“Delightful.” Maritza raised one already perfectly arched eyebrow and permitted a hint of a grin. Readjusting her sunglasses, she said, “Always good to have a druid around should things get out of hand.”
Tires rolling slowly over gravel did not smooth the rut in my chest.
Maritza parked her car and stuck one leg out. She’d traded platform sandals for orange Chucks with blinding white laces. Her skinny jeans and loose blouse were black, as was the oversized hobo bag she dragged across the gear shift into the driver’s seat.
“May I carry that for you?” I asked.
“Please. Your dress is in there.”
“My dress?”
Maritza nodded and walked around her car, straight toward Tanner. He’d put his shirt on and was straightening the fabric across his chest. I didn’t think Maritza was prudish, but I was beginning to understand I didn’t want my guy’s chest on display.
“Druid,” she called, offering her hand. “Has Ni’eve released you from her tutelage?”
Tanner brought her hand to his lips and bowed slightly. “We will soon close this chapter of our relationship,” he said, making his voice carry all the way to where I was struggling with the weight of the witch’s bag. “I was granted a three-day leave and chose to spend it with Calliope.”
“Timing your visit to coincide with the equinox was fortuitous. This is a perfect opportunity for Calliope to create the particles she will need to cast circles.”
I had to heft the bag into my arms and hold it to my chest. “I thought witches used salt for their circles,” I said, drawing closer.
Maritza gave a patient sigh. “Do you recall the circle I cast in the burial mounds?”
My cheeks were already flushed from working outdoors in the sun. “Yes, I do.”
“I collected those particles from plants and flowers growing on the Pearmain’s property. It is a very site-specific way of working, one which honors place over the application of more generic materials.”
My fingers itched to take notes.
“Salt is not used for every magic circle. An excess of salt in the soil acts as a barrier to the cell walls of roots, causing them to eventually die from lack of hydration. Circles made from trees and plants that have absorbed nutrients make superior circles for the work you will do.” She readjusted her glasses, adding, “Reduce, reuse, recycle.”
“Calliope and I were going for a lemonade break when you arrived,” said Tanner. He extended his arms, offering to take the bag. I gave it to him gratefully. “Would you care for a drink before you begin?”
“Why yes, please.”
Tanner lowered the bag to the ground. “I’ll bring our glasses out here, Calli.”
Maritza seemed to forget about Tanner the moment he left. “Allow me to explain the process, Calliope. First, we choose a place. We’ll need a flat, circular area approximately,” she scanned me up and down, “two meters across.”
She then assessed my property, tapping a deep blue nail against her chin and hmming to herself. “You said there were maps in your mother’s books?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Let us have a look. There may already be a sacred circle here.”
“There are, or were, at least two stone pathways, both large circles with smaller paths inside.” I gestured to the slabs of stone at my dirt-covered feet and reached for the dirt-streaked map I had printed out and cobbled together. Tanner and I had uncovered a handful of stones fully. When I squinted, I could imagine where the rest of the rocks were located.
“Calliope, gather what flowers you can. Our color palette is somewhat limited this time of year, but there should be enough in your garden and amongst the wildflowers to start with.” She pointed to a fairly flat, clear area between where we were standing and the bunkhouse at the far end. “I will create the outline and you will scatter everything you gather inside its circumference.”
<Gather flowers, etc.>
Simple muslin brushed against my fingertips. When I went to lift the garment from the bag it weight startled me and as I stood, I saw why.
“Be careful not to cut yourself, Calliope. Tanner, perhaps now would be a good time for you to assist?”
I glanced over my shoulder. “Take this side,” I said, indicating with my elbow. Both my hands were hooked under the wide straps of the sleeveless dress. Tanner extended his arm and I slid the strap over his hand and wrist. “Give me your other arm too.”
The druid became a dress hanger. The muscles and tendons on his forearms strained as he adjusted to accept the full weight of the dress, allowing me to get closer to the hundreds, maybe thousands, of needles weighting the hem.
Curious, I crouched and tapped the tip of one with my finger. When the needle broke the skin at the barest touch, I quickly shoved my finger in my mouth and hoped Maritza didn’t see the blood.
“How do I get into this? I asked. “The needles are—”
“Intimidating. I know. I attached every single one of them and each tried to draw first blood.” Pride coated Maritza’s voice. “My brother is a master at his work.”
“Malvyn made these?”
“He did.” I was hoping for something less deadly-looking for my first piece of the jeweller—and sorcerer’s—artistry.
“What did you mean by first blood?”
“The one whose blood feeds the first needle becomes the true owner of the dress.” She swept her fingertips across the fringe of metal and sighed. “And I knew this would be yours when I made it, Calliope. May it never draw more blood than is ever necessary.”
Chapter 6
Oh, the charm of the Magical world. “How do I get into it?”
“Tanner, if you walk over to the circle of flowers and lower the dress directly in the center,” Maritza said, waving him forward, “Calliope will step inside and stay absolutely still as you bring the straps over her arms.”
Sounded simple enough. “Calliope, beforehand you will disrobe completely.”
And there was the catch. I swallowed, the thought of the needles against the more sensitive area of my body not at
