Текст книги "Revealed"

Автор книги: P. C. Cast

Соавторы: Kristin Cast,P. C. Cast
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CHAPTER NINE

Zoey

“Zo, Thanatos sent me to find you. The conference with the High Council has begun,” Aurox said.

“Oh, crap! I totally lost track of time.”

“High Council conference? WTF?” Aphrodite said.

“Yeah, again, crap.” I checked my phone: 10:10 PM. Yep, I was ten minutes late. “Sorry, with all this basement moving stuff I forgot to tell you guys. Thanatos is going to ask the High Council to intercede with the TPD because she thinks the humans are going outside their boundaries in the investigation. She wants me to join her so we can tell them about Neferet materializing and being all super crazed and our circle kicking her out, which is what set up the fact that she ate the mayor.” I paused, and sent Aphrodite an apologetic look. “Sorry for saying it like that.”

She shrugged. “You’re just telling it like it is.”

“Well, she should say it in a nicer way,” Stevie Rae said, sending me a frown.

“Bumpkin, nice has never been something I give much of a shit about. Z should just tell it like it is.”

“Hey, we all know you got so wasted last night you couldn’t function most of today. There’s no point in pretending like nothing can bother you,” Stark said. He aimed his comment at Aphrodite, but he wasn’t even looking at her. He was watching Aurox and frowning.

“Stark, two words: shut it,” Aphrodite said. “Oh, and two more words: jealous much?”

Goddess, I was sick of their bickering. “Aphrodite, since you’re okay talking about your dad, I want you to come with me to Skype the High Council.” I spoke quickly before Stark could say whatever petty comment he had opened his mouth to say, whether it was to Aphrodite or Aurox. “Stevie Rae, you come with me, too.”

“Okie dokie,” she said.

“We better get going. Thanatos sent Aurox on a fetch mission for you, so that means you’re late,” Stark said, grabbing my wrist and sounding super douchey.

I raised my brows at him and pulled my wrist from his grasp. “We, meaning Aphrodite, Stevie Rae, and I, are going right now. And yeah, I’m late because I got all caught up in a zillion petty fires that need to be stomped out around here. While we’re talking to the High Council I need you to be sure the red fledglings have gotten all their stuff moved into the basement, then help Darius and Damien gather everyone together to go to the funeral. I’ll meet you there.”

“But I wanted to—”

“To what?” I knew I was sounding like a bitch, but my patience was gone. It was obvious that what he wanted to do was to be sure he was stuck to my side if Aurox was anywhere around. “Stark, you didn’t see Neferet materialize. That’s what the High Council is going to want to hear about.”

“I just thought you might need me to—”

I cut him off again. “I need you to not argue with Aphrodite or me, and just be sure Erin’s funeral doesn’t turn into a stupid gang fight.”

Aurox cleared his throat. “I’ll go ahead of you and let Thanatos know you will join her momentarily.”

“Yeah, thanks Aurox,” I said absently as the kid took off, obviously glad to get away from the tension he’d accidentally caused.

I could see that I’d embarrassed and probably even hurt Stark, but I really didn’t have the time or the energy to baby his feelings. So I didn’t say anything. Stark didn’t say anything. No one said anything. Until Stark fisted his hand over his heart, bowed formally to me, said, “It will be as you command, Priestess. I hope your conference with the High Council goes well,” and walked away, with silent Darius and Damien following him.

“Okay, awkward,” Aphrodite said. “You know Stark is just being possessive because of the Aurox slash Heath thing. No need to hammer the kid in front of Bull Boy.”

“I didn’t hammer him!”

“Actually, Z, you sounded pretty mean,” Stevie Rae said.

“Are you going to tell me you’re always super sweet to Rephaim, even when he’s annoying the crap out of you?” I said, feeling kinda sorry that I’d lost my temper at Stark, especially in front of my friends, but also still feeling annoyed at him.

“Yeah, I can tell you that I’ve never been mean to Rephaim on purpose,” Stevie Rae said.

