“Ihadn’texpectedthislevelofability,”MartinsaidwhileFelixandIwatched him warily—waiting to see what Martin’s purpose was. “I’d heard you were good.Whatwillyoudowhen—”Hestoppedhimselfandmygazenarrowed.
“IdonotwanttobetheKeeper.”
“Alright,” he agreed. “It would be possible to pursue brewing and the thinning.”
“Thethinningisnotmyconcern.”
“Ithasbeentheconcernofthisfamilyforgenerations.”
“I claim Chrysie and Elspeth. I don’t claim some stupid handed-down death sentence.”
“Most keepers live long lives. And, that is not how family works,” Martin countered.
Didhereallyexpectmetotreathimasfamily?ThismanIhadmetonlywhen I’d come to college? This man who had met me, knew who I was, and said nothing?Who’dleftmetofindoutIwasaHallowfrommyadmissionsadvisor asshechewedmeoutforbeingnotgoodenough?Hewasastranger.Notfamily.
I didn’t care if he was scuffed and bruised from fighting for Chrysie’s life. I didn’t care that his arm was in a sling and he looked like he’d been on some nastyweek-longbender.
Maybe. What did I know about families? I had my Daddy, my Mother, and Bran. We were pretty damn dysfunctional given my ability to sidestep truth potions.“WhydidyouhelpusfindChrysie?”
He paused for a moment, searching my face and then said, very gently,
“BecauseIcareaboutyouandChrysie.”
IglancedatFelixwhosefacewasexpressionless.
“What is all this?” Martin asked, gesturing to Dominique’s knives again.
MaybetochangethesubjectbecauseIwassoverycluelessaboutwhathewas talkingabout.
Ishrugged.Ididnotowehimadamnthing,especiallyanexplanation.
“Rue,”hesaidwiththatgentlevoiceagain.IfeltlikehewasgoingtotellmeI hadcancerinsteadoftrytoconvincemetotrusthim.“Youaren’talone.”
“Sheknowsthat,”Felixsaid,finallyspeakingup.
AndIdid.Iknewalotofthings.Iknewthatdespitethefactthattheywere not related to me, I could count on Felix, Jessie, and Cyrus. I could count on Bran, my Daddy, and Chrysie. And if it suited her—my mother. Otherwise, Motherwouldthrowmetothewolvesmakingmyfaithinherfarmoretenuous.
Mother would do anything to prevent my death. Probably my dismemberment.
But anything that made you stronger…that was fine with her. Even if it was horrible.
MaybeIwouldtesthim.AndthenIdid,asimplequestion.“Whatistheplan then?”
Martin’s gaze met mine and a flash of amusement crossed his face. Ah, I thought,sothey’renotplanningonlettingushelp.Lovely.
IansweredforMartin,“Don’tworryyourprettylittleheadaboutit?”
FelixraisedabrowandMartinshrugged,“Youarestudentsandveryyoung.
Weshouldn’thaveletyoucomelasttime.”
“You send Finn and his buddies out on little keeper missions all the time,”
Felixsaidwithoutexpression.“Thosearedangerous.”
Heshouldknow.Hisgirlfriendwasoneofthatteam.Ididnotlookhiswayor reacttothatstatement.ButMartindid.Heshiftedandglancedaside.
“Areyoukiddingme?”Iasked.“You’reusingthem.Notus.”
“They’vetrainedforthis,”Martinexplainedwithabitofapleatohisvoice.
I picked up Dominique’s knives and played with them. “Do you remember thatpartinDracula?WheneveryoneissobusyprotectingMinatheymissouton how she’s totally been the vampire’s snack for-freaking-ever? Because that is what’shappeningrightnow.”
“Thatisalittlemelodramatic,”PortiasaidassheandLeandercameintomy lab.Thistimethedoorcreaked,soIdidn’tjump.
“You know what?” I snapped, finally so sick of them and their expectation thattheycouldtellmewhattodo.“Let’sbemelodramatic.Ifwe’regoingback toyoutellinguswhattodoandus‘obeying,’whydon’tyouleave?”
They glanced among each other. They wanted to tell me no. If they had thought they’d be able to pull it off, I bet they would have. But we’d already establishedthatIwasn’taseasytoorderaroundaseveryone.Finally,Portiasaid,
“Wecan’tjustleave.Chrysieneedscare.”
