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Hexbound Хлоя Нейл

        # Lily Parker is new to St. SophiaТs School for Girls, but sheТs already learned that magic can be your best friendЕor your worst enemy. They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. Turns out, even a little magic can turn you to the dark side. ThatТs why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities, on top of avoiding the snobs who think they run her school, nursing a crush on a cute sophomore with a big, werewolf-y secret, and fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on ChicagoТs nastiest nightlifeЧincluding the tainted magic users known as Reapers. Then LilyТs invited to a private meeting with Sebastian. HeТs hot, powerful, and offering to help her harness the magic flowing in her veins in a way no one else can. HeТs also a Reaper. Lily canТt hide her suspicions. But sheТll soon find out that the line between good and evil isnТt always clearЕ

        For SHB, because sometimes you find the greatest things when you least expect them.

        УDIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. MAGIC, NOT SO MUCH.Ф
        ЧSCOUT GREEN

1
        I stayed absolutely still, my eyes closed, the sun warm on my face. As long as I didnТt fidget too much, the noon sun was just strong enough to cancel out the chilly October breeze that blew through our part of downtown Chicago.
        I guess there was a reason they called it the Windy City.
        It was a Sunday afternoon at St. SophiaТs School for Girls, and I was squeezed into a tiny square of sunshine on the lawn with my friend Scout. She sat beside me with her arms stretched out behind her, eyes closed and head tipped up to the sky.
        I sat cross-legged, art-history book open in my lap. Every few minutes weТd inch our legs a little farther to the left, trying to take in the last warm bit of fall.
        УThis totally beats sitting in class,Ф Scout said. УAnd wearing uniforms.Ф
        Scout was dressed in a black skirt and shirt sheТd sewn from two White Sox T-
        shirts. It was quite a change from the navy-and-yellow private school plaid we usually wore. And then there were the shoes (Converses sheТd coated in gold glitter), the hair (a short blond bob with dark tips), and the silver nose ring. There was no mistaking Scout Green, even in the uniform, for the average УSt. SophiaТs girl.Ф
        УYou are totally rocking those clothes today.Ф
        Scout opened an eye and glanced down at her jersey skirt. УI appreciate your appreciation of my obvious good taste. Besides, someone had to rock it out. This place is like a dismal swamp of bleh.Ф
        I put a hand over my heart. УThank God youТre here to save us, Saint Scout.Ф
        Scout snorted and crossed one ankle over the other, her shoes glinting in the sunlight.
        УAnd now I know why I keep finding glitter on my bedroom floor.Ф
        УWhatever. My shoes do not shed.Ф
        I gave her a dubious look.
        УSeriously. ThatТs just . . . um . . . horn dust from the unicorns that braid your hair while you sleep.Ф
        Scout and I both looked at each other. Unfortunately, while I didnТt remember waking up with any mysterious braids, we couldnТt exactly rule out the unicorn part.
        Oh, did I mention Scout could do magicШ
        Yeah, you heard me. And I know what youТre thinking: УLily Parker, thereТs no such thing as magic. The tofu is starting to go to your head.Ф
        YouТre going to have to trust me on this one. See, as it turns out, Chicago is home to an underground world of magicians battling it out while the rest of the city is asleep. And those magicians included the girl, who was now humming a song from High School Musical 3, beside me.
        Scary, rightШ
        Millicent Green, aka Scout, was actually an Adept and a member of Enclave Three.
        And hereТs the second twistЧso was I.
        See, I was actually from upstate New York, but when my parents decided to head to Germany for a research sabbatical, they figured St. SophiaТs, deep in the heart of Chicago, was the best place for me to spend my junior and senior years of high school.
        They said parents knew best. To my mind, the jury was still out.
        I didnТt come to Chicago with any powers, at least not that I was aware. And my parents certainly werenТt doing magic in their free time.
        Again, at least not that I was aware. But with a secret trip to GermanyШ Who really knewШ IТd been told by Marceline Foley, the headmistress of St. SophiaТs,
        that their work had something to do with genetics. SheТd changed her tune later on,
        but there was no unringing that bellЧor the fact that their European vacation was related to a place called the Sterling Research Foundation. For their safety, IТd made a promise to let my parentsТ secrets, whatever they were, stay secret.
        Anyway, it took a trip into the basement of St. SophiaТsЧand a shot of magic from one of the bad guysЧto trigger my own magic.
        Firespell.
        To be honest, IТd been an Adept for only a few weeks, and I was still fuzzy on the details. But firespell had something to do with light and powerЧmanipulating it and throwing it back at the bad guys.
        And that was exactly how IТd ended up with firespellЧa shot from Sebastian Born. He might have been tall, dark, and handsome, but he was also a Reaper. A teenager who refused to give up his magic when the time cameЧand it came for everyoneЧand who now spent his time recruiting kids the older Reapers could feed from.
        As it turns out, magicТs only a temporary gift. We have it for only a few years,
        from puberty to age twenty-five or so. After that, the magic begins to degrade you,
        to devour your soul like some kind of rangy tentacle monster.
        As Adepts, we promise to give up our magic, to give it back to the universe before it turns us into soul-suckers. Reapers donТt. And in order to keep their suddenly hungry power from devouring them from the inside out, they have to feed from the souls of Adepts or humans.
        So, yeah. ReapersЧor, as they called themselves, the Dark EliteЧwerenТt going to win any congeniality awards.
        That put us pretty squarely against each other, like a football rivalry but with much higher stakes. So by day, we were high school juniorsЧwearing our plaid uniforms,