“That’s probably because he’s only a boy half the time. It’s pretty tough to get mad at an effing bird. It’s gotta be like dating a dog. I’ll bet he’s happy and wiggling like he had a tail every time he comes back to see you,” Aphrodite said. “Jesus, it exhausts me just thinking about it.”

“You, I’m used to being hateful, so I’m not gonna say anything ’bout you bein’ mean. Her, I’m not.” Stevie Rae turned her back on Aphrodite. “Is somethin’ wrong with you, Z? You’re jumpy as a cat on a hot tin roof.”

“Elizabeth Taylor was a goddess,” Aphrodite said. “Batshit crazy, but a goddess.”

“What are you talking about?” I said.

“The movie. Ask Queen Damien. I’m sure he wishes he had been Elizabeth Taylor.”

“Aphrodite, sometimes I think you’re speaking another language, but officially here’s what’s wrong with me: I’m tired of everyone bickering. I’m tired of Stark acting weird about Aurox. I’m tired of not knowing how I’m supposed to act around Aurox because of the Heath thing. I’m tired of people getting eaten. I’m tired of worrying about what the hell Neferet is going to do next. And I’m super effing tired of being stuck at the House of Night like a prisoner.”

Aphrodite and Stevie Rae looked at me like I’d grown wings.

“Damn, Z. You need to start drinking,” Aphrodite said.

“Does Xanax work on fledglings?” Stevie Rae asked her.

“It’s worth a try,” she said.

“I’m right here. I don’t like to drink, and I don’t want a Xanax.”

“I’ll grind one up if you sneak it into her brown pop,” Aphrodite said.

“Deal,” Stevie Rae said.

Then they both started laughing.

I shook my head. “You two aren’t funny, and we’re late.” I walked away from them. They trailed after me, still giggling at my expense.

I was surprised to see Kalona standing behind Thanatos, arms folded over his bare, muscular chest, looking like the statue of an avenging angel.

Why doesn’t he ever wear a shirt? flitted through my mind. Then Thanatos gestured at us to join her, saying, “Ah, good. Here is Zoey. I am glad to see she is accompanied by the young High Priestess Stevie Rae, as well as our Prophetess, Aphrodite.”

Kalona stepped back so that the three of us could be seen by the computer camera, along with Thanatos. The large screen showed the High Council Chamber in the temple at San Clemente Island, just off the coast of Venice. Seven stone thrones, each ornately carved, were on a stage-like area. Six of the thrones were occupied. I knew the seventh belonged to Thanatos. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the fact that they hadn’t filled her spot on the High Council. I liked that Thanatos was here with us, yet still had enough power to maintain her seat on the High Council. I didn’t like that that might mean she could be yanked back there at any time.

I realized no one was saying anything and everyone was staring at me. My face flamed with heat and I fisted my hand over my heart, bowing quickly. “Merry meet, High Priestesses. I’m sorry I’m late. I was, um—” I paused, totally losing whatever excuse I was going to babble.

“She’s stressed out because we’re all stuck here,” Aphrodite finished for me. She performed a cursory bow. “Merry meet. It’s me, Aphrodite.”

“We remember who you are, Prophetess.” Duantia spoke first. “It would be rather difficult for us to forget our first human Prophetess.” She was sitting in the most ornate of the thrones and, obviously, was leading the High Council. Then Duantia turned her dark eyes on me, and I could feel their power even with thousands of miles separating us. “Being late is sometimes inevitable. Stress is also inevitable. Learning to limit one and handle the other is part of being a High Priestess.” Before I could start to apologize again, she looked from me to Stevie Rae. “Merry meet, Stevie Rae. When events allow, the Council and I would like to extend an invitation to you and your unusual Consort, Rephaim, to visit San Clemente Island. We are intrigued by the two of you. It is true that the boy actually shifts his form from human to raven daily?”

“Merry meet,” Stevie Rae said, bowing formally. Then she smiled a little shyly, but answered Duantia’s question with no hesitation or embarrassment. “Yes, ma’am, Rephaim’s just like a normal boy at night, but as soon as the sun rises he changes into a raven.”

