Blood Witch_ Book Three - Cate Tiernan [14]
“Everyone take hands, and let’s begin our breathing exercises,” said Cal.
I reached for my neighbors. Matt’s hand was still cool from being outside. Sharon’s bracelets jingled against my wrist. I began to breathe slowly and deeply, trying to let all the day’s negativity and tensions drain from my body, trying to draw in all the positive energies I could. I consciously relaxed every muscle, starting at the top of my head and working my way down. Within a few minutes I felt calm and focused, in a meditative state where I was only semi-aware of my surroundings. This was good.
“Now think about your goals.” Cal’s voice seemed to float from everywhere at once. Unbidden, we began to move in a circle, first slowly, then more quickly and smoothly. My eyes opened, and I saw Jenna’s living room as a series of dark smudges, a wild blur as we spun around and around. The fireplace marked our turns, and I looked into the fire, feeling its warmth and light and power.
“I want to be more open,” I heard Sharon murmur, as if on a breeze.
“I want to be happy,” said Ethan.
There was a moment of silence while I thought about what I wanted, and then Jenna said, “I want to be more lovable.”
I felt Matt’s hand clench mine for an instant, and then he said, “I want to be more honest.” The words sounded reluctant and pained.
“I want to be strong,” Cal whispered.
“I want to be a good person,” said Robbie—and I thought, But you are.
I was last. I could feel the seconds ticking by. I still didn’t know what I needed to work on the most. Yet words seemed to explode from my mouth, as if by their own accord. They hung on the air like smoke from a bog fire.
“I want to realize my power.”
As soon as I said it, a current ran through the circle, like a wind whipping a rope. It was electric: it charged me, so that I felt I could fly or dance above the earth.
A chant came to my lips, one I didn’t remember ever hearing or reading. I had no idea what it meant, but I let it flow from me, as my wish had flowed from me.
“An di allaigh an di aigh
An di allaigh an di ne ullah
An di ullah be nith rah
Cair di na ulla nith rah
Cair feal ti theo nith rah
An di allaigh an di aigh.”
I chanted it by myself, very softly at first—then more loudly, hearing my voice weaving a beautiful pattern in the air. The words sounded Gaelic and ancient. Someone was speaking through me. I lost myself, but I wasn’t frightened. I was exhilarated. I threw my arms up in the air and swirled in circles within our circle. Together the coven spun in orbit; they were planets around a shining star—and the shining star was me. Silver rain was sprinkling down on my head, making me a goddess. My hair came undone from its tidy braid and whirled in a stream, catching the firelight. I was all-powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing—a goddess indeed. It came to me that the words must have been a spell, an ancient spell, one that called power.
It had called power to me tonight.
“Let’s take it down.”
The voice belonged to Cal. Again his words seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. In answer to his bidding I slowed my whirling and let myself come to a wavering stop. I was as old as time itself; I was every woman who had ever danced for magick under the moon, every goddess who had celebrated life and death and the joy and sorrow in between.
Hunter Niall’s face suddenly flashed into my mind, his superior, contemptuous smirk. Look at me, Hunter! I wanted to shout. Look at my power! I am a match for you or any witch!
Then, all at once, with no warning, I felt frightened, no longer in control. Without Cal telling me, I immediately lay facedown on Jenna’s wooden floor—with my hands flat by my shoulders to ground my energy. The wood was warm and smooth beneath my cheek, and energy flowed over and