“I am surprised that you seem to care,” I said, shrugging. The look on his face when he’d discovered I was a Hallow had bothered me. A lot. I couldn’t deny that I still wanted to punch him in the man sack.
“Of course, I care,” he shouted, “Don't you care if you die?”
I started to say I didn’t know, but I did.
“Yes,” I said. I sounded as exhausted as I felt.
“Shit,” Felix said as he looked me over. “Shit. You look like you got hit by a bus.”
“Yeah,” I replied. “Gods, I slept in the graveyard.”
“The school one? Are you totally and completely desirous of being murdered in your sleep?!”
“The ancient Hallow Cemetery.”
He stopped and considered and then said, “That was kind of clever.”
“Oh,” I snorted, “Thank you so much.”
Did I like him? As a friend, I had. But his freaking out by my being a Hallow bugged the hell out of me.
“Food,” he asked wearily, glancing around to see if we were alone.
I nodded and followed him to a little noodle place. He had to pay because it wasn’t like my mother handed me money when I’d walked away from her in the ruins.
We ordered food and sat at a booth in the back. He thought I wanted quiet, what I wanted was to be unseen.
“You have to get your head in the game,” he said. “Gods, Rue, you could be next.”
“Have you ever seen a spell have the manifestation of a black flame?”
He shook his head in answer to my question and then asked, “Why?”
“I might have had it thrown at me while I was running the other night.”
He choked on his noodles, and then said, “I don’t know what that is, but I doubt it’s good. Especially…given lately.”
He didn’t bring up Chrysie’s death, but I could see her inside my head. She’d been so bright—pretty pink shirt, spikey hair, excited to be at college and nervous.
“Do you know where to find, Dr. Martin Hallow?”
“Yes,” Felix said carefully. “Why?”
“I thought I’d go ahead and see about Hallow House.”
“What do you mean?”
I leaned back and pushed my noodles away. I’d hardly eaten, but I was sick to my stomach. Sick of the lies and the manipulations. The death and the worries. I just wanted to be at college, taking classes, having adventures. But normal adventures. With things like, Europe or Spring Break and maybe even surfing.
“Well…supposedly there’s a frozen inheritance. The house has to accept the heir.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that urban legend.”
“According to my mother, it’s not a legend. It’s a thing.”
“And you think the house will open for you when it hasn’t for other powerful witches?”
I picked up my chopsticks and twirled noodles around them though I had no intention of eating them. When I looked up, I was a little embarrassed, “I really didn’t know about the Hallow thing. Here or that I was one. I thought I was coming to school and getting to learn about Dream Magic.”
Felix just waited. I wasn’t sure he believed me, but he didn’t seem to think I was totally lying.
“So…my mother was the heir. She forsook it, but not so that I couldn’t inherit.”
“What are you saying?”
“If I understand her cryptic BS right, then I have a pretty good chance the house will open for me. If it accepts me or whatever. But I need it to open for me in a way that means we won’t get arrested for being there.”
*
The library was connected to the Quietus Building. It was ancient stone and felt old and powerful and wonderful and I had been aching to get inside and wander its shelves for days. The main entrance was a wide stone staircase. There were runes carved into the side of the building in a way that would seem, almost, like decorations. Which they were. But they were also spells. Protection, anti-fire, clarity of thought, accelerated memory. This was no place for getting books. Finally, it had opened, and I wanted to move in. I put all my other wants aside and followed Felix, ignoring the pull of books. This place. It called to my soul like the oak grove, and the old Hallow Cemetery. Felix walked past all the wonderful things, past the main desk, and down a side hall. The side hall opened into a roundish room with several doors leading off of it. It was very quiet, almost mausoleum.
“Hi,” Felix said, “We’d like to see Dr. Hallow.”
The person manning the desk was a student. She had long red hair, a pale face, bright green eyes and that sort of quirky, bookish way that said she’d never been prom queen. Of course, I hadn’t either, but I don’t think I broadcasted it quite so hard. The name on her desk placard read Jessie Pavlina.