        doing our homework, ignoring our brattier classmates, and wishing we were in a public high school without a two-hour mandatory study hall.
        And by night, we were dueling Adepts.
        Scout suddenly sighed, a long, haggard breath that made her entire body shudder. She still looked a little pale, and she still had blue circles under her eyes.
        A wounded Adept.
        These were the scars left over from her own experience with the Reapers. SheТd been kidnapped, and her room had been ransacked. It had been me and the other Junior Varsity Adepts from Enclave ThreeЧand very little help from the Varsity Adepts, the college-age kidsЧthat had fought to get her back from the Reaper sanctuary where Jeremiah, the baddest of the baddies, had begun the process of stripping away her soul.
        It was days before she could sleep without nightmares, nearly a week before she was mostly back to her old self. But I still saw shadows from her time in the sanctuaryЧthose moments when she disappeared into herself, when her mind was pulled back into the empty spot the Reapers had created.
        Regardless, she was here now. WeТd gotten her back.
        Not everyone was so lucky. Sometimes we discovered too late that a Reaper had been befriending someone, too late for Adepts, friends, family, coaches, or teachers to pull him or her back from the brink.
        Sometimes, fighting the good fight meant losing a battle or two.
        That was a hard lesson at almost-sixteen.
        УLils, any thoughts about running away and joining a circusШФ
        I smiled over at Scout. УAre we talking pink poodles and clowns stuffed into a car,
        or creepy freak showШФ
        Scout snorted. УSince itТs us, probably freak show. We could travel around the country from city to city, putting up one of those giant red-and-white-striped tents and sleeping in a silver trailer shaped like a bullet.Ф She slid me a knowing glance.
        УYou could bring along your own personal freak show.Ф
        This time, it wasnТt just the sun that heated my cheeks. УHeТs not my freak show.Ф
        УHeТd like to be.Ф
        УWhatever. And heТs not a freak show.Ф I glanced around to make sure we were alone. УHeТs a werewolf.Ф
        УClose enough. The point is, heТd be your werewolf if you let him.Ф
        It was the Уletting himФ that was the hard part. Jason Shepherd, the resident werewolf of Enclave Three, was definitely interested. He was sixteen years old and, like Michael Garcia, another Adept with a massive crush on Scout, was a student at Montclare Academy, St. SophiaТs brother school. IТd learned Jason had been born in Naperville, a suburb west of Chicago, listened to whatever music happened to be on the radio at the time, and was a devoted White Sox fan. He didnТt like football and loved pepperoni pizza. And, of course, there was the werewolf thing.
        I guess I was interested back, but spending nights fighting evil didnТt exactly make it easy to get to know a boy.
        УItТs too soon,Ф I told her, trying to make my voice sound as casual as possible.
        УBesides, youТre the one who warned me away from him.Ф
        УI did do that,Ф she quietly said. УI just donТt want you to get hurt.Ф Problem was,
        she wouldnТt tell me why she thought that might happen. She kept saying I needed to hear it from him, and that wasnТt exactly the kind of thing that made a girl feel comfortable about a boy.
        УThereТs always something,Ф I whispered. As if on cue, a grim-looking cloud passed over the sun, a dark streak in the sky that sang of impending rain. The breeze blew colder, raising goose bumps on my arms.
        Scout and I exchanged a glance. УInsideШФ I asked.
        She nodded, then pointed at her shoes. УThe glueТs not waterproof.Ф
        Decision made, we gathered up our books and walked back across the campusТs side lawn and around to the main building. The schoolЧa former convent Чwas dark and gothic-looking, a weird contrast to the rest of the glass-and-steel architecture in this part of downtown Chicago.
        That was what I was thinking when I happened to glance across the street . . . and saw him.
        Sebastian Born.
        He stood on the sidewalk in jeans and a dark polo shirt, his hands tucked into his pockets. His blue eyes gleamed, but not like JasonТs eyes gleamed. JasonТs eyes were spring-bright. SebastianТs were darker. Deeper. Colder.
        And those eyes were focused on me.
        The Reapers obviously knew Scout attended St. SophiaТs, since theyТd kidnapped her from her room. And another Reaper, Alex, had seen all of us one day in the concrete thorn garden behind the school. But that didnТt make me any less weirded out by the fact that Sebastian was standing across the street,
        perfectly still, gaze on yours truly.
        УLilyШФ
        At the sound of my name, I looked back at Scout. Frowning, she moved toward me. УWhat is itШФ
        УI think I just saw Sebastian. He was right . . .Ф By the time IТd pointed to the spot on the sidewalk where heТd stood, he was gone. УThere,Ф I finished, wondering if IТd actually seen him, or if IТd just seen some tourist with the same dark hair and blue eyes and IТd imagined it was him.
        I wasnТt crazy about either idea.

        УSebastianШ Out hereШ Are you sureШФ
        УI thought so. I mean, I thought he was right thereЧbut maybe not.Ф
        Scout put her hands on her hips and frowned as she scanned the street.
        УThereТs no sign of him now. I can text DanielФЧhe was the newish leader of Enclave ThreeЧУand let him know somethingТs up.Ф
        Gaze scanning the street, I shook my head. УThatТs okay. Maybe I imagined it. It was only for a secondЧmaybe I just saw someone who looks like him.Ф
        УSimplest explanation is usually the truth,Ф she said, then put an arm around my shoulders. УNo more sunshine for you. YouТve been indoors so much, I think the sun actually makes you crazy.Ф
        УMaybe so,Ф I absently said. But I had to wonderЧwas I losing it, or were the Reapers watching usШ
        I had a dark-haired, blue-eyed boy on my mind.
        This was a bad idea for two reasons.
        First, I was in European-history class, and said dark-haired boy wasnТt a king or soldier or historical figure of any type.
        Second, the boy IТd been talking to was definitely not dark-haired.
        The boy, of course, was Sebastian. And the obsessionШ I donТt know. IТm sure he was on my mind in part because IТd (maybeШ) just seen him. But it also felt like we had unfinished business. In a couple of glances and whispered instructions,
        Sebastian had taught me how to use firespellЧthat it wasnТt about controlling the power, but trusting the power enough to let it control me. It was about letting the power move, instead of trying to move the power.
        But why had he helped meШ He was a Reaper, and I was an Adept, and at the time weТd been trying to rescue Scout and escape the Reaper sanctuary. There was no reason for him to help me, which made the act that much stranger . . . and meaningfulШ
        УMs. Parker.Ф
        I mean, not only had he helped me, but heТd helped me in the middle of a battle against him and his Reaper friends. Was there a chance he was really . . . goodШ
        УMs. Parker.Ф
        Finally hearing my name, I slammed my elbow on the top of my desk as I bolted upright and glanced up at Mr. Forrest, our civics teacher. УYesШ SorryШФ
        The classroom burst into snickers, most of it from the three members of St.
        SophiaТs resident brat pack: Veronica, Mary Katherine, and Amie. Veronica was the queen bee, a blond Gossip Girl wannabe currently wearing a pair of thousand-
        dollar designer ballet flats and at least a couple of pounds of gold around her neck.
        Veronica and I had tried being friends one Sunday afternoon after IТd first seen my DarkeningЧa mark on my lower back that pegged me as an Adept. I had been in denial about my new magic, and in the middle of a misunderstanding with Scout, so IТd offered Veronica a shot as best friend.
        She didnТt make the grade.
        M.K. was the haughtiest of the crew. Today she was dressed like a goth-prep mash-upЧa navy shirt and cardigan over her plaid skirt; knee-high navy socks; and black platform heels with lots of straps. Her long hair was tied in long braids with navy ribbon, and her lips were outlined in dark lipstick.
        Amie was the quiet oneЧthe type who seemed to go along to get along. She was also a roommate, sharing a suite with Scout, me, and a cello-playing, mostly quiet girl named Lesley Barnaby.
        УIs class a little too difficult for you today, ParkerШФ M.K. snickered.
        УSince you were apparently absorbed in your own thoughts,Ф Forrest said,
        Уanything youТd like to share with the classШФ
        УUm, I was justФЧI glanced up at the scribbled text that filled the whiteboard at the front of the room and tried to make sense of itЧУI was just . . . thinking about federalism.Ф
        More snickering, probably deserved. I swear I was smart, even if I was still adjusting to the run-all-night, study-all-day schedule.
        УAnd did you reach any conclusions about federalism, Ms. ParkerШФ
        Deer in headlights, muchШ УWell,Ф I slowly said, trying to buy time to get my mental gears moving, Уit was really important to the founding of the country and . . . whatnot.Ф
        There was silence until Forrest huffed out a sound of intellectual irritation and looked around the room. УDoes anyone have anything more enlightening to add to the conversationШФ
        Veronica popped a hand into the air.
        УMs. Lively. Can you contribute to our conversationШФ
        УActually, I need to make an announcement to the class.Ф
        He looked suspicious. УAbout whatШФ
        УWell,Ф Veronica said, Уregarding our upcoming girls-only health-education class,
        if you get my drift.Ф
        ForrestТs cheeks flushed pink. He nodded, then cleared his throat, and after tapping some papers together on the podium, headed for the door. УFor tomorrow,Ф he said on the way, Уfinish chapter two.Ф
        With Forrest on his way out, Veronica rose and moved to the podium, Amie beside her. Veronica tucked her hair behind her ear, her gaze on the door until Forrest was out of the room. As soon as it clicked closed, she turned her attention to us.
        УItТs time to begin planning our annual holiday festivities.Ф

