Loved (House of Night Other World #1)(32)

“It means that whatever happens tonight we’re all going to be clear-headed,” I said. “That’s why Stark and Rephaim are going to wait up here with you, Damien.”

“To make sure I don’t do something idiotic,” Damien said sadly.

“No. To make sure the circle stays safe,” Stark said—only semilying.

“Hey, I’d rather be down there with Stevie Rae,” Rephaim said. “But I don’t want to distract her.”

“Damien, we have a perfect view up here. If anything goes wonky, we’ll know it and we can warn Z and the circle. I can cover them easily from up here.” He patted the full quiver of arrows strapped to his side.

“Yeah, Stark and I are glad for another set of eyes to watch with us,” Rephaim added.

“And I’ll go down to ground level with the circle,” Darius said. “If you see anything—yell. I’ll get them out.”

“Sounds good.” I turned to Shaylin, taking an instant to admire her adult vampyre tattoo. Hokusai’s Great Wave looked amazing in scarlet. The tattoo was layered, with wave upon wave, giving it the appropriate effect of having an aura. “Shaylin, could you please check each of the five of us out before we cast the circle and set the spell? Our intentions have to be solid. I need to know for sure that we’re all ready.”

“Of course, High Priestess,” she said formally. Then Shaylin studied each of my friends. It didn’t take long. Her skill at reading auras had definitely gotten quicker during the past year. “We all look good. And I do mean me, too. I checked myself out in a mirror before we left the House of Night.” Shaylin paused, sending me a questioning look. I nodded slightly, and she continued. “Damien, your aura is usually like a summer sky—all bright and billowy with stuff that looks like cumulus clouds swirling in it. But right now your sky colors look bruised and thunderstormish.”

“What does that mean?” he asked, sounding uncharacteristically hesitant.

“Nothing awful,” she assured him. “Just that you’re stretching yourself thin. Even if Aphrodite hadn’t had that vision I would be recommending to Zoey that you sit this circle out. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry for telling the truth. It’s okay.” Damien made an effort to smile, which was only a so-so success. “I’ll stay up here with Stark. I do feel tired.”

“I’m going to take care of that when we’re done here. I have an idea,” I said. “An outstanding idea.”

“Great. That’s never gone wrong before,” Aphrodite muttered.

“Be nice,” I said.

“It’s hard to be nice and honest,” she said.

I ignored her.

“Okay, do all of you have your props?”

My four friends nodded. I lifted my hand and felt for the redbird feather Grandma had woven into my hair just before we left. “All right, remember our intention. It’s simple and clear—protection against Neferet. That’s it. That and calling your element are the only things you need to be thinking about down there. Got it?”

“Got it!” they echoed.

I led them down the wide, winding stone stairs that emptied beside the new stone wall surrounding the grotto.

“Oh, for shit’s sake. Look at that. Talk about morons.” Aphrodite pointed at the wall and we all looked closer. Tucked into small cracks and natural niches in the stone were offerings. I saw everything from coins to crystals and beads, and even several votive candles—not lit at the moment.

“Those need to go,” I said. “After we cast the spell and close the circle, let’s throw all of that crap away. And for a while I’m going to have the Sons of Erebus send a Warrior to stand guard twenty-four-seven.”

“Noted, High Priestess,” Darius said. “Shifts will begin at dawn.”

“The last thing we need is for Neferet to feed off idiotic human worship,” Aphrodite said.

I nodded agreement, and thanked Darius, but shoved the general public’s idiocy from my mind. “Focus, everyone. Remember our intent.” Then I moved several yards from the wall to stand in the center of a nice flat section of ground. “All right, circle around me.”

My friends found their directions easily: air–east, fire–south, water–west, earth–north. All circled around me, personifying spirit, in the center. I carefully put down the tall purple ritual candle at my feet. Spirit was always the last element called to the circle, and the first to close the circle. I pulled the box of extra-long wood matches from where I’d snuggled it inside my awesome black bomber jacket (that had wild feminist printed in bold white letters on the back—I love me some Wild Fang!). I closed my eyes and drew three long, deep breaths—in and out, in and out, in and out, while I focused my thoughts on my intent.

Protection against Neferet.

When I felt ready, I opened my eyes and walked directly to where Aphrodite stood at the east side of the circle. I’d written the calling of the elements and the spell itself with a focus on protection. My words and my voice mirrored the power that I was determined to invoke.

“Oh, winds of storm, I call for you. Cast your mighty blessing upon the magick I work here. Air, come forth!” I touched my match to Aphrodite’s yellow candle. It lit instantly, and Aphrodite’s hair lifted, whirling in a gust of wind so wild that had she not covered her candle, it would have gone out. “Air, what is your offering for this spell of protection?”