Текст книги "Destined"

Автор книги: P. C. Cast

Соавторы: Kristin Cast,P. C. Cast
сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

“First, let me begin with a word of encouragement,” Thanatos said. “As you know, my affinity is death. I often guide spirits in their crossing from this world to the Otherworld, so I can tell each of you with certainty that there is an Otherworld waiting for us. I have not traveled there, but Zoey has.” She smiled encouragement to me. “I believe you have seen both your mate and your mother joyously welcomed into Nyx’s realm.”

“Yes.” I realized my voice was way too soft, so I cleared my throat and tried again, louder. “Yes, I saw my mom welcomed by Nyx, and I actually spent time there with Heath.”

“And is it a beautiful place?”

I felt a little of the sickness leave my stomach as I remembered the good part. “Yeah, it’s awesome. Even when my soul was shattered and I was super messed up, I could feel the peace and happiness in the Goddess Grove.” I just couldn’t reach it for myself, I added silently.

Stevie Rae’s hand went up. “Yes, Stevie Rae.” Thanatos called on her.

“Is it okay if we ask questions?”

“Zoey?” Thanatos’s wise gaze turned to me.

“Yeah, sure, I guess.”

“Then go ahead and ask your question, Red High Priestess.” Thanatos’s gaze took in the entire class. “But let us remember the rules of civility that are always in effect in my classroom.”

There was a pause and then Stevie Rae asked me, “Uh, so, the Otherworld, it’s a big grove?”

I was surprised by her question and her obvious curiosity—then I realized she’d never asked me much of anything about the Otherworld. Really, outside of Sgiach, and mentioning it when I’d led the ritual for Jack, I really hadn’t talked about it hardly at all.

“Well, yeah, but I know there are a bunch of different parts of the Otherworld. Like when I first found Heath he was fishing off a dock that was on a really pretty lake.” Even though missing him made me sad, the memory made me smile. “Heath loved to fish. I mean, seriously loved it. So, that’s where I first found him, but when we needed to be safe we went to the Goddess Grove. That was in a different part of the Otherworld.”

Damien’s hand went up and Thanatos called on him.

“I know you didn’t see Jack up there, but are you saying that you believe there are places in the Otherworld that are specific to each of us?”

I thought about it for a second, and then nodded. “Yeah, I think that’s a good way of describing it. Jack is probably in the arts and crafts section.”

Damien smiled through his tears. “He wanted to be a fashion designer. He’s in the Project Runway section.”

“Oooh! Nice section,” I heard from somewhere behind me and a few kids laughed softly.

Hesitantly, Aurox’s hand went up. After Thanatos called his name, he turned so that he could meet my gaze. “You said there are different parts of the Otherworld. Do you think there is a part that is a place of punishment?”

His strange, moon-colored eyes were filled with an unspoken anguish, and I knew his question came from a place that was deeper than curiosity and that my answer would mean more than just providing random school information. Please, Nyx give me the words; let my answer be true.

I drew a long breath and found spirit within me. I held to the element that was closest to my heart and trusted that through it my Goddess would guide my words. As I started speaking I noticed how quiet it had gotten in the room and I could practically feel the back-row kids holding their breaths.

“I saw things in the Otherworld that were scary and not nice, but they were outside forces and not from the Goddess. Did I see a place of punishment? No, but what I did see was Heath moving on to another realm of the Otherworld. He believed he was going to be reborn from that part of the realm. While he was leaving he told me that, even though he was moving on, our love stayed with him.” I paused and had to blink hard and wipe at one tear that had somehow escaped. “What my gut tells me is that Nyx isn’t a Goddess of punishment, but it wouldn’t surprise me if really hateful people are reborn in a way that either makes up for the awfulness of their past lives, or teaches them something they didn’t learn before.”

“You mean like someone who was a wife beater gets reborn as a woman?” Shaunee said.

“How about as a woman in a burka in Afghanistan?” Aphrodite added with a sarcastic lift of an eyebrow.

“Yeah, that is kinda what I mean,” I said. “But I think the what and where and who would be up to the Goddess.”

“Do you think it’s ever up to the person?” Aurox asked me.

“I hope so,” I said earnestly, thinking of Heath and my mom.

“So, knowing beyond any doubt that there is an Otherworld and that our loved ones can find their way to it, even if they aren’t vampyres, or even fledglings, is some comfort to us as we outlive the mortals in our lives. That does not mean losing a parent is ever easy. Zoey, I know this is painful, but could you share with us what it is that is most difficult for you about your mother’s death?”

