“You’re not overwhelmed?”
“I am, but it’s kind of nice to know I’m not the only young witch around.”
Trixie’s eyebrows rose. “So you’ve accepted you’re a witch then?”
I took a deep breath. “I don’t know . . .”
Trixie’s lips tilted into a knowing smile. “It’s a start. I know it was all very sudden for you. Mod, Piya, and I knew we were witches from a young age, so we take everything for granted. I can’t imagine finding all this out when you’re an adult.”
“It hasn’t been too bad, I suppose. Charli has helped a lot. If a ghost can convince me that she’s a ghost, and can also convince me she is friendly and a long lost relative, well, I should probably believe I might be a witch as well.”
Trixie laughed. “Yeah, you probably should.”
My smile slipped as I shared, “I’m scared though, Trixie.”
“As you should be,” she said, reaching down to squeeze my hand. “I’d be worried if you weren’t a little bit scared. It’s all new; kinda like when my parents took me rock climbing for the first time and I thought I might barf the whole time I was climbing.”
I grimaced. “Well?—”
“Okay, so not the same,” she laughed.
“Thanks for trying though.” I smiled. I liked Trixie. She had an easy way about her that made me feel at ease.
She gave my hand a pat and pulled back. “So, answers to your questions. You fainted in the field and became very pale. We were all very worried, so I levitated you and brought you home.”
“I thought I felt like I was floating!” I gasped, feeling my eyes bulge as I stared at her. “Can you teach me how to do that?”
“Of course, but right now you should rest.”
“Sure, but I get one more question first.” I did feel tried, but this opportunity was too good to miss.
“As many as you want,” Trixie replied easily.
Here goes nothing. “I heard voices in my head as soon as I stepped into the clearing. Do you know who they were or where they came from?”
Trixie nodded. “They were your ancestors. That field is where your family gets their power from.”
I nodded, remembering that much.
“When a witch dies, she or he goes back to their family’s field,” Trixie continued. “So, the more family you have, the more power that is accumulated there. And you’re from a very large and multi-generational family, Lira.”
“So they’re my ancestors . . . . Can I talk to them?”
“In a way. I don’t think you can have a direct full-fledged conversation like we’re doing now, but you could probably communicate with them somehow. They clearly want to talk to you.”
“Clearly.” I put my hand to my head, which was still throbbing. “It felt like twenty people were trying to talk to me all at once.”
Trixie looked a little in awe. “Very few witches actually have that gift.”
“What gift?” I groaned, ready to lay back down again.
“To see visions and be able to talk to so many of their ancestors.”
“Really?” I opened one eye to look at Trixie to see if she was pulling my leg.
“Really. It’s why Miti has been so adamant about us three getting to know you. She wants you to get acclimated fast. I don’t really agree with her, but Miti is one of our oldest and most powerful witches. She’s never wrong, and you heard what she said at the meeting.”
“You need more witches.”