"Th-thank you wind. I release you," I said shakily.

"Thank you, u-no-le," Grandma murmured. Then she said, "The dream catcher-- be sure you hang it."

With shaking hands, I hooked it around the inside of the curtain rod and hurriedly closed the curtains. Then Grandma helped me off the chair. Scooping Nala up, the three of us wrapped together while we shook and shook and shook.

"It's gone . . . it's over now . . . ," Grandma kept murmuring.

I didn't realize that we'd both been crying until Grandma gave me one last squeeze and then went to find Kleenexes. I sank down on the bed, cuddling Nala.

"Thanks," I said, wiping my face and blowing my nose. "Should I call the others?" I asked.

"If you do, how scared will they be?"

"Terrified," I said.

"Then I think it would do more good if you called the wind again. Can you send it in a big burst around the dorms so that if anything is lurking around outside, it'll be blown away?"

"Yeah, but I think I should stop shaking first."

Grandma smiled and stroked the hair back from my face. "You did well, u-we-tsi- a-ge-ya."

"I freaked and froze, just like I did last time!"

"No, you met the gaze of a demon without flinching and managed to conjure wind and commanded it to obey me," she said.

"Only because you told me to."

"But next time it won't be because I told you to. Next time you will be stronger and you will do what you must on your own."

"What was that blue dust you blew at it?"

"Crushed turquoise. I'll give you a pouch of it. It's a very powerful protective stone."

"Do you have enough to give the others, too?"

"No, but I'll put it on my shopping list. I can pick up some turquoise stones and a mortar and pestle to grind them with. The grinding will give me something constructive to do while you sleep."

"What was it you said?" I asked.

"Ahiya'a A-s-gi-na means 'leave, demon.'" "And u-no-le is wind?"

"Yes, sweetheart."

"Grandma, did it have physical form, or was it just a spirit?"

"I think it's some of both. But it is very close to its physical form."

"Which means Kalona must be getting stronger," I said.

"I believe so."

"It's scary, Grandma."

Grandma pulled me into her arms and stroked my head like she used to when I was a little girl. "Do not fear, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya. The demon's father will find that today's women are not so easy to subdue."

"You kicked butt, Grandma."

She smiled. "Yes, daughter, we certainly did."

Chapter Twenty-eight

With Grandma watching in approval, I called wind back and had it whip around campus, especially focusing on the dorms. We listened carefully for sounds of shrieking demons, but all we heard was the comforting whistle of the wind. Then, exhausted, I put on my pj's and finally got into bed. Grandma lit a full-moon protective candle for us, too, and I curled up with Nala, liking the sounds of Grandma brushing out her long silver hair as she went through her familiar nighttime rituals.

I was just drifting off when her soft voice caught me. U-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, I want you to promise me something."

"Okay, Grandma," I said sleepily.

"No matter what happens, I want you to promise me that you'll remember Kalona must not rise. Nothing and no one is more important than that."

A little trickle of worry made me wake up all the way. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Do not let anything distract you from your purpose."

"You're sounding like you won't be around to keep me straight," I said, feeling a flutter of panic start in my chest.

Grandma came over and sat on the edge of my bed. "I plan to be around for a very long time, sweetheart, you know that. But I still want your promise. Think of it as helping an old woman sleep well."

I frowned at her. "You're not an old woman."

"Promise me," she insisted.

"I promise. Now you promise me you won't let anything happen to you," I said.

"I'll do my best; I promise," she said with a smile. "Turn your head, and I'll brush your hair while you fall asleep. It will give you good dreams."

With a sigh I rolled over onto my side and fell asleep to the loving touch of my grandma and a softly hummed Cherokee lullaby.

At first I thought the muffled voices were coming from the nanny cam, and not even fully awake, I sat up and reached for the little viewscreen. Holding my breath, I clicked to ON the video button, and then I let out a big sigh of relief when the solitary table came into view with its unchanged, shrouded occupant. I turned off the video and glanced over at Grandma's now empty but tidily made-up bed. I smiled as I looked blearily around my room. Actually, Grandma had done a nice little bit of cleaning up before she'd gone out for her day of shopping and lunch. I looked down at Nala, who blinked at me sleepily.