“Fine. You can come to take care of Chrysie and leave when you’re done.
UnlessElizabethsaysshecanhandleit.Therestofyou,though,out!”
“Every time I feel like you might be something other than a little girl…”
Leanderstarted,butIcuthimoff.
“Saveit.Ireallydon’tcarewhatyouthinkofmeorwhatyouwant.Ifwe’re notincluded,thenthereisnoneedforyoutobehere.Go.”
“Leander,”Martinbegan,butLeanderleftwithoutaword.
Ilookedattheothertwoandwaited.Theycavedfirstandleft.
“Whydoweeventry?”Itookadeepbreathandcheckedmypotionsbefore
headingtothedoormyselfandwaitingforFelixtofollow.Themomenthedid,I pushedenergyintomywardsandlockedthelabfromanyonebutme.
*
Shapeshiftersintheformofwolvesarrivedbeforethesunevenbegantorise.
Theyputthelittlegirlinaroomthatdidn’thavewindowsandseveralcurledup aroundher.Ididn’tlookatherormeethereyesortalktoher.Ididn’twanther to be a person. To be more than a name and a shape in the grave. Because otherwise I couldn’t hate her a little bit for being the one who had been saved
whileChrysiewastheonewhowaslost.
Ihadnoideawhattimeitwas,butmyenergypotionwasstillrunningstrong throughme.Myangerwasn’thelpingmyabilitytorest.Thenthereweremybig worries—theywayitseemedthatweweremomentsfromabombgoingoff.A
dark-witch-shaped bomb. The way Chrysie hadn’t woken up. And where in all thehellsmysisterhaddisappearedto.
Iwalkedintothefrontroomandcurledintoachairbythefire,Marthalitthe flamesforme.IjustletmyminddriftasIstaredattheflames,hopingforsome insightonwhattodo.Thedooropened,butIdidn’tgetup.Itwasprobablysome ofthewolvesleaving.Ihopedso.Marthafeltlikeshewasteemingwithlife,and Ipreferredtheemptymausoleumfeelthatbelongedtoher.
“What are you doing here, Monica?” Felix hissed. “And why did you bring him?”
“WeneedtotalktoRueaboutthetalisman,”Finnanswered.TheCaptainof
thepseudoteamofkeeperstrulybelievedthatthetalismanwouldgotohimifit were released. It might. I hoped it did. He tried so hard to be the keeper.
Everyoneelseseemedtothinkitwouldgotome.Except…asmuchasitseemed thatIprotestedtoomuch…Ireallydidn’twanttobetheKeeper.Ididn’tseehow itwasagoodthingforme.
“No,”Felixsaid.“You’llbeleavingRuealone.Besidesitisnotevendawn.”
“‘Lix,”Monica’ssmoothvoicesaid.Shewastryingtosoothehim.I’dnever heard it not work. Monica played Felix like a violin—something Chrysie had never been able to stand. I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen now thatshewasdoingitagain.“Please.Talktoherforus.Makeherseereason.”
Myearsperkedup.Ialsocouldn’thelpbutwonderifhelovedMonica?Was
kissingmesomereactionofthemoment?Whatwashappeninginsidehishead?
AndwhywasIworryingaboutitwithChrysielyingupinherbedinsomesort ofvampirecoma?
“You know as well as I do that her mother
has to break her link to the talisman.”
“Butshehasn’t,”Finnsaidinthattypicalangryvoice.
“Andshe’snothere.She’sinWashingtonState.Whydon’tyoucatchaflight thereinsteadofharrass—”
“Quitpretendingshe’s innocentinthis ‘Lix,”Monicasaid, cuttingFelixoff.
“You’resoentrancedwithlivingintheHallowHouseandbeingacceptedbyreal witchesthatyoudon’teven—”
“Stop,” Felix said. He said it so very quietly that you’d have thought it was begging.Buthewasn’t.Thatvoicewassharpwithotheremotion.
“Stop,” Monica mocked. “Stop. Please don’t. Leave it alone. When are you
goingtomanupand—”
“Enough,”Felixsnapped.“Youneedtoleave.”
“Felix,please,”Finnsaid.Idaredtopeekaroundthechairandsawhimcutin front of Monica. Both of them stepped closer to the doorway. With that step, Martharocked.
