"And in her body itself? Was there blood remaining in her body?"

"The coroner's report said no. He also said it was impossible. That something more than just a neck slash happened to Linda, but all he had were questions and no answers. That's all anyone has had."

"Sylvia Redbird, we are here to get answers if you are strong enough to see them." Grandma lifted her chin. "I am."

"Then so mote it be. All vampyre rituals begin with an altar to our Goddess at their center," Thanatos told us. I was thinking that we all already knew that, and then her next words stopped the question in my mind. "Sylvia, I would ask that you form the altar at the heart of this ritual. Are you willing to do that?"

"I am."

"Then so be it. You will enter the tainted ground at my side and show me exactly where you found your child. That will be the site of our altar and the center, the heart and spirit of our circle." She glanced at the rest of us. "No one else come within. Nyx's circle is not yet cast, but our intention is clearly set on this space. You will only cross its boundaries as each element is called." She looked from Stark to Darius and Rephaim. "Warriors, form a triangle outside and surround the circle." Thanatos pointed straight ahead of her. "Rephaim, that direction is north. Your place is there. Stark, take the position in the east. Darius, your place is west."

"Where do you want me?" Aphrodite asked.

"Outside the circle protecting the only position that remains-to the south."

"She is not a Warrior," Darius said.

"No, she is something more powerful, a Prophetess of our Goddess. Do you doubt her strength?" Aphrodite put her fists on her hips and raised a blond brow at him.

"No. I would never doubt her strength," Darius said. And with a bow to Thanatos, he, Aphrodite, and the other Warriors moved to their places outside the circle.

Thanatos took Grandma's hand and, carrying her spell work basket, she said, "Are you ready, Sylvia?" Grandma nodded and said yes in Cherokee. "Uh. "

Together they stepped into the circle of destruction. Grandma led Thanatos to a spot just a little south of the center. She pointed. "Here was my daughter."

"Sit where your child once lay. Face north, the direction of the element earth, and represent the spirit of Nyx in this, a circle we would reclaim from destruction and through revealed truth make it our own."

Grandma nodded solemnly. She sat with a grace that had her buckskin dress fluttering softly. She was facing north, with her back to us, but I could see her chin was lifted and her shoulders were square and proud.

At that moment I was so proud of her I thought my heart would burst.

Thanatos placed her basket beside Grandma. She opened it and took out a beautiful piece of velvet fabric made of the same material as her cloak. She shook out the square and placed it on the ground in front of Grandma. Then she pulled out the angelica wreaths we'd braided. I was surprised by how beautiful they looked all stacked together, with the white flowers almost glowing against the sapphire velvet. Next she lifted a black velvet bag that I was sure I'd seen Anastasia using in class. If I was right, it would be filled with salt. She placed it and the five candles that represented each of the elements on the cloth, too. All were within reach of Grandma.

Thanatos faced us. Her voice carried easily in the night as if even the bugs and birds around us had paused to listen.

"The casting of this circle will be unusual, as our ritual is really a spell within a ritual within a circle, though we will begin with air and end with spirit.

When I call each of you, approach our altar. Give Sylvia the item that symbolizes the truth about yourself you wish to reveal. Speak your truth to her.

In turn she will give you the proper candle. Then move to your spot around the circle."

"Are you going to call the elements then?" I asked, not sure if I was leading the casting of the circle or not.

"You and I will both cast this circle, young Priestess," she said. "I will incant the spell and bind it with salt. You will light the candles. My intent is that when spirit is called and the circle set, the next words I speak will, with the help of all the elements-especially earth-cast our spell and invoke Death."

"Okay," I said. I looked at my friends and they nodded. "We're ready."

"Damien, come to the altar and represent your element, air."

I heard Damien take a deep breath before he stepped inside the circle of ruined lavender and approached Grandma.

"What is it you wish to reveal to spirit?" Thanatos asked.