DISCLAIMER: I do not own the House of Night series.

Thanks for the great reviews! One of you pointed out that mist and darkness and such are not the elements, so I fixed that and I'm calling them magic for now.

Chapter Two

I slipped back to the House of Night after Grandma Redbird and Stevie Rae had driven away to her farm. In a couple hours, the school would wake and breakfast would start, but perhaps the professor for equestrian studies was already up.

I measured the wall carefully, then closed my eyes and for the second time that day (or night, whichever way you look at it) I summoned the elements. Playful wind and elegant spirit raised me from the ground and I drifted above the beautiful grounds, above Nyx's statues and the fountain and through the window I had left open. Gently the elements set me down, and I stood for a moment. I couldn't believe that I had gotten away with it.

Mentally I shook myself. I had to act fast. Hurrying to the bathroom, I wiped off the concealer and dressed in the school uniform. Quickly I brushed my hair and twisted it up in a careless bun. Swiping some mascara and eyeliner, I practically flew down the stairs – and for the second time in my life, crashed into Darius (or rather his stone-hard chest), one of the Sons of Erebus. And once again he steadied me.

I about broke my neck craning up to look at his face. "Hey," I said. Hell.

"Good morning, Zoey Redbird," he answered, his words accompanied by what I liked to call his nonexpression, and the traditional vampyre sign of respect. "What are you doing so early?"

"I, uh," I said like the genius that I am, trying to think of a good excuse, "I was going to go groom the horses, since I woke up and I couldn't go back to sleep."

He nodded, thankfully accepting my excuse. "Of course, my lady. Please be careful when crossing the grounds."

I had to refrain from rolling my eyes. "Of course," I said, and escaped.

I suppose I should be used to it by now, but the Sons of Erebus are so overprotective. It gets on my nerves.

And, crashing into any of them . . . I prefer the wall.

I made it to the stables perfectly safe, thank you very much for your concern warriors. The familiar scent of horses and horse poopie (which really isn't that gross) greeted me, and I smiled again.

Persephone, the gorgeous sorrel mare that had been assigned to me during my first Equestrian Studies lesson, snorted softly when she saw me. She raised her head and butted my forehead gently, her warm breath on my tattoo. My smile widened.

"Hey, there," I murmured, stroking her silky mane. "Any idea where Lenobia is?"

"Right here," drawled a voice behind me.

I whirled around in surprise. Lenobia was standing behind me, her heavy, white-blond hair loose and her Marks as startling as ever.

"Um, hey," I muttered, slightly embarrassed.

Lenobia glided closer. "Hello, Zoey. You wanted to talk to me?"

One again I was disconcerted by how much adult vampyres knew.

After a pause, Lenobia gestured to one of the benches outside on the sidewalk. "Why don't we sit down?" she suggested. I followed her out.

After another pause, she prompted, "Well?"

It wasn't that I thought that I shouldn't be doing this. I had a good feeling in my gut, which I had come to rely on. But still, how do you tell a vamp professor that her colleague is a . . . and then ask her to go against that colleague?

I took a deep breath, wondering how to start. "Well, you know, how, once, you, uh, told me that I can tell you anything, since – High Priestesses are High Priestesses?" I finished in a rush, wondering how she'd take my faint implication that I didn't trust Neferet.

She nodded seriously, looking me in the eye, and said nothing.

"Well," I took another steadying breath; "I, uh, want to tell you something . . ." I trailed off like the genius that I am, and then continued. I seemed to gain confidence the longer I talked.

"See, my friend, Stevie Rae, died . . . some time ago. But she didn't really die . . . she became sort of undead. Without a soul. Because someone did something to her . . . and that someone is doing it to other fledglings that died as well, sort of creating an undead army. And, I found out about Stevie Rae, and I tried to help her. Aphrodite as well, since both of us are kinda immune to a few of that someone's powers . . . even though we didn't really like each other. We finally figured it out – we just had to get her her soul back. And we did, but at a price – Aphrodite got unMarked. Stevie Rae became a new type of vampyre – her tattoos are blood red. But she's Stevie Rae again. Anyway, both Aphrodite and Stevie Rae ran away, but they're both in huge danger of that someone who turned her undead. My Grandma agreed to take Stevie Rae in, but then they still won't have protection."

Lenobia was silent for a long time. I wondered if she had even understood my hasty explanation. Her expression was unreadable as she mulled over what I had just said, and my confidence seemed to evaporate with each passing second.

Finally she spoke. "So you need my help protecting them, then? Like a circle?"

I nodded, mute.

