Revealed hon-11

by P. C. Cast

  Then my attention was pulled from her as Kalona and Stark came into view. Dallas limped between them. He looked like crap. His hands were tied in front of him. His face was a bloody, scratched-up mess. His clothes were wet and filthy. Buried to its feathers, one of Stark’s arrows was stuck through his right thigh. Kalona and Stark looked as serious and powerful as Thanatos as they pulled Dallas into the center of our assembly. They didn’t stop until he was standing right in the middle of the blackened pyre site.

  Dallas didn’t look grim or powerful. He looked pissed. I saw when his eyes found Shaunee. He sneered at her and hacked up a nasty loogie, then spit it into the ashes at his feet.

  “Professors of the Tulsa House of Night Council, come forth!” Thanatos commanded.

  Lenobia, Penthesilea, Garmy, and Erik stepped from the crowd to stand to one side of Thanatos. I was thinking that the Council looked sparse with the absence of Dragon and Anastasia Lankford and Professor Nolan, when Thanatos continued, “I also command our two Prophetesses, come forth!”

  “Oh, for shit’s sake,” Aphrodite grumbled, but she let go of Darius’s hand and went to join Thanatos. Shaylin took longer to make her way forward, but when she joined Thanatos, the High Priestess nodded and motioned for her to stand beside Aphrodite.

  “Our school has been richly gifted with two additional High Priestesses. Sadly, one of them, the first red High Priestess, Stevie Rae, is unable to take her place beside me today because she has been gravely wounded.” I was just realizing she’d said two when Thanatos’s dark gaze found me. “But I do call our second High Priestess to join me. Zoey Redbird, come forth!”

  Feeling nervous and unsure, I went to stand beside Aphrodite and Shaylin.

  Thanatos faced Dallas. “Are you the red vampyre known as Dallas?”

  Dallas curled his lip. “Everybody knows who I am.”

  “Dallas, at dawn you attacked the red High Priestess, Stevie Rae, with the intent to expose her to sunlight until she died. Do you deny this?”

  “No, I ain’t denying it.”

  “Dallas, at dawn you also planned to kill the fledgling Shaunee with the power you have been gifted with by Nyx. Do you deny this?”

  “I ain’t denying anything!” His voice was mean and his eyes glinted with a rust-colored glow. “Shun me! I’m more than ready to leave this shithole of a school.”

  Thanatos turned so that she faced the crowd. “I know this vampyre has followers who share his same views. I believe they knew and even may have assisted him in his crimes. They, too, should share his fate. I now call forth the followers of Dallas who wish to stand with him!”

  I was super curious about what was going to happen next. There were probably about ten kids who hung around Dallas all the time. Well, nine now that Nicole had come over from the Dark Side. I kinda expected a whole herd of his red fledglings to come forth, swaggering like jerks and throwing notes at people.

  Only two actually joined Dallas. One of them was the big kid named Kurtis. I remembered him from the fight in the tunnels. He was a total ass. The other kid was Elliott, the fledgling I’d watched die all those months ago in English class. I knew Elliott was a mean breather (a kid who didn’t do much in class but breathe), but I would have figured he was too lazy to stand up with Dallas, especially since it looked like he was going to be kicked out of school with him.

  Oh, wait. That made sense. The kid didn’t like school. Getting expelled with Dallas would seem like a permanent vacation to him.

  “Elliott and Kurtis, do the two of you knowingly stand with this vampyre as accomplices to his crimes?” Thanatos asked.

  “Hell yes!” Kurtis said. He looked nervously around, but he was trying to sound all tough and sure of himself.

  “Yeah, whatever,” Elliott said.

  “Now I ask my Council—do you acknowledge the guilt of this vampyre and his fledgling followers?”

  The instant Thanatos asked that question, my Seer Stone began to radiate heat. I cupped my hand around it, wishing I knew what it was reacting to, and wishing I knew what to do about it.

  Each of the Council members answered Thanatos by solemnly saying, “I do.”

  “Prophetesses of Nyx, these three have been found guilty of plotting to murder a vampyre High Priestess. Look within you. Use your gifts. Are you in agreement with me that, as in ancient times, their punishment should be swift and public?”

