Chapter Summary Of The Mum's Book Of Shadows

With that, Amaranth and Kamra get out of the tree, and follow Kutcher to the balefire. Up close, Amaranth can feel the heat and energy within it. It warms her almost instantly. And as she follows Kutcher’s movements in the prayer, she gets heated with exertion and excitement. She mumbles along with the words, trying to say them as he does. When that fails, she decides to simply listen. They both hold their hands up as Kutcher shouts the Hymn. Amaranth laughs and smiles, happy, as she thinks about how ridiculous they must look. But she doesn’t care. She is finally within sacred space with Her, the Goddess. And that fact makes her happiest of all.
After ten more minutes, Kutcher and the girls finally take a break. They go back to the tree and
climb up, bouncing with ecstasy. “That was incredible,” Amaranth says, still hyped up on the prayer. Kutcher and Kamra smile, completely agreeing with her. “Perhaps this means that Mother will let us come to all of the Sabbat festivals,” Amaranth suggests, and immediately Kamra’s eyes go wide with hope. Kutcher laughs and says maybe.
“You know what I want,” Kamra cuts in, “I want Mother to let us start exploring on our own.
I mean, the coven is electic.”
“Exactly,” Amaranth agrees. Curious, she asks, “Kutcher, you practice on your own right?” He nods. “What’s it like?”
Kutcher starts to explain, “Basically everyone in my family practices. Mum’s Book of Shadows is the one we use. That’s basically the only religious rule we have: we follow Mum’s Book of Shadows. But, oi, I’m not complaining. Being able to practice is definitely something.”
Amaranth nods, “Maybe Esther will let us
now.”
Kutcher smiles, “Well, if she does, come on down to my place and I can show you a few things. Actually, Marina is my aunt. So, I’m definitely educated in the manner.” The girls laugh and say okay. Kutcher continues, “Except for a section in the BoS, really everything is magick I can do. There isn’t a lot of dark or advanced stuff. There’s some, don’t get me wrong, but its mostly light, natural stuff.” He gives Amaranth a shaky smile.
Amaranth, now slightly ticked, sneers, “Can’t wait.”
But after that, the tension vanishes as Marina announces something to the group, “Everyone! It is now time for the harvest feast! We ask that wherever you are that you join us in a prayer, thanking the mighty and beautiful Morrigan, for our harvest this year!” A second passes, and then the prayer starts: “Álainn bandia, táimid bheannaigh. D'fhéadfadh a bandia, gabhaimid buíochas leat. I gcás go bhfuil sé tú, a thugann dúinn ár n-gráin laethúil. Agus tá sé lheat, a choimeádann suas ó bhealach ocras ar. Agus tá sé leat, a choimeádann linn beo agus grá. Mar sin, gabhaimid buíochas leat. Is beannaithe a bheith!” Then they repeat in English, “Blessed be!”
People then go up to get dinner, but the girls stay put. Kutchers turns to them, “I’m going to get something. Be back.” The girls nod as he hops down and joins the crowd.
“What’d you think?” Kamra asks as they sit, alone.
“It’s amazing, as I clearly stated before,” Amaranth smiles.
They watch the balefire as it continues to burn.
However, Amaranth’s eyes fall onto the circle just a few feet from it. The only thing she can really see is the white of the salt. Oi, there’s a lot of salt. She tells Kamra she’ll be back, and decides to go get a closer look. She hops down from her tree, and makes her way towards it, saying excuse me as people eagerly walk around her. At last, she reaches it. Closest to her is the pillar that represents spirit. On the pillar is a white burning candle, a necklace with all of the zodiac symbols as charms, and she can also see various offerings that people left upon the pillar. Deciding, Amaranth takes off one of her black jewel earrings, and leaves it on top of the pillar. She smiles as she gazes at
it.
Then she moves on to the next pillar: water. On top is another candle, a chalice, which she guesses contains holy water, various sea shells, and statues of marine creatures. On the fire pillar sits a red candle, a picture of fire, a container of curry, and a fox statue. Next, is earth. On top of its pillar is a candle, various stones and crystals, a buffalo statue, and an amethyst necklace. Finally, on air, is a candle, a bell, a feather, an origami dove, and a white necklace.
Amaranth continues walking around the circle, inspecting, and taking mental notes. Most of this stuff isn’t that expensive. If she can get the money, and some time to go to the market alone, she can probably buy most, if not all, of these things. So even if her hopes are wrong, and Esther doesn’t let her practice, she isn’t left entirely in the water. Shoot, she can probably find all of these things around the house, and not even need to go to the third floor or store. The only problem is the pillars. They’re easily five foot, and definitely more than fifty Irish pounds, so there is little chance she can get them. But she’s sure that she can live without them.
She spends the next several minutes just mulling over everything. The more she can remember the better. Now, she doesn’t need any of these things to be a witch, but who can blame her for wanting to upgrade from candles and soil. These things are nicer, so why not? There is no harm done.
“I just love seeing new faces,” a voice says behind her. Amaranth turns, and finds herself in front of Marina. Amaranth smiles, not entirely sure on what to say. Marina chuckles, “Don’t worry hon, I just wish to properly introduce myself.” She smiles, but Marina’s dark eyes make Amaranth only tighten her fist. It’s not that she hates new people, she does, don’t get that wrong, but with the High Priestess, she feels as though Marina is sizing her up for a fight. Amaranth may be petite, but she’s tall. Even in a dress, she won’t be threatened.