“He has no recollection of the hours when he is a beast?” another High Council member asked.

“Not really, no. Or at least if he does he hasn’t told me. Rephaim doesn’t like to talk about it much.”

“We will speak more of this when you and your Consort visit us,” Duantia said.

“Better get one of those really big dog travel crates,” Aphrodite whispered to Stevie Rae.

I elbowed her.

“Now, back to the subject at hand,” Duantia continued. “Thanatos has summarized last night’s events. Aphrodite, the Council extends our condolences to you. A parent’s death is never easy.”

“Thank you.”

“Zoey, Stevie Rae, Aphrodite, you were present when the apparition manifested on your campus. Thanatos reports to us that you believe it was Neferet. Are the three of you in agreement on this?”

“We are,” I said. “Aphrodite and I saw the spiders first. I knew it was Neferet then. She’s manifested as spiders before, here at the House of Night, and when she fell from the balcony it looked like her body disintegrated into a whole nest of spiders.”

“It was obvious from the beginning the spiders weren’t normal,” Aphrodite added. “And it only got more obvious when Z started casting the circle.”

“As I already said, I had felt a change in the school’s energy just before Zoey called me to report what was happening. My initial thought was that I was sensing the approach of death, and death did visit our campus that night, but upon reflection I believe I also sensed the approach of the Tsi Sgili. Her power is derived from death and Darkness—it is what has fueled her immortality. I agree with Zoey and her circle. Neferet attempted to manifest.”

“We saw her,” I said, not liking that the Council members looked undecided. “It was definitely Neferet’s body that almost reformed before the elements threw her off campus.”

“Not far off,” Aphrodite said. “She killed my father at the school’s main entrance. That’s probably as far as she could make it without draining someone.”

“We also believe Neferet could be responsible for the fledgling’s rejection of the Change that night,” Thanatos said. “Her specter passed through the girl as she fled the circle, and the fledgling died mere minutes later.”

“Yes, the child with the water affinity,” Duantia said. “Such a shame to lose a Goddess-gifted fledgling.”

“Though it does make sense that an immortal who feeds from death and Darkness could cause a fledgling’s death in such a way,” said another Council member. “That could be what gave her the power she needed to fully manifest.”

“Neferet killed Erin and Aphrodite’s dad,” I said firmly. “We even tried to tell the detectives that, but no way can we explain the whole truth to them. No way are they going to believe us.”

“And now they are asking for us to begin DNA testing with my professors to compare with the evidence they found on the mayor’s body,” Thanatos said.

I heard Aphrodite’s surprised intake of breath and realized I should have warned her about that detail. Crap! I really had to start managing my time better.

“Humans want to investigate this murder within your House of Night.” Duantia didn’t make the statement a question, but Thanatos answered her anyway.

“Yes, which is in direct contradiction to our traditions. I will not give the permission to invade this school. That is why I have asked for your intercession,” Thanatos said. “All the human authorities need to understand is that the vampyre community has charged Neferet with the death of the mayor, and that we are working diligently to find her and to bring her to justice. They can end their investigation and lift the restrictions on our House of Night. In return our oath is given that we will be quite certain Neferet will pay for her crimes.”

“And yet the local humans believe Neferet has been the victim of violence herself,” Duantia said.

“Because we couldn’t explain to them that she used Darkness to kidnap my grandma, so we had to use magick to save her!” I hadn’t meant to yell, but I was just so frustrated at how unfair the whole dang thing was!

“There is much that cannot be explained to the humans, Zoey,” Duantia said. “Your mother’s death at Neferet’s hands is another sad example of this.”

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

“Zoey, if the restrictions are lifted from the House of Night, are you and Stevie Rae still determined to continue to live off campus, separated from the school?” a Council member who had been silent until then suddenly asked.

“Yes,” I said. “The tunnels under the depot are more comfortable for red vampyres and fledglings.”

“Yet you are neither.”

