Page 50 of Rewitched

“Perhaps something a little softer. No less challenging, I’ll wager, but gentler, more encouraging magic.”

“Yes, that,” Belle said gratefully.

“Very well. While planning our lesson today, I thought perhaps the art of protection circles would be interesting to visit. It’s good practice to avoid interference and simple enough. That feeling when in tune with your magic, I’m sure you know what I’m referring to. The balmy glow that feels like a blanket or honey or warm milk. Impossible to describe, but the feeling of magic itself…”

Belle nodded with familiarity.

“There now, draw the circle around you, expand that feeling of warmth and magic. Let it flood your mind entirely…”

Belle concentrated intensely, feeling the glow melt from the tips of her toes all the way upwards.

“Envision that feeling physically, see it fill every inch of this attic. Imagine it passing around you, circling you and through you and…Ah, wonderful! Really, truly wonderful! Perfect, in fact!” Artorius’s exclamation surprised Belle.

She opened her eyes and saw instantly what he was so delighted by. A radiant circle had formed brightly around her like a lasso at her feet. It was encompassing her, levitating inches above the floor. Just the sight of it made her feel instantly powerful. She felt safe in her own body. A strength that Belle had never allowed herself to feel was suddenly brimming within her.

“I already feel better.”

“Confidence will do that for you, but a circle of protection will also help. This will safeguard you from negative entities which may otherwise like to wreak havoc and run amok.”

Belle was still marvelling at the gorgeousness that beamed around her when her attention was stolen once again by the sooth stone, hot to the touch in her pocket. She pulled it out. The stone, like the circle, was glowing impossibly brightly, as though it were a tiny piece of the sun itself. She glanced at Artorius, wondering if he would be able to offer up an explanation. His eyes were wide, and he looked as baffled as she did.

“Newts and thimbles…” he marvelled quietly. “May I?”

Belle handed Artorius the stone for him to examine more closely. “It happens sometimes. No particular rhyme or reason to it, as far as I can figure out,” she explained. The warlock faltered as he took it between his fingers, a puzzled look flashing across his brow for only a moment. It was evident that his busy brain was working at a million miles an hour.

“Sooth stones themselves are funny things. Something of a family heirloom among witch families. Some are more precious than others, recorded so far back in history that they were said to be cast in fires at the birth of magic itself.”

“And they all do this? The light-up glow-in-the-dark thing?”

“Can’t say I’ve seen that before. But I have read about it…Tell me, was your sooth stone a gift handed down from your mother?”

“My nan,” Belle said quietly.

“Praesentia Pretego…” he whispered.

Belle looked at him blankly. “Excuse me?”

Artorius shuffled with as much enthusiastic speed as he could muster over to one of the loaded bookshelves, squinted over the top of his glasses for a moment and pulled out a thick title with a cracked black spine.

“Here, see.” He pointed to a definition and pushed the page excitedly under Belle’s nose. “Praesentia Pretego is advanced, wondrous magic. It is a pure presence, carried in a physical object, to act as a shield whenever it senses a need to guide you or to aid. Witches, those who are up to such complex magic, that is, will sometimes elect to leave a little of themselves behind before they pass to protect another who they love.”

“My grandmother’s…in this brooch?” Belle looked sceptical.

“More of an essence, so to speak. A whisper, a soul that once was. While the majority of her magic is returned to her coven on passing, the witch requests that a small trace be permitted to linger. To provide guidance, reminders of love. The feeling that one is not alone.”

Belle thought back to the moments that the stone had shown itself in small ways to be a conscious thing. To guide her to Hecate House. To encourage her decision to meet Artorius. Now to assist in keeping her protected. It did seem to come alive in the moments that she needed a little extra reassurance. Her head swam, overwhelmed.

“Of course, while sooth stones themselves are common enough—most witches and warlocks have their own—it is remarkably rare that permission is granted by the magic system for Praesentia Pretego to occur. There has to be real purpose for it.”

“So when it glows, when it seems to come alive…That’s her?”

“Her soul presence, at least. I would say so, yes.” Artorius smiled, thrilled at their discovery. “Utterly astonishing. Very special magic indeed.”

He handed the stone back to Belle with an encouraging expression. Feeling the warmth of the glass against her palm in her pocket, she blew out a deep breath. Greater than magic, it was a deeper kind of witchcraft that couldn’t be judged or taken away from her by the coven. It felt like a hand on the small of her back, gently guiding her forward in the right direction.

She swallowed hard and quickly wiped her eyes. Artorius handed her a slightly crumpled white hankie from the sleeve of his jacket, which she accepted gratefully.

“Sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying. It’s just kind of wonderful.” Her voice was more of an embarrassing squeak than actual words.