Vivi wanted to motion for the girl to stop talking. She couldn’t believe how much she was sharing with a virtual stranger, especially one evaluating her for the sorority. Jess turned to Vivi and Ariana. “Nice to see both of you again. Come have a seat.” Ariana shot Vivi a nervous smile, then hurried to sit next to the other pledge, leaving Vivi to sit on the couch next to Jess. “You’re Ariana and Vivian, right?”
“Vivi,” Vivi said, trying to remember when she’d told Jess her name at the party.
“Vivi. Of course. How do you like Westerly so far?”
“I like it. My classes have been great, and everyone I met has been really nice.” That’s how you do it, Vivi thought. Polite, cheerful, but not blabbing every thought.
“Where are you from?”
“Oh, lots of places. It’s a little complicated,” Vivi said with a wave of her hand, planning to stop the conversation there.
Jess nodded. “I can imagine.” She was looking at Vivi with a mixture of curiosity and understanding that filled Vivi’s chest with a strange warmth.
“I never stayed anywhere for more than two years,” Vivi continued. The longer Jess looked at her, the harder it became to stay quiet; it was as if the words were being pulled out of her by a mysterious force. Yet she didn’t mind. It felt good to talk to this sympathetic girl with the kind eyes who seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her. Vivi was just about to start telling her about her mother when four more girls entered the room.
“Welcome to Kappa,” one of them said crisply. She was tall and blond and pretty in a striking, angular way. “I’m Dahlia, president of Kappa Rho Nu. This is Scarlett Winter, our pledge master.” Vivi’s stomach dropped. Scarlett was the pledge master. Great. “And this is Mei, our alumnae liaison.” It took Vivi a moment to recognize Mei from the other night. Instead of a blunt bob, her hair was now waist-length with purple tips. But how was that possible? Vivi was 99.9 percent sure that Mei hadn’t been wearing a wig the other night, and she clearly wasn’t wearing extensions now. “And this is Tiffany, our social chair.” A friendly-looking girl with white-blond hair held up a hand and smiled.
Over the next few minutes, about a dozen more girls filed into the living room, including a tall redhead Vivi had seen dancing on a table at the recruitment party and a white, round-faced brunette in hipster glasses who seemed so nervous, Vivi worried she might actually vomit. “It looks like we’re ready to get started,” Dahlia said. “Y’all can sit wherever there’s space.” Vivi scooched closer to Jess to make room on the couch while some of the Kappas drew up velvet-covered armchairs and footstools to form a circle.
“I hope this doesn’t go on forever,” Jess whispered to the Kappa on the other side of her. “I have to file my article for the Gazette by midnight.” Vivi wasn’t surprised to learn that Jess wrote for the Westerly school paper. She seemed to have a gift for getting people to spill their secrets.
Someone turned off the lights. The candles and the full moon gleaming through the large window provided plenty of illumination. Dahlia leaned toward the low coffee table in the center of the circle and lit the remaining candle. At least, a flame appeared, but Vivi didn’t see a lighter or a match in Dahlia’s hand.
“Welcome, sisters and new members,” Dahlia said. Her voice had grown quieter, though Vivi had no trouble hearing her in the silent, still room. “Those of you joining us for the first time will notice that Kappa is very small—we are the most selective sorority at Westerly, and we may even be the most selective in the entire country. That’s because we look for something rare and special in our pledges, qualities that set us apart. We recognized some of those qualities in all of you, which is why you’re here this evening.”
Vivi felt a prickle of unease. She honestly couldn’t think of a single one of her “qualities” that would be attractive to the Kappas—unless they wanted pledges who’d gotten a five on the AP Bio exam and had a severe shellfish allergy. She looked around the room, wondering who else felt the same mixture of doubt and confusion. Ariana seemed similarly nervous, as did the majority of the dozen or so hopefuls. But a handful of pledges—including the redheaded girl—exchanged excited, knowing smiles.
“Kappa doesn’t have a typical recruitment process,” Dahlia continued. “If you impress us tonight, you’re in. But don’t get comfortable.” She pinned each of them with a stare. Vivi couldn’t suppress a shiver when Dahlia’s eyes met hers. “We only initiate those who bring their all to this sisterhood. Historically, at least one potential new member fails to make the final cut. Sometimes, no one makes it.”
