Karani parked her car at the den and Adara followed her inside. The den was illuminated by hundreds of candles and the women stood in a circle. They opened the circle as Karani stepped forward.
Shoran took her place among the women in the circle and Adara stood there, feeling very awkward and self-conscious.
Karani took her hand and walked to the fireplace where the flames leaped and danced. The women closed the circle around the fireplace. Everybody wore white and Adara felt strangely out of place in her jeans and jacket.
“Take off your clothes,” Karani said, and Adara complied without question. She stood only in her underwear in the middle of the circle, yet strangely enough, she felt at peace.
The women stepped forward and started washing Adara’s body. She closed her eyes and could
