Outcast (Moonlight Wolves Book 4) by Jasmine B. Waters (26)

“Oh, I don’t know…” Steven trailed off. “She’s been acting kind of weird lately.”

“Yeah,” I said, forcing a chuckle. “But I really miss you,” I added, purring into the phone. “Maybe we could… have some alone time after we hang out with your sister.”

“Oh, wow,” Steven said. “Yeah! I’d love that.”

“Good,” I said anxiously. “I’ll be over in a couple of hours, okay?”

“I can’t wait.”

As soon as I hung up, I ran to the bathroom and vomited.

---

By the time I got to the D’Amicos’ house, I was a nervous wreck. Monica and I met halfway there, and she trailed behind me, ducking and hiding behind trees whenever a car passed. I’m not really doing this. This isn’t really happening—it can’t be happening!

Steven answered the door with a huge grin on his face. He leaned down and kissed me. I tilted my head to the side just in time to see Monica slide into her hiding place, a clump of bushes beneath the D’Amicos’ living room.

“Hey,” Steven said. He grinned. “I can’t believe you wanted to come over.” He put his hands on my shoulders and kissed me again, this time sliding his tongue into my mouth and biting my lower lip. I tried to enjoy it, but I still felt nauseous and after a few seconds, I gently pushed him away.

“Sorry,” I said. “Um, wouldn’t want to be rude to your sister. Where is she?”

“She’s inside,” Steven said. “You know, she’s really happy you asked to come over.” He shook his head.

“Good,” I said nervously. I could barely hear the sound of my voice over the thumping of my heart in my ears.

“Come on,” Steven said. He jerked his head toward the inside of his house and I followed meekly behind. Sure enough, Andrea sat in the living room. A strange, placid smile was on her face.

“Hello, Elizabeth,” Andrea said politely.

“All better?” I glanced down. There was only a soft brace on Andrea’s injured leg.

Andrea nodded. “It still hurts when it rains,” she replied. “I’m so glad you came over.”

I nodded. “Me, too,” I said.

Steven sat on the couch opposite Andrea. I knew I should go to him—sit as close as possible and try to start the plan. But I felt something forcing me to stay away. It was strange: the nearer I got to Steven, the more I felt like I could barely move. My limbs were stiff and it felt like the air had turned into a thick treacle.

“Having trouble?” Andrea’s smile grew a shade wider and my heart sank.

Oh, no. She’s doing it. She’s controlling me. I closed my eyes and tried to channel the energy to the coven. I thought about the magickal elements, about the power of nature. But everything from the coven seemed distant and far-away, like a dream.

“What’s wrong?” Steven narrowed his eyes. “Sit down,” he added. “Do you guys want to watch a movie?”

Andrea smiled wickedly. “No,” she said. “I was thinking that we could all just sit together and talk. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

My legs propelled me across the room and into a rocking chair, as far away from Steven as possible. But to my dismay, he didn’t even look like he cared. He looked completely happy and at ease.

And his gaze was completely focused on his sister.

“So, tell me, Elizabeth,” Andrea said calmly. “You were gone for a few weeks. Steven said you were visiting a cousin. I didn’t know you had any cousins.”

I forced a shrug—it was painful, almost like I was breaking free of bondage just to move my shoulders.

“Yeah,” I said. “You know—I have a pretty big family.”

Andrea nodded. “I see.” She reached for a glass of water and took a sip. “I think you’re lying.”

“What?” I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not lying—my cousin lives in Portland, her name is, uh, Lily.”

Andrea laughed. “Elizabeth, it’s okay—you don’t have to lie in front of me,” she said sweetly.

Steven gave me a strange look. “You lied?”

“No,” I said quickly. “I wouldn’t lie to you, I swear.”

Steven turned his attention back to his sister. “Andrea, how’s your leg feeling?”

Andrea pulled a face. “It hurts,” she said softly.

I tried to get to my feet but I couldn’t move. My body was invisibly pinned to the rocking chair. Fear and dread took over my senses—what the hell was going on? Why couldn’t I move?

What was Andrea doing?

Fuck. Is she smarter than we thought? Did she guess what would happen?

“It’s funny that you wanted to come over,” Andrea said to me, her smile as wide as ever. “I didn’t think you liked me very much, Elizabeth.”

“Of course I do,” I said quickly. “We’ve been friends for a long time.”

Andrea shrugged. “If you say so,” she said. “Steven, I’m cold,” she said. I watched in horror as Andrea got up from her chair and crossed the room. She sat down next to Steven and put her hand on his chest, smiling smugly at me.

Steven did nothing. His eyes took on a dark, glassy look and he wrapped an arm around his sister with a mechanical gesture.

“Elizabeth, why don’t you leave?” Andrea said. “You don’t really look like you’re having a good time.”

My legs straightened painfully and lifted me out of the chair. I almost lost my balance as I felt myself move through the living room. It took every ounce of my strength to turn my head and look behind me. Andrea crawled onto Steven’s lap, caressing his face with both of her small hands.

He wasn’t even looking at me.

My eyes filled with tears as I moved closer and closer to the front door. Goddamnit. She knew. She knew! And she did this on purpose!

As soon as I on the D’Amicos’ porch, I finally regained strength over my own body. But when I tried to turn back to the door, I found that I couldn’t even cross the welcome mat. A thick, invisible barrier kept me away from Andrea.

Tears filled my eyes as I turned and walked home. I couldn’t decide if I felt relieved or angry. After all, Andrea had skillfully manipulated me into not harming her.

But I hadn’t accomplished what I’d set out to do, either. And I had a sinking suspicion that more likely than not, Monica and I would face punishment at the hands of Henrik and Ligeia.

Monica met me halfway home, on the main road of town. She no longer bothered concealing herself among the trees; instead, she slunk beside me, her eyes low with defeat.

“I should’ve known it wouldn’t work,” Monica mumbled. “She’s too strong, Elizabeth. She’s stronger than you. She’s probably stronger than me,” she added.

I shrugged. “We tried,” I said lamely. “She controlled me the second I walked in the door.”

“I know. Steven, too,” Monica said. She shuddered. “What’s her gross obsession with her brother, anyway? Like what the fuck?”

“I don’t know,” I said. I kicked at a rock on the ground. “It really bothers me.”

“Well, try not to let it,” Monica said. “Maybe we could… I don’t know. Use him to our advantage, somehow?”

“I don’t think that would work, either,” I said, balling my hands at my sides as frustration sank lower and lower into my brain. “He’s too easy manipulated. You said it yourself. He’s like a blank slate.”

“Let’s get my books and go into the woods,” Monica said. “We won’t be able to find the coven, but maybe we can find a spell or something.”

“A spell? You use actual spells?”

Monica flushed. “They’re more like… recipes,” she said. She wrinkled her nose. “And I’m not very good at them. But I think it’s the best chance we have.”

I made awkward small talk with Jamie and Brian while I waited for Monica to gather her books. As soon as she appeared on the stairwell holding three or four ancient-looking, leather-bound volumes, I followed her into the woods behind her house.

“It’s because she stole my athame,” Monica groused as she flipped through the pages of the books. I shuddered—the pages were yellow and powdery, stained with the oil of numerous fingertips.

“You need it back,” I said.

“No shit,” Monica said. “Look, this might work.” She shoved the book at me and I frowned—the illustration was of a beautiful woman with her eyes closed. Her gold-leaf hair spread over her shoulders as she levitated peacefully above the ground.

“She looks like she’s sleeping,” I said.

Monica laughed humorlessly. “She’s dead,” she said. “It’s a killing spell.” She shivered. “But the repercussions of that…” she trailed off.

I didn’t like the sound of that. I kept quiet as Monica flipped through the next few pages, looking at the ingredients.

“Turnip sap? What the hell is that,” Monica grumbled under her breath. “I’ve never even heard of this stuff. What’s Chickweed, anyway?”

“Maybe it’s archaic,” I suggested. “Maybe it’s names for stuff we still have.”

Monica shook her head. “Not all of it,” she said darkly. “Look—the venom from three young adders?” She laughed. There was no trace of mirth in her voice. “We couldn’t get this stuff, Elizabeth.”

She sighed and slammed the book closed. “I don’t know what to do.”

“There has to be another way,” I said gently. “We have to catch her off guard—we have to make her think that she’s in control.”

“Yeah, until she’s not,” Monica said darkly. “I don’t know.” She bit her lip as she paged through the book. “Honestly, even the easier stuff… I don’t think I’m strong enough. Someone like Henrik would have to help me, and he’s refused.”

“Can you ask him if he has any other ideas?”

“I don’t want to give up yet,” Monica said. She sighed and closed her eyes, blowing her blonde bangs high into the air. “I can’t believe our fucking plan didn’t work!”

“I’m kind of relieved,” I said quietly. “I mean, at least this way, we don’t have to kill anyone.”

“Yet,” Monica said. She shook her head. “I’m leaving,” she announced. “You keep these books. Or take them back to Jamie and Brian, I don’t care.”

“What? No,” I said. I scrambled to my feet, brushing the leaves and dirt off my jeans. “Let me come with you,” I said. “Please?”

“No,” Monica said. “It’s too dangerous.”

She got to her feet and stretched until her spine made an audible crack. “I’ll see you,” she said. “Bye, Elizabeth.”

Before I could beg her to stay, she was gone. And then I was alone in the woods, with the chilly air swirling around me and a pile of useless books at my feet.

