It happened fast. One moment she was filled with joy, gazing into the blue eyes of the vampire she loved beyond reason, and the next she was dodging spells and issuing ones of her own.

In the seconds after the barn exploded around them, a dozen witches had charged into the barn, hurling offensive spells at them. Elias and Alaric charged towards the witches, fangs bared, while Madalena shot back spells of her own. Casimir darted towards Fiona, shoving her behind him as he faced off with the witches.

Amidst the chaos, Naomi whirled, searching for Kat and Emma. They were crouched in the back of the barn, shaking. Naomi dashed towards them, but a spell hit her in the back, and she fell to the ground.

She looked up, panicked, as a wild-eyed witch crept towards her.

“I’m not allowed to kill you,” he snarled, “but that doesn’t mean—“

In a flash, Alaric yanked him back, snapping his neck. Alaric helped her to her feet.

“I’m getting them out of here,” she said, gesturing towards Kat and Emma.

Alaric gave her a quick nod, whirling to face another witch who charged at them.

Naomi raced to Kat and Emma.

“Grab my hands!” she shouted over the din, holding out her hands. She didn’t want to leave Alaric and the others behind, but they were at least capable of fighting off the witches. Kat and Emma could easily be killed.

Kat and Emma obeyed, grabbing her hands. Naomi shouted the words of the Apparition spell, and with a tug of wind, they arrived in a remote field. It was just outside the patch of forest where Alaric had taken her the day before.

“Oh my God,” Emma whispered, stumbling to her knees. “How—what just happened? Who were those—“

“Stay here until we come back for you. If anyone suspicious approaches, hide in the forest,” Naomi interrupted. There was no time for explanations. “I need to help the others.”

“Be careful,” Kat said, “please.”

Naomi apparated herself back to the barn.

The barn was still and quiet when she returned; three dead witches lay on the ground. The white petals strewn about the barn floor were now streaked with blood. Alaric stood over one of the dead witches, his breathing ragged, his bared fangs stained crimson.

“What happened?” Naomi asked. “Where are the other witches?”

“Gone,” Alaric said, looking up as he retracted his fangs. “We were in the midst of fighting them when they all just vanished. Madalena and the others went inside to make sure they’re gone.”

She reached for his hand, and together they raced out of the barn and into the house. Alaric grabbed her arm before they could enter, inhaling.

“There’s no trace of them,” he said, but still kept his hand on her arm as they entered the house.

“The witches are gone,” Madalena confirmed, looking shaken and baffled, as they stepped into the front hallway. Elias, Casimir and Fiona stood behind her. “Elias caught traces of their scents, so they did come inside the house.”

“Were they with the Order?” Naomi asked. The mysterious witch wasn’t with them, but her instincts told her she was involved somehow.

“I don’t know,” Madalena admitted, shaking her head. “But I don’t see who else they could have been.”

“Whoever they were—they didn’t try to take me,” Naomi said slowly. This was proving her theory that the Order was up to something else this time. “But one of them told me he wasn’t allowed to kill me.”

“Maybe they wanted to stop the ceremony?” Casimir asked, looking puzzled.

“No. I don’t think so,” Madalena said.

“What if they were here for something else?” Naomi asked, her heart picking up its pace as a sudden dark thought occurred to her. “What if the attack in the barn was just a distraction?”

“Distraction? For what?” Elias asked.

But she was already moving past them. She hurried up the stairs and to the guest bedroom she shared with Alaric.

She halted in her tracks, filled with dread. The room had been torn apart.

“Bloody hell,” Alaric muttered, entering the room behind her. She hurried to the overturned side table where she’d set her mother’s grimoire. It was gone.

“My mother’s grimoire,” Naomi whispered, turning around to face him as the others entered the room. “I think that’s what they were after.”

“Grimoire?” Madalena echoed.

