The Witch of the Western Gate: Dragon's Gift by P. K. Brent Page A

she was also frustrated and annoyed that Cormac never explained to her what he was up to or how McChesney magic worked. As LeRoy had pointed out, she was the resident McChesney and the only one around to deal with the dragons.
    "I'm not supposed to go in there, and I don't have the key anyway," replied Blue.
    "If it's a key you want, I know where that is too!" chirped LeRoy gleefully. "All you need do is promise me you will get rid of that abomination downstairs, and I will give you the key."
    "OK," Blue agreed, figuring the dragon would be better in a few days.
    "I want that dragon out of here! cawed LeRoy"
    LeRoy flapped his wings and turned three times in a circle, clucking oddly as though chanting a spell in birdspeak, then a key on a green brocade necklace appeared around his neck. Blue took the key and climbed the spiral staircase, turned the key, and entered her father's private ritual room that took up the entire fourth floor of the mansion. She gasped in surprise never having imagined anything like it.
    Blue entered an enormous room that took up the entire fourth floor of the mansion. There were a few eyebrow style windows high on the walls. All of these windows were made of uncolored leaded glass, some frosted or wavy and some clear, done in art nouvea style with geometric patterns and the occasional starburst or floral design. There was an altar at the far side of the room, with a black pillar on one side and white on the other, with ribbons of red swirling down. Up until now, Blue had studied only the musty grimoires given to her by Grandma Lily, especially the large black leather bound Workings of the Escarpment Wise Women and the Brown leather bound Wisdom of the Dolestone . Her favorite book was a spellbook titled Healing Arts from the Wise Women the Grey Rocks with its faded moss green cover and burgundy title. These witch spellbooks required only a circle be made, from imagination, though a real circle from salt was also an option. Nothing so fancy as pillars and an altar were required.
    "What do you think this is for, LeRoy?" asked Blue, pointing to a large triangle inscribed in the floor of the ritual room. Blue was standing in the triangle. In front of her, just before the altar, a circle was also inscribed. Both the triangle and the circle were inscribed with strands of metal pounded into the floor -- gold, silver, iron, copper, and tin. Inside the circle, and as large as it, was a five pointed star inscribed with the same metal. Blue knew intuitively that the five fingers on the hand, depicted on the cover of the McChesney Ritual Book corresponded to the five points of the star inscribed on the floor, which correspond to the four alchemical elements of fire, water, air, earth -- plus spirit.
    "If you'd been properly educated in magical arts, you would know that the magus stands within the circle and summons demons or other noncorporeal entitites into the triangle where they are bound to his will and can do him no harm," replied LeRoy.
    "Oh," Blue replied. Witches never summoned or bound other beings, so didn't use a triangle. Though she had heard Grandma Lily instructing Stella on something similar to do with ghosts. Blue was doubtful that such a technique really was necessary. How powerful could noncorporeal beings really be?
    "What is that odd symbol in the very middle? It looks to be sunk into the floor." Blue was pointing to a white glass tile, outlined in black, that had white and red intersecting squares inside.
    "That is the tessera," replied LeRoy. It is actually a glass cube, with a magical symbol inscribed on each of its six sides. Since it's sunk into the floor, you can only see the top symbol. The magus turns it to display the symbol most associated with the ritual to be performed. Also, it's glass, not tile. It's made with layers of glass and foils to make it translucent."
    "It's very beautiful. The workmanship is exquisite!"
    "Yes, beautiful and useful. It also opens the Western Gate and