I nodded and opened my mouth to say something about the fact that now she can’t ever make up for the way she un-mom-ed me over the past three years, but the words wouldn’t come.

“Take your time,” Thanatos said.

Stevie Rae reached over and took my hand. Squeezing it, she whispered, “It’s okay, just pretend like there’s no one here except us. You can tell me.”

I looked at my BFF and blurted, “It’s so awful that I don’t know what really happened to her.”

“Why do you think that is what saddens you the most?”

From the stage Thanatos asked the question, but I kept looking at Stevie Rae. She smiled and said, “How come it would be better if you knew what happened to your momma?”

“Because someone needs to pay for what was done to her,” I told my BFF.

“Vengeance?” Thanatos asked.

Then I did look at her. “No. Justice,” I said firmly.

“It is admirable as well as understandable for you to desire justice. Let this be a lesson to the rest of you—there is a distinct difference between wanting to gain revenge and exact vengeance, and wanting the truth to shine forth so that justice for all is illuminated.” Thanatos met my gaze. “I believe I can help give you the truth, so that you will be able to get justice for your mother and closure for yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

“I spoke with your grandmother. Today is the fifth night after your mother’s death. I explained to her that five is an important number in our belief system—it represents the elements and our closeness to them. She has agreed to pause her traditional cleansing on this, the fifth night. It is not a certainty, but with the elemental power held by your circle and your connection to the one whose death we seek to reveal, I believe I can illuminate the truth of your mother’s murder if you are willing to cast your circle and witness what it reveals.”

“I’m willing.” I felt sick, but I knew I had to go through with this.

“There is more,” Thanatos said. She looked from me to Stevie Rae. “Zoey will cast the circle. I will be there to invoke the presence of death, but the spell that invokes death hinges upon you.”

“Me?” Stevie Rae squeaked.

“It is your element in which this deed was imprinted. It is through your element the truth of it will be revealed.” Thanatos’s gaze sought out each member of my circle as she continued explaining. “This spell will not be pleasant. Zoey’s mother was murdered. If we are successful, we will witness that horrendous act. You must each be willing participants, focused and aware of what it is you are agreeing to.”

“I’m willing,” Stevie Rae said immediately.

“Me, too … Yep, I’m in … I’m willing,” came from Shaunee and Damien and Erin.

“Then it is decided. We leave as soon as first hour is over. If I call your name you will assemble in the parking lot and prepare yourself for the ritual and spell. If I do not call your name please proceed to your second-hour class. Your homework will be an essay on loss—and that homework will be due from those participating in the ritual as well as those of you who do not. The students joining me are: Zoey, Stevie Rae, Damien, Shaunee, Erin, and Aphrodite. The rest of you may begin working on your essays. Good day to you, and blessed be.” Thanatos bowed formally to her classroom and then went to sit behind her desk.

My mouth flopped open. As Grandma would have said, this whole thing flummoxed me.

Aphrodite plopped down in the desk beside me and hissed a whisper. “Talk to Thanatos. Be sure she doesn’t let Dragon go with us.” She paused, tilted her head, and gawked at Stevie Rae and Rephaim, who totally had their heads together and were talking like a mile a minute. “Unless I’m wrong—and I’m never wrong—she’s gonna insist birdboy goes with us, which is no surprise because I can promise you Darius won’t let me go without him. But having Rephaim with us means Dragon can’t go or, according to my vision, he’s gonna get sliced in two.”

“Hell!” I said.

“Cursing?” Aphrodite said.

“No. It’s a place. I didn’t send anyone there,” I said.

“Grow up,” she said.

“Screw you,” I said, succinctly.

Aphrodite laughed, which totally took the Big Girl sting from my almost-curse. I sighed and as the bell chimed, got out of my desk and walked slowly but resolutely up to Thanatos.

From her seat behind her desk Thanatos glanced up, but her eyes didn’t go to me. Instead she glanced around me and called, “Aurox, a moment please.”

Aurox had been leaving class, but he stopped and turned. “You want me, Priestess?”

“I want to give you an answer to your question.”

“Uh, I’ll wait outside so you two can—”

“There is no need for you to leave.” Thanatos cut me off. “My answer is the same for whomever is asking the question.”

“I do not understand,” Aurox said.

Actually, neither did I. His question was “What am I?” How could there be only one answer for that question?

