Blood Moon (Book Three - The Ravenscliff Series) by Geoffrey Huntington Page B

It was all she wanted to do—let the demons free, and the Madman, too!”
    Neither Devon nor Rolfe could speak after hearing that.
    Mrs. Crandall gave them a small, tight smile. “Now perhaps you can understand why my mother and I needed to do what we did. Why we kept Clarissa here, safe and protected. Why we never let her learn the extent of her powers. If she were allowed to be free, she would open the Hell Hole. It would have meant the death of us all!”
    Rolfe was scratching his head. “Why do I have the feeling we’re only getting part of the truth here?”
    “I’m telling you all I know.”
    Rolfe sneered. “I just find it awfully convenient that in protecting Ravenscliff from the Madman you also managed to get revenge on me .”
    She held his gaze. “That’s your own narcissism, Rolfe. Thinking everything is about you.”
    “You could have found a way to keep Clarissa from the Hell Hole and still let the authorities know she was alive.”
    “Why? To get you out of jail?” Mrs. Crandall moved in, her face only inches from Rolfe’s. “Why would I care to do that? You seem to forget there was someone else in that car, too. That servant boy. He never turned up alive. Oh, no. That poor boy really did drown because of your negligence, your disregard for human life. So whether Clarissa lived or not, you deserved to be in jail.”
    Rolfe looked away, saying nothing.
    An awkward, unhappy silence settled over the parlor. Devon realized that neither of them enjoyed this battle of wills. Neither truly wanted to be cruel to the other. Devon could plainly feel that.
    “Well,” the teenager said, breaking the silence, “at least we don’t have to worry about her any more. There’s no need to try to contain her. She flew out of here. Literally. Flapped her arms like a bird and flew. I tried, but I was unable to stop her. And my inner Voice assured me she’s really gone.”
    “We can only hope that is true,” Mrs. Crandall said.
    Rolfe had recovered himself. “You’d better hope that’s true, because imprisoning someone is against the law, too.”
    “She was a guest here, never a prisoner. She was treated very well.”
    Devon wasn’t sure how true that was, remembering all the times he heard Clarissa’s sobs echoing throughout the house. But then again, she was insane. Who was to say what her tears meant?
    Mrs. Crandall leveled her eyes once more at Rolfe. “I want you out of this house in ten minutes. Give Devon your gift and then please leave.”
    She walked quickly out of the parlor, her long green gown rustling behind her on the floor. Once she was gone, Rolfe sat down, exhausted, in her chair.
    “She’s still in love with you,” Devon said, sitting on the couch opposite the older man. “It’s so obvious.”
    “She hates me,” Rolfe said, none too convincingly, “just as I hate her.”
    “Yeah, right.” Devon sighed, rolling his eyes at the absurdity of his elders. “So do you think maybe the mystery of Crazy Lady is over? Maybe there’s nothing more to worry about. Maybe Clarissa has taken her powers, whatever they are, and gone off to live as a sorceress somewhere else.”
    Rolfe laughed. “Like you haven’t had enough experience at Ravenscliff to really believe that. Come on, Devon. Clarissa is tied up in the mystery of this house as much as any of us. She’ll be back.” He shook his head. “What I don’t understand is how she got the powers of a sorceress. She was just an ordinary girl.”
    Devon leaned forward on the couch, a little grin playing with his lips. “So, um, not to change the subject or anything, but … do you really have a birthday present for me?”
    Rolfe laughed. “Sure do.”
    He reached into his pocket and produced a small box. Devon accepted it gladly, removing the lid and peering inside.
    “It’s my Dad’s ring!”
    “I think I’ve gotten it working,” Rolfe said. “I consulted several books and learned that if the crystals in a Guardian’s ring