She sent the flows of energy to a small rug behind Bes’tal, lifting it from the ground.
He took another step forward, and Eden struck. With a jerking motion, the rug wrapped around Bes’tal and held him long enough for Sarah and her to race past.
Bes’tal snarled, and over her shoulder, Eden saw the rug unfurl with a snap.
Heart in her throat, she kept running, rounding the corner and reaching the stairs.
A gurgling noise stopped her in her tracks. She turned and saw Bes’tal’s hand around Sarah’s throat.
“Not the one I’m after, but a tasty morsel all the same.” He leaned in.
“No!” Eden raced back up the stairs, but a wave of Bes’tal’s hand sent her tumbling back down. She landed next to the vacant-eyed body of Nicole.
Fear and rage burned in Eden’s belly, and before she could think, a small ball of fire burst from her palm and hovered just above it. She hurled it at Bes’tal, hitting him square in the chest. He grunted and staggered back, releasing his hold on Sarah.
Sarah launched herself down the stairs, and she and Eden ran, taking the steps two at a time.
Chapter 18
Sarah sprinted after Eden. Neither woman stopped until they’d reached Sarah’s bedroom.
Sarah fumbled with the lock, but it seemed horribly inadequate. She and Eden gawked at each other then pushed a dresser in front of the door.
They both slid to the floor, exhausted.
“When did you learn to make fireballs?” Sarah asked, still panting.
It probably wasn’t the most important question to ask, but it was the only one that came to her mind.
“I don’t know.” Eden shook her head, looking bewildered. “Carolyn wouldn’t let me explore my firepower until I’d learned the fundamentals. I don’t even know where the power came from. I just knew I couldn’t let him hurt you.”
“Well, thanks for saving my life. Again.”
Sorrow filled Eden’s face. “I didn’t save Carolyn or Nicole.”
“That isn’t your fault.”
Sarah knew how hard Eden took the deaths of people a world away; she couldn’t let her collapse into sadness. There was too much at stake.
“Nicole thought it was. She thought I summoned him. And Paige…”
They hadn’t passed Paige on their way down—at least she’d managed to get away.
“No one who knows you would think you did this,” Sarah said.
“I’m glad you know me then.” Eden’s eyes drifted down and became as big as saucers. “Oh my God, Sarah—your hand.”
But it wasn’t just her hand—the burn had spread. It now reached past her elbow.
“Oh, shit.” Adrenaline had allowed her to ignore the pain, but seeing the burn—watching as the blisters crept toward her shoulder—the pain came crashing back. “What’s happening? Why is it doing that?”
“It must be the way the ward was designed. I’ll get my book.” Eden sprang to her feet.
Behind Sarah, the doorknob jiggled, and both of them froze.
“Open up, it’s Alex.”
They both exhaled, and Eden slid the dresser out of the way.
Alex entered but stopped short. “Where’s Carolyn? I was on my way to her room when I heard your voices.”
Sarah’s heart dropped.
“She’s… She’s not here,” Eden said.
“Why not? She was injured, how could you leave—”
It might have been the tears threatening to fall from Eden’s eyes, or the fact that Sarah couldn’t meet her gaze, but Alex slumped into the chair in the corner.
“I thought if I stopped him… Where is she?”
“In her room.” Eden wiped her eyes. “She asked us to tell you… She wanted you to know you saved her from what he was doing to her.”
Alex moved toward the door, but Sarah reached out with her good hand to stop her.
“Alex, there’s nothing you can do.”
She shook Sarah off. “I have to go see her.”
“Okay, but you can’t go alone.” Eden stepped in front of the door. “I need to figure out what to do about Sarah’s arm, and then we’ll all go back up together.”
Alex stared daggers at Eden. “I’m sorry, are you suddenly the boss of me? Because I didn’t get that memo.”
“I just don’t want you to get hurt.” Eden’s eyes were pleading.
“You summon a demon, let it kill Carolyn, and now you’re worried about people getting hurt?” Alex looked incredulous.
