Betrayed

'Good,' I said. 'Then I call earth to the circle, and ask that you guard us with the strength of stone and the richness of wheat-filled fields. Come to me, earth!' I lit the green candle and was washed in the scents of a meadow—surrounded by birdsong and flowers.

'It's just so cool!' Stevie Rae said.

'So is that.' Erik's voice surprised me and when I looked at him he pointed to the circle. Confused, I followed his hand to see a beautiful silver thread of light connecting each of my four friends—the four personifications of the elements—and making a boundary of power within the candles that had already lit the circumference.

'Like it was for us alone, only it's stronger now.' Stevie Rae whispered the words, but I could tell by Erik's startled look that he'd heard her. Guess I'd have some explaining to do later, but now was definitely not the time to worry about that.

I moved quickly back to Nyx's table at the center of the circle to complete the casting. I faced the purple candle that sat on the table.

'Finally, I call spirit to our circle and ask that you join us bringing insight and truth with you, so that the Dark Daughters and Sons may be guarded by integrity. Come to me, spirit!' I lit the candle. It blazed even brighter than Shaunee's, and the space around me was filled with the scents and sounds of all of the other four elements. They filled me, too, making me feel strong, calming and steadying me, even as they energized me. With steady hands I took up the braided length of eucalyptus and sage. I lit it with the spirit candle, let it burn for a little while, and then blew it out so that the fragrant smoke billowed in waves around me. Then I faced the circle and began my speech. I had been worried about what I was going to say since Neferet had showed up and literally stolen the biggest part of what I'd planned to talk about. But now, in the middle of the circle I'd cast, filled with the power of all five of the elements, my confidence had been restored as I hastily reworded lines in my head.

I wafted the braided smudge stick around me as I walked the circle, meeting kids' eyes and trying to make everyone feel wel­come.

'Tonight I wanted to change things from the type of incense burned, to the abuse of our classmates.' I spoke slowly, letting my words and the smoke they mingled with soak into the listening group. They all knew that under the leadership of Aphrodite the incense used during Dark Daughters' rituals had been heavily laced with pot, just as well as they knew that Aphrodite had loved bleeding some poor kid they called 'refrigerator' and 'snack bar' and mixing his or her blood into the wine everyone sipped. Nei­ther was going to happen again as long as I had anything to do with it. 'I chose to burn eucalyptus and sage tonight for the properties the herbs contain. For centuries eucalyptus has been used by the American Indians for healing, protection, and purifi­cation, just as they used white sage to drive out negative spirits, energies, and influences. Tonight I ask the five elements to em­power these herbs and magnify their energy.'

Suddenly the air around me moved, drawing the smoke from the smudge braid with it in curls and wisps, carrying it through­out the circle as if a giant's hand was wafting through the air cur­rents. The fledglings in the circle murmured in awe, and I sent a grateful, silent prayer to Nyx, thanking her for allowing my power over the elements to manifest so clearly.

When the circle quieted again I continued. 'The full moon is a magical time when the veil between the known and the un­known is thin, and can even be lifted. That is mysterious and wonderful, but tonight I want to focus on another aspect of the full moon—that it is an excellent time to complete, or end, things. What I want to end tonight is the old negative reputation of the Dark Daughters and Sons. As of this full moon night that part of us has ended, and a new time has begun.'

I kept walking, moving around the circle in a clockwise direc­tion. Choosing my words carefully, I said, 'From here on the Dark Daughters and Sons will be a group filled with integrity and purpose, and I believe the fledglings Nyx chose to gift with ele­mental affinities represent the ideals of our new group well.' I smiled at Damien. 'My friend Damien is the most authentic per­son I know, even when being true to himself has been a hard thing to be. He represents air well.' The wind around Damien picked up as he smiled shyly at me.

I turned to Shaunee next. 'My friend Shaunee is the most faith­ful person I know. If she's on your side, she's there whether you're right or wrong—and if you're wrong she'll tell you about yourself, but she won't desert you. She represents fire well.' Shaunee's mocha skin glistened as her body glowed, unburned but alight with flame.

I went to Erin. 'My friend Erin's beauty sometimes fools people into thinking she has great hair, but no brains. It's not true. She is one of the wisest people I know, and Nyx proved that she looks to the interior when she chose Erin. She represents water well.' As I walked past her I could hear the sound of waves crashing on a shore.

I stopped in front of Stevie Rae. She was looking tired, with dark circles bruising the otherwise pale skin under her eyes, which made sense. Obviously, she'd been worrying too much about me—as usual. 'My friend Stevie Rae always knows when I'm happy or sad, stressed or relaxed. She worries about me; she worries about all of her friends, sometimes she is too empathetic, and I'm glad that now she has the earth she can draw strength from. She represents earth well.'

I grinned at Stevie Rae, and she smiled back at me, blinking fast so that she wouldn't cry. Then I walked to the center of the circle where I put down the smudge braid and picked up the purple candle. 'I'm not perfect, and I'm not going to pretend to be. What I promise you is that I sincerely want what is best for the Dark Daughters and Sons, and for all of the fledglings at the House of Night.' I was getting ready to say that I hoped I would represent spirit well when Erik's voice rang across the circle.

'She represents spirit well!' My four friends agreed loudly, and I was pleased (and more than a little surprised) to hear several other fledglings chime in with them.

CHAPTER 22

When I started talking again everyone instantly quieted down. 'Each of you who believes you can uphold the ideals of the Dark Daughters and Sons, and will try your best to be authentic, faith­ful, wise, empathetic, and sincere—you may continue your membership in this group. But I want you to know that there will be new fledglings joining us, and they won't be judged on the way they look or who their best friends are. Make your deci­sion, and see me or any of the other Prefects and let us know if you want to stay with the group.' I caught the eyes of some of Aphrodite's old buddies and added, 'We won't hold the past against you. It's how you act from here on that counts.' A couple of the girls looked guiltily away from me, and a few more looked like they were trying hard not to cry. I was especially glad to see Deino meet my gaze steadily and nod somberly—maybe she wasn't so 'terrible' after all.

I put down the purple candle and picked up the big ceremo­nial goblet I'd filled earlier with sweet red wine. 'And now let's drink in celebration of a full moon, and an end that leads to a new beginning.' As I worked my way around the circle offering the wine to each fledgling, I recited a Full Moon Ritual prayer I'd found in the old Mystical Rites of the Crystal Moon by Fiona, the Vampyre Poet Laureate of the early 1800s.

'Airy light of the moon

Mystery of the deep earth

Power of the flowing water

Warmth of the burning flame

In Nyx's name we call to thee!'

I focused on the words to the beautiful old poem, and sin­cerely hoped that tonight actually would be the beginning of something special.

'Healing of ills

Righting of wrongs

Cleansing of impurity

Desiring of truths

In Nyx's name we call to thee!'

I moved quickly around the circle, and was happy that the ma­jority of the kids smiled at me and murmured 'Blessed be' after they sipped from the goblet. Guess no one minded that tonight's wine was absent the blood of a bullied fledgling. (I refused to think about how much I would have loved the taste of fledgling blood mixed with the wine.)