it, honey,” Cecile said. “There always is. Vivienne’s told you about Gavin, hasn’t she? About him being the beginning of things to come for his kind?”
I looked up at her through eyes swollen from crying. “Yes …”
“She warned you of a snake, yes?”
I struggled to recall. “A snake … yeah, she did, actually.” I stood and reached for my satchel, pulled out the text Vivienne gave me before we left earth. “And something about water …”
“Yes. After Gérard perverted our magic, a prophecy was given to us about our fate with the frozen souls. It tells us a snake, meaning some sort of deception, will try to get in the way of their new leader.”
She took the text from me and flipped through pages, stopped at one, then turned the book to me. “At some point, water, a snake, and our magic will work together to push the prophecy into motion. None of us knows for sure what that means, though. We’re only told to watch for it. I decided to start practicing conjure when I’d made the decision to come to exile. Couldn’t stand to be plain old human, I suppose.” She chuckled, a deep, hearty laugh. “From a vampire to a witch, you know. Anyway, I brought a copy of the Book of the Ancients with me when I left earth, read it from cover to cover. I’m very familiar with this prophecy.”
She swept her red-gold hair behind her shoulders, then reached across the table to take hold of my fist. She balled her fingers over mine and squeezed. “I wouldn’t let what this girl is doing to you and Gavin break your spirit, sweet girl. These things are coming to pass, just as they should.”
“How is she forcing Gavin to do this?” Audrey chimed in. “Gabe said something about him being forced? She must have some strong hold on him somehow. He’d never agree to something like this.”
She stood and poured herself more tea. I examined the page Cecile held open, then closed the book and cleared my throat, knowing I couldn’t discuss Arianna in front of Cecile, no matter how much I trusted her. No matter how unhinged Gavin’s news made me, I’d never forget that was to be kept strictly within our circle. I finally said, “She’s threatening to tell Samira what we’re doing here.” Having offered what truth I could without mentioning our secret, I crossed my arms and looked away from Audrey’s gaze, hoping she’d get the hint and leave it alone.
“Camille, what’s going on?” Audrey slid back into her chair, keeping her eyes on me.
“She can’t say, my dear.” Cecile caught my glare, got up and returned to washing dishes. “It will all be revealed in time. You’ll need to exercise patience.”
Ha. Patience isn’t in Audrey’s vocabulary. I gave Cecile a grateful glance and took a deep breath. Since Cecile’s back was turned, I mouthed “Tell you later” to Audrey. Much to my surprise, Audrey sat back in her chair and sipped her tea without another word, her face easier now, but still thoughtful.
* * *
The following days were a painful blur. There were only two more weeks until the crescent moon. Gavin’s absence clawed at me from the inside out. Getting rid of Scarlet was no longer an option. After our confrontation, she found a way to alter her existing protection spell. Now she was invincible, unable to be harmed by the other vampires in our group, throwing yet another dangerous kink in our plan. Early one morning I awoke to a loud slam on the door, and Gabe and Audrey rushing downstairs to meet the commotion.
It was Josh, who’d raced from the West Village to warn us of Samira’s arrival. “Gavin’s on his way, man,” he said to Gabe. “I guess she’s coming to do rounds.”
“Rounds?” I whispered to Audrey while Josh and Gabe spoke. She shrugged, hushing me so she could concentrate on their conversation. Whatever it was, I’d need to be ready. I climbed the ladder to my sleeping quarters and dressed, tied my hair back into a loose ponytail, allowing tendrils of my
I looked up at her through eyes swollen from crying. “Yes …”
“She warned you of a snake, yes?”
I struggled to recall. “A snake … yeah, she did, actually.” I stood and reached for my satchel, pulled out the text Vivienne gave me before we left earth. “And something about water …”
“Yes. After Gérard perverted our magic, a prophecy was given to us about our fate with the frozen souls. It tells us a snake, meaning some sort of deception, will try to get in the way of their new leader.”
She took the text from me and flipped through pages, stopped at one, then turned the book to me. “At some point, water, a snake, and our magic will work together to push the prophecy into motion. None of us knows for sure what that means, though. We’re only told to watch for it. I decided to start practicing conjure when I’d made the decision to come to exile. Couldn’t stand to be plain old human, I suppose.” She chuckled, a deep, hearty laugh. “From a vampire to a witch, you know. Anyway, I brought a copy of the Book of the Ancients with me when I left earth, read it from cover to cover. I’m very familiar with this prophecy.”
She swept her red-gold hair behind her shoulders, then reached across the table to take hold of my fist. She balled her fingers over mine and squeezed. “I wouldn’t let what this girl is doing to you and Gavin break your spirit, sweet girl. These things are coming to pass, just as they should.”
“How is she forcing Gavin to do this?” Audrey chimed in. “Gabe said something about him being forced? She must have some strong hold on him somehow. He’d never agree to something like this.”
She stood and poured herself more tea. I examined the page Cecile held open, then closed the book and cleared my throat, knowing I couldn’t discuss Arianna in front of Cecile, no matter how much I trusted her. No matter how unhinged Gavin’s news made me, I’d never forget that was to be kept strictly within our circle. I finally said, “She’s threatening to tell Samira what we’re doing here.” Having offered what truth I could without mentioning our secret, I crossed my arms and looked away from Audrey’s gaze, hoping she’d get the hint and leave it alone.
“Camille, what’s going on?” Audrey slid back into her chair, keeping her eyes on me.
“She can’t say, my dear.” Cecile caught my glare, got up and returned to washing dishes. “It will all be revealed in time. You’ll need to exercise patience.”
Ha. Patience isn’t in Audrey’s vocabulary. I gave Cecile a grateful glance and took a deep breath. Since Cecile’s back was turned, I mouthed “Tell you later” to Audrey. Much to my surprise, Audrey sat back in her chair and sipped her tea without another word, her face easier now, but still thoughtful.
* * *
The following days were a painful blur. There were only two more weeks until the crescent moon. Gavin’s absence clawed at me from the inside out. Getting rid of Scarlet was no longer an option. After our confrontation, she found a way to alter her existing protection spell. Now she was invincible, unable to be harmed by the other vampires in our group, throwing yet another dangerous kink in our plan. Early one morning I awoke to a loud slam on the door, and Gabe and Audrey rushing downstairs to meet the commotion.
It was Josh, who’d raced from the West Village to warn us of Samira’s arrival. “Gavin’s on his way, man,” he said to Gabe. “I guess she’s coming to do rounds.”
“Rounds?” I whispered to Audrey while Josh and Gabe spoke. She shrugged, hushing me so she could concentrate on their conversation. Whatever it was, I’d need to be ready. I climbed the ladder to my sleeping quarters and dressed, tied my hair back into a loose ponytail, allowing tendrils of my
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