I frowned. “Well, I’m not a normal fledgling either.” I raised my hands, palms outward, so that the lattice tattooing the Goddess had placed there was fully visible to the camera.

“And I’m not a normal Prophetess of Nyx,” Aphrodite said. “So, I’ll be going with them.”

“I’m the first red High Priestess,” Stevie Rae said. “That’s not normal, either, and I’m with Zoey and Aphrodite. We’re not meanin’ to make trouble, but it is what it is—we’re stickin’ together.”

“I don’t get the problem with us living at the depot. You guys were okay with it before,” I said.

“Yes, that was before Neferet was provoked enough to kidnap your grandmother and kill a fledgling and a human, and bring the local authorities into your House of Night,” said the same Council member.

I could hardly believe what she was saying. “That was not our fault!”

“No one is blaming you,” Duantia said quickly. “We are only attempting to sift through the many recent tragic events.” Suddenly she shifted her attention. “Kalona, you are the only immortal here. What is your opinion?” Duantia’s question seemed to surprise all of us. Thanatos shifted in her chair, and Aphrodite and I moved aside a little so that Kalona could stand between us and face the High Council.

He bowed, fisting his hand over his heart, before answering. “I see no problem with Zoey and her group, and that includes my son, Rephaim, living in the depot. They are guarded by strong, loyal Warriors, and the tunnels provide safety for them. As to the murders, I have no doubt that the creature, Neferet, manifested and caused both deaths, and that humans cannot begin to make her pay for her crimes.”

“Kalona, we have accepted you as part of our community because of the oath you swore to Thanatos, but we are all curious about your answer to one question in particular,” Duantia said.

Kalona’s wings rustled and his body tensed, but his voice was steady. “I will answer any questions you might wish to ask, High Priestess.”

“Though you never fully admitted being Erebus come to earth, Neferet presented you to us as such. She said you tricked her into believing it.”

“And yet I never claimed to be Erebus, and here I stand, sworn Warrior to a member of your own Council, as Neferet gets away with murdering children and humans.”

“Yes, it is an interesting turn of events. Our question is, who are you?”

Everyone, even Thanatos, was gawking at Kalona. Was he going to tell them that he was Erebus’s brother? Holy crap!

“I have been many things—a god, a lover, a destroyer, a savior. Now I am Death’s Warrior,” Kalona said. “It is fitting that I am also an immortal.”

I thought about speaking up and telling everyone that he was Erebus’s brother, but was he really? I’d already been late, looked irresponsible to the Council, and they had to know I was annoyed as hell at them. I didn’t need to spout out a claim like that and then have Kalona say nothing. Or worse, deny it completely. So, for a change, I kept my mouth shut.

“Kalona, I have prayed to Nyx and asked her to speak to me of you, and tell me if you present a danger to Thanatos, or to the House of Night,” Duantia said.

“And what did the Goddess say?” Kalona asked.

“Nyx has remained silent.”

“I think that is an answer itself,” Thanatos said. I thought she sounded pissed. She and Duantia had a silent stare down, which ended in Duantia looking away to address her Council. “Priestesses, has anything you heard here tonight changed your previous judgment on Thanatos’s request for us to intercede with the Tulsa humans?”

The five High Priestesses spoke creepily as one, “No.”

Duantia faced us again. “Then it is decided. What is happening in Tulsa has already caused unrest between vampyres and humans, as well as between fledglings and vampyres within the Tulsa House of Night itself. Part of you have broken from the whole, and it is clear to us from the recent events that this break is not a healthy one for the vampyre community. We have shunned Neferet. She is no longer our concern. It is not our responsibility to bring her to justice.”

“But Neferet’s the one causing the problems. She’s the one the humans need to blame—she’s the one you need to blame.” I practically choked trying to keep from yelling at them.

“She is immortal. As Kalona said, she cannot be brought to justice by humans,” Duantia said.

“You expect us to bring her to justice,” Kalona said.

“Yes, we do,” Duantia said. “Therefore, we will not intercede with the local humans. Nor will we any longer recognize the separation of fledglings and vampyres from your House of Night.”

