If Eden had brought him, if this really was her doing…
No. He’s lying.
“I will not sacrifice one of my sisters.” Jules clenched her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering.
His eyes gleamed in the darkened room, and Jules braced herself for what came next. He leaned close.
“Then you sacrifice them all.”
Chapter 22
Bes’tal’s breath was warm on Jules's lips.
Her mind raced through possibilities. Her only gift was auras, and she didn’t know any battle magic. She couldn’t beat him in strength but if she could just think—
“For one so mousy, you have backbone.” He sounded impressed. “I don’t believe you will surrender your soul.”
“No.” Jules hoped her words only showed her conviction, not her fear. “I won’t be doing that.”
“Pity. Then I shall just have to kill you.”
He reached for her neck just as the sphere of light bloomed in her hand. She slammed it into his eye and he staggered back, howling.
He launched himself at her, but then Quinn was there, tackling Bes’tal and sending them both crashing to the floor.
Quinn landed two punches, and then Bes’tal sent him flying across the room. He landed hard but scrambled to his feet.
“Run!” Jules took off, darting out of Carolyn’s study and toward the stairs at the end of the hall.
“What the hell is going on?”
“Just keep going.”
Jules chanced a look over her shoulder. Bes’tal was only steps behind.
Bes’tal had almost reached the two blasted humans when he stopped his pursuit. The girl wasn’t going to surrender, and the boy had nothing to offer.
He flicked his hand, and the section of ceiling above the two of them collapsed, crushing them.
Bes’tal paused, making sure neither moved, then turned back the way he’d come.
He marshaled his energy and extended his hands.
“No. More. New. Players.”
Paige struggled to keep up with Haley and Brianne as they darted across the Coventry House lawn.
Brianne said most of the girls had already made it out—some had to be dragged which made zero sense. Who would stay and fight that? Carolyn had told them in no uncertain terms to go. She would handle it—or at the very least know how to get help. She’d felt bad leaving Jules behind, but she’d made her choice.
Haley was the only one with her phone and had been trying to get through to the police, but tonight was some annual frat party that always got out of hand, and the line was jammed.
Probably where Rebecca ended up after the library, she thought bitterly.
She generally tried not to be jealous of her best friend, but Rebecca had bailed on the ritual to go meet her crush of the week at the library—the library, as if that was something special—and ended up completely missing the slaughter.
Talk about a charmed life.
Paige was losing ground on the other two, hobbling as she was. She’d twisted her ankle when that animal threw her down the stairs. The memory of Nicole’s neck being snapped made her blood run cold, and she limped faster, ignoring the searing pain.
“What the hell is that?” Brianne stopped short, pointing.
A shimmering blue wall of something—energy?—was descending upon the grounds.
“It’s Eden and Bes’tal.” Paige might have wanted to believe Eden wasn’t working with Bes’tal, but that had stopped the moment Nicole died. “They’re trapping us in.”
“The hell they are.” Haley broke into a sprint.
Paige hopped furiously, desperate to be on the other side of the wall.
“We need help,” Haley said into her phone. She must have finally gotten through to 9-1-1. “There’s some kind of demon—never mind. Just send someone. Send everyone.”
The barrier had almost reached the ground. They weren’t going to make it. Paige stumbled and watched as Haley dove toward the small gap at the same instant the wall made contact with the earth. Brianne screamed as Haley’s body dropped with a thud—one half on either side of the barrier.
Brianne grabbed Haley’s cell phone from the ground.
“Please, help us. We’re trapped.” She stared down at the phone, a look of panic spreading on her face. “No service. Whatever he just did blocked cell reception. We’re cut off.”
No one’s coming, Paige thought. And even if they do, they can’t get in.
Even her good leg gave way, and she thumped to the ground. Eden and Bes’tal were going to kill them all.
Chapter 23
Eden emerged from Coventry House, her mouth agape when she saw the shimmering dome encasing the house and a small portion of the grounds.
“That’s new.”
She wasn’t planning to leave until she’d killed Bes’tal, but that didn’t mean she liked the idea of being trapped.
“Yeah, I don’t remember that being here earlier.” Sarah’s face was pale.
“What are you guys looking at?” Kai peered into the distance, then at Eden and Sarah.
“It’s some kind of energy barrier.” Eden walked toward it.
When they were a few feet away, Eden held out a tentative hand.
“Let’s learn from my mistake.”
Sarah picked up a stick and tossed it at the iridescent dome. Sparks flew as the stick bounced off the barrier and fell to the ground, burned.
“So…there’s some kind of mystical electric fence around the whole place now?” Kai said.
“Looks that way.” Sarah toed the burned stick.
“It doesn’t change anything.” Eden stepped away from the fence. “In fact, it’s better. It will keep Bes’tal here long enough for us to figure out how to kill him. Come on, we need to find somewhere safe to look at Carolyn’s books.”
Eden stepped away from the barrier, Sarah and Kai following.
Jules hadn’t dared so much as breathe until she’d heard Bes’tal walking away. Even then she didn’t move for a solid minute. Either Quinn was playing the same game, or he was dead.