“Thank you,” Amaranth says, faking politeness, but Marine doesn’t suspect a thing.
“You know,” Marina starts, looking at the balefire, which is surrounded by people performing personal spells, “Samhain is when the veil between life and death is thinner. It’s easier to do spirit related magick, not that you should, but it’s just a little fact.”
Amaranth replies, quiet, “I see.”
Marina squints her eyes, “You’re real quiet considering the circumstances. I haven’t seen you around before, what’s your name hon?”
“Amaranth Morgan.”
Suddenly, Marina’s face goes dark. Her stone eyes seem to harden up even more. She talks, her voice even and stern, “Esther’s maiden.” Amaranth nods. Marina holds her head up, authoritatively, “I know of maiden Cherokee Morgan’s fate. It’s a shame that had to happen.” Amaranth looks down, agreeing. Marina perks up a bit, “But the Wheel will turn again, Amaranth. It always does.”
Then Marina leaves Amaranth alone. She stands there, still settling from the conversation. After a second, she recovers, and continues her exploration. But she is still haunted by the High Priestess’s words. ‘It’s a shame that had to happen. But the Wheel will turn again, Amaranth. It always does.’ What is that supposed to mean?! She knows that the Wheel is the Pagan and Wiccan calendar, and that it has some magickal properties, but still. That doesn’t explain anything.
Amaranth is joined by Kamra, and they look around, avoiding everyone else. Most of the people here are nice, Amaranth’s sure, but she still needs her time to explore herself. She talks to her sister, “Have you seen Mum? Did she say anything?”
Kamra shakes her head, “Haven’t seen her.”
Amaranth curses quietly. The main thing she has learned tonight is that she really wants to practice. She doesn’t even feel she is worthy of calling herself Wiccan because she knows so little. It’s sad. Now, if she was dammed enough to be stuck in an American Christian home, she would spare herself, but she’s in fecking Ireland! Her mother is Wiccan! She shakes her head. Nothing makes any damn sense.
“Hey,” Kamra says, trying to comfort her. “Don’t worry. I’m sure things will work out.”
“I hope so, Kam,” Amaranth says grimly. “It just isn’t right. We go through all of this, only to be shamed into silence. It’s so beautiful, and Mother of all people should know that. I mean we are Maidens, just ask Marina. So it’s not like we’re too young. So what is Mother’s deal?”
“No clue,” Kamra admits, “But really, Amie, do we need to be able to practice?”
“That’s it, Kamra,” Amaranth explains, “It’s not that we need to, but that we should be able to. It should be our choice, and we’re old enough to make it. But Mother insists on sheltering us. It’s ludicrous.”
“Whatever you say, Amie.”
The girls continue walking around. They tell each other the different things they learned throughout the night, and what they thought was cool, and stuff like that. However, Amaranth keeps most details of her and Marina’s conversation secret. She doesn’t even know what that all meant, so Kamra doesn’t even need to know it happened.
Suddenly, a scream fills the air, like needles prickling skin. It’s not that powerful, but it still shakes the girls with paranoia. They watch as Marina and other coven members scramble to help. With what, the girls don’t know. Then they see it. Marina and two others are half carrying an old woman toward the circle where the girls stand. They rest the lady in a chair, and she sits there, breathing heavily.
“Clodagh,” Marina pleads, “What happened? Tell us.”
Amaranth scoots in closer to hear more. This is Marina’s grandmother, the Crone, the wisest, most experienced witch in the coven. Kutcher said she was a little out of it, but still, that doesn’t change a thing. Amaranth wants to see this.
As her and Kamra get closer, things start. The Crone opens her eyes, groaning, as if in pain. Then she lays eyes on the sisters, and immediately, chaos breaks out. She points at Amaranth and Kamra, her eyes wide with power, “Fhealltóir! Fhealltóir” Amaranth and Kamra back up, scared. ‘Fhealltóir’, is the Irish word for traitors. Desperate, the girls look around for Esther to help.
It doesn’t take very long, because not even a second later, Esther is holding the girl’s hands and taking them away from the crowd. In the distance, Amaranth can still hear the Crone cries. Amaranth’s mouth hangs open, shocked. What happened? What did she and Kamra do? As she walks toward the car, her hands shake. That was not good. She already knows that.
Luckily, she doesn’t need to ask. Just as shaken up, Kamra chokes out, “What happened back there!” When Esther doesn’t answer, Kamra exasperates, “Mother, please don’t do this!”
“Do what?” Esther demands, stressed.
“You know damn well what I’m talking about,” Kamra snarls, “How you shut down and hardly care for us. We have to figure everything out for ourselves! We don’t even have a mother practically! So will you please, for once in your life, be honest with us. Oi, we have lost our father, sister, and you! I’m pretty sure we can handle the truth. We want the truth! So please Mother, enlighten us.”
Amaranth stares at her sister in awe. If it weren’t for Kamra, she would’ve had to be the one to stand up to Esther. She could, but she didn’t want to, for fear of being completely abandoned. There’s nothing to do now except watch and see how things play out.