she spoke:

{Fides}

Greya could smell the herbs on the air—basil, fennel, and…yarrow, maybe?

Herbs for protection and healing.

Then Thyla passed the chalice to her right, to where her father Jon stood next to her. He, too, sprinkled a pinch of herbs into the chalice—bay leaf for wisdom—and spoke the same spellword.

{Fides}

All members of the Coven passed the chalice around, adding their herbs—chosen specifically to symbolize whatever their hope for Greya, and for the Coven, was, be it protection, wisdom, healing, abundance, etc.—and spoke the spellword.

By the time the chalice made it all the way around, the children in the group had begun to get bored. Parents and friends attempted to wrangle them, keeping them from running away to play, and Greya suppressed a small smile at the sight.

Her Coven, her friends…they were all here for her. Placing their faith in her, their trust that she would guide them to follow Gaia’s path.

She just hoped they still felt that way after what she was about to tell them.

Reverently, she took the chalice back from Thyla, who had taken it from the final Coven member. The chalice was now full of fragrant herbs and the deep-red wine—a communally made potion. Once she drank it, she would be bound to her oath until her death, thanks to the spellword they had all spoken. If she ever broke it, she would descend and lose her access to Gaia and her Gift forever.

No pressure.

“Mother Gaia,” Greya began, speaking the sacred vow. Her voice rang out strong, and she was glad for that. She had big shoes to fill, and Heran’s voice had never wavered. “Giver of life and Bringer of death, she who maintains the Turning of the seasons and celestial bodies, and balances the Light with the Dark, I stand before you chosen to serve as matriarch of the Auster Coven.

“From this day, until my death, I vow to protect, serve, and guide this Coven in pursuit of our Sacred Duty, to maintain the balance and enact your will.

“In your name, I will protect them—for a witch’s life is sacred.

“In your name, I will serve them—for only together do we thrive.

“In your name, I will guide them to your intended path—for by your grace do we live.”

Her vow complete, Greya brought the full chalice to her lips and drank deep. The wine tasted of a million things at once, the herbs combining to create something wholly unique. But in it, she tasted so much more than that. She tasted home, and trust, and love, and family, and community. She felt the potion hit her stomach, and she Knew she would do her best by her people for the rest of her days. There was no doubt in her mind.

And that started right now.

She looked out across the sacred circle that surrounded her. Their smiling and proud faces greeted her warmly in the spot where only weeks ago, Ena, Cris, and Mel had stood with daemons to break the bond to Iblis.

It was time now to live up to her oath and tell them the truth.

“My friends, my family—witches of the Auster Coven. I am humbled by your trust and faith in me as your new matriarch. I know there is much grief for the passing of Heran—a witch who led and cared for us all to the best of her ability for many decades. But now…there is change coming.”

Some of the witches around her murmured in confusion, looking to one another. It was customary for a new matriarch to say a few words, but it was usually just a thanks to the previous matriarch and a prayer for the future prosperity of the Coven, and that was it. Thyla looked at her, brow furrowed, but Perse, he just stood there, stalwart, and nodded to her. She could do this.