“Sgiach is a vampyre High Priestess and she lives separately from you—and you’ve allowed that for centuries,” I tried to reason with them.

“Sgiach is not causing unrest with humans. Sgiach is not coming to us asking for our aid,” Duantia said.

“You know what, it makes perfect sense now why she stays on a booby-trapped island and ignores you,” I told them.

“Perhaps it is time Tulsa became an island as well.” Thanatos sounded grim and powerful. “I abdicate my position on the High Council effective immediately.”

“Thanatos, you cannot mean to lead your House of Night into breaking with the High Council!” Duantia stood. The rest of the Council were looking either super shocked or super pissed.

“I mean to change and adapt. I mean to remain here as High Priestess of Tulsa’s House of Night. I mean to support these two unusual High Priestesses and this Prophetess in their desire for a place of their own. And, most importantly, I mean to bring Neferet to justice without allowing an invasion of my school.”

“But that is not—”

“That is my oath; so mote it be!”

Then Thanatos clicked the disconnect button. Skype made its funny little hang-up sound, and the screen went blank.

CHAPTER TEN

Aphrodite

“Holy fucking shit. Thanatos, you have balls. Great big ones,” Aphrodite said.

Thanatos raised her brows. “I shall ignore the vulgarity and accept the compliment, Prophetess.”

“Just so you know, it’s a massive compliment,” Aphrodite said, bowing her head respectfully to Thanatos.

“You really stood up for us. Thanks, High Priestess,” Stevie Rae said.

Kalona and Zoey exchanged looks. “So we are left to deal with Neferet and the local authorities on our own,” he said.

“Again,” Zoey added. “It’s not like this is the first time the High Council has left us hanging like this.”

“They mean well,” Thanatos said, sounding somewhere between sad and cynical. “They think they’re doing what is best for the vampyre community as a whole, and that is what the Council was created eons ago to do.”

“They’re stuck in the Dark Ages!” Zoey blurted.

Aphrodite watched her closely. Yeah, the High Council had been assholes, but they still had Thanatos—the power of their circle—two Prophetesses (even though Shaylin was a pain in the ass), a Bull Boy, and an immortal on their side.

“I say good riddance. They’re a bunch of old women—no offense, Thanatos,” Aphrodite said. “Z, the only thing they could really do for us is to maybe get the TPD off our backs. We don’t need their permission to create our own place in the world. It’s our world, too, and we’ll make our own place.”

“Yep, that’s what I’m thinkin’, too,” Stevie Rae agreed.

Zoey crossed her arms over her chest. “So, we’re all stuck here together, doing nothing.”

“Until we catch Neferet, I’m afraid we are,” Thanatos said.

“Catch her? What good will that do?” Zoey said.

Aphrodite saw that she wasn’t the only person watching Zoey closely. Thanatos’s brows lifted and she cocked her head to the side. “Priestess, we have all agreed Neferet is responsible for the deaths that happened last night, have we not?”

“Neferet did it,” Z said.

“So Neferet must be found and turned over to the authorities. Until then, the truth is that the human authorities will find no proof that will place blame on any of us, as we are innocent.”

“Hang on. Does that mean you’re going to let our professors start being DNA tested?” Zoey asked.

“No. That means we are going to find Neferet and provide her matching DNA to the human authorities.”

“Neferet is a powerful immortal. She’s not going to let us catch her, let alone take her to the cops.”

“Zoey, you say that, yet you and your circle managed to defeat that powerful immortal and rescue your grandmother from her.”

“We beat her before. We’ll beat her again.” Stevie Rae sounded way more positive than Z.

“Actually, all we have to do is find Neferet. Get her to a public place and start nailing her with hard questions. She’s going to lose her temper and do something batshit crazy, especially if a detective asks her for a DNA sample,” Aphrodite said. “Yeah, it’s going to suck for us when she explodes into spiders or eats some locals or whatever, and humans start to understand that there’s more going on here than vampyre versus human, but that won’t suck nearly as much as being under house arrest and blamed for shit no one here did.”