“I didn’t summon him,” Eden said. “He just… I don’t know, he just appeared.”
Alex stepped forward, her face inches from Eden’s. “Things don’t just appear. You did something.”
“I was just doing the test!”
“If you’re lying to me, Eden, I swear by the Goddess—“
“Stop it!” Sarah pushed herself between them. “It doesn’t really matter how he got here, because the fact is, he is here. You’ve got two choices—do you want to help us kill him, or do you want to go it alone and get yourself killed?”
Alex opened her mouth to respond, but then noticed Sarah’s arm and her eyes widened. The burn now climbed toward Sarah’s neck. “Jesus. What happened to you?”
Sarah tried not to cry. “A ward. Carolyn had these books—”
“I know. Shut up.”
Alex passed her hand over Sarah’s, the sensation of cold almost as searing as the ward had been. But then the pain lessened, and Sarah could breathe again. Alex continued up her arm until the burn was almost completely healed and only a few blisters remained.
“That’s the best I can do.” Alex dropped her hand and glared at Eden. “For some reason I’m feeling a little weaker than usual.”
“That’s amazing.” Sarah flexed her hand with only moderate pain. “Thank you.”
Alex shrugged and stepped back.
“Where’s the book that caused that? If there’s anything left of it, there might be something useful in it.”
“I dropped it.” Eden stared at the floor.
“Eden, he threw you down a flight of stairs.” Sarah didn’t know how she was still standing—she certainly had no reason to feel guilty about losing the book.
“I might have something that will reverse the spell on the rest.” Eden walked through the bathroom and disappeared into her own bedroom.
“We were kind of surprised Carolyn even had books like that,” Sarah said.
“You can’t lead a coven if you aren’t versed in what waits in the shadow.”
“That’s exactly what Carolyn said.”
Just how close were those two?
Before Alex could respond, Eden returned with a backpack and a roll of gauze.
Sarah applied a loose-fitting bandage over the small area of her hand that was still injured, while Eden rifled through her bag.
“Yes!” She pulled out one of the books and began flipping through it. “Here it is. A reversal spell. This should deactivate the wards.”
A rattling sound at the window made all three of them jump.
“Sorry, guys—didn’t mean to scare you.” Kai slipped in, the look on her face changing when she caught the vibe in the room. “What’s going on? You guys look totally freaked.”
“It’s, um…” Sarah struggled for words.
“What happened to your hand?” Kai took a seat next to Sarah. “Is that blood on your face?”
Sarah’s hand flew to her nose, the vague memory of a nosebleed coming back to her. “I’m not sure where to start.”
“We’re witches,” Eden blurted out.
“I am so having the Council bring you up on charges for that.” Alex shot Eden a smug look.
“We live through this, knock yourself out.” Eden folded her arms across her chest.
Sarah had seen this before. Mostly Eden was unassuming and avoided conflict, but backed into a corner, she came out swinging. Take-no-prisoners Eden had arrived, and Sarah was glad. She was who they needed right
now. But then Eden trained her gaze on Sarah.
“We don’t have time for this. Tell her.”
Sarah turned to Kai and swallowed. “It’s true.”
Kai appeared to be waiting for the punchline. “Okay…”
“You don’t believe me?”
“Well, babe, it’s a little out there,” she said. “Why don’t you just tell me what’s really going on.”
“I’m telling the truth. I don’t know how to prove it to you, but—”
Alex held out her hand, a ball of light blooming above it.
Bes’tal stumbled and struggled to right himself. After traveling and his fight with the priestess, he needed sustenance, but while these jumped-up playthings were pathetic at magic, they were exceptional at hiding.
How many even remained? The smart ones would have fled by now. But not her. Her, he still felt.
He opened the next door he came to and peered inside, smiling when he spied a young woman huddled in a corner, not quite hidden by the shadows.
He stepped toward her. “Well, aren’t you lovely? What is your name?”