“Do you have an appointment? Dr. Hallow is very busy at the start of the term.”
I shook my head and then said, “I’m Rue Hallow-Jones. I suspect that Dr. Hallow would like to know that I’m going to go open up Hallow House.”
Saying my name in connection with the Hallow family had been difficult. But...it had felt as if I'd almost said my name right. What I thought would feel the most right, I wasn't ready to say. Or even think.
Humor sparked in her eyes, and I wondered how many times she had heard something similar. She simply held out her hand and said, “ID?”
I dug out my student ID and handed it over. It didn’t say Hallow as part of my name, and I could see her debate before she picked up the line.
“Dr. Hallow there’s a girl out here who claims to be a member of the Hallow family and wants to try the house.”
There was a pause, and the look on Jessie’s face said that I wasn’t going to get past her on what I’d said so far.
“Yes, sir. Yes, sir.” Jessie was clearly getting ready to hang up and tell me no.
“Tell him my mother is Autumn Hallow,” I said. I smoothed my hair and glanced down. I was a little dirty and definitely mussed. I wondered if she was thinking, Gee whiz, did this girl sleep in a graveyard?
Yes. Yes I did. I responded to our fake conversation.
“Uh, sir, she says her mom is Autumn Hallow.”
“Um. Dark hair, ponytail. Young.”
I glanced at Felix, who shrugged at me.
“He can be there for it or not,” I said not giving either of them a chance to delay me.
“He’s coming,” Jessie said hanging up the phone. “Why are you sure you’re special?”
“Everyone’s special,” I said, grinning. And then I remembered I was trying to get in the house to have somewhere safer to stay. Because my roommate and some other cousin had been murdered.
I cleared my throat and glanced down.
“You busy, Miss Pavlina?” Dr. Hallow asked. “We’ll need two other witnesses. You coming?”
The last question was directed at Felix who nodded.
“Happy to come, sir,” Jessie said. Her eyes were wide enough that I suspected Dr. Hallow didn’t attend very many of these attempts. If any. This was out of the ordinary. He thought I might do it too. The girl was comfortable enough to ask Dr. Hallow, “Do you think she’ll open it? I mean…no one has.”
“Very likely,” Dr. Hallow said. “She’s the natural heir. She’s very good at witchcraft. The house doesn’t usually turn away those who meet those qualifications. Do you know what you’re getting into?”
That last bit was for me. I wondered if he knew that two Hallow kids had died? I wonder if he knew what I was dealing with? I wanted a safe place to stay. If that was some ancient house with cobwebs and leaks in the roof, I didn’t care. Not as long as I could lay down warding spells and have a legal right to turn everyone else away.
I shrugged in reply and he looked as if he was going to say something and then thought better of it.
Dr. Hallow led the way outside. I expected him to walk us to the house, but he led us to his car. It was a shiny black Tahoe with smooth tan seats. I took a seat in the back. My killing spell was not in my finger
tips, but my magic was at the ready. I didn’t know who had been killing Hallow kids, but someone had. I didn’t know Dr. Hallow or Jessie well enough to trust them to be on my side.
I wasn’t even all that sure of Felix.
I didn’t think he was trying to kill me. That’s all I could say of him. Maybe we’d have been friends. But I was a Hallow and he wasn’t going to be my DM for long. What were the chances we’d have another game of poker when all his friends arrived and he found his old routine?
“I’m sorry to hear about your roommate,” Dr. Hallow said. “Chrysie was a sweet girl.”
Jessie, who had sat up front, glanced back and then asked, “What happened?”
“She was murdered while I took a bath,” I said, hating the truth. What if I had been there? What if I hadn’t been fighting with my mother? Would we both be dead or could I have saved her?
Jessie looked to Dr. Hallow to see if I was lying and saw that I wasn’t.
“I…I’m sorry.” Her eyes were wide and horrified. She seemed to be tearing up but got herself under control. She turned her face from me to the window leaving me without the view of her shiny eyes and left only with the long, red ponytail.
