The stronghold seemed to be a maze of endless stone corridors, punctuated by the occasional giant room with towering ceilings. Everything was arched, fitted columns sweeping overhead, reminding me of a medieval cathedral. What few windows we encountered showed a barren landscape, the sky that same dark cloud cover I'd first seen, uniform and dull, as bleak as the browned earth, empty and flat of vegetation or anything else living for what looked like miles.The stronghold itself felt endless, engulfing us as we walked, the vastness making me hunch my shoulders, tiny and inconsequential. What were we doing again? And why did I care so much? A heavy apathy rode my back, slowing me down until only prodding from Charlotte behind me kept me moving.Gram finally turned to find we'd fallen behind and frowned. Her fingers touched my cheek again, Enforcer magic sparking my own power."Sorry," Gram said. "I forgot about the warding. Any normal magic user would be weeping on her knees by now."
It required all of my forced poise to keep from wiping the smirk from her face in the most violent way possible. My demon grumbled with increasing volume as I felt one of my molars crack under the pressure of my grinding."The Dumont family magic was stolen," I said, skipping any kind of polite intro. Her perfect black bangs were still perfect over her smooth white skin, but one eye widened enough I knew her eyebrow arched in interest.So Mom hadn't told her. Interesting.Still, Ameline didn't seem surprised. Just curious. Which told me volumes."You had a hand in it." Accusations-R-Us.Ameline's cold smile and small head shake, her long, black hair rippling around her, stirred my hate for her again. Even in prison she was so disgustingly flawless I could scream."Not I," she said. "But I do know who planned it. And knew it was coming."No big shocker there."Why do you think I tried so hard to reach you?" Ameline's tone didn't match her words, coldness having nothing to do wit
Gram's grim expression told me my own couldn't have looked good. Instead of grilling me for answers, she hustled me around the corner and toward the exit, Charlotte sniffing at me, chuffing softly, angrily as though she could smell Ameline all over me.Which I knew for a fact she couldn't. Hadn't been able to for ages.Pissed Charlotte off to no end, too. I knew how she felt.We practically ran down the stairs, Gram setting a grueling pace. My vibrating thighs and aching butt were happy to alert me to the fact I was going to suffer for a few days. Sitting down would likely be impossible without serious groaning and complaining.But I ignored the feeling, ignored everything, let Gram lead and Charlotte follow, trusted them to keep me going in the right direction while my mind churned and the core of fear and anger in my guts writhed like a living thing.We slowed as we entered the stronghold again, down from the tower. It was easy enough to keep my head bowed while I fought a mas
I stood on the grass beside the bench and tried to pull my crap together after telling Gram and Charlotte everything Ameline told me.Again, Gram didn't look surprised. Having her Enforcer magic with me gave her the in she needed to eavesdrop. Still, talking it out helped me work around some of my fear."We have to tell Mom." Why was that always my initial go-to? Old habits. But damn it, I had to talk to her. Yes, she'd freaked on me last time. And I remained rigidly furious with her. Still, now that I knew what I knew... how could I keep this from her?And I had to know if Ameline was right. About other covens going missing."You're as big an idiot as that boy of yours." I didn't correct Gram. Quaid wasn't mine anymore.Hang on. She was talking about Liam-Oh, Syd."Your mother has made it very clear you're to stay out of this," Gram said. "Really feel like round two? With the information you now have, unconfirmed information that has nothing to do with the present circumstance
Emptiness echoed from the kitchen. The touch of it pulled me from the sleep I'd finally managed to wrangle, harsh and unforgiving rest filled with endless stone corridors and Ameline's laughter.I leaped from bed, raced down the stairs, while my heart skipped beats and adrenaline raced through my system. My power gathering, maji surging inside me. Only one thing felt empty like that.Sorcerer.In my house.I skidded to a halt, iridescent power rippling around me, hands fisted and ready to attack. Gram looked up from the bubbling pot of oatmeal she stirred with a wicked little smile on her face."You look chipper," she said.Someone cackled. I turned, still prepared to defend my home. My family.Only to come face-to-face with Demetrius's cherubic grin."Pretty," he said, pointing at my rainbow aura.Gram's giggle joined his. "Think there's a pot of gold in there somewhere?"Ha freaking ha.I let the magic fade, the creation power easing, the many parts of me separating and fa
Charlotte had a firm hold on Demetrius the entire trip to Harvard. Not that I didn't trust him to stay with us in the veil, but one just never knew.Would be just my luck to lose his ass in the transfer.Gram and Shenka I left with firm instructions. We already knew the only way to combat the attack of the Brotherhood was by weakening our defenses and not giving them magic to feed their sorcery. We'd learned that lesson the hard way, when Liander Belaisle and his pack of bullies attacked the vampire mansion. But my heart still fought me, my logic, too. It felt so wrong to tell the family to let their shielding go. Not only because those shields kept us safe day to day, a natural part of who we were. But because I now had no idea if such a defense would even work against the sorcerer's new tactics.Without the chance to have a look at this machine Demetrius mentioned, for all I knew, lowering the family's shielding signed my family's death warrants.I tightened my link with the cove
Erica stepped away, a sob lifting her shoulders. Mom glanced at her, breaking the hold we'd both held on each other. When Mom's eyes met mine again, she calmed enough the Council magic fell away, though I could still feel it bubbling around her edges."Damn you, Syd," Mom said, spinning away from me, feet thudding on the floor as she paced toward the table. "You had to disobey me, didn't you?""I don't believe you," I said as my own anger faded, now numb, my body dull and heavy as shock set in. Almost as if she'd physically injured me. "You let those covens be destroyed. You let Mia's magic be stolen. All to keep this quiet."Mom's rage returned, though she had a firm hold on her power this time. She spun back, voice an unrecognizable shriek."I already told you, I was protecting them!" Her voice echoed in the large chamber, bouncing from wall to ceiling to floor, pummeling me with sound. "Now they are out there, stirring up their families, alerting the Brotherhood we know what the
Home. It felt like a trap to me. Like we were sitting ducks, just waiting for the Brotherhood to show up and take our magic, burn our bodies, crush our bones.I couldn't let it happen.Shenka returned from visiting some of the family, only to leave again when a panicked call for support came. Not because we were under attack. But because the family was afraid.Didn't help I was, too. And they felt it, through me. Felt my rage against Mom, my absolute loss as to what to do from here. Gram huddled in the kitchen, sock feet drawn up on her chair, hugging her knees to her thin chest, glaring into space. Charlotte constantly patrolled the house and yard, a ghost of a girl in and out of wolf form. I'd already warned Galleytrot to keep Liam safely in his cavern, away from any harm that could arise.I'll watch over him, you know I will. The big dog's power hugged me, his fear as real as mine. But what about you and the family?We'll manage, I sent. I'm so close to maji, I think I can hand