  Aphrodite answered first. “I agree with you.”

  Shaylin took longer. She walked a few steps closer to where Dallas, Kurtis, and Elliott stood and studied them. Her face looked like she smelled something disgusting, but she didn’t say anything to them. She returned to her place near Thanatos. She still didn’t say anything. She just stared at Thanatos for what seemed like an uncomfortably long time. Finally, Shaylin drew a deep breath and said, “I believe the right thing to do is to agree with you.” Then Shaylin bowed her head. I was pretty sure she also closed her eyes, and it looked like she might have been praying, but I didn’t have any more time to watch because it was my turn to be called on.

  “Zoey Redbird, as the only other High Priestess present, do you stand in agreement with me and my ancient right to condemn these three for the violence they admit to conspiring and committing?”

  I felt like I got the easiest question. “Yes, I agree,” I answered quickly. The Seer Stone was scorching my hand.

  Thanatos raised her arms. Power crackled around her, lifting the hairs on my neck and arms. Her voice was amplified by the power of Nyx and she sounded like Death personified.

  “Then I invoke my right as High Priestess of this House of Night. Crimes against a High Priestess under my protection shall be punished as they were in ancient times. I command my Oath Bound Warrior to execute the red vampyre and then to cast his two fledgling followers into the country, far enough away from any vampyre that their bodies will reject the Change and they, too, shall die!”

  I didn’t even have time to gasp. Kalona moved with lightning speed. He drew the longsword that had been strapped across his back and in one swift stroke beheaded Dallas. Stark stepped away as the body convulsed and blood geysered from the stump that had been his neck. I couldn’t stop staring at Dallas’s head. His eyes were wide open. He looked stunned. And his mouth kept opening and closing—opening and closing—like a fish on dry ground.

  Kurtis and Elliott screamed and started to run. The winged immortal caught them before they’d broken the circle of the shocked crowd. He grabbed them around their waists. The crowd surged away from him and he ran forward, taking mighty strides, his huge wings beat the air once, twice, three times, and then he and the two boys were airborne. The boys kicked and screamed, but it didn’t seem to affect Kalona at all, and within moments he’d flown out of sight, to the west, and into the darkness.

  “Silence!” Thanatos’s command was like an off switch. It was then that I realized that everyone around me, except Stark, Shaylin, and the members of the School Council, had either been crying out in horror or sobbing in shock. “The time for weakness and infighting is finished. Violence against our House will be avenged. Our Goddess is merciful, but she is also just, and all who come against her shall feel her righteous wrath. Let this be your warning and my promise to you—those who stand with the Goddess and me will be protected. Those who come against us will be punished. Tulsa House of Night, make your choice!”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Zoey

  Cupped in my palm, the Seer Stone blazed. I knew why I hadn’t dissolved into tears or shrieked out in hysteria.

  Thanatos was right. It was time to publicly swear allegiance to our House of Night and take a stand for good. We were up against too much to have to fight each other, too. It’s what she’d been saying all along. It’s what I’d come to believe as well.

  I stepped forward, careful to stay out of the circle of Dallas’s blood. Holding tight to my Seer Stone I drew a deep breath and prayed, Old Magick, help me—strengthen me! Heat exploded from the See
r Stone and power sizzled through my body. When I spoke, the volume of my voice reverberated my words over the crowd.

  “My circle and I choose the path of Nyx. We stand united with this House of Night!”

  Damien and Shaunee were the first of my circle to join me. They moved up beside me and bowed respectfully to Thanatos, echoing me by saying, “We stand united!” Shaylin and Aphrodite stepped forward so that they were beside them. Darius and Stark and, I saw with a happy jolt, Aurox joined us. Surrounding me, the rest of my circle fisted their hands over their hearts and bowed respectfully, showing our solidarity.

  That broke the tide. Kramisha, Erik, Johnny B, Ant, Nicole, and all the rest of Stevie Rae’s red fledglings swarmed forward through the crowd. I could see that some of them had been crying. Others, like Erik and Kramisha, were white-faced with shock, but they all bowed and swore allegiance to our House of Night.