---

Hours turned into days, and days turned into weeks. I didn’t go out much—most of the time, I stayed at home and read. I still hadn’t forgiven Aidan for turning me in, and my parents were so spacy and distant that it felt like living with a pair of ghosts.

I knew Monica was with the coven. Part of me was angry with her for not taking me. I mean, I wanted to help. And the coven had initiated me—so why hadn’t Monica let me in?

It was two and a half weeks before Monica came back. As soon as there was a knock at the front door, I knew it was her. I flew downstairs and yanked the door open.

“Let me in,” Monica said. She grinned triumphantly. “I figured it out. Well, not just me,” she added modestly.

I nodded and stepped back to allow her inside. Monica bounded up the staircase and I followed her, carefully closing and locking my bedroom door as soon as we were inside.

“So?” I flopped on my bed. “What do we have to do?”

Monica grinned smugly. “For one, good news—we don’t have to kill her,” she said in a hushed voice. It creeped me out—the way she smiled, combined with the sentence chilled me to the core.

“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

“We just have to trap her soul,” Monica said. “We just have to somehow trap her, and get her soul out of her body.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Won’t this… I don’t know, kill her anyway?”

Monica frowned. “I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t really care.”

“Monica!” I stared at her. “What’s wrong with you? This isn’t a game—this is a real person’s life!”

Monica tossed her blonde hair. “Well, yeah, but Elizabeth—think of how many people Prudence has killed over the years, will you? I mean, she’s one person. But she’s murdered hundreds!” Monica walked over to the window and yanked the blinds up. “And look outside,” Monica added. “Our town is going fucking nuts, all because of Prudence.”

I sighed. “I still don’t like it,” I said.

Monica frowned. “I thought you’d be happy,” she said. “I mean, isn’t this better than cutting her heart out?”

My stomach churned and hot bile rushed up my throat. I nodded, swallowing the acrid liquid. Wincing, I reached for a glass of water and took a sip.

“We have to think of a plan,” Monica said. “We need to get her in a trance, right?”

I sighed. “I guess.”

“So…” Monica chewed on her lip. “You have to make her think that you’re really sorry.”

“About what?” I narrowed my eyes. “I haven’t done anything.”

Monica rolled her eyes. “Well, for one, you fucked her brother,” she said. “I mean, come on.”

I blushed hotly. “I’m not confessing to that,” I said.

“Well, think of something else.” Monica tapped her chin with her fingers. “Like, okay, how about this? How about you go over and pretend you’re confessing on behalf of me, that I’m so bad that you’re feeling like you’re damned just from being friends with me.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t know,” I said. “Do you really think she’d go for that? Wouldn’t she see right through me?”

Monica shrugged. “No,” she said. “I don’t think so. Those Christian types… they’re rabid for guilt, aren’t they?”

“I guess.”

“So, you call her and tell her you want to confess. Then go over there and make shit up. I’ll put her in a trance. We can take her body to Henrik and Ligeia. They’ll know what to do.”

“I can’t find the coven on my own,” I said, frowning deeply. “Ligeia told me I couldn’t until I’m strong enough.”

“I think putting Andrea in a trance would make you strong enough,” Monica said. She raised her eyebrows at me. “Besides, I can always find it—you can just follow behind.”

I bit my lip, hard. Blood seeped into my mouth and I swallowed. Somehow, it didn’t exactly help with my nausea.

“Okay,” I said. “I mean, I guess I have to. When do you want to do it?”

Monica checked her watch. “It’s only two,” she said. “Call her now and tell her you want to come over this afternoon. Don’t mention Steven at all,” she said warily. “And if she asks, just pretend like you’ve lost interest.”

My stomach churned. “To be honest, that wouldn’t be much of a lie,” I said. “His weird behavior and that whole scene last time… ugh.”

Monica nodded. “Good,” she said. “Just think about that whenever she asks. Your disgust is pretty clear.”

I reached for my phone and dialed the D’Amicos’ house, my heart flickering in my chest.
“Hello?”

I cleared my throat. “Hi, is this Mrs. D’Amico?”

“Yes.” She sounded suspicious. “Who is this?”

I blushed crimson red. “It’s Elizabeth Hartsell,” I said. “May I please speak to Andrea?”

There was a pause. “May I ask why?”

Inwardly, I groaned.

“Sure,” I said. “I want to confess to her.” I made my voice sugary sweet. “I want to make sure she understands how sorry I am.”

“Andrea!” Mrs. D’Amico called. “Elizabeth is on the phone for you!”

God, how insufferable, I thought as I chewed my lip, waiting to hear the high-pitched sound of Andrea’s voice.

“Hello, Elizabeth,” Andrea said. “My mother said you wanted to speak with me.”

“Yeah,” I said. “I mean, yes. But can I come over? This would probably be better in person,” I added. “I want to confess. I’ve been feeling so horrible and guilty about everything, and I just wanted you to know how deeply I mean it.”

I could practically hear Andrea smiling through the phone. “Sure, Elizabeth,” she said sweetly. “Why not come over right now?”

Shit.

“How about in a few hours?” I asked timidly. “I have to help my mother with a few things first.”

“Oh, okay. That’s so nice of you, Elizabeth. We should always help our families.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Sounds good. I’ll see you soon.”

We hung up and I threw the phone into my pillows.

“What?” Monica frowned. “That sounded like it went well.”

“Her parents are home,” I hissed. “How the hell are we supposed to pull this off if they’re around?”

Monica looked troubled. “I don’t know,” she said. “But we have to try. I can handle them if necessary.”

I stared. “You’re kidding.”

“I don’t mean hurt them or anything,” Monica said quickly. She looked guilty. “You know. Just, uh, make sure they stay out of it.”

I frowned. “This isn’t going to work,” I groaned. I buried my face in my hands. “We’re totally screwed.”

Monica sighed heavily. “We’ve got to try,” she said softly. “Elizabeth, that’s all we can do.”

“I know,” I said grimly. “I’m just not looking forward to it. Not at all.”

Chapter Five

When I got to the D’Amicos, I felt the same sense of dread and unease that I’d felt before. The only thing that made me feel better was the absence of cars in the driveway… including Steven’s.

Andrea smiled brightly at me when she opened the door. I noticed that she was still limping faintly, and I immediately wondered whether it was a ruse.

“Hi, Elizabeth,” Andrea chirped. “It’s so nice to see you. I asked everyone to give us some privacy.” She leaned in close and I resisted the urge to jump back. “I mean, I assume you’re going to tell me some really private things.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Thanks for not minding.”

“It wasn’t a problem,” Andrea said. “Come with me.”

It felt weird being inside the D’Amicos’ house without Steven. The last time I’d hung out there with just Andrea and Monica, it had been years ago—before that whole séance fiasco. Thinking about that was almost painful… it made me wonder if we’d ever been normal little girls.

“What are you thinking about?”

I sighed. “Honestly, I was thinking about all of the times when Monica and I would come over here to play.”

Andrea’s smile faded. “Monica is evil,” she said flatly. “I never should have ever entertained the idea of being her friend.”

“It was a long time ago,” I said quickly. “I know things are different now.”

That reply seemed to satisfy Andrea. She smiled and led me into the living room. There were two cushions on the floor and I leaned down to pick them up.

“Oh, no,” Andrea said. She smiled at me. “We’re going to kneel together and pray. And then, you may confess.” Her voice was benevolent, yet condescending.

“Ah,” I said. “Okay. That sounds good.” It didn’t sound good—warning bells erupted in my head. What if she tries to put ME in a trance, I wondered as I kneeled, wincing as I settled on the thin pillow. The pillow wasn’t thick enough to shield my knees from the wooden floor and I was almost instantly in pain.

Andrea settled down next to me, looking as smug and comfortable as a queen on her throne.

“Holy Father,” Andrea began, closing her eyes and bowing her head. I immediately copied her gesture. “We’re here today to speak to Elizabeth Hartsell, a fallen woman who has come to confess her sins.”

I rolled my eyes. Fallen woman? What the hell does that even mean?

Andrea nudged me with her elbow. “Pray,” she said. “It’s your time to speak to the Holy Father and tell him why you’re here.”

“Um, okay.” I shifted nervously on the pillow, trying to find a comfortable spot for my knees. “Holy Father, please forgive me. I’ve sinned, and I greatly regret my past actions. The guilt is so upsetting to me.”

Andrea turned to me. “You can be specific,” she said sweetly. “Holy Father prefers total openness.”

“I haven’t always been a good daughter,” I said, fumbling for the words Monica and I’d rehearsed just hours ago. “And I haven’t been a godly friend.”

“That’s good,” Andrea praised. “Keep going, Elizabeth.”

My mind started to slow down. Fuck. She’s doing the same thing as before!

“Um,” I said, stalling for time. “I’ve lied to my mother—I told her I was going to visit Monica, and really I was going on a walk. And I stood by and watched the police take Steven while they told me to go inside, even though we both violated curfew.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes,” I said. “Thank you, Holy Father, for listening to the sins of a fallen woman.” The phrase tumbled out of my mouth and I tried not to cringe.

“Good,” Andrea praised. She shifted her legs, crossing them underneath her. I noticed she didn’t wince when her weight landed on the leg that had been broken.

Relieved to be off my knees, I did the same.

