"I understand completely," I whispered back to him. Then I turned to my right and continued around the circle to Shaunee, who was looking unusually serious, like she was getting ready to take a math test. "Relax," I whispered, trying not to move my lips. She nodded jerkily, still looking scared to death. "I call the element of fire to our circle and ask that it burn bril liantly here with the light of might and passion, bringing both to guard and aid us. Come to me, fire!" I started to touch the end of my lighter to the red candle Shaunee held, but before I could get it there the wick burst into a flickering white light that lifted up well past the lip of the glass jar holding it. "Oopsie," Shaunee mumbled. I had to bite my cheek to keep from laughing, and I moved quickly on to my right to where Erin was waiting with the blue candle clutched before her like it was a bird that would fly away if she didn't keep hold of it. "I call water to this circle and ask that you guard us with your oceans of mystery and majesty, and nurture us as your rain does the grass and trees. Come to me, water!" I lit Erin's blue candle, and it was the weirdest thing. I swear it was like I was suddenly transported to the shores of a lake. I could smell the water and feel it cool against my skin, even though I knew I was standing in the middle of a room and ab solutely could not be anywhere near water. "Guess I should tone it down a little," Erin said softly. "Nah," I whispered. Then I headed to Stevie Rae.

I thought she looked kinda pale, but she had a big grin on her face when I moved into the space in front of her. "I'm ready!" she said, so loud the kids standing around us laughed softly. "Good," I said. "Then I call earth to the circle, and ask that you guard us with the strength of stone and the richness of wheat-filled fields. Come to me, earth!" I lit the green candle and was washed in the scents of a meadow--surrounded by birdsong and flowers. "It's just so cool!" Stevie Rae said. "So is that." Erik's voice surprised me and when I looked at him he pointed to the circle. Confused, I followed his hand to see a beautiful silver thread of light connecting each of my four friends--the four personifications of the elements--and making a boundary of power within the candles that had already lit the circumference. "Like it was for us alone, only it's stronger now." Stevie Rae whispered the words, but I could tell by Erik's startled look that he'd heard her. Guess I'd have some explaining to do later, but now was definitely not the time to worry about that. I moved quickly back to Nyx's table at the center of the circle to complete the casting. I faced the purple candle that sat on the table. "Finally, I call spirit to our circle and ask that you join us bringing insight and truth with you, so that the Dark Daughters and Sons may be guarded by integrity. Come to me, spirit!" I lit the candle. It blazed even brighter than Shaunee's, and the space around me was filled with the scents and sounds of all of the other four elements. They filled me, too, making me feel strong, calming and steadying me, even as they energized me. With steady hands I took up the braided length of eucalyptus and sage. I lit it with the spirit candle, let it burn for a little while, and then blew it out so that the fragrant smoke billowed in waves around me.

Then I faced the circle and began my speech. I had been worried about what I was going to say since Neferet had showed up and literally stolen the biggest part of what I'd planned to talk about. But now, in the middle of the circle I'd cast, filled with the power of all five of the elements, my confidence had been restored as I hastily reworded lines in my head. I wafted the braided smudge stick around me as I walked the circle, meeting kids' eyes and trying to make everyone feel wel come. "Tonight I wanted to change things from the type of incense burned, to the abuse of our classmates." I spoke slowly, letting my words and the smoke they mingled with soak into the listening group. They all knew that under the leadership of Aphrodite the incense used during Dark Daughters' rituals had been heavily laced with pot, just as well as they knew that Aphrodite had loved bleeding some poor kid they called "refrigerator" and "snack bar" and mixing his or her blood into the wine everyone sipped. Nei ther was going to happen again as long as I had anything to do with it. "I chose to burn eucalyptus and sage tonight for the properties the herbs contain. For centuries eucalyptus has been used by the American Indians for healing, protection, and purifi cation, just as they used white sage to drive out negative spirits, energies, and influences. Tonight I ask the five elements to em power these herbs and magnify their energy." Suddenly the air around me moved, drawing the smoke from the smudge braid with it in curls and wisps, carrying it through out the circle as if a giant's hand was wafting through the air cur rents. The fledglings in the circle murmured in awe, and I sent a grateful, silent prayer to Nyx, thanking her for allowing my power over the elements to manifest so clearly. When the circle quieted again I continued. "The full moon is a magical time when the veil between the known and the un known is thin, and can even be lifted. That is mysterious and wonderful, but tonight I want to focus on another aspect of the full moon--that it is an excellent time to complete, or end, things. What I want to end tonight is the old negative reputation of the Dark Daughters and Sons. As of this full moon night that part of us has ended, and a new time has begun." I kept walking, moving around the circle in a clockwise direc tion.