Loved (House of Night Other World #1)(98)

Darius snorted and mumbled something under his breath.

“See,” Kevin whispered to me. “He’s totally worried.”

I shook my head at him and almost slipped down a step. Kevin took my hand and steadied me, and then he didn’t give it back.

I didn’t mind. At all.

We didn’t talk much as we worked to ready the space. It was harder than it had been the first time. We were dealing with snow that in some places had drifted to our knees. We were also moving through a myriad of emotions—fear, anticipation, worry—and all the while I kept reminding my circle to focus on our intent. We took our places. I was concentrating super hard, trying to remember exactly what words I’d used in what order to invoke the elements—and feeling relieved that I hadn’t made up some elaborate craziness that I’d never remember.

When we were ready, I called Other Kevin into the center of the circle with me.

“This is going to be like what we did in Nyx’s Temple, only I’m going to be using different words and each of them is going to give me something. It’s going to be weird, because we’re working backwards. I’ve never called elements this way, or cast a circle like this. I’m not sure it’s going to work.”

Kevin’s gaze was full of confidence. “I’m sure. One hundred percent. This is going to be easy. The hard part was the first time. Now, you know what you’re doing.”

“That’s a real good way to look at it,” Stevie Rae said, dimpling at him.

“Thank you.”

Kevin looked super pleased with himself, and I suddenly realized that my friends liked him. Really liked him.

And I had to struggle not to burst into tears.

“Okay, everyone think what we were thinking then. Protection. We’re casting a protection spell. Got it?”

“Got it!” the four of them echoed.

“Okay, we call spirit first.” I closed my eyes, concentrated, and centered myself. Please, Nyx, help me get this right. I opened my eyes and knelt in the small area Kev and I had cleared of snow. “Oh, strong and powerful, all-knowing spirit, I call for you. Cast your mighty blessing upon the magick I work here. Spirit, come forth and complete my circle!”

I lit my purple candle and felt the soft, familiar brush of spirit rush through my body. Kevin’s intake of breath told me that he’d felt it, too.

I thought that was an excellent sign.

Then I reached up and released the braid that held my redbird feather, just like I had the night before, saying, “I offer this feather—the spirit of my people—free and strong. It is my wish that it fills our circle and focuses our intent for our spellwork tonight.”

I stood, and with Kevin by my side we went to Stevie Rae. I spoke the words to call earth, and Stevie Rae did her part, handing me the rowan twig. She smiled at Kevin and mouthed, Bye—we’ll miss you, then she brushed away a tear.

We went to Shaylin next, and collected the rock with the watermark.

“Stay safe,” she whispered to him.

Shaunee and fire were next. When she handed me the crystal tetrahedron she told Kevin, “Watch your back. We’ll miss you.”

Then we were standing in front of Aphrodite.

I called air and lit her yellow candle, and Aphrodite handed me the wickedly sharp athame. Then she looked up at Kevin.

“When you talk to Other Aphrodite, be exactly who you are. She’ll love you, too.”

Then she totally shocked me by kissing him. Softly, sweetly, right on the lips.

“Goodbye, my Goddess of Love.” The kid stepped forward, cupped Aphrodite’s face in his hands and kissed her—not sweetly, not softly—sexily. I didn’t look at Darius, and was real glad he’d taken the same position he’d had last night—outside the other side of the circle.

I bumped Kevin with my shoulder. He let her go. Finally.

Kevin and I turned to head back to the center of the circle, and I felt the breath leave my lungs. Our circle was completely ringed in a ribbon of glowing red light.

“Is that normal?” Kevin whispered.

“No. But I think it’s good.”

When we were back in the center I crouched and started to recreate the last part of the spell. That’s when I noticed the redbird feather was gone. I started to look around for it and a jolt of surprise lightened through my body.

It had been gone last time, too. I’d made a mistake I didn’t even realize I’d made, but somehow I repeated it.

I’m doing this right!

Okay, work backwards. Cut yourself.

That’s exactly what I started to do—and stopped. My head snapped up and my gaze found Aphrodite.

“Our intent! We all messed up right about now. We all thought bad stuff about your mom. We have to change that.”

Aphrodite nodded. Then her eyes brightened. “I got it! We all need to think ‘Frances LaFont gets a second chance.’”

“Perfect!” My eyes went around the circle. “That’s what I want you to think. All of you. Now!”

I began drawing the pentacle to manifest the pentagram within our circle. And with the last stroke, I drew the razor sharp athame across my palm—directly over the still-painful scab—as I thought, Aphrodite’s mom gets a second chance.

From there it really was easy. I added the four-sided pyramid, which represented the manifestation of fire, and then Shaylin’s rock. Finally, I took Stevie Rae’s rowan twig, and as I planted it, I spoke the words I had no trouble remembering, only altering them to fit the order in which my spell was cast.