“So, Elizabeth, what did you want to confess to me? It won’t be the same as praying, exactly, but you’ll feel better. You’ll feel so much more pure.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Um, give me a minute.” Just as I went to speak, my mind went blank. Suddenly, I felt my limbs twitching—almost like I’d felt before, right when Andrea had begun controlling me. No, I thought. This can’t happen again! This was my last chance!

“Elizabeth? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No,” I said quickly. “I’m fine.” I sighed. Oh, yeah, Monica! Talk about Monica!

“Whenever you’re ready,” Andrea said in a pleasant voice. “Go ahead.”

“It’s about Monica,” I said quickly.

Andrea’s smile vanished. “I’ve told you. Monica is an evil girl, and we’re not going to discuss her.”

“It’s not about that,” I said. “I’m worried about her. I’m worried about her soul, Andrea. And I feel so horrible for the way she has treated you.”

Andrea looked suspicious. “But you’re her best friend.”

“I know,” I replied. “But, um, you see… I’m starting to… uh…”

Again, the words vanished from my head.

“Elizabeth, I’m not sure what you’re playing at,” Andrea said calmly. “I know the real reason why you’re here. You’re here to talk about Steven, aren’t you?”

“What?”

Andrea smiled. “You’re here to confess to performing wicked, sinful deeds with my poor brother and ensnaring him in your devilish ways.”

“No,” I said quickly, blushing hotly. “I’m not. Andrea, I swear—that isn’t why I’ve come.”

Andrea stretched. “Well, I know it’s true,” she said stonily. “So, you may as well just confess now, Elizabeth, before I have you imprisoned.”

“For what?” My jaw dropped. “I haven’t even done anything wrong!”

Andrea stood, her eyes flashing with anger. “That’s what you say,” she said. “But I know you, Elizabeth. You’re a liar.”

No, no, this can’t be happening. I felt my limbs growing heavy and sluggish. If I don’t do something now, it’ll be too late, I realized as panic flooded my body. This is my last chance.

I got to my feet and charged at Andrea. Her mouth formed a small ‘o’ of surprise as she skidded backwards, her feet dragging on the wooden floor. With all of my strength, I pinned her on the ground.

“Elizabeth, stop this,” Andrea shouted. “You stop it right now or you’ll regret it!” Her pupils were pools of ominous blackness. “You stop!”

“No,” I grunted, grabbing Andrea by the shoulder and trying to drag her out of the house. “You’re coming with me!”

“No!” Andrea shrieked. She opened her mouth and wailed, screaming and crying at the top of her lungs. The sound was piercingly loud and I gritted my teeth as my head ached from the force of her cries. I knew that Monica must be able to hear—she was crouched right outside the window. But when I turned my gaze to look, I saw that she was standing and peering inside, looking horrified and scared.

Andrea turned her head to follow my gaze. When she saw Monica, her face turned murderous.

“I should’ve known,” Andrea said. She spat at me and I cringed as warm saliva dripped down my face. “You’re both evil women!”

“No,” I shouted. “Leave her alone!” Mentally, as I stared at Monica’s figure, I wondered why she wasn’t moving. Then I realized—she was frozen in place. Oh, my God, I thought as my heart raced. We’re so fucked. Monica isn’t as strong as she thought, and Andrea is more powerful than both of us!

“You stay here,” Andrea growled. Suddenly, my legs turned to frozen jelly and I collapsed with a hard thud on the living room floor. When I tried to move, a hot bolt of pain shot through my body and I screamed. It felt like I was being pulled apart, limb from limb.

Andrea smiled down at me. “That doesn’t feel nice, does it,” she said, cocking her head to the side and glaring. “That’s what it feels like when you’re put upon the rack. I know what that’s like, Elizabeth. And you’re going to find out.”

“No,” I whimpered weakly. I could barely move my lips, and the sound wasn’t even as loud as a whisper. The only thing that I could feel moving in my body was adrenaline, rushing through my veins and pumping through each limb. Please, no.

Andrea looked down at me and smiled again. “You really thought you could outsmart me, Elizabeth?” She threw her head back and laughed. “The whole town is on my side. Everyone except you and Monica! Your own brother even turned you in,” she added smugly.

Tears welled up in my eyes but my arms were bound to my side. I felt helpless as hot salt water spilled down my cheeks and dripped onto the floor.

“I really should have known better than to even think about trusting you,” Andrea said. She shook her head and an edge of venom came into her voice. “Things have been going downhill for centuries. And this is what you deserve.”

Her words sent a chill down my spine. I knew what Monica had told me—that Andrea was a reincarnation of Prudence Arrowsmith, Ligeia’s fanatical younger sister. But even though I’d believed her—truly—at the time, this was still stranger than anything else that had happened thus far. A cold fright settled over my body and I shuddered.

Andrea sighed loudly. “Don’t go anywhere,” she said in a snide voice. “I’ll be right back.”

I could only lie there, helpless, as Andrea flounced down the hall. I listened as Andrea’s footsteps faded away. The front door opened and closed. Please, Monica, run away. Find your strength and find the coven—Henrik will know what to do!

As soon as the door slammed shut once again, I gasped. A heavy, thumping sound filled the living room and I gasped when I saw Andrea dragging Monica’s slight, prone figure across the floor. Monica’s eyes were closed and she looked weak and stiff.

“Now… what am I going to do with you?” Andrea said. She set Monica down on the floor. She wasn’t even breathing hard, or heaving from the effort of dragging Monica’s body. Somehow, that made my predicament all the more terrifying.

“Please,” I whimpered. “Please, Andrea, have mercy.”

Andrea laughed. “No,” she said.

“It would be the Christian thing to do,” I added softly. Even making the effort to speak was excruciatingly painful. My lips and tongue were dry and cracked, but I forced myself to keep talking. “It’s what you should do.”

Andrea stared at me. “No,” she said. “I can’t. You and Monica have taken advantage of my trust too many times. I’m going to keep you both here until the Church and I decide what to do with you.”

Andrea picked up Monica’s supine body with ease and carried her across the floor. This time, there was no limp from her injured leg. Fucking liar, I thought as I watched her carry the body of my best friend down the hall.

I thought back to that night at the hospital. Andrea had looked so weak and sick—had it all been an act?

When I heard Andrea open the door to the basement and go down the stairs, I knew that we were in immediate danger. Andrea’s parents—not to mention Steven—could be home at any minute, and if I didn’t do something fast, Monica and I were helpless.

I have to help her. I have to save her, and then we can find the coven and everything will be okay. Yeah, things will be fine.

Gritting my teeth, I tried to sit up. Pain racked my body and I cried out, biting my lip to cover the sound. Even moving just a few inches was the most pain I’d ever experienced in my life, and fresh tears filled my eyes as the agonizing sensations vibrated through my limbs again and again. I gritted my teeth and grabbed the edge of the couch, hauling myself to my feet.

Yeah. I can do this. I can do this, I can defeat her. I know I can. I know I’m strong enough. Yeah, just keep going. Just keep moving.

Only by grabbing the edges of the furniture did I manage to haul myself through the living room and down the stairs. Tears streamed down my face and I knew I made too much noise, but so far, Andrea had yet to come running. Somehow, I knew that was a bad sign—she was obviously too pre-occupied with Monica to worry about me.

When I got into the basement, I gasped. Monica was bound and gagged, tied to a chair as Andrea stood before her, clutching a Bible and a crucifix. When Andrea saw me, she dropped the Bible and gasped.

“You!” Andrea growled. “How did you get down here?”

It’s now or never, I told myself. You can do this.

Launching off the railing, I pushed myself forward and held my arms out straight, trying hard to push through the intense pain plaguing my body. My hands landed on Andrea and I pushed her back, knocking her to the concrete floor. As soon as her concentration was broken, the pain stopped and I felt my limbs break free of her curse. Wrapping my hands around her throat, I squeezed.

Andrea shrieked and yowled. She formed her hands into claws and scratched and scraped at my face, desperately trying to free herself. Guilt formed in my mind, but as soon as I remembered Monica, I squeezed harder and harder. Andrea’s face changed from pale to blue to purple to a sickly kind of green, but I didn’t stop. I grunted, shoving my full weight against her body until her lids fluttered closed.

Behind me, Monica kicked and struggled with her bonds. She spat out her gag and looked at me with wide, hectic eyes.

“Is she dead?” Monica asked softly.

I looked at Andrea. For a moment, she was still. But then her chest began to slowly rise and fall, and her lips parted for breath.

“No. She’s still breathing.”

Keeping one eye locked on Andrea, I got to my feet and untied Monica from the chair.

“Stay here in case she wakes up,” Monica said quickly. “I’ll be right back.”

“Monica, we have to get her out of here,” I hissed. “We need to take her to Henrik and Ligeia before she wakes!”

“I swear, I’ll just be a second,” Monica said. She darted up the stairs and I sighed heavily.

“Jesus fucking Christ, what now?” I muttered under my breath. I kept my eyes glued to Andrea, making sure that she wasn’t moving. She twitched every so often, but for the most part, I was relieved.

Monica’s footsteps thundered down the stairs. Her face was a mask of rage and she ran over to Andrea’s body and kneeled. Before I could stop her, she held her knife—the sacred athame—over Andrea’s chest and plunged it into her chest.

Chapter Six

“What are you doing?” I screamed. “What the fuck did you just do?”

Dark, red blood—hotter and denser than I ever would have imagined—spilled from Andrea’s chest at a rapid rate. Her breathing slowed and my eyes filled with tears as I watched her shirt turn from white to a deep, reddish black that soaked through the cotton material.