The whole room seemed to hold its breath until Dahlia smiled again. “But tonight’s test is a simple one.”
“What kind of test?” Ariana asked. Her eyes widened in surprise after she spoke, as if the words had flown out of her mouth of their own accord. Vivi was glad Ariana had asked the question, though—she was wondering the same thing.
“You’ll see in a moment. But don’t worry—there was nothing you could’ve done to prepare, and nothing you can do to screw up. You’re either a Kappa or you’re not.” Dahlia nodded at Mei, who placed a stack of cards on the coffee table next to the candle Dahlia had just lit, a long one in an ornate silver candleholder. Vivi and Ariana exchanged a look. Did the Kappas make their decisions based on a card game?
Dahlia spread the cards out in a fan face-down on the table. “Let’s see . . . who’s first? Bailey, please take a card.” She paused. “Bailey?”
The girl with the thick glasses was looking uneasily from Dahlia to the cards. “Sorry, I’m a little confused. What are we doing, exactly?”
Dahlia smiled. “Just relax and trust us. Take a card, please.”
Bailey leaned forward, let her fingers hover momentarily in the air, then plucked one of the cards out of the fan. The moment her hand closed around the card, the room grew darker. The flames of the other candles shrank to wispy flickers, yet the light from the candle on the coffee table grew stronger and brighter, casting a strange glow on her face. “Oh my God,” she whispered, and almost released the card.
“Hold it,” Dahlia said calmly, looking amused.
The flame grew and danced until it was taller than the silver candlestick. Then the flame divided into two streams, as if the wick had split in half. A moment later, those two flames split again and began to curl in the air, looking like strands of hair made of fire. Ariana murmured something under her breath, but Vivi didn’t look at her. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the dancing flames, which, to her growing shock and confusion, seemed to be forming an image. A glowing red-orange bird hovered in the darkness above the candle, which had gone out. A phoenix, Vivi realized. It flapped its fiery wings and began to rise toward the ceiling, then it vanished in a cloud of sparks that rained down on the circle.
It’s a hologram, Vivi thought, trying to convince herself. Or a projection. Just a trick to make all this more fun. Yet even in her own brain, the words sounded hollow.
“Please place your card face-up on the table,” Dahlia said.
With trembling hands, Bailey did as she was told, revealing an image of a beautiful woman with long dark hair and a mysterious grin. A large orange-red bird perched on her shoulder, and in one hand she held a long, slender wooden object.
These weren’t playing cards, Vivi realized as icy prickles ran down her spine. They were tarot cards. Except they looked nothing like the garish, brightly colored pack her mother used with her clients. The image on the card reminded Vivi of a faded oil painting in the back of a shadowy church—a forgotten masterpiece lost to the world.
“The Queen of Wands, the Fire sign,” Dahlia said with a smile. “Welcome to Kappa Rho Nu, Bailey.”
What just happened? Had Bailey been accepted because her card bore an uncanny resemblance to the image in the candle flame? But how was that possible? And how could such an extraordinary thing happen more than once?
“Sonali, your turn,” Dahlia said. An elegantly dressed South Asia
n girl who’d been fiddling nervously with her gold bracelets ever since she sat down nodded with surprising assurance. The moment she chose her card from the deck, the candle’s flame reappeared and started to grow, just as it had before. But this time, instead of a phoenix, the flames formed a glowing cloud that drifted through the darkness toward the ceiling.
That’s impossible, Vivi thought, blinking rapidly. But no matter how many times she refocused her eyes, the glowing image remained the same. After a few seconds, a lightning bolt made of flames shot through the cloud, and it turned to a shower of sparks.
“Place your card on the table, Sonali,” Dahlia said calmly. The girl turned her card over and Vivi suppressed a gasp. The card featured another beautiful woman, although this one was dressed all in white and held a glowing blue sword. In the tarot, each suit was connected to one of the elements. Swords were associated with air, hence the thundercloud. But how on earth could someone have arranged that? Even if the candle was some sort of hologram, how could the Kappas have known which cards the girls would choose?
