The Moonstone (Enchantment Book 1) (8 page)

“Go a little closer and take a look at the lake, Lou.”

I don’t need to be asked twice and I run to the lakeshore. The spectacle before me is fantastic, the full moon is reflected in the water in such a way that it looks like thousands of fireflies dancing on the surface. The cool wind caresses my cheeks; everything is so perfect that it all seems like a landscape painting. I understand now why the owner neglects the road into his property; he certainly doesn’t want anyone else to discover his little piece of paradise. We’re so far from the city that, despite the moonlight, I can see thousands of stars in the sky. My whole body is in perfect communion with the surroundings. It’s as if I were always here, as if I were coming home.

Gertrude approaches me and puts her hand on my shoulder, she gently puts her lips to my ear and quietly whispers:

“It was here that you were created, Lou. In this lake, with this moon.”

“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”

J.R.R. Tolkien

Who can boast about being born in such a spectacular place? I feel like running and throwing myself into the lake, floating there and staring up at the stars forever. Nothing could make me happier than to be suspended there at this moment in time.

“Was it really here that I was born? And she…”

“…she died, yes.”

I feel a deep respect for this woman who gave me life, and being at this place cements it. The crickets and bullfrogs gently murmur, calming me after such a long day.

“Come, dearest, we must complete our ritual before midnight,” Gertrude reminds me, putting her frail arm around me with determination.

I follow her towards this fantastic house. A great big black wooden door contrasts with the glazing that covers the walls of the building. The door opens, revealing Charles, who looks rather different than he did earlier this afternoon. He is dressed in a plaid housecoat with pants of the same fabric and is walking barefoot. He is puffing on a cigar and has a tumbler of whiskey in his hand; at least I assume the contents based on the woody scent that fills the entryway. He looks tired and seems to be fighting sleep.

“I had given up on you! Come in, ladies,” Charles says, turning his back to us and spilling a few drops of the contents of his glass onto the polished concrete floor. He walks towards the living room where, in contrast with the modern décor, a rustic fireplace takes center stage. He stretches out on one of the two brown leather sofas, forcing Gertrude and I to share the small two-seater.

“You have a beautiful home and a drop-dead gorgeous view,” I say, in a dreamy voice.

“Would you like a drink, darling?”

“Yes, please, I would like one. I could use something to help me relax.”

“And for you Gertrude, a little toad juice?”

I can’t help but make a face at the comment.

“Don’t wind her up, Charles, she’s had enough to deal with tonight already. Pour me a whiskey too.”

Charles gets up and walks towards a wood-paneled wall that opens at his touch, revealing a magnificently illuminated glass bar where many bottles are elegantly arranged. To my utter astonishment, I can see that he’s now holding a bottle of decanted Macallan “M”, the most expensive whiskey in the world.

“How did you…? I thought there were only four bottles of it in the whole world?”

“Oh, darling! Didn’t Gertrude tell you about my particular gifts?  My sign is the Earth and my gift is to create potions. I only needed to have a sip of the delicious elixir once and, voilà! I can recreate it at will. Isn’t magic grand? You’ll also be able to take advantage of your powers the way I do. But tell me, how does a young woman like you know so much about whiskey?”

“My father believes that to become a perfect young woman, I should be able to drink whiskey, know about beautiful cars and watch a boxing match without looking away.”

“I think I love your father, already! So, Lou, is your sign the Earth too? Please, please tell me that it is!”

I can’t help but smile at the enthusiasm I see on his wrinkled face. He hurriedly pours out two glasses and serves them to us before returning to his spot on the sofa.

“My dear Charles, you’ve lost the bet. I was right; she’s inherited Ether from her mother. Just imagine, she can control time, isn’t that wonderful?!”

“That’s fantastic! Your integration to the training sessions will be that much easier. Ok, let’s skip the chitchat ladies; it’s time to get to the business at hand! We only have a few minutes left to complete the ritual and make everything official. Follow me!”

Charles stands up, a smile on his face, and taking us both by the arm, he starts to skip. We walk together to a far corridor at the other end of the house. It seems to be a tunnel with glass walls that look out into the now dark yard. At the far end there is a black wooden door in the same style as the one at the main entrance.

