The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga by Taliesin Govannon (top 10 novels of all time .txt) 📗

                Raina shot them a withering glance before shaking her head. “Y’all have fun… I’m going to go and find the raven-haired Goddess who has been seeing to my needs all week.”

                “See you guys at the concert.” Evelyn said, getting out her phone. “I have some texts that need answering.

                We split up and Gaia followed me to the encampment across from the stage where the set of Druids that Jack and Katsu had been hanging with were camped. Our friends were curled up in the nest chair again, and I could smell the pungent sweetness of cannabis smoke in the air.

                “Hey everyone… “ I said, sitting down. “I didn’t get the chance to make introductions earlier. This is my girlfriend Gaia.”

                “Hey.” she said, sitting beside me.

                Oak, Angela, and Nancy were seated around the long table again and were joined by a young woman with blue and green hair. She was dressed in a red ADF shirt and jeans, and was busy rolling her own joint. Introductions were made, I discovered that the new Druid was named Mari-Anne, and then Oak looked at me with confusion.

                “I thought you had a boyfriend.” he said.

                “I do.” I replied. I took Gaia’s hand in mine. “And now I have a girlfriend, too.”

                “This is new.” Gaia said.

                “In this lifetime, anyway.” Jack added softly.

                “I was polyamorous in a past relationship.” Angela said next. “I wound up dumping both guys for being insufferable whiners. Oak and I are monogamous.”

                “Maybe I’m insecure,” Oak continued, “But the whole poly thing just never felt right to me.”

                “It’s not right for everyone.” Mari-Anne said. “And people trying when they’re not ready or into it at all is what leads to all of the poly horror stories you can find… anywhere, really.”

                “Amen to that, sister!” Angela said.

                “So what’s new in the field of Celtic archaeology?” I said, shifting the conversation.

                “Well, someone’s claimed to have found the medallion of the Tuatha De Dannan.” Oak said. “Or actually, have claimed that they know how to get it.”

                “Though that’s as likely as finding living unicorns, it’s such a legend.” Angela added.

                Gaia and I smiled at each other.

                “There’s a lot of evidence for it’s existence.” Oak continued.

                “All hearsay.” Angela countered. “A few diary entries passing on rumors of a mystical object by some Indiana Jones wannabe’s isn’t exactly rock-solid proof.”

                “What’s the medallion of the Tuatha De-whatever?” I asked.

                “Only the rarest item in Celtic mythology.” Nancy said. “So rare, many experts in the field are sure it doesn’t exist.”

                “That’s because it doesn’t.” Angela said. “Look at the legend: a lost object supposed to open a mystical doorway that contains both riches and unimaginable danger. Does that sound even remotely harmonious with any other bit of Celtic mythology?”

                “The legend says that it was closely guarded, known to only the inner circle of the Celtic priesthood… “ Oak said.

                “Next you’re going to be saying something about jet fuel and steel beams.” Angela said derisively.

                The band started their sound-check on the stage, and that caused the conversation to stop as everyone got up to head across the road. The Druids carried chairs, but ours were already set up when we got there.

                I sat in my chair , which was next to Tiffany, and watched the crowd grow. The Blue Fae sisters were indeed hula-hooping, and I saw Raina curled up on the grass with the tall brunette I had seen her with all week.

                “Ready for tonight?” Tiffany leaned over and asked in my ear.

                “As ready as I’ll ever be.” was my response.

                                                                                                *                *                *

                I walked with Vincent and Gaia down the long, winding road through the festival. We were heading to the big bonfire area, where people had been working since before the festival started to build the massive bonfire that would be lit on Saturday night, the last night of Starwood. The group of fire-spinners that the Oracle was traveling with were camped down there, and we were going to finally meet her.

                I looked at the campsites we passed as we walked. Many were decorated with bright colors and reflective surfaces, some with battery-powered strings of Christmas lights shimmering in the dark. Some had people hanging out, eating, partying, and generally having a good time. Others were deserted, their occupants going out for their entertainment.

                We eventually got to an area of the festival that I hadn’t explored yet. I hadn’t been avoiding it, I had just never got around to seeing what was there. We passed a large dome made out of PVC pipe with soft lighting, a small fire, and a group already gathering inside.

                “What’s that?” I asked Vincent.

                "That, so they tell me, is the didge-dome." he replied. "It's where smaller drums and instruments, the kind that would get swallowed up by the thundering drums at the main drum circle, go-to jam. They're having a hafla, or middle-eastern music and dancing gathering, tonight.”

                I made a mental note: I’ll have to check that out!

                We walked on, me holding Vincent’s hand in one of mine, Gaia’s in the other. I was happy to have them both with me, as they kept me grounded.

                We rounded a corner, and I could see the pile of wood for the next night’s big bonfire in the distance. It was lit up with spotlights, and was an impressive sight.

                “That pile of wood has to be a story and a half tall.” Gaia said, her eyes wide. “The flames coming off of that thing are going to be ridiculous!”

                As we got closer, we could see people in the nearby field practicing routines with flaming objects. Getting closer still, I could see that many of the fire-spinners had a certain look to them: piercings, tattoos, black clothing, different levels of bare skin, and dreadlocks… lots of dreadlocks. Some of them had tied-back