Awakened

like a lighthouse shining bright mossy green.
    From beside her, Z said, “Spirit, please complete our circle.”
    There was a wonderful sense of well-being that Stevie Rae held onto as she stepped out from her group, as if she was their spearhead. Fully empowered by her element, she raised her arms, channeled the timeless, wise strength of trees, said, “Earth, make a barrier to end this fightin’. Please.” She pointed at the men.
    “Help her, air,” Damien said.
    “Fire her up, fire,” Shaunee added.
    “Support her, water,” Erin said.
    “Fill her, spirit,” Zoey said.
    Stevie Rae felt a shot of adrenaline rush from the circle of earth around her, up through her feet, and into her hand. Vine-like, green tendrils shot from the ground, making a caged barrier all around Rephaim and Kalona, completely halting the fighting.
    They all turned to look at her.
    “There, that’s better. Now we can figure this out,” Stevie Rae said.
    “So, Zoey and your circle—you’ve decided to ally with Darkness, too,” Neferet said.
    Before Z could respond Stevie Rae said, “Neferet, that’s as nutty as squirrel turds. Z just got back from hangin’ out with Nyx in the Otherworld. She managed to kick Kalona’s ass there, and bring her Warrior back safe and sound with her—somethin’ no other High Priestess has ever been able to do. She’s not exactly Darkness material.” Neferet opened her mouth to speak and Stevie Rae cut her off. “No! I only have one more thing to say to you—no matter who you fool, I want you to know I’ll never believe you’ve changed. You’re a liar, and you’re really, really not nice. I have seen the white bull, and I know the Darkness you’re playin’ with; I know just how wacked you are. Heck, Neferet, I can see that stuff slithering ’round you right now. So. Back. The. Hell. Off.”
    She turned her back to Neferet and focused on Kalona. She opened her mouth and suddenly her words dried up. The winged immortal looked like an avenging god. His bare chest was spattered with blood and his black spear dripped gore. His eyes shined amber as they stared at her with an expression that was amusement mixed with disdain.
    How did I ever think I could stand up to him? Stevie Rae’s mind shouted inside her head. He’s too powerful, and I’m nothing—just nothing …
    “Strengthen her, spirit,” Zoey’s voice whispered to her, carried on the wind Damien had conjured.
    Stevie Rae pulled her gaze from Kalona’s, meeting Zoey’s eyes. Her BFF smiled. “Go on. Finish what you started. You can do it.”
    Stevie Rae felt a rush of gratitude. As her gaze returned to Kalona, she pulled deeply from the roots she imagined connecting her to her element and with that lifeline of power, and the support of her friends, she finished what she’d started.
    “Okay, everybody knows that you used to be Nyx’s Warrior, but that you’re here ’cause somethin’ messed up with that,” she said matter-of-factly, “which means you messed up. It also means that even though you’ve gone all evil and stuff, you used to know about honor and loyalty and maybe even love. So I have somethin’ to tell you about your son, and I want you to listen to me. I don’t know how or why it happened, but I love him, and I think he loves me.” Here she paused and met Rephaim’s gaze.
    “I do,” he said clearly and distinctly so that his voice carried to everyone watching. “I love you, Stevie Rae.”
    She took one moment to smile at him, full on, filled with pride, and happiness, and above all, love. Then she refocused on Kalona. “Yes, it’s weird. No, it’s never gonna be a normal relationship, and Goddess knows we’re gonna have to deal with lots of issues with my friends, but here’s what’s most important: I can give Rephaim kindness and a life where he’ll know peace and happiness. But I can’t do that unless you do somethin’ first. You have to free him, Kalona. You have to let him make his own choice between staying with you or changing his path. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and believe with everything inside me, that somewhere deep inside you is still a tiny sliver of Nyx’s Warrior, and that Kalona, the one who protected our Goddess, would do the right thing. Please be that Kalona again, if only just for one second.”
    Into the long silence where Kalona stared unblinkingly at Stevie Rae, Neferet’s voice intruded—disdainful and arrogant. “Enough of this silly charade. I’ll