“I believe you will understand when you hear me out. The question of what we are can only be answered by ourselves. We each decide what we are by the life choices we make. How we were made, who are parents are, where we are from, the color of our skin, who we choose to love, all those things do not define us. Our actions define us, and will keep defining us until even after death.”

I saw surprise in Aurox’s expression. “The past does not matter?”

“The past matters a great deal, especially if we don’t learn from it. But the future need not be dictated by the past.”

“I decide what I am?” He spoke slowly, as if he was working through a riddle.

“Yes.”

“Thank you, Priestess.”

“You are welcome and you may be excused now.”

He fisted his hand over his heart and bowed deeply to her before leaving the room.

I was looking after him, still thinking about the surprise I’d seen in Aurox when Thanatos spoke to me. “Zoey, I know this ritual and the spell casting will be difficult for you, but I believe it will also give you closure.”

“Yeah, me, too.” Feeling a little like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar, I spoke quickly, my eyes turning to Thanatos. “I mean, I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to see what happened to Mom, but I figure I keep replaying it in my imagination anyway. The truth will at least stop my imagination.”

“It will do that,” she said.

“So, this ritual—who all will be there?”

“Those I named already. I would imagine your Guardian will accompany you, as will Aphrodite’s Darius. And I will be there. Follow your instincts, Zoey. Is there anyone else you request?”

Aurox’s presence seemed to linger in the room with us and I shook my head. “No, I don’t want to request anyone else. My circle and our Warriors are all that I need, but there is someone I don’t want there.” She raised her eyebrows and I continued. “Dragon Lankford. He hates Rephaim, and he’s pretty much acting as Stevie Rae’s Warrior, so he should be with her.” I made a quick decision, Thanatos should know, and added, “Plus, yesterday Aphrodite had a vision that showed Dragon totally involved with Rephaim being skewered by a sword. I’d rather that didn’t happen during my mom’s reveal ritual.”

“Dragon Lankford has been tasked with protecting this school and its students. If he allows, or takes part in, Rephaim being injured a great injustice will have been committed and he must be brought to task quickly and—”

“Wait, stop.” I interrupted her. “I don’t want this spell to be some kind of setup for Dragon to get in trouble. I don’t want any of that drama to touch what’s happened to my mom. Her murder is drama enough. Can’t you just help me be sure Dragon’s not there? We’ll deal with his issues later.”

Thanatos bowed her head slightly. “You have a valid point, and you are right to remind me. Your mother’s death is not the appropriate venue to test Dragon or to illuminate his failings. I shall see that he does not accompany us.”

“Thanks,” I said.

“Thank me when the ritual and spellcasting is over. I’ve found quite often that the dead reveal things that should have been kept hidden from the living.”

And on that ominous note I left death’s classroom and made my way to the parking lot and to a future none of us would have been able to predict.

Neferet

When the bell chimed to end first hour Neferet moved nonchalantly to the doorway of her classroom. Under the guise of saying good-bye to what was left of the class after Thanatos had culled it for her own special first hour, Neferet positioned herself so that she could watch the High Council member’s students as they departed.

Dallas, now would be a lovely time to orchestrate another altercation.

No sooner had the thought formed in her mind then the young red vampyre himself moved into her view. He wasn’t posturing or provoking. Neferet frowned. He and his ragged group of compatriots were slinking from Thanatos’s first hour as if they were dogs with their tails tucked between their legs.

Then Zoey’s group, minus Zoey, she noted, hurried from class all moving in the same direction. The same direction? Most of them had different second-hour classes. No matter how sheep-like they were, they should not all be traveling together.

Aurox emerged and Neferet smiled.

As if he could feel her gaze the vessel looked her way.

“Come to me,” she mouthed the words and gestured to her office. Neferet didn’t wait to see if the vessel complied. She knew he would do as commanded.

“Yes, Priestess,” he said, standing before her desk. “You called?”

“Did anything unusual happen first hour?”

“Unusual, Priestess?”

Neferet barely contained her irritation. Must he be so stupid? “Yes, unusual! I noticed Dallas and his group seemed unusually reserved, and many of the other students, those closest to Zoey Redbird, left together as if they had somewhere to go that was not their second-hour class.”

“Your observation is correct, Priestess. Thanatos intends to oversee Zoey and her circle performing a ritual so that she may then cast a spell invoking death. Her intent is for Zoey to witness the truth of her mother’s death and thereby to attain closure.”

