Something Wicca This Way Comes Read Free Page B

she didn't know
about witchcraft.
    “ Wands, bells, feathers,
we use all sorts of things. It just depends on what sort of spell
or ritual we might be performing,” Beth offered a huge smile.
“You’ll see a few of them tonight. Then, if you decide you want to
join us more permanently, I’ll help you make your own.”
    She pulled a small stack of index cards from
her pocket, each of them covered in carefully written directions.
At the top of each card was a girl’s name and several included one
of the four elements; air, fire, water and earth.
    “ Could you pass these out
for me while I set up the candles?”
    “ Of course,” Liz assured
her. Yet as she handed out the cards, she found herself entranced
by the preparations going on around her.
    The thick white candles that Beth was
setting up at strategic points around the bonfire smelled amazing
and looked as if they’d been handmade. Each was inscribed, but Liz
was too far away to see what they said.
     
    “ Come over here, Liz,”
Karen instructed. “We need to cast the circle.”
    She did as her friend instructed, walking to
join the girls that were standing just outside of the large ring
that Beth had created with the candles.
    Beth picked up an intricately carved staff
that had been placed beside the altar near the center of her
circle, beside the bonfire. She carried it out to where the other
girls were standing.
    “ The circle is now to be
cast. Let all those who enter here do so in perfect love and in
perfect trust,” the blonde intoned in a warm voice. She then
lowered one end of the staff and began to drag it in a large circle
that spanned all of the tools and candles they’d carefully laid
out.
    Then she returned the staff to its place
beside the altar and collected a smaller candle from among those
placed on and around the altar. She lit the candle with a burning
twig from the fire and carried it to the eastern edge of the
circle, where the first of the large inscribed candles was
seated.
    As she lit the candle, Beth solemnly
chanted, “Guardians of the East, I call upon you to watch over the
rites of our coven. Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air,
we ask that you keep watch over us tonight within this circle. Let
all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love
and perfect trust.”
    Then she circled around to the southern
candle and lit it while saying, “Guardians of the South, I call
upon you to watch over the rites of this secret coven. Powers of
energy and will, guided by Fire, we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your
guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust.”
    She then circled to the west.
    “ Guardians of the West, I
call upon you to watch over the rites of this secret coven. Powers
of passion and emotion, guided by Water, we ask that you keep watch
over us tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the circle
under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect
trust.”
    And finally to the north.
    “ Guardians of the North, I
call upon you to watch over the rites of this secret coven. Powers
of endurance and strength, guided by Earth, we ask that you keep
watch over us tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the
circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect
trust.”
    Beth then returned to the east, standing
just inside the circle and facing her friends.
    “ The circle has been cast,
enter now embraced by the light and love of the
Goddess.”
    Liz hesitated, because only Bev stepped
towards the edge of the circle to meet Beth.
    “ How do you enter the
circle?” Beth asked the girl.
    “ In perfect love and
perfect trust,” Bev answered.
    When Beth gave a slight nod, Bev stepped
over the ring drawn into the ground and went to stand on the other
side of the bonfire. Almost immediately the next girl stepped up to
present herself and each of them walked to a different place within
the circle after they’d been