“I had to,” Monica said stiffly. She stared at me with no hint of remorse. “Elizabeth, I had to do it.”

“Are you crazy?” I yelled. “You killed her! How the fuck are we supposed to take her to Henrik and Ligeia now?” I covered my face with my hands and shut my eyes tightly. No, no, no, no, no, I thought. This can’t be happening. This is a dream—any minute from now, I’m going to wake. No!

“This isn’t a dream, Elizabeth,” Monica said harshly. “I had to do it. You know I had to do it. What if we can’t find the coven? What would we do if she woke in the woods and took control of us again?”

“Monica…” Tears streamed down my face. “I can’t believe you.”

“Then don’t,” Monica said stiffly. “But I need you to help me carry her body.”

“No…” I bit my lip and burst into sobs. “I can’t. I can’t do this anymore.”

Monica grabbed my hands and held them tightly. I tried to twist out of her grasp but she held on with surprising strength.

“I know, it’s hard,” Monica said. “But Elizabeth, you swore. You swore loyalty to the coven, and to me.”

“You killed her!” I shrieked. “That’s not what the plan was!”

“It was the plan for last time,” Monica said. “And you couldn’t go through with it, remember? Your will was so weak that she possessed you before you even crossed the threshold!”

I slumped over. “I can’t believe this is really happening,” I whispered. “I want it to stop.”

“It will,” Monica said. “I promise. But I need your help. Come on,” she added. “We have to work quickly.”

I let out a choked sob when I looked down at Andrea’s body once again. Blood still spurted from her chest, soaking her body and dripping down to the concrete floor.

“There isn’t much we can do to clean up,” Monica said. “I promise, it’ll be okay. Come on.” She grabbed Andrea’s feet. “You get her head and shoulders.”

“No,” I whimpered. “I can’t.”

Monica rolled her eyes. “Fine,” she said. “Take her feet then. See if I care.”

I bit my lip as I got to my feet and grabbed Andrea by the ankles. When Monica lifted her by the shoulders, her head lolled back. Like a corpse. She’s like a dead person already.

We carried her up the stairs, Monica going first, as quickly and quietly as we could. Blood dripped from Andrea’s body and splattered the stairs, the hall, and the porch as we lifted her body through the front door and into the woods behind Andrea’s house.

My mind ran wild with horrible thoughts. We’ve finally done it. We finally have something that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Monica’s face stayed calm and composed. Her brows were knitted together with the struggle of carrying Andrea’s body, but otherwise, she looked unperturbed. It bothered me—sure, Andrea had been a witch—but did she deserve to die?

Stop, I told myself as we waded deeper and deeper into the woods. You’re not going to get anywhere by thinking like that.

Monica stumbled and for a moment, we almost fell. But she regained her footing at the last second.

“We’re close,” Monica said. “I can almost smell it.”

“I can’t smell anything but blood and dead leaves,” I said morosely as we stumbled together past a large tree. “Are you sure?”

In my arms, Andrea stirred. Her lids fluttered but her eyes didn’t open, and her lips were parted. She drooled on her face and her forehead was screwed tight with pain.

“She’s still alive,” I breathed. “I can’t believe it.”

“Well, yeah,” Monica said haughtily, as if I’d somehow offended her. “I didn’t mean to kill her. I just meant to subdue her spirit.”

“You stabbed her in the chest,” I said. It was hard to keep the accusing tone out of my voice. “How the hell did you know that she wouldn’t die?”

Monica shrugged, as best as she could while still carrying Andrea. “I didn’t,” she said. “But it worked out.”

Anger and shame raced through my body. I closed my eyes and leaned against the trunk of a tree. “I’m getting tired,” I said. “I can’t carry her for much longer.”

Monica sighed. “We’re almost there, just a little bit longer.”

“She’s heavy,” I said. I glanced down—Andrea’s face was paler than usual, and her lips were white. “She’s losing a lot of blood,” I added. “Will Ligeia be able to cure her?”

Monica didn’t answer. She led the way and I had no choice but to follow behind as she led me through the dark woods. As we moved further and further away from Jaffrey, I could swear that the woods became lusher. Buds appeared on the trees, and there was a hint of green grass under the leaves.

“Almost there,” Monica heaved. Her own face was red with sweat and the effort of carrying Andrea. “Just a little bit longer.”

I wondered if she was saying that more for the benefit of herself than for me.

Eventually, we stumbled onto a clearing of lush, emerald grass. Déjà vu hit hard when I realized it was the same clearing where Ligeia had initiated me. A chill ran through my body—that all felt like so long ago, even though not much time had passed.

“Henrik!” Monica yelled. “We’re here!”

Seconds later, the wizened old man appeared. He wore robes of cobalt, and his white hair was bound with a leather strap. When he saw Andrea, he nodded gravely.

“Good,” Henrik said.

“Good? She’s nearly dead,” I cried. “You have to help her!”

Ligeia glided out of the woods, moving swiftly in her ivory robes. Her blue eyes flashed when she saw Andrea’s bleeding form on the grass and I saw a flash of hatred behind her dark pupils.

“You’ve brought Prudence,” Ligeia said stiffly. “I see that she was wounded.” She glanced at Monica. “Care to explain?”

“I had to subdue her,” Monica said. She licked the sweat off her upper lip and we set Andrea’s body gently in the grass.

“I see,” Ligeia said. “I trust you.”

Guilt and remorse hit me like a truck. For a moment, I felt like I would pass out. All I could do was stand there and watch, horrified, as Andrea twitched. Her lids fluttered again, and her lips were moving.

“She’s trying to say something,” I said, pointing towards Andrea’s mouth. “Look, she’s trying to talk.”

Ligeia waved her hand dismissively in the air. “Prudence was never the silent type,” she said. “Henrik, please attend to our guest.”

Henrik scooped Andrea’s body up with ease, cradling her in his arms. He carried her over to a tree and propped her up, resting her back against the massive trunk. A sinking feeling came over my chest and I swallowed hard as Henrik pulled leather cords from a pouch at his side and tied Andrea to the tree.

Ligeia stepped closer. Her blue eyes were glassy and her lips were curved into a calm smile.

“I can feel the power leaving Prudence,” she said, resting her hand on the trunk of the tree. “The power is seeping into the earth, giving me strength.” She looked at me, her eyes flashing. “Tell me, child—do you feel it, too?”

“Please don’t let her die,” I begged. “Please, it would be wrong.”

Ligeia ignored me.

“Monica,” she said sharply. “Come here.”

I grabbed Monica’s wrist and tried to pull her back. “Monica! Don’t let them do this! We have to save her,” I said hotly, gesturing towards Andrea’s trussed body. “Do the right thing,” I begged. “Come on, please!”

Monica stared at me and slowly shook her head. “We must respect the wishes of Ligeia,” she said.

“Monica, she could die! She’s already close,” I whimpered. Hot tears of regret streamed down my face. “What did we do?” I whispered. “Why did we do this?”

Monica stared at me with no hint of guilt.

“We did it because we had to,” she said softly. “Sleep now, Elizabeth.”

Monica’s hand waving in front of my face was the last thing I saw before I passed out.

---

“I have to do this, Elizabeth,” Andrea said. She glared at me. “It’s all because of you that evil has come to Jaffrey, and we must do what we can to rid ourselves of this evil.”

“No,” I whimpered. “Please, Andrea, have mercy on me!”

“I cannot,” Andrea said. “You’re a witch, and you must be put to death.”

Andrea snapped her fingers and two large, muscular men came up to me and grabbed me, wrapping their meaty fingers into my upper arms until I cried out in pain. I tried to struggle, but it was useless—the men kept a firm grip on me, marching me across the dusty floorboards.

“You must confess,” Andrea said. She held a Bible close to her body and gestured towards a wooden contraption that looked like a large frame.

“She will,” one of the men chuckled. “They always do.”

Panic exploded in my chest when I realized what they meant to do. The men lifted me onto the wooden frame, securing my ankles and wrists at each end until I was stretched out on my back. My shoulders ached with the effort and the rough ropes cut into the soft skin of my wrists.

“Confess, Elizabeth,” Andrea said. “Confess your sins, and perhaps God may spare you a painful death.”

“Please don’t do this,” I begged. Tears of fright came to my eyes and streamed down my face. I blinked them away but they kept coming and soon my chest heaved with sobs.

Andrea stood there, looking down at me with a smug expression on her face.

“Confess,” she said. “You only have one chance.”

“Please,” I whimpered. “Please, please don’t hurt me!”

Andrea smiled and shook her head. “Too late for that,” she said. “You should have been more godly, Elizabeth. The Holy Father is the only one who can save us.” Andrea gestured to the men and one of them stepped closer, wrapping his hand around a wooden handle protruding from the rack.

“Now,” Andrea said. “Elizabeth has chosen not to confess. Just a light touch, at first,” she said, smiling wickedly. “Then perhaps Elizabeth will choose to reveal the names of her conspirators.”

“My what?” I gasped. “Andrea, what are you talking about?”

Andrea laughed. “Have you gone mad?” She stepped closer, gazing down at me and cocking her head to the side. “I don’t know of this Andrea… I am Prudence, Prudence Arrowsmith.”

The man pulled the handle to the side and I felt my body stretch painfully. I cried out in agony as all of my joints strained and stretched. Loud popping sounds filled the room and I screamed. The man kept going until Andrea held up her hand.

