It was late at night, near midnight, and the full moon was high in the sky. Today was the first weekend since they'd moved here. Kuri and her sisters moved about helping Grams with the guests to the shrine.
"Merry meet," Grams said, opening the door to the shrine. She was dressed in flowing, High-Priestess style clothes.
"Merry meet, High Priestess," a Quileute woman—everyone who came to the shrine was Quileute—came in and bowed before the altar of Hekate with her wolf companion.
"Welcome to the High Priestess Induction Ritual," Grams said. They were still unsure which of them would be chosen to be the High Priestess.
Grams had repeated these words over and over all day. People came for potions, charms, and for her to cast circles for their loved ones.
Person after person came to Grams asking for aid. And then it was time for the ritual.
Before casting the circle, Grams personally placed a small table made from the wood of a Silver Fir, which is also known as a Birth Tree, in the center of the circle area. Grams arranged three yellow bowls on the table around the purple spirit candle that always rests at the center of a cast circle. She filled one bowl with dried basil leaves, one with fresh saltwater, and one with the dried needles of a Silver Fir. She also filled a Ritual chalice with mead.
Then Grams decorated the table with feathers to represent air and brightly colored ribbons braided together to represent the intertwining of friends' lives.
When the table was made ready and the circle cast by Grams; Mana, Reiko, and Kuri came to the center of the circle. Grams dipped her fingertips into the bowl of saltwater and sprinkled it around the candidate saying:
"As the moon calls to the waves, I use saltwater to cleanse the space around my sister candidates."
Grams returned to the table and, with the spirit candle, lit the bowl of dried basil. After the flame was sufficient to produce smoke, she blew it out. With gentle hand motions she encouraged the breeze to carry the basil smoke to the candidates, who breathed deeply. As the smoke wafted over the candidate Grams continued.
"Sweet basil exorcises negativity. As air carries basil around and through you, let any negatives be banished from your life."
Returning to the table, Grams lit the dried fir needles with the spirit candle. These, too, were blown out after the flame was sufficient to produce smoke. Holding the smoking bowl before her, Grams slowly walked around the candidates three times, saying:
"Be brave and embrace your new destiny. You know that Hekate is ever with you. Now, from this day forth, know that your sisters, the High Priestesses that came before, are also ever with you. If you are afraid, call on wind for a sister, and you will be answered. If you are lonely, go to a sister and you will know friendship. When you look in the eyes of another High Priestess, know that you see the love and compassion of Hekate reflected there."
Grams returns to the table for the chalice and offer it to the candidate, saying:
"If you accept the pledge of this sisterhood, you will never truly be alone.
What is your choice, priestess?"
Mana, Reiko, and Kuri took the chalices of mead, held them up, and joyfully proclaimed:
"I choose life!"
And they drank deeply from the chalices, Grams and those who have witnessed the Ritual shout:
"Welcome to the sisterhood of life, love, and happiness! Welcome, High Priestesses of Hekate!
As the three showed their faces, their crescents were each filled in.
Suddenly warmth filled the air and there was a bright light. Kuri levitated several feet off the ground, and then landed on her feet.
Her sisters and Grams were upon her at once.
"Kuri! You have been chosen!" Grams said.
As she stood the crowd gasped. She had been formally chosen as the High Priestess. Mana was pouting
Afterward food and drink were shared in celebration. Many Elders came up and gifted the new priestesses with a special presents to symbolize the priestesses's birth into the sisterhood.
"Go Priestess!" the shouts came from over where Quil and Embry were standing with Jacob.
He headed over, next in line to speak to her.
Lifting her head, Kuri spotted the person Grams had been talking about for so long. He left her speechless.
His dark hair covered his eyebrows, providing a small shadow over his eyes. He was Quileute, his skin the same color as Embry's and Quil's. Against his tight t-shirt she could tell how developed he was, his chest and arms outlined by the fabric.
Not wanting to stare at his muscles the entire time, Kuri forced herself to look up. He was definitely over six feet tall, probably a foot taller than her. When they made eye contact, his eyes lit up.
Kuri's body jolted from the look, but she told herself that was from shock. Jacob was definitely gorgeous.
He stared at her for a moment, as if in a daze. "…Are you okay?"
Kuri nodded silently, her eyes glued to him.
"Um, You were great."
"Jacob," Kuri finished for him. His sharp features expressed confusion at that moment. "I'm still me."
"Yeah I know. But you're pretty awesome."
"Yeah but so are you," Kuri said with a small nod, tearing her eyes away. "Sorry. Grams talks too much."
"Oh."
Kuri examined the tile floor, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"So," he started, attracting her attention. "Cool Ritual. Your a Priestess now."
"It's just a job. Relax, we're still...us."
"Right, Priestess." He started to leave, but Kuri stopped him.
"Wanna come to the Samhain Ritual? I convinced the Elders to let me have a Samhain Ritual," Kuri blurted out.
His smile was warm and genuine. "Sure sure. I'd love that."
Jacob turned serious. "How blessed we are to have you, Kuri."
He said her name like a prayer. His voice mixed with his touch made her shiver as goose bumps lifted on her skin.
"I'm sorry. You must be cold." Gently, but quickly, Kuri pulled up her tank strap and her jacket.
"I wasn't shivering because I was cold." Kuri heard herself say the words, and couldn't decide if she should be proud of myself or shocked at her boldness.