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

bonfire coming up after the concert, and that promised to be an all-night affair.

                I looked around at the rapidly filling amphitheater. It was the most crowded it had been all week, as people were also gathering for the processional walk to the bonfire area. Everyone enjoyed the concerts, but both the layout of the campground as well as the volume of the shows meant that people could just as easily listen from their campsites. If I wasn’t so into dancing, I could have easily enjoyed the show from the Druid encampment that Jack had been hanging out at.

                On Saturday, however, it was different.

                Everyone was dressed up. Some wore their most colorful outfits while others wore full-on costumes. There were sequins, glow-sticks, LED lights, leather, and tie-dyes galore. I watched with delight as a couple on stilts went walking by, their ent costumes right out of a Tolkien illustration.

                This is awesome!

                Raina was the next to take a break, and she sat down next to me. Together, we watched Vincent and Gaia dance, their bodies wrapping around each other as they moved to the beat.

                “So you’re okay with this?” Raina asked casually.

                “Are you kidding?” I replied. “I think it’s hot.”

                “Good answer.” she grinned. “You know I’m just checking to make sure everything’s five by five, right?”

                “I do.” I smiled back. “Thank you.”

                A teenage girl walked up to us, carrying a cluster of glow-sticks, their colors shining in the night. She gave Raina and me several, and we fashioned wrist bands and anklets out of them.

                Raina and I had decked ourselves out for the evening. I was wearing a tie-dyed skirt and strapless top, gold and silver threads in the material sparkled in the sparse light leaking off the stage, and would look great in the firelight. Raina was wearing an all-red ensemble, both skirt and bikini top, that had been covered in spiraling sequined patterns. She had also woven some tinsel in with the tight spiral curls of her hair.

                I looked out into the crowd dancing in front of the stage and noticed that the Fae sisters had arrived. They were naked as usual, with the addition of translucent capes that had been fitted with long sticks so that they could be moved like wings. They spun in tight circles, looking like faeries from a Victorian children’s book.

                Near to them was Tiffany, wearing a skimpy camouflage bikini that she had fashioned out of an old uniform. While it looked ridiculously hot on her, I knew that it also had a dual purpose. She had been able to include enough of her Uncle's tech… as well as Gaia's dragon skin… to ensure that she could activate her body armor in case of an emergency.

                I watched as she danced sensually with the same redhead that I had almost fooled around with at the drumming fire a few nights before. They really didn’t notice anyone else around them, and I sensed that Tiffany had found a friend for the night.

                This is awesome! I thought. Everyone’s having such a great, loving time.

                Well, almost everyone. I tried to put Angelique out of my mind, and mostly succeeded. This is the last night of the festival… I have to enjoy as much as I can! There’s plenty of time to deal with… other things… after it’s over.

                The band finished, and we quickly gathered up our chairs as the festival organizers gave a brief speech. We stashed them at the Druid encampment and gathered Jack and Katsu as well. We were standing out on the road, waiting to line up, when Evelyn walked up to us.

                “Hey gang!” she said, smiling.

                “Hey.” Raina replied.

                “Where’s Trevor?” Jack asked. “I thought he’d at least do the bonfire.”

                “He said he’s going to be there.” Evelyn said. “He said he has some ‘big entrance’ lined up. I told him to go ahead… I’m going to walk with everyone and let the ladies scope me out!”

                She twirled to show off her outfit, which consisted of a body-hugging spandex top, thong panties, and thigh-high leather boots. She wasn’t wearing anything under the spandex, and it almost looked like she was topless but body-painted.

                Wow, I thought, and with her curves? Not bad! Raina, on the other hand, was looking at her with wide eyes.

                “Dearie,” Raina said, “if none of these stoned bitches are going to take you up on the offer, call me, okay? I mean, we might have to make it a threesome with Raven…“

                “Raven?” I asked.

                “My brunette friend… you know, the tall one with the beautiful boobies and the power thighs?… that’s her name. Anyway… “ she continued, “She and I are set to set her tent on fire later this evening, but if you want to make it more interesting… “ she trailed off and winked.

                “You’d better believe I’ll keep that in mind!” Evelyn said with genuine interest.

                “Think we started a trend?” Vincent said softly in my ear. He grinned, and I grinned back.

                “If we gave them the inspiration,” I said, “I’m okay with that.”

                The speeches over, it was time for the procession to the main bonfire. Eight torchbearers lit their torches off of a ninth torch, and they lined up to lead the procession. From what I had heard, each torch was charged with magickal intent to bring things like protection and prosperity to both the festival itself as well as it’s attendees.

                I can see why I thought. There’s so much magick here, it would be foolish to waste it.

                The drummers started a basic beat, and the procession started. The hundreds of people involved made for a long line, and we wound up midway back. To help build the energy, everyone was singing a simple chant:

                Fire fire, fire fire

                Burning bright with our desire

                I walked in between Gaia and Vincent, holding hands and smiling as we all sang. We walked