After a few minutes of skimming through the pages, she jammed her finger onto a line printed in black ink—Ambrosine Aster, bedlam of the land with her cenacle of crones.On the adjacent page was a drawing of three lovely women dressed in hoods.The one in the center looked resplendent and otherworldly.The artist depicted her barefoot, holding a basket, with flowers in her long hair.That was Ambrosine.“Remember the old nursery rhyme about the three autumn witches?”
“Yeah,” Aveline responded.“We know it well.The song about the forest, lake, and autumn witch.”
Vicky nodded.“Well, apparently, they were real people.Legend states that Ambrosine lived in those woods for a long time and that her powers were based on the land she owned, tended, and cared for.She was the forest witch.The other crones were Beatriche Slewing, the lake witch, and Crysanthe Fairmaiden, the autumn witch.”
“Wait, isn’t that book supposed to be fiction?”Rafa asked.
“Apparently not,” Aveline mumbled, arms crossed over her chest.“Assuming this is really the grimoire from the Ambrosine Aster, what’s the implication for us now that we’ve discovered it?”Aveline asked.
“I’ll get to that soon…” Vicky said, index finger tracing line per line as she leafed through the book.After a few minutes, she said, “Ah, it says here the three crones were the initial settlers of St.Stephenshire, using three areas as their base.Since Ambrosine gathered her strength from the land she owned, she tended the areas in Cedarthorne and the land where the old medical center once stood—”
“You mean Autumn Town?”Rafa interjected.
“Yes,” Vicky confirmed and continued, “Beatriche Slewing drew her strength from the emerald lake, while Chrysanthe could only use her talents for sixty days each year, starting on the Autumn Equinox.Here, the black book says that decades later, wealthy land-grabbers discovered the land.Ambrosine, Beatriche, and Chrysanthe retreated to the woods when negotiations became uncivilized, fearing that people would hang them for witchcraft.They all mysteriously vanished.Since then, St.Stephenshire has experienced unending autumn.The book speculates that they all cast an enchantment on the town to protect themselves from being found.That’s all the information we have about them in this book,” Vicky announced, flipping through the black book and closing it with a loud thud.
Aveline, who still had a pensive look to her, cautiously leafed through the grimoire.“There were some journal entries here—maybe we can make out what happened to them,” she said.Vicky scooted over so Aveline could sit comfortably beside her.Together, they skimmed through the many enchantments, scribbles, and recipes until they finally pieced together a coherent narrative.
Aveline took out a leather notebook and started writing notes.
Rafa felt a sudden flare of gratitude for her.He was always the one calling the shots in the business; he had wished one of his siblings would help him, but when none of them showed interest, like the loving brother he was, he supported them and quietly dealt with the burden of being the sole heir to their family company.Watching Aveline help him and step into his world allowed him the joy of having a sister who would experience a world outside of her comfort zone for him.He definitely owed her for this.
After Aveline finished jotting down her notes, she lifted her notebook and shared her conclusions.“According to the texts, we can assume that Ambrosine and Beatriche were formidable wiccans, crones—witches.”She paused, looking at Rafa and then at Vicky.“Let’s call them that,” she said, as though finally admitting that there were forces at play beyond what they had believed to be true.“But Chrysanthe was different; she couldn’t use any of her powers to protect herself beyond the sixty-day period each year.She was apparently a seasonal witch, drawing her strength from the autumn season.That last spell, the one to extend Chrysanthe’s powers; it was a spell to protect her.It seems like Ambrosine cast it.She spent four full months preparing all the herbs and potions for it, and apparently, it worked a little too well.”
“What happened to them…?”Rafa said.
Aveline took a deep breath.“That’s what we don’t know.But in the spells, it says that her land would reject all settlers who came without permission until a worthy person claims this book along with the land.”Aveline stopped reading and looked up at Rafa, and Vicky did the same.
The room was filled with a heavy silence.
Rafa, with arms crossed over his chest, only realized then what they were trying to point out.“Wait…” he said, wearing an unconvinced look.“You guys don’t mean me, right?”
The whole story felt so far-fetched.Rafa, who had valued safe and practical things all his life, could not believe that he was chosen for a duty he knew nothing about.First the family business, now this ominous book?
“Well…” Vicky clasped her hands.“Anyway, this is definitely a priceless relic,” she said, and then rose to her feet slowly.“What do you plan to do with it?”
Rafa walked over and picked up the grimoire.“I’ll bring it to the Philippines for Sal’s art show.But first I need to have it appraised.”
Vicky pursed her lips slightly.“You’re bringing it to your fiancée?That’s romantic—but are you sure that’s wise?”
“Yeah, are yousure, Rafa?”Aveline raised a brow and mimicked Vicky.
“I don’t know,” he said with a wide, toothy smile.“But if this will help us, then it’s worth the trouble.”
“You’ll have to tell Mom first.The business isn’t doing well, as you know, and it’ll take a lot from us to manage while you’re off on your little side quest.”
“I’ll talk to Mom and Sal.Thanks, Achi.”
Aveline just offered him a tight smile in response.
***
After his meeting with Vicky, Rafa rushed to Autumn Town.If his timing was right, Auden should just be closing up.He knew little about the art world, but he was aware from listening in on Sal’s calls that a new discovery needed to be appraised first and properly documented.If it was deemed worthless, there was no sense in bringing it to the Philippines.
“Hey, Auden.”Rafa peeked through the door after knocking.
“Oh, hey!”Auden said, rising from Sal’s small office couch.“I was about to close shop.What’s up?”
“I need to call in a favor,” he said.“This is my sister, by the way, Aveline.”He gestured toward his sister.“And this is Auden, one of our friends.”
