Hail to the Queen Read online

  “Are you going to explain why we had to meet you here at this ungodly hour in the wilderness?” Vit mutters as he rubs his eyes. I’ll take the irritation in his voice over mistrust. I’ve been working hard to win him and his sister over and bring them back into the fold.

  “There’s somewhere we need to be when the sun rises.”

  “You know that’s not really an answer, right?” Aimee huffs.

  “Fair enough. Dawn is the time for new beginnings and new projects. The location I’m leading us to has been forgotten over the years. It was once a vibrant, active part of our family and their magical practices.”

  “Sounds like you’re chasing ghosts, Lou,” Vit says. He has no clue how close he is to being accurate. Unlike us, Vit has never been connected to magic. I want to change that. He deserves to claim his birthright. I sense an ability inside of him. Rusty, untapped, and stifled as it may be, it exists. There’s a flickering flame on the verge of being doused. I plan to breathe new life into all of us.

  “I know right now this seems a little out there, but I’ve brought us this far. Give me a chance to bring you through to the other side. I think you’ll find it was worth the early morning wake up and hike.”

  I remove the thermos from the mesh side pocket of my bag. “I want everyone to drink this. It’s an herbal tea blend meant to open our minds and heighten our abilities. It has chamomile, lavender, and rose.”

  Vit unscrews the top and takes a healthy gulp before he passes it to his sister. I admire the way he’s always looked out for her. As an only child, I often wished for a sibling to share a connection with. Some things aren’t in the cards. We pass the thermos around. The warm liquid seems to loosen everyone up.

  “In order for today to go well, we need to keep open minds and hearts.” I’d hiked this path a million times in my dreams and broke out an actual map to mark it on a format I could trust. The bayou and GPS have never been close friends. The signal is spotty at best once you get in too deep.

  Alida, if you’re out there, please help this trip go smoothly.

  I set off at a moderate pace, guiding them on the overgrown path as the dark sky begins to light, and the area slowly creeps to life.

  The chirp of birds, croak of frogs, and rustle of bushes make up our soundtrack. The deeper we go into the forested area, the more I feel a protective force surrounding us. The light scent of gardenias comforts me. I frequently check our map and compass.

  “You sure you know where you’re going?” Fel asks.

  I shake the papers in my hand. “The map doesn’t lie.”

  “Uh huh,” she says, not sounding convinced.

  “Don’t worry. I cross-referenced it with the one our ancestors used.”

  “I’m feeling a little better,” Fel says.

  “You think I’d lead us out here if I thought we’d get lost?” I ask with a huff.

  She laughs. “Me? Yes. Vit and Aimee?” She nods her head toward the duo a few feet behind us. “No.”

  “Gee, thanks.” A light sheen of sweat coats my forehead and back.

  “Do you feel that?” Fel whispers. Tendrils of power stretch out to us from our final destination.

  “Yes, we’re getting close.”

  “What is that?” Aimee whispers.

  “The reason we’re out here at O-dark-thirty. Vit, can you feel anything?” I peer at him over my shoulder.

  “Yeah.” He nods. “A pulse, like a heartbeat.” He points ahead of us. “Out there somewhere.”

  Excitement sparks to life inside of me. With every step, the air grows thicker. We round a bend, and I spot the circle of trees. “This is the place where our ancestors often gathered to cast their magic. It has waited a long time for our return. Can you feel it?” I pick up my pace at the murmurs of agreement. “Today, we’re going to cast a sunrise circle.” I pause in the center of the clearing. The ground buzzes between my feet, wind whips at my hair, tugging it from its ponytail. Heat engulfs me, and what feels like a light mist touches my face. The elements move around me playfully. This location is starved for attention.

  I turn to face the others. “We’re here.” They approach cautiously, peering around. “Can you feel the rightness of this moment? We’re meant to be here.” Strong feelings of harmony and unity wash over me.

