The Tower

Two: Reed

Two: ReedI almost wished someday she'd shoot me down outright and put me out of my misery. It was impossible to resist when she let me flirt with her like that. It had been a long time since just the two of us had gone, well, anywhere, without Rose, and it did feel like our referee was missing. Well, tonight should be interesting anyway.

“Can I drive?” Rowyn asked me with an innocent smile I wasn't quite immune to as we walked outside her house. It was surrounded by so many trees that the air just smelled green when the weather turned warm.

“Not a chance.” My 1990 Jetta was sort of my most prized possession after my boxing gloves. I'd put more work into it than maybe anything else I'd ever owned.

“I'll be your best friend.”

“You already are.” My smile came easily, knowing her pattern of begging well. Next she would offer to read my cards for free, which she always did anyway, and I'd make an ill-advised joke about being willing to negotiate our terms. I walked around to the driver's side of the car.

“Fine. Next time I won't make you sit on the stairs.” That was not expected. I felt my face break into a grin that only accompanied highly inappropriate thoughts about being in her room. I made an about-face and tossed the keys to her. She slid into the driver's seat and wrapped her hands around the wheel.

“We could take your car, you know?” I had to throw it out there just to irritate her and get her to do the thing where she bit her tongue in annoyance. She had her own car, but the little red Civic was rather temperamental, with the starting and the driving, so she didn't take it out often. I didn't get a response to that comment. “Okay then, try not to kill us.”

“Shut up.” I just laughed as she shifted into reverse. The crunch of the gravel driveway under the tires was a satisfying sound as we headed out. Her house sat just outside of town, backed up to the woods, and I sometimes felt more at home there than at my own house. Seeing her double check all of her mirrors before she pulled onto the two-lane highway made me love her a little bit more.

* * *

Once we pulled off the main road and drove back into the woods, I felt guilty about my earlier comment about getting there late. I forgot sometimes, how nice it was.

I grabbed Rowyn's hand as we walked the well-worn path through the trees. Tonight, she didn't try to stop me. The woods opened up into a meadow, and it looked like a gypsy caravan had arrived. Well, it sort of had, being that most of our heritage could probably be traced to Romani travelers in the past century. That was cool with me; it's what I credited my dark and mysterious good looks to. Tables and chairs were haphazardly organized in groups, along with an informal altar set-up. We considered ourselves witches- level business casual. Maybe beach casual as of late, since our parents' insistence on our practice had waned in recent years. Life got in the way sometimes, I guessed. But tonight, the last Full Moon of summer, would be a good excuse to reconnect. I always felt better after casting a circle.

Rowyn dropped my hand to see if her mom needed help with Tristen, and I wandered to find my brother and his friends. Well, I would have, had there not been food to distract me. I could see my brother anytime, but homemade bread and rosemary chicken were less common.

“Have you literally been eating this entire time?” Rowyn came up behind me and pinched my sides. I was on my third helping.

“I am a man in need of sustenance, Row. You can't deny nature.”

“Yeah, yeah. Mary wants us to come clear energy for the kids before circle. You'll have to put down the bread though. Probably.”

“I think I could absolutely use the bread to clear energy.”

“Just come help me already.”

“Okay, okay, I'm coming.” I shoved the remainder of the loaf in my mouth and followed Rowyn to the actual circle part of The Circle. The tree line carved out an almost perfect arc, creating a backdrop for spell work and rituals. The moon was rising as we each lit our sage and began to clear the energy of the younger crowd who entered the space.

Clear the mind of worry,

the heart of anger,

and the feet of wanderlust.

Fill this soul with presence, love, and roots

as she enters our sacred circle.

I repeated this again and again as our circle formed, holding lit sage in my hand, the wisps of smoke spiraling into the pink sky. The lake was calm in the distance, and the feeling of summer was alive under the moon. A woman named Cecelia began the ritual, crystal wand in hand to direct the energy, calling Earth in the north, Air in the east, Fire in the south, Water in the west, and spirit in our center, lighting candles as she went. Our circle was closed, and the magic settled in as the space became lit in silver and white to honor the moon. I loved this feeling. Ceremony, ritual, sensing everyone's energy focused in one place at one time. That's what magic was.

I felt the reality of all of it- that we were all connected. To each other, to the magic of the woods, to the stardust we came from. I was feeling pretty philosophical gazing at the sunset and watching Rowyn think about whatever new beginning we were supposed to be concentrating on. I could only see her.

The spell was broken when Cecilia opened the circle, so I used all of the energy coursing through me to heave Rowyn over my shoulder and throw her in the lake.

Thank me she did not, but it was worth it to see her dripping wet and a hot sort of angry.