Chapter 23
Diana stepped out into the light of the waning moon, looking down at her white shift. She felt the weight of the diadem on her head and the heavy clasps of the garter on her leg. She held Aidan's hand as they led the two covens out and onto the green, where a large mass of teenagers awaited them. Good had evil outnumbered, but Diana wasn't so sure if they would be strong enough . . .
Faye and Cassie were beside her. "What are we going to do, exactly?" Faye whispered. "I don't think the 'Power over thee' stuff is going to pull it off this time."
Diana shook her head. "We'll figure it out."
The four leaders stopped in front of the group. The two covens lined up behind them, becoming one unified force. Diana had to smile when she saw the looks on the faces of the two leaders that had hurt her and her friends so badly. They seemed nervous.
She wasn't sure what was directing her, but she grabbed Cassie's hand. "Take Faye's hand, have her take the hand of the person behind her."
Cassie nodded. "Let the Master Tools play the game?"
Aidan laughed. "You bet." He was reaching back and grabbing Nick's hand from behind him.
The guy in front of the dark coven smiled. "Let the fun begin." And with that, a ball of black energy came flying at them.
Words sprang to Diana's mind. She said them in time with her three companions. "Diana, queen of the witches, protect us!"
A light came down in front of them, as if from the moon, blocking out the energy. The other coven scowled.
Aidan gave a confident grin. "Our turn."
Diana looked over her shoulder to see that everyone in the group was holding hands. Slowly, the power of the tools ran through her blood and through her fingers, connecting with the tools on her friends. Somehow, she knew the power was spreading through everyone.
In unison, speaking spells they had never heard before, the entire group called out together.
Air, Earth, Water, Fire,
Lend to us your fighting power.
Protect us with the good of light,
And banish the evil that haunts the night.
Slowly, letting go of each other, the power growing deep inside them, every witch on the good side cupped their hands together. A bright green light grew in each of them, quickly gaining heat. Holding it up to the sky, everyone except Diana let go, their energy growing above her own, connecting itself.
Suddenly becoming aware that the show was now hers, she stood confident, letting the words come from her mouth. "Breeze of the air, lift you!" The ball of green power floated from her hands, moving the cloud upwards. "Water of the river, move you!" The energy flowed toward the opposite group, standing in disbelief. "Heat of the fire, burn you!" The power fell on the coven, causing them to scream. She shuddered, letting out the last line in a terrible cry, "Mother of the earth, banish you!"
The ground began to shake violently, but the coven of good stayed still, back to holding the hands of their neighbors. With a loud crack, the earth opened, taking with it the coven of evil. As magically as it had opened, it closed. Not one dark figure stood before them.
Cassie turned to Nick, giving him a sly grin. "This time, we all did it."
Diana laughed, remembering the time after they had beat Black John, when Nick argued that Cassie was the one who had defeated him. She turned to her foster sister. "Yes, this time *we* did it."
A dull roar had started behind her. She turned to see the crowd slowly beginning to cheer. The New Salem coven just smiled, with the exception of the Henderson twins and Deborah, who were whooping and hollering with the rest of them. Nick was beside her, speaking to Katherine. "So, was this excitement enough for you?"
Diana laughed, turning to Aidan. "Come here, you," she smiled, pulling him to her lips. Mentally, she could see the silver cord connecting them.