“I believe it is time humans understand there are more forces at work than just those of human and vampyre.” Kalona surprised Aphrodite by agreeing with her. “Evil is always stronger when it is underestimated.”

“You’re going to let humans see you?” Zoey asked Kalona.

“I am going to bring Neferet to justice and protect this school. If that means I show myself to humans, then so be it.”

“I have a question.” Stevie Rae half raised her hand.

“Yes?” Thanatos said.

“How’re we gonna find Neferet?”

“That will be the easy part. We will remain here, stay on the path of our Goddess, and wait for Neferet to reveal herself,” Thanatos said.

“That’s crap!” Z sounded like she was ready to explode. “When Neferet kidnapped Grandma I was sitting in the tunnels in the kitchen. I was just waiting and whining to Nyx to help me save Grandma. And, guess what? The Goddess appeared to me and basically told me that a child sits around and cries. A High Priestess actually does something. So, now you’re telling me that our big decision is to sit around and wait?”

“No, what I’m telling you is that we are going to show wisdom and act with patience. We have one of our own to bury, and then we are going to resume classes, and our lives, and not allow our school to be overrun by angry locals or ourselves to drown in Neferet’s Darkness. I expect you and Stevie Rae to show your leadership skills and to help me, and the rest of the faculty, keep everyone calm and on task. And now, if you are done attempting to lecture me about a Goddess I have served faithfully for centuries, I have a funeral over which I need to preside.” Thanatos’s tone said she’d heard enough from everyone—especially Zoey—and she stood. With Kalona following in her shadow, she left the room.

Aphrodite stepped between Zoey and the door. “At the risk of sounding more like you than I’d like to sound, I’m going to tell you that you need to adjust your attitude.”

Z narrowed her eyes. “This situation doesn’t piss you off?”

“Of course it does, but snapping at the one grown High Priestess who is actually on our side is just stupid.”

“Z, you did sound kinda snappy.” Stevie Rae looked uncomfortable, but that didn’t stop her from speaking.

Zoey drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, fingering the Lifesaver-looking Seer Stone that dangled from a long silver chain around her neck. “It’s just so damn frustrating to have Neferet doing crap again, and have us just hanging out, waiting for her next move.”

“Okay, you said ‘damn’ and ‘crap’ in one sentence, so I’m starting to feel hopeful that perhaps the mental breakdown you’re obviously having might cause an update of your boring non-curse curse words,” Aphrodite said. “Other than that, I still say you need to check your attitude. This isn’t the same old, same old with Neferet. She’s been shunned by the High Council.”

“Yeah, even if they’re too chicken to go after her themselves, it’s a big step that they’ve shunned her,” Stevie Rae added.

“I’d call them something more descriptive than chicken, but the point is still made. And we have an entire school going against her. Neferet can’t hide forever—like we’ve all already said, if nothing else, she’s just too damn crazy to go unnoticed for very long.”

“No,” Z said. “That’s part of the problem—the entire school isn’t against her. Dallas and his friends have definitely been on her side, and are definitely not with us.”

“But, Z, Neferet killing Aphrodite’s dad changes everything.” Stevie Rae glanced at Aphrodite. “Sorry again.” Aphrodite shrugged and Stevie Rae rolled on. “What she did this time was real public. She ate the mayor. The cops are involved. Thanatos is going to make sure they get evidence that will prove what she did, and Dallas is not gonna want to get smacked with a murder charge, or even a helpin’ a murderer charge,” Stevie Rae said.

“Dallas and his disgusting friends would not do well in jail. They’re going to sit tight and shut up. Sure, they’re going to be a pain in the ass to be around, but that’s really no different than normal school,” Aphrodite said.

“Yeah, I guess you guys are right,” Z said. “Sorry about the Negative Nancy thing. I really just want to do something that will fix everything. You know, make everyone be nice and stop calling Darkness and whatnot.”

“That’s not being Negative Nancy. That’s being Deluded Debbie. People suck. They do stupid things and they’re not nice. The end,” Aphrodite told her. “As proof of my point, let’s go to Erin’s funeral. She didn’t act right, and I’m pretty damn sure her funeral is going to suck.”

Aphrodite was seriously sick of attending funerals. Not only was it bad when someone decent, like Dragon Lankford or poor little gay Jack, died, it was sad and sucked and couldn’t even be made better by wearing awesome clothes. Black. Boring. Depressing.

And to put a cherry on the shit sundae of an event, Zoey was definitely having anger control issues. She’d snapped at the High Council. She’d snapped at Thanatos. That was not Zoey-like behavior. And she’d failed to mention to his own daughter the little detail about the cops having DNA evidence on whoever killed her dad. Aphrodite glanced over at Z. She was walking beside Stevie Rae and nodding at something the bumpkin was babbling on and on about, but she didn’t have her usual I’m smiling at my BFF look on her face. Z was frowning. She looked tired. No, actually, she didn’t look tired. She looked annoyed. Or pissed. Yeah, Z definitely looked pissed.

Aphrodite didn’t know what the fuck to do.

Maybe Zoey needed to hear about her latest vision, the one that starred Out of Control Angry Z and ended with her in jail and a bunch of people being eaten.

But Aphrodite’s instinct was still telling her that this wasn’t a Zoey who could be reasoned with—or at least not right now she couldn’t be.

Maybe after the funeral was over. Maybe Z was just super tense because funerals were awful.

The three of them had gotten to the middle of campus—the all too familiar pyre/funeral area in the center of the giant oaks that ringed the school. Thanatos and Kalona were at the head of the pyre, standing by Dallas, who looked stone-faced, but was nodding at whatever Thanatos was saying to him. His friends made a little semi-circle of fashion disasters behind him.

Darius’s wave caught her attention. “There are our boys,” she said, and they changed direction to meet their Warriors, the rest of their circle, and Stevie Rae’s red fledglings who were making another semi-circle on the opposite side of the pyre.

Darius hugged her and Aphrodite let herself rest in his arms, wishing they were already alone.

“Thanatos and Kalona look grim. Did the meeting with the High Council not go well?” he whispered into her ear.

“Train wreck. I’ll explain later,” she whispered back, and then the professors were there, filling in the missing parts of the semi-circles to form one complete circle, making it appear as if the school were one, united, group. Which was, of course, totally not true.

Thanatos spoke first. Her voice was strong and clear—she was actually a pretty good speaker, but when she started a prayer that rhymed, Aphrodite’s attention wandered.

She watched Dallas. As far as she was concerned, he’d always been too short and his eyes had seemed beady—even before he’d lost his mind and gone red. Tonight he stared at the pyre and Erin’s shrouded body, wiping his eyes on the back of his sleeve every once in a while. Technically, he was crying, but mostly he looked mad. Aphrodite’s gaze went to the red fledglings behind Dallas. None of them were crying. Most were either looking at the pyre or at Thanatos. Well, a few were gawking at Kalona, but kids always gawked at Kalona.

Aphrodite’s eyes traveled around the circle, and she noticed that Nicole hadn’t joined Dallas’s group. She was standing next to Lenobia and Travis in the middle of a clump of professors. As if she had felt her gaze, Nicole looked at Aphrodite. It wasn’t a bitchy look, but it wasn’t friendly, either. Aphrodite thought if a look could speak it would say, WTF?

Aphrodite held her gaze a little longer, then let her eyes continue to move around the circle. Her gaze halted again when it came to Shaylin. She was standing next to dickhead Erik. The fact that Shaylin always seemed to end up next to Erik made her wonder about the girl’s judgment. Erik was undeniably hot. If he hadn’t been hot Aphrodite wouldn’t have been there, done him, but she’d also moved on. Of course she hadn’t seen Shaylin and Erik doing any face-sucking. He’d never even held her hand in public. Maybe it wasn’t Shaylin stalking Erik. Maybe Erik hung around her because she’d been the first fledgling he’d Tracked. That was a possibility.