Stark was by my side as I walked into the circle. “You good?” he asked, throwing a look at James.
“I’m great,” I assured him. “Which you already know because you can feel what I feel, but thanks for asking.”
“Always,” he said. “Where do you want Rephaim and me?”
Rephaim left Stevie Rae’s northern earth position and joined us in the center of the circle.
“I think you should stay here in the spirit position. I’m going to call the elements and cast the circle—and then try to get them to open the portal, there at the tree.”
“Tree?” Rephaim asked, throwing a look at the mound of splintered trunk that had sprouted a few saplings this past year, but looked mostly dead right now.
I nodded. “It’s a source of power. I know it doesn’t look like it, but it’s been cleansed and healed—and it already has new growth shooting up from it. I think it’s perfect for what we need.”
“Whatever you say, Z,” said Rephaim.
“We’ll be ready. Just let us know what you need,” said Stark.
“Be ready to run through the portal. I have zero clue how long it’ll stay open.” I raised my voice so that my circle could hear. “This casting is going to be unusual. I’m going to focus on the power of each element, so you’ll probably notice a difference when your element responds—or let’s hope you notice a difference. Then I’ll cast a spell that is meant to have the elements literally use their power to tear an opening between our two worlds. I don’t know how long that’ll hold, and I expect some chaos. But be ready to go through the portal fast. Okay?”
They nodded and murmured their assent.
I gazed around at the watching fledglings and realized that all the House of Night cats had joined them. I grinned at my fat orange tabby, Nala, who sat and groomed herself beside Skylar, whose size made Nala look miniature. I pitched my voice even louder so the fledglings could hear.
“Intent is key to a successful spell. I ask every fledgling here to join my circle in intention. We go to the Other World to keep the balance of Light and Darkness in check—and we do so with love, always love.”
I felt their concentration and their support as I approached Damien in the east and used his match to light his yellow candle. I called air with words I had never before used.
“Air! I call the strength of tornados to our circle tonight! Come, mighty wind, we have need of you!” I touched the match to Damien’s candle and was amazed that it remained lit as I found myself standing in the middle of a whirling funnel that lifted my hair and battered against my clothing. Damien’s smile was fierce.
“We’re going to do this,” he said over the roar of wind.
And suddenly, I had no doubt that he was right. I walked quickly clockwise to where Aphrodite stood clutching the red fire candle. I lit the match she offered me and said, “Fire! I call a forest blaze to our circle—wild and unstoppable! Come, great flame, we have need of you!”
I didn’t have to touch the match to the candle. It was like Aphrodite was holding a flamethrower as fire shot from the wick to rise up above our heads.
“Are you okay?” I asked Aphrodite quickly.
“Never better! Go, Z. Let’s get this thing done.” Gripping the candle with both hands and standing with her feet planted and her hair lifting around her, she looked like Wonder Woman.
I jogged to Kacie and her blue candle. Her cheeks were bright pink, but she looked focused and determined. I lit the match and invoked her element.
“Water! I call tidal waves and typhoons and the rage of white-water rapids! Come, fierce flood, we have need of you!”
The force of a whirlpool swirled around my legs and battered against my body and the flame on the water candle burned bright blue.
“Hell, yes!” Kacie shouted, fist-pumping.
I shared a quick grin with her before I sprinted to Stevie Rae. She held her green candle up and nodded encouragingly at me.
“Earth! I call the force of a quake—a power that can reduce even the tallest, strongest buildings to dust! Come, indomitable earth! We have need of you!”
As the green candle lit, the ground around us vibrated, shaking with so much power that I had to plant my feet wide so that I didn’t fall.
“That’s right, earth! Show ’em!” Stevie Rae said.
I turned and, stumbling a little, rushed back to the center of my circle where Stark and Rephaim stood, eyes wide.
Stark handed me my purple spirit candle and said, “Look, Z! Look!”
I followed his gaze to see that the glowing thread that held our circle together looked like a living rainbow as it held each of the four colors of the elements.
“All right! Get ready!” I yelled over the ferocious elements that were building and building around my four friends. Rephaim gave me a match, which I lit and as I touched it to the wick I said, “Spirit! I call the infinite might of joy and love! Come, strength of courage and unbreakable will! We have need of you tonight!”
I’d never felt anything like the electric emotions that poured into and through me. I felt as if I could do anything as I whirled around and faced north where Stevie Rae stood on quaking ground in front of the giant oak that had once been a splintered, blackened mess, but was now a place of rebirth, alive with new growth. I stopped in front
