Pagan Eyes:Declaration

By Rayna Noire

Declaration is book three in the Pagan Eyes series.

Ethan finds himself trapped between the world he knows and the world that could be. A sadistic bully, an unsympathetic principal, and an unreachable
love interest make high school difficult for Ethan. He feels like he’s living a lie, trying to blend in at school in an effort to keep his head attached to his body.

Fear that he’s not the son his father wants negates the support his Wiccan family offers. An impromptu trip into the future saves him from an enraged bully
while instilling doubts about where he really belongs. Somehow, he has to find a way to survive in his own world tossing aside his mask and doubts.

This coming of age novel takes the reader through time into the future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rayna Noire
• Release date: Aug 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311234476

Rayna Noire

Rayna Noire is an author and a historian. The desire to uncover the truth behind the original fear of witches led her to the surprising discovery that people believed in magick in some form up to 150 years ago. A world that believed the impossible could happen and often did must have been amazing. With this in mind, Ms. Noire taps into this dimension, shapes it into stories about Pagan families who really aren’t that different from most people. They do go on the occasional time travel adventures and magick happens.

Book preview

Chapter One

Ethan hid in a dark doorway, panting, while he considered his options. No way Caulb and his felons in training would give up once they figured out he outsmarted them. Shouts echoing in the cavernous hallway alerted him. Danger was closer than he’d thought. Great. Weren’t schools supposed to be crawling with staff members looking out for the welfare of the students? Yeah, right. Too bad, he’d left his cell phone in Leah’s car. Not that it would have done him much good since the school used a dampener to keep students from texting in class.

If high schools were a theme park, then tenth grade was the roller coaster. It started uneventfully. The most stressful part had been fending off all the teachers, who wanted to redirect him to the middle school, assuming, since he was shorter than a good portion of the girls, he wasn’t old enough for high school.

The voices veered off to the left, down the science corridor. A window of opportunity opened up. Ethan shot up the hallway to the gym, where the wrestling team practiced earlier. His father had nagged him to try out for the wrestling team. Even the coach asked him to give it a go, because they needed someone in his weight class. Most of his matches would forfeit due to not having anyone in his class or he’d end up wrestling a girl, the coach said. No thanks. He already had enough things to be teased about.

The dimly lit hallway stretched as if it were endless. Maybe this was a dream and he’d wake up soon. Caulb’s voice filtered down the hallway. His bass timber was menacing enough without the eerie quality of it bouncing off the metal lockers and taking on an almost mechanical quality. Caulb was a deadly droid, on the mission of annihilating anyone who didn’t conform to his standards. Unfortunately, no tip sheet existed to specify what his standards were. All Ethan knew was, he didn’t meet them.

The gym doors came into view. Sanctuary. He swung the door open with a gasp, unsure what he was going to say. All he had to do was stick close to the coach. Maybe he could say he needed to use the phone to call home. His eyes darted around the empty gym. Where was everyone? An image of the wrestlers in their spandex suits came to mind. They were dressed in their team apparel when he’d seen them earlier, which meant they were probably at an away meet, and why no one was in the gym. The lights illuminated the wooden floor and abandoned mats.

He took a few steps into the gym, stopped, and turned slowly, seeing no sign of following bullies, or an almost friend who stabbed him in the back. His lips pulled down into a frown, remembering the different expectations he’d had for the night, much different. The choir teacher, Mr. Zimmer, asked him and Brendon to practice for Saturday’s choral competition. The man was almost giddy at the prospect of the two of them taking gold. Washington Heights’ reputation didn’t involve any of the arts. The saying about the school of hard knocks must have originated with Washington Heights. There might be an adult inside. His hand was on the locker room door when he heard Caulb.

Look, the little faggot is heading for the boys locker room. No surprise.

Ethan’s blood froze in his veins, paralyzing him. No telling what would happen to him with Caulb and his crew. Mr. Zimmer had left in a rush when he received a call from his very pregnant wife. A janitor should be around, but none in sight, and no telling when he would get there if he screamed for help. Ethan couldn’t even count on the non-existent janitor’s help. With his luck, he’d probably be the father of one of the four boys approaching him.

Caulb taunted, while flexing his oversized arms. His arms belonged on an Olympic weightlifter on steroids. The football team would have benefitted from his brawn, but he, unfortunately, would have to pass a few subjects to qualify.

Look at the little queer. Too scared to move. Probably pissed his pants.

His small group of bullies in training laughed hysterically. Of course they laughed. Their only goal was to keep Caulb from turning on them. Brendon trailed them, looking apologetic and lost. Well, at least his almost friend wasn’t going to end up beaten to a pulp.