        The girls began to hoot like boys at a frat party. I glanced back at Scout, who rolled her eyes and propped her hand on her chin. I have to admit, I was mostly relieved I wasnТt going to have to listen to Veronica drone on about sex ed. I mean,
        surely St. SophiaТs could afford an actual teacher for that kind of thing.
        УAnd when I say holiday, I obviously mean this yearТs Halloween Sneak. As you know, itТs up to the junior class to plan the Sneak. This yearТs theme will be Glam Graveyard.Ф
        УGravestones and glitter,Ф Amie added.
        УPrecisely,Ф Veronica said. УOur first planning committee meeting will be tomorrow. You can sign up on the sheet outside the door. Weirdos need not apply,Ф she snarkily added, haughty gaze pinpointed at Scout.
        УSheТs just so high school,Ф Scout muttered behind me. I bit back a smile.
        УAnyone interested in the planning committee has to swear not to squeal about the location of the Sneak, because the final location wonТt be revealed to the rest of the class until itТs time to go. Any questionsШФ
        M.K. raised a hand. УWill there be boys thereШФ
        Veronica smiled smugly. УWeТre playing sister school to Montclare Academy again.Ф
        That smug look on her face worried me. Jason went to Montclare, but I wasnТt so much worried about him. Michael, however, was a different matter. While Michael had a pretty big crush on Scout, she was playing very hard to get. Veronica, on the other hand, seemed determined to take her place. Veronica had made a point of asking Scout about Michael one day, hinting around that she had a thing for him.
        The interest was understandable. Michael was totally cute. Dark, curly hair. Big brown eyes. A huge smile that was impossible to ignore . . . unless you were Scout Green. She managed pretty well. Of course, if Scout didnТt ask Michael, then technically he was fair game.
        The bell rang. Veronica made a little curtsy before she and Amie were joined by M. ., and they headed out the door. I waited for Scout to gather up her books.
        УSo,Ф I began, Уexactly how uncool would it be if I wanted to be on the Sneak committeeШФ
        Scout pulled her messenger bag over her shoulder and gave me a sideways glance. УPurposefully involve yourself in brat dramaШ Why would you want to do thatШФ
        УDecorating and design and stuff is right up my alley,Ф I reminded her. УMy art studio hasnТt started yet, and I really need a creative outlet, even if it does involve the brat pack.Ф
        УDonТt you already have a creative outletШФ
        I rolled my eyes. УIТm not sure IТd call what we do Сcreative.Т Ф
        УHave you ever done it beforeШФ

        УWell, no.Ф
        Scout grinned at me. УThen itТs creative.Ф
        Drama notwithstanding, I concluded I was going it alone on the planning committee front. But as we walked down the hall toward our lockers, I decided to try something else Scout might be interested in. УDo you think Veronica asked himШФ
        УAsked whoШФ She sounded completely unconcerned, but I knew her better than that.
        УI know your real first name, Scout. DonТt make me use it.Ф
        УFine, fine. DonТt have a conniption. Yeah, she probably asked Garcia. Or she will, if she hasnТt already. ItТs just the kind of thing sheТd do.Ф
        УMaybe he wants to ask you.Ф
        УThen it serves him right for waiting,Ф she muttered.
        I slid her a glance. УSo if he asks you, youТll say yesШФ
        УJust because I donТt trip over him every time he comes into the room doesnТt mean I donТt, you know, appreciate him.Ф
        УI knew it,Ф I said, a grin breaking out. УI knew you had a thing for him. So, are you going to tell himШ Are you two going to start datingШ Officially, I meanШ This is huge.Ф
        УPump the brakes,Ф she warned, heading into the bay where our fancy wooden lockers were located. УPump the brakes, or I tell Amie you want decorating advice.
        YouТll have to wear shades just to sleep in your room.Ф
        Virtually everything in AmieТs room was an eye-scarring shade of Barbie pink.
        УNow, thatТs just rude.Ф
        УIТm not above rude, Parker. You keep that in mind.Ф
        I took her word for it, which is why I snuck back alone to sign up for the Sneak committee. An artist had to do what an artist had to do, rightШ

