Goddess of the Rose (Goddess Summoning #4)(105)

Mikki discarded her own coat and ignored the cold as she, too, was now dressed in a violet-colored chiton. The only difference between her chiton and Sevillana's was that Mikki's was a shade darker, and, as was proper for a new moon ritual, it left one of her br**sts bare.

"One thing you can say about chitons is that they are definitely easy to make," Mikki said.

"I have missed them dreadfully." Looking down at herself, Sevillana smiled. Then she glanced at Mikki and dipped into a fluid curtsey. "Shall we continue, Empousa?"

"Absolutely."

Together the two women walked to the center of the circle. With the purple candle between them, they faced north. Then Mikki picked up the box of matches, thinking how much she missed the company of the Elementals, especially tonight. Shaking off doubts, Mikki approached the yellow candle and lit the match.

"Blowing winds, strong and everywhere, even in the realm of the mundane, I summon you, Wind, as the first element in the sacred circle." Mikki touched the match to the candle and held it there until it lit. Without letting herself worry about whether or not the element actually heard her and would answer her call, Mikki moved quickly to the red candle. "Blazing force of cleansing fire, dancing flame of light, even in the realm of the mundane your power is rich and true. I summon you, Flame, to the sacred circle." When the match touched the red candle's wick, the flame burst into being and Mikki felt a surge of hope. Without hesitation, she moved to the blue candle. "Sparkling, glimmering tide of life, you bathe us, cool us, quench us, even in this realm of the mundane you cover more than half our world and give us life. I summon you, Water, to the sacred circle." Through the lit wick, Mikki thought she saw the blue candle waver and shimmer like waves. Then she was facing the green candle. "Lush and fertile, familiar and wild, even in this realm of the mundane you hold us and care for us. I summon you, Earth, to the sacred circle." Mikki moved back to her place beside the purple candle. "I summon you, Spirit, to the sacred circle with the two words that bound me to my goddess - 'love' and 'trust.' " She lit the purple candle and then dropped the match. Staring around her, she was disappointed that she saw no luminous threads weaving together to bind the elements to the circle.

"Do not despair that you cannot see them in this realm," Sevillana said as if she could read Mikki's thoughts. "See them within your mind. Believe they are there. The power of an Empousa's belief is a magick all its own."

Mikki nodded, and within her mind she imagined the gossamer threads outlining the circle.

"Now, let's finish it," Mikki said resolutely. She bent and picked up the knife. She looked at Sevillana, and the old woman gave Mikki her hand, palm up. With a quick, practiced movement, Mikki pressed the sharp blade against Sevillana's thin skin and drew a long line across her palm. As her blood welled, Mikki handed the knife to Sevillana. The ex-Empousa took Mikki's hand firmly, and with one quick stroke, cut a similar line in her palm. Then she dropped the knife and the two women clasped their hands together, palm to palm, mingling the blood of generations of Hecate's High Priestesses.

Mikki closed her eyes and cleared her mind. When she spoke, she gave no mind to lowering her voice. If it worked - if the goddess was really invoked - the circle would hold and no mortal would be allowed to intrude. And if it did not . . . if it did not, then Mikki didn't care what happened to her.

"Hecate, Great Goddess of the Ebony Moon, Crossroads of Mankind and Beasts. I am Mikado Empousai, High Priestess and Empousa of the Realm of the Rose. In a land far from you I have anointed myself, cast your sacred circle and by the right of my blood I call upon your name. We have a pledge between us, an oath sealed with love and trust. And by the power of that oath I invoke your presence and ask that I be heard."

Suddenly, wind whipped around them, causing the candles to shiver madly. The mist swirled, and as Mikki watched, it became filled with glitter until from the center of the vortex of wind and sound and light, Hecate appeared. The goddess was dressed in full regalia - robes of night, the headdress of stars and the golden torch. At her feet the massive hounds snarled and snapped at the misty garden.

Mikki started to cry the goddess's name, but Sevillana's tearful voice interrupted her. The old woman pulled her hand from Mikki's and fell to her knees.

"Great Goddess! Forgive me!" Sevillana sobbed, tears falling freely down her well-lined face. "What I did was wrong. I have spent lifetimes trying to atone for my unforgivable error. The foolish, selfish girl who betrayed you no longer exists."

Hecate's face was unreadable, but her voice was soft. "What is it you have learned, Sevillana?"

"I have learned that there are things more terrible to lose than my life."

"And what are those things?"

"My honor . . . my name . . . and the love of my goddess."

"You never lost the love of your goddess, daughter."

Sevillana pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her sobs. Mikki put her hand on the old woman's shoulder, lending her strength through touch.

"Will you forgive me then, Hecate?" Sevillana was finally able to say.

"Child, I forgave you long ago. It is you who have not been able to forgive yourself," said the goddess.

Sevillana bowed her head. "May I rest now, Goddess?"

"Yes, Sevillana. All you ever needed to do was to ask. I would never turn my face from my Empousa - even an errant one. Behold!" Then Hecate swept out her hand and a section of the mist opened, like a door made of night. Suddenly a lovely scene came into view. It was a beautiful meadow, filled with clover and ringed by tall pines whose needles looked like giant feather dusters. As they watched, a lithe figure skipped and danced into the meadow, followed by a group of young, beautiful women. Their flowing chitons were draped alluringly around their bodies, which looked strong and young, even though each of them had an odd, semi-substantial look.