“Stop,” she said. “Elizabeth, are you ready to tell me the names of your coven?”

All I could do was shriek and scream in pain. Andrea’s words barely reached me as my unbearable agony grew to an all-time high.

“Elizabeth!”

This time, it wasn’t Andrea calling me. I would die, I realized as I lay there. I would die and this was the end of it.

“Elizabeth!”

My eyes flew open. I bolted up in bed, sweating and trembling. My mother stood right there, her hand still on the switch of my bedside lamp.

“Elizabeth, you were screaming in your sleep!”

My joints still tingled. I swallowed hard and tried to take a deep breath of air as I rubbed my wrists.

“Elizabeth, honey, you have to get up now.”

I rubbed my eyes, then looked outside.

“Mom… it’s still dark,” I said sleepily. “What’s going on?”

Mom sat down on the bed, her forehead creased with concern. “Honey, there’s been an incident,” she said slowly.

My heart pounded with fear. No, I thought. No! They can’t have already found out about Andrea! They can’t be here to arrest me! The bitter taste of iron seeped into my mouth and tears came to my eyes.

“I know, sweetie, it’s sad,” Mom said. She sniffled. “That poor little girl.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What… happened exactly?”

“Your poor friend, Andrea D’Amico, is missing,” Mom said. She wiped her eyes. “No one can find her, and the whole town is looking.”

I blinked. “She’s… missing?”

Mom nodded sadly. “Yes, honey. Her mother came home and she was nowhere to be found.”

“Was…” I bit my lip, not wanting to incriminate myself. “Did she leave a note? Anything?”

“No,” Mom replied. “The house was spotless. It didn’t look like anyone broke in.” She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. “It’s just so sad, that poor thing!”

All I could do was stare. “Mom… why do I have to get up?”

“Because the whole town is going to form a search party,” Mom said quietly. “We’re going to look for that darling little angel and make sure she’s okay.”

I blinked.

“Honey, don’t you want to find your friend?”

The dream memory of being on the rack flooded back to me and I whimpered in pain, rubbing my wrists.

“Of course you’re sad,” Mom said. “I know, I am too. But that’s not an excuse not to help, sweetie. We’ve got to make sure that Andrea is okay.”

I frowned. “Mom… what about Monica?”

My mom looked confused. “What about her?”

“When she went missing… no one cared,” I said slowly. “No one even lifted a finger to look for her.”

Mom blinked. “I don’t know, sweetie,” she said. “Come on, get dressed. We’ve got to meet the search party in twenty minutes.”

I shivered as I looked outside before pulling on jeans and a hoodie. It was a cold night—I could feel the blistering chill through the panes of my window—and the last thing I wanted to do was look for a girl who was trussed up in the woods somewhere.

Suddenly, it hit me. Andrea was still controlling the town. If everyone was so concerned about her being missing, she must still be manipulating them. Cool relief washed over me. That means she’s not dead. That means that somewhere, with the coven, she’s still alive.

The news didn’t fill me with as much joy as I thought it would.

I spent hours in a search group with Aidan, my parents, and some other kids from school. Everyone cried so hard they could barely walk. It was strange to be in a group of people with eyes red from crying and noses dripping with snot.

They weren’t like this at all when you left, Monica, I thought bitterly as I swept my flashlight over what felt like the millionth yard. She’s still doing this—she wants to be found.

It was eight in the morning by the time the police called for a temporary break. I stood, shivering and exhausted, with nearly everyone in Jaffrey as a minister from Andrea’s church administered a blessing. By the time I got home, I was so tired that I collapsed into bed and passed out for hours.

By the time I woke, the sun was shining high in the sky. My mom, dad, and Aidan were all out of the house—I guessed they’d gone back to searching for Andrea. The air outside was filled with the cries of Andrea’s name, and the sound of people sobbing as loudly as they could.

I don’t get it, I thought as I stretched and reached for my phone. This is too much.

I hesitated for a second before calling David.

“Hey,” David said. He sounded concerned. “What’s going on?”

“Everyone here has lost their minds,” I said softly. I sniffled, then burst into tears as I recounted the whole story over the phone.

David was silent for a long time. “Jaffrey’s fucked up,” he said quietly. “I was in jail there for like, three days. Just because I got caught driving in.”

“No one is paying attention now,” I said. I wiped my nose on my sleeve. “They’re all just obsessed with finding Andrea.”

“Do you want me to come over?”

“Please,” I whispered. “Please, David. I really… I really need a friend right now. Or an ally. Whatever. I don’t care. Just please come.”

David sighed. “I’ll be there in a few hours, okay? Meet me outside of town. I’ll text when I’m close.”

We hung up and I paced around the house until it was time to leave. I knew it was wrong—I shouldn’t have been spending time with David. I should’ve been looking through the woods, combing for the coven, and making sure that Andrea was safe.

But I was so worn out that I could barely think anymore. Life had been crazy for so long that it almost seemed routine.

And I was sick of it. I wanted normalcy back. It sounded crazy—even to me—but more than anything, I wanted to be back in school, buried under a mountain of homework. I wanted my old crush on Steven back.

I just wished everything would stop.

When it was time to meet David, I had to sneak to the edge of town. Search parties were everywhere, praying loudly and screaming Andrea’s name. It’s like a horror movie, I realized as I ran through the shrubs and ducked behind gazebos to sneak past.

David’s car waited at the edge of town. I slipped into the passenger seat and breathed a sigh of relief as David drove past the sign: “Jaffrey. A good town to live in!”

“I’m sorry,” I said softly. “I just… I can’t handle being alone right now.”

David’s mouth was set in a thin line. He reached for a packet of cigarettes and lit one, puffing and exhaling noisily out the window. Normally, cigarette smoke bothered me. But right now, it just made me feel relaxed and calm. After a second, I took a cigarette from the pack and lit it, coughing as I inhaled for the first time.

David snickered. “First time?”

For some stupid reason, I blushed. “Maybe.”

“So, yeah, Monica’s gone again, huh?”

“Yeah.” I took another puff, being careful not to hold the smoke in. “She’s… going through a lot.”

David raked a hand through his long, dark hair. A musky smell wafted towards me and I blushed again when I realized it was his personal scent.

“She doesn’t really bother telling me much of anything now,” David said. He slowed the car and turned off to the side, towards the lake where we’d walked together when Monica had first gone missing.

“She’s going through a lot,” I repeated. “I know it sounds trite… but there’s some big stuff going on.”

“Like witches?”

David’s blasé tone surprised me.

“Yeah,” I said softly. “Like witches.”

David slowed the car and turned it off, leaving the windows down. “You wanna walk around?”

My legs still ached from the early morning search party.

I shook my head. “No,” I said. “Can we just stay here? If that’s okay?”

David lit another cigarette and puffed in silence. “I don’t really know what’s going on,” he said. “I don’t even think I should care, really. I mean, I’m going to college in the fall.”

“Don’t be angry with her,” I said softly. “She isn’t doing this to hurt you.”

“Come on,” David said. For the first time, there was emotion in his voice. “We both know you feel the same way, Elizabeth.”

The way he said my name sent a shiver down my spine… and it wasn’t entirely pleasant, either. My belly ached with arousal and I bit my lip, putting my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.

“I know,” I said quietly. “I just don’t know what to do about it.”

“Monica’s an intense kid,” David said. “She’s brilliant. That’s why I talked to her, you know. It was like right from the get-go, she had to know everything.”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“I just want shit to go back to normal,” David said. He sighed. “My town chilled out. At least, for the most part. Things are still weird… but goddamn,” he said, laughing mirthlessly. “This is a nightmare.”

“I wish I could leave.”

“You got family anywhere?”

“No. At least, none that I know,” I said quietly. Tears came to my eyes and I tried to blink them away, but my emotions were too strong. The cigarette had made my heart beat faster and soon I was sobbing, burying my face in my hands and crying hysterically.

“Hey, come here,” David said. He pulled me into his arms. At first, I resisted. Then he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled my face into his neck. His musky smell was part natural, part leather and it washed over me like a fragrant ambrosia. Soon, I clung to him, soaking his thin black t-shirt with my tears. David didn’t speak. He stroked my hair and squeezed me against him, mumbling soothing words under his breath.

It felt like an eternity before my tears slowed. Now that my emotions had flooded over me, I felt strangely numb.

“I should be embarrassed,” I said quietly into David’s neck.

He laughed dryly and his dark stubble scraped against my face. Oddly, it felt comforting and soothing.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“You’re welcome.”

I froze. David hadn’t stopped holding me, and I hadn’t stopped clinging to him in a strange kind of desperation. David swallowed—his whole chest moved. I started to move away but David held me there and after a second of resisting, I collapsed against him.

“Don’t go right now,” David said quietly. I shifted my head onto his shoulder and looked up at him. David turned in his seat and brushed my hair out of my eyes. An electrical charge seemed to pass between our bodies as his dark eyes locked with mine.

“What?” I asked softly.

David leaned in close and kissed me deeply. I kissed him back, pressing my still-wet lips against his and wrapping my arms around his neck. He pulled me onto his lap and I straddled him. As we kissed, David slipped his hands under my hoodie and pulled it over my head. He gently pushed me to the side and climbed into the backseat, not letting go of my hands.

We locked eyes. I didn’t break the gaze as I reached up and fumbled with the buttons on my shirt.