2
        A dozen or so hours later, weТd ditched our plaid for jeans and boots, tonightТs uniform of the Adepts of Enclave Three.
        It would have been cool to say we dressed that way because we were out pummeling Reapers into oblivion. But for now, Enclave Three was acting more like an Adept advance unit. Daniel tended to give us two kinds of assignmentsЧtrying to bring back kids who we thought had been targeted by Reapers, and patrolling the cold, damp tunnels beneath Chicago to keep an eye out for Reapers and, if necessary, battle them back.
        There werenТt any Reaper targets at St. SophiaТs right now, at least not that weТd identified. (Although the soul-sucking would have explained a lot about M.K.Тs personality.) So really, the boots were mostly to protect our feet from dingy water while we were on patrol. On the other hand, Jamie and Jill, auburn-haired twin Adepts with elemental fire and ice power, had been gone a lot recently, spending their evenings befriending a sad-eyed boy from their high school and trying to keep him from completely disappearing into himself as the Reapers used him to sate their hunger.
        Tonight we were walking the tunnels that connected Enclave Three to St.
        SophiaТs to make sure they were Reaper free. Unfortunately, they often werenТt. IТd had my first run-in with Sebastian in these tunnels, and the Reapers had used the tunnels to kidnap Scout and to snag her Grimoire. Since they hadnТt managed to grab it, odds were theyТd try again.
        We walked two by two, Scout and Michael in the lead, me and Jason behind. ItТs not like the tunnels were superplush or anythingЧthey used to hold the tracks for small railroad cars that ran between downtown buildings. They carried stuff into the buildings, and carried out ash from the boilers. Now they looked pretty much exactly how youТd expect abandoned miniature railcar tunnels to look.
        On top of that, of course, the threat of Reapers was always there. But even with all that, there was something a little romantic about walking along in flashlight-lit tunnels together.
        Scout looked back at me, determination in her eyes. УLights on,Ф she ordered.
        From what we knew so farЧsince I was the only local Adept with firespellЧmy magic was all about power, the raw force of the universe. That meant I could throw out shock waves of power that would knock people down and out, and I could manipulate electricity. But I still wasnТt entirely sure about the УhowФ of it.
        I stopped walking, clenched my eyes shut, and concentrated on filling the tunnel with light. It was a matter of allowing the energy to flow into me, letting it pool and fill my veins with warmth, and then sending it out again.
        УVery nice, Lil,Ф Scout said. But I knew it had worked before sheТd spoken, the insides of my eyelids turning red from the sudden glare in the frosty corridor. I opened my eyes, squinting against the sudden gleam of the cage-wrapped lightbulbs that hung above us. I was getting a little better at controlling it, learning to spark the light and douse it again by concentrating, instead of only when my emotions became overwhelming.
        Scout hopped across one of the rails in the concrete floor, flashlight in her hand,
        her signature messenger bagЧwith its grinning skull and crossbonesЧbouncing as she moved.
        УAll right,Ф she said. УOff again.Ф
        I blew out a breath, and pulled the power back out again. It was like turning the lights on, but in reverseЧletting the power release again, freeing it from the bulbs in which it was bound. For a moment, the lights wavered, then went dark.
        Jason took my free hand and laced our fingers together. УYour control is seriously improving.Ф
        УOnly because IТve been working on it like two hours a day.Ф
        Scout glanced back, her features thrown into strange relief by the flashlight beneath her face. УHobbies are fun, arenТt theyШФ
        УIn this case, they would be more fun if I had any clue what I was doing.Ф
        Jason leaned toward me. УYouТre doing great, Lily,Ф he said, squeezing my hand.
        I squeezed back.
        УIТm doing better than I was,Ф I agreed. УBut IТd feel a whole lot better if I could do it on command every time. IТm still a little unpredictable.Ф
        УOne of these days,Ф Jason said. Since his eyes were on Scout and Michael,
        who were walking side by side in front of us, MichaelТs arm around her shoulders, I assumed Jason was no longer talking about me.
        УOne of these days,Ф I agreed. УTheyТll be good for each other. They are good for each other.Ф
        УYes, they are,Ф he said, before his gaze shifted back to me again. УBut enough about them. You know, we havenТt had a lot of time to talk. To get to know each other.Ф
        The warmth on my cheeks was a weird contrast to the chilly tunnel air. УThatТs true,Ф I said, my heart suddenly thudding in my chest. What was it about this guy that made me feel like a nervous kidШ I hated feeling that way, so I took the lead.
        УSo, say something.Ф
        УSomething.Ф
        I bumped him with my shoulder. УIТm serious.Ф
        УSo was I. Maybe you just donТt appreciate my sense of humor.Ф But when I gave him a flat stare, he laughed. УOkay, okay. So, um, what is Sagamore like compared to ChicagoШФ
        УOh. Well, itТs beautiful,Ф I told him. УItТs a small town, kind of in the country. Trees everywhere, rolling hills. Our neighborhood was on a hill, so when you looked outside in the fall, you could see the fog over the valley. It was like living in a fairy land.Ф
        УWasnТt СThe Legend of Sleepy HollowТ supposed to take place in New YorkШФ
        I frowned. УI donТt know. Was itШФ
        УI wanna say we learned that last year in English.Ф He shrugged. УI donТt know.
        Could be wrong. Anyway, if it was, probably says a lot about upstate New York,
        rightШФ
        УAre you suggesting I was living in a fairy landШФ
        УWell, at least a land with headless horsemen.Ф He dropped my hand and half turned around, fingers arched into claws. УHeadless horsemen who cut the heads off fair maidens in the night!Ф He tweaked my waist, just enough to make me yelp. I batted his hands away.
        Scout glanced back, eyebrow arched. УWhatТs going on back thereШФ
        УNothing,Ф I said. УSome dork is trying to scare me with tales of murderous creatures.Ф
        She snorted. УWhat, Тcause thatТs so different from an average Monday around hereШ

        УSeriously, rightШФ
        УPeople,Ф Jason said, УIТm busy trying to work my mojo.Ф
        Michael turned around and offered Jason his fist, and they did a manly knuckle-
        bump thing.
        Scout and I simultaneously rolled our eyes. But before I could respond, Jason grabbed my hand again and pulled me to a stop. My stomach fluttering, I kept my eyes on Scout and Michael, who continued in front of us, flashlights bobbing until they realized that we werenТt following behind.
        Scout looked back. УWhatТs up, peepsШФ
        УCould you, maybe, give us a minuteШФ Jason asked.
        УYou are not serious.Ф
        УDo you have any idea how difficult it is to find time to kiss an AdeptШФ
        Scout blew out a dramatic breath that puffed out her cheeks, grabbed MichaelТs hand, and pulled him down the hall. УFine. Have a hot make-out session. But weТre going to be like twenty feet down the hallway. I hope they get eaten by one of those headless horsemen,Ф she muttered. УOr the Chicago version, anyway.Ф
        As they walked down the hallway, I kept my gaze on them, still too nervous to look at Jason.
        УWhat would that be exactlyШФ I heard Michael ask.

        УWhat would what beШФ
        УThe Chicago version of the headless horsemanШФ
        УOh, I donТt know. Maybe a fangless vampireШ OrЧor a werewolf with mangeШФ
        УWe can still hear you!Ф Jason called out. УAnd werewolves donТt get mange!Ф
        That earned him a huff from Scout. I finally screwed up my courage and looked back at Jason.
        He had the bluest eyes IТd ever seen. But they werenТt royal blue or the blue youТd see in the middle of a rainbow. They were so blue they were nearly turquoise,
        the color so deep it seemed that he stared out with precious jewels instead of irises.
        Currently, those crazy eyes were trained on me. His lips curled, the dimple at the corner of his mouth puckering as he smiled.
        My nerves tumbling, I kept things light.
        УSo youТre trying to kiss an AdeptШФ
        УVery, very diligently,Ф Jason said. Before I could get out a snarky answer, he was dipping his head. His lips found mine, his mouth soft and warm. He put his hands at my waist and kissed me until I felt a little light-headed, until my heart fluttered in my chest. IТd been kissed before, sure, but I hadnТt been kissed like this.
        Not by him, since weТd been interrupted when heТd tried to kiss me before. And not like my feet were going to lift off the ground and I was going to float right up to the ceiling.
        I almost opened my eyes to make sure that hadnТt happenedЧI mean, we were Adepts, after all.
        Jason sighed and wrapped his arms around my back, and we kissed in the darkness beneath Chicago.
        At least until Scout let out a УHoly crap!Ф that poured through the tunnel.
        We separated and ran full out, relieved when we saw Scout and Michael still standing at the edge of the next segment of tunnel.
        УWhat happenedШФ Jason asked, his gaze scanning the two of them. УAre you okayШФ
        УThere,Ф Scout said, swinging her flashlight across the tunnel in front of us.
        It took me a minute to process exactly what I was seeing. The floor of the tunnel and part of the walls were coated in some kind of clear slime, five or six trails of it from one end of the corridor to the next.
        УWait,Ф Jason said. УIs thatЧIs that slimeШФ
        УAppears to be,Ф Michael said. УIt looks like they filmed Aliens in there.Ф
        Jason kneeled down, found a piece of metal on the tunnel floor, and stuck it into the goo. When he raised it again, he pulled up a long, stringy strand of slime.
        УEww,Ф Scout said. УThat is heinous. ThatТs even worse than the time we fought off that nematode.Ф
        УWhatТs a nematodeШФ I asked.
        УIТm not going to tell you,Ф she said. УI think you should have the joy of looking it up on the Internet and seeing the kind of pictures I had to see.Ф
        УSo what did this come fromШФ I asked. УSome kind of animalШФ
        УMaybe not,Ф Michael put in. УMaybe thereТs a leak somewhere. Some kind ofЧI donТt knowЧindustrial fluid or somethingШФ
        We all looked up. The ceiling of the tunnel looked old and nasty, but not even a little slimy.
        УHmm,Ф Jason said, then tossed the metal into a corner. УThatТs definitely new.Ф
        УWhat do we do nowШФ
        Scout put her hands on her hips. УSince the exit is in that direction, I guess we should see how far it goes.Ф
        УLily and I will take the lead,Ф Jason said, stepping forward into the tunnel. When I snapped to face him, shocked that weТd be going first, his expression was apologetic.
        УFirespell,Ф he explained. УJust in case we need it.Ф
        It was definitely an adjustment to play the lead heroine, but I sucked it up, nodded,
        and stepped beside him.
        With flashlights aimed before us and Michael and Scout behind us, we took one tentative step into the tunnel. And then another. And then another.
        УIТm not seeing anything,Ф Scout said, flashlight beam circling across the ceiling of the tunnel as she searched out whatever had slimed the corridor.
        УOne tunnel at a time,Ф Jason said. My hand in his, we took the lead, walking to the end of the corridor.
        I was scanning the walls, bouncing my flashlight beam along them, looking for a hint of slime. So when Jason came to a full stop, I almost tripped forward, but he pulled my handЧand meЧback.
        That was when I saw themЧand screamed.There were five of themЧhalf walking, half crawling toward us. They were human-shaped, but a little smaller than your average adult. They were bald, with pointed ears and milky eyes, and their fingers were thin and tipped by long, pointed white nails. They scowled and snorted as they moved toward us. Their naked skin glistened in the light, a trail of slime on the ground beneath and behind them.
        УWhatЧФ I began, but Jason shook his head. УScout, Michael. Stop walking, and move backward. Just a few feet.Ф
        Scout and Michael began to move behind us. With each step they took, we followed suit until the four of us stood in a cluster a dozen feet or so away from the creatures. Still, they lurched in our direction, their movements coordinated like a school of nasty, pasty fish.