The question was answered when she felt him stir beside her, freeing himself from the rubble.
“Jules?” he whispered.
She tried to answer, but it came out a cough.
“Are you okay?” Quinn cleared the debris covering her.
She spit dust from her mouth. “I think so.”
It was mostly plaster that had fallen. Otherwise, both of them would have broken bones.
Quinn helped her to her feet. “What was that? Where is Eden?”
“I wish I could tell you,” she said. “But right now I really need to find Carolyn. With any luck, Eden will be with her.”
Jules picked her way over the wreckage and started up the stairs.
Alex knelt beside Carolyn’s body, tears streaming down her cheeks.
She’d uncovered her aunt’s face, needing to see it one last time. Doing so had only made it worse. Carolyn was gone. Now it was just…a body.
“I am so sorry.” The words were ashes in her mouth. “I didn’t know how hurt you were. I thought I distracted him in time… I should have come here right away. I-I just thought we’d need the potion… I’ll make this right, Aunt Carolyn. I swear by all the gods and goddesses, I will make this right.”
Alex jumped at the sound of the door opening.
It was Jules, color draining from her face.
“No!” She dropped to her knees beside Carolyn.
“I didn’t stop him in time.”
“What did he do to her?” Jules searched the body for an injury.
“He took her soul. Part of it at least.”
If I’d only been quicker.
“He took her what?” Eden’s boyfriend stood in the doorway. Like Jules, he was covered in white dust. He was shaken at the sight of Carolyn, but his eyes were focused and alert. “Where is Eden?”
“I don’t know,” Alex said. “But I’ll help you find her. Somehow she’
s at the center of all of this.”
She covered Carolyn and rose to her feet. As she left the room, she wondered if she’d be able to take on Quinn to get to Eden if it came to that. She had a feeling it might.
How did this happen?
Eden had gone over and over what she’d done and felt during the test, trying to pinpoint the moment where things had gone wrong.
She knew she hadn’t meant for any of this to happen, but…
Perfect monster.
She hadn’t done anything on purpose, but what if this was her fault? What if the darkness the borahn had taunted her with really did live inside of her?
Even as a child she’d jumped into his arms. That meant something. Did it mean she’d done this, even without knowing it?
She was willing to do whatever it took to fix it, but the memory of Carolyn’s lifeless eyes reminded her that it could never be fixed—not completely.
She reached the greenhouse with Sarah and Kai. It was as far away as they were going to get, and they needed some time to figure out how to kill Bes’tal. She prayed most of the girls had escaped before the barrier went up.
Kai opened the door to reveal Paige and Brianne.
Eden rushed forward. “Thank God, you’re okay.”
“Disappointed?” The venom in Paige’s voice made Eden stop short.
“Of course not.”
“What did he promise you, Eden?”
“Paige, I—”
“Is it enough?” Paige rose awkwardly to her feet. “Is it worth allowing a monster to murder your friends?”
Eden felt the slap and staggered back, a hand to her stinging cheek.
Kai stepped between. “Let’s play nice, shall we?”
“This isn’t a game,” Paige spat. “She loosed that beast on us!”
“Well,” Kai said quietly. “Let’s not lead that beast right to us by shouting.”
“How did you do it?” Brianne’s ice-blue eyes had never looked so cold. “Did you tell him when the test was? Tell him it would be the perfect time to teleport because we’d all be in one place?”
“I would never do that.” Eden shook her head. “You have to know—”
“What I know,” Paige said, “is that Nicole and Haley are dead because of you!”
Haley too?
Eden’s chest tightened.
“I meant it about the shouting.” Kai’s voice was quiet to the point of dangerous.
“Eden!”
Eden turned to see Quinn, followed by Jules and Alex. She rushed into Quinn’s dusty arms.
“Jules and Alex filled me in,” he said, holding her tight. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” But she knew her trembling gave her away. “I mean, no, not even close, but he hasn’t hurt me.”
“Of course he hasn’t,” Paige snapped. “Why would he hurt his accomplice?”
“What is that supposed to mean?” He released Eden from his embrace but kept an arm wrapped tightly around her.
“They think I brought Bes’tal here.” Did I? “On purpose.”
“We don’t think it. We know it.” Brianne gestured to the other girls. “We all saw you.”
Eden felt Quinn stiffen, ready to react, but Alex spoke first, “Look, I agree that this is Eden’s fault, but… I don’t think she knew what she was doing.”
It wasn’t much of a defense, but even so, it was shocking that Alex would even partially take her side.
“So you two are working together now?” Paige said. “You’re like BFFs?”
“Hardly.” Alex rolled her eyes. “But like it or not, Eden may be the only one strong enough to fight him, so do what I’m doing—save the hate for later and pray that there is a later.”
“Alex is right,” Jules said quietly. “Nothing matters but keeping Coventry House safe. We have to work together. It’s what Carolyn would want.”
“Babe,” Quinn whispered for Eden’s ear alone. “I don’t care what they say, I’m not letting you fight that thing. I’m getting you out of here.”
