"So look who decided to come out of her cave" sassed Shaunee.
"Yeah, right on Twin. Where have you been Z?" Erin asked.
I sat down on the couch next to Stevie Rae and let myself sink into the soft cushions. I would have to tell them that I'd only been sleeping, but would they really believe that?
"I'm sorry guys, I didn't mean to seem like I was avoiding you, I've just…been really tired lately."
"Not tired enough to talk to Erik or Stark, but tired enough to avoid your prefect? What's going on Zoey?" Shaunee snapped.
"Hey, I see them because they come to my room, or they happen to be somewhere that Neferet sends me. It's not like you guys come to see what I'm doing or visit either" It was probably a low blow, but I said it anyways.
"Look y'all, just leave Zoey alone. So she's been tired. She's been through a lot recently. I'm sure you would too Shaunee if you had your boyfriend shoot you through the heart and you died for a minute!" Stevie Rae, bless her heart stood up to defend me. "Come on you guys. We're all friends; do you think she would lie to you?"
Shaunee looked at Erin and they both rolled their eyes and said in unison, "Ok, sorry!" while crossing their arms with a small huff.
"So Z, why have you been so fatigued?" Damien asked.
"Fat? Zoey's not fat!" Shaunee blurted out.
"For Goddess sake you nit wit, fatigued! Meaning tired. I swear, neither of you Dorkamiese Twins have a brain in those heads!" Aphrodite interrupted as she sat down in the chair by the Twins.
"Whatever Hag" Erin spit out.
Aphrodite replied by simply sticking her tongue out at the Twins which they turned their nose up to.
I put up my hands, "Ok, ok! Just stop, please!" I yelled at them all. "I don't know why I've been so tired. Neferet thinks because I'm not feeding like I should. It just seems that no matter how much I sleep, I'm still tired. And I've rarely seen Stark so don't even go there Shaunee. I know he's upset with me to as we have had little to no time together the past few weeks. As far as Erik, I've only talked to him a handful of times and mostly because he's come to my room to check how I was doing and to apologise to me. Ok, satisfied? I'm really tired of you all bickering! I can't pick a consulate if you all are going to nit pick every single second of the night together!"
"Sorry Z" said the Twins.
"You know I am" Aphrodite brushed it aside.
"Consulate? For when you are inducted as High Priestess tomorrow?" Damien said.
"Yes, I have to pick someone to be bonded to. I suppose it's a blood bond from what Neferet is making it sound like, but she said it didn't have to be sexual."
"Well, a consulate is the most trusted advisor to the High Priestess. She can tell her most inner secrets to them and they are sworn by oath not to divulge those secrets ever. It's a very respectable thing to be a High Priestess's consulate." Damien added.
"I know…" I trailed off looking a bit glum.
Jack touched my knee, "Hey Z, its ok. I know it seems like a tough decision, but I'm sure we'll all understand when you make your choice."
You couldn't ever be mad at Jack. He was such a sweet boy and no wonder Damien loved him. Damien and Jack are a couple, as in a gay couple, an no, we don't have a problem with that here.
"See, I was kind of hoping to talk to you all about it. I don't want to make anyone feel left out, angry or jealous, considering that I trust every one of you and consider you all my very best of friends. I don't know who to pick."
"I'll go ahead and vote myself out" Shaunee said.
"Me too." Said Erin, "Shaunee and I can't be separated anyways. It would be terrible to not be able to confide in each other, therefore really unfair to you Z"
"Thanks Twins. That's very…unselfish of you." I said giving them both a smile. That was a relief because I was sure they were going to be the ones to put up the most fight.
"I'm out too, I can't not tell my Jack-e-bear anything" Damien replied as he gave Jack a sweet but gentle kiss on the hand that he held.
"I'll have to agree with my Damien" Jack blushed.
"Well, that leaves Stevie Rae, Aphrodite or I could always chose Stark or Erik" I said slyly.
"Speak of the devil himself" Aphrodite muttered as I turned around to see Erik walking into the dorms, and just as gorgeous as he always was.
"Hey, you're out of bed, I thought I might come over and see how you were doing." Erik blasted his cool smile with his brilliant white teeth. His always beautiful blue eyes were like daggers into my soul.
"I'm fine. I've fed, as instructed by Neferet. Come, sit and talk with us" I invited him. None of the rest of the group was all too pleased after all we had been through but I felt he deserved a second chance. Just like Neferet had changed, so can anyone. As Nyx always tried to teach us in her writings, we are all children of the night, we are all her children and she chose each and every one of us for a reason and a purpose. If Nyx still believed in him, why shouldn't I? I felt my spirit leap at my revelation and I knew I hit a note that was right. Very High Priestess's of me.
"So back to our discussion…" Aphrodite interrupted.
"What are you all talking about?" Erik asked.
Everyone just kind of looked at each other not knowing what to say. I rolled my eyes and answered Erik, "We're discussing who my consulate should be when I am inducted tomorrow. I was told I need to take one."