        I could feel my chest tightening as panic began to take over. Staring down a group of hell-bent teenagers was one thing. This was . . . completely out of my league.
        УWhat the hell are thoseШФ I whispered.
        УNo clue,Ф Jason said. УBut they donТt exactly look friendly.Ф
        One of them hissed, revealing long fangs amid an entire row of sharp teeth. УAre they some kind of vampireШФ Michael asked.
        УIТve never seen a vamp that looked like that,Ф Scout said.
        Maybe it was coincidence, or maybe they were offended by what sheТd said.
        Either way, one of them decided it was time for action. It put its front hands on the ground, then pushed off and leaped toward us.
        Okay, not just usЧtoward me.
        But there was someone there to save me.
        It started with furЧthick and silverЧthat sprouted across JasonТs body,
        replacing his clothes like they were nothing more than an illusion. Then he went down on all fours and stepped in front of me. His nose elongated into a snout, and his hands and feet became long, narrow paws. His tail extended, and the rest of his fur grew in, and by then there was no mistaking what he wasЧa silvery wolf, bigger than any IТd seen at a zoo.
        Every survival instinct I had kicked in, and I had to lock my knees to keep from running away. Jason lifted his head and looked at me for a moment, his head tilted to the side like a dog, his eyes now spring green.
        I stood frozen in place, my gaze locked on hisЧon this wolf that suddenly stood before me.
        That look only took a second, but that was long enough for hell to break loose.
        The creature apparently wasnТt intimidated by JasonТs new form, and it didnТt stop running toward me. It continued its galloping gait, taking air in the last couple of feet and landing with an attack on JasonТs muzzle.
        УJason!Ф I screamed, but Michael pulled me back. IТm not sure what I would have done, but someone had to do something. Jason was taking an attack meant for me, and I didnТt want him hurt on my behalf.
        I looked back at Michael with panic in my eyes. УWe have to help him.Ф
        MichaelТs answer was nearly instantaneous. УFirespell it.Ф
        I reached down, could feel the quiet hum of energy, and nodded at him. УI think I can knock them down. But you have to get Jason out of the way or IТll take him out,
        too.Ф
        Michael nodded. УWeТll get him focused. You get ready to firespell. The timing on this oneТs gonna be close. When I give the word, you send it out.Ф
        I nodded, then looked back. Jason and the monster were rolling on the ground,

        but at least its friends were smart enough to stay back. Jason was getting in nips at the creatureТs arms and legs, so the thingТs yips and yelps were probably warning enough to the rest of them. It opened its mouth and screamed, revealing rows of tiny sharp teeth and clawing at JasonТs muzzle as Jason tried to get a grip with his own teeth.
        УJason!Ф Michael yelled out. УGet clear so Lily can take a shot.Ф
        Jason let out a yip as the thing bit down on one ear and raked its claws across JasonТs back. Jason shook the creature off, but it kept coming, clawing and biting as it attemped to take him down.
        УUse the tunnel walls!Ф Scout yelled out. УRam him!Ф
        I made myself close my eyes. It was hard to shut out Jason when he needed me,
        but if I kept watching, I wouldnТt be able to prep the firespell. I blew out a breath, and then began to slowly breathe in again. And as I inhaled, I pulled in as much power as I could, letting it rise through my body from my feet to my hands.
        The tunnel shook from impactЧI assumed that was the sound of Jason ramming a monster into the wall. I heard a wolfish yip and squeezed my hands into fists to keep from launching myself forward.
        I heard scuffling as the power rose. I waited as long as I thought we could risk it,
        until I held the powerЧwhich ached to be loosed into the tunnelЧby a thin string of energy.
        УAnyone who doesnТt want to end up on the floor needs to be behind me right now!Ф
        More scuffling. As soon as the sounds moved behind me, Michael yelled out,
        УNow, Lily!Ф
        I opened my eyesЧand with a final check to make sure there were no Adepts in front of meЧI lifted my hands and pushed them forward, moving all that power toward the monsters that were now only a few inches away.
        The firespell moved forward, warping the air as it traveled, a vertical plane of green light and haze that shot out from my hands. It hit the creatures like a shock wave, knocking them all backward, the rest of the energy vibrating the walls of the tunnel as it moved forward.
        I probably should have given a little more thought to whether using firespell in a century-old underground tunnel was a good idea. But there was nothing to do about it now.
        The five of them lay on the floor, definitely down, but still twitching a little. I hadnТt knocked them out completely.
        First things first, though.
        My heart still pounding from the exertion, I glanced back. Michael and Scout were crouched together on the floor. Jason sat in front of them, back in human form,

        blood seeping from a wound at his ear. There were scratches on his face and hands, but he looked pretty good otherwise.
        I crouched in front of him. УAre you okayШФ
        Jason glanced up at me, a twinkle in his turquoise eyes. УAre you kidding meШ
        ThatТs the most fun IТve had all night. Well, except for kissing you, of course.Ф
        Not a bad answer from a werewolf, I guess.

