He flips on the front porch light. The sun has disappeared behind the tree line across the street, casting the front of the house in shadows. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I ask, pausing halfway to my car.
“Elder Keating is calling all the witches here for a meeting. Your Caster friends should be here by then, too.”
A fresh sense of dread weighs heavy in my stomach, but I force a smile. “See you then.”
GG:Wanna come over? I haven’t seen you in forever.
HW:I can’t tonight.
GG:Please? Mom bought more of that popcorn you love.
The popcorn is seriously tempting, and I do miss Gem. I could use some non-witchy time, a reminder that I have a life outside of the nightmare my coven is going through. It feels like ages since the girls’ night we had with Morgan.
HW:Maybe this weekend? Or after homecoming? I have family stuff tonight.
GG:“Family stuff” aka gardening?
HW:Gardening?
GG:It’s a code word. Like vampire.
HW:
“Ready, Han?”
Mom knocks on my open doorframe. I glance up from my phone, which is resting in the book I’m supposed to be reading for English. Mom smiles when she spots me doing homework, and the relief transforms her face. I can’t remember the last time she looked so at ease.
As hard as everything has been for me, I never stopped to consider what Mom must have been going through. Not really. It must have been terrible, watching me rush again and again into harm’s way. No wonder she was always badgering me to quit.
I send Gem a quick text telling her I have to go and set my bookmark between the pages of the paperback. Tonight will be the first time I’ve seen the entire coven since Dad died. The first time I’ve seen Sarah since she lost her magic. At first, I missed lessons because I was recovering from my head injuries. Later, I avoided the coven because I didn’t want anyone to find out about the issues I was having with my magic. Between working with DA Flores to prepare my testimony and helping the Council, I had plenty of excuses to stay away.
But there’s no getting out of this one. All the witches are going, including Morgan’s familyandAlice. I’m not sure which of the NYC Casters are coming—all of them? Just Lexie?—but they’re expected sometime today, and Istillhaven’t warned Alice. I keep typing out texts and deleting them. How do you tell someone the people who tried to hurt them are coming to visit?
“Hannah?” Mom prompts when I haven’t moved.
“Sorry, yes. I’m good. I’m coming.” I set the book on my pillow and climb off the bed. It still feels too lumpy, but I’m starting to get used to it. Mom says the contractors are hoping to finishrebuilding the home we lost around the new year, but I haven’t had the courage to visit and see the progress for myself.
Mom stops me before I slip out of the room, catching me in a hug. “You can stay home if you have more work to do. I can pass along whatever Ryan has to say.” She kisses the top of my head, and my heart squeezes tight. I close my eyes and wish for a vision of Dad, who always dropped a kiss there.
But when I open my eyes, there’s nothing.
“It’s fine, Mom. I’m sure it won’t take long.” I breathe deep and square my shoulders. “Besides... I have to stop avoiding Sarah.”
“She doesn’t blame you, sweetie.” Mom brushes my hair out of my face. “I promise.”
I shrug and slip past her, staring up at the ceiling to stop the sting in my eyes. I amsickof crying all the damn time.
Mom drives us to Archer’s house, and she tells me about her new batch of students at the university. She teaches a lot of first-year classes, and she swears each group has their own collective personality. Apparently, the new one is especially active on campus, which she says is fun to see.
Most of the coven is already at Archer’s when we arrive. Mom leaves me to chat with Margaret Lesko, and I scan the yard, looking for Lexie and the other Manhattan Casters. I don’t see them among the crowd, but I do spot Sarah. She’s standing at the edge of the crowd with her arms crossed tightly around her. Ellen Watson—who’s a few years older than I am—stands beside her, and I get the impression Ellen’s trying to get her to mingle with the rest of the coven.
Sarah isn’t having it, and it feels so much like my fault.
Finally, Ellen gives up and sulks back toward the mainpart of the yard. She notices me and adjusts her course. “This is bullshit,” she says, her words hushed but no less fierce. “I fucking hate them.”
I’m not sure what startles me more, her profanity or her willingness to say what everyone else is thinking. “The Hunters?” I clarify, just in case.