I ignored Jessie’s apology. How could I say that I was glad it wasn’t me? How could I say that I’d liked Chrysie, but she’d been a stranger? I was glad it was her family mourning and not mine. Bran and Daddy needed me like I needed them. Chrysie’s family would have felt the same and made the choice of her over me if they’d been given a chance. But they hadn’t been and I wasn’t going to be sad that it hadn’t been me.
“I’d like somewhere safer to stay. My mother suggested Hallow House.”
“Your mother is an interesting woman,” Dr. Hallow said carefully.
I contained my snort. She was a ripe-super villain in the form of a housewife from the ‘burbs and I was well aware of it. She was as warm as a fish and as loving as a jackal. But that wasn’t any of his business.
He had turned onto an old road with large oak trees. It was gorgeous and had, almost, the feel of the oak grove. But I could see the massive grove beyond the houses that we were passing. The houses were not what I expected. These were all…huge.
They were old and beautiful and well-maintained.
They were, in fact, mansions. Ancient, gorgeous, mansions many of which radiated the power of old witch families.
When he stopped outside of a pair of gates, my eyes fell on Hallow House. I didn’t need to know which one it was—there was one that called to me like the old Hallow graveyard. The oak grove ran up to and curved along the edge of the property behind the house. But the yard, or really…it was more than that, the green? The…land? It was huge. At least a few acres, maybe more, of rolling green, sculpted gardens, even statuary. My eyes followed the path up to the house and I froze.
This was no ancient Victorian. No ramshackle shack. It was…sweet Hecate. Holy Hells. Gods and monsters. My ever-loving goodness. It was a huge stone house, solid and gorgeous. A box of stone with windows and trailing ivy. But each side of the house had a wing that seemed to be nearly as big as the main house.
“Holy Hecate,” I whispered. “I was not…”
I didn’t finish. I looked to Dr. Hallow.
“The walkway gate hasn’t opened since your mother left. Go up, knock, if it opens. Follow the path and then knock on the main door.”
He didn’t say anything else, but I still felt as if he was…he was playing with a different deck of cards than me. He knew things I didn’t. I shouldn’t be surprised, I barely knew I was of the family. If my life hadn’t been on the line, I’d have asked more questions.
I stepped forward with trepidation. I could feel their eyes on me, and when I looked over my shoulder, Dr. Hallow was filming my attempt. I had to remind myself that it was better to try and fail than not try and lose a safe place.
People were killing kids like me.
I stepped forward, feeling my hand shake, but determined to hide it. The steps up to the main gate seemed to take forever.
With a deep breath, I lifted my hand, closed my eyes, and wondered what I wanted? For the gate to open? To stay here? Maybe it would be better to leave this madness behind and go to Grace College next year like my mother had wanted me to do. Branka wouldn’t spend her last year at home the direct target of my mother.
Thinking of my sister made me girl up. I lifted my hand, held it in front of the gate for that one final moment of hope before daring to let it fall several times.
*
Nothing happened.
I closed my eyes. Now where would I go? What would I do?
I took a deep breath and opened my eyes to face those who had seen my rejection, but before I met their gazes, I heard a creak. And I froze, turning slowly back to the house. The gate was slowly swinging inward.
“Sweet Hecate,” I whispered and walked through it because I didn't know what else to do.
The path to the front door was long and lined with greens and flowers. An artist in gardening had put the effort into this, and it was lovely. Even still…my hands were shaking for real now. A magic house had opened to me. It recognized me. Me, Veruca Jones. Or Hallow. Or whatever. But it had somehow seen into me and accepted me.
It was the most magical thing I had ever been part of, and I had set things on fire with my mind, brewed potions that would make people fall in love (if only for a while), and seen the clouds overhead change at the prompting of my coven.
