Semua Bab Hayle Coven Novels: Bab 701 - Bab 710

My foul humor lingered long past dusk, only the tingling touch of vampire magic shaking me loose from my bad mood. Shenka was smart enough to keep her distance, the twins and Sassafras out and about doing who knew what. So when I felt my undead family arrive and rushed to greet them, my second trailed after me."Syd." I stopped at the sound of her voice. Turned and met her knowing smile as she poked me with magic. "Smiling is usually a great way to show other people you're not going to tear them in half and feed them to your demon."I wanted to be angry, to stay inside my little shell of pissed off, but something about the tone of Shenka's voice, the tickling way her magic prodded me, shattered the hold my temper had over me all afternoon. I hooked my arm through hers with a regretful little smile."Sorry," I said. "Guys suck. Did you know that about them?"She feigned innocence, one hand pressed to her heart in shock. "I had no idea."I loved my second.It didn't take much effor

"We use your crystal." Mia gulped down a spoon full of soup, not even noticing the sad look on Estelle's face as she set bread beside the fallen coven leader's bone-thin hand. Once inside the pavilion, safely tucked into our area and behind wards, Mia shed the heavy cloak hiding her from me. She looked even more emaciated than before, the light showing the thin veins running under her near-transparent skin, the way her eyes sank into dark pits, two shining blue lights the only sign she was in there.I'd seen pictures of drought victims who looked healthier than Mia. Was she this thin when I saw her only yesterday? And, if so, how did I miss it?I sat back and shook my head as Sassafras crouched on the edge of the table and stared at Mia with his glowing amber eyes, tail beating a soft rhythm against the wooden top."Mia," I said, "I can't interfere.""You can." She reached for me, faster than lightning, squeezing the bones of my hand until they ground together. Her thin power crawl

True to my expectations, I paced the night away and I wasn't alone. After a long talk with Shenka about Mia, Sassafras adding his lecture on top of hers, the three of us took turns either circling the small main room or sitting morosely staring into space.Because sleep was overrated.Breakfast turned out to be a giant affair, large tables and massive amounts of food spread out in the common areas of each pavilion. I found myself dining with a pair of witches from the Hensley coven while Tallah cornered her sister, still struggling to meet my eyes. Whatever decisions Mom had reached about the Hensley leader, I was still nervous about her particular need to expose us to normals, but even more so her contact with the supposed Steam Union.Had to remind myself to prod Piers later to see if he'd heard anything from his contacts.From the irritation on my second's face, the way she crossed her arms over her chest and refused to look at her fast-talking sibling, Shenka wasn't regretting

I had no appetite, despite the delicious aromas floating around me. The main pavilion was now full of tables, stuffed with witches serving a variety of foods from all different cultures. I just couldn't bring myself to focus on dinner.Shenka bullied me into a long, black velvet skirt and silk blouse, my witch's uniform, the replacement pentagram necklace Mom gave me hanging around my neck. My second even put my hair up for me."Now you look the part," she said while Sassafras snorted.Didn't help Meira joined him in laughing. Charlotte, too. Nice of them to come and share in my misery, offering casual suggestions to "improve" my appearance. After the little run-in I'd had with Quaid, the last thing I wanted was to go through the dog and pony at a formal dinner."You have to go," Shenka said, Meira linking arms with me despite her height advantage, looking as stunning and scary as usual."Mom needs us there," my sister said. "Besides, I hear you're the guest of honor."Blech.At

"It wasn't the conclave Belaisle was after," I whispered. "It was the stronghold."Mom cleared her throat, tried to speak. Fell still.I was such a fool. Idiot, moron. Why had I not considered this? Belaisle knew as well as I did where the last battle of ours was to be fought. And, until now, that battleground was in the hands of my allies.No longer. If I wanted to fight him, I had to go through his people first.Damn. It. All. To. Hell.And I'd been worried, the very first time I'd seen the mirror shard, when I'd been freed from the stronghold prison. Remembered thinking I should ask about the fragments, about how the mirror worked. Why didn't I say something to Mom then?As usual, my vampire sent, you are beating an undead horse.Sigh.In case you've forgotten, my demon sent, we'd just freed your mother from the Brotherhood and barely avoided being burned at the stake. We had a lot on our minds.We are all at fault if any are, Shaylee sent. Now, can we please focus on what