“Is this okay?” David whispered.

For a second, I stopped. But the look in his eyes was too much for me. Ripping my shirt off, I climbed into the backseat.

When it was over, we lay tangled and panting. Our bodies were soaked with sweat and the car was filled with a dense, loamy aroma that I’d never smelled before. David brushed the damp hair away from my forehead and sat up, reaching into the console for his cigarettes. Without asking, he lit one for me and passed it over.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” I said softly, sitting up and pulling my underwear back up. The buttons on my shirt were torn so I stuffed it in my purse and pulled my hoodie over my naked chest. Scrambling into the passenger seat, I took a hurried drag of my cigarette and threw it out the window.

“Can you take me back?” I couldn’t look at David. I dipped my head and knotted my hair into a messy bun.

“Elizabeth, are you okay?” David’s voice was tinged with concern. “What’s wrong?”

I sniffled, wiping my nose on my sleeve. “Just take me home, okay? Please,” I begged. “Just take me back.”

We didn’t speak as David’s car rolled through the dark New Hampshire roads. Inside, I was wracked with guilt. My chest ached and I felt like curling into a ball and crying for the rest of my life. I couldn’t believe I’d slept with my best friend’s boyfriend. What kind of horrible person was I?

When David’s car slowed, I pushed open the door and tumbled outside before he’d even stopped. Then I took off, running as fast as I could, my purse slamming into my thigh with each pace. David called after me a few times, but then I saw his headlights turn around and I heard the car recede into blackness. Part of me was upset—I’d almost wanted him to chase me.

The other part was satisfied. I deserve this, I thought as I ran through the streets. I deserve this, and every single bad thing that’s ever happened to me.

My house was dark and silent when I got home. The windows were open, and occasionally, I could hear someone shouting Andrea’s name. I didn’t turn on the lights as I crept up the stairs and into my bathroom. I kept the lights off there, too. Instead, I turned on the shower as hot as it would go and shed my clothes before slipping under the torrent of scorching water.

Tilting my head up to face the spray, I tasted sweat and tears dried on my face as the water rinsed me clean. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Monica. Monica grinning and laughing, Monica with Henrik and Ligeia. Monica stabbing Andrea with her athame.

It no longer mattered what Monica had done.

In my eyes, I was worse.

Chapter Seven

Monica

“Well done, child,” Ligeia said after we’d successfully sent Elizabeth back to Jaffrey. “You’ve succeeded my wildest expectations.”

I licked my lips and stared at Andrea. Her frame sagged against the leather cords that bound her to the tree and blood still dripped from her chest.

It was a horrifying sight.

“What are you going to do with her now?” I walked closer. “She’s… she’s barely alive,” I added softly. “Should we just kill her and be done with it?”

Ligeia didn’t reply. “Henrik!” she called, her voice radiating with joy. “Tonight, we shall feast. Bring the others,” she added. “We’ll celebrate.”

Henrik laughed and nodded.

I blinked. It felt very odd to be standing there, celebrating as Andrea bled out. When Henrik saw me, he frowned.

“Child, you’re upset,” he said. “Tell me—what’s bothering you?”

I bit my lip. “What are you going to do with Andrea?”

Henrik laughed. “Child, don’t worry yourself with such matters. Come, Ligeia has spoken and we all must sup. There will be mead, perhaps even some venison if we’re lucky.” He rubbed his stomach. “I must speak to the pledges about keeping the larder stocked,” he added. “We don’t even have adequate provisions for such a celebration.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What are we celebrating, exactly?” I asked softly, crossing the clearing at Henrik’s side. He walked faster than usual, and I found myself trotting to keep up.

Henrik didn’t reply. We reached the larder and I stood at the door, anxiously grabbing handfuls of my shirt and tugging at the material.

“Tell me,” I said, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. “Come on, Henrik. Don’t do this.”

“Child, hush,” Henrik said. “You’ll learn the truth, and soon.”

I frowned. Soon, the other witches in the coven danced and sang, chanting as they moved around the clearing. Ligeia passed a tumbler of mead around, handing it to me and congratulating me once again.

“I still don’t understand,” I said. “I thought you wanted to imprison her soul, not kill her. How are we going to do that? And wouldn’t we have to do it before she dies?”

Ligeia sighed. She rubbed her hand across her brow.

“Yes, child,” she said. “You’re correct.”

“But she’s dying, now,” I said. My heart thudded in alarm. When I’d stabbed her, I’d only meant it as a means to subdue her. I hadn’t worried that she would actually die. But Elizabeth’s histrionics were finally getting to me and I wondered if perhaps my best friend hadn’t been right.

“Yes.” Ligeia and Henrik exchanged a glance. “She is. She is losing power, rapidly. Right now, she is as weak as a newborn kitten.”

“So, do something about it,” I said quickly. “We can save her. Ligeia, I know you’re a gifted healer. Come on!”

Ligeia stared coldly. “No, child. We won’t rescue her.”

“What?” My jaw dropped. “If we were just going to kill her all along, why did you make me do this? Why not someone else?”

Ligeia and Henrik glanced at each other again.

“Dismiss,” Henrik called to the rest of the coven. “Ligeia and I must speak with the child. Alone,” he added firmly when no one moved. “I’ll call you all back as soon as we’re done.”

My stomach twisted. The mead had given me acrid heartburn and I swallowed, wincing as the pain flamed up and down my throat.

“Come, child,” Ligeia said. She caught me staring at Andrea’s body. “Come with me, by the hearth.”

I followed Ligeia into her hut and sat on a large, flat rock as she gathered herbs and set them to the side. She moved unusually fast—I wondered if she was nervous. Or Prudence’s dying spirit is giving her energy, I realized. What have I done?

"Forgive me, but I haven’t been entirely truthful with you,” Ligeia said softly. “Henrik, come!”

Henrik entered the hut, his body blocking the open door.

“Tis true, child,” Henrik said. “We’ve deceived you.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What? Why?” My palms began to sweat and I wiped them on my jeans. “Tell me,” I added, glaring at Ligeia.

Henrik chuckled. “I have to say, child, I’m rather surprised. You’ve always struck me as quite intelligent.”

“Don’t toy with me,” I snapped. “What’s going on? Why are you letting Andrea die?”

Henrik raised an eyebrow.

The realization hit me like a cold punch to the gut.

“You don’t want to subdue her at all,” I said slowly. “You wanted me to bring her to you because you want her power for yourselves!”

Henrik smiled slightly. He nodded. “Yes,” he said. “That is, at least, partially true.”

“You’re… you’re a monster,” I said, backing away. My back hit the wall of the hut and I shrieked in surprise, jumping into the air.

“I am not,” Henrik said. “Please, you must understand it from my point of view.”

“You had to watch her die in the coven,” I said hotly. “You knew! You knew we would fail when we tried to kill her! You knew it would happen!”

“Aye,” Henrik said. He nodded. “Of that, I’m not proud,” he said. He shook his head and a twinkle came back to his eye. “But ‘tis over, now. And some of that power will be yours, too.”

“I don’t want it!” I yelled. “You’re not being rational! You killed an innocent girl, just for the power of her soul!”

Henrik shook his head. “Nay, child,” he said. “You killed her. You’re the one who stabbed her, did you not?”

My heart sank and I fell to my knees, knowing that Henrik was absolutely right.

“Please,” I whimpered. “Please, you have to understand that what you’re doing is wrong! Please, please don’t let her die!”

Henrik shook his head. “No,” he said. There was a sudden, new edge of anger in his voice. “Tell me, this, child—I’ve spent my whole life in hiding, because of what I am. And with this new power, we no longer have to hide.”

I shuddered at the implication of his words. “You… you wanted things to break into chaos,” I whispered. “You wanted it to happen because you’re going to be doing the same thing!”

“You spend your whole life in hiding, in the woods, eating berries, and tell me you wouldn’t wish for change!” Henrik thundered. “It’s natural!”

Tears streamed down my face as I turned to Ligeia. To my shock, she nodded in agreement.

“Aye,” she said softly. “Henrik is correct. The coven—our coven, child!—can return to a life of normalcy. We may live among whomever we choose! We’ll no longer have to hide, just to survive!”

I stared at her. “I can’t believe you,” I whispered. “I thought you were good! I thought you cared about the earth and the people!”

Ligeia smiled slightly. “I do,” she said. “But that becomes very hard upon realizing the earth no longer cares for me.”

I closed my eyes, feeling utterly defeated.

“Child, in time, you’ll come to see that this decision was for the good of the coven,” Ligeia said gently. “You, too, will benefit from the power of Prudence Arrowsmith, and you’ll be pleased that you were instrumental in her demise.”

“No,” I said. I shook my head. “You can tell yourself that, but I know I won’t ever feel that way.”

“In time, I believe you will,” Ligeia said. “But I know you’re upset right now.”

“No.” I shook my head. “That’s it, I’m leaving.”

“Child, stay and feast with us,” Henrik said. “You deserve it. You’ve truly pleased us, and you deserve a celebration.”

“No.” My mind spun as I walked to the door. For a moment, I didn’t think Henrik would let me pass. But he did, and I walked out into the clearing.

“Come back to us when you’re feeling better,” Henrik said, a touch of mockery in his voice. “I understand—you likely need to rest.”

I shook my head. “That’s not it,” I said. “I’m not coming back.”

“Child, of course you are. You’re a sworn member of the coven.”

