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“Bring forth Juneau Laroche,” Merle called out, “bound by Merle, daughter of Emily, of the MacKenna family.”
A hissing snarl, the smoke billowing like the plumes of a volcanic eruption. Again, Merle had to dial up her power to wrestle the Shadows into compliance. Hazel could see the sweat beading on Merle’s brow, the fast rise and fall of her chest. She’d have to urge her friend to lie down after they were done, maybe even drive her home to make sure she’d be all right.
Juneau’s raspy voice filled Hazel’s mind. So, have you succeeded in creating the spell?
“Yes,” Merle said. “We are here to release you, and we’ll do the transfer right away. Once that is done, your magic will be bound inside you. Are you ready?”
I will do what I must.
“All right, then.” Merle took a deep breath, then began her chant.
“From hunger, pain, and darkness, bring unto the light,
The witch that I have bound, in never-ending night.
Relinquished from the Shadows, as per my decree,
She will be bound no more, her mind and body free.”
Hazel swore she heard a roaring hiss, the snapping of phantom teeth, the collective whispered wail of thousands of voices as the Shadows tried to resist Merle’s command. In the end, they relented under the pressure of Merle’s power, and the swirling mass of smoke coalesced into a form on the floor.
The Shadows retreated from the shape with a last smacking sound, and slowly, color returned to the naked body that lay prone on the ground. Her white hair fanned out over her back, Juneau groaned, her limbs twitching.
“Mother!” Sophie rushed forward, a blanket in her hands.
Wrapping it around Juneau, she helped her sit up, then pressed a shake into her hands.
“Here, drink this.”
Juneau took a deep sip from the shake, her hands trembling. She’d be starved coming straight out of the Shadows. While her body hadn’t actually degenerated during her captivity, the hunger pangs she felt were quite real, and she’d need a lot of nutrition to get back up and moving.
“Let’s give her a few minutes,” Shobha said.
Sophie looked up and shook her head. “No, please. We can do the transfer now.”
Shobha’s forehead crinkled with her frown, but she nodded. “As you wish.”
The eldest Gupta rose from her seat, helped Merle to her feet, and took her place, then motioned for Sophie and Juneau to join her, the circumference of the circle more than big enough to allow all three witches to stand inside.
Merle shuffled over to Shobha’s emptied chair and sat down, huffing a little.
Hazel leaned around Kristen to peer at her. “Are you okay?”
“Fine, fine.” Merle waved the question away. “Just a little backache. Baby’s a bit heavy today.”
Hazel studied her, worry fizzing in her stomach, but she leaned back again and focused on the spell in progress.
“May the Powers That Be grant me protection,” Shobha murmured.
Dipping her finger into the bowl of oil she’d brought, she drew a small pentagram on Juneau’s forehead, then spoke the first lines of the new spell she’d crafted.
“From the one who leads her blood and her line
By right of birth, of death and design,
I shall lift the title, the privilege, the sway…”
Here she moved to Sophie, dipping her finger into the oil again and drawing a pentagram on her forehead.
