Initiation by Isobel Bird

Author:Isobel Bird
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780061756443
Publisher: HarperCollins

CHAPTER 13

The three friends sat around the table, not saying anything as they looked at the menus. Finally, Cooper put hers down. “I don’t know what either of you have decided about initiation and which covens you’re thinking of joining,” she said, looking particularly hard at Kate. “But I have something to say about it.”

Annie and Kate exchanged glances. They put their menus down and waited for Cooper to continue.

“I still don’t understand exactly why I wasn’t offered initiation,” Cooper said. “But it doesn’t really matter. The point is, I wasn’t. So as I see it, I have three choices. One—I can stop practicing Wicca altogether. Two—I can look for another coven that will have me.” She paused.

“What’s number three?” Annie asked her.

Cooper took a breath. “Three—I can start my own coven.”

Kate and Annie regarded her with surprise. “Start your own coven?” Kate said. “Can you do that?”

Cooper nodded. “There’s no reason you can’t,” she said. “People who live in areas where there are no other Wiccan groups do it all the time. It’s not like you have to buy a franchise or something.”

“You’re really thinking of starting your own coven?” said Annie.

“Yeah, I am,” Cooper answered. “I think I’m ready to be a witch. I know I’m ready. Just because Sophia and the other teachers seem to disagree with me is no reason not to do it. It’s just their opinion. They aren’t the Supreme Court of witchdom or anything; they’re just people.”

“But they have a lot of experience,” Kate said.

Cooper gave her a hard look. “Meaning they must be right about me, is that it?” she asked.

Kate shook her head. “I didn’t say that,” she said carefully. “I’m just saying that maybe they know a little more than we do. If you start your own coven, you’d be on your own.”

“It’s not like I don’t know how to do a circle, or work magic,” countered Cooper. “I’ve been doing it all just fine for a year now.”

“But you need more than one person to have a coven,” Annie said. “Where would you find other witches?”

Cooper looked at Annie and then at Kate. At first her friends just stared back, not understanding. Then Annie realized what Cooper was implying.

“You want us to be in this coven,” she said. “Is that it?”

“Why not?” said Cooper, leaning forward and talking excitedly. “We’ve already been working together for a year. We’re practically a coven anyway. This would just be making it official.”

“But none of us are initiated witches,” said Kate.

“Why is that such a big deal?” Cooper retorted. “Don’t you think we’ve accomplished some great stuff already? Do you think having someone initiate you is going to make you a better witch?”

Kate looked down. “No,” she said. “It wouldn’t make me a better witch. It’s just that—” She hesitated, looking like she didn’t know what to say.

“Just what?” Cooper demanded.

“I think what Kate is trying to say is that while we know initiation won’t make us any better, it is what we’ve all been working toward this past year,” said Annie.

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