"Forgive me . . . what about your friends, who are your circle during the rituals?"

A lump grew in my throat. "They . . . I don't think they'd want to do this one."

Silence. Lenobia considered me. "And . . . who is this someone?" She raised a single eyebrow.

This was the part I'd been dreading most of all, but my voice sounded strangely calm and even as I looked at the Equestrian Studies Prof in the face and said, "Neferet."

Lenobia's eyes widened for a moment, but that was her only reaction. After another excruciating silence, she murmured, "I see."

Lenobia glanced back at me. "Listen, I have to go now, but I'll see you later, OK? Class will start soon – everyone is waking up now."

She stood and walked away quickly, her heavy platinum hair barely swinging in the light evening breeze.

I sat there frozen for I don't know how long. The good feeling in my gut had been replaced by a strangling panic in my throat. Why had Lenobia just left my question dangling?

Hell, hell, hell! Was she going to Neferet at this moment?

But Lenobia was right – the school was waking, I had to get back to dorm now, and I'd have to pretend like I was just any normal High Priestess-in-training, and smile and nod at all the kids who would respectfully salute me, and to the warriors as well . . .

I was beginning to see what being Neferet was like. You always had to pretend, always smile and act calm.

With a sigh that sounded so dejected it made me even more so, I got up and ran inside, heading for my dorm. Luckily, I didn't meet anyone – it was still early enough.

Nala greeted me with an irritated, disapproving mee-uf-ow and a sneeze when I entered my room. Of course, she didn't like being left out of my foolish adventure, and she had to have her say, berating me in turn about being such an idiotic person in going and being so thoughtless as to not take her – after all, she could have helped. Obviously.

I couldn't help laughing at her old lady grumbling. She always cheered me up.

I redid my hair into a tighter, less messy bun and practiced my expression in the mirror till I had myself practically convinced that there were no issues in my life. Then I went down for breakfast – I seriously needed the comfort of cereal.

Breakfast was exactly what I expected – lovely on the outside and stressing on the inside.

But the worst part wasn't the pretending. The worst part was when I sat down at my own, empty table, and when I glanced up I saw Erin, Damian, and Shaunee all sitting together and laughing at their own table, not even looking at me.

I looked down quickly – my face felt hot and my insides icy cold. My emotions cooled, and suddenly I was just like a High Priestess should be, just like Neferet – cool and calm and capable and most of all solitary.

I walked to my first class, Vamp Sociology with Neferet. My face and insides were still under perfect control. Nala jumped on my shoulder and hissed, curling her tail around my other shoulder. Startled, I glanced at her, and realized something – her stance reminded me of a battle, like she was my ally.

Ha ha. I stroked her back as we entered the classroom, heads held high.

Neferet entered right after the bell rang. She smiled wide and greeted the class in that motherly fashion, and everyone gazed at her like she was the Goddess herself.

Neferet's eyes caught mine as well, and we both smiled at each other with the exact proper amount of warmth, the way a fledgling and her mentor should be. There was absolutely no anger or coolness in either of our gazes and smiles, and anyone watching would have gone, Aww, they have such a connection.

It's like a battle, I thought. A battle between two very powerful Priestesses. And we can do anything we want, all's fair in war. There's just one rule, secrecy – the battle is right there in plain sight, but we have to keep everyone oblivious.

I flicked one dark strand of hair back, and raised a single challenging eyebrow when no one was looking. She smiled beautifully back, and turned away.

When Vamp Soc was over, I rushed out to the hallway, flipping open my cell phone. I had a text message.

It was from Aphrodite. Well?

I cringed internally. Later.

Soon.

Yeah.

What was I supposed to say? Hopefully Lenobia will agree during my class with her. But she definitely hadn't told Neferet – I knew that deep down. Perhaps she had just been waiting till the end of the day, or something . . .

Oh, another text message. I glanced down, and cringed again.

Heath.

I can't believe you did that. That was all he wrote.

Damn. It had been a mistake! A huge, stupid mistake. I hadn't meant it . . . but it had been my fault, my fault, my fault.

Angrily, I snapped the phone shut. Heath had just reminded me of boyfriends, and speaking of boyfriends – I had Drama now. With Professor Erik Night, my former boyfriend who knew about Neferet, but hated me anyway, because like Heath, he just couldn't believe I had done that.

I stared at the door that led to the classroom. I had to go in. The bell would ring soon. I bit my lip and ducked inside.

I felt like crying. How could I face a Neferet with a deadly smile, and yet cower when it came to spending an hour in the presence of Erik?

The bell rang.