“Are you ready to discover the monster’s lair? Please excuse the disorder, it’s a creative mess and it’s my personal space, nobody else ever comes in here. You two are privileged this evening, my dears.”

He says this quickly and with a tone of voice that borders on hysteria…a little like the mad scientist from an old B movie. He opens the door with a passionate yank and invites us in with a theatrical bow. It’s the way I would have imagined it to be, maybe even a little predictable, if I were to be honest. The whole house is styled in a purely modern fashion, but here all is old and rough. The walls are arched and covered with large wooden shelves and the whole room is cavernous. On the shelves are vials and bottles of every size and color. The ceiling boasts an immense domed window that amplifies the stars’ and moon’s luminosity, adding an air of mystery to the space. Charles puts on his white lab coat, another cliché, and begins to light candles all around us. I can see so many candle stubs around us that I realize he doesn’t use electricity in this room.

“I prefer to work in the old style, it’s better for the energy of the space!” he tells me, while staring at me closely, as if he could read my mind.

“Come, ladies, get closer, the moment has arrived!” he says, using his arm to sweep the contents, mostly what seem to be parchments, off the large central table.

“You could’ve at least tidied up before we got here, Charles! You knew that we wouldn’t have much time once we arrived,” scolded Gertrude, in a discouraged tone.

“Lou, my dear, come, get closer, get up on the table,” says Charles, holding out his hand.

“Go on, Lou, he knows what he’s doing.”

Over the years, Gertrude/Nyx had learned to read my emotions and my state of mind, she almost knows me more than I know myself. Not without fear, I reach out to Charles who grabs my hand and helps me onto the wooden table. The table is old and rickety and groans and shakes as I try to find my balance on it.

“Have you done this before?” I inquire, in order to reassure myself.

The two look at me uncertainly.

“No, never. But don’t worry, the worst that can happen is that it doesn’t work and in that case we’ll need to wait until the next full moon.”

“What should I do?”

“Stretch yourself out on the table and look up at the sky; I’ll take care of the rest.”

Lying down, I raise my eyes and spot the moon, so beautiful and full. I feel a wave of peace come over me, or maybe it’s at that moment that a feeling of exhaustion overtakes me. Charles approaches and gently takes the pendant from around my neck. He raises it over me, allowing the moon’s light to pass through the translucent stone. With his other hand, he puts his fingers into a ceramic jar and takes out a sort of black mud. His voice changes, becoming deeper and huskier…

“That by the earth we tread, by the soil we seed and by the ashes we become after the Grim Reaper’s passage, Gaia grants you her power.”

He then applies the mud to my forehead in a circular motion.

He takes out a crystal vase filled with water and traces a path from my feet to my mouth with the liquid while reciting:

“That by the water we are born of, the oceans we navigate, and the rain that refreshes us, Apollo grants you his power.”

He then grabs another jar and opens it, releasing a cool, refreshing breeze through my hair. I am too hypnotized by this to worry about where these winds could be coming from.

“That by the wind that rocks us, by the tornadoes and the storms that rule us, and the air that gives us life, Aeolus grants you his power.”

Charles then takes one of the candles and I can’t help but recoil slightly. He motions for me to relax and lights the small candle he then places on a small pewter dish and onto my stomach.

“That by the fire that warms us, by the flames that erupt from the volcano, by the fire that creates and burns, Hades grants you his power.”

He then takes a piece of clear crystal and passes it into the beam of light coming from the moon. The crystal refracts the light in every direction, sending shards of light throughout the room.

“That by the Ether, the matter that is between all things, by the light that unites us, by space, by the universe and by time, Æther grants you his power.”

At that very moment, the clock begins to strike midnight and my body starts to writhe and then elevate, gently floating above the table. I feel a sensation not unlike floating in water. My necklace leaves Charles’ fingers and floats above me. It begins to glow like a thousand fires and then suddenly, nothing. I slowly lower to the table once more. The candle goes out and Charles helps me get up. He takes my necklace and gently hands in back to me.

“Take care of this. It now represents who you are. It has become your sign: Ether.”

The stone is incredibly beautiful; it is deep black with colored circles that remind me of a photo of a distant galaxy.

“What is this stone?”

