Page 55 of Haunted Eclipse

Crystal reached out and squeezed my hand. “It’s exciting. Aphrodite seems like the perfect choice for you and I can’t believe we didn’t think of this before.”

“I suppose I never thought of myself as the type of woman who could be priestess for a love goddess. I’m not your typical glamour girl, after all.”

“Don’t start that again,” Astra said.

“I won’t,” I said. “I have to admit, when I found the dress this morning and put it on, I saw myself in a way I never have. Even when I was with Dan,hemade me feel beautiful, but I didn’t feel that way when I looked in the mirror on my own. Today, I looked in that mirror at the store and I truly felt beautiful. On my own, without anybody else shoring me up. I felt almost…Divine.”

“That’s good, because you’re about to pledge yourself to an ancient goddess, and sheisdivine.” Astra glanced at the clock on the wall. “Why don’t we get underway? Are you ready?”

I nodded. I was barefoot, and I was wearing a wreath that my aunt had made. It was woven from white silk flowers and ivy, with seashells dangling from it. Crystal was wearing a pale pink gown, a simple satin chemise. And Astra was dressed in herritual regalia that she wore for summer solstice. It was a long floral dress, with a golden belt.

Astra stood at the center of the room, and held out her dagger. She cast the circle, and the energy flowed from the end of her blade, carving a circle into the space. It was powerful, and protective, and it felt familiar and comforting, as though we were weaving magic from ages past.

As she incanted the chants calling forth the Great Mother, I realized thatthiswas my life. This magic, this energy, weaving the ancient powers with others of my kind. This was what I was meant to do.

Astra summoned each element, and the power grew, giving us foundation with the earth, clearing out any old threads with air, bringing passion with fire, and joy with water. Soon, we were layers deep in the ritual.

“This afternoon, I sat down and opened myself to the powers that be. And that’s how I wrote your pledge. Aphrodite was there with every word. I could feel her sitting on my shoulder, dictating to me. Maisy Ellen Tripwater, stand forward, bringing with you your whole heart and absolute truth.”

I stepped out from behind the coffee table and walked over to face my aunt. Her eyes were silver, and I realized she wasn’t the one speaking to me. I could feel Aphrodite in every corner of the room, watching and waiting for my answers.

“Maisy Ellen Tripwater, are you ready to take the mantle of Aphrodite on your shoulders? To wear her power in your aura day and night? To give to her your whole heart and magical self?”

I swallowed hard. Oaths like this were binding, and lasted a lifetime. Once this ritual was over, I would belonged to Aphrodite, priestess and mouthpiece. Every move I made, she would be aware of, and I represented her in the world.

“I’m ready.”

“Do you pledge to uphold Aphrodite’s honor, to honor love in this world, and to aid those seeking its joy? Do you pledge to hold love as the highest power in your life, and to never use it against another?”

I nodded, feeling exposed, as though she could see into every inch of my soul. “I do so pledge.”

“Do you pledge to act as Aphrodite’s priestess, and to honor that office, as long as she holds you in service?”

And here we were. Once I answered this, it was for life. Becoming a priestess was never an idle proposition, nor was it to be entered into as a whim. Those who dabbled with the gods soon learned their folly and paid for it dearly.

“I pledge myself to Aphrodite, as her priestess and servant. I pledge myself to the power of love, and I promise to hold myself in honor and to never disgrace the office of priestess. To the end of my life, I make this pledge, as long as Aphrodite will have me.”

Astra held out her hand, she was holding a small razor blade. “Give me your hand, for this is a pledge to be bound by blood.”

I held out my hand and Astra took it, slicing the tip of my finger with the corner of the blade. As drops of blood began to spill out she held it over the candle, letting my life force fall into the burning wax.

I felt a sudden rush, a connection that I had never known before in my life as Aphrodite herself kissed my forehead. It was as though she was standing directly in front of me, and had leaned forward to pressed her lips against my brow.

“By soul, by heart, by body, by mind and spirit, by my words and actions, by blood, I am yours and yours alone,” I whispered.

The energy peaked, and went rushing up through the ceiling and down again. The candle flared and burned away the blood.

Astra picked up the necklace and held it up, over the candle.

“I hereby charge this necklace and consecrate it in the name of Aphrodite, to be worn by her priestess Maisy. May it represent their bond as long as their bond shall last. By earth and air, but fire and water, by the spirit of magic, I do so consecrate this necklace.” She then draped it over my neck and it felt absolutely perfect as it snuggled between my breasts.

“As of this moment, Maisy Ellen Tripwater, you stand as a priestess of Aphrodite. Never forget your duties, and the honor bestowed upon you. So mote it be.”

“So mote it be,” Crystal and I both intoned.

And there it was. The ritual was done and I was officially a priestess of Aphrodite.

As we gatheredin the kitchen after the ritual for a dinner of cheese and deli meat, crackers, chips, and sugar cookies so delicate that they melted in our mouths, I tried to sort out how I felt. It was hard—there were so many things running through my mind. But I did know that this felt like the first of many steps in my new life, and I knew I’d other changes were in the offing.

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