"You have the lineage of witches to empower you. You have the experience of your grandmother to guide you. You have a world to balance, and if you do, Beverley will inherit a better place." His voice softened. "But you can't do it just for them. You will fail if you are merely altruistic. Witches and waeres and vampires are a part of you. You bind all this together! You wouldn't relinquish your ties to Nana or to Beverley; you didn't relinquish the binding to Menessos and, no matter what, you are bound to Johnny now as well. This hurt will fade or fester, depending on how you choose to feel about it." He let that sink in. "You will come to see that all of it has been creating—and will continue to hone—the warrior you must become to be the Lustrata."

Amenemhab stood rigidly and spoke loudly, "Take off the blindfold, Lady Justice. See it. See yourself. See the power you have, the power you claimed right here." Amenemhab had tears in his dark eyes. "You claimed it when you accepted all the good and bad, when you took the burns into yourself. Have you not yet comprehended? You broke the shackles of the vampire that night! You freed yourself and made your former master your slave! He is bound to you now. You are the Lustrata and you are not subservient to anyone!"

I stared at him, openmouthed. My mind flashed through everything in seconds. The pain that was Menessos's to bear. His leaving because I told him to go. The gifts. Him protecting me during the test. Perhaps the scene with Xerxadrea's raven was somehow a part of him being enslaved. But my increased senses, my amped emotions, good and bad… the stain had flipped and I held the reins, I did not bear the yoke. I had stood up and declared that I would not be the servant. I had claimed a place of authority in the universe. And all the consequences, the benefits and responsibilities that came with it.

Oh. My. Goddess.

Lying on my bed, staring at the fading light on the wall, I heard Nana call Beverley to dinner. I'd be next.

Dinner.

Such a normal thing.

I sat up, moved to the edge of the bed. My gaze fell from the wall to the floor, landing on my boots in the corner. They sat where I'd dropped them when I came in Friday night. One flopped on its side, sole exposed. The other stood upright as it should.

The Lustrata's shoes. Those boots… were me.

One part defeated and down, soul revealed, tread worn. And one part strong, upright, ready. Together, they fulfilled their purpose.

I didn't need to grow into the Lustrata's shoes. They already fit.

So mote it be.

Monday, with Beverley off to school, I began making plans. The next two days were going to be busy. Tonight, with the full moon, the waeres would kennel. That meant popcorn and Disney with Beverley even if it was a school night. We'd started the tradition when Lorrie, Beverley's mother, had kenneled here. Beverley would stay with me in the house. The human cries and wolfish howls of the waeres' transformation were somewhat muffled by the cellar, but Mary Poppins singing "A Spoonful of Sugar" or Pumbaa and Timon rollicking through "Hakuna Matata," accompanied by the crunch of popcorn, drowned it out completely and kept a young girl's mind away from the change happening to her mother.

When we had magically forced Theo through a change in order to save her life, the other waeres had changed as well and Beverley had witnessed it. Now that she had actually seen the waeres change—not a pretty sight—it was probably even more important to keep her distracted.

When she slept, once the waeres were changed, I meant to take advantage of tonight's blue moon, the «extra» full moon in the calendar. Tomorrow I'd make the effort to talk to Johnny.

Because of that, I took out my Tarot journal and reviewed the reading that Nana had done for him. Nana was right about the sixth card being Prometheus. Yup, Johnny was clearly sacrificing what we had or could have had. But reviewing the reading didn't help me know what to say to him.

I put the journal away and took out my Book of Shadows. Flipping to the Wheel of the Year section, I opened the Hallowe'en/Samhain pages. Nana and I planned to introduce Beverley to a lesser-known part of the witch's celebration for Hallowe'en. Afterward, Nana would be taking Beverley to a costume party at a classmate's home while I showed Hunter my support at the Witches Ball. All in all, it was going to be a good night.

But first, I had to deal with tonight. I started creating my blue moon ceremony.

Every year, there are thirteen full moons. That means in one month, there are two, and that second one is called the blue moon. To witches, this moon has special meaning and it is a time for uncommon rites and unique wishes. Of course, tomorrow the Covenstead would host the Hallowe'en Sabbat, but I planned to draw down the moon tonight.

Beverley and I were sitting on the couch watching The Little Mermaid. It was her favorite. "Should we decorate your bedroom in mermaid stuff? We could sponge-paint starfish and shells all around."

"I don't know. Maybe ponies."

Ares sat attentively before us, keenly waiting for popcorn to be dropped. The Great Dane puppy was growing fast. Maybe we could saddle him for her.

That was when I felt the triad of energies combine in the heavens. The sun reflected perfectly on the moon, which reflected it perfectly onto the Earth. Reaching for the remote, I jacked the volume of the movie just as Ariel started singing. Between the television and the attempted sound-proofing in the cellar, I could barely hear the hoarse screams of humans transforming into wolves.

Still, Beverley leaned against me. "I never asked Johnny about it hurting when they change."

Arm going around her, I rubbed her shoulder. "You'll have the chance. Though tomorrow's going to be a full day for you: a party at school—don't forget to take the costume and the candy with you—and a costume party at Lily's."

"I like Lily. She was the first girl in my class to ask me to play with her at recess."

"That was sweet of her. I'm so glad you're making friends."

"She likes your jokes in my lunch too." She stretched, resettled. "Demeter said there was something you two wanted to do with me tomorrow."

"Yeah. It's important and it's going to be special."

"Give me a hint?"

"No way." I took a slurp of cider.

Beverley sighed. "That's what Demeter said. Pass the popcorn?"

A chorus of howls arose from the basement, despite the soundproofing.

With Beverley tucked in her bed, I took the basket of gathered supplies from my bedroom. Traveling through the garage and out the back door, I stepped into the yard.

I took a moment to look back at the house and imagine the add-on bathroom for Nana. I'd called and arranged for three contractors to come out to give me quotes on the addition and making the interior changes to give Nana a first-floor room. As I scanned around, it occurred to me that maybe I should get a quote on a deck also. Not that I'd have them build it until spring.

Hello, whispered the ley line. I smiled. "Hello."

My back pocket erupted with the sound of bells. "What do you want, Sam?" I answered, setting the basket down near my outdoor ritual spot.

"What-cha doin'?"

"It's a blue moon. I'm about to start a ritual."

"Oh. Well, hold up there. My job takes precedence."

"What do you mean?"

"Xerxadrea's calling."

A second of static was followed by, "Persephone?"

"Yes?"

"Are you attending the Ball tomorrow?" She sounded very happy.

"Yes. I thought showing my support for Hunter would be a good thing."

"I agree. Several members of my lucusi are flying in to attend. I look forward to introducing you to them."