Naomi told her about the grimoire Kat had given her the day before. She’d been so distracted by the witch’s appearance in her parents’ wedding photos that she’d forgotten to ask her about it. When she told Madalena about the strange spell she saw in the grimoire—Freeil greadem leng. Madalena’s hand flew to her mouth. Even Casimir looked shaken.

“What?” Naomi asked, another heavy sense of dread seeping into her bones. “What does it mean?”

“It’s dark magic. The name for a series of Destruction spells, to be precise. Powerful destruction spells, capable of causing death, disease, you name it,” Madalena said. “On a massive scale.”

A hushed silence fell over the room.

“So instead of using the Incantation Stone—“ Naomi began, her mouth dry.

“They can create a Destruction spell.”

“Why?” Naomi asked. None of this made any sense. “Why not just use the Stone? Why create a Destruction spell?”

“Maybe it’s a backup plan. Maybe they don’t have the Stone anymore,” Casimir said.

“Why would they attack us just to steal a grimoire? And how the hell did they know it was here?” Elias asked, his brow furrowed.

“It’s not just any grimoire. You said it looked old, Naomi?” Madalena asked. At Naomi’s nod, Madalena continued. “If it is what I’m thinking, it’s a Menal grimoire—a grimoire containing rare, powerful and complex spells. They’re usually kept in families for generations. And they’re rare. It’s fitting a Descendant like Naomi’s mother would have it. Destruction spells can easily backfire, which is why the Order hasn’t used one. It’s like trying to create a hydrogen bomb in your kitchen. You need a very specific set of instructions. That grimoire contains those instructions.”

“That grimoire has been sitting in my aunt’s attic for years,” Naomi whispered. “If it contained dark magic, why did my mother hold onto it?”

“The grimoire also contains counter spells to the Destruction spell. That could be why. Or . . . if it’s a family heirloom, perhaps she kept it for sentimental reasons,” Madalena mused.

Naomi closed her eyes, reeling. If she’d known how important the grimoire was, she’d never have let it out of her sight.

“Elias brought up a fair point; they somehow knew the grimoire was here. We’re not safe here; perhaps we never were. We need to leave, immediately,” Alaric said. “And I think it’s best we split up. If we’re being tracked, it would be harder for them to locate us.”

“Agreed,” Casimir said. “I’ll set up a private communications network. No one will know about it but us.”

“Fiona,” Alaric said, turning to his daughter. “You need to—“

“Hide. I know the drill,” Fiona said wryly, though there was a trace of unease in her eyes.

“I’ll make sure she gets somewhere safe,” Casimir said, and Naomi could see the love in his expression as he pulled Fiona close to his side.

“Alaric and I should head to Seattle,” Naomi said. The intruders had stolen her mother’s grimoire, tucked away in Seattle for years. The mysterious witch knew her parents and attended their wedding back in Seattle. Answers were there, she was certain of it.

They moved quickly. Madalena would return to London, in case the Alliance was watching for them. Elias and Casimir would head to the States as well; Casimir to Portland, Elias to San Francisco, both close enough to Seattle to get there swiftly if necessary.

Naomi fetched Kat and Emma, bringing them back to the house.

“I’m sorry you got dragged into all this,” Naomi said, with a stab of guilt. Had she not invited Emma or Kat here, they would have never gotten involved. Now they both would have to put their lives on hold and stay off the radar for their own protection.

But Emma waved off her apology.

“Hey. I got to apparate,” she said, grinning. “And I’ve been meaning to take a vacation from the museum, so this is no big deal.”

Naomi tried to smile, but she was worried. Emma knew about the Order, but she didn’t know the full extent of what they were capable of. Were they working with the witch who knew her parents? There was still so much that was unknown.

They all agreed to not inform the Alliance of their departure. If there was a traitor in the Alliance, telling them of their whereabouts would be a mistake. Until they got to the bottom of the attack at the farmhouse—and the witch’s identity—they were on their own.

