Awakened (House of Night #8)(70)

Still watching the bloody battle, Stevie Rae imagined she was a tree--a giant, strong oak, and her legs were roots going way, way down deep into the earth. So deep that Neferet's sticky threads of Darkness couldn't reach her. And then she imagined pulling power from the spirit of the earth--rich and fertile and mighty. The pure essence of the earth surged up into her body. Stevie Rae stood. She waved away Z's hand, and when she did Stevie Rae caught sight of her own hand. It was glowing with a soft, familiar green. She started walking forward, toward Rephaim.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going?" Stark asked. Beside him, Darius looked solid and very much in her way.

"To dance with beasts, so I'm gonna penetrate their disguise." The quote from Kramisha's poem drifted through her mind, dream-like.

"Okay, crazy much?" Aphrodite said. "You need to stay your butt here and out of that mess over there." Stevie Rae ignored Aphrodite and faced down the two Warriors. "I'm Imprinted with him. My decision's made. If you gotta fight me--fight me, but I'm goin' over there to Rephaim."

"No one's fighting you, Stevie Rae," Zoey said.

"Let her go," she told Stark and Darius.

"I need your help," Stevie Rae told Zoey. "If you'll trust me, come with me and give me a boost with spirit."

"No! You can't get mixed up in that," Stark told Zoey. Zoey smiled at him. "But we've already mixed it up with Kalona and we won, remember?"

Stark snorted. "Yeah, after I died."

"Don't worry, Guardian. I'll save you again if I need to." Zoey turned back to Stevie Rae. "You said Rephaim saved your life?"

"Twice, and he had to stand up to Darkness to do it. Rephaim has good inside him. You got my promise on that, Z. Please, please trust me."

"I trust you. I'll always trust you," Zoey said. "I'm going with Stevie Rae," she told Stark, who didn't look happy at all about that news.

"I'm going too," Damien said, dry-eyed. "If you need air, it'll be there for you. I still believe in love."

"I don't like the bird thing, but air's not going without fire," Shaunee said.

"Ditto, Twin," Erin said.

Stevie Rae met each of their gazes. "Thank y'all. This means more than I can ever tell ya."

"Oh, for shit's sake. Let's go save the unattractive birdboy so the bumpkin can live unhappily ever after," Aphrodite said.

"Yeah, let's do that, only take both uns outta that sentence," Stevie Rae said, and with the circle forming around her, flanked by Stark and Darius, Stevie Rae led them forward. Still channeling the earth, she didn't hesitate, but strode over to the scene of blood and destruction, getting as close to Rephaim as she could.

"No!" he yelled, catching a glimpse of her. "Stay back!"

"Like heck I will!" Stevie Rae looked at Damien. "Time to cowboy up. Call air."

Damien faced east. "Air, I need you. Come to me!" Wind whirled around him, lifting his and everyone else's hair. Stevie Rae raised her brows at Shaunee, who rolled her eyes, but faced south and called, "Fire, come burn for me, baby!" While heat joined air, and without any prompting, Erin faced west and said,

"Water, come on and join the circle!" The scent of spring showers touched their faces. As quickly as water joined them, Stevie Rae looked northward and said, "Earth, you're already with me. Please join the circle, too." The root-like connection to the ground that she already had intensified, and Stevie Rae knew she was like a lighthouse shining bright mossy green.

From beside her, Z said, "Spirit, please complete our circle."

There was a wonderful sense of well-being that Stevie Rae held onto as she stepped out from her group, as if she was their spearhead. Fully empowered by her element, she raised her arms, channeled the timeless, wise strength of trees, said,

"Earth, make a barrier to end this fightin'. Please." She pointed at the men.

"Help her, air," Damien said.

"Fire her up, fire," Shaunee added.

"Support her, water," Erin said.

"Fill her, spirit," Zoey said.

Stevie Rae felt a shot of adrenaline rush from the circle of earth around her, up through her feet, and into her hand. Vine-like, green tendrils shot from the ground, making a caged barrier all around Rephaim and Kalona, completely halting the fighting. They all turned to look at her.

"There, that's better. Now we can figure this out," Stevie Rae said.

"So, Zoey and your circle--you've decided to ally with Darkness, too," Neferet said.

Before Z could respond Stevie Rae said, "Neferet, that's as nutty as squirrel turds. Z just got back from hangin' out with Nyx in the Otherworld. She managed to kick Kalona's ass there, and bring her Warrior back safe and sound with her--somethin' no other High Priestess has ever been able to do. She's not exactly Darkness material." Neferet opened her mouth to speak and Stevie Rae cut her off. "No! I only have one more thing to say to you-- no matter who you fool, I want you to know I'll never believe you've changed. You're a liar, and you're really, really not nice. I have seen the white bull, and I know the Darkness you're playin' with; I know just how wacked you are. Heck, Neferet, I can see that stuff slithering 'round you right now. So. Back. The. Hell. Off."