Caulb fisted his hand and pounded it into his opposing hand as he came closer. As a threatening gesture, it worked. The only thing Ethan had going for him was his intelligence.

Time’s up, gay wad. Don’t even know what a dick is for.

In a moment of calculated bravado, he used the gossip he’d overheard about the bully’s mother. That’s not what your momma said last night.

The other boys snickered, as Caulb turned red. He ran straight at Ethan with death in his eyes. It wasn’t hard to guess whose death it was going to be either. Ethan waited until the last minute, dropped, and rolled away from the charging bully. Gaining his feet, he rushed out the door, listening to Caulb curse after punching his fist into the steel locker room door. An outraged bellow sped his flight toward the exterior door. The sound of running in all directions indicating his posse was scattering for safety. It was hard to say whom the enraged bully would turn on.

All he needed to do was outpace the rest of them, similar to outrunning a lion on the savanna. The slowest antelope would be the one caught. It wouldn’t be him today. Part of Ethan hoped it wouldn’t be Brendon. Hitting the door bar, he burst out of the school at full speed. The setting sun gilded everything with golden light.

The glowing sight stopped him in his tracks. His nightmare scenario should be composed of deep darkness with flashes of red. Instead, everything outside the school was normal. The grunts of the football team practicing reached his ears, along with the sound of a reedy soprano singing about returning to the Goddess. He recognized that voice. Leah, his sister, sat in her vintage compact car singing along with the music. Of course, she was supposed to pick him up. Rescue.

He startled when one of the exterior doors opened, it only took him five strides to reach the car and pull the door open.

"Go, go now. Burn rubber." He slumped down in his seat as if his personal bogeyman might start peppering the car with machine gun fire.

Leah, not understanding his need for speed, after checking her rearview mirror, pulled leisurely away from the curb. Instead of flooring it, she felt the need to question his actions.

What’s your problem? Why did you feel the need to come tearing out of the building as if it was on fire?

Ethan inched up enough to check the mirror himself. Yep, they stood in the street watching the car leave. Thank the Goddess none of them possessed a license, although that small legality wouldn’t have stopped them if they had a car to drive. What if they followed him home?

Leah, let’s not go straight home. Ethan tried to think of some reason that might appear reasonable to his suspicious older sister. We could stop for ice cream.

She braked for the red light and gave him an odd look. Oh great, he had forgotten about her lactose intolerance.

He tried again. I have a library book that’s overdue. We need to go to the library.

Leah continued to make all the appropriate turns toward home. A quick glance assured him Caulb and his gang was not following on foot or using a ‘borrowed’ vehicle. Thank the Lord and Lady for that.

His sister’s hand landed on his arm and squeezed hard. Tell me, what’s going on? You were happy when I dropped you off earlier. You had on so much cologne I practically choked. You were excited about seeing your new friend. Her voice emphasized the word friend in a playful fashion.

Being read so easily was embarrassing. Leah and Nana were the two people he was closest to in his family. Nora was ten years older than him, which always made her seem grown up and distant in his eyes. His grandpa had disappeared into the past for the first ten years of his life. His mother loved him, but her entry into nursing school had made her too busy to spend much time with him.

As the only boy, she probably expected him to spend more time with his dad, the man who seemed continually disappointed in him. He never said it, but Ethan could tell. The best they managed was watching television shows filled with explosions, car chases, and barely dressed women. It was hard to swallow his urge to ask if something else was on. That would only cause his father to give him a baffled look. Only Leah never expected anything from him.

Leah might call him an annoying little brother, but he was still her little brother. He remembered when he was ten and came home with a black eye. Leah hunted down the culprit and had a talk. ‘Just a talk’ was as much as she’d confessed after the fact.

Then there was Nana, his grandmother, the resident clairvoyant you had no secrets from, but she usually kept them to herself. Could be that Leah could give him some advice on how to handle the situation. He couldn’t exactly bring it up with his father. It would be just another way he failed as the only son.

Yeah, that friend, I thought I had. Stabbed me in the back. A regular Brutus. For Pete’s sake, Brendon enjoys the opera. How long does he think it will be before Caulb comes after him too? He’s only a tool.

Leah snorted her response as she cruised through the intersection. Hmm, not exactly what you expected when I dropped you off.

Talk about an understatement. When Brendon showed up the second week of school, something inside Ethan shifted, bringing his life into focus. Suddenly, all the uncertainties about what he wanted fell away. Mr. Zimmer paired the two of them together for a duet. Brendon’s rich baritone blended well with Ethan’s tenor. Rather like the two of them blended.