“The Queen of Swords, the Air sign. Welcome to Kappa Rho Nu, Sonali.”
Vivi’s heart had begun to race, and she braced herself for a rush of fear. But to her surprise, tingling excitement filled her chest instead. Her fingers practically itched to pick a card.
The chatty, dark-haired girl who’d been talking to Jess was next. Hesitantly, she reached for a card, and Vivi leaned forward so she could see better. But the flame didn’t appear when the girl touched her card. Nothing happened.
After a long, tense moment, Dahlia broke the silence. “Well, that’s a shame.” She stood, practically snatched the card out of the girl’s hands, and shoved it at Mei. “Come with me, honey.”
In a daze, the girl rose shakily to her feet and allowed Dahlia to lead her out of the room. Vivi looked from Mei to the other Kappas, but none of them appeared particularly concerned. A minute later, Dahlia returned and sat back down. “Who’s next?”
“What happened to her?” asked Bailey.
“Don’t worry about her,” Dahlia said airily. “Once she stepped through the door, she lost all memory of tonight. She’ll be none the wiser. Now, let’s continue . . . go ahead, Ariana.”
Ariana seemed paralyzed by fear until Vivi nudged her and whispered, “You can do it.” Although she had no idea in hell what “it” meant.
Ariana chose a card, her fingers trembling. A few seconds passed, then the candle flame grew into a cresting wave.
“The Queen of Cups, the Water sign,” Dahlia said after Ariana turned over her card. “Welcome to Kappa Rho Nu, Ariana.”
The process was repeated three more times for girls who also failed to create a flame. With each exit, Vivi felt her excitement and dread grow in equal measure.
“You’re up, Vivi,” Dahlia said, nodding at her.
Vivi stared at the cards on the table, arms at her sides. She didn’t want to be shunted into the night and leave all this behind. She didn’t want to forget what she’d seen. But that’s impossible, she told herself. A sorority president can’t wipe someone’s memory. She inhaled deeply, then extended her hand toward the table and let her fingers hover over the cards.
She hesitated, unsure how to decide. But then she felt something tug on her wrist with such force that she thought someone had grabbed her. Vivi looked up, but all the other girls were in their seats. No one had moved.
Vivi relaxed, letting the force pull her like a magnet until her fingers brushed against a card. The moment she touched it, the tugging sensation disappeared. Her hand trembling, Vivi grabbed the corner of the card and pulled it from the fan.
A second later, a flame shot up from the candle’s wick, nearly reaching the ceiling. Vivi gasped as her skin began to buzz. It felt like a current of energy was rushing up her arm, almost as if she were being electrocuted. But there was no pain. Just the opposite, in fact. She felt powerful, alive.
Except that the energy wasn’t running up her arm. It was the other way around, she realized. The energy was flowing from her. Vivi gasped again as the flame split into five streams that danced and curled through the air before forming a five-pointed star.
This time, the exceptional sight didn’t cause a surge of confusion. Vivi felt a wave of calm pass over her, sweeping away knots of anxiety and uncertainty she hadn’t even been aware of.
“Place your card on the table,” Dahlia said. A note of smug satisfaction had crept into her voice.
Vivi turned her card over and found herself staring at an image of another woman. She wouldn’t describe this one as beautiful, exactly. Her pale face was slightly too long, her expression much too fierce. But Vivi hardly gave it a passing thought, for what was beauty compared to this woman’s power? In one hand, she clasped a large golden disk carved with a five-pointed star. Thick vines and flowers curled around her other arm, and it was clear that the woman was causing them to grow. She was surrounded by creatures of all sorts—birds, snakes, deer—magnificent creatures drawn to her energy.
“The Queen of Pentacles, the Earth sign. Welcome to Kappa Rho Nu, Vivi.”
Vivi felt Ariana squeeze her hand, but she was too numb to do more than shoot her a vague smile before turning her attention back to the proceedings. Another girl was rejected, and the redhead named Reagan, a Fire sign, was the last pledge to be accepted.