“Fantastic, a rainbow obsidian. It’s stunning on you, darling, this stone has the power to control energy and time, and that’s why your stone changed into it.”

“We’re done, you’re officially an enchanter, my dear,” says Gertrude, while planting a wet kiss on my cheek, followed by a group hug with Charles who joins us.

“We did it, Gertrude. Anne would be so proud of us! I would have loved for her to see her daughter at this moment.”

Anne, I realize that this must be my mother’s name. I would have loved to have shared this moment with her, but I feel lucky I have these two here with me, assuming they know what they’re doing. I don’t feel any different from a few minutes earlier, other than a few shivers still running through my body.

“Do all enchanters perform this ritual?”

“Oh no, only Moonchildren, as they have some of each of the gifts. It’s done to finalize everything and to conceal the moonstone,” reassures Gertrude, twirling a wisp of my hair in her fingers.

“Don’t worry about it, Lou. I know you’ve been through a lot for one day, but tomorrow I’ll give you a quick lesson and bring you up to speed and my niece will come and spend the day with us. She’ll be a great ally for you over there and she’ll be doing the same training as you.”

“Ok, dear, it’s late! Charles, where will she sleep? I know she’s exhausted and you too, from the looks of it.”

“Yes, I’m completely wiped. Follow me, Lou. I’ll show you to your room.”

I follow him back across the house and there we climb a black iron spiral staircase. Once on the second floor, we enter a room that seems to be an office and is lined with floor to ceiling windows that offer a panoramic view of the landscape and the lake. The windows are on pivots and fresh air blows in, playing gently through my hair. Charles opens a sofa that transforms instantly into a bed.

“So sorry, but I don’t have many overnight guests. My niece loves sleeping in this room the few times she gets to spend the night here, so I hope you have a good night’s sleep. Good night, darling.”

I love the way that he pronounces each syllable with his British accent and although he seems young, his attitude is more that of the paternal uncle. He’s mix of distinction and comfort. He exits the room, turning off the light, leaving only the moon to guide me through the space. I walk over to the window and sit down for a few moments at the antique wooden desk to admire the glimmering light show happening on the surface of the lake. After a few moments of contemplation, my eyelids feel heavy and bring me back to reality. I tuck myself into the sumptuous bedding and fall into the deepest sleep of my life.

The next day, I wake up feeling completely rested...incredible, no dreams and no Nyx to disturb my sleep, nothing! I can't remember the last time I slept like that without waking up. Out of the corner of my eye, I spy an alarm clock on the edge of a side-table that indicates five-thirty a.m. Impossible, how could I feel so refreshed after only a five-hour sleep? Obviously the fresh lake air is good for me, maybe I should think about renting a room from Charles rather than an apartment in the city! This is the good life, rest, and a book in my hand as I sip whiskey by the lake... paradise on earth! I can only imagine the heart attack my mother will have when she hears the news that I’m moving in with a bachelor, and to top it all off, one that isn't my boyfriend. I try to walk carefully through the house so as not to wake anybody up, but the creaking floorboards give me away with each footstep. I then decide to hurry and move a little faster so as to reach the bathroom as quickly as possible. I run down the staircase, which doesn't help my cause, each step groaning under my awkward feet. Once on the main level, I open the first door I see, hoping that I’ve found the bathroom, nope! It’s a cupboard filled with brooms and mops. I can't help but laugh inwardly, thinking of the irony of this cupboard. A sorcerer's house and a closet full of brooms; I wonder if the stories I've heard are true... for a brief moment I’ve an urge to climb on one, but I think better of it and am quickly reminded of my pressing quest and close the door accordingly. There’s only one door in the hallway, and to my relief, it's the one I need.  I got there just in time. I then take a look in the mirror, and my reflection reminds me of the previous day's trials. My hair is standing at attention and I’m certain that today my father would compare me to tumbleweed rather than a lioness. My stomach complains that the previous day's pastries were too long ago and insufficient fuel for my body, so I’ll have to go and see if I can find something in Charles' kitchen. To my complete surprise I reach the end of the hallway and find Charles and Gertrude awake! They are total early birds, these two.  Charles is at the table reading a translucent newspaper. Gertrude is taking something out of the oven. I get a whiff and recognize what I guess to be the scent of chocolate pastries.