"Tell her," Damien said to Stevie Rae. Still looking wide-eyed, startled, and more than a little pale, Stevie Rae said, "Can't you smell it?" I frowned. "Smell it? What are--" And then I did smell it--freshly cut hay, honeysuckle, and something else that I swear re minded me of newly plowed dirt in my grandma's lavender fields. "I do," I said hesitantly, feeling thoroughly confused. "But I didn't call earth into the circle." My affinity, or power, given to me by Nyx was the ability to materialize the five elements. Even after a month, I wasn't exactly sure what all that power encompassed, but one thing I did know was that when I cast a circle and called each element to it, all of them manifested very physically. The wind whipped around me when I called air. Fire made my skin glow with heat (and, quite frankly, made me sweat). I could feel the coolness of the sea when I evoked water. And when I called earth to the circle I smelled earthy things and even felt grass under my feet (even when I was wearing shoes, which was truly weird). But, as I'd said, I hadn't begun casting the circle, so I hadn't called any of the elements, yet Stevie Rae, Damien, and I were clearly smelling earth smells. Then Damien sucked air and his face split into a huge grin. "Stevie Rae has an affinity for earth!"

"Huh?" I said brilliantly. "No way," Stevie Rae said. "Try this," Damien went on, his excitement growing by the second. "Close your eyes, Stevie Rae, and think about the earth." He looked at me. "Don't you think about it."

"'Kay," I said quickly. His excitement was contagious. It would be fantastic if Stevie Rae had an earth affinity. Having an elemen tal affinity was a powerful gift from Nyx, and I would definitely love it if my best friend had been blessed like that from our God dess. "Okay." Stevie Rae sounded breathless, but she closed her eyes. "What's happening?" Erin said. "Why's she have her eyes closed?" Shaunee said. Then she sniffed the air. "And why does it smell like hay over there? Stevie Rae, I swear if you're trying out some kind of bumpkin perfume I might have to smack you."

"Shhh!" Damien put his finger to his lips and shushed her. "We think Stevie Rae might have developed an earth affinity." Shaunee blinked. "Nuh uh!"

"Huh," Erin said. "I can not concentrate with y'all talking," Stevie Rae said, opening her eyes to glare at the Twins. "Sorry," they muttered. "Try again," I encouraged her. She nodded. Then she closed her eyes and screwed her fore head up in concentration while she thought about the earth. I did not think about it, which was actually pretty hard because within a couple of seconds the air was filled with the smells of freshly mowed grass, and flowers, and I could even hear birds chirping like crazy and-- "Ohmygod! Stevie Rae has an affinity for earth!" I blurted. Stevie Rae's eyes sprang open and she covered her mouth with both of her hands, looking shocked and thrilled. "Stevie Rae, that's amazing!" Damien said, and in seconds all of us were congratulating and hugging her while she giggled through happy tears. Then it happened. I had one of my feelings. And this time it was (thankfully) a good one. "Damien, Shaunee, Erin--I want you guys to take your places in the circle." They gave me questioning looks, but must have rec ognized the tone of my voice because they instantly did what I told them to do. I wasn't exactly the boss of them, but my friends respected that I was in training to someday be their High Priest ess, so they obediently walked to the place in the circle that I had assigned to each of them weeks ago when it had only been the five of us, and I was casting a circle to try to figure out if I really had a Goddess-given affinity, or if I just had very little sense and an overactive imagination. As they took their places I looked around at the kids who were already in the rec hall. I definitely needed outside help. Then Erik walked into the room with Jack, and I grinned and motioned them over to me. "What's up, Z? You look like you're going to explode," Erik said, and then he lowered his voice, and for my ears alone added, "And you look as hot in that dress as I thought you would."

"Thanks, I love it!" I did a quick little twirl that was partially flirting with Erik, and partially pure happiness at what I was al most sure was getting ready to happen. "Jack, would you please go over to Damien and get the tray of candles he's holding and bring them back here to the middle of the circle?"

"Yep," Jack said and scampered off to do as I asked. Okay, he didn't actually scamper, but he was very perky. "What's going on?" Erik asked. "You'll see." I grinned, barely able to suppress my excitement. When Jack was back with the candles I put the tray on Nyx's table. I concentrated for a second, and decided my instincts were telling me fire would be the right choice. Then I picked up the red candle and handed it to Erik. "Okay, I need you to take this candle over to Shaunee." Erik wrinkled his forehead. "Just take it over to her?"