Free Dizzy Spells by Morgana Best Page B

he just made that up.”
    I shrugged. “No, not really. Whoever sent
those photos to the cop is obviously trying to frame me.”
    “Well, we can’t let that happen then, can
we?” Thyme said. “I’m going to cast a spell.”
    “A spell?”
    Thyme nodded. “A spell to speed up the
forensic tests and prove that you had nothing to do with it. Do you
mind if we put a ‘Back in ten minutes’ sign on the door?”
    “No, that’s fine. We don’t get many
customers on a rainy day, anyway.” I hurried off to do as she
asked.
    When I returned, Thyme was in the process of
placing dishes on the floor. “Hey, see those four dishes?” she
said, putting the last one down. “Put one candle on each and light
them.”
    I placed one candle upon each small dish.
“What happens next?”
    “This is called a circle of protection. Some
witches, before they cast a spell, protect the area from harmful
and negative energies,” Thyme explained, walking to the center of
the candles. She then pointed at each one as she continued. “These
candles each represent one of the elements, as well as each of the
cardinal points. We’ll use them to call the quarters.”
    “Oh,” I said. “Is this really going to work?
The forensic team will just randomly get the results faster? And
I’ve been reading up on witches. Isn’t casting a circle a Wiccan
thing, but you’re traditional witches, not Wiccan?”
    “There are no rules, really,” Thyme
explained. “Traditional witches are usually eclectic. We borrow a
bit here, a bit there. Ruprecht doesn’t cast a circle, but I like
to, because it helps me focus. Sometimes I don’t, though.”
    “Oh,” I said. “Sorry to ask. I’m still
fairly new to this.”
    “We were all new once upon a time,” Thyme
replied, “and questions are good. Ask as many questions as you
like.” She turned to the first of the four candles. “I ask that the
God and Goddess bless this circle so that I may be free and
protected within this space. So mote it be,” she said, spinning and
pointing her arms around the circle. “Now I’m going to call the
quarters.”
    I was lost in my own thoughts for a moment
or two, but then focused on Thyme as she went through all four
elements. “Guardians of the North, element of earth, I call upon
you to be present during this ritual,” she said. “Amelia, please
pass me some of that coffee.”
    I fetched it for her and placed it in her
hand, making sure not to step out of the circle. “Here you go. So
coffee speeds up spells?” I asked.
    Thyme nodded. “I’m adding it to this spell.
See, this is a yellow candle for communication.”
    I then stood quietly, watching Thyme.
    “Spirits and guides, I ask you now for
swiftness,” she said. “We seek for the authorities to hurry and
find out that the photos of Amelia were photoshopped. I thank and
release you now!”
    I looked around the room, and at the same
time I could feel a strange sensation all around me. The flames on
the candles momentarily flared. At that moment I felt sure that the
spell would work—I just wasn’t sure exactly how it would work.
    I smiled as a feeling of hope washed over
me. Maybe now things would get sorted out and the police would
believe me. Other than a few altered photographs and the corpse on
my porch, the cops had no reason to think I was involved in Thomas
Hale’s death.
    The spell was over and Thyme had closed the
circle. “Okay, all done,” she announced. “We should be hearing from
the police sometime soon.”
    “So how exactly is this spell going to work?
How will it affect the people doing the forensic tests?”
    Thyme smiled. “The worst thing we can do is
to try to figure out how a spell is going to work. I asked
that the police would get the results that the photos were faked
quickly. The spell was to speed things up. How that plays out is
rather irrelevant. Don’t even think about it. Now we’d better hurry
and open the shop.”
     
     

Chapter 14

    “They’ve put