Strega (Strega Series) (25 page)

"When a Strega's power begins to emerge, her unique blade comes to her from the heavenly moon realm, Diana's realm, where all Strega blades are forged. A fusion of heavenly and earthly materials, signifying the bond between the two realms, each blade is crafted of the purest metals, and unbreakable moonstone."

I first saw the blade in my dream, just before it appeared in actuality. I didn't understand how it was possible, where it had come from. Until now.

"When I was a child, my mother taught me how to wield a blade," Luci said. "I held hers in my hands, feeling its weight, swinging it, listening to the powerful sound it made as it cut through the air. One scratch from the sharp edge of a Strega's blade will paralyze any creature with demonic blood. Deeper, it incinerates them. When your blade returns to you
—and it soon will, for it is drawn to you as you are drawn to it—we will teach you how to wield it."

"So, Ruth and Celia
—"

"Ruth possesses the power of translucence, and Celia, the power of acceleration," Luci answered before I finished asking my question. "Ruth can conceal herself, blend into her environment without being seen. Celia moves and shifts faster than the human eye can see, traveling in mere seconds no matter the distance."

Ruth's tall, slender body could easily slip from view even without this supernatural boost. She moved so gracefully it seemed effortless, as if the wind carried her from one place to the next. And if anyone were to possess the power of acceleration, naturally it would be Celia. She was the only person I knew that ran more than I did. She was faster too, despite being more than triple my age. She ran the Boston Marathon every year and made me promise to train for it and run with her one day.

"How long have you known them?" I finally asked, still wondering how the three of them could have been so close without my ever knowing about it.

"Ruth, Celia, and your grandmother once formed a triquetra of power. When she died, they lost this power. I had lost mine, too. Within a year, I had lost both of my Strega sisters to our enemies. I was alone. When I left Italia to come here, it was not only family obligation that brought me. It was
mia destina
. A calling that beckoned me long before
zio
or his
ristorante
did. And I didn't understand it until Ruth, Celia, and I found each other. Together, we reclaimed the triquetra of power."

"The day of your grandmother's funeral, when you came to my ristorante with Ruth and Celia, we sensed each other immediately. Strega intuition is keen. We recognize our own, as you will soon discover."

Again, I pondered the instant, seemingly familial connection I had with her from the moment we met.

"I had not been in town long. Ruth and Celia were taken aback by the encounter, and remained reticent, not wishing to acknowledge our bond in your presence. I respected this and said nothing that night. But we found each other again soon after. Ruth contacted me, and the three of us met right here. And so our relationship began.

"So, let us talk about you, mia cara," she said, striking her lap decisively.

My adrenaline spiked as the focus shifted back to me.

"From Ruth and Celia, I've learned much about you. Your power first emerged when you were a child, which is quite unusual and troubles me. Our powers emerge in a time of great need, often when we are in danger. For your power to have been awakened at such a young age is telling of your enemies. They are focused. Determined. For some reason you are marked.

"You sensed them coming for you then as you do now, but your power was bound soon after it emerged. We knew that it may have been unbound upon your grandmother's death, but we could not be certain until now. I have never bound one's powers, nor would I ever do so. But I do know that breaking a binding takes time. Much like a tree in spring after having endured the cold, harsh winter, its branches must fill again with heat and potency before they burst forth with new growth. You have certainly begun to blossom, Jay."

Luci held my face in her hands and looked into my eyes.

"Keeping the truth from you has put you in more danger than anyone realized, Jay. Binding your power kept you safe for many years. But the consequences have only just begun to reveal themselves. Without your power, there was no way to know that this threat against you never ceased. As the years passed, your enemies only grew stronger and more determined. After all those years searching for you, they've finally found you."

"But I don't understand. Who are they and why are they targeting me? What could they possibly want with me?"

"Ah, this we do not yet know. Demons are always hunting Strega, but not with such focus. There is more to it, and this is why you are here with me now. To find the answer."

"How?" I asked desperately. I still felt so helpless.

"You still have much to learn, Jay, but you are not helpless," she said as if I'd spoken my thoughts aloud. "You are a Strega. You possess amazing power, and you will learn to use it. But first you must understand your
destina
.

"Everyone has a unique
destina
. A purpose. And on our journey to fulfill this purpose, our destinies often become intertwined with the destinies of others. People come into our lives—and we into theirs—for various reasons. Sometimes as messengers. Other times as guides. In other words, we help each other along—a boon of the cosmos."

As she said this, I immediately thought of Mr. Whitmore. If it weren't for his guidance, I'd be so much further behind. I wondered where I'd be if our paths hadn't crossed.
Probably in a ditch
.

"As Strega, we have an overriding purpose to fulfill
—to vanquish our enemies and to protect the innocent. But our personal destinies are another matter altogether. Yours is a special one. You have great purpose, I can see. Only this would draw such powerful enemies."

She patted my knee as she got up. She placed a quilted blanket on the hardwood floor and upon it arranged several colorful pillows in a circle.

"Come sit here," she said, guiding me to the center of the circle, where I sat down. In pinches and fistfuls, she tossed various herbs into a copper pot
—just like the one I'd seen in Gram's hidden room.

"Vervain," she said, dropping in a heavy handful of small dried leaves that had a beautiful green and purple hue. "A hearty plant with strong stems and beautiful, petite flowers. It is called Verbena now. It is quite common, but it has always possessed divine properties. It has many uses. Protection, primarily. But its calming effect can dispel fears and anxiety, and if used properly, it can deliver you into your dreams."

Smoke billowed from the copper pot, though beneath it there was no flame. With a wooden ladle, Luci transferred the steaming potion into a small wooden bowl and carefully handed it to me.

"You have much to learn, Jay, but there is only so much I can teach you. Some truths you must learn on your own. And to discover them, you must go deeper."

I held the bowl in my hands and looked up at her, confused and unsure what to do with it.

"You must drink," she said. "
Si sta andando su un viaggio
."

I didn't know what that meant, but I looked at the steaming liquid, terrified to consider what would happen if I drank it.

"You are going on a journey, my darling."

"Journey?" My voice quivered.

"Si.
Una caccia ombra
. A shadow hunt. To gain control, you must first let go of it. Do not hold on so tightly. Do not run from the truth. Embrace it." She knelt down in front of me and put her hands on my shoulders. "You are in danger, Jay. This is the only way we can help you now. You must face what you fear most. Go into your dreams. Cast a light upon all that is hidden, to find the answers you need. Only then can you truly embrace your power."

I held the bowl in my hands and gazed into the clear, earthy liquid. I saw my reflection in the smooth, unwavering surface, and stared at my own terrified face. I knew I had to do this. Just then, my reflection shifted before my eyes, and for a second I saw the same face I'd seen in the athame.

"That is only the beginning, darling," Luci said knowingly. "Where you are going, you will see much more than this."

She put her hand on my shoulder.

"I will be right here with you."

I put all my trust in her. I had no other choice. I placed my lips on the edge of the bowl and slowly tipped it back. The warm liquid traveled across my tongue, filled the back of my throat, and then slowly descended down my throat. My whole body warmed, and suddenly my arms went limp. The bowl fell from my hands and crashed to the floor as my consciousness faded.

***

I felt myself falling for what seemed like ages. Nothing but darkness surrounded me. But then a faint light appeared. It burned brighter as I fell, until finally it broke the darkness like the burgeoning sun at dawn. And then suddenly, I landed.

"HA! HA! I've gotcha!" a familiar, loving voice playfully declared. Dad's protective arms caught my little body and held me tight. When he let me down, my little bare feet melted into the soft grass.

"Let's go! Mom and I want to show you something."

I was seven again, looking up at Dad with sweet innocence. I held his hand tightly as we walked across a field of green grass under the bright sun. Then I saw her. Mom. She was waiting for us. Her warm brown hair shimmered in the golden sunlight.

"Mommy!" I shouted as she knelt down and wrapped her arms around me. She took my hand and the three of us walked together. We soon reached the edge of a steep cliff, where we finally stopped. Mom and Dad crouched down and looked into my eyes.

"It's up to you now, Jay," Dad said, holding my small hand in his. "But remember, we will always be with you."

Mom held me tight again. I wanted to hold onto her forever.

"My baby," she whispered into my ear. "It's time. This is your destiny."

Wherever I was going, I had to go alone. I stared into the bottomless abyss from the edge of that cliff, gutted by an emptiness I knew I couldn't escape. I turned to see their faces one last time, but they were already gone.

Suddenly a sound so sharp rang in my ears. With it, a distant rumbling grew closer and louder, like I was standing in the path of a freight train. The sunlight was so blinding that soon I couldn't see a thing. Then the ground beneath my feet began to crumble, and I fell to my knees. At the edge of that cliff, I clawed desperately at the disintegrating earth, trying to hold on. But with my hands full of dirt, suddenly my body was weightless.

I'm going to die
. This thought repeated as I fell. My eyes burned from the light I couldn't block out. The shrill noise tore straight through me. I gained momentum, and my body violently hummed. I was terrified. Nothing could save me. With no hope left, I wished for it.
Hurry, death. Stop this torture and make it quick.
But then suddenly, I stopped.

I felt the warm earth beneath my feet. Soft grass crept between my toes. A gentle wind swept by me and whispered through trees. I opened my eyes to a beautiful meadow at the bottom of a hillside. A horizon of olive fields and vineyards stretched beyond it. And beside me stood a dense wall of towering trees with a twisting path into the forest.

Five little girls ran through the sweeping grass holding long ribbons. They laughed and squealed as they tried desperately to outrun each other. The faster they ran, the higher their ribbons billowed behind them. Two of the girls finally collapsed in amusement. They lay in the grass, giggling and reaching toward the blazing sun with their tiny hands.

I remembered that moment. I was so young. Six maybe. Innocent. Happy. Completely unaware of the world outside that peaceful, sunlit meadow. But much time had passed, and much had happened since.

More than just a decade separated me from this memory. It had been thousands of years since I stood in that meadow. In another time. Another place. Another life.

The children ran toward the towering trees and disappeared down the twisting path into the forest. As I followed their laughter and sprightly chatter, the blazing sun fell from the sky and darkness filled the forest. Shards of light from the full moon above pierced through the lush foliage overhead.

Soon, their tiny chortles joined a buzzing chorus of voices. A light ahead in the distance beckoned me, and soon I emerged in the moonlit clearing I remembered from my dreams. The tall oaks. The stone altar. But now a crowd of women and children gathered there. Strega. I saw my small self again, only I was not so small. In mere seconds, as I followed the children through the forest, years had passed. My face, still filled with innocence, had matured. I was about ten, bundled in a blanket on my mother's lap. When I saw her, my heart ached. In that life, her name was Sethra. But in any life, she was my mother. In her eyes, I saw it. The same beautiful soul.

Everyone gathered in a circle around the three eldest Strega, and watched them perform the ritual to draw down the moon. At that time, it had been hundreds of years since the Originali performed this ritual. Generations of Strega had been born across Etruria since. And each month, beneath the light of the full moon, we gathered in sacred circles across the land to perform it.