  The rest of the school began bowing and speaking their vows to stand together and follow the Goddess’s path. I paid special attention to the handful of kids left from Dallas’s fledglings. They were easy to pick out. The boys were super scruffy and slouchy, and the girls wore more eyeliner than clothes. They weren’t acting all tough and rebellious now, though. They were looking and acting scared. They all bowed to Thanatos. I couldn’t help but wonder how sincere their pledges were, because, seriously, what choice did they have? I thought about what I’d do in their place. No way would I take a chance at being killed. I’d totally pretend to join Thanatos. Later, though, my choice might be different.

  And just as if it had never been a miniature oven, my Seer Stone cooled down, leaving me dizzy and nauseous, with a pounding headache starting in my right temple.

  Old Magick was so creepy!

  “And now I command that we return to the business of living. School shall continue,” Thanatos was saying. “We will be vigilant as to the Dark forces at work around us, but they should not be at work among us any longer. I ask Zoey and her circle to remain here and meet with me briefly, the rest of you have five minutes before second hour commences. Professors—see to your fledglings, and may you all blessed be.”

  I felt a little like someone had just thrown cold water all over me. Dallas had been beheaded. Two fledglings were going to be dead very shortly, but don’t be tardy for second hour? WTF? How could it be that simple to go on with the day as if nothing had happened?

  “Zoey, I need you to cast a circle,” Thanatos said, striding over to me as the silent crowd dispersed.

  “Here? Now?”

  “Here, yes. Around the vampyre’s body. But not now. Wait until the fledglings have returned to class.”

  “Okay,” I said slowly. “But I’ll need someone to stand in for Stevie Rae.”

  “I can stand in for Stevie Rae.”

  Everyone stared at Aurox.

  “Why you?” Stark asked before I could say anything, which annoyed the crap out of me. It was my circle—not his!

  “Why not me? I know where north is. I can hold a green candle and call earth. And I want to help Zoey.”

  “Sounds good to me,” I said, not looking at Stark. “Damien, would you, Aurox, and Shaunee gather the circle candles and matches?”

  Aurox bowed respectfully to me before the three of them headed toward Nyx’s Temple for the circle supplies.

  “What’s going on? Why the circle now? Shouldn’t someone be cleaning up this mess?” Aphrodite asked, motioning to, but not looking at, Dallas’s body.

  “That is exactly what Zoey and her circle will be doing,” Thanatos said. “A condemned and executed vampyre doesn’t deserve a pyre and the traditions of a funeral. He also shouldn’t be buried anywhere that could be made a shrine by misguided followers. His remains need to be simply, quietly, and quickly immolated.”

  “Oh,” I said, getting it. “You want me to cast a circle and strengthen Shaunee so that she can, well, uh—” I hesitated, not sure how to put it, and feeling very squeed out at the thought of what we were going to have to do.

  “Clean up this mess,” Aphrodite finished for me.

  “Yes, well put.” Thanatos sounded like she was talking about taking out the trash. “And the less attention paid to this cleanup, the better. So, I thank both Prophetesses for fulfilling your role with dignity and wisdom, but now I must insist that Aphrodite go to class, and Shaylin join her directly after she has invoked water in Zoey’s circle.”

  Aphrodite frowned. Class was not her favorite place to be. I frowned at her—not that she noticed—thinking that I’d be happy to change places with her.

  “Come, my beauty, let us walk together,” Darius said, taking her hand and moving toward the main school building.

  “I’ll go get my blue candle and tell Damien and those guys to hurry up,” Shaylin said. She began walking toward Nyx’s Temple, then she paused and turned back to Thanatos. “I read your colors. You were doing what needed to be done. Sometimes the ancient ways are the best,” she said.

  “That is what I believe as well,” Thanatos said.

  “That doesn’t make what happened here any less horrible,” Shaylin continued.

  “Not less horrible, no, but necessary,” Thanatos said.

  “The entire school isn’t for you,” Shaylin said.

  “I am aware of that.”

  “I think you would be surprised to know who all is having second thoughts about their pledge to you and to this school,” Shaylin said.

  “I imagine you could tell me that by reading their colors, though. Couldn’t you?” Thanatos said.