"Ahh, well, if you prefer for me to go, then I can leave"
Erik started to stand, "No!" I said and Erik sat back down. I could feel Nyx pulling me in a direction I wasn't sure which way. I could feel in this group that here laid my consulate. I hadn't felt this pull until Erik came. Was Nyx advising me to make Erik my consulate? But could I trust Erik? What would that do to my relationship with Stark?
"I think you should ask Nyx what to do Z" Stevie Rae spoke up. "She had never failed you yet. She's always shown you the right way."
I smiled knowing that Stevie Rae was 100 percent correct. I decided to take it a step further. "Let's cast a circle" I said and rose to my feet.
Everyone got in their position and granted we had no candles, we wouldn't need them. "I want you all to focus on your element. Since we won't be using candles, you need to really concentrate on the energy."
I started with Damien as always taking his hands in mine and closed my eyes, "Air, you purify and fill us with life, come to us" I felt the swift breeze blow around us, even stronger than it was before. I opened my eyes and smiled at Damien as I turned to Shaunee.
"Fire, you burn away impurities and warm our backs, come to us" Shaunee grinned as the fire rose from our hands and filled the dorm with warmth. I smiled at her and turned to Erin.
"Water, you refresh us and cleanse all the bad away, come to us" Erin giggled as the water lapped on her feet.
Last I turned to Stevie Rae and took her hands within mine, "Earth, mother of all beings, you shelter us and guard us, come" The ground shook and once it settled you could smell the fresh grass and flowers and even birds singing.
When I was sure of our silver lining around the circle I proceeded to the middle and called to Spirit, "Spirit, you are our being, without you we are nothing but a hollow shell, come to us" I felt Spirit fill me and everyone else in the room as we all gasped when our hearts leaped.
I closed my eyes, lifted my hands up to the sky and said a prayer to Nyx, "Nyx, blessed Goddess of Night, hear me. I ask for your guidance and wisdom. Show me the path of righteousness and truth and let me not be blind to your will"
I ended the prayer and then proceeded to close the circle. I thanked everyone for their patience and told them all that maybe Nyx would give me a sign and I would follow what she would tell me, regardless of what people would think about my decision. I asked them all not to be angry about whatever the outcome is, for I was unknown to it myself. Everyone left to go get ready for dinner except for Erik who stayed behind.
"Hey" he said grabbing my hand, "Can we talk?"
I turned towards him and looked up into his beautiful eyes, "Sure, let's go back to my room and we can talk in private."
Erik nodded and followed me down the hall. He shut the door behind him and kept his back on the door as I walked over and plopped on my bed, disturbing Nala from her nap.
"What's up?" I asked.
"Zoey…" he started with his eyes cast down, "I can't tell you how many times it haunts me at night what I've done to you. I've asked Nyx a million times to take away the pain, but it still remains."
My face went from somewhat happy to glum as I got off my bed and walked towards Erik and put my arms around him to give him a big hug. I was shocked that he didn't return the embrace. I looked up at him, "Erik, it's ok. I forgive you, just as you forgave me for some awful stuff that I've done to you. We can't go back in time, we can't change what we did, but we can change who we are now and what we will be in the future. Everyone deserves a second chance."
Erik touched my hair and brought it to his nose, "I miss you. I miss your touch, your smell" he bent down and kissed me lightly on the lips, "Your taste"
I couldn't help it, but I returned the kiss. There is just something magical about Erik. I knew I was bonded to Stark, I loved him even, but maybe I loved Erik too no matter how much hurt I had been through. He was still good and Nyx even said we were made for each other. That thought sparked a light bulb in my head. I pushed away from Erik and looked away from him.
"Z? What's wrong?" he asked.
"You" I looked at him straight in the eyes, "You-u were made for me" I managed to stutter out. "Nyx, she said so." I looked away as in deep thought coming to a revelation. I felt my spirit leap and I knew that I was on the correct path. Nyx would not steer me wrong.
Erik walked closer to me and put his arms around my waist and kissed me passionately, which I hated to admit that I returned once again. I know, shame on me. Gosh I feel like a hoe sometimes, but I can't help the way that Nyx drives me towards people. I have a connection with both Stark and Erik. But they were brothers, now I was getting just a tad grossed out and pulled away even more.
"Z, you know we were meant for each other, why do you keep denying it? Why do you pull away?" Erik's eyes were those of worry.
"Because I'm bonded with your brother, that's why. This is wrong, but yet it feels right. This isn't fair to him, or you." I cried.
"Then chose"
"I can't choose between you both. You both are special to me, I feel for both of you, but I can't treat you both like this."
"Treat us both like what?" interrupted Stark as he opened the door shocked and surprised to see Erik in my room and hovering over me. "What's going on in here?"
"I was just leaving" Erik said as he turned away from me and brushed past Stark, but not before knocking him into the door on his way out.
"What's going on Zoey? Why was Erik in your room? Is something going on that I should know about?" he asked.
"Come, sit, we need to talk" was all I could say, all I wanted to say at that moment.