“What?” Neferet felt as if her mind was going to explode.

“Yes, Priestess. Thanatos is using Zoey as an example of how all fledglings and vampyres can overcome the loss of a parent.”

Neferet lifted her hand, palm out, and the threads of Darkness swarmed to her. Aurox took a step back, obviously uncomfortable with her tumultuous emotions. She made a conscious effort to control herself and the sticky tendrils quieted.

“Where is this spellcasting taking place?”

“At the site of Zoey’s mother’s murder.”

Through clenched teeth Neferet managed to say, “When? When is this happening?”

“They are gathering to leave now, Priestess.”

“And you are quite certain Thanatos is accompanying them?”

“Yes, Priestess.”

“May all the immortals be damned!” Neferet almost spat the curse. “A reveal ritual. It must be accompanied by the casting of a very specific spell…” She drummed her pointed fingernails on her desk, thinking. “It would have to be earth-based, as it is within that specific plot of earth that the death would have been Imprinted. It is Stevie Rae then, and not Zoey who must be impeded.” She turned her attention back to Aurox. “This is my command: you will thwart this ritual and the casting of the death spell. Do whatever you must to stop it, even if you must kill, although I do not want the death to be one of the Priestesses.” She grimaced in annoyance. “Unfortunately, the price of a Priestess’s death is too costly, especially as I don’t have an equitable sacrifice to offer,” she muttered, almost to herself. Then she caught the vessel’s moonstone gaze with her own. “Do not kill a Priestess. I’d prefer no one realize you were there, but if you cannot stop the spell without giving yourself away, then do what you must. Your command is that the ritual and its spellwork go awry, so that Thanatos cannot reveal the manner of Zoey’s mother’s death. Do you understand me?”

“I do, Priestess.”

“Then get out of here and do as I command. If you are discovered do not expect me to rescue you. Expect me to forget we ever had this conversation.”

When he simply stood there staring at her, she said, “What is it? Why are you not already obeying my orders?”

“I do not know where to go, Priestess. How do I reach the location of the ritual?”

Neferet squelched the urge to smite him to his knees with Darkness. Instead she scribbled an address on a notepad, tore it off, and handed it to him. “Use the GPS as I’ve showed you before. This is the address. It couldn’t be easier if I conjured you there.”

He bowed, clutching the paper. “As you command, Priestess,” he said, leaving the room.

“And be careful they do not see you arriving!”

“Yes, Priestess,” he said before closing the door behind him.

Neferet watched him go. “I wish he was smarter,” she whispered to the dark tendrils that crawled up her arms and caressed her wrists. “Oh, but you are, aren’t you? Go with him. Strengthen him. Watch him. Be quite sure he does not falter in obeying my simple commands. Then return and tell me everything.” The tendrils hesitated. Neferet sighed and, with a quick flick of her forefinger, she sliced the inside of her bicep and ground her teeth as Darkness fed from her. Shortly, she waved them away and licked the shallow wound closed. “Go now. You’ve taken your payment. Do my bidding,”

The shadows slithered from her and Neferet, content, called for her assistant to bring her a glass of wine laced with blood.

“Find some virgin’s blood this time,” she snapped when the young vampyre answered her summons. “The other is simply too common, and I have a feeling a celebration will soon be in order.”

“Yes, Priestess, as you command.” The assistant bowed and scurried out.

“That is right.” Neferet spoke aloud to the listening shadows. “All will be as I command. And someday soon they will not call me Priestess, but Goddess. Someday very soon…”

Neferet laughed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Dragon

A Sword Master notices everything. It’s part of what makes him successful—what keeps him alive. Though it didn’t take his preternatural abilities of observation for Dragon Lankford to know something was going on with Zoey’s inner group. It only took following his instincts and asking one simple question.

Shortly after second hour was underway Dragon instructed his students to begin their warm-up exercises, and told them he would return momentarily. Instinct had been niggling at him, driving him, prodding him, worrying him. Darius and Stark were talented Warriors—both more than capable in their specialized areas of weaponry. Darius was probably the most gifted knife thrower Dragon had ever known, and Stark’s infallibility with bow and arrow was, indeed, awe inspiring.

Neither of those abilities meant they should be in charge of training young, impressionable fledglings. Teaching was a gift in itself, and Dragon very much doubted that two such youthful vampyres had the experience and wisdom needed to be true professors.