Once every pledge had been tested and the failures had all been escorted out, Dahlia swept the cards up and placed them back in a neat stack. “Welcome, pledges, to the oldest, most prestigious, and most powerful sorority in the country. We’ve been waiting for you. Whether you realize it or not, your destiny has led you to Westerly and to Kappa Rho Nu.”
“What are you?” Ariana asked hoarsely.
Dahlia grinned. “We are witches.”
Witches. The word seeped through Vivi, as slow and sweet as Dahlia’s honey-thick drawl. Witches. For a moment, it felt more comforting than strange, as if a part of her had always known it. But then Vivi forced herself to return to reality. This had to be an elaborate prank, part of the hazing process or, worse, some sort of stunt to put on YouTube. Yet Vivi had spent most of her life observing charlatans like her mother, and even she was hard-pressed to imagine how the Kappas could’ve pulled off a trick like this.
“You were born witches,” Dahlia continued. “But tonight you’ve taken your first step toward becoming something even more important—a sister. Kappa Rho Nu is much more than a sorority; it’s the oldest, most powerful coven of witches in the country. It was founded in the seventeenth century to help women escape persecution, and over the years, it’s become one of the most influential organizations in the world.” She looked around the circle with a meaningful expression. “Witches are powerful on their own, but together, we’re unstoppable. Over the next four years, we’ll teach you how to harness and control your magic, how to unlock abilities beyond your wildest dreams. But you have to work for it.” She looked at each new member, one after the next. “To become a full Kappa, you’ll need to survive Hell Week. Then you must continue to impress your sisters over the weeks that follow. It’s not enough to have magic; you have to become one of us.”
Vivi shivered at the word magic. Less than an hour ago, she would’ve scoffed at the notion. But she couldn’t think of a better term to describe what she’d just witnessed, the power she’d felt unfurling inside her.
Could she really be a witch? The thought was at once so intoxicating and so alarming, she couldn’t keep herself from blurting out a question. “Does anyone outside of Kappa know what you . . . I mean, what we are?” she asked, thinking about her mother. Her heart thudded loudly. Did this mean Daphne was also a witch?
“Definitely not,” Mei said with a shake of her head. “Not unless they were Ravens too.”
“But during the rush party, you had lots of non-Kappas here . . . Isn’t that sort of risky?” Vivi asked. She could almost feel magic crackling in the air, a hint of electricity like in the moments befor
e a thunderstorm. She wondered why she’d never felt anything like it before. “What if someone notices something strange?”
Dahlia spoke up again. “Witches have been hiding in plain sight for centuries—the Ravens are just one of many covens around the country. But most people are incapable of opening their eyes to the truth. The more we act like a regular sorority with nothing to hide, the more likely we are to be left alone. That’s why we became a sorority in the first place—it was the perfect cover for a coven.” She looked around at the new members. “Performing magic isn’t easy, and if you’re not extremely careful, it can be quite dangerous. That’s why each of you will be assigned a Big Sister, just like at other sororities. Except that your Big’s responsibilities extend beyond ensuring that you wear the right shade of teal to spirit week. She’ll tutor you in magic and make sure that you don’t blow yourself—or Westerly—up.” Dahlia paused while the girls snickered. “Sonali.” The girl looked up and nodded. “Your Big is Mei.”
Mei stood and smiled warmly, motioning for Sonali to stand next to her.
Dahlia continued with the pairings until she reached Vivi. “Vivi, your Big is Scarlett.”
Vivi’s heart sank. Of course Scarlett, the only girl who didn’t seem to like her, was her Big. For the first time since she’d walked into the room, Scarlett met Vivi’s gaze. The other girl’s tight smile didn’t reach her eyes.
But before either of them could say a word, a loud bang sounded at the front door.
Chapter Ten
Scarlett
All chatter ceased and everyone turned toward the front door. Dahlia, a frown marring her pretty face, caught Scarlett’s eye. “Send whoever it is away. Closed ranks tonight.”
Scarlett nodded once, annoyed at missing her chance to savor Vivi’s visible terror at being named Scarlett’s Little. Just like the magic chose the sisters, it also chose the Big-Little pairings. The cards had their own sense of poetic justice; it would now be Scarlett’s sanctioned right to torture Vivi as her Little.
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