I thought Brendon and I were developing a friendship. We had so much in common. His mind shifted back to the moment he saw the grinning face of his nemesis before the lights went out in the hallway outside the soundproof practice room, courtesy of Brendon. At the time, he couldn’t believe his recently made friend would resort to such a stunt until Caulb entered. Brendon had directed the thug to his location without hesitation.

His only alternative was to not be where he was. Silently, he climbed on top of the upright piano and slid down the other side, making his way out of the room, while Caulb and his buddies slammed around in the corner where he had been moments earlier.

Leah turned the car into their neighborhood. So, your friend, Brendon did what to stab you in the back?

What did he do? Besides turning him over to the one person who was intent on cracking his skull, open like an egg. His simple action, not only allowed Caulb the opportunity to pulverize him, but it also made him doubt everything he thought he knew. How could he explain the life he thought he had, did not exist?

I thought he was my friend. I thought he liked me. I thought we were close and clicked on a deeper level, but obviously, I was wrong. I must have been wrong. Why would he team up with that redneck Caulb to run me down like a hen in the chicken yard?

Leah’s nostrils flared, as her hands tighten on the steering wheel. Someone needs to do something about Caulb and his bully friends. Doesn’t your school have a no bullying policy?

Ethan normally didn’t have a problem with bullies since he was a likable person. In grade school, he entertained his classmates with his clever wit and a few simple magic tricks. Middle school was more of the same, especially since he hung with so many of the popular girls. The male students wanted to be his friend to get closer to the girls. One of the reasons he had so many female friends was because he understood them. They often shared similar interests.

Bully policy, Ha! He snorted his disdain. They plastered a few posters in the hall. The captain of the academic bowl ended up, slammed against one of those posters. Not exactly the result the administration expected.

Leah flicked on the blinker as she turned into the driveway. I don’t like this. Something needs to be done. I think you need to tell Mom and Dad. They could go talk to your principal.

The image of Caulb slamming him to the ground to extract retribution from whatever punishment the school deemed appropriate made him shudder. Most likely, they’d do nothing. Throw up their hands and declare it was a case of one student’s word against the other. All he’d have is an even bigger target on his back. No! Please don’t tell them.

He must have shouted the words. Leah’s head whipped around so fast she almost hit the garage until he yelped at her to watch out. The car jerked as she slammed on the brakes. They both sighed in relief as the car shuddered to a stop mere inches from the aluminum door.

Spearing one hand through her long hair, Leah half mumbled to herself. Glad no one parked in the driveway today.

The lack of cars meant he’d forgo all the questions about his day. His grandfather would ask him what three new things he learned that day. Sometimes, it was hard to think of three things to tell him. Sometimes, it made him wonder if he was even learning anything at school. What was the use of attending? Every day presented an opportunity to have an oversized menace pursue him as if he was a mouse in a maze. Maybe he was part of some bizarre social experiment.

His sister shifted the car into park and removed the keys. She had her hand on the door when a look crossed her face as if she saw something wonderful. I’ve got it. A different school for you. That’s it.

The idea appealed to him. It would be nice to go somewhere free of Caulb. His spirits perked up a bit. He straightened up, thinking what it would be like to go to school without fear, to not have to choose his path through the school to avoid isolated hallways and dark corners. Nana managed to confuse the issue at registration, so he didn’t have physical education, but that wouldn’t last long. The curriculum required all students to have PE to be well-rounded individuals. That would be amazing.

Leah turned in her seat toward him, her face animated. Just think no bullies. Maybe you could find a school where you could pursue an area of interest. What do you think you’d like to do?

The spark of possibility grew in his chest, sending out streamers of energy to the rest of his body. He would have a chance to pursue something he wanted to do, instead of trying to follow everyone else’s plan for his life. It was hard; forcing his square peg personality into the round hole life allotted him. What would he like to do?

An opportunity to choose, it almost overwhelmed him. There’s the theatre, art, choir. I like science, especially environmental science. English lit.

A snort of laughter interrupted his recital. Leah gave his shoulder a slight shove. You, English, I wasn’t even sure you knew how to read.

Grinning, he shoved her back. Ha-ha, you should be a comedian. I’ve been reading a great deal lately. You don’t know everything about me.

Leah’s smile flickered, and then went out. I know more than you might think.

Damn, he kept forgetting about his sister’s ability to read people. Her skill had shown itself when she tumbled back in time. She confided it was unreliable at best in the present, showing her people’s thoughts, she would rather not know, while keeping mum on others. The family assumed her skill would last as long as she needed it, but Leah had never mentioned, if it had left totally, which made him wonder.