  Is this how it used to feel before pride and disagreements pulled the Esçhete clan apart? I walk over to Fel. A hazy blue aura surrounds her. I place a hand on either side of her head. “Water, my blood,” I chant the words softly. Power flares to life inside of me, burning its way through my veins. I raise my voice until the magic is bumping against my skin, seeking an exit. I let go. She jerks. Her back arches and the power flows through her.

  Emptied of the imaginary water, I feel air flittering around in my belly like butterflies. I walk to Aimee. Her light brown almond-shaped eyes are wide and full of hope and caution. I can see the eternal battle being waged in the windows of her souls. I wrap my fingers around the side of her neck and rest our foreheads together. “Be at peace.” Her shoulders relax, and I move back. I can see the person inside of her caged and lashed tight by years of belittling and living on the outskirts of the family thanks to her mother’s jealousness. Perhaps, that’s why air is hers to call. She needs to feel the freedom it’ll bring.

  “Air, my breath.” As I chant, her mouth opens. The magic is a living thing, climbing its way up my belly and exploding from my mouth into hers in a mystical white stream.

  Breathing heavily, I stumble my way to Vit. I place one hand over my heart and the other over his. “Free my spirit.” The power crackles to life inside of him, but like damp kindling, it refuses to catch. I frown, exploring it with my senses. I thrust the power inside of him, and the spark ignites. The blaze engulfs us both. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, the flickering orange-red flames with blue center explode and extinguish in the blink of an eye. I step away, stunned by the contented expression I’ve never seen grace his face before.

  The others move in around me, and I focus on the power lingering inside of me. “Earth, my body,” I whisper, claiming the element I’ll be calling to me today. “We come here today to cast a circle and honor the ancestors who came before us and used this sacred space.” I shrug off my backpack and kneel to remove my Athame, colored candles, incense, and salt. I face north, hold out my blade, and carve out an imagined circle of pure white light, leaving a small gap. “I cast this circle in perfect love and perfect trust of all who enter.” I hold out the Athame. Fel meets my gaze and steps forward, trusting me enough to take her eyes off the blade. I repeat the process with Aimee and Vit. “The circle has been closed,” I whisper as I close the gap. I lay down a physical circle with sea salt.

  We take our places at the four corners. The magic wakes from its slumber. There are many ways to cast a circle, depending on what you seek to gain. This is a more casual calling.

  “Spirits of the Air, I call on you.” Aimee’s voice is ethereal and whimsical. The blast of wind that circles us is undeniable.

  “Spirits of Fire, I call on you.” Vit’s voice is powerful and full of confidence. A circle of controlled fire springs up as a barrier around the salt.

  “Lou?” His voice shakes. “What’s happening?”

  “This was asleep inside of you. All I did was wake it. This is who you are, Vit. You’re an Esçhete, equal to each of us. Don’t you ever forget that.” His lips twitch before they yield to a smile that threatens to split his face. His eyes burn with an inner light, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. He’s a different person.

  Laughter bubbles up inside of me, and I let it spill out. My family is healing.

  Facing the west, Fel lifts her arms. “Spirits of the Water, I call on you.” Her voice is bubbly and sweet like a brook running over stones. A fine water mist creeps in, surrounding the circle of fire without extinguishing it. The flames sway with t
he wind as the elements work in harmony, co-existing. The ancestors are pleased. Here in this place of power, I’m starting to see our real capabilities.

  “Spirits of the Earth, I call on you.” The ground trembles beneath our feet. I watch as a wall of dirt rises, three feet high and solid. It’s stunning. I turn toward my cousins.

  “Our circle is cast, blessed be.”

  I sense that I’m on the right path. It’s the reassurance I’ve been searching for. As we peer into the sky, silence falls as nature puts on its daily show. The sky shifts from a blazing red, to a burnt orange that gives way to a light peach and pale pink as the sun coasts its way up onto the horizon. Peace fills me. As the sun shines down, a translucent dome shimmers above us.

