“Another Sprite?” I said. Penny had caught me off guard. The last thing I would have thought about these days was a new Sprite.
“She knows all about herbs and incense and stuff, and she’s studying astrology,” Penny said. “I met her in the herb store. I was looking for something to make an amulet for Michael with. We might have to change the Earth, Air, Fire, and Water tests a little for her, but I bet she’ll want to join!”
“How old is she?”
“Twenty-one or 22 or something. She’s a little heavy, compared to the rest of us. I bet she’ll like swinging, and I have a hunch she’ll want to do her best at the other stuff. She sounded like she really wants to do important things with her herbs.”
I agreed we should consider her, but I let Penny make the arrangements.
We all met at the park that Saturday. I was still the leader of the Grove, but the idea of a new Sprite wasn’t so exciting anymore. A cloud lingered in my mind, a dark one. In my thoughts, I had forgiven Penny and Michael. But in my heart . . .
Her name was Dulcy, and she had long silver-blond hair. She was 22 years old, and worked as a waitress at the health foods restaurant. She carried a patchwork leather shoulder bag from which she pulled little bags and bottles of dried herbs and things. The grass was still wet from the rain that morning, so we found a dry place in the woods under a cedar tree.
“This is Myrtle, which might be called Candleberry or Bayberry. It’s ruled
by Venus and the element Water, and is perfect for charms of love, fertility, and youthfulness.”
She seemed to know her stuff. We all munched on pastries Michael had made. Dulcy loved them — she admitted to having an incurable sweet tooth.
“This is Betony, ruled by Jupiter and Fire. It’s a purification herb used in incense. A sachet of it helps prevent nightmares.”
We found a maple, and Issa put up a swing. I wondered if Issa and Dulcy might make a good couple — they weren’t very different in age. Dulcy was excited and eager to try it when she saw Penny swing. She didn’t have Penny’s gracefulness, but she wasn’t afraid.
I went last, but my heart wasn’t in it. I just watched the new leaves against the sky and let the breeze blow my hair back and forth.
Penny and Michael raced to 30 feet up alders to show Dulcy some of the other things we did. As they were resting before coming down, Michael looked at me for a moment, and I’m almost sure I saw sadness in his eyes. I remembered the time he cut his hands and I helped him. Maybe he remembered too.
We all walked toward the playground, and Dulcy detoured to the restrooms. I wandered toward the swings. All of a sudden Michael was right beside me. “Even though I’m Penny’s boyfriend now, you’ll always be the leader of the Grove.”
I smiled a little smile. We all found swings, and Penny said, “I propose we tell her about us and invite her.”
Michael and Issa both nodded. I saw Dulcy coming toward us. Hmm. An herb lady. “Sure,” I said.
She got on a swing, and Penny and Michael did most of the talking. They did a good job of telling her all the things that were important to us. I felt some pride.
“A real magical society! And none of you are really into herbs yet? Sounds fantastic! Except for the part about going to church . . .”
Penny and Michael said she could go with them. It made me realize I hadn’t gone in a while. I decided to start going to Mass again — alone, I guess.
A week later Dulcy signed the Pact, and we told her about Beltane. It
would be on a Sunday evening, and she said she would have to swap shifts at work with one of the other waitresses. The rest of us decided to go to the Grove early and give it a good spring cleaning. Penny and I planned an evening to make Dulcy’s cloak. It was a little scary — Penny and I hadn’t done much together since she and Michael became lovers.
Beltane, the eve of May, was cool and sunny. Penny and Michael ranged far and collected a huge pile of firewood. Issa brought wood and a saw, enlarged the storage hollow and lined it with tight-fitting boards. He made a door that fit snugly and when he was finished, even ants would have a hard time getting in. I fixed a couple of Magic Circle stones that had fallen over, chipped wax off the altar, and helped Issa put up the tarp over the wood pile.
At sunset we put on our cloaks and went to meet Dulcy at the picnic area.
She was carrying not one, but three shoulder bags full of herbs. When she spotted us coming out of the woods, all hooded, she smiled.
“Wonderful!” she said, looking us up and down.
I took her new cloak out of my pack and handed it to her.
She looked at me and said “For being the leader, you sure are quiet, Ariel.”
“She loosens up after a glass of wine,” Penny said.
I wasn’t sure I liked that comment.
“These pockets are fantastic! I can put all kinds of herbs in them.”
We led her into the woods. She didn’t like the crawl through the Guardian Hedge too well, but she loved the Grove.
“Wow! This is the most perfectly magical place I’ve ever seen! Our magic will be powerful when done here. Can I come here to do herb work sometimes?”
Penny looked at me.
“I come here to think sometimes,” I said.
“And there are nice places for tents over there,” Penny said, “but let’s all be silent until the new fire is kindled.”
Issa built the fire — he had been slowly preparing for his tests. I felt proud of the Grove, so fresh and clean looking with all the spring growth on the trees and bushes, and all the tidying up we had done today. I was proud of all the Sprites too — all except for myself. I didn’t really feel like the leader anymore.
We began our Beltane ceremony. At every part, Dulcy had an herb to add
to whatever was happening, set on the altar, tossed in the fire, or sprinkled on our heads. I didn’t feel like worrying about it. Penny was amazed — I think she was looking up to Dulcy. To my surprise, Issa was the one who kept bringing up the standards of white magic, asking Dulcy questions, and teaching her our rules.
At spell-casting time, Penny went to the altar and made an amulet of love and faithfulness for Michael from an herb Dulcy handed her. She put it on him and they kissed. Then he made one and put it on her. It made me feel something — many things. I was happy for them . . . but I hated them too.
Michael did the blessing of the seeds and the fields, surrounded by Dulcy’s herbs. I was glad when Issa poured the wine — I was feeling lonely and I didn’t like it. The sweet red liquid tasted so good, and by the time we were thanking the Grove (with a sprinkling of herbs, of course), I was floating.
As we sat around the crackling fire and ate dinner, Penny and Michael, and occasionally Issa, answered Dulcy’s questions. Penny told her about the study book, and Dulcy promised to have lots to add to it. Michael played, and his music went well with the wine in my head. Dulcy scraped some coals out of the fire and put herbs on them to smoke.
“This incense helps to release the magical powers within us,” she said.
I took a deep whiff of the smoke — it almost made my head spin!
Dulcy went on, saying, “We need a big thurible for charcoal and incense. I think I know where I can get one.”
I took another deep whiff of the smoke and decided I liked it.