“Fuck that,” I said. I shook my head and glared at Henrik. “I’m never coming back, no matter what happens. You get that?”

“Child, I must ask you to reconsider.”

“Tough shit. I can’t believe you,” I said. “I trusted you! And you lied to me!”

“I had to,” Henrik said. “Don’t you understand? This is for the best, child.”

“Nothing about this is for the best,” I said bitterly. “I killed a girl who used to be my friend! I stabbed her, Henrik!”

“So you did, all for our benefit,” Henrik said. “I’m proud of you, child.”

“Fuck you,” I snarled. “I’m never coming back.”

Turning on my heel, I ran into the woods and away from the hateful coven.

It took me longer than usual to find my way out of the enchanted woods. By the time I got back to Jaffrey, it was dark… but not quiet. The streets were filled with people screaming for Andrea. A lump of sadness and guilt formed in my throat and I shivered.

I didn’t know where to go. I didn’t feel like facing Jamie and Brian. I knew Elizabeth was angry with me… and it was likely that she’d be angrier still when I told her the truth. But I also knew that I couldn’t lie to her. She’d participated in this, just like me, and she deserved to know the truth.

Elizabeth’s house was dark. She can’t possibly be out looking for Andrea, I thought as I knocked on the door. After only a few seconds, I heard someone thumping down the stairs. When Elizabeth opened the door, her face was swollen and puffy. She wore pajama pants and a hoodie, with her hair in a mess of brown tangles hanging around her shoulders.

“Can I come in?”

Elizabeth didn’t look at me as she stepped aside.

“What’s wrong?”

Elizabeth shrugged. She led me into the kitchen and flopped down at the table.

“What happened to Andrea?” Elizabeth asked tonelessly. “Everyone is still looking for her,” she added quietly. “So, I guess she’s still alive, right? Because she’s still controlling everyone in Jaffrey?”

I nodded. “Yeah,” I said. “She’s still alive.”

Elizabeth swallowed. She glanced down at her hands in her lap, twiddling her thumbs and picking at her cuticles.

“Are you gonna tell me what’s bothering you?”

When Elizabeth glanced up, I saw the guilt written on her face as clear as day. I had a sudden vision of her and David, naked and tumbling over each other.

I stared. “Come on,” I said sharply. “Tell me.”

Elizabeth shrugged. “I’m sick,” she said. “That’s all. I’ve just been ill lately.”

“I don’t think that’s the whole truth,” I said. “Elizabeth, you can’t lie to me. We’re best friends.”

Elizabeth nodded slowly. “I know we are,” she said softly. “I know we are.”

Anger, confusion, and betrayal soared through my heart. Getting to my feet, I shrugged.

“I’m going home,” I said. “I’ll see you around, okay?”

Elizabeth didn’t reply.

Why, I thought as I let myself out of her house and into the street. It was more crowded than I’d seen in a long time. Parties of searchers, screaming Andrea’s name, passed by. They all clutched flashlights and Bibles.

I did this, I thought as I walked slowly through town. This is my fault.

“Monica!”

I looked up and saw Steven, rushing towards me. His face was streaked with tears. Like everyone else outside, he carried a Bible.

“What?” I looked at him dully. “What do you want, Steven?”

“We’re looking for Andrea,” Steven said. “She’s missing.” He sniffled and sobbed, wiping his nose on a damp tissue before stuffing it back in his pocket. “She’s been gone for days.”

“Oh.” Guilt stung me like a brand. “Yeah. Um, I was looking for her,” I lied.

“Let’s look together,” Steven said. “I can’t find Elizabeth anywhere. Her parents and brother are out, but she told me she was sick. She didn’t look sick,” he added in an accusing tone. “I think she’s faking because she’s lazy.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’ve never heard you say anything so critical of Elizabeth,” I said slowly. “I’m sure she’s just overwhelmed.” And maybe, yeah, a little tired. Because she fucked my boyfriend. I imagine that would tire someone out really fast.

“She’s not helping,” Steven said angrily. “The whole town is helping but Elizabeth doesn’t even care!”

Suddenly, an idea popped into my mind. “Steven,” I said slowly. “Let’s go over here, I bet no one has checked the alleys downtown.”

“Good idea,” Steven said. “You’re smart, Monica.”

I rolled my eyes, grateful for the darkness so he wouldn’t be able to see. “Sometimes I am.”

A plan formed in my brain. A plan to get Elizabeth back… and restore life to its rightful balance around Jaffrey. I won’t use my powers after this, I decided firmly. This will be the last time. And then that’s it. Everything will be back to normal.

“Hey, Steven,” I said. “I think I have something in my eye. Could you look?”

“Sure. We should hurry, though. If Andrea is in one of the alleys, we want to find her as soon as possible.”

You idiot, I thought. This will be too easy.

Steven shone his flashlight in my eyes and leaned in close. His brown eyes oozed with sincerity as he stared at me, locking his gaze with mine.

“Forget about Andrea,” I said. “She doesn’t exist. You don’t have a sister.”

“What?” Steven narrowed his eyes. “Monica, what’re you—”

“Shut up,” I growled. You’ve never had a sister, I thought. Andrea was a figment of the town’s imagination, like a myth. Like a legend. She was a folktale, a fantasy—no more real than Beauty and the Beast.

Steven’s brown eyes glazed over and rolled back in his head. “I never had a sister,” he mumbled.

“Yes,” I hissed. “You never had a sister. You have Elizabeth.”

“Elizabeth…”

“Yes, Elizabeth.” I leaned in close, staring at Steven’s slack face. His jaw was open and he drooled slightly. “Elizabeth is meant for you, Steven.”

“Meant… for… me…”

“Yes, Steven,” I growled. “Meant for you.”

Steven’s lids fluttered closed and he collapsed to the ground. I rolled my eyes, then reached down for his flashlight and stuffed it in my bag. Cries of “Andrea! Andrea!” were all around me, but I didn’t care.

Anger boiled inside of me. A hot, new anger unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Anger at Elizabeth, for fucking David. Anger at Henrik and Ligia, for lying to me and treating me like I was a stupid little kid.

But most of all, anger with myself. I’d become the kind of person I hated—a naïve pawn, always being used for the benefit of others.

And the worst part?

I hadn’t even known it until Henrik had cruelly pointed it out to me. The whole time, they’d only been keeping me around for my close proximity to Andrea. They’d known that I’d do it, they’d known that I’d stab her.

I wanted to die.

Chapter Eight

Elizabeth

After Monica left, I was sure she knew. I was just waiting for the angry phone call—the one where Monica told me to kiss her friendship goodbye, and forget all about the coven. But then something very strange happened—something I’m still not sure about.

I felt like a piece of shit. My life had turned from horror movie into stupid teen comedy where the slutty girl sleeps with her best friend’s boyfriend. And I hated myself. I hated myself for not standing up to Monica, for participating in the coven.

The whole town still desperately searched for Andrea. That’s why I was so surprised to hear a knock at the door the next morning. What, I wondered irritably as I walked downstairs, still in my pajama pants and hoodie from the night before. I bet someone’s going to yell at me for not helping with the search. Hell, I can’t believe I’ve gotten away with staying home for so long, anyway.

When I opened the door, I was shocked. Monica and David stood there, grinning happily at each other with their arms around each other’s waist.

“Hey, can we come in? David drove into town and Jamie and Brian don’t have anything to eat. But I told him your mom always has stuff for sandwiches.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Uh, yeah,” I said, stepping back to let them both inside. “Are you okay?”

Monica smiled. “Of course I am,” she said. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Because I slept with your boyfriend, you know—the one standing right in front of me. And we both know it. And we both know that we both know. I struggled to smile as David and Monica walked into the kitchen. David didn’t even look at me—his eyes were glued to Monica. I bet she got really mad or something; maybe she threatened to hurt herself. When I remembered his words from that night in the car, about being done with her anyway, I felt angry and bitter. I bet he lied, I thought, following Monica. I bet he just lied so he could have a chance with me.

David sat down at the kitchen table, his eyes hanging off Monica like fur on a dog.

“Hey,” I said. “How are you?”

David didn’t look up.

The phone rang. Glad for a distraction, I grabbed the receiver and held it to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Oh, Elizabeth! I’m so glad it’s you!”

“…Steven?”

“It’s me!” I could tell by the tone of his voice that Steven was grinning. “Oh my God, it’s so good to hear your voice. I missed you, Elizabeth. I missed you so much.”

“Um, yeah,” I said slowly. “Did something happen? What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine, I just miss you.”

I bit my lip.

“Elizabeth? Elizabeth, are you still there?”

“Yeah,” I said. “I’m here.”

“I need you, Elizabeth. I need to see you. I need you,” Steven repeated. The intensity of his voice frightened me.

“You’re scaring me, Steven,” I said slowly. “Are you okay? Are you… I don’t know, stressed about Andrea?”

“No, no,” Steven said. “Trust me, I understand all about Andrea now. What a funny story.”

I frowned. Before I could ask what he meant, he kept going.

“When can I see you? Please, please let it be soon,” Steven said. “Elizabeth, I need you so much!”

“Maybe tomorrow?” I bit my lip. “I don’t know, Steven. I haven’t been really doing well. Remember, I told you I was sick.”

“I could come over, take care of you,” Steven said. “Do you like chicken soup when you’re sick? Oh! Crackers, and ginger ale!”

“You really don’t have to do that,” I said quickly. “I’m fine. Monica and David are over, and I think they’re going to make lunch.”