The silly girl made a break for the door, but Bes’tal stopped her with one hand. “I asked you a question, girl.”
He cupped her chin, his grip making it clear who was in charge.
“M-Megan,” she said.
“Megan.” Bes’tal stroked her neck, delighting in her pulse as it pounded beneath his fingertips. “I want you to know that you are not worthy of me. Under normal circumstances, I would not honor you in this way, but a starving man will dine on scraps.”
He leaned close, her lips quivering against his.
The energy transfer was over too quickly. He needed more power. He stared into the lifeless eyes of the disappointing meal.
I’ve had better dining experiences in the brothels of the underworld. How am I to regain my strength on this tripe?
Bes’tal dropped the useless body to the floor and stumbled out, in search of a heartier fare.
Chapter 19
You’re…witches.” Kai still didn’t believe them, and Eden was getting tired of trying to convince her. “And some guy is running loose in your sorority house who wants to eat your souls?”
“Exactly,” Sarah said.
“Are you’re sure you’re not just messing with me?” Kai studied each of them in turn.
“Once more with feeling.” Eden held out her palm, annoyed at wasting more power on this.
Sarah and Alex followed suit, light blooming in each of their hands. She felt Alex scoop up all three and send them circling around Kai.
“Okay, okay. You’re witches.” Kai batted them away. “What do we do?”
“We need to go back up to Carolyn’s room in the attic,” Sarah said. “She has books on stuff like this.”
“Where is Carolyn?” Kai asked. “If she’s your high—whatever—shouldn’t she be helping you?”
“Priestess. And she can’t because she’s dead.” Alex was stone-faced.
“He killed her?” Kai’s eyes widened.
“And Nicole.” Eden pushed back against her guilt. There wasn’t time for that now.
“You can’t seriously be planning to fight this thing by yourselves.” Kai gawked at them as if they were crazy. “Have you called for help?”
“We can’t,” Sarah said. “We don’t know how to reach the Council of Magic. Unless…”
Sarah turned to Alex who shook her head.
“Then call the cops.” Kai pulled out her phone. “If this guy is powerful enough to kill the strongest one of you—“
“She wasn’t the strongest,” Eden said. “Carolyn told me so herself. She also said that the weapons of man would be useless against him and that I had to find a way to stop him.”
“And that’s about all of The Eden Show I can stand.” Alex went for the door. “I’m going upstairs. Come or don’t.”
Eden moved to follow until Sarah blocked her path.
“You should stay here.” Eden’s mouth worked, but Sarah continued. “Nicole and Paige might not be the only ones who blame you for this. What if another sister tries to hurt you?”
Eden wasn’t worried for her own safety, but if anyone caused a scene, it would likely bring Bes’tal right to them, and that could get even more girls killed. Just being seen with Sarah put her at risk too. Eden hated it, but going was a risk she couldn’t take.
“Give me the book on wards,” Sarah said. “I’ll figure it out when I get there.”
“When we get there.” Kai stood.
“Great, whatever.” Alex turned the knob. “Let’s go, Sapphos.”
“Alex, you have to stay here too,” Sarah said.
“The hell I do.”
“Please.” Sarah put her hand on the door, preventing Alex from opening it. “You can’t leave Eden here alone. It isn’t safe.”
“That is so not my problem.”
“You know, you’re a little mouthy.” Kai wedged herself between Alex and the door.
“I get that a lot,” Alex said, undeterred. “Let’s go.”
Kai put a firm hand on Alex’s shoulder. “The thing about being a tough girl—if you oversell it, you just end up looking desperate.” Kai flicked her eyes toward Sarah. “What she said makes sense. You need to stay here.”
Eden had never seen Alex put in her place before. It seemed Alex wasn’t used to it either. Her eyes blazed, but she backed away from the door.
Reluctantly, Eden handed Sarah the book.
“Take the hidden staircase.” Alex’s jaw was tight. “Go to the end of the hall and turn both wall sconces ninety degrees to the right.”
