CHAPTER 14
DANIELLE
A fter setting up the shield network, we returned to find Willowberry had more secrets to share. I was reviewing party preparations because the universe thought we were experts at juggling an impending magical catastrophe with event planning. Just then, Cami called us all to the back forty with an urgency in her voice I'd never heard before. "The grounds are speaking," she said without preamble when we gathered. Her usual composed demeanor was shaken and her eyes held centuries of knowing. "The shields you created have awakened something. Something that's been waiting."
I felt it the moment she pointed it out. There was a resonance in the earth itself. It was a rhythm that matched the crystal's energy but had more layers. The manicured lawn seemed to shimmer in the late afternoon light. The way it hit the ground revealed patterns that shouldn't have been visible.
"Are those..." Phi started as her detection equipment began whirring erratically.
"Circles," Cami confirmed. "Ancient ones. They were here long before this became a plantation. The history that followed is a part of them now. I can feel the pain, the strength, and the endurance of my fellow slaves. It's all woven into their power."
The gravity of her words settled over us. Willowberry's history, like many Southern plantations, was built on the suffering of enslaved people. The thought of using power connected to such pain made my stomach turn.
"The enslaved people who were forced to work this land," Dre said softly, her healer's intuition clearly picking up on something, "they left their own marks on these power lines, didn't they?"
"Yes," Cami confirmed. "The magic of their lives seeped into the earth. Much of it came from the bonds of community that helped us survive unimaginable hardship.”
“ That power runs deeper than any of the other magic that came later, ” Adèle pointed out as she joined us. “ It's part of why the ley lines here are so complex, so layered with meaning and memory. "
Cami nodded and smiled down at our familiar. "The circles have guardians," she continued softly. "I was once one of the spirits who remained. We chose to transform our pain into protection. Phoebe’s magic transformed me because I was the only true witch. The other continue to watch over this land. They play a great role in ensuring its power is never again used for cruelty."
Adèle rubbed against Kota’s legs. " The guardians have been waiting ," our familiar said. " They sensed the crystal's return, felt the echoes of power that mirror their own binding magic ."
An idea occurred to me, but I hesitated to voice it out loud. It felt wrong somehow. "Can we use their help?" I stopped as the weight of history became heavy in my chest. "No. We can't exploit their power and pain for our purposes."
"No," Cami agreed. "But we can ask. You should listen to their stories. It will help you understand why they chose to stay and protect this place." She led us to the largest circle that was now visible as a subtle pattern in the grass. "This was our place of gathering. Where we found moments of peace and community, despite everything. We sang here, shared stories, and kept our traditions alive in whispers and hidden rituals."
"I remember," she continued, her voice soft with memory. "The strength of the others around me. The dignity they maintained even when everything was trying to break them kept me going. We transformed this place with our resilience and unwavering spirit."
I felt tears prick in my eyes as Cami shared her story. The raw truth of it settled into my bones - how people had found ways to preserve their humanity, their connections, and their sacred traditions even in the midst of unthinkable cruelty. They'd turned their gathering place into hallowed ground not through grand ceremonies, but through small, precious moments of community and resistance.
"Thank you for sharing this with us," I said softly, meaning it with every fiber of my being. "For trusting us with these memories."
Dre knelt down to touch the earth where the circle was visible in the grass. "You all didn't just survive here," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "You guys created something powerful and sacred in spite of everything you protected each other. Kept your spirits free even when your bodies weren't."
Kota moved to stand beside me. "We shouldn't ask anything of them," she said quietly. "This is their space. It’s been consecrated by their experiences. We have no right to-"
"But that's exactly why they might choose to help," Cami interrupted gently. "The guardians didn't stay to be passive witnesses. They remained to ensure this power would only ever be used for protection and never for harm. That's why they're guardians, not just spirits." She looked at each of us in turn. "They understand better than anyone the importance of standing against those who would abuse power."
I took a deep breath, trying to process everything. "How do we... I mean, what's the proper way to approach them? This needs to be done with absolute respect."
Cami's smile was warm with approval. "We begin with acknowledgment. With listening." She moved to the edge of the circle and began setting out small items from a pouch at her waist. There were dried herbs, a few stones, and a length of raw cotton. "First, we honor those who came before. We recognize their strength, their dignity, and their humanity. Then, if they choose to respond, we listen."
She gestured for us to sit in a smaller circle just outside the larger pattern in the grass. "Take off your shoes," she instructed. "Feel the earth beneath you. This ground holds memories. You need to be ready to receive them with humility and grace."
I slipped off my boots, noticing how the others did the same without hesitation. The grass was cool beneath my feet. I felt their power thrumming through the soil. It was an echo of songs sung in whispers. There were also prayers and unwavering hope passed down through generations.
Cami began to hum softly as she worked, a melody that seemed to rise from the earth itself. The air grew thick with memory and meaning as she prepared to reach out to the guardians who had chosen to remain. They stayed to protect and to transform suffering into something sacred.
As Cami's song drew to a close, the air shifted. The thick Louisiana evening paused like the world was holding its breath. Then, a figure began to take shape and emerge from the very shadows cast by the setting sun. She was an elderly woman. She carried herself with such dignity that 'elderly' seemed an insufficient word. "I am Hannah," she said in a voice rich with wisdom and memory. "We have watched you, daughters of two lines. Watched how you've respected this land and honored its pain while bringing new life."
Others appeared around the circle. Each one carrying their own quiet strength. Thomas had a deep voice that held echoes of the songs he'd used to preserve ancient African magical traditions. Marie had gentle hands that had once moved with the same grace my sister Dre showed in her healing. Joseph had a scholarly bearing that reminded me of Phi. Though his knowledge had been preserved in secret codes hidden within the plantation's very walls.
They shared their stories not with bitterness, but with pride in their resilience. Each tale was a testament to the human spirit's capacity to maintain dignity and culture even in the darkest circumstances. They spoke of hidden rituals, coded messages, and magic disguised as simple songs and stories. They shared how they'd transformed their connection to this land from one of bondage to one of chosen power.
"The circles were here before us," Hannah explained as she gestured to the patterns now glowing softly in the grass. The light cast gentle shadows across her face that highlighted the strength in her features. "But we learned their power and added our knowing to their ancient purpose. They can help contain your crystal, but they will not be the complete answer."
Adèle, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke. " They're meant to work with guardians, " she explained in a mental voice gentler than I'd ever heard it. " To amplify protection freely given, but never forced. They can add a layer of defense to your existing plans, but only if offered willingly. "
The weight of the moment pressed against my chest. These spirits had chosen to remain, to transform their suffering into protection. The least we could do was approach their power with the respect it deserved.
"We would be honored," Dre said carefully, "to accept any help you choose to give. But we want to do this right. To respect your choice and your history."
Hannah's approving nod carried the weight of generations. "Then let us show you how these circles truly work. Not through domination, as the Lost Legends attempt, but through harmony. Through understanding."
Kota squeezed my hand as we prepared to learn from these remarkable guardians. I touched the ground beneath me and opened up to the thrum of the power. The magic wasn’t born from force or control. It came from resilience, community, and the unwavering determination to maintain humanity in the face of inhumanity. I had hoped they could help with our crystal problem. Instead, I was about to learn what true power really meant.
What followed wasn't just a lesson. It was a revelation. The guardians guided us through the proper activation of the circles. Only it was more than that. They showed us visions of the past that made my throat tight with emotion. The crystal's original purpose unfolded before us. It was not created to be the weapon the Lost Legends had tried to make it, but a tool for harmony and connection.
"Look," I breathed as one vision shimmered in the air between us. People from different tribes gathered in peace. They used the crystal's power to bridge understanding rather than force submission. The power had never been meant for control. The Lost Legends had corrupted something beautiful.
"This is where our songs came from," Marie said. "Each voice is distinct and joined in harmony. That's how these circles work best. Different powers work together. Each one adding their bit to strengthen the whole."
Thomas moved around the circle. His presence left trails of light in the air. "The Lost Legends have forgotten this truth," he said gravely. "They seek to dominate all magic and use it to fulfill their desires. But true power comes from working with the natural flow, not against it."
The visions shifted to show more recent history. We watched in awe as the guardians maintained their vigil through decades of change. Thomas continued, “The land's dark history gradually transformed into something else thanks to the work we have done here. We played a huge role in healing the land. First, we lifted the curse. And then we brought those seeking refuge and safety. Everything we have done was to improve the lives of those living on the plantation as well as those who visit.”
"We stayed," Hannah explained, "not because we were bound. But because we chose to ensure this place would never again be used for cruelty. We transformed our pain into purpose and our suffering into strength."
Adèle, who had been prowling the circle's edge, paused. " The circles will respond to that intent, " our familiar said. " They'll add protection to your trap, but only if used in the spirit of their guardians – to prevent harm, to protect freedom, and to maintain balance. "
I wiped tears from my eyes, not bothering to hide them. The strength these spirits showed, the way they'd transformed their connection to this land from one of bondage to one of chosen power, humbled me. They'd taken a place of pain and made it into something else entirely.
"We see what you're trying to do," Hannah said. Her eyes met Lia’s with an understanding that spanned centuries. "How you seek to stop those who would misuse power. We will help. Not because you ask, but because we choose to continue our watch. We want to ensure power is used for protection and never domination."
"Thank you," Lia managed in a voice thick with emotion that matched mine. "We'll honor your trust."
"See that you do," she replied with a slight smile that reminded me startlingly of Dre when she meant business. "Now, let's make sure your plans don't cause even more problems."
Looking at my sisters, at these remarkable guardians who'd chosen to transform their pain into protection, I felt something settle into place. We weren't just fighting to stop the Lost Legends anymore. We were fighting to protect the kind of power that came from choice, from transformation, from turning pain into purpose. Now we just had to make sure we didn't mess it up. No pressure or anything.
The next steps required the kind of precision that made my usual party planning look like child's play. Each guardian took a position and showed us how to channel power in ways that worked with time's natural flow rather than pulling it apart. Their presence transformed the grounds. It also lent a depth to our magic that felt right in a way the Lost Legends' forced control never had.
"Your protective magic," Thomas told me, "is similar to how we guarded our traditions. Not by building walls, but by creating spaces where safety could flourish."
I thought about the symbols Cami had taught us to etch throughout the house. They were protection sigils hidden in plain sight. I had no idea they preserved their culture under the guise of decorative elements. "Like the hidden symbols," I said softly. "Maintaining safety in plain sight."
"Exactly," he smiled. "Power hidden in plain sight is often the strongest."
Beside me, Marie worked with Dre. She was showing her how healing magic could flow through the circles without depleting her as much. "We used the land itself to amplify our remedies," she explained as she guided my sister's hands in a gentle pattern. "Working with its natural energy and embracing it."
The circles began to pulse with a deeper light as we worked. A hum built as each one activated in sequence. The patterns they revealed weren't just beautiful. They were stories written in light. They told tales of resistance, resilience, and transformation.
Ever the scientist, Phi had her detection equipment out. Her eyes were wide with wonder. "The circles," she called out, "are memory banks. They've recorded every major magical event that's happened here. In stunning detail."
With a smile for Phi, Hannah guided us to the central circle. Suddenly, the air was thick with visions. Layers upon layers of magical moments. Ancient ceremonies that predated the plantation. Secret rituals were performed under cover of darkness. And more recent workings were all woven together like threads in a tapestry.
"This is how the crystal was meant to be used," Joseph explained. "Not to control time, but to learn from it. To understand the connections between moments, between people, between choices."
Adèle's tail twitched as she watched us work. " The Lost Legends' fundamental mistake, " she observed, " is thinking power comes from control. True power, as the guardians know, comes from respect, cooperation, and connection freely given. "
My phone buzzed because, apparently, the universe has a sense of humor about timing. "Jasper and Peni’s advance team will be here in three hours," I reported, checking the message. "We need to make sure these circles won't interfere with the party preparations."
Hannah's laugh was rich with centuries of knowing. "Child, we helped host secret celebrations under the very noses of those who would have punished us for gathering. I think we can manage a Fae party."
"Besides," Marie added with a gentle smile, "your trap will work better with our circles supporting it."
The next hour flew by as we learned to layer protections. We also wove our party enchantments through the activated circles in ways that enhanced rather than interfered. When Noah arrived with more supplies, he paused at the edge of our work. He kept a respectful distance from the glowing patterns across the lawn.
"Do I want to know why the grounds are glowing?" he asked when he finally came to stand beside me.
"Just learning how to properly use ancient magical circles from the plantation's guardian spirits," I replied casually. "You know, typical party prep stuff."
His arm slipped around my waist as he smiled. "Of course. Totally normal."
Hannah watched our interaction with knowing eyes. "True love, freely given," she said softly. "Another form of power they'll never understand. Use that, too. It's stronger than any forced connection."
As sunset painted the sky in shades of purple and gold, I felt everything settling into place. The circles hummed with power. For the first time in days, it wasn’t the overwhelming force of the crystal's temporal manipulation.
"Remember," Hannah said as the guardians prepared to step back, and they began to fade with the dying light, "we'll be here during your confrontation. Not to fight your battle for you but to ensure this land's power is used as it should be. For protection and never dominion."
"Thank you," I said one last time, meaning it more than ever. "For everything."
"Child," she smiled as she grew translucent, "thank us by succeeding. Show them what real power looks like. You know, the kind that comes from respect and understanding. And from choosing to transform pain into purpose."
Looking at our preparations, I felt ready for what was coming. The Lost Legends thought they understood power. They were about to learn what real strength looked like. Now we just had to get through the party without accidentally activating any temporal anomalies. Though given our track record, I wasn't holding my breath on that one.
But as I watched the last shimmer of the guardians fade into the gathering dusk, I felt something I hadn't expected. Hope. Not just for stopping the Lost Legends, but for honoring the legacy of those who'd chosen to transform their suffering into protection for future generations. Besides, when you have the blessing of spirits who managed to preserve their humanity and culture against impossible odds, how hard could one potentially reality-altering party really be? Note to self. Stop tempting fate with questions like that. I really needed to work on that habit.