They left Elias’s farmhouse at different times in case they were being watched. She, Alaric and Kat, who was coming with them to Seattle, left first. Naomi embraced everyone for a long time before they left; she didn’t realize how attached she’d become to their little group. While she agreed with Alaric about them all splitting up, it still made her nervous. What if something happened to them on their own?

“We’ll be in touch,” Madalena said, seeming to read her mind, when she embraced her goodbye. “We’re all used to this, Naomi. It’s part of being in the Alliance. Just focus on staying safe.”

* * *

Casimir had presented them with fake passports before they left. Naomi, Kat and Alaric were flying commercially to Seattle, as the Alliance would be on the lookout for Madalena’s private plane. They boarded their flight without incident, and it was only during the flight that Naomi had a chance to process everything that happened. The ceremony, the attack, the theft of the grimoire. Panic rose in her chest at the thought of what they were using the grimoire for, but a more persistent question raced through her mind.

“What’s wrong?” Alaric asked, studying her; he must have sensed her anxiety through their bond.

Naomi looked around at the other passengers. Kat was sleeping while the other passengers paid them no mind. Still, she murmured a Silencing spell before answering.

“What if there’s no Stone?” she asked.

“Of course there’s another Stone. You heard it in your mind,” Alaric said, frowning, “just like you heard the first Stone.”

“But I haven’t been able to truly feel it since that night at your estate . . . if it was even the Stone to begin with. I’ve just heard whispers. I felt the first Incantation Stone constantly. Besides, if they already have the Stone, they wouldn’t need the grimoire.”

“Or they need another way to activate the Stone. A way that doesn’t require the sacrifice of a Descendant,” Alaric said.

“Maybe. But . . . what if that witch tricked me to think I was hearing the Stone?”

“Why would she do that?”

“I don’t know.” Naomi shook her head, rubbing her temples. The more questions she asked, the more questions seemed to arise. “I could be wrong. This isn’t like last time, Alaric. They’re doing something different.”

“That I agree with,” Alaric said. He studied her, and his expression turned regretful. “Naomi . . . you will get a real ceremony one day. And there won’t be any interruptions. You have my word.”

“I know,” she said, giving him a wistful smile. It had been a beautiful ceremony before the attack. Now it already seemed like it was ages ago. Her body tensed; she wondered if Alaric’s words would ever come true. She knew what she had signed up for by joining the Alliance. But would they ever get a moment of peace?

At the airport in Seattle, Alaric rented a car. She and Kat watched as Alaric used a thrall on the reservationist; the human wouldn’t remember them if interrogated. He’d done the same thing to the ticket agent at the airport in London; Naomi found it morbidly fascinating every time. Alaric once told her the thrall was the closest vampires got to performing magic.

Leaving the airport, they drove to one of Elias’s homes in Lake Washington; it was too risky to return to Kat’s home. Naomi glanced at Kat in the rearview mirror. In the immediate aftermath of the attack she’d been shaken, but she quickly bounced back to her old self, fussing over Naomi and making sure she ate on the long flight. Worry crawled through Naomi as she studied Kat; she’d have to convince her stubborn aunt to go to a safe house.

She slid her gaze away from Kat, taking in the city as they drove. It was odd to be back in Seattle; she’d lived in Europe for years now, only coming back sporadically to visit Kat. When she’d last lived here, she’d been unaware of the hidden world of witches and vampires. And now, she had returned with her vampire mate, heading to the home of another vampire. How things have changed, she mused to herself.

It was the dead of night when they arrived at Elias’s sprawling home on the banks of Lake Washington. Alaric made them wait while he went inside to ensure it was empty. When he gave them the okay, Naomi entered after Kat, who marveled at the bare bones but opulent interior; marble floors, high ceilings, minimalistic but expensive furniture.

But Naomi could barely focus on anything about the home; the events that led them here swirled about in her mind. She took out the photo of the witch from her pocket, gazing down at it. The witch smiled at her from the photo, calm and serene, though her silver eyes remained cold. Who are you? Naomi wondered. How are you connected to my parents? To me?