Eilish sat on the porch steps of the expansive wrap-around porch of their home on the Battery in Charleston. She loved watching the sunset, but the oppressive heat and humidity were almost too much to bear. It might be late spring for the rest of the world, but the hot sultry days began early in Charleston. Even in her skimpy sundress and bare feet, she could feel the beads of sweat run down her back. She set her glass of ice tea, filled with lemon wedges and loaded with sugar, down on the steps and raised her hands to lift her long snow-white hair from her neck. She bent her head slightly forward, hoping to feel a breeze on her back, but the air was still and thick. She could hear the faint sounds of Otis Redding playing from inside the house, and she smiled to herself. It could only be her middle sister, Anya. Dropping her hair, it tumbled down her back as she looked up with steel gray eyes to see a tourist taking photos of their house… and her.
She picked up her glass and stood quickly, her hair fanning out as she turned to go back inside. The man taking the photo waved and smiled at her. “I hope I didn’t run you off.”
Eilish didn’t answer but looked back over her shoulder, giving a hard stare, sending out an invisible wave of energy, and watched as the cell phone slipped from his hands, crashing to the sidewalk and heard him curse as he saw the crack on the screen.
Her family had owned this house since it was built in the 1800s, passing it down through the generations, and she couldn’t imagine ever leaving it, but the tourists had become an unwanted annoyance in their lives. She knew it wasn’t a good idea to use her powers for such frivolous stuff, but it was hot, and she was annoyed with the constant interruptions from the tourists. Some would be emboldened enough to open the gate and come into the yard to get a better picture of the house.
She stepped inside the house and felt the blast of cold air against her bare skin, causing goosebumps on her arms and creating the odd sensation of being too hot and too cold at the same time. Her oldest sister, Seraphina, insisted
on keeping the air conditioner working at full speed. They could never agree on where the thermostat should be set between the three of them, but Seraphina pulled rank as the oldest and usually won the battle.
Eilish lifted the glass to her lips and tipped it up, draining the contents as she walked to the kitchen and placed the empty glass in the sink. She heard Seraphina shouting up the stairs to Anya, “Turn that music down!” Eilish rolled her eyes as she heard a door slam shut, and the music was lowered a few decibels. Seraphina stomped into the kitchen, her long black hair twisted in a loosely constructed bun on the top of her head, and Eilish turned to see her disapproving stare.
Seraphina snapped at her. “Put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher. I’m not your maid.”
Eilish sighed. “It’s one glass, Fina.”
Seraphina gave her a cold stare with her oddly colored amber eyes, and Eilish relinquished, putting the glass in the dishwasher.
Seraphina straightened the items on the already immaculately organized kitchen counter. “We need to go into the shop tonight.”
Eilish threw up both hands. The sisters ran a new-age shop on Tradd Street called Rhiannon's Circle. Like the house, the shop had been passed down from previous generations. Eilish chuckled to herself at the description of "new age.” There was nothing new age about witchcraft. It had been around since the dawn of time. "The shop’s closed today. Why do we have to go in? I was planning on going out later."
Seraphina slowly crossed her arms before extending her index finger with her long, painted fingernail, tapping out a message on the countertop to emphasize her words. "It’s not for you to argue with me, Eilish. We have a shipment of new items to be stocked on the shelves. You will go and help. Go upstairs and tell Anya. I’ll be ready to leave soon. I don’t intend to spend half the evening waiting for either of you to be rea
dy."
Eilish grunted her discontent and brushed past her sister, who was partially blocking the door. Seraphina never missed an opportunity to remind them that she was the oldest and most experienced witch and would remain in charge. Eilish started up the stairs and could hear the musical refrains from The Platters, a doo-wop group from the 50s, coming from Anya's room. She tapped lightly on the closed door. "Anya?" She heard her sister respond, "Come in."
Eilish opened the door and flopped down across her sister's bed. Anya was dressed in oversized jeans, an old white tank top, and a faded plaid shirt that had seen better days. Her feet were clad in the heavy Doc Martens she wore with everything. "Don't you get hot in all that?"
Anya shook her head, her tangled honey-blonde hair falling across her green eyes when she casually tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Nah. I'm used to it. Besides, Fina keeps this place colder than the morgue." Both sisters giggled before Eilish remembered why she was there.
"Fina says we have to go into the shop tonight."
Anya sighed. "I heard."