Monica screamed. Felix grabbed their hands and yanked them through the door as Martha rocked again. I didn’t have time for them. I darted towards the centerofthehouseandmetFelix’sgaze.
“Itheld,”Isaidtohim.
“Weneedtomove,”hereplied.
Finnwasbackonhisfeetasifhe’dneverfallenandheglancedbetweenus andthencrackedhisknucklesandhisneck.Isortofhatedhimandalsoreally appreciatedhowhewassoreadytojoinin.Untilhestartedforthedoorlikean idiot.
“Woahtherechamp,”FelixsaidtoFinn.“It’sthedarkwitch.Let’snotjump outsideofthewards.”
“To the magic room,” I said, skipping around the others as if my stomach wasn’t tight with anxiety and I wasn’t sure that we were about to die. What MarkusandmycovenhaddonetothewardsonMarthawas—insane.
“Wherearetheothers?”Finnasked,followingalongasifI’dbeenspeakingto him rather than Felix. Of course, the moment they’d been yanked into Martha, they’dbeenyankedintothestupidityofourplan.
“Do you mean Saffron? Because she and Elizabeth went to check the other graves,”Ianswered.“Andmaybeseeiftheycouldtrackthedarkwitchfromher littleplayground.”
“OrtheHallowFamilyCouncil?”Felixopenedthedoorandwavedtheothers
throughasheanswered.“BecauseRuekickedthemout.”
“Or Cyrus and Jessie, because I’m sure they heard the gentle tap-tap at our doorandareontheirwaytothecovenroom.”
“Orthewerewolves?Becausethey’rehereforthefun.”
FinnandMonicalookedsickastheyrealizedthatwewerealluselessatmagic and their team wasn’t around. No one would be coming to our rescue in time giventhewayMarthahadrockedonherfoundationsasthedarkwitchhitus.I’d guess they were doing the calculations I had already done. We were probably going to die. Hallow House would be destroyed in the process, and probably a dark witch would rise in St. Angelus to steal all the little vampire and shifters andusethemasingredientsfornastyspells.
Itdidn’tfeellikeitwasthetimeformetogiveapeptalkgivenmytakeon whatweweredoing.
Markus arrived at that moment, opening the door and coming in. He was as light on his feet as—well as a werewolf with super-human strength—even though he carried Chrysie in his arms. There was another werewolf behind Markus carrying her IV. And a third werewolf who tenderly carried the wide-eyed,scarredlittlegirl.
Ihadn’tletmyselfseeheragainormeethereyes.Ihadsocarefullyavoidedit sinceI’dhaveexchangedherforChrysieifIcouldhave,andIdidn’twanttosee thepersoninside.Butshecaughtmyeyesandheldmeprisoner.Hergazewas wide,frightened,andfixatedonme.ItwasprobablywhyIfoundmyselfsaying thingsIdidn’twanttosay.
“It’sok,”Ilied.“We’vegotthis.”
“She’s evil.” The girl wasn’t wrong. And her terror colored her voice, her face,thewayherhandsshook,andthewayshecouldn’tblinkevenashereyes dartedaroundtheroomasifsheweretryingtofindallthehidingplaces.Ididn’t think there was a hiding place possible for her given the dark witch had consumed some of the kid’s essence. At this point, it was the dark witch or GwennieandIthoughtthelittlegirlknewit.
“Yeah,”Ireplied.
“She’sstrong,”thegirlsaid.Icouldseewhatshewasbuildingupto.Thefact thatwedidn’thavethisatall.
“Yeah,”Iagreed.Ihadthewoundstoshowhowstrongthatdarkwitchwas.
“We’reallgoingtodie,”Gwenniesaidclearly.AndIwasforcedtoseeherfor a person since she was speaking my thoughts. This little girl named Gwennie.
Markushadtoldmeaswe’dlaidourplansandspellsearlierthatshestillslept with a ragged purple teddy bear and played soccer. That she dreamed of becomingasurgeon.Ididn’twanttoseehowshedidn’thaveasonginherheart anymore.Ididn’twanttoseehowshehadnightmaresinhereyes.Ididn’twant toseehowshe’dneverbethesameagain.Butallofthosethingsweretrue.
