A Raven in the Hand

CHAPTER 17

Kayla sat quietly on her cushion as the old Creole woman looked through her old world books, occasionally looking back at the young witch with a strange look on her face. The look was the same one the Vodus would give Kayla whenever they would see her. It made her quite uncomfortable.

Kayla had explained all that had happened since her investigation began of the Undertaker, leaving out the strange feelings she was forming for him. She had hoped that the old woman would know what the rogue Vodu was planning, or at least give her the spell that required so much power.

"And you believe this Vodu is after you?" Madam Sheer asked her without looking away from the pages of the old spell book.

"Yes, he's attacked me twice since I've started to work for the WWE. I really do believe that he's after my witch's soul to power what ever spell he's working on."

Sheer looked at her with that same strange look, "But Chere, why would you believe that he is after your power?"

Kay gave her the same look, "Because we have more power within our souls than normal people?"

Sheer smiled, "Chere, I do not believe he is after you for your soul. Yes we do have more ame than them, but Chere, he would not be after yours. Your powers of nature are not controllable at the moment."

"What do you mean by that?"

The old woman closed her book and took a drink of the sweet tea she had made earlier, "Chere, has Matron Shalla say anything to you about your power?"

"Not really, except that I shouldn't be afraid to use it and I should be using it more often…"

"Of course, Chere. Even though the power grows with you, unless you use it and train it, the power becomes very unpredictable and dangerous for another to use in that fashion. It would be more realistic to believe that the power would consume the new host than aid it."

Kay now smiled, "You know, it doesn't feel that powerful to me…"

"Because you never use it! And because you never use it, you cannot control it and so it weakens you! Chere, do you know why you have all four elements?"

"No, no one told me anything and I can't find anything in any of the books about it. As far as my Matron is concerned, there has never been a witch born with all four, only with one power."

"There is a tale from my home land, of a woman who controlled all four. She was revered as the goddess during her stay here. She was able to heal our sick, bring rain to our crops, and even called forth the animals to her command…"

Kay burst out laughing, "And you think that I might be like her? I don't think so! Madam Sheer, I can't use it! And when I do, it's usually just a little flame or a drop of water, and then I'm on the ground puking! Now I would be more to believe that maybe one of my kids might be like that but me? I'm a spell caster! And a dam good one too!"

Madam Sheer gave the young witch a dirty look as she raised her over sized body from the chair and walked into her private room, Kayla suddenly felt bad for what she had said. It seemed that she had insulted the woman's heirloom story, she would apologies immediately.

"Here." Madam Sheer threw what looked like an old African necklace at Kay, who instinctually took it and began to look at it with curiosity.

The string was made of old thin hemp, brayed together in an interknit pattern, one Kay had never seen before. In the middle of the sting hung a small wooden carving of a bird, the head and beak reminded her of a raven. In its talons, it carried a skull with a tiny rune cared on its forehead, too small for Kay to make out. Attached to each side of the carving was ornaments representing all four elements. Sea shells for water, tiny white feathers for air, brown pebbles for earth, and little clay beads, she guessed they were filled with ash, for fire.

"It was hers, passed down from generation to generation of Vodus." The old woman stood proud in front of Kay, who was still looking at it with intent, "To be given to you."

Kay looked up in surprise, "What? I don't understand. The symbol for the Goddess is a circle…sometimes she's represented by another rune…but I've never seen her represented by a raven before."

It was now the old woman's turn to laugh, "Chere, the raven has been used as a messenger from her to her children. Have you heard of the Native Americans speak of sister Raven?"

"Yeah, she was the one who helped them when they first came here…"

"Because the great mother had sent her to them, to help her children. The raven also brings the souls of the dead to her…"

"I know that one. But I've traveled all over the world, even Africa! Why haven't I seen this before?"

"Because you were never looking for it. This symbol only represents the mother as she would be on this world. It does not happen often. Only when the people are in dire need of her guidance…"

Kay jumped up in surprise, "Hold on, are you telling me that the goddess is just going to take over my body any time soon? I really don't like that idea…"

Sheer smiled, "No Chere, I do not believe that she would do something like that. But I do believe that you are her chosen, the one to carry her word to the people."

Kay just starred at her with black expression on her face, "You know that that's hard for me to believe."

"I know Chere, but believe me when I say you are destined for great things…"

"You know what? I really don't have time for this. On another occasion I will talk more about this with you, but right now I need to know why that Vodu is here. That is the real reason I'm here!"

"And you do not believe that you are part of that reason?"

"Of course! He's attacked me twice!"

"And you survived?"

"Of curse I did! I'm here aint I? Well, I was actually saved both times by Mark but…"

Sheer grinned, and tapped on the skull of the necklace with her long red painted finger nail, Kay looked down at the raven holding the skull.

"I don't get it."

"It is interesting that you had discovered l'home du mort, isn't it? No one knew he was here…"

"Except Shalla…" Kay whispered as she gazed into the skull's dark eyes, then she looked up at the old woman in acknowledgement, "…and the rogue Vodu! He would have guessed a long time ago what Mark is!"

Fear and realization crept into the young witch's mind, "He was attacking me because I am a threat to him! It's not my power he's after!"

Kayla grabber her coat and car keys as she began to run out the door, Madam Sheer was taken back by this and ran after her.

"Chere! Where are you going?" She called out as Kay ran into the pouring rain.

"I have to go find Mark! The Vodu is after his power!"

Madam Sheer tried to shout out a response, but Kay had jumped into her car so much urgency that even Reaper almost didn't make it in. She backed out her rental so fast that Madam Sheer thought she would crash, but Kay didn't hit anything and her tires squire as she drove like a mad man down Bourbon street.

Madam Sheer shook her head as she walked back into her home, Lizza, her daughter and fellow Vodu entered the living quarters and looked sadly at her mother, "She does not believe?"

"No Chere, but in time she will discover the truth behind her purpose, and why she is so fascinated with l'home du mort."

To be continued….