“Who’s David?” Steven asked in a sulky voice. “Elizabeth, I don’t like the idea of you hanging out with other guys. You’re mine,” he added. “I need you.”

Oh my God, he’s totally manic, I thought. I licked my lips. “Um, yeah,” I said. “Look, I’ll let you go, okay?”

“No!” Steven shrieked into the phone. “No, don’t hang up! Elizabeth, please!”

I grimaced as I set the phone back down in the cradle.

“What was that?” Monica glanced up. Her face was completely earnest. The sense of dread that had begun to grow inside of me during the phone call with Steven grew larger, and I swallowed hard.

“Steven,” I said. I narrowed my eyes. “He was acting really weird,” I said. “I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but he sounded really manic.”

“I think he really likes you,” Monica said. She shrugged. “I ran into him last night and he couldn’t stop talking about you. I guess he’s finally ready to settle down and be a good boyfriend.”

“I don’t know that I want that, though,” I said slowly.

Monica spread mayonnaise on a slice of bread. At my words, she set the bread down on a plate and gave me a weird smile before walking over to David. Monica tangled her hands in David’s dark hair. He tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and smiled as Monica leaned down to kiss him.

“Why wouldn’t you want that?” Monica purred, standing up and smirking at me. “I thought you really wanted Steven, Elizabeth.”

“Yeah, Elizabeth,” David echoed. He smiled at me and I shivered. The intensity in his eyes—that tortured, dark look—had all but vanished. His voice didn’t even sound like it usually did, rough and raw around the edges from too many cigarettes.

What the fuck is going on, I wondered, staring at Monica and David as they cooed and cuddled, right in front of me. Why is she doing this? Is this to punish me, somehow? And how the hell did she get Steven in on the whole thing?

The sound of a loud knock at the door made me jump. Monica grinned. “Better answer that,” she said.

I bit my lip and walked nervously to the door. When I pulled it open, Steven stood there, grinning like a maniac. When he stepped inside, I gasped. His car was parked in my parents’ front lawn. Muddy skid marks marred the grass and I noticed the engine still ran.

“What’s wrong?” I asked Steven. “Why did you rush over here?”

Steven’s brown eyes glowed. He grabbed both of my hands and held them so tightly that it almost hurt.

“I had to see you,” Steven said. “Didn’t you miss me, Elizabeth? I had to come and see you as soon as I knew you were home. I love you!” He practically shouted the words before pulling me into a tight hug.

“Ugh, Steven,” I flinched and tried to push him away, but it was hard. His grip was like that of a football player. “Let me go,” I added, twisting loose and stepping back.

Steven stared at me, panting hard. He still grinned, but his mouth hung open.

“Don’t be mad, Elizabeth,” Steven said. “Don’t be mad about the lawn. I promise, I’ll fix it. Your parents will understand—I’ll tell them how crazy I am about their daughter!”

Oh my God, I thought, glancing from Steven to David. She brainwashed them. Both of them. My horror grew as Steven stepped into the kitchen. When he saw David, he balled his hands into fists.

“Who’s this?” Steven demanded, pointing to David. “I told you—Elizabeth, I don’t want you hanging out with other guys, okay? It’s not fair to us. It cheapens what we have.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “And… Steven, what is it that we have?” I asked in a shaky voice. “What are you talking about?”

Steven’s brown eyes glowed and he tried to pull me into another tight embrace. This time, I barely managed to wriggle free.

“We have true love,” Steven said. “I love you, Elizabeth,” he declared passionately. “And I need you.”

“Monica,” I said sharply. “I need for you a minute.”

“No!” Steven yelled. “Whatever you have to say to Elizabeth, you can say it to me,” he said hotly. “No secrets from us, Elizabeth!”

I groaned. “Monica and I need a few seconds of girl time,” I hissed through gritted teeth. “I won’t be long, okay? Just a few minutes.”

Steven’s intense look softened. “Okay,” he said. “Just don’t be too long. I miss you already,” he added.

I cringed. Monica came out of the kitchen, smiling smugly. I glared at her. Why, I thought as I led Monica through the house and into the bathroom. Locking the door behind us, I leaned against it and crossed my arms.

“Monica, what’s going on,” I asked softly. “Please, tell me—why are you doing this?”

“I admit, it’s a little intense,” Monica said. She licked her lips. “But it’s going to fade soon, Elizabeth, don’t worry. He’ll be normal… just give him a few weeks. It’s a pretty powerful spell,” she added.

“You brainwashed him,” I said incredulously. “He and David both! Why would you do that, Monica? Why?”

Monica smiled. “Because I had to,” she said. “Don’t you get it, Elizabeth? Now everything will work out for the best.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “No! You have to fix it! You have to get Steven to stop… obsessing over me like this! It’s creeping me out, and I don’t even know that I want to be with him!”

“But you wanted to be with David,” Monica said coldly. “So I had to take matters into my own hands, Elizabeth.” She smiled. “Now everything will be perfect.”

“I can’t believe you,” I said sadly. “First Andrea, and now this? You’re crazy,” I said. “I can’t even believe this happening!”

Monica didn’t reply. I pushed past her and stormed down the hall and out of the house.

“Elizabeth, wait!” Steven called. “I have to be with you!”

“Later,” I yelled over my shoulder. Breaking into a run, I headed into the woods.

I ran and ran and ran, stumbling over branches and leaves. Soon, I was crying. But it didn’t feel bad this time—it felt almost good, like a catharsis. A painful stitch broke out in my side and I had to stop, leaning over my legs and resting my hands on my thighs. The day was the warmest that Jaffrey had been in months, but I wasn’t looking to stay in town.

I needed to find the coven. I had to make Ligeia and Henrik learn what Monica had done.

Because otherwise, I knew I could never go back home.

As soon as my side felt better, I broke into a fast jog and sprinted through the woods. The trees began to show buds, then greenery, then soon, there was grass under my feet. As I stumbled into the official clearing that signaled the opening to the coven, I knew I should feel satisfied. But all I felt was hot anger and betrayal, pumping through my veins.

There was no sign of Andrea, but I cringed at the bloodstains lingering on the tree. I wasn’t there for more than a minute when Ligeia glided up.

“Child,” she said softly. “I’m surprised to see you.”

I raised an eyebrow. I was breathing hard from my run and I knew my face was red and soaked with sweat and tears.

“Are you?” I panted. “Because somehow, I doubt that.”

Ligeia nodded. “You’re right,” she said. “But I’m surprised you were able to find us so easily. Tell me, child, is Monica with you?”

“No.” I curled my hands into fists and took a deep breath. “She doesn’t know I’m here.”

Ligeia’s look softened considerably. “Tell me, child, what’s troubling you? You look ill, and very sad,” she said.

“What happened to Andrea?” I swallowed nervously. “Where is she?”

“She is recovering, with some of the others,” Ligeia said. “I prepared a poultice for her wound and she is resting while she regains her strength.”

“And her soul?”

“Child, don’t worry of that now,” Ligeia said. She stepped closer and put an arm around my shoulders. At first, I resisted. But then I felt a strange calm blanketing me, and I closed my eyes and rested my head on Ligeia’s shoulder. She felt almost as comforting as David had.

“Child, I can tell you’re unhappy,” Ligeia said. “Please, lay your troubles on me. I’m your priestess. That, among many other things, is chiefly why I’m here.”

I sighed, then launched into the whole weird story. I even told her about sleeping with David, before Monica had returned from the coven. I cried, and Ligeia dried my tears on her robes. She gave me a cold compress for my forehead that smelled like witch hazel and lavender, and soon I felt more relaxed than I had in weeks.

Just as I was getting to the end of my story, Henrik appeared. He gave me a sympathetic smile and sat on the ground, leaning against a tree. He pulled a small piece of wood from his pocket and began whittling, whistling as he did so.

Suddenly, I realized that I actually felt… at home with Henrik and Ligeia, almost like the coven was where I truly belonged.
“Yes, child,” Ligeia said. She smiled sadly at me. “That is how I feel, too. My coven is the most important thing in the universe to me, don’t you understand?”

I bit my lip. “I’m starting to,” I said slowly. “At least, I think so.”

“Don’t worry,” Henrik said. “I can take care of everything… you’ll just need to give me some time. After all, you helped to perform a very important service for the coven, and your kindness will be remembered for a long time.”

“What do you mean?” I asked softly.

Henrik didn’t reply.

“Of course, Henrik will help you, child,” Ligeia said. “But you must swear your loyalty to the coven, above all.”

“I already have,” I said nervously. “Wasn’t that what my initiation was about?”

“Yes, child,” Ligeia said. “But we need your loyalty above all others. Above friends, above family.”

I hesitated. Even though I was furious with her, Monica was still my best friend. But before I could speak, Ligeia took me in her arms and held her hand over my eyes.

“This is your future,” she said, as images swirled in front of my eyes.

I gasped in horror.

“You must swear,” Ligeia said. “Swear to me, swear to Henrik. Swear your loyalty.”

“I swear to be loyal,” I said softly. Horrifying images kept flashing in front of my eyes and soon I trembled in fear.

“You must betray, in order to restore balance,” Ligeia said. “Say it, child. Say you will.”

“I will,” I whispered. “I will.”

“Now sleep, child,” Ligeia said. “Sleep, and when you wake, all will be well.”

That was the last thing I heard before losing consciousness.

THE END