Carry On Wayward Son (17 page)

Lucifer
– in Latin, lucifer means bringer of light, morning star, light bearing – depending on which source you use to translate. In the Bible, he is called son of the morning by God, before he is cast out of Heaven. The relevant passage is in Isaiah: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” (King James Version). There are more arguments and discussions about Lucifer – one, also in the Book of Isaiah, ascribes the name to a Babylonian king who was destined to fall.

I am going with the straight up: Lucifer placed himself above God, and was cast down to Hell with the angels who followed him. He became the Lord of Hell, Satan, Beelzebub – whatever name you want to label him. Claire fell with him, served at his right hand, until she remembered what she had once been, and lost the venom and the hate needed to torture condemned souls. Lucifer is always in the background, a reminder of who and what she was, what she became because she believed in him.

Marid
– the most powerful of the Jinn, they are also the most sought after to grant wishes. They are also the most dangerous, and dealing with them is the height of folly for any human.

Like Marcus, I take the Jinn mythology and twist it. Jamal is not only Marcus’ superior, he is also a friend. And he brings Claire and Marcus together, at a crucial moment, saving Marcus while changing her life.

pentagram/pentacle
– a five point star, typically drawn in five straight strokes. Used by the Ancient Greeks and the Babylonians, it is best known for its magical ties, and is worn by many who practice and believe in pagan faiths. If the pentagram is inside a circle, it is known as a pentacle. In Christianity the pentagram was believed to represent the five wounds of Christ, and was protection against demons. If the top point of the star is reversed – pointing down – it is a symbol of Satan, literally reversing its meaning.

Claire’s tattoo is broken, useless. But with the wall Azazel created, she no longer needs its protection. I use them as they are listed in the Wicca faith – pentagram is the star, and pentacle is the star inside a circle. Most jewelry is in the form of the pentacle.

tarot
– tarot was originally a card game, played in Italy from the mid-fifteenth century, its popularity spreading to France, Switzerland and Germany. Like a modern day deck, it has four suits, plus an augmented fifth suit of permanent trumps, creating a 78 card deck. It was only later that tarot became a source for divination and readings. The occult tarot deck is different, consisting of the major arcana – 22 cards with no suits, and the minor arcana – 56 cards broken into four suits.

I dig into Taro a bit more this time, using Mildred’s obsession with love as a catalyst. A disastrous reading, which reveals only the truth, shows off the power Tarot has over some people, and how it can give them exactly what they are asking for – whether they want to hear it or not.

triquetra
– Latin for three cornered, a triquetra is also known as the trinity knot. As a religious symbol it has been used to represent things and people that are threefold. An example is the Christian blessed trinity of Father, Son, Holy Spirit. In the Pagan religions it is a symbol with several meanings – the three stages of the Triple Goddess, the three realms of earth, sky and sea, and the connection of mind, body and soul are some examples. It is also considered a symbol of protection.

Claire’s triquetra tattoo is as useless as her pentacle, and she covers it with a wide leather band, to keep it from reminding her about what she lost, and what hides behind the wall inside her.

Wicca
– a spanking new religion, it appeared at the first part of the 20th century, and was officially named Wicca by the 1960s. Many practice ritual magic, and they follow what is known as the Wiccan Rede: “an it harm none, do what ye will.” It can be practiced in solitary, or as part of a coven, and is as involved, and often as convoluted, as any religion.

Claire used Wicca as a cover – now she has Annie as the resident witch, and the shop is her haven, her way of reconnecting to the human part of herself, while still able to make a living.

witchcraft
– by simple definition, it is the practice of magic. The full definition would take another book. Short and sweet: before the Church stepped in, those who practiced witchcraft for the good of all were respected, and often revered for their talent. They were sought out for their skills with healing. In modern society, witchcraft has regained a sense of the respect and awe it once had, and people openly practice without fear of persecution.

Annie practices witchcraft – and has gotten more proficient, especially with Marcus as a teacher. She uses her power and skill in ways she doesn’t want to. There is so much to be mined in the area of witchcraft, I don’t need to embellish.

CARRY ON WAYWARD SON

THE CLAIRE WICHE CHRONICLES BOOK 3

Cate Dean

Copyright, 2012.

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except for use in any review. This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, locales, and events are either pure invention or used fictitiously. No character is based on or inspired by any known or unknown persons, and all incidents come from the author’s imagination alone.

Cover art by
Nadica Boskovska

Cover design by
Christine Pope

http://indieauthorservices.com

Other books by Cate Dean

Rest For The Wicked
– The Claire Wiche Chronicles Book 1

She's running from her past. And running out of time.

Claire Wiche is an ordinary woman, running her Wicca shop, The Wiche's Broom, in an ordinary California beach town. But Claire wasn’t always ordinary, and she isn’t quite human. She hides a secret, and a past she thought she had put behind her.

A past that is about to explode into her present.

When it does, and everyone she loves is in danger, Claire must face up to her past – and become what she left behind in order to save them.

A Gathering of Angels
– The Claire Wiche Chronicles Book 2

Claire Wiche sacrificed everything to keep her friends safe, revealing her true self. She expected the final battle to be the end for her. But she is back, breathing - and threatened by an enemy she doesn't have the means to fight.

An enemy bent on vengeance and possession, whatever the cost.

Trapped, alone, Claire has to find the strength to stand against what she knows she can't defeat. And the courage to face the people she thought she left behind.

*Includes a short preview of
Carry On Wayward Son
, Book 3 of The Claire Wiche Chronicles, coming in Fall 2012.

Last Chance Jack
– A Fantasy Short Story

Jack is a guardian angel. A guardian angel who has failed every single assignment. For the past hundred years.

Now he has been given his final assignment, and he has one last chance. One chance to prove himself, one chance to change his fate.

But there is a catch: the assignment can't see him, unless he can find a way to break through, a way to touch her. Only then can he even begin to help her.

He has three days.

Author’s Note

A book is never the product of the writer alone. Standing behind them are the people who help make them look good, who help complete the process, and do so with grace and incredible talent. These are my people, and without them, I would still be mucking along, reaching for a dream instead of living it. Thank you, Janet, of Dragonfly Editing, for the last set of eyes on my work; it made all the difference, and to Christine, for another beautiful cover design. A special thank you to Nadica, for the stunning art that graces my cover. It is such a joy and a pleasure to work with you. To my readers, Theresa McClinton and Tamara Ward – my most sincere thanks for all of your help and support. I never could have done it as well without all of you.

About the Author

Cate Dean has been writing since she could hold a pen in her hand and put more than two words together on paper. She grew up losing herself in the wilds of fantasy worlds, and has had some of her own adventures while tromping through the UK, and a few other parts of the world. A lover of all things supernatural, she infuses that love into her stories, giving them a unique edge. When she’s not writing, she loves cooking, scaring herself silly in the local cemeteries, and reading pretty much anything she can get her hands on.

You can find her hanging out at her website:
http://catedeanwrites.com

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http://facebook.com/catedeanwrites.com

Come and exchange tweets at:
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Or find her at Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5694181.Cate_Dean

Check out all her books at Amazon Author Central:
http://amazon.com/author/catedean

If you enjoyed this book, I would be grateful if you took a minute or two and posted a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads. Your comments mean so much to me, and would be helpful to others searching for just the right book. Maybe, for them, this book will be the right one.

Table of Contents

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

Reader’s Guide to the Claire Wiche Mythology

Other books by Cate Dean

Author’s Note

About the Author