  Tiny, flickering flames come to life in Vit’s palms. Bright blue and black butterflies dance around Aimee. Fel is an artist, creating bubbles of water on her fingertips. Crouching down, I bury my fingers in the ground. I find the struggling Irises at the base of the trees and send them my energy. I watch as the slumped flowers straighten, becoming a vibrant violet as the leaves turn lush and a rich green.

  We spend the rest of the morning practicing our skills and meditating. As we leave the clearing, the newly developed bond between us is secure. This is how family should feel.

  ***

  I wanted my two families to unite, but not like this. God, never like this. My stomach rolls at the sight of yards of fabrics draped across the table. Satin, lace, organza, and tulle all battle for dominance in a sickening display of shades not entirely white. Their eyes are all trained on me. Gil’s intense oceanic blue, and my mother and Mémé’s natural shades of amber and brown.

  “What do you think, Lou?” Gil asks.

  What do I think? That I’m suffocating under the weight of planning these insane, decrepit ceremonies meant more for show than an expression of emotion. Traditions, status, and etiquette have joined together to form a noose. The rope is tightening around my neck with every day that passes.

  “What do I think?” I repeat the question slowly.

  “Yes, these are your days. You need to be happy with them,” my mom says.

  I give a humorless chuckle. “Oh, no. They are anything but my days. Let’s call them what they are: carefully crafted events to show everyone how beautiful, powerful, and special we are.”

  Her jaw drops and Gil hisses. His disproval rolls over me through our bond. Bite me.

  I refuse to feel guilty for my honesty. I was never the type of girl who fantasized about having the perfect wedding. I don’t like formal wear, stuffy parties, or worrying about seating arrangements. This planning is pure torture. “Look, you can dress me up appropriately, go over the important traditions, make sure I know who’s who, so I can play the political game, and let me do what I do best. Work.”

  Gil sighs and glances up at the ceiling. “You are so bull-headed.”

  My mother gives a humorless laugh. “Trust me. You’ve only scratched the surface.”

  Murmurs rise as the ceremony committee whispers among themselves.

  “Non.” Mémé’s voice slices through the buzz. She pushes herself up. “You will not shirk your responsibilities. This is more than a lavish party announcing your arrival to a meaningless position. The night will dictate how you wish to be perceived. It sets the stage, giving a glimpse of how you plan to rule. Nothing you’ve ever planned has been more personal or important. Is this a show of power? Absolutely. There have been too many cracks in the foundations and breaks from the old ways. You have a lot to prove. There’ll be no stopping them from testing you, but you can scare them in to not coming for you until you and your man are ready. You’re balancing a lot on two scales. You have to work harder than any who’s ever held this position. Because if either side goes down, it’s bad for the entire community.”

  “Mémé—”

  “Non. It’s time to grow up. The time for hesitation and selfishness is finished. Deep in my heart, I knew you were the one to lead us. I saw glimpses of your greatness from the time you were old enough to work magic. It’s been an inspiring and terrifying journey to get here. You’ve stepped up, protected this family, and made some hard decisions. We all can see you’re tired. But now is not the time to rest on your laurels. You’ve committed yourself to forging a new path. Own it. Forget about the way others ruled. Make this your debut. Celebrate the differences. You hear me, girl?”

  Her response is multi-layered. She’s reminding me of what’s important. Ashamed, I duck my head. How quickly I’ve forgotten to put my people’s needs first. A strong showing at the coronation could go a long way toward conquering fears and smoothing ruffled feathers. The supernatural world is watching. “Yes, I hear you, Mémé. I’ll do better.”

  “Good. We can’t afford for anything less than your best. These are precarious times. Can’t you sense it? There’s a cold wind drifting in. We won the battle over the black coven, yes, but wars aren’t ended with a single victory.”

  I nod. I’ve felt the disturbance. I wanted to blame it on jitters. There are still dark coven members out there. Plotting, and possibly regrouping or recruiting new members. The attack shook the witch community. And they don’t even know the half of it. Having my own aunt participate firsthand in an attempt to destroy us has me questioning everyone and everything I believed. Had she been influenced, or was she acting of her own free will?