Eden shook her head. “I can’t let him—”
“This guy—this demon guy—tossed me like a rag doll,” Quinn said. “No way I’m going to let you go against him. We’ll call the police, or the FBI, or whichever magical agency handles killer demons, but I’m getting you out of here.”
“I promised Carolyn I would stop him, and I’m going to,” she said. “And there’s no point in arguing about it because we’re trapped anyway.”
“What do you mean?” Quinn’s brow knitted in confusion.
“There’s a magic fence.” Kai pointed over her shoulder.
“That ‘magic fence’ cut Haley in half,” Brianne said.
Sarah gasped while Eden put a hand to her mouth. “Oh my God…”
“If you’re telling the truth and you do really mean to kill Bes’tal, what’s your plan?” Brianne said.
“It’s kind of a work in progress.” Eden was afraid to admit she didn’t have one. “But somehow Bes’tal always knows where I am. Carolyn said it was about me being powerful. I think you should get as far away from me as possible.” She glanced at her friends. “Maybe all of you should.”
Paige stared daggers. “Gladly.”
“Absolutely not,” Quinn replied.
“Eden, you can’t fight him alone.” Sarah’s voice was soft. Behind her, Kai’s expression was unreadable.
“We might not be able to fight him at all,” Alex said. “Didn’t Carolyn say as much?”
“I have to try. You said it yourself—I was the only one in the center of that circle. If anyone else has to get hurt, it should be me.”
“There is no scenario in which that happens.” Quinn was resolute. “I don’t care what the rest of them do, but I’m not leaving you to go against him alone.”
“Neither am I.” Sarah glanced over her shoulder, and Kai gave a brief nod.
“Well, I will,” Brianne said.
“So will I,” Paige echoed. “But there aren’t many options, and I’m not exactly mobile thanks to you.”
“It was Bes’tal who did that to you,” Sarah said. “Not Eden.”
Paige glared, while Alex made her way to a far corner of the greenhouse.
“Here.” She shoved some boxes off to the side.
“Another secret passage?” Eden raised her eyebrows.
“No.” Alex undid a latch on the floor. “A root cellar. It’s small and dark and might be rat-infested, but I don’t think Bes’tal will find you.”
It was as good a plan as any. Both Paige and Brianne were fairly weak in power; Bes’tal could stand right above them and not even realize they were there. Eden hoped that was true, anyway.
The two considered for only a moment before making their way to the cellar.
Paige looked over her shoulder. “If you fail…” The threat was clear in her voice.
Eden met her gaze. “If I fail, I’m going to suffer a hell far worse than one you can dream up.”
It was true, and the thought both terrified her and firmed her resolve.
Paige turned back, and with Brianne’s help, hobbled to the stairs.
“Don’t come back up until we get you.” Alex handed them a candle. “And don’t use your power for anything—even to make light.”
Once they’d descended, she closed the trap door and slid the boxes back over it.
“Now what?” Jules looked around.
“Now we look through these and hope there’s something we can use.” Sarah emptied the contents of the backpack she carried.
Eden could tell Quinn was apprehensive, but he joined her as she settled to the floor.
She reached for one of the books, a thought occurring to her. “Something Brianne just said bothers me.”
“We know.” Alex rolled her eyes. “You didn’t mean to, blah, blah—“
“Not that.” Eden waved her off. “Before—she mentioned Bes’tal teleporting. I didn’t pick up on it at first, but Bes’tal said it’s been a long ti
me since he’s been on Earth. Which makes sense because we haven’t heard reports of an Av Rek draining and killing witches.”
“A long time since he’s been on Earth? You mean he came from another planet?” Quinn’s eyes got big. “As in, he’s an alien?”
“Not another planet, another world,” Eden said.
“Of course.” Quinn shook his head, looking incredulous. “That makes so much more sense.”
“This is not the kind of power Carolyn should have let you mess around with.” Kai’s tone was clipped.
Sarah cast her an angry glance. “We don’t mess with our powers.”
“And Carolyn had nothing to do with this, so why don’t you just shut your mouth?” Alex appeared ready to pop.
Kai leaned forward. “I’m pretty sure I warned you about that attitude.”
“And I’m pretty sure—”
“Stop it!” Jules hissed but managed to keep her voice low. “Do you hear yourselves? Eden just said something really important and the rest of you are—” She took a breath. “What were you saying, Eden?”
“Remember the lecture on traveling? There are only two ways to move through dimensions. Through a portal—”
“Or with a key.” Alex looked like her mind was working.
Eden nodded. “And I think Carolyn would have mentioned if Coventry House was built atop a portal.”
“So he let himself in with a key?” Quinn said. “What does that mean?
“That’s not how keys work,” Alex said.
“Right. Millennia ago, there were no keys.” Eden had been amazed at the prospect of portal travel and had paid attention for once. “Powerful witches created portals and hopped all over the place. Breakfast in one world, dinner in another. But the demons caught on and started opening portals in the middle of remote villages, slaughtering and pillaging their way through half of South America before anyone even realized. The portals on Earth had to be destroyed, but they invented keys. They were rare, but having one didn’t mean you could go anywhere, but that you could invite.”
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