At school, he’d been very careful to keep his doubts and questions private. At times, he wondered what was wrong with him, since he was unlike the other boys, consumed with sports and violence. He instead enjoyed helping Nana grow seeds and nurture plants.

By the age of ten, other boys were starting to notice the prettiest girls. He already knew the girls because they were his friends. He admired their beautiful, shiny long hair. His goal wasn’t to touch their hair, but have his hair look as gorgeous. What was wrong with wanting to be clean and well groomed, even if it didn’t rank up there with being tall and muscular? A school change could land him in a place where he’d meet others with similar interests.

It was possible. Once a year, his family journeyed across the state to attend a Pagan Pride Day gathering. His father insisted the festival couldn’t be in their state since he might lose his job if his employer found out. During the day, Nana set up her fortune telling shop and mother assisted her. He was free to roam the grounds, taking in energy raising workshops, drumming with the drum circle, and participating in the rituals. He had stumbled across one group that consisted of young men. Their smooth, beardless faces and open expressions convinced him, they were near his age.

The five were sitting cross-legged on a patchwork quilt, passing around food. They invited him to come join them. Unsure, he sat hesitantly. While he usually got along with most people, he learned to avoid groups of males without the softening influences of nearby females. Males, in general, had weird bonding rituals that consisted of insulting each other, bumping bellies, punching, and hitting. He was never quite sure where the bonding ended and harassment began.

An air of ease and acceptance had shown in their faces. One boy had indicated an empty spot beside him, gesturing with a loaf of bread. Ethan had gazed at the empty spot, wanting to belong, if only for a day. Reinventing himself constantly was hard, or keeping his mouth shut on controversial topics in an effort to belong. He followed his family’s lead of keeping their beliefs close. Well, make that all except Nana, who didn’t care what people thought. Most were either frightened or too fascinated by her to cross the outspoken woman.

A boy with slipping glasses looked up at him, as he pushed the heavy frames back up his nose. A thought took form in Ethan’s head.

Be at peace, none will harm you here.

He knew without being told the thought was not his own. Who knew there were so many telepaths? He nodded once at the telepath, before sliding into the empty space. That had been the start of the perfect afternoon.

The five boys included David, Kev, Orin, Sean, and Forrest. Orin was the boy with the glasses. He didn’t speak much. Apparently, he didn’t have to. A few were Wiccan followers, another Druid, still another Shamanic in his faith. Orin smiled at him.

I am Kemetic. I worship the ancient Egyptian deities. People also refer to me as being non-verbal as if I were incapable of hearing or understanding.

Ethan nodded his head to indicate his acknowledgement, but then he decided to try to form a thought in his head.

Orin, he started the thought as if it might go astray and enter the minds of the other four. I know what it’s like to be treated as if either you’re not there or incapable of understanding.

That’s how the afternoon started, as he conversed audibly with the other four throughout the day, learning they were from nearby towns. Sean and Forrest were a couple. After hearing that information, his eyes dropped to where their fingers entwined on the blanket. A yearning washed over him, so fierce, he closed his eyes. How wonderful it must be to belong to someone. To have one person know him with all his idiosyncrasies and eclectic tastes and still like him because of it, as opposed to disliking him, must be wonderful.

I always thought it would be. Orin touched his nose indicating the thought was his.

It wasn’t as if anyone else was sending him thoughts. He believed not only Leah, but his Nana and Grandfather could all read minds. They had an uncanny way of knowing things, but not once did their thoughts ever enter his mind the way Orin’s did. Why was that?

Orin, why do you not speak?

Orin cocked one eyebrow playfully and smiled before replying. At first, I had no reason to speak. My parents were so overjoyed to have a child they met my every wish before I could utter a cry. After a while, I grew used to not speaking. Then I discovered I could choose whom I wanted to communicate with by touching their minds.

How did Orin manage to escape the school without bullies? They always seemed to seek out the different.

Answering his thought, Orin jumped to his feet, towering over Ethan. He flexed his arm to display a sizable bicep. He resumed his seat a little closer.

Not so weak, not so small, either. My parents homeschooled me until I was ten. I took karate too. My father was downsized, which meant my mother had to work. My first day in school was fifth grade. Because I was ‘special’, Orin paused to make air quotes. My teachers watched me like a hawk to make sure I wasn’t ridiculed.

Would it have been better to be protected as opposed to scratch out an existence in the public system as he had? No one bullied you?

His new friend removed his glasses and used them to gesture. I didn’t say that. In fact, the teachers’ protectiveness made me more of a challenge. Two boys cornered me in the restroom the first day.