Chapter 6

• He could still hear the drumming and wondered if it would stop before dawn. It wasn’t that late, but he was certain midnight had passed and it was heading into morning. “What are we doing again?” he asked, to no one in particular.
• Steven grinned, “We’ll let the diehards do their thing at the circle and go challenge fate with the ladies whose flowers we’re wearing...”
• Every man grinned. Owen touched the wreath on his head. “Good enough reason for me.” He tried not to notice how odd they looked with the ribbons, and hoped he looked better at least. “How long do we wear these?”
• Dade smiled, “Until the woman that put it on takes it off in the morning and puts it around the pole.”
• “Do we get a kiss again?”
• “Feeling juvenile, Owen?” Chris asked, amused.
• “Maybe... a bit... don’t you? I haven’t felt this good, without drinking, since, well, ever.”
• Chris nodded. “Yep, and it feels great. If we’re lucky, we’ll get a kiss. If the gods are happy, we’ll get more.”
• Steven laughed. “When you figure out which god gets you that Chris, please share with the rest of the class.”
• They kept walking away from the circle. The only light was from the flashlights two of them held. Owen looked back toward the camp. “Where are we going exactly?”
• “To meet the ladies by an old picnic shelter, away from prying eyes.” Dade motioned to the left, “and they’re already here.”
• Kasey hopped off the picnic table. “Good thing we have this shelter; it’s going to really rain soon.” She offered Chris the bottle of mead.
• He took it and looked at the sky. “Tell me it’s not going to rain the whole weekend, Kase.” He lifted the bottle to his mouth.
• “Would like to, but I’d be lying.” She reached up and took the wreath off his head. “I think you guys could take these off until morning. Seeing you with them outside the circle is a bit distracting.” She grinned at Chris, “wouldn’t want to be distracted and scare Owen.”
• Those nerves, the ones Owen never had before, returned. He really was beginning to wonder what everyone was hinting at. He put his hand out for the bottle Chris held. “I don’t scare too easily, Kasey, but you do have me wondering.” He accepted the bottle and took a swallow. “You guys make this? It’s good.”
• Leena nodded as she took his wreath off and set it on the table. “We prefer it to the stuff you buy. You never know what’s in that.” She settled against the side of the table. “So, Owen, back to a question asked of you earlier. Do you believe in magic?”
• He nodded, “I believe all things are possible. Are you going to show me magic, Leena?” He held her eyes with his, wishing everyone else would disappear.
• She grinned, “If your mind is open, you might see some.” She glanced at the barbeque pit in the middle of the shelter. “Do you suppose that’s safe to light? I don’t want to burn down the shelter.”
• Steven kicked some sticks into it. “It should be safe. Rach, want to give me a hand?” She shrugged and stepped up.
• Rachel smiled and faced Steven across the pit. Owen watched as they both raised their hands a few feet in the air over the sticks, and he blinked when it started to smoke. When flames licked at the wood, he looked around at the smiles and lifted the bottle for another drink.
• Leena reached over and took the bottle out of his hand. “I don’t think this will help you believe.”
• He opened his mouth, shut it, and thought a moment more. “Are you trying to tell me you all can do that?” He looked at Dade.
• Dade shook his head. “I would give anything to do that, pal. All of us here have different talents, and some more than one.”
• “Does everyone gathered at this event all have... talents?” He tried to process what that could mean.
• Leena stood up and walked over to the fire. “A small number do.” She looked down at the fire for a moment, “but they don’t realize it. Most don’t, but it’s enough that they believe in the spiritual and pagan rituals” She held her hands over the fire, and the smoke began to swirl and rise, then drift into circles that twirled around the shelter.
• Turning, Leena sent the smoke to dance in front of Owen. “I believe every person alive has some gift. It’s whether they believe enough to discover what it is.” She dropped her hands, and the smoke fell.
• Owen sat down, shocked and processing. “I’ll have questions—later, when my brain kicks back in.”
• Chris grinned at him, “Of course.” He turned to the two men still wearing their wreaths and lifted his hands. His mouth moved in a silent incantation as the wreaths lifted off their heads and went to gently rest on the table.
• “Talk about being outdone.” Kasey walked over to the fire and put her hands on her hips. She stared down at the fire, then clapped her hands once. The flames went purple. Grinning over at Chris, she lifted her hands and flicked her fingers at him. His hair ruffled up for a moment, then laid back down.
• “Ah...” Owen swallowed and glanced at Dade. “Tell me you haven’t been hiding these talents all these years, man.”
• Dade grinned again and then laughed. “I wish I could do this cool stuff.” He winked at Cora, “and it is cool. We don’t hide it; and as far as I know we don’t get them until we’re older, which is a good thing. Could you see the playground at school if everyone could do this? As for me, I do some things that are very serious and better left alone most of the time.”
• “Like the things your mother did?”
• Dade looked back at him. “Yeah, like those things that used to keep us awake all night afraid something was going to come and get us. My talent lies in the instruments. I can call all sorts of spirits. Occasionally, I can get a lady to dance my way with the right sound and instrument, but other than that, I leave the magic to this bunch.”
• Owen thought for a moment then turned to Cora. “And you?”
• She grinned and walked over to him. Placing her hands on his arms, she closed her eyes. She stood like that for a moment. “I see things, sense things, and know things.” Cora stepped away from him. “You, Mr. Grey, have a talent of your own. I wonder if you are aware of it,” the others turned to look at her.
• “Elemental?” Kasey inquired.
• Cora shook her head. “No, he can’t play in fires and winds.” She smiled down at him. “I’ve always wanted to also. No, his is something else. Almost on the same level as mine... but not quite.”
• “Interesting.” Leena walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Can you sense anything, Owen, or see what I’m thinking?”
• Owen sat silently for a moment. “I wish I could get inside your head, Leena. Nope, nothing different.”
• “Well, don’t push it. Just stay open and it will come to you,” she suggested.
• Cora turned and looked into the darkness as the rain started to sprinkle. “Speaking of feelings, has anyone else picked up something wrong in the circle and this area? It reeks of negative and dark energy, then it’s gone. I felt it several times tonight at dinner, then dancing.”
• Dade went over and stood behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders. “And you didn’t say something sooner?”
• She shrugged under his hands. “I didn’t want to spoil the dance of May eve. It was fine again until a few minutes ago. It weighs very heavy, though, right now. Almost painful.”
• Leena glanced at Chris who was looking out in all directions.