  Her past points to the later, but I cannot wrap my head around why. What makes a woman who has everything she needs and more abandon her very blood? I want to investigate further, but we’ve been laying low and playing the part of a family in mourning. I exchange a look with Mémé and silently pledge to dig deeper. She nods her head and sits back in her chair with a fluidity that mesmerizes me. She is royalty personified in every action, word, and movement. I’ve got big shoes to fill.

  “If this is going to be my ceremony.” I stand, stalking over to the samples, and push them off the table and on to the ground. “We’re starting over from scrap. I don’t want to be sworn into an office inside. I want to be outside in a sacred place out in the Bayou. We need to reconnect and get back to our roots. The earth will help ground everyone. The water nearby and the trees will help us dispel negative energy.” For the first time, I’m enjoying this process. Mémé’s words lit a fire under my behind. This is about more than a party.

  It’s my first time stepping out of Mémé’s shadow. I need to make it memorable. Now isn’t the time to hold back or let someone else take the reins. “I think we have moved too far from our magical roots. We need to rekindle that connection while maintaining an open mind. Things have changed. Modernization is forcing us to adapt. To survive, we must step out of the Dark Ages. I want to build a bridge between the old and the new, honoring our origins while showing where the future lies. We all need to remember the way our families came together. Our council was created for the greater good, and we’ve all got our roles to play. Losing sight of that would be detrimental. This isn’t just my day. It should be our day, celebrating not only my new position but the bonds we’ve forged.”

  “This is the way a woman who leads speaks. Remember you speak for all of us, and those without voices now in every decision you make.”

  The heaviness settles over me like a wet blanket. How could I forget?

  “Bring me the books that contain the history of all the houses. We’re going to flip everything and create something brand new out of the old ways and the new ones.” Armed with a plan of attack, I am ready to plot out my battle.

  ***

  My jaw aches from the effort of holding the fake smile in place as I see the elders out of the house. The poking, prodding, and haggling of planning is ended for the day. I made leeway, but it was no less exhausting.

  “Thank you all for coming and helping me with this momentous occasion.” I give a slight bow as they leave the house one after the other. I close the
door carefully, lean against it, and exhale. The quiet, stillness of the house washes over me. I close my eyes and soak up the calming energy. The refreshing essence of the court reinvigorates me after being stuffed in a room full of power and strong opinions.

  “Are you okay?”

  I pry open eyelids that feel like they weight a ton and manage a small smile for Larkin. His brow is furrowed, and his dark eyes are full of concern. The brotherly vibe pouring off him is downright adorable. I’ve progressed leaps and bounds with my new family over the past year.

  “I’m fine. Exhausted, and sick to death of all things coronation related, but hanging in there.”

  He smiles, and it takes layers off his dark countenance. Quiet, brooding, and immensely intelligent, with a sharp tongue, he’s a modern-day Mr. Darcy.

  “The best part is you’ll only have to go through it once … well twice a piece, but you know what I mean.”

  “I do. Let’s hope the city and everyone in it survive both ceremonies. It’s a lot of powerful people in one place who don’t always agree.”

  “Are you concerned about problems?”

  “We’re the supernatural Romeo and Juliette. Aren’t we all expecting things to go wrong?”

  Larkin shakes his head. “We’re all expecting a good show. You rattled a lot of cages and knocked people down a peg who’ve long needed a reality check.”

  “You know me, pissing people off, and smashing age-old traditions to smithereens like a punk rocker from the 80’s in their prime.”

  “It’ll settle.”

  “Not soon enough.”

  “You’ve never had a taste for the spotlight. It’s part of what makes you a shoe-in for being a good queen. You care more about the people than the title. I look forward to you stepping into the role of a lady. We’ve lacked a certain balance for too long. I think it’ll be a change for the better.”