Did everyone know about the staircase?
“How do we get back?” Sarah asked.
“There’s a small hole near the light switch. Press it quickly three times.”
They had tried almost everything, but not that.
“Be careful,” Eden said.
“We will,” Sarah said. “We’ll be back before you know it.”
“I’m borrowing this.” Kai upended Eden’s backpack, dumping its contents. “Do not leave this room.”
Sarah and Kai exited, leaving an awkward silence in their wake. Eden struggled with what to say, finally blurting out, “Were you and Carolyn really tight? You always know more stuff than the other sisters and—”
“She was my aunt.” Alex bit off the words, anger warring with sorrow.
Eden’s brows climbed her forehead. “Your aunt? I…I didn’t know.”
“Yeah, well, that was the idea.” Alex began to pace. “Carolyn didn’t want anyone to think she played favorites. Although, she did, of course. Just not with me.”
“I’m sorry,” Eden said. “Really, really sorry. I wish there were something—”
“Look, this isn’t the part where we bond over our grief. It doesn’t matter that she was my aunt. She didn’t deserve to die. And whoever is responsible is going to pay.” The threat hung in the air, but she shook her head, almost smiling. “I do have to hand it to her though. Carolyn was definitely right about your potential.”
Alex had meant it as an insult, but it only firmed Eden’s resolve. Bes’tal was alive, which meant he could be killed. And Eden wouldn’t rest until she’d done it.
Rebecca paused at the back door of Coventry House. She’d snuck in before, but never on the night of a ritual. If Carolyn had noticed she wasn’t there…
Calm down. If she’d noticed, she would have asked the other girls, and Paige would have texted.
Unless they were still in the ritual where they couldn’t have phones. But it couldn’t have gone this late—she had to be in the clear.
She opened the door, freezing when it creaked. Another moment and she stepped inside the dimly lit back hallway. It was eerily quiet. Maybe they were still doing the ritual…
She was about to slip past Carolyn’s office when something moved within its darkened depths. Her heart skipped a beat, and she peered inside.
“Carolyn
?” Her only hope was to throw herself on Carolyn’s mercy. She could say she'd fallen asleep at the library, or… Her mind cycled through excuses, trying to land on the best one.
“Sorry to disappoint.” The voice was creamy smooth and very much male.
He stepped into the hallway and Rebecca’s breath caught. He was stunningly handsome. Even more so than the guy she’d just made out with in the stacks of the library. That guy was her own age, but this guy… He was a man.
What was a man doing in Coventry House past curfew and coming out of Carolyn’s office?
“Not disappointed.” Rebecca’s attraction warred with her curiosity. “I just thought you were—never mind. Are you allowed… I mean, who are you?”
The look he gave her was pure sex. “I am a friend of your Priestess. She allowed me to use her study to rest. I’ve had an arduous journey and find myself feeling weak.”
“Oh. I’m just not used to men being allowed in the house after nine. I didn’t mean to disturb you.” She toyed with the edge of the doorframe. “I’ll just…”
Rebecca turned to leave, but the man stepped closer.
“Please, don’t go.” His gaze melted her core. “I regret not having the chance to meet you earlier. I would remember such a lovely creature. What is your name?”
“Rebecca. And yours?”
“Bes’tal.” His breath was warm on her cheek.
“That’s an interesting name.” She leaned against the doorframe, a small feint at hard to get. “Were you at the testing?”
She’d read the agenda, and hot guy was definitely not listed.
“I was something of a surprise guest.”
The one time she bails on a ritual and Carolyn brings in this? She had zero luck. Unless… “Did Carolyn… Did she notice I wasn’t there?”
“Not that I could tell.” His voice was velvet, caressing her ears. “She might have been preoccupied.”
Relief washed over Rebecca. “Thank God. Although now I’m sorry I missed it.”
She glanced up at him through long lashes. He truly was beautiful. Much more so than the boy at the library.
Initiate Page 13