“Maybe,”Itoldthekidasifitwerejustthetwoofusandweweren’tbeing watchedbyapackofwerewolves,mycoven,Finn,andMonica.“ButI’drather diethangiveup.”
“I’dratherdiethangobackintothegrave,”shesaid.Notearsfell.Isuspected she’dcriedallthetearsshehadinthatgrave.
“Well,I’mcountingonyourMarkustosaveus.”
“Hedidn’tsaveme.Youdid.”
Ididn’tknowhowtoanswerthat.SoIjustsaidthefirstthingthatcametomy mind,“Iguessheowesusbothonethen.Idon’tknowifyou’venoticed,buthe’s heromaterial.So’sFelixhere.Hehidesitbehindthatnastyhair,buthe’sahero.
EvenFinn,thegreatandnoblejerk.He’sallhero.”
“You’re the hero,” Gwennie said softly. And I felt like she were pinning her hopesonme.Hadshenotnoticedthelimpandthebandages?
“I’mnotahero,”Ianswered.“I’mjustagirl.”
Shedidn’targueanymore.ItseemedI’dexhaustedthelittlewaiformaybethe terrorwasclammingherupnowthatshe’dsaidwhatshehadtosay.Wesether andChrysiedowninthecenterofthepentaclethatwe’dmadeearlier.Insidethe 4pointsofthepentacle,we’ddrawninblood.Thecombinedbloodofonewitch andonewerewolfrunesthatwere—atbest—shady.Thetipofthepentacleheld theemblemsforMartha.
Eachofmycovenwithonewolftookourplacesinsidethepentacle.
“Youcancomeinsidethepentaclewithus,”ItoldFinn.“Oryoucanstayout thereandfightwiththem.”
He looked behind him and a dozen wolves that had hidden in the room.
They’d snuck in one after another with their own magic melting them into the shadows.Eachheldcurvedbladesandcarriedgrim,deadlyexpressions.
Finnglancedaroundandsaid,“I”llfight.”
“Comeinhere,Monica.Feedyourmagictothespells.Fightthatway.”There was a plea in Felix’s voice as he spoke to her, and it stabbed me right to the centerofmyheart.Gods…maybeIdidcareabouthim.Thatway.
“That is dark magic, Felix,” she said. Her gaze narrowed on the runes we’d written.Shewasn’twrong.Itwasaprettydamndarkspell.Darkandnecessary.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
“Iwillhavenopartofthat,”Monicacontinued,tossingherhairandtakingup astancebehindFinn.Shewasapowerfulwitch.Shewasathleticandstrongand capable.TherewasnoreasontostandbehindFinn,butshetookherplacebehind Finn’s shoulder as if there were nowhere else to be. The wolves shrugged and leapttowardstheceiling,disappearingint
othedarknessoftheraftersabove.
“Letherin,”Markusgrowled.Isuspectedhischangehadstartedtocomeover him.Icouldn’ttellsincehismagichadhiddenhimintotheshadowsmakinghim invisible to probably anyone other than another shifter. He’d told me that the packwouldpartiallychange.Itmadethemmoreterrifyingbutalsomoredeadly.
They’dbeallfangsandclawsandbloodintheireyes,buttheywouldn’thurtany ofmycoven.
Thenexthitfromthedarkwitchcamemomentslater,rockedMartha,andleft usallshuddering.
“Letthewardscrumpleatthebackofthehouse,Martha,”Itoldthehouse.
“What?”Finnshouted.“Areyouinsane?”
The dark witch hit again, not that I felt Finn deserved an answer and didn’t botherwithone.Hedidn’tseemtounderstandthathewasnotinchargeandalso not wanted. I should be grateful that he was here and that he’d help. But I wasn’t.Isupposethatwasalittledamagedofme,buthejust—Idon’tknow.He made me feel I was less because he wanted to help so much. He cared. I struggledwithwhatwasright.IsometimesfeltlikeIhadtothinktoolongand toohardfornormallife,andhejustknewintrinsically.ThatmademefeellikeI wasless.
Regardless,wewerebeingattackedbyadarkwitch,Finnwashere,andthere wasnotimetoexplainourplan.Itwasfartoolateforthat.Hecouldfightwith us.Therewasnoescape,giventhewitchwasoutside.NotthatFinnwouldhave left—even I would give him that. He was a good man. He’d stay. He’d fight.
Lonely Graves Page 10