When I reached the door—a massive affair with dark wood and designs made of runes and magical emblems—my hand had stopped shaking. The house had accepted me. I already knew it. I knocked like I was coming home and had forgotten my key and my eyes were open wide as I watched the latch turn, the door swing inward, and a rush of wind came out, wrapped around me, and with it came the scent of a house that had been closed up and refreshed itself.
I looked around and watched brilliant peonies burst into bloom. Daffodils rose from the flower beds even though it was fall. The air filled with the scent of sage and lavender and magic.
“Oh,” I said, stepping inside. By all the varied gods, it was wonderful. Coming home as I had never come home before. The floors were wood with dark, wide-planks. Two curved staircases that framed the entry and went up to a carved balustrade I couldn’t see beyond. A silver chandelier hung overhead and when I looked up, it snapped on. I turned around to see who had turned on the lights, but Felix, Jessie, and Dr. Hallow were coming up the steps.
“Congratulations,” Dr. Hallow said. “You just received the Hallow inheritance.”
“Good,” Felix said. “She needs somewhere to stay where people can’t kill her as easily as they did Chrysie.”
I nodded and then looked over their shoulder. Two people stood beyond them.
And I recognized one.
“Holy Hecate’s sweet fiery hell,” I said. “You’re dead.”
* * *
Chapter 11
“Yeah,” Chrysie said. “I guess I am.”
“Felix,” I asked, without turning around, “Can you see her too?”
“Yes,” he whispered. I glanced and saw him lifting his water-bottle to his mouth with a hand that was shaking so bad, the water was rolling down his wrist.
“You’re not a necromancer?”
“No.”
I turned back around and reached a finger out to poke Chrysie. I felt her. But she was cold. She was also clean. Not like she was dirty before but she smelled like oranges and lime. Her hair was wet and she looked…sort of fresh and polished, and perhaps, on second glance—a little marbley. She was wearing clothes from the bookstore like I was.
“Oh,” Dr. Hallow said. “They were successful! Wonderful. Elizabeth, hello.”
“I guess,” Chrysie said, walking inside. “That I am a vampire. The University paid this Presidium vampire to change me.” Chrysie jerked her thumb to the small woman who stood beside Chrysie. “And she did. It took her, like, minutes. I was sort of o
ut of body and then I was snapped inside, and it hurt sooooooo bad.”
I poked Chrysie again. She was there. I tried again. Still there. I looked for where the blood had come from in my viewing of her ghost, but nothing seemed out of order. It wasn’t like there was an axe mark on her neck or long scarred over slits on her wrist.
“And then Elizabeth made me drink some nasty stuff and told me to go get some food. I didn’t even…I didn’t even think about it. First I was dead, and then I was dead but different, and now I’m really really hungry. Even though I ate a whole bunch of food. Like four double burgers. You’d think I’d be puking, but I’m super hungry again.”
Felix edged back, and Chrysie clarified. “Not hungry for you. For chicken. And beef. And pork. Maybe some shrimp.”
“What is happening?” Jessie demanded.
I answered before anyone else could, “There’s a serial killer of Hallows, apparently for a long time. They got Chrysie, probably tried for me, and got some other kid. They think it’s my mother. And I’m her…puppet?”
“Completely ignoring that the first victims were your grandparents,” Dr. Hallow said. “I have never been a fan of your mother, mind you, but I think it’s a bit of a stretch to assume that she was able to successfully murder two very powerful necromancers who raised and loved her.”
“Well…” Honestly, how weird was it that I…okay, even I would be shocked if she’d killed her parents. My mother would scare the Joker. One hundred percent. But, murdering your parents was a lot even for her. She’d totally have spelled them and taken their cash though. No question there.
“You doubt that?” Felix asked.
“Of course she doesn’t,” Chrysie answered for me. “She’s mad at her mom because she’s a big liar.”
“She is that,” I agreed. Man, I wasn’t sure my mother told the truth ever, despite her love for the truth serum.
“And mean, I met her. She’s nasty.” Chrysie looked to me and said, “No offense.”
“Yeah,” I said. My mother was vicious. Like a rabid dog.
“And she doesn’t look anything like you.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
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