3
        Jason held out his hands. I stood up, then took his hands and pulled him to his feet.
        УYou know,Ф he said, Уif youТre open to a little constructive criticism, you cut it a little close there.Ф
        УMaybe next time you should be a little more careful where you fight.Ф
        He rolled his eyes, but he was grinning when he did it.
        УThanks for taking the hit,Ф I said, pulling off my hoodie and pressing the sleeve to his ear, wiping away some of the blood.
        Jason shrugged. УThe wolf wanted to fight. And maybe I like rescuing the damsel in distress.Ф
        УJust to clarify, I did rescue you back.Ф
        He slid me a sly glance. УThen that makes us even. For now.Ф
        I grinned back, then checked out Michael and Scout. УYou two okayШФ
        They nodded, then helped each other up.
        УWell done,Ф Michael said, then looked at Jason. УYou goodШФ
        Jason nodded.
        УYou okay, LilsШФ
        I nodded at Scout, but the relief at putting them downЧand keeping us all relatively safeЧgave way to exhaustion. I suddenly felt like I was about to get the fluЧbody aching, drained of energy. I needed warm soup and an equally warm bed.
        Instead, I still had five twitching slimy things to deal with.
        УThatТs all IТve got,Ф I quietly said. УI can walk out of here, but thatТs about the only thing IТm going to be able to do. And we still have a problem.Ф
        We looked back at the creatures.
        Jason stepped beside me. УAt least they stopped moving closer. ThatТs something.Ф
        УSince weТve taken them out, can we please get out of hereШФ Scout asked.
        УWe still have to get past them,Ф Michael pointed out. УAnd we canТt just leave them here to roam the tunnels. God only knows where theyТd end up.Ф
        УOr who theyТd attack,Ф Jason said. УThat means we need a plan for part two. We need to get these things out of here, and we need it really quicklike. ScoutШ Got anything in the hopperШФ
        УI donТtЧI donТt knowЧФ
        УYou donТt have to kill Тem,Ф Michael said. УMaybe you can just transport them or somethingШ I mean, since we arenТt sure what they areШФ
        УWhatШФ Scout said, a thread of panic in her voice. УBecause those claws and teeth are for eating carrotsШ These arenТt happy, fuzzy bunnies weТre talking about.Ф
        I knew that sound in her voice. IТd heard that panic before, when sheТd been taken by the Reapers to their sanctuary. I turned around and looked her in the eyes, and saw the terror there. She was panicking again, and God only knew what kinds of things she was remembering.
        УYou can do this, Scout.Ф
        She shook her head. УI canТt. I donТt remember how.Ф
        УMichael, Jason, and I are here. And those creatures arenТt Reapers. They arenТt going to use magic against you.Ф
        She sniffed. УThey might eat us.Ф
        I put my hands on my hips. УYou honestly think a werewolf is going to let those things eat his girl and her best palШ YouТve already seen him in action. And that was just an appetizer.Ф
        She only blinked.
        УLook,Ф I said, bravado bubbling up from somewhere I hadnТt known existed. УWe only have to kick a little butt here. You love kicking butt. And if nothing else, Jason can shift and we can let his wolf have an early breakfast.Ф
        УNot that I donТt appreciate that offer,Ф Jason muttered, Уbut I have no interest in eating those things, wolf or not.Ф
        ScoutТs eyes were still frozen on the creatures on the floor.
        I tried again. УScout.Ф I waited until she made eye contact, then leaned down and put my hands on the sides of her face to make sure she was looking at me.
        УScout, you and Jason saved me from Sebastian and Alex, and we came and got you out of the sanctuary. Whatever our weaknesses, we are a team. And weТre here, now, together. You can do this. I believe in you.Ф
        УIТm not sure what to do.Ф
        Michael snapped his fingers. УIТve totally got it. Scout, you could flutterby them.Ф
        She blinked at Michael. УWhatШФ
        УFlutterby them. Use a transmogrify spell like you did on that Frankenstein thing last year. RememberШФ
        Scout was quiet for a couple more seconds. УI canТt use a flutterby down here. I donТt have anything. I donТt have an incantation prepared.Ф
        Michael grinned over at her. УScout, you are an Adept extraordinaire. If anyone could do a transmog spell off the cuff, it would be you.Ф
        For a moment, there was silence. And then she reached out and grabbed his cheeks and planted a kiss right on his lips. УYou are brilliant,Ф she said.
        When she let him loose again, his cheeks were flushed bright red, his eyes wide.
        Probably the best part of his day, I figured.
        УYouТre right,Ф she said. УI can totally do this. But itТs going to take a few minutes,

        and I need space to work.Ф
        We all looked down at the creatures, which were beginning to stir again, heads lolling as they fought off the firespell.
        УFirst off,Ф Scout said, УletТs all back up a little.Ф
        Carefully and quietly, we took a few more steps backward, putting space between us and them.
        УAnd now for something a little more formal,Ф Scout said. She looked around at the floor of the tunnel, which was relatively dry compared to some of the other areas weТd been in.
        УProtection circleШФ Jason asked.
        УProtection circle,Ф she confirmed with a nod.
        УWhatТs a protection circleШФ I asked.
        УItТs like a safety bubble,Ф Scout said, fumbling around in her messenger bag.
        УLike a little snow globe of happiness that will keep us safe from them.Ф She pulled out a small zip-top case. She opened it, then pulled out a small plastic hourglass filled with bright orange sand.
        УYou keep an hourglass in your messenger bagШФ I wondered.
        УFound it at a thrift store. Kept it for just such an occasion. Keep an eye on the biters.Ф
        I made sure Jason and Michael were doing just that, then turned back to watch Scout work her juju. No way was I going to miss this.
        She pulled a small screwdriver from the case and pried off the end of the hourglass. And then, starting behind us, she began to pour the sand in an arc around me. She completed most of a six-foot circle, but stopped when a gap of about a foot separated the two ends.
        УEveryone inside,Ф she said. Michael and Jason both stepped carefully over the sand circle. When we were all inside, she went to her knees, put her hands on the floor, and pressed her lips to the gap in the circle.
        УWhatТs she doingШФ I whispered to Michael.
        УSheТs starting the Triple I,Ф he answered without looking back. УIt stands for
        Сintent, incantation, incarnation. Т The three parts of a major spell.Ф
        Okay, magic had officially become school.
        УWe ask a wish,Ф Scout said, sitting back on her heels. УWe ask for peace. We ask for space between us and those who would harm us.Ф
        She held the hourglass in her hands, then closed her eyes.
        After a moment of silence, I leaned toward Michael again. УIs this part of itШФ
        УThis is the part where I have to draft a spell on the fly since I havenТt poured a circle in forever,Ф Scout huffed. УItТs also the part where it helps if Adepts donТt ask questions while I do it.Ф
        I zipped up my lips, just in time for Jason and Michael to take a step backward,

