Free Trefoil by M C Moore Page A

just herbal, no chicken blood."  Isabel was trying to lighten the mood; she didn't know how accurate her comment was to Kellan's fears.
    "Okay, the three of you will stand at the base of a triangle outside the circle.  I will speak the words with you, but you will be performing the spell.  So like before you'll need to join hands and close your eyes and speak the words clearly.  The inflection is important, so listen carefully."
    The trips took their positions and joined hands.  They closed their eyes as Isabel began to speak.
    " Cosain culdin . Cosain colainn . Cosain intinn . Cosain anan .   Daingnigh croi seo .   Okay, when it is working the hearts will glow red for a moment.  You should be able to feel it.  Like a humming in your body.   Okay, ready."
    They all nodded.  They were all a bit scared.  Meckenzie was curious as to how they would know the hearts were glowing red, seeing as how their eyes were closed.
    Isabel began the spell again, " Cosain culdin . Cosain colainn . Cosain intinn . Cosain anan .   Daingnigh croi seo .   Cosain culdin . Cosain colainn . Cosain intinn . Cosain anan .   Daingnigh croi seo ."
    The trips began to recite the words over and over again in the same cadence as Isabel had taught them.  The buzzing began in their hands, slowly working its way up their arms.  It was like the hum of electricity coming from the power lines.  It gradual worked its way into their chests.  Spreading down to their feet, and finally working its way into their heads.  As they continued their chant, the world seemed to fade away.  The only thing in existence was the three of them, the humming and the words they were speaking which seemed to hang in the air around them.
    Just when Meckenzie began to think that the spell wasn't working, there was a faint red light that was growing in the center of her mind, it began to take shape.  It was the triangles of hearts that Taggart had built.  Each stone became clearer, glowing red like an ember from a fire.  The glow throbbing in time with the cadence of their voices.  
    As if some internal alarm had informed them that the spell was complete they finished the last word of the spell and opened their eyes.
    "Did it work?"  Kellan asked.
    "You tell me, what did you see?"  Isabel answered.
    "For me, at least, I saw the hearts appear as they are here, but glowing red.  They keep time with our words, then they glowed bright red and solid for a moment and we stopped."  Meckenzie responded.
    "What did you feel?"  Isabel asked
    "It was like a buzzing of electricity.  It started in my hands and worked its way up my arms.  Then, it filled my chest and traveled down my legs with the buzzing sensation.  Finally, it filled my head and that is when the hearts appeared in my mind."  Taggart chimed in.
    "Then it is complete.  How do you feel?"
    “Tired.”   All three responded at the same time.
    "Then let’s place them around the house.  We'll do it together so that you know where they should be.  We will start by leaving one here in the garden, over here near the wall."  Isabel placed one of the hearts in the ivy that grew up the wall that faced the street.
    "Then we will need to put one near the front door.  They do better if they are near soil, so preferably in a potted plant.  We will need to move a plant into the elevator and place one there.  Though I doubt an intruder would use the elevator, it is better to be safe than sorry.  We'll place one on every floor."
    They set off on their task of setting the protection hearts throughout the house.  Ending their task on the top floor next to the door that led to the roof patio.   Meckenzie realized that it would be better if Isabel stayed with them from now on.  She knew she should talk to her father before moving Isabel into the house, but it seemed like an emergency.  They did have the spare room on the top floor and with all that was going on, the more eyes the better.
    Just as she was