Read Online Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos-Theo 1 by R. L. Lafevers, Yoko Tanaka - Free Book Online
Book: Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos-Theo 1 by R. L. Lafevers, Yoko Tanaka
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Authors: R. L. Lafevers, Yoko Tanaka
Tags: Fiction, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Magic, Family Life, Occult fiction, Adventure and Adventurers, Great Britain, Egypt, London (England), Antiquities, Good and Evil, Occultism, Blessing and Cursing, Egypt - Antiquities, Museums, London (England) - History - 20th Century, Great Britain - History - Edward VII; 1901-1910, Incantations; Egyptian, Family Life - England
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first time ever, research failed me. Bramwell hadn't a single idea. He wrote quite a lot on how to mummify a cat (something quite a lot of ancient Egyptians used to do) and how to properly mourn a cat (one must shave off one's eyebrows) but nothing on how to exorcise a cat. Which meant I was on my own. No ancient books or scholars from centuries gone by to guide me through this one. I'd have to make something up and hope it worked.
I needed to find a way to use Isis's own regenerative powers (cats do have nine lives, you know) to throw off the curse and grow back her original personality. I had to purify her
and
offer her protection against the powers of evil that coursed through her small furry body. Plus, I had to try to remind her of what her true nature was. A tall order.
I searched through my carpetbag (which I had forgotten to put away the day before. Very careless of me!) and was able to find all the ingredients I needed. I have recorded them below, for posterity, as Father always says.
T HEODOSIA T HROCKMORTON'S R ECIPE
FOR U NDEMONIZING Y OUR C AT
I small square of white linen
I stick of willow Wood, burned at the tip
I small baby tooth from when cat in question Was a kitten (Luckily, I had one of those!)
I small fishbone (to stimulate her senses and remind her of her true nature)
I thimbleful of dried Nepeta cararia, commonly known as catnip (to stimulate her senses even more)
I drop of blood (the spellmaker's, not the cats)
I vessel of pure water
I hippopotamus tusk carved with magic symbols and used in magic ceremonies during the Middle Egyptian Dynasty period (borrowed from the Museum of Legends and antiquities Egyptian ZMagic collection #736)
26 threads—12 white (for purity), 8 green (for the power of growth), 6 red(for rebirth—Isis neededto be rebirthedin a hurry!)
The first thing I did was strip off my gloves. They would be much too clumsy for the fine work required in making the amulet. Next I drew a wedjat eye in the middle of the linen square with the burned end of the willow stick. This would give poor Isis the healing power of Horus and the protection of the fearsome goddess Eye of Ra.
Then I placed the tooth, fishbone, and catnip in the middle of the linen square. I poked my finger with a small needle, then let one drop of blood fall on the small pile. Next, I carefully folded the linen over and over again until it was nothing but a lumpy square. I plaited the twenty-six threads together so that they formed a small collar. After that, I had to poke holes in both ends of the linen pouch with my needle, then thread the collar through the pouch so I could attach it to Isis's neck. The wand and water would be used later, during the ceremony.
But before I could begin the ceremony, I had to find the poor bedeviled cat.
How does one catch a demonic cat, anyway? Let alone hang on to it long enough to remove a curse? Cats are so contrary, even when they aren't possessed by black magic. No sooner do you decide you need to find one than they go into hiding. Of course, if I wanted the cat out of the way, she'd be under my feet, winding herself between my ankles and tripping me.
I spent ages wandering around the cold, cavernous museum looking for Isis. I checked all her favorite places; behind the furnace, in the loading dock where the mice and rats live, in the family room under the wardrobe, and under the display cases in the bird gallery (she likes to pretend she is stalking them). But she was nowhere to be found.
When the museum's various clocks sounded, I counted the chimes; twelve. It was lunchtime! Which meant Isis might be lurking about hoping for dropped bits of sandwich or whatnot. Dolge and Sweeney weren't the neatest of eaters. Neither was Flimp.
I spent the better part of the next hour skulking around like a cat myself. While there was no sign of Isis, I did manage to collect a nice pile of crumbs. In the foyer, under the balcony that Isis seemed to enjoy launching herself off
I needed to find a way to use Isis's own regenerative powers (cats do have nine lives, you know) to throw off the curse and grow back her original personality. I had to purify her
and
offer her protection against the powers of evil that coursed through her small furry body. Plus, I had to try to remind her of what her true nature was. A tall order.
I searched through my carpetbag (which I had forgotten to put away the day before. Very careless of me!) and was able to find all the ingredients I needed. I have recorded them below, for posterity, as Father always says.
T HEODOSIA T HROCKMORTON'S R ECIPE
FOR U NDEMONIZING Y OUR C AT
I small square of white linen
I stick of willow Wood, burned at the tip
I small baby tooth from when cat in question Was a kitten (Luckily, I had one of those!)
I small fishbone (to stimulate her senses and remind her of her true nature)
I thimbleful of dried Nepeta cararia, commonly known as catnip (to stimulate her senses even more)
I drop of blood (the spellmaker's, not the cats)
I vessel of pure water
I hippopotamus tusk carved with magic symbols and used in magic ceremonies during the Middle Egyptian Dynasty period (borrowed from the Museum of Legends and antiquities Egyptian ZMagic collection #736)
26 threads—12 white (for purity), 8 green (for the power of growth), 6 red(for rebirth—Isis neededto be rebirthedin a hurry!)
The first thing I did was strip off my gloves. They would be much too clumsy for the fine work required in making the amulet. Next I drew a wedjat eye in the middle of the linen square with the burned end of the willow stick. This would give poor Isis the healing power of Horus and the protection of the fearsome goddess Eye of Ra.
Then I placed the tooth, fishbone, and catnip in the middle of the linen square. I poked my finger with a small needle, then let one drop of blood fall on the small pile. Next, I carefully folded the linen over and over again until it was nothing but a lumpy square. I plaited the twenty-six threads together so that they formed a small collar. After that, I had to poke holes in both ends of the linen pouch with my needle, then thread the collar through the pouch so I could attach it to Isis's neck. The wand and water would be used later, during the ceremony.
But before I could begin the ceremony, I had to find the poor bedeviled cat.
How does one catch a demonic cat, anyway? Let alone hang on to it long enough to remove a curse? Cats are so contrary, even when they aren't possessed by black magic. No sooner do you decide you need to find one than they go into hiding. Of course, if I wanted the cat out of the way, she'd be under my feet, winding herself between my ankles and tripping me.
I spent ages wandering around the cold, cavernous museum looking for Isis. I checked all her favorite places; behind the furnace, in the loading dock where the mice and rats live, in the family room under the wardrobe, and under the display cases in the bird gallery (she likes to pretend she is stalking them). But she was nowhere to be found.
When the museum's various clocks sounded, I counted the chimes; twelve. It was lunchtime! Which meant Isis might be lurking about hoping for dropped bits of sandwich or whatnot. Dolge and Sweeney weren't the neatest of eaters. Neither was Flimp.
I spent the better part of the next hour skulking around like a cat myself. While there was no sign of Isis, I did manage to collect a nice pile of crumbs. In the foyer, under the balcony that Isis seemed to enjoy launching herself off
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