Lilly stared at Jolene for a minute, a frown burrowing between her brows. Too tired to argue or even assimilate Jolene’s advice, she shrugged her shoulders and sipped her coffee.
“You and Roland have experienced the removal of the veils of illusion together. Your bond will be stronger. He is a good man with powerful magic,” Jolene continued.
Lilly’s eyebrows raised as her head flew up, “You think he has powerful magic?”
Jolene tilted her head, “Don’t you?”
“Yes, yes, I do. I need to talk to you about something.”
Jolene opened her hands and lifted an eyebrow, “Okay, ask me anything.”
“Jolene, Roland is a Druid. Well, he was a Druid in a past life. He has a blue birthmark and he told me it was a remnant from his past life as a Druid. He is a powerfully good musician. He may have powers he hasn’t tapped, I don’t know.”
Jolene took a deep breath, sighing softly, “I knew there was something familiar about his energy. Lilly, we will have to talk with James. He may be willing to help Roland develop the talents of his birthright. In the meantime, ma chere, concentrate on you. The better you know yourself, the more you will be able to see and appreciate the truth of others.
Chapter 23
Lundi Gras
At 3PM Monday afternoon, Jolene locked the door to Panthea’s Pantry and put the key away. “I’ve had enough of the tourists and the Mardi Gras madness! I’m going to serve up some red beans and rice and enjoy my sweet friends tonight. It’s Lundi Gras. This is the day when the fun and excesses of Mardi Gras rev up. Those of us who have been busy with an influx of customers for weeks, take the day off. I am ready to relax and enjoy myself,” she said as she playfully danced out of the door and into her apartment.
All of Panthea’s tenants gathered in the courtyard for a Lundi Gras celebration. James and Forest were getting a fire going in a firepit when Lilly joined them.
She had taken a nap and spent over an hour looking for Roland. She had borrowed Gemma’s bicycle and ridden to Frenchman Street. He was nowhere to be found.
Disappointed she couldn’t find him, Lilly returned to her apartment and put the crystal she had bought for him on her dresser. She had chosen the crystal from Genna’s new collection. It was double faceted, clear as glass with three strands of white curling through it. A fleck of red Carnelian glowed in the center. The crystal radiated magick and Lilly wanted Roland to have it.
It looks like I’ll have to celebrate Lundi Gras without Roland, Lilly mused sadly. Shrugging off her disappointment, she took a long bath, dressed casually. Before she left her apartment, she placed the Jewel of Inanna beneath her shirt and grabbed her flute. Walking out onto the gallery she saw her friends gathering in a circle in the courtyard.
Sabine stepped into the circle, “Tonight we come together to celebrate our connection and the love, joy and trust which binds the members of this coven. We will separate soon for a few weeks but our sacred connection to one another remains in our hearts.
“Let’s close our eyes as we stand in this circle. Our connection is strong. Feel the energy as it moves and allow it to enter your heart. Continue to circulate this powerful energy around the circle from your heart. Feel the power of our connection, the strength of our magick together, the bond of love and trust we share.”
Sabine was silent as the members of the coven let the energy build and circle from and through them. A bell sounded and Sabine’s voice softly said, “Release and return.”
Lilly opened her eyes and looked around the circle, radiant colors shown in swirling patterns. Each member of the coven contributed a different shade and pattern of light and color to the matrix. She drank in the vision and made eye contact with the new friends she was getting to know and love.
The circle morphed as friends gathered. A musical chord was strummed loudly on a guitar and the beat of a drum joined it. The strum of the guitar evolved into intricate chords blending passion and devotion. Gemma moved her willowy body in smooth arcs. Soon the entire group was dancing.
Lilly closed her eyes and let her body move. She was transported from the courtyard to another time and place. She put the flute to her lips as a bright fire danced behind her eyes, throwing shadows on a magnificent tent. She danced in the sand beneath her feet, as camels, legs folded beneath their lumpy bodies, watched the desert scene unfold. All the while she played her flute, moving and swaying as swarthy men sat nearby, hands clapping, dark eyes flashing in the firelight.
The music continued to drive her vision, filmy clothes adorned her body which moved sensuously. Rows of tiny bells, jingled on bracelets around her ankles. The music was inside of her as she moved sinuously over the desert floor, wildly rotating her hips to the beat of the drums. Her flute followed her steps as she danced.
The music stopped, Lilly opened her eyes and found herself in the courtyard. She looked up and her eyes locked with the guitar player sitting on a stool nearby. He stood and came over to her.
She spoke softly to him, “I was in the desert, dancing. I was wearing bells. There were camels. I swear I could smell them.”
The guitar player laughed and said, “It was Shaharazad.”
“Did you see the desert vision too?”
“Of course,” he replied as he put out his hand to her and said, “Lucky.”
She shook his hand and replied, “Not so much.”
He threw his head back and laughed as he squeezed her hand, “We will have to do something about that!”
Forest, Gemma’s live in boyfriend and a member of the coven, picked up