  My stomach rolled. “Okay, hang on,” I said. “I’m totally for a united front against Darkness, but I’m not for Shaylin being used to invade people’s thoughts.”

  “What point are you making, Zoey?” Thanatos’s gaze seemed to pierce through me.

  “That Shaylin shouldn’t be used as your spy!” I wasn’t sure exactly why the idea pissed me off so badly, but it definitely did.

  “If she’s working in the service of Nyx—” Thanatos began.

  I cut her off. “Nyx has given us all free choice. That means it’s not against even the Goddess’s rules for any of us to question the choices we’ve made and are going to make in the future. There’s nothing wrong with that. Only an idiot never questions what she’s been told to do.”

  “Shaylin, did Dallas’s colors tell you he was dangerous?” Thanatos asked her, without taking her gaze from mine.

  “I knew he was angry and violent. I didn’t know he was going to try to kill Stevie Rae and Shaunee.”

  “But had Dallas been stopped because of what you saw within his aura before this morning, Stevie Rae would have been saved great pain,” Thanatos said.

  “Stopped? Do you mean killed before he actually did anything?” I felt like I was going to explode.

  “I don’t think that’s what Thanatos means,” Stark said.

  “I’d like to hear Thanatos say that,” I said.

  “In ancient times only vampyres who actually committed violence against other vampyres were executed,” she said.

  “This isn’t ancient times,” I said. “And I don’t think it’s anyone’s business what people think. But you know who believed it was her business to listen in to what we all thought? Neferet. I don’t like what that did to her.”

  Thanatos’s brows went up. “That is a point well taken, young Priestess.”

  “Shaylin, go on and see what’s taking Damien and those guys so long,” I told her. Shaylin hesitated for just a second, then she bowed to me and hurried away.

  “You have strong opinions,” Thanatos said.

  “So do you.”

  “Will you cast your circle and lead Shaunee in immolating the guilty vampyre?”

  “Yes. I don’t want him martyred any more than you do,” I said.

  “Thank you. Then I will leave you to your circle.” Her gaze went to Stark. “You did well today, Warrior. I am proud of you. Blessed be.” She bowed her head slightly and walked away.


  “I swear she acts more and more like Death every day,” I said, staring after her.

  “Z, I think she’s only doing her best to keep us all safe.”

  My first impulse was to argue with Stark, to ask him why he wasn’t taking my side, but when I really looked at him I saw that his clothes were torn and muddy, and he had Dallas’s blood spattered all over his shirt and pants. His face was pale and strained, and I understood that even though Kalona had announced he’d brought Dallas back to school, it was Stark’s arrow that had made his execution possible.

  Then Stark had watched Kalona behead the kid.

  I put my arms around him, pressing my face into his shoulder. “I think you’re doing your best to keep us all safe.”

  “Are you okay, Z? I wanted to tell you what Thanatos was going to do, but there wasn’t any time.” He hesitated, then added, “I felt that huge surge of power you had when you spoke up. It wasn’t like how you feel when spirit fills you, so I figured it might have something to do with Old Magick. Was I right?”

  I fidgeted uncomfortably. “Well, my Seer Stone got hot, and now I feel crappy. So, yeah, I’m thinking it had something to do with Old Magick.”

  “Guess that makes sense, especially with Thanatos invoking ancient rules and all.”

  “Yeah, we were just talking about that in class, but I wish I knew whether that meant she’s doing the right thing or not,” I worried aloud.

  “Hey.” He lifted my chin. “You’re the one with the Seer Stone. All you have to worry about is whether you’re doing the right thing. Cleaning up the Dallas mess is definitely the right thing to do. Okay?”

  “Okay.” I kissed him. “How are you?”

  “Tired,” he said. “And the whole cutting Dallas’s head off thing—well—I knew what was going to happen and I thought I was ready for it. But…” His words faded and he held me tightly.

  “Stark, I don’t think there’s any way to get ready to see a kid’s head cut off.” I squeezed him back. “Hey, you should go take a shower and change. How about we meet at lunch?”

  “How about we make a date to do nothing but curl up together after school alone and Roku a Big Bang Theory marathon.”