I tip Callie’s head back to try and catch her eyes, find some part of her that knows we’re here, but she’s still unresponsive-- seeing only the nightmares in her head. Her breaths are fighting through locked teeth, and the wheeze is getting louder. I don’t know if I should be more worried or impressed that she hasn’t passed out yet. She can’t be getting enough air into her lungs.
Kaleb looks at Nolan and answers quickly, “There was a fire out in the backyard, and it triggered her somehow.” Then he turns to Donovan, “Mildred has alluded that Callie suffered some type of abuse that might relate to fire, and I’m imagining mentally reliving the trauma is what is keeping her in this state. She’s been like this for over twenty minutes.” Then he narrows his eyes at Callie’s aunt. “Mildred was about to cast a spell that might help Callie be more open to waking up.”
Nolan and Donovan both grow still as their gazes slowly fall upon Mildred, their eyes filled with a cold judgement and a harsh protectiveness. From that first day, Callie became one of us and there’s little leeway for those that harm or betray one of ours. As a wolf, I’m forced to be part of my father’s pack, but the friends in this room, they’re my family.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she snaps back. “As much as I appreciate how much you clearly care about Callie, I’m not the bad guy, and I had every intention of telling her who and what she is. Her life is far more complicated than you can begin to understand…”
“Then make us understand!” Donovan barks back.
“Why use a spell at all?” Nolan questions harshly. “Why the hell aren’t we at a hospital? Not everything has to be solved with magic.”
“No time,” I grunt back, indecision a freezing splinter in my heart. “The hospital…”
“Fucking stop!” Felix shouts, kicking an end table. The crystal based lamp on top of it crashes to the floor, shattering against the hardwood floor.
Everyone freezes, we look at Felix while Mildred looks at Callie, not knowing she isn’t the cause.
Felix is visibly shaking and looking even more panicked. “We need to focus on Callie.” He swallows heavily. “Once she’s better, then we can argue. We’re here so what can we doright nowto help?”
“You’re right, Felix,” Kaleb apologizes, eyes wide and voice careful. “Mildred, please do what you can, I…” he hesitates for a moment. “Depending on how the spell goes, I might have an idea.”
Nolan presses his lips into a white line, unhappy to be out voted.
I understand why he’s reluctant to use any type of magic, but with Callie’s heart sounding like hummingbird wings in my ears, I’m not going to turn away help. Especially help that surpasses anything humans can do.
Callie’s aunt looks to the empty space where we’re all staring. Cautiously, she asks, “When you said Callie was seeing ghosts, there’s one here now? And you all can see it?”
“Him,” Nolan remarks, annoyance creeping into his voice. He begins untying Callie’s boots, slipping them off so that he can start rubbing her feet. “His name is Felix, and he was the one to introduce us to Callie.”
“How long has he been dead?” she questions, looking around at the rest of us.
“Since July,” Kaleb answers, crossing his arms.
Her mouth falls open. “Of this year?”
“I swear to god, do I have to go full poltergeist on your asses until you all focus?” Felix screams, echoing my own thoughts. “Cast the fucking spell!”
A low growl begins to reverberate from my chest, and it’s hard to speak, my wolf’s teeth starting to break through. “Felix is right. Do something!”
“Mildred, what do you need? What can we do to help?” Kaleb asks quickly, finally their attention on what’s important.
“Right,” she replies, taking a deep breath. “Like I said, I should be able to get her calm enough so that she’ll at least be open to hearing us. Then it’s simply the matter of breaking through to her. We need to make her feel safe. Calm words. Familiar scents…” Her voice hitches. “It’s good that you’re here. Callie hasn’t had… well, let’s just say there isn’t a lot that has made her feel safe.”
With a point of her finger at the coffee table, she commands, “Up” and the table shoots into the air. “Gently, please,” she adds then points her finger towards a far wall. “Over there.” Then the table gracefully falls back down. She pulls the sleeves of her blouse to her elbows and finishes briskly, “There. We have slightly more room to work in. After I finish the spell, gather round and… simply be there for her. I know it isn’t much, but it’s all about grounding her in the here and now.”
There’s an all-encompassing silence, as we take in that bit of magic. It’s not that we haven’t seen magic performed before, though witches are as secretive about showing it as everything else, but usually there’s more to it. Like a warped prayer circle with chanting and hand holding. Not like someone directing movers on delivery day.
I trade glances with Nolan, just starting to grasp the caliber of witch we’re dealing with. The coven leader might as well be a magician for kids’ birthday parties in comparison. Part of me feels validated for coming to Mildred. A witch as powerful as her must be able to help. But another side wonders, if she’s this powerful, what does that make Callie? And why would they move to Twin Cedar Pass?
Nolan returns his gaze to Callie, his shoulders stiff, and there’s a subtle tremble to his hands.
Mildred kneels before Callie, her knees cracking as they meet the floor. She runs her hand along Callie’s hair. “Oh, my darling girl,” she whispers. “I love you so much.”
Her voice shifts to one of power and quiet command, “With soft sorrow, I beseech the wind. Take the air from my lips and carry words of peace to her trouble ears. Let them reach and calm her frightened heart, and make her open to the love that surrounds her. Hear our words and call her back to us.”
There’s a gentle swirl of wind that flutters around Callie, pulling at the curled tendrils of hair spilling over my arm. Her breath evens out, the tremors in her body subside, and her eyes drift closed.
Cupping Callie’s face, I run a thumb along her cheek. Her breaths are slow and steady, her body lax in my arms. I feel like I can finally get enough air into my lungs-- only able to fully breathe now that she can.
