The Secret of the Scarlet Stone (A Gabby Girls Adventure Novel, Book One) (43 page)

Rosalinda,
Zora
, Jessica, and Gabrielle’s mouths dropped open with surprise as the large bookcase slowly opened to reveal a hidden door. Three women slowly stepped
out from the darkness and walked to the center of the room. One of them Gabrielle instantly recognized as the professor from the tea party
:
Ms. Duncan. They all wore long
,
dark dresses that clung to their bodies tastefully; these were the most beautiful women Gabrielle had
e
ver seen
,
hands
-
down.

A porcelain-colored woman with piercing blue eyes smiled warmly
.
“I am Circle Sister Moonlight
,
t
he beacon of light that always shines in the darkness.”

A tall woman with bright red hair and green sparkly eyes looked at them curiously then smiled mysteriously
.
“I am Circle Sister Fire Star, the flame that ignites for all to see.”

Ms. Duncan smiled
.
“I am Circle Sister Passion Flower, the one that brings growth that spreads for eternity.”

Grandma Celeste smiled
.
“I am Circle Sister Knowledge, the whisperer of understanding.”

“And I am Circle Sister Spirit, the one that moves through worlds for centuries,” Grandma Priscilla said in
a
soft
,
S
outhern drawl. “So, now it’s up to each of you to make a most important decision. If you choose to accept your legacy, you will have to give up everything that you have ever known and also open your hearts and minds to the unknown.”

Grandma Celeste smiled softly
.
“Remember, this is your birthright
,
but it’s also a serious responsibility that is not to be taken lightly.” She walked over to the opening in the bookcase and waited patiently.

Gabrielle looked at her curiously
.
“And what if we decide to deny our birthright?”

Grandma Celeste smiled sadly
.
“If you decide to deny your birthright, you are free to walk right through this opening and out of this room.”

Grandma Priscilla looked at her sternly
.
“But with that decision, you will have to give us your scarlet pendant. And
,
most importantly, you will not remember anything that happened along the journey.”

From the bookcase, Grandma Celeste slowly pulled
out a brilliant gold book that had a large scarlet stone wedged in the center. She walked to the center of the room and twisted the stone in a clockwise direction
,
causing the book to fly open with the pages flipping around wildly.

Grandma Celeste looked at the
girls
blankly
.
“You will be asked a question; if you accept, you must say
,
‘
I accept my gifts and my legacy
,
and welcome the journey into the Circle Sisterhood
.
’
I
f you choose to deny your birthright, you must say
,
‘
M
y gifts and my legacy I deny and they will no longer be mine.
’
” A brisk gust of cold air circled the room
,
causing her hair to whip around her face wildly.

Grandma Priscilla solemnly looked over at Jessica
.
“What is your decision?”

Jessica smiled confidently
.
“I accept my gifts and my legacy
,
and welcome the journey into the Circle Sisterhood.”

Grandma Priscilla solemnly looked over at Rosalinda
.
“What is your decision?”

Rosalinda smiled hugely
.
“I accept my gifts and my legacy
,
and welcome the journey into the Circle Sisterhood.”

Grandma Priscilla looked solemnly over at
Zora
.
“What is your decision?”

Zora
adjusted her glasses and smiled happily
.
“I accept my gifts and my legacy
,
and welcome the journey into the Circle Sisterhood.”

Grandma Priscilla solemnly looked over at Gabrielle
.
“What is your decision?”

Gabrielle looked at each of them
.
“I accept my gifts and my legacy
,
and welcome the journey into the Circle Sisterhood.”

Grandma Priscilla’s face relaxed
;
she smiled as she walked over to the waterfall and muttered softly
,
“I invoke thee,
orbis
in!
O
rbis
sicco
!”

The bookcase slowly creaked closed.

Grandma Celeste smiled
.
“The vow has been made.” She waved her hand grandly at the book that was lying next to the waterfall
.
“You must now sign the book, which symbolizes your readiness to accept your gifts and the journey.”

They quickly walked over to the book, signing their names excitedly.

Grandma Priscilla walked to the center of the room to join Grandma Celeste and the three Circle Sisters. They all solemnly stepped back
, looking
warmly at Gabrielle, Rosalinda, Jessica
,
and
Zora
.
 

“Please come to the center of us, make a circle
,
and join hands,”
Grandma Priscilla i
nstructed. They walked to the middle of the room, got into a circle
,
and joined hands.

“I invoke thee,
orbis
,
to seek the unknown,” Grandma Celeste said over the roar of the wind.

Frightened, the
girls
tightly shut their eyes as the winds picked
up and blew harshly, whipping across their bodies.

“I invoke thee,
orbis
,
to move through worlds for the good of mankind,” Grandma Priscilla shouted.

“I invoke thee,
orbis
,
the light that always shines in the darkness,” Circle Sister Moonlight shouted.

“I invoke thee,
orbis
,
the flame for all to see,” Circle Sister Fire Star s
aid.

“I invoke thee,
orbis
,
the growth that spreads for eternity,” Circle Sister Passion Flower shouted.

A bright gold light in the shape of a large circle shimmered with symbols that seemed to float around them. The circle danced and beckoned them.

“I invoke thee,
orbis
,
scarlet
orbis
,
” they shouted in unison as their pendants lifted, suspended mysteriously in the air. Their pendants twirled wildly as a bright white light glowed from the center. The pages continued to whip around wildly then stopped.

“As we lift our hearts and souls to you, all that is pure make anew. Light the torch and keep aflame what centuries have kept ablaze. As thirty circles become one, make it as it was long ago,” they shouted in unison.

 
A soft golden light burst from the page.

“Scarlet stones will reveal all gifts,” Grandma Priscilla said happily as the scarlet pendants dropped softly against their chests.

Grandma Celeste chuckled softly
.
“Blessed be, the circle is renewed.” She proudly closed the book, clutching it protectively against her chest.

“Blessed be
,
” they all said in unison.

Quietly, Grandma Priscilla walked
over to each of the
girls
, tapping them softly on their shoulders, “It’s all right
,
chickadees; you can open your eyes now to the renewed circle.”

They looked at each other with awe.

Grandma Celeste smiled with pride
.
“Yes, I know
…
you feel a little different because you are a little different,” she chuckled softly.
Then h
er tone suddenly became stern
.
“Well, are you just going to stand around looking at each other? We have lots of work to do and quickly. As we stand here, Hannah is hatching a plan to destroy you.”

Grandma Priscilla looked at them quickly
.
“Hannah is very powerful even without her scarlet pendant
,
but we have been told that her dark powers are weakening. She knows that your scarlet pendants hold the secret to your gifts and she will come after them with every trick in the book. She will undoubtedly try to finish the job of destroying the circle once and for all.”

Gabrielle gritted her teeth angrily
.
“Well
,
let her try
.
I’ll be ready for her.”

Grandma Celeste softly touched her face
.
“No
,
Gabi. Don’t be angry
;
that is what she wants. In fact, she feeds on anger
,
among other things
,
and she will use your anger against you. Remember, the circle is not about anger, revenge
,
or evil. We are about helping others and continuing the work for good. I know that you are very mad at her for killing your mother
,
but I beg of you
to
use all of that energy for good.”