        bumping into me a little.
        УTheyТre moving, Scout,Ф Michael said. УDraft faster.Ф
        I glanced back. The things were starting to stumble their way to their feet.
        Scout cleared her throat, then began her incantation. УSilence, serenity, solitude,
        space. We ask for protections inside of this place. Empower this circle with magical grace, and keep us all safe . . .Ф
        She stopped. I looked over and saw the blank expression on her face.
        У. . . and keep us all safe,Ф she repeated, desperation in her voice. She couldnТt seem to find the right phrase to end the poem.
        УHurry up, Scout.Ф
        At JasonТs harried tone, I looked up again. All five of the creatures were on their feet, and they looked pretty angry. There were only ten or fifteen feet between us,
        and they were lumbering forward, fangs bared, claws beginning to scrape the concrete like nails on a chalkboard.
        УDonТt listen to them,Ф I told her, Уand donТt worryЧyou can do this.Ф
        УAnd keep us all safe . . .Ф
        Michael glanced back. УAnytime now!Ф
        She snapped her fingers. УЧin this circle we trace!Ф She poured the rest of the sand in a line, just as claws struck out at Michael. He jumped back, but sheТd finished the circle just in timeЧthe creature was out of luck.
        The bubblelike shield shimmered as the creature made contact with it, then disappeared again when it yanked back its claw with a fierce whine. The pain didnТt deter it or the rest of them. They all began to attack. We stood there and watched them claw and scrape at the energy to get at us. The shield shimmered a little every time they made contact, but it held.
        УJust in time,Ф Scout finally said.
        Jason nodded. УYou did good. Now, are you actually going to transmogrify themШФ
        Scout nodded, then knelt on the floor and began to pull stuff from her messenger bag. УA womanТs work never ceases.Ф
        Scout Greene was a taskmaster worthy of any St. SophiaТs professor. She folded a piece of paper from a notebook into an origami cup in the shape of a bird, and started quizzing us to find stuff to put into it.
        So far, IТd offered up a chunk of granola bar and three drops of water from my bottle. Jason and Michael didnТt have man purses, so she took stuff from their pocketsЧsixty-two cents, a ball of stringy blue jeans lint, and a tube of lip balm.
        Together, all that stuff was supposed to represent our sacrifice of various bits of earthЧwater, metal, food, etc.

        When everything was in the paper cup, she folded the top carefully again, then scribbled out what I assumed was an incantation on another piece of paper. While she drafted, the monsters poked around the bubble, looking for a weak spot.
        Although they werenТt successful, from what I could tell, the shield wasnТt going to last forever.
        When Scout had the finished incantation in one hand and the closed paper cup in another, she glanced around at each of us. УAre we readyШФ
        УIТve never been more ready to climb into bed,Ф I told her. Michael and Jason nodded in agreement.
        УHereТs the plan.Ф She held up the piece of paper. УIТm going to repeat the incantation, and as soon as IТm done, IТm gonna wipe out the circle and throw the charm. If IТve done this right, the spell will trigger as soon as the charm hits.Ф
        Michael pulled the cell phone from his pocket.
        УReally,Ф Scout said flatly, УyouТre going to make a call right nowШФ
        Michael aimed the phone toward the creatures and began snapping. УIТm going to take pictures of these things in the likely event Smith and Katie donТt believe what we saw.Ф Smith and Katie were Varsity Adepts and the former leaders of Enclave Three. TheyТd held the reins when Scout had been kidnapped. Good riddance, if you asked me.
        УOh. Well, good call,Ф Scout allowed.
        Michael smiled sweetly at her. УIТm entitled to a few good ideas, you know.Ф
        She blushed.
        When Michael was done and the cell phone was tucked away again, Jason clapped his hands together. УOkay, letТs get this show on the road. Everyone in the back of the bubble. Puts more space between us and them when the circle goes down,Ф he explained.
        When weТd stepped back, Scout glanced at each of us in turn. УAre we readyШФ
        When weТd all nodded, she did the same. УThen here goes nothing.Ф
        Michael, Jason, and I each put up our fists, like we were heading into a schoolyard fight.
        Scout closed her eyes and held the crane in her lifted hands. УBeauty comes in many sizes, but these guys just arenТt prizes. Give them all a new disguise, and make them change before our eyes!Ф
        She cocked back her arm to throw the bird. УAnd three . . . two . . . and one!Ф She used her toe to push some sand out the circle. As soon as it was breached, the shield gave one final shimmer and dropped away. They lunged forward, and Scout threw the paper bird into the middle of the group.
        The tunnel exploded into noise and white light.
        I dropped down, hands over my head, waiting for an attackЧthat didnТt come.
        I opened an eye. The air was filled with a thousand tiny white paper cranes, all of them flapping their little paper wings as they spun around us. The creatures were nowhere to be seen.
        УWhat just happenedШФ I asked.
        УShe transmogrified them,Ф Michael said, surprise in his voice.
        I stood up, waving a hand in front of my face so that I could see through the cranes. After a moment, they formed a long V and flew past us down the tunnel,
        leaving us alone, the floor littered with bits of origami confetti.
        Michael stared openmouthed at the birds as they disappeared into the next chunk of the tunnel. УThis is just . . . fricking amazing! You did it! You actually did it!

        He picked Scout up and spun her around in the air, just like in the movies.
        I grinned at the look of total shock on her face. Considering the fact that sheТd actually kissed him a few minutes ago, my math said Garcia, two. Scout, zero.
        УIt was teamwork,Ф she said, adjusting her shirt when he finally put her down again. Her cheeks were pink, but I could tell she was trying really hard not to smile.
        Before I could say anything to her, Scout jumped at me and wrapped her arms around my neck.
        УCanТt breathe,Ф I said, patting her back. УDial it back.Ф
        When she finally loosened up, I rubbed my neck. УWhat was that forШФ
        УYou believed in me,Ф she said simply, and then put an arm around my shoulders.
        УOf course I did. Now, shouldnТt we tell somebody about those thingsШФ
        УOn it,Ф Michael said, tapping the keyboard on his phone. УGave Daniel the heads-up,Ф he said, then nodded when the phone beeped only a second later.
        УEnclave tomorrow night for the debriefing.Ф
        УThen I think that means our work here is done,Ф Scout said. УLetТs go home.Ф
        I couldnТt have said it better myself.
        Just in case there were any more nasties lumbering around, Jason and Michael escorted us to the door into St. SophiaТs. And then, wolfless, Scout and I made our way back through the main part of the convent and the Great Hall, where we studied during our mandatory two-hour study hall (I know, rightШ), to the building that housed our suite. The common room was dark when we unlocked the door and tiptoed inside, as was LesleyТs room.
        But AmieТs door was open. The bedroom light was off, but Veronica was standing in the doorway.
        My stomach turned.
        Veronica took a step forward, closing AmieТs door behind her. She was dressed for bed in yoga pants and a tank top, her hair long and styled straight, circles beneath her eyes. She looked us over.
        УWhere have you two beenШФ she asked, crossing her arms and leaning back against the doorway.

