Found

by P. C. Cast

  Jack’s eyes brightened, and he nodded enthusiastically. “I would. I really, really would!”

  Grandma led him away after blowing me a kiss. I had never appreciated her more than I did at that moment.

  “You okay?” I asked Damien.

  He wiped his eyes and nodded. “I am now that I know Jack is good and that Grandma will be with him.”

  I led my House of Night tribe across the foyer and through the school toward the rear doors. All the way there, fledglings began to appear until they lined the hall like a living tunnel. As we passed them, they saluted us and called well wishes.

  “Blessed be!”

  “You’re our heroes!”

  “Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!”

  “We believe in you!”

  The red fledglings were especially vocal as Stevie Rae passed. “You can do it, High Priestess Stevie Rae! Tell earth to kick Batshit’s butt!”

  With tears in her eyes, Stevie Rae met my gaze. “Looks like the name has stuck.”

  “It’s accurate,” I said.

  “We’re pulling for you, Prophetess!” they cheered as Aphrodite walked by, with Darius at her side. “You can do it, Aphrodite! Nothing can stop you!”

  “May the Goddess bless you and keep you safe, Damien!” echoed around us and I saw my friend’s face take on that stubborn look he got when he was presented with a problem he was set on solving.

  “Go, Ice Cream Shoes, go!” I was happily surprised to see the entire swim team, in their warm-ups, clapping and cheering for Kacie, whose grin was like a blazing star.

  And over and over until my eyes were also filled with tears I heard:

  “May the Goddess bless you, High Priestess Zoey!”

  “You can do it, Zoey!”

  “High Priestess Zoey is awesomesauce!”

  I hadn’t asked them to—truthfully, I hadn’t even thought about it, but the fledglings followed us out to the rear grounds and made a huge circle around the tree by the east wall. There they went silent, but even though they said nothing, I felt their positive energy and their belief bolster me and chase away my nerves.

  I didn’t have to direct my circle. They took their places quickly, holding their candles and looking somber. Kevin and James stopped outside the circle. My brother hugged me.

  “See ya soon in my world.”

  I gave him one last squeeze. “See ya soon. Be safe, ’kay?”

  “I’ll do my best,” he said as we broke apart.

  I waved at James, and he nodded and smiled at me. Then he went to the westernmost point of the circle where Kacie stood, holding her blue water candle expectantly. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but her smile said more than words anyway. And then she surprised me by tiptoeing and kissing James softly. Even from where I was standing, I could see the cocky grin that was so similar to Stark’s lift the edge of his lips—which meant he liked it—a lot.

  Stark was by my side as I walked into the circle. “You good?” he asked, throwing a look at James.

  “I’m great,” I assured him. “Which you already know because you can feel what I feel, but thanks for asking.”

  “Always,” he said. “Where do you want Rephaim and me?”

  Rephaim left Stevie Rae’s northern earth position and joined us in the center of the circle.

  “I think you should stay here in the spirit position. I’m going to call the elements and cast the circle—and then try to get them to open the portal, there at the tree.”

  “Tree?” Rephaim asked, throwing a look at the mound of splintered trunk that had sprouted a few saplings this past year, but looked mostly dead right now.

  I nodded. “It’s a source of power. I know it doesn’t look like it, but it’s been cleansed and healed—and it already has new growth shooting up from it. I think it’s perfect for what we need.”

  “Whatever you say, Z,” said Rephaim.

  “We’ll be ready. Just let us know what you need,” said Stark.

  “Be ready to run through the portal. I have zero clue how long it’ll stay open.” I raised my voice so that my circle could hear. “This casting is going to be unusual. I’m going to focus on the power of each element, so you’ll probably notice a difference when your element responds—or let’s hope you notice a difference. Then I’ll cast a spell that is meant to have the elements literally use their power to tear an opening between our two worlds. I don’t know how long that’ll hold, and I expect some chaos. But be ready to go through the portal fast. Okay?”

  They nodded and murmured their assent.

  I gazed around at the watching fledglings and realized that all the House of Night cats had joined them. I grinned at my fat orange tabby, Nala, who sat and groomed herself beside Skylar, whose size made Nala look miniature. I pitched my voice even louder so the fledglings could hear.

  “Intent is key to a successful spell. I ask every fledgling here to join my circle in intention. We go to the Other World to keep the balance of Light and Darkness in check—and we do so with love, always love.”

  I felt their concentration and their support as I approached Damien in the east and used his match to light his yellow candle. I called air with words I had never before used.

  “Air! I call the strength of tornados to our circle tonight! Come, mighty wind, we have need of you!” I touched the match to Damien’s candle and was amazed that it remained lit as I found myself standing in the middle of a whirling funnel that lifted my hair and battered against my clothing. Damien’s smile was fierce.

  “We’re going to do this,” he said over the roar of wind.

  And suddenly, I had no doubt that he was right. I walked quickly clockwise to where Aphrodite stood clutching the red fire candle. I lit the match she offered me and said, “Fire! I call a forest blaze to our circle—wild and unstoppable! Come, great flame, we have need of you!”

  I didn’t have to touch the match to the candle. It was like Aphrodite was holding a flamethrower as fire shot from the wick to rise up above our heads.

  “Are you okay?” I asked Aphrodite quickly.

  “Never better! Go, Z. Let’s get this thing done.” Gripping the candle with both hands and standing with her feet planted and her hair lifting around her, she looked like Wonder Woman.

  I jogged to Kacie and her blue candle. Her cheeks were bright pink, but she looked focused and determined. I lit the match and invoked her element.

  “Water! I call tidal waves and typhoons and the rage of white-­water rapids! Come, fierce flood, we have need of you!”

  The force of a whirlpool swirled around my legs and battered against my body and the flame on the water candle burned bright blue.

  “Hell, yes!” Kacie shouted, fist-pumping.

  I shared a quick grin with her before I sprinted to Stevie Rae. She held her green candle up and nodded encouragingly at me.

  “Earth! I call the force of a quake—a power that can reduce even the tallest, strongest buildings to dust! Come, indomitable earth! We have need of you!”

  As the green candle lit, the ground around us vibrated, shaking with so much power that I had to plant my feet wide so that I didn’t fall.

  “That’s right, earth! Show ’em!” Stevie Rae said.

  I turned and, stumbling a little, rushed back to the center of my circle where Stark and Rephaim stood, eyes wide.

  Stark handed me my purple spirit candle and said, “Look, Z! Look!”

  I followed his gaze to see that the glowing thread that held our circle together looked like a living rainbow as it held each of the four colors of the elements.

  “All right! Get ready!” I yelled over the ferocious elements that were building and building around my four friends. Rephaim gave me a match, which I lit and as I touched it to the wick I said, “Spirit! I call the infinite might of joy and love!
Come, strength of courage and unbreakable will! We have need of you tonight!”

  I’d never felt anything like the electric emotions that poured into and through me. I felt as if I could do anything as I whirled around and faced north where Stevie Rae stood on quaking ground in front of the giant oak that had once been a splintered, blackened mess, but was now a place of rebirth, alive with new growth. I stopped in front of Stevie Rae and motioned for my circle to face north. Then, with Stark and Rephaim beside me, I lifted my arms and held my purple candle over my head and cast the spell as I imagined that the tree was the door to my brother’s world.

  My voice was magnified by the incredible power of the five elements and it blasted the night.

  “Spirit, earth, water, fire, air—I do call.

  We seek the power of storm winds tonight.

  Fire, I need your fierceness—flames thick and tall.

  Air, mix with fire, strong and well—join our fight!

  Water, bring flood and fury unstoppable.

  Earth, you know our need is urgent and true—

  Wash all away with power nautical.

  Quake and shake, then we bid this world adieu!

  Elements true, filled with power and might

  I focus your immensity here—now.

  We quit our world for another tonight,

  Intent to banish Darkness we do vow.

  Four joined by five—love shall open that door

  We leave this world through spirit’s mighty roar!”

  Then I hurled my candle at the broken base of the tree. It hit the bark and shattered. Purple fire spread like a giant cobweb and it took the shape of a door! Against the closed door, air howled—fire blazed—water geysered—and earth shook the tree so violently that the door flew open and exposed a spinning vortex of stars.

  “Let’s go!” I shouted and ran forward, past Stevie Rae. Stark was only a step behind me, and after him, my circle followed. As we all entered the doorway, the rainbow of colors that had held our circle together whirled around us, creating a protective shield that was as beautiful as it was powerful. The last thing I heard was my House of Night break out in a joyous victory cheer. Then I was swallowed by cold and disoriented by flashes of light and color and I heard nothing at all, but I ducked my head down and continued to blindly run forward, falling into what felt like oblivion.

  It seemed like entirely too long before my feet hit solid ground. I tucked and rolled and then laid on my back, trying to catch my breath. I was dizzy, and my eyes were watering so badly that I couldn’t see.

  “Zoey? Zoey! Oh, Goddess! It is you! Stevie Rae! Rephaim!” The voice was familiar, but my brain was having a tough time registering more than that. I felt someone smooth the hair back from my face. “Zoey, can you hear me?”

  I blinked over and over, and finally managed to make my hand lift to rub at my eyes. The next time I blinked, a face slowly came into focus.

  “Anastasia!” I thought I shouted her name, but my voice was a whisper as I struggled to sit.

  “Hey, I’ve got you. You made it. You’re here. Just breathe. The disorientation will pass.”

  I closed my eyes and nodded—took several slow, long breaths in and out, in and out. When I opened my eyes again, the earth wasn’t spinning, and I could see. I sat, barely needing Anastasia’s help now.

  “My circle?” I sounded more normal as I tried to look around Anastasia.

  She moved as Stark crawled on his hands and knees to me and pulled me into his arms. “You did it!” he said. “Look! We’re all here.”

  He was right. Everyone was pale and they were still on the ground. I could see Dragon sprinting to us from the direction of the field house, followed by several other vampyres and my grandma from this world. I looked at Anastasia and said, “Kevin and James—I mean, your Stark—should be here soon too.”

  “It must be bad,” said Anastasia.

  I nodded, still shaky, but my voice was strong and a lot calmer than I felt. “The worst. Your Neferet is here—and mine is on her way.”

  Dragon skidded to a halt in time to hear me.

  His mate looked up at him. “Gather all the generals. Call every priestess in the area. We need to get ready.”

  28

  Other Kevin

  The power of Zoey’s spell still reverberated around Kevin in the cheers from the gathered fledglings when Travis, Lenobia’s human Consort, whistled so loud and sharp that it quickly silenced the kids.

  “High Priestess Lenobia needs you now!” Travis shouted across the school grounds. “Frightened humans are gathering in the Field House. While she, the professors, and the senior fledglings are setting the protective spells around the perimeter, you’re needed to make up cots, ready the movie screen in the auditorium, and start popping a lot of bags of popcorn. Let’s try to make our neighbors feel at home and do everything we can to lessen their fear.”

  Kevin was impressed by how quickly the fledglings responded. Setting off in small groups, some headed inside to the auditorium and kitchen, and others walked briskly along the sidewalk that led to the Field House.

  Travis saluted Kevin, who returned his salute with a wave.

  “I should’ve made time to see Lenobia and Travis—and the horses,” said James. “I miss them in our world.”

  “Yeah, me too,” said Kevin. “Maybe next trip.”

  James snorted. “Not really interested in doing this again.”

  “Really? That’s not what kissing Ice Cream Shoes says.”

  James’s gaze snapped to Kevin. “I, uh, didn’t plan on liking her.”

  “But you do, right?”

  “It’s new. I don’t really know her that well yet. She’s actually pretty great. I just, um—”

  Kevin put his hand on James’s shoulder. “Dude, it’s a yes or no question.”

  “Oh. Then yes. I do like her. A lot.”

  “Thought so. Better leave your world-hopping options open then. Come on. Time to return to ours.”

  “Where are you doing it?”

  “Right here’s good with me. You?”

  James shrugged. “You’re in charge of this part. I’m just glad I only have to cut myself once to get there.”

  “Yeah, I don’t blame you. Want me to cut you this time, or you going to do it yourself?” Kevin asked as they walked to the oak and the place where the power was most concentrated at the House of Night.

  “I’ll do it. No problem.”

  Kevin stopped in front of the strange-looking tree and cracked his knuckles. “It’s weird as hell that there’s literally nothing left from Z’s circle. Did you see what happened to their candles? Did they carry them into the portal with them?”

  “Zoey’s exploded all over the tree.” James and Kevin studied the perfectly normal-looking bark. “But nothing’s there now. And I think each candle blew up as they entered the portal, but I couldn’t be sure because there was so much light.”

  Kevin nodded. “Yeah, I still have spots in my vision. It was pretty incredible.”

  “She’s powerful,” James said.

  “Yeah—and her circle is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like that strand of light that tied them together.”

  “Now that I think about it, seeing that—getting closure with your sister—and meeting Kacie was all worth having my arm sliced up.”

  Kevin grinned. “See, dude! Your attitude is already better.”

  “Didn’t know I had an attitude problem,” said James.

  “You were the only one who didn’t.” Kevin cracked his knuckles again. “Shit. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to do this.”

  “Well,” he pulled a small knife from his pocket and flicked it open. “I’m gonna cut myself, and then I think you should take a page from your sister’s playbook. Just invoke spirit an
d have love call Aphrodite. She did say she’d be listening for you.”

  “You’re right! I’m ready when you are.”

  Stark drew a deep breath and then cut a long, thin line up his forearm. As it bled freely, he allowed it to drip against the exposed roots of the tree. Then he looked at Kevin and nodded.

  “Okay. Here goes.” Kevin faced the messed-up but oddly cool-looking tree. He cleared his throat, ran a hand through his hair, and invoked: “Spirit, I have need of you. Please come to me.”

  Immediately Kevin sensed the distinct swirling presence of spirit. It was like being at an incredible concert and hearing that one amazing song—the one that means something so special that it causes the hairs along your arms to lift and your soul to swell with pleasure.

  That’s what invoking spirit was like for Kevin.

  Kevin’s voice was strong and joyous. “Spirit! Thank you for answering my call. Now, please go to my love, Aphrodite, who is in Nyx’s Realm, and tell her I’m ready to come home. She’s waiting for me, so she should be easy to find.”

  Kevin felt spirit flow from him and go out seeking … seeking … seeking. And suddenly, the tree began to glow softly with a green light that reminded him of moss and trees and fields with sprouting alfalfa. It shimmered, then the tip of an enormous horn, black as fertile earth, materialized and touched the tree. Like a sheer curtain being drawn aside, Aphrodite was revealed. She was standing on the other side of the door smiling at him.

  “Hi there, Kev.”

  “Hi there, Aphrodite.”

  Her gaze went to James. “You going back too?” she asked him.

  “Yup.”

  “Well, okay then. Come on.”

  Kevin and James shared a look and then Kev said, “Um, how?”

  She laughed and the green glow sparkled around her. “Just step through the veil, handsome. It’s easy once it’s parted. And stop looking up. There is no heaven in the clouds. Realms exist side by side—it’s just that not many people can see them.”