She opened the door and stepped into Raven Moon. Tall shelves lacquered midnight black, lined the blood red walls. A scattering of crystal balls reflected the afternoon sun. Human skulls, carved in crystal, glowed on beds of black velvet. Fractured light, from red and purple crystals hanging in the window, threw patterns of light around the store. Lilly stood, taking in the visual feast.
Despite the crystal skulls, crystal balls and a variety of brass dragons reflecting the sun light, Lilly sensed a cloud of darkness hovering around the edges and settling in the corners of the shop. Sweet clouds of incense were unable to mask the century old miasma of decaying brick walls, old wine, strong tobacco and French perfume. Beyond the mingled scents lay the energy of men who long ago married ivory skinned ladies, bid on human lives, and bought dark women for secret pleasures.
A tall, broad shouldered young man stood behind a glass counter. His blonde hair was pulled back in a long pony tail. Blue eyes lit his face as he smiled and came from behind the counter and greeted her. “Hi, I’m Claude, welcome to Raven Moon. How can I help you?”
Lilly blinked away her vision and managed a weak smile, “I’m Lilly. My friend, Madeline, told me about your shop and I happened to land on your doorstep today.”
Claude looked puzzled for a moment, “Madeline? Is she a blond?”
“Yes, she is a blond and she is my neighbor at Panthea’s. She told me about your shop.”
“Oh, yea, I remember Madeline. How is she doing? Did she leave on her trip?”
“I’m not sure what is going on with her. She was supposed to leave the day after Mardi Gras on a cruise with her lover. I saw her going to the laundry room yesterday. I didn’t say anything, but I think the cruise fell through.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Claude said.
“Madeline has good things to say about you and your partner. With Mardi Gras madness over I finally have an opportunity to meet you.”
“I’m glad you came by. I remember Madeline telling me about you. She says you are new to the coven at Panthea’s.”
“Yea, I lucked out when I rented an apartment from Jolene a couple of days after Thanksgiving. I didn’t know I was finding my true family and what a big change it would make in my life.”
Claude smiled, “That is amazingly good karma. I’m hoping Raven Moon will also be beneficial for you.”
Lilly was silent for a few minutes as she looked around the store. “What I would like today is a reading, if you have time.” Claude assured her he had plenty of time.
He walked over locked the front door, flipped the open sign over, and explained, “My partner is out at the moment. I will lock up so we won’t be disturbed.”
He led Lilly through an arched opening into a crimson velvet tent. The top f the tent was drawn up into a point and attached to the ceiling. Thick gold fringe decorated the edges. He pulled aside the front flap and invited Lilly to enter. A little light filtered in but Claude quickly lit a candle and gestured for Lilly to sit at the round table in the center of the tent.
“Have you had a crystal ball reading?”
Lilly shook her head.
“I am going to do a general reading for you. I use the crystal ball as a focus point. Colors and shapes trigger insights. Sometimes visions come, sometimes not. Whatever I see, I will relay to you. If you have any specific questions we can address them later in the reading.”
Lilly’s fingers tingled and her palms grew damp. “I invite you to relax, Lilly. The only information I would like is your birth date.”
“My birthday is November 10.” She stared into the crystal ball for a moment, the candle appeared burning upside down within it.
Claude encouraged her to take deep breaths. After a few minutes, he thought she might hyperventilate so he suggested she take slow even breaths.
“I’m going to do a little something to help you relax and enjoy your reading, Lilly. Allow your eyes to close. As I count from ten to zero you can relax a little more with each number I say.” Claude began counting, 10, 9, 8. He repeated his suggestion to Lilly, “With each number, you will relax more and more, 7, 6, 5, 4....”
Lilly’s head fell slightly forward and Claude spoke as he stared into the crystal ball. “Lilly, you possess an innate power and the gift of magickal vision. Your talents are not merely gifts, they are part of an ancient Fae bloodline. In your past lives you followed the path of the priestess. You are not new to the ways of magic.”
“During your present life power has eluded you. Abuse, betrayal and abandonment have caused you to lose touch with your abilities. Now you are blind to the powerful visionary talent which is your birthright. As you struggle to define a new reality for yourself, it is important you have the right teachers. Learning to focus and harness your power is crucial in order to manifest the life you want. It appears there is an urgency to achieve contact with your power as dark energies seek you.”
Claude paused a moment and looked at the slip of a girl sitting across from him. He studied her for a moment, released his thoughts and let the trance take him again.
“Recently, you have become enchanted by the craft. You are renewing your ancient wisdom and building a stronger, more complete magical practice. The goddess has lead you to teachers in the French Quarter and to Raven Moon. Lifetimes of strength and dedication have recently been rewarded with gift of a powerful, ancient tool.”
“A great love can be yours if you are able to develop your gifts and use them to create the life you desire. I am here to help