        I glanced between mine and ScoutТs rooms, which faced each other across the suite, the doors wide open. That was an obvious signal that we werenТt tucked in like we were supposed to beЧand hadnТt been for a while.
        But Scout stayed calm. УWe couldnТt sleep,Ф she said, Уso we walked around for a little while.Ф She walked toward her room. When Veronica didnТt budge, Scout stopped and looked back at her. УWhat are you doing in our suite anywayШФ
        Veronica took a step forward and closed AmieТs door behind her. УWe were studying. Unlike the two of you.Ф
        Her voice rose at the end, like she was asking a questionЧor daring us to prove her wrong.
        УI mean, itТs pretty weird,Ф she said. УYou two just heading out to walk around or whatever. It doesnТt even look like youТve been in bed at all.Ф
        Scout and I exchanged a glance. This was going to be tricky. If we stuck to our
        Уwe were just walking aroundФ story, she might think we were lying and do some investigating that would only inconvenience both of us.
        We obviously couldnТt exactly tell her what weТd really been doing. But maybe if we told her something a little bit bad, we might answer her questions . . . and keep her from asking too many more.
        УI went to meet my boyfriend,Ф I threw out. Okay, so I was fudging about our status, but the rest was true enough. УAnd Scout went with me. To, you know, prop the door open so I wouldnТt get locked out.Ф That sounded legit to me, anyway.
        УYou havenТt been here that long. You donТt have a boyfriend.Ф
        I managed a bored eye roll. УThat you know of.Ф
        УWho is itШФ
        I made a little mental apology to Jason for outing our almost-relationship, but figured heТd get over it. УJason Shepherd.Ф
        VeronicaТs eyes widened, and she uncrossed her arms. УFrom MontclareШФ
        I nodded.
        УIsnТt he, like, John CreedТs friendШФ
        I opened my mouth to answer yesЧCreed was a friend of JasonТs, a guy IТd met when Veronica and I had had our afternoon of friendship. HeТd shared a flirty moment with Veronica at the store where weТd met them. Creed had dark hair and dark eyes, and just looked wealthy. It was obvious in the way he carried himself, in the way he talked. He was just comfortable in a way that said, УThe world is at my feet.Ф But most important, he had a unique look. Funky designer watch, square-toed shoes, that kind of thing. IТd known rich kids who were joinersЧwho dressed just like everyone elseЧand rich kids who were so rich they didnТt have to be joiners.
        He was the nonjoiner type.
        And Creed seemed friendly enough, but there was still somethingЧI donТt know Чodd about him. Something shadowy. Not like Reaper shadowyЧI didnТt think he had magic, and he didnТt strike me as the type to run around in dark and damp tunnels in the middle of the night.
        But I closed my mouth again. Had we just jumped from being in trouble for sneaking out to Veronica asking about CreedШ Scout and I werenТt out of the woods yet, and we could probably use that.
        Trying to play it cool, I just shrugged. УI guess theyТre friends, yeah. WhyШФ
        УNo reason,Ф she said, but her cheeks blossomed pink. УWas he hereШФ
        УCreedШ No, just me and Jason and Scout.Ф I saw no need to also drag Michael into this. Besides, maybe Veronica had actually decided to turn her attentions elsewhere. Creed seemed more her speed anyway.
        VeronicaТs expression went flat again. УAnd where, exactly, did you meet JasonШФ
        УAdmin wing,Ф Scout offered. УThe very same door M.K. uses when she sneaks out to meet her boyfriend.Ф
        Well, that was information I didnТt need.
        VeronicaТs eyes flashed, but since she didnТt move from her spot in the doorway,
        I guess the threat against M.K. hadnТt been all that effective. Scout tried again.
        УThey were in there, like, forever,Ф she said, sliding me a look of disgust. I tried to look guilty, shuffling my feet a little for good measure.
        УThatТs against the rules, you know.Ф
        УYeah, whatever.Ф I looked away, tucked some hair behind my ear and faked an attitude. УIТm almost sixteen. I do what I want.Ф
        УShe is from the East Coast,Ф Scout said. УThey mature differently out there.Ф
        УWell, whatever. ItТs against the rules.Ф
        УSoТs spending the night in someone elseТs suite,Ф Scout pointed out. УAnd I know you donТt want to get in trouble for that. So why donТt we all just go to bed and get in a good nightТs sleepШФ
        VeronicaТs lip curled, but she spun on her heel, walked into AmieТs bedroom, and slammed the door shut behind her.
        Almost immediately, the door beside AmieТs opened. Lesley, our third roommate,
        glanced out. She was dressed in rainbow-striped pajama bottoms and a T-shirt with a pot of gold on it. Lesley knew about our midnight ramblings becauseЧjust as IТd done to ScoutЧsheТd followed us into the basement one night. But sheТd offered to help us, and sheТd helped me out the night Scout disappeared. So as far as I could tell, she was one of the good guys. Or good girls. Whatever.
        Lesley offered a thumbs-up.
        Scout gave her back a thumbs-up. Apparently satisfied with that, Lesley popped back into her room and closed the door behind her.
        Scout glanced over at me. УNext time you decide you want to make out with your boyfriend, call someone else.Ф Her voice was just a shade too loudЧit was another scene in our little play for Veronica.
        She rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue, then turned on her heel and walked to her bedroom door. УGood night, Parker.Ф
        УGood night, Green.Ф
        I went to my own room and shut and locked the door behind me. My messenger bag hit the floor, and I threw on pajamas that might have matched, but probably didnТt. My room, with its stone walls and floor, was always cold, so I went for warmth over beauty.
        Grateful that IТd made it safely backЧslimy monsters notwithstandingЧI grabbed my cell phone and checked for messages from my parents. My father and mother had each sent me a text. Both of them said they loved me. My motherТs text message was straight and to the point: УHOW WAS YOUR MATH TESTШ R U EATING PROTEINШФ I was a vegetarian; she usually just said I ate Уweird.Ф
        My dad always tried to be funny. That was his thing. His message read: УR U BEING GOOD IN THE WINDY CITYШ SANTA WILL KNOW.Ф
        Unfortunately, he wasnТt nearly as funny as he liked to think he was. But he was my dad, you knowШ So I typed out a couple of quick texts back, hoping they were somewhere safe and could actually read them.
        After IТd pulled on thick, fuzzy socks, I climbed into bed and pulled the St.
        SophiaТs blanket over my head, blocking out the dull sounds of Chicago night traffic and the faint glow of plastic stars on the ceiling above my head.
        I was asleep in minutes.

4
        When my alarm clock blared to life, I woke up drenched in sweat, my St. SophiaТs blanket pulled completely over my head.
        IТd had a nightmare.
        I sat up and pushed the damp hair from my face, my heart still racing from the dream. I was awake, sure, but I hadnТt yet recovered. I still felt like I was there . . .
        IТd dreamed that IТd been home in Sagamore. IТd been upstairs in my room reading a book. The house had been quiet; I think my parents had been downstairs watching television or something. IТd heard the front door open and close again,
        and out of curiosity, IТd put down my book and walked to the window, pushing the blinds aside.
        Two men in black suits had gotten out of a boxy sedan. TheyТd looked at each other before walking toward our front door. TheyТd adjusted their suit coats as theyТd moved, and IТd seen the glint of metal in one of their coat pockets.
        IТd heard the doorbell ring, and the front door open and close, and the low murmurs of conversation that filtered upstairs.
        And then the conversation had gotten louder. IТd heard my father demand the men leave.
        IТd put my cell phone into my pocketЧjust in caseЧand IТd begun to walk toward my bedroom door. But with each step IТd taken, the door had gotten farther and farther away. My bedroom had expanded exponentially until the door was just a small rectangle in the distance. My heart had pounded in my chest, and my vision had narrowed until everything was fuzzy at the edges and the door was a tiny glint at the end of a tunnel.
        That was when the yelling had begun.
        IТd reached out for the door, but it was too far away. IТd begun to run, but each step felt like I was running through molasses. And even though I wasnТt going anywhere, my chest tightened like IТd been running a marathon. With no means to get to the door, IТd turned around and stared at the window like it was my only means of oxygen.
        IТd run to the windowЧwhich stayed in placeЧand thrown it open. The men had walked outside again. One man had gotten back into the car on the driverТs side.
        The other had stopped and looked up at me. Our stares had locked, and there had been an evil glint in his narrowed eyes. HeТd mouthed something I couldnТt catchЧ
        but thereТd been no mistaking the symbