Squad. Thankfully, it was lots easier than I'd imagined it to be. I'd chosen this particular music because of its beautiful, lilting beat, and also because I'd Googled Aldebaran and found out it was a giant star--and I thought music that celebrated the night sky was appropriate for tonight. It was a good choice, because it seemed as if the music was carrying me, moving my body gracefully around the room and overcoming my initial nerves and awkwardness. When Loren's voice began reciting the poem, he, too, echoed the cadence of the music, just like my body was, and it felt like we were making magic together.
"I have no name,I am but two days old.What shall I call thee? I happy am, Joy is my name.Sweet joy befall thee!"
The words of the poem thrilled me. And as I moved toward the center of the circle I felt like I was literally personifying the emotion.
"Pretty joy! Sweet joy but two days old, Sweet joy I call thee; Thou dost smile ..." Echoing the words of the poem, I smiled, loving the sense of magic and mystery that seemed to fill the room along with the music and Loren's voice.
"I sing the while--Sweet joy befall thee."
Somehow Loren timed it perfectly, and his poem concluded as I reached Nyx's table at the middle of the circle. I was only a little breathless as I smiled around the circle and said, "Welcome to the first Full Moon Ritual for the new Dark Daughters and Sons!"
"Merry meet!" everyone responded automatically. Without giving myself an opportunity to hesitate, I picked up the ornate ritualistic lighter and moved purposefully to stand be fore Damien. Air was the first element called when casting a circle, as well as the last to leave it when the circle was closed. I could feel Damien's excitement and expectation as if they were a physi cal force. I smiled at him, swallowed hard to clear the dryness in my throat. When I spoke I tried to project my voice like Neferet. I'm not sure how good of a job I did at it. Let's just say I was glad that the circle was a relatively small one and the room was quiet. "I call the element air first to our circle, and I ask that it guard us with winds of insight. Come to me, air!" I touched the lighter to Damien's candle and it flared to life, even though he and I were suddenly standing in the middle of a very obvious whirlwind that lifted our hair and sang playfully within the full skirt of my beautiful dress. Damien laughed and whispered, "Sorry, it's all so new to me that it's hard for me not to be a little overexuberant."
"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