And the first thing in black magic was the sacrifice.
I had to make an offering to the Goddess to show that I was willing to risk myself to find Saffie.
And to do that I had to make a crown out of henbane.
Because it was a very, very, very deadly plant.
In fact, I wasn’t sure which was more illegal the use of black magic or henbane. The Coven had rules against both and here I was about to break both. Go big or go home, ma’am.
I opened my pewter chest and pulled out all of my devil’s roots – which was just a selection of herbs and shit that was specifically used for black magic. The kind of ingredients I hid in a chest in the back of my closet so my parents didn’t find it. Once I had those set out in front of me with the other stuff, I reached in the chest and pulled out a glass case. Inside, there was a bouquet of henbane floating like the red rose in Beauty and the Beast. I had no green thumb but I had magic that helped me keep these bad boys alive.
Once I moved the chest behind me and out of the way, I opened the glass case and removed a handful of henbane stems. The velvety feel of the stem was always my favorite part about doing this. The big green leaves were a tad tacky to the touch but it helped keep the crown together. To the unknowing, this flower would look hella innocent. The wide, floppy pale-yellow petals had thin dark lines and despite the dark hue of the inside the flower just looked happy. Or at least in my opinion, then again, my favorite flower was black so perhaps I had a skewed view.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting the blue haze of the moonlight wash over me. It was important with any spell to be clear with your intention, but particularly with black magic. I let my thoughts go back to Saffie and my concern for her. Then I opened my eyes and began twisting the henbane stems together as I focused my intention on simply finding Saffie. I’d made quite a few flower crowns in my life so it didn’t take me long to get an entire crown made.
Once it was done I looked up to the moon…then placed the crown on my head.
Hot, tingling energy slithered down my hair then over my entire body.
I smiled and nodded up at the moon. Thank you.
Time for some black magic. No big deal.
I put the henbane back in its magical glass container then climbed to my feet and put it safely back in the pewter chest before my dad suddenly got home and found me out here with it. As I walked the chest over to the bench against the house I made eye contact with Landreia through the glass.
“Can we watch from out there now?”
I nodded and pointed to the chairs right by the door that were close enough to see what I was doing but far enough to be safe for everyone. The door opened and they slipped out and over to the chairs without saying a word – thought I felt Gigi’s disapproval in the air around me. She meant well, she meant to protect me…but she wasn’t a witch. She was a shifter. She didn’t have magic to wield. We were not the same species and therefore her opinion on black magic meant nothing to me because there was no possible way for her to understand what magic felt like.
Focus, Savannah.
I shook myself and hurried back over to my favorite spot. All of my supplies were sitting there ready so I got right to work. First step, draw a circle. I grabbed my little pouch filled with black salt then poured it onto the wooden floor starting from the west and moving counterclockwise until I closed the circle with me inside.
I sat down and crossed my legs under me, then sat my salt pouch behind my back. Second step were the candles. The blue one for water on the west. The red for fire in the south. Yellow for air in the east and green for earth in the north. Normally I used a white candle to represent the fifth element of spirit for the center of the circle but for tonight I needed the black candle in the middle…for black magic. It represented darkness and shadow, of the world and of yourself.
With the candles set, I placed my black moonstone bowl on the right side of the black candle then opened my jar of new moon water and poured it in. The last part was the cauldron. I sat that on the left side of the black candle then began dumping all my devil’s roots inside. Once those were in, I poured in the cinnamon oil. The air was immediately filled with the scent of cinnamon and I sighed. I loved that smell.
I grabbed the lighter and took a deep breath. To open a circle in black magic I had to go counterclockwise from the west, so I started with the blue candle. As I brought the flame to the wick I chanted, “I call on water, dark and deadly. Enrich my soul with waves so mighty that it blinds mine enemies.”
Cold energy rolled over my fingers like a river passing over.
I moved to light the red candle in the south. “I call on fire, great and wrathful. Forge my mind, like iron as a weapon against those who would harm me.”
The ground warmed under me like it’d been baking in the summer sun.
Next was the yellow candle on the east. “I call on air, fierce and lashing. Fortify my body with the strength of 1,000 gales.”
Cool air rustled through my hair, making it fly all around me.
“I call on Earth, mighty and enduring.” The wooden floor vibrated, making the flames dance. “Harden my heart, like the shores that break even the mightiest of waves.”
Lastly, I moved to the black candle in the middle. “I call on shadow and darkness, still and menacing, envelope me in the darkest of nights, shield me from prying eyes that wish to hinder my journey.”
I lowered the lighter to the wick and a bright orange flame shot up.
The air crackled and pulsed. The ground rumbled.
Black flames erupted from within the black salt border, enclosing me in a ring of black fire.
I grinned. This meant I’d been deemed worthy to cast this spell.
Hang on, Safferella. I’m coming.
The last step before reciting the spell…lighting the cauldron. I lowered my lighter into the cauldron and waited for a flame to catch. White light flashed so I yanked my hand back. Small blue flames danced within the black cauldron. I leaned forward and sucked in a deep breath. That cinnamon scent was much, much stronger now.
Okay, spell time.
I licked my lips and took a deep breath.
“Ancient silver mirror I call to thee, hear my cry, show me who I wish to see,” I said softly then dipped my fingers into the cauldron. The blue flames swayed out of my way. The herb-filled oil was warm to the touch but it didn’t hurt. That was the benefit of the sacrificial henbane crown, it provided me with protection. “Lost and wandering, hidden from my eyes, I ask of your reflection to bind the ancient ties.”
The moon water in my moonstone bowl shimmered like golden glitter and then Saffie’s face appeared on the surface. Her lavender eyes were wide and her lips parted. Gold lines streaked across her face.
I pulled my hands out of the oil then with my still wet finger, I drew two dots about an inch apart on the palm of my left hand to represent me and Saffie. Between the dots I drew a circle for the moon. Then I drew a straight vertical line down the middle representing the space separating us. Lastly, I drew an X in the middle of the circle and through the line as a symbol of the spell reaching across the line of separation to bind us.
“My sacrifice is willing, knowing of the price. I accept the terms, trials and strife.”
Next I drew this same rune over my heart.
“I offer my soul for binding, come what may.”
I picked up my onyx athame and sliced along the vertical line on my palm. Dark red blood bubbled to the surface. I held my hand over the moon water, letting my blood drip inside and mix.