It was just their voices. Apparently Mom can summon them whenever she really needs them but that time they just wanted to say hello, I guess."
"So she's going to summon them to help us?"
"I guess so. She hasn't really told me what she's doing yet. I know about as much as you do."
The girls were quiet as they watched Moira light the white candles that surrounded the large ornate book which sat in the middle of a simple tall white table in the centre of the room. She then lit a number of carefully placed incense sticks around the basement. The light switch was flicked off and they sat in the dark candlelit room and listened to Moira and Ruby as they whispered the words of the spell that would summon the help of their ancestors.
"In this sacred space and time
We call now the Old Ones from our family
Those long passed and always cherished
We call upon you to show yourselves before us."
"Why doesn't it rhyme? I thought spells always had to rhyme?" whispered Lilly.
"Shhh, my dear girls. We need silence for the spell to work," shushed Ruby, but before they continued their chanting, she added, "You've been reading far too many fairy tales. Spells have very rarely had to rhyme. That's just for the enjoyment of children," she winked.
The two women continued their chanting as Lilly and December remained quiet, watching and listening as the atmosphere became calm and inviting and the scents of the incense wafted throughout their eerily calm surroundings, waiting for something to happen.
"In this sacred space and time
We call now the Old Ones from our family
Those long passed and always cherished
We call upon you to show yourselves before us."
A few minutes later, the sounds of whispering could be heard. It was a sound December recognised instantly and she smiled and squeezed Lilly's hand while her other hand continued to grasp hold of the green quartz.
The whispered sounds became louder until they were more easily recognisable.
"Ruby, Moira, December.... and another not of our family... Lillian... welcome.
It is rare we are summoned in the presence of another, yet we can feel you are equal to one of our family. It is our pleasure to meet you.
Our names are Constance, Fidelia, Genevieve, Theodosia, Millicent, Ethel, Perpetua, Valeria, Evelyn..."
"My dear ancestors, we cast the spell for you to show yourselves. Would you mind?" said Ruby matter of factly.
A woman with a mass of red curls appeared out of nowhere. She wore a simple loosely fitting brown tunic which was clearly from a long gone era.
"Ruby, I know I am the one you seek. The others are not needed on this day."
"Millicent?" asked December who now stood directly in front of the strange woman.
"Aye, December, I am Millicent. I believe we have a strong bond."
Both Ruby and Moira stood speechless, while Lilly continued to sit on the bed, eager to learn more.
"Yes, I believe we do too!" she squealed. "But we thought perhaps I was you, reincarnated."
Millicent chuckled. "Why, my dying words perhaps reflected that, but no. We are alike you and I. We share the very same gifts. One of which is why you have summoned me here today, I believe."
December nodded while her mother stepped forward.
"Hello Millicent. Thank you so much for coming when we called. I had hoped you would be the one to help us but I wasn't entirely sure, which is why I summoned you all."
"My dear Moira. I am always most happy to help you, and any of our kind, for that matter. How wonderful it must be to live in this place and time when we are not burnt at the stake or drowned in the river."
All the girls nodded in agreement as they watched the petite spirit hover a few inches from the ground.
"I do believe that book over there has one more spell that could be of great use to us in this endeavour to find your Lost Soul," she said pointing to the spell book that sat amidst the slow burning candles. As she spoke, the pages flipped over, finally stopping as Millicent let out a