She had been young when she was made a professor, so very young. That was how he’d met her—his mate—his life—his own. He knew what Anastasia would say were she here. She would smile kindly and remind him that he should not judge others harshly because of their youth—that once he had known how that felt. She would remind him that he was in the perfect position to mentor the youths—to be sure they developed into worthy Warriors and exceptional teachers.

But Anastasia was as dead as the past and because of that his life was utterly changed. Dragon did not want to supervise or mentor or oversee young professors, especially in light of the fact that they had begun this extra class so that he would not have to suffer the presence of the Raven Mocker turned boy. But Dragon was finding that duty was an odd thing. Even though he had stepped away from the path he’d walked with his mate and his Goddess, it seemed he had not become entirely free of the bonds that tied him to honor and responsibility.

So, begrudgingly, Dragon gave in to the instinct that was telling him to check on the young Warriors and made the short trek from the field house to the arena of Lenobia’s stables where Stark and Darius had set up their Warrior training.

As soon as he placed foot inside the sawdust arena, Dragon knew he’d been right to be concerned. The two vampyres weren’t conducting training—the human stable man was. Lenobia was nowhere to be seen, and the two Warriors were following Aphrodite from the stables. Dragon shook his head in disgust.

“Darius!” he called. The young vampyre paused, gestured for Stark and Aphrodite to go ahead, and then he hurried over to Dragon. “Why is a human leading your class?”

“It cannot be avoided,” Darius said. “Stark and I must escort Aphrodite and Zoey.”

“Escort them? Where?”

Dragon could see that Darius was not comfortable discussing the subject with him, but he really had very little choice. No matter their differing views on Rephaim and Neferet and some of the new red fledglings, Dragon was still Darius’s ranking Warrior, and as thus he owed the Sword Master an answer.

“Thanatos is going to lead Zoey and her circle in a ritual at her grandmother’s farm. The spell involved is supposed to reveal the manner of her mother’s death.”

Dragon felt the shock of it—this was major spellwork, and one that entailed some measure of danger, even if the threat was more emotional than physical. I should have been informed. I should have been included.

Dragon kept his thoughts veiled and only asked, “Why now, during school hours, is this ritual taking place?”

“This is the fifth night after her murder.”

Dragon nodded, understanding. “One night for each of the elements. Four would be incomplete. Six would be too late. It must be tonight.”

“Yes, that is how Thanatos explained it, too.” Darius added, obviously uncomfortable, “May I have leave to go, Sword Master? My Prophetess awaits.”

“Yes, you may.”

Darius bowed and Dragon watched him go. Then, with a grim set to his handsome face, Dragon Lankford changed direction and made his way quickly to the classroom Thanatos had made her own.

He was relieved to see the High Priestess was still there, looking through one of the cupboards in the rear of the room and gathering candles and herbs, which she placed carefully in a large spellwork basket that was all too familiar to him. It had been Anastasia’s favorite.

The sight of it made him feel raw and exposed. Nevertheless, he cleared his throat and said, “Priestess, may I have a word with you?”

Thanatos turned at the sound of his voice. “Certainly, Sword Master.”

“Darius tells me you are leading Zoey’s circle in a reveal ritual and some major spellwork at her grandmother’s farm.”

Though he didn’t frame the words in a question, Thanatos nodded. “Yes.”

“Priestess, I was under the impression that you are aware that I am Leader of the Sons of Erebus at this House of Night.”

“I am aware of your position here, Sword Master,” she agreed.

“Then, though I do not mean to admonish you or show you disrespect, I must ask your reasons for not informing me of and including me in an undertaking of such rare importance as well as danger.”

Thanatos hesitated, and then she nodded, as if agreeing with him. “You are correct, because of your position at this school I should have informed you of my plans. I did not for a very simple reason: I decided that your presence at the ritual would be a distraction; therefore, I did not include you and did not inform you. I apologize if that seems I did not respect your position. That was not my intention.”

“A distraction? Why would I be a distraction?”

“As Stevie Rae’s Consort and protector, Rephaim will be attending the ritual.”

Thoroughly annoyed Dragon retorted, “What does Rephaim have to do with me being a distraction?”

“If you harm the Consort of the Priestess who embodies the earth element, that will definitely distract her from performing her very pivotal part in the reveal ritual, and it will hinder the spellwork to follow.”

“I would be there to protect our students. Not to harm them.” Dragon forced the words through clenched teeth.

“And yet Aphrodite has been given a vision wherein you appear to be harming Rephaim.”

“I would not do that unless he was endangering the other students!”

“Be that as it may, your presence would be a distraction. Dragon, two other Warriors will be present, and the power of Zoey’s circle will be strong. The students are protected. And, Sword Master, let me add that I have seen a deep, disturbing change in you since the death of your mate.”

“I grieve her loss.”

“Sword Master, I think the truth is that you are lost. And even were Rephaim not going to be at the ritual, I would not want you present.”

“Then I will leave you so as not to be a distraction.” Dragon spun on his heels, but before he could exit the room, Thanatos’s words snared him. “Please let me explain. I would not want you present at any ritual wherein a spell was cast to reveal the truth about death with the intent to bring about justice and closure. I do not mean to insult you, but I sense that you are in such conflict in your own life that your presence would simply go against the very heart of the spell.”

As if her words had formed a wall before him, Dragon stopped. He did not turn to look at the High Priestess. In a voice he hardly recognized as his own, he spoke. “My presence would go against the very heart of the spell. Is that what you said to me?”

“I spoke the truth to you as I know it.”

“Is that all you wish to say to me, Priestess?” He still did not turn to look at her.

“Yes, except that I wish you to blessed be, Sword Master.”

Dragon didn’t bow to her. He didn’t fist his hand over his heart in respect. He could not. If he didn’t get away so that he could think Dragon felt as if he would explode. He stumbled out into the hallway and started moving blindly. Ignoring the curious glances from students, he made his way from the main House of Night building and stumbled outside.

Memories bombarded him. Words swirled around and around through his mind. He’d been present when a different Warrior had been kept from attending another Priestess so, so many years ago, but he could hear Anastasia’s voice as clearly as if she’d just spoken the words.

I do not mean to insult you, but I cannot cast a peace spell while I’m being guarded by a Warrior. It simply goes against the very heart of the spell …

The High Priestess at Tower Grove House of Night had agreed with her young professor of Spells and Rituals and commanded that Dragon escort Anastasia in place of a vampyre Warrior. He’d been tasked with protecting her that night—with watching over her while she cast a peace spell in the heart of St. Louis.

And he’d failed Anastasia.

Oh, she’d lived. She’d not been killed that night, but Dragon had allowed evil to escape his sword. That same evil, one hundred and seventy-seven years later, had murdered his love, his life, his own.

Dragon was breathing hard. He was leaning against something that felt cool and soothing to the heat that boiled in his body. Blinking, he looked up and realized where his feet had taken him. Dragon was leaning against the statue of Nyx that stood before her temple. As he gazed at the Goddess’s marble face, the whispering wind blew the clouds from the moon and silver light caressed Nyx, illuminating her eyes.

She seemed, for a heartbeat, alive and looking at him with such a terrible sense of sadness that it made his heart, which he’d thought had been broken into so many pieces that it would never feel again, ache.

It was then that Dragon understood what he must do.

“I am going to the ritual. I’ll watch and not interfere—unless evil tries to strike again. If it does, this time I give you my oath I will cut it down.”

Zoey

“Are you sure we shouldn’t ask Shaylin to come?” Stevie Rae asked. She was sitting with Rephaim in their usual place on the bus while we waited for Thanatos to join us.

“I really think it’s not right for her to come,” I said. “She’s only been Marked for just a few days. She hasn’t had time to even settle in as a fledgling, let alone figure out her True Sight thing.”

“Plus, we’re not advertising that she has True Sight,” Aphrodite said. “The less people know about our business, the better.”

“She was part of Kramisha’s poem, though,” Stevie Rae said.

“We don’t know that for sure. The poem said”—I squinted, like that could help my memory and then, mostly accurately I recited—“the poem said, ‘Seen with True Sight, Darkness doesn’t equate to evil, and Light doesn’t always bring good.’ What if the True Sight part is the same as most of Kramisha’s poems—meant to be symbolic and not literal?”

“Goddess, I hate poetry,” Aphrodite said.

“Kramisha’s not comin’, either?” Stevie Rae said, sounding weirdly whiny. “Shouldn’t we get her?”

“No, Stevie Rae, we need to stick with our circle—our core group,” I said.

“The Herd of Nerd, plus the guys and moi,” Aphrodite said. “Bumpkin, what’s your issue? It’s not like we haven’t taken on the world before and come out mostly ahead.”

“You sound scared,” Damien said.

Stevie Rae glanced behind me where Damien was sitting midway back with Erin.

“I am scared,” she admitted softly.