Eilish rolled over on her back, looking at the ceiling with the water stain shaped like a butterfly. "Fina doesn't like it when you use your powers to eavesdrop."
Anya scoffed as she lifted the arm from the turntable on her record player, bringing a sudden end to the music. She preferred old record players and vinyl to the new technology. "Well, Fina can kiss my ass."
"Really?" They both looked up to see Seraphina standing in the doorway.
Seraphina stared deep and hard into Anya's eyes. Her head tilted back slowly as her chin jutted out. "And if I didn’t keep Rhiannon's stocked over the summer tourists’ season, exactly how would either of you survive?" She turned to glare at Eilish, the youngest and still learning her place in the coven, but Seraphina had no doubt she’d discover her full power with time. As siblings do, both her sisters would test her, but they’d never win; she was the eldest and intended to remain in control. "Where do you think you’d find money to buy the clothes and
makeup you adore?" Her head snapped quickly to Anya, almost surreal in its quickness. "And you, that vinyl you play constantly costs money." Her smile crept slowly across her face. "As for kissing your ass, who could find it in that outfit? When will either of you learn? The sooner this is done, the sooner we get back to the house and can enjoy the night.”
Seraphina spun on her heels and stomped down the stairs, and the sisters heard the massive front door slam behind her as she left the house. Eilish looked at Anya. "We better go. She's in a mood. I don't want to listen to her bitch all night."
Anya grabbed her backpack and slid it over one shoulder. "Come on, then."
Eilish smiled. Anya never went anywhere without that beat-up backpack. As they exited the bedroom door, the music of The Platters started to play again, and Anya looked over her shoulder at the pale apparition standing over the record player. "Oh, hi, Emric. Don't scratch the vinyl."
He nodded and answered. "I'll be most careful, Miss Anya. But it does get lonely when you take leave."
Eilish smiled at him. "We won't be long." The apparition retreated to a chair in the corner and settled in, looking out the window. "The soldiers will be here soon."
Anya spoke lovingly to him. "There are no more soldiers, Emric. The war is over. The war ended in 1783." Emric nodded but continued to stare out the window, wearing the tattered brown coat of his regiment, the deep, open gash on his head that had taken his life still apparent. Anya reassured him. "We'll be back soon." She waited for a second to see if he’d respond, but the young soldier was lost in his world of battles fought long ago and stepping over the dead and dying. Emric had haunted this house for as long as she could remember but had always been a benign source of energy among them. "Good night then."
The sisters turned and walked down the wide staircase with the elaborately carved banisters of the Victorian-style house and into the front foyer. Eilish stopped to find her sandals and slipped them on before they headed out the door. Summer hadn’t even arrived yet, and they were hit by the oppressive heat of the Deep South as they made their way down the broad steps of the front porch and across the cracked sidewalk onto East Bay and walked the few blocks to t
heir shop located in the heart of the tourists’ district.
The two girls walked together, a common sight in the neighborhood as the Bohannon sisters were always a source of gossip among the locals. Most suspected they were witches, and the Bohannon House was even on the Charleston Ghost Tours. They never tried to deny the presence of Emric. He’d haunted this house long before they were born, and everyone in the city knew the local legends of haunted houses in Charleston. They ignored the gossip about their witchcraft and laughed it off whenever a local was bold enough to ask outright. Of course, the rumors weren’t helped by the fact they ran a shop that sold books on witchcraft, tarot cards, crystals, candles, runes, herbs, and items for casting or breaking spells. As they reached Rhiannon's Circle, they opened the unlocked door and heard the small bell chime to announce their entry. Seraphina looked up from the stack of boxes she’d carried from the back room where they stocked inventory. "It's about time you got here."
Pushing two boxes forward, she directed Anya. "Put these on the shelves in the herbal section. The black bookcase on the bottom, and don’t just shove them in there. Arrange them neatly. Pay attention to what you’re doing, Anya. I don’t want to have to rearrange the chaos you call stocking the shelves when we open tomorrow."
Seraphina opened another box as she heard the loud purring from the floor and felt the cat’s soft fur rubbing against her ankles. "Luna, my pet, you’ll get your attention when we get home." She picked up the green-eyed black cat and slid her cheek against her silken fur. Setting the cat on the counter, she watched as she made a curious leap over the boxes and found a nesting place inside an empty one. She returned her attention to the work at hand.
"Eilish, this sage needs to be put into the baskets; don’t just stand there. It’s not as if you’ve never done this before!" Her sigh was audible and filled with frustration. "Must I always do everything? We’d have nothing if it weren’t for my direction and wits.” She stopped and fanned herself. “It’s much too hot in here!" She walked back to the store
room in the rear of the shop and found the thermostat had been tampered with again and knew it was Eilish. Adjusting the AC to kick up some much-needed cool air, she heard the soft tinkling of the chimes. "Just what I need, another tourist who can’t read the ‘closed' sign on the door.” Heading full steam for the front of the store, she stopped when she recognized the tall, handsome man standing in the middle of the shop. She almost purred louder than Luna when she saw Warrick. She admired his handsome face and black hair, hanging straight and long, almost to his waist. His mustache and goatee were trimmed to perfection. She absorbed his energy as it flowed around all of them. He exuded power and stature.
"Good evening, Bohannon sisters." Although he addressed all of the sisters, he only had eyes for Seraphina.
Seraphina glided across the old wooden floor as if she were walking on air. "Warrick, what a pleasant and much-needed surprise."
He chuckled softly as he embraced her for a hug. "It’s good to see you intend to make the most of the summer tourist money. I rather like that about you, Fina."
She smiled, and her posture softened. "Well, for my sake, I hope that’s not all you like about me. It’s a gift, of course, taking their money, and most of them have no idea what they’re buying, but what do I care." She noticed his gaze wandering to petite Eilish as she delicately arranged bundles of white sage in the basket. Seraphina wouldn’t share his attention and lightly placed a hand on his arm. "To what do we owe this visit, Warrick? Tell me you have something wicked on your mind. Did you miss me?"
Warrick wandered around the familiar shop, picking up items and returning them to their rightful place. Rhiannon’s Circle was where every witch in Charleston came for supplies to practice their craft. "I was taking a stroll, saw the light on, and thought perhaps I’d come in and visit my favorite sisters."
Eilish cast a sideways glance at Anya, who acknowledged her with a wink. They both knew who Warrick was here to visit, and it wasn’t either of them. He and Seraphina had been hand-fasted for years but had an unconventional marriage. Warrick had insisted they live apart. It was always a source of speculation among the coven members, but it seemed to work for them as a couple. Eilish giggled and a
nswered, "You mean sister... singular, right Warrick?" Luna wove her way around the carefully arranged basket of sage as Eilish brushed her away. "Shoo! I have some catnip for you later."
"Now, Eilish, you know I love all of you, but yes, Fina will always hold my heart. Don’t you have someone who draws your attention?"
Eilish looked up at him from where she knelt on the floor. From this vantage point, he looked ten feet tall. "Not me. I'm a free agent, and I plan to remain that way, despite your constant efforts at match-making."
Anya spoke up, "Hello? I'm single and ready to mingle. Why don't you focus some of that match-making attention on me?"
Warrick turned his focus towards Anya and gave her a quick once over in her shabby attire. "You know, Anya, that grunge look went out in the ‘90s. Perhaps if you dressed more... feminine."
Anya smirked and flashed him her middle finger. "Fuck you, Warrick."
Warrick raised one eyebrow and shook his head. "And maybe clean up your language to something more befitting a young lady of your standing."
Anya returned to her task of arranging the books on the shelves. "I'll find my match, and don't try casting any spells. I'll know if you do."
Seraphina was appalled at how flippant her sisters could sometimes be with Warrick, but she knew he could readily handle them. "Warrick has a point on both accounts. You both need to find suitable mates. You aren’t getting any younger.”
Warrick chuckled as he turned to Seraphina. "It looks as though the Charleston heat has generated a few prickly attitudes. Let them finish up, and I’ll walk you back to the house. I have something to discuss with you about the upcoming full moon. The coven will want to gather to honor the Goddess of the Ostara.” He wrapped his arm around Seraphina's waist and guided her to the door as Luna leaped from out of nowhere to rush out the door in front of them.
Seraphina issued her final instructions as she left. "Finish up, and don’t leave the packaging strewn everywhere. Warrick and I have some things to t
hings to take care of." Kissing him quickly, she was more than eager to have his full attention for the rest of the evening, no matter the subject.
Anya and Eilish watched as the two left the shop together, arm in arm. Anya smirked. "How does Fina manage to drag us down here to do all the work and then leave without doing a damn thing?"
Eilish laughed. "Because she's Fina... and we are mere underlings."
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