Page 10 of Haunted Eclipse

Thinking that the last thing she needed was caffeine, I poured her a cup of coffee and added a splash of creamer and a pack of sugar. I set the china cup and saucer down on her side of the table, then took my place opposite of her.

“So, Charity, what can I help you with today?” I picked up the cards, holding them as I waited. I expected something typical—was her husband cheating on her, would she get the job she’d applied for, something run of the mill. But she surprised me.

“I’m not sure how to put this…” She paused, taking a sip of the coffee. “This is good.” After another sigh, she said, “My mother was recently diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. She has a few months before…I want to know if there’s anything I can do to help before…then? I’m not talking medically—unless a miracle happens, I know I’m going to lose her.”

Her eyes misted over. “I want her to be happy. I want to make the next few months the best she’s ever had. I’ve asked her about it. I ask her what she wants, but she just tells me that everything’s fine. That she’s ready and prepared. “

I froze. No wonder she seemed so spacey. Feeling that I’d been uncharitable, I opened myself up. Her grief washed over me, a tangible wave. Charity was hurting, and at that moment, I knew thatshewas the one who needed a cushion, not her mother.

“Give me a moment,” I said, closing my eyes as I dove deeper into the mist that formed in my mind. My magic was emotion-based, and I connected easily with all the outer realms—the spirit realm, the astral and etheric, and realms even further out. “I’ll need you to sit still, and keep silent. This may take a few minutes, so please be patient.”

“May I drink my coffee, or will that interfere?” She settled back in her chair.

“You can drink your coffee,” I said.

First, I brought up my wards. Then, I opened myself to Charity’s aura.

The pinks and golds that rippled through it signified love and caring—this woman reallydidcare about others. There was a hint of green…she was connected to earth energy, even though she didn’t know it. She was human, so I suspected she liked to garden, rather than working with any form of magic.

In an outer band, I sensed the presence of death. That had to be her mother, because her aura was strong and healthy. There was another band of energy that seemed oddly misplaced…it was gray—the gray of the past. But, as I sat with the feeling a little longer, I began to see figures. They silently watched us, reminding me of old photographs—the ones done when photography was new. Old and grainy, in shades of gray, black, and white.

Who are you?I asked.

One of the figures let out a long sigh, like wind rustling through a dry corn field.

We watch and we wait.

I wasn’t sure who was answering, but the figures were becoming clearer. As they came into focus, one of them stepped forward. She wore an old fashioned simple button down shirt, with a thin ribbon beneath the collar, tied in a bow. Her skirt was mid-shin length, and a straw hat sat atop an elaborate chignon. She must have been in her mid-thirties, and she reminded me of school teacher from the early 1900s.

Are you Charity’s guardian spirits?

We are her ancestors. We are here to help her and her mother, as her mother transitions.

They were waiting for Charity’s mother. They had come to help her through the Veil. Sometimes, when someone had a strong connection to their family lineage, the ancestors watched over them.

Do you know if there’s anything her mother needs from her, before you escort her through the Veil?

The spirit paused, then nodded.We do. There is an old rift between them, that they have chosen to ignore. It must be mended for Eva to return to us and not linger on this plane. We cannot tell you what it is—this is something they must remember, and attend to.

With that, the spirit backed away. She and the others began to vanish from my sight, and the mist withdrew. I opened my eyes.

“Your mother’s name is Eva, isn’t it?”

She blinked, watching me as she held her coffee. “Yes, it is. How did you know?” The energy of the shop seemed to have calmed her down.

I handed her the cards. “Focus on your mother and—silently—ask what you need to know about her for the time she has left. Then shuffle five times, and cut once,” I said. Each time I used the cards, they told me how many times to have the querant shuffle them.

Charity held the cards for a moment, then shuffled and cut them, then handed them back to me. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “I’ve never had my cards read before,” she said. “I’m curious as to how they work.”

I began to lay out a circle of eight cards, with one in the center. As I scanned them, they mirrored what the spirit had told me. I wasn’t sure how much Charity was prepared to hear, but the cards showed a surprising amount of psychic ability in her.The Magician, the High Priestess… And center, theDeathcard, which signified a transition. It usually meant life transitions, but in this case, it referred to her mother.

After a few moments, I said, “The cards help direct my psychic abilities. Think of it like focusing—there’s all this energy, and I’ll get general impressions. The cards lead me in how to interpret what I see and feel.”

She pulled out a notebook and a pen. “I’d like to take notes, if you don’t mind?”

“Of course,” I said. I took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. “All right. What I see here tells me that you know there’s something that isn’t finished. That’s why you came here, correct? Something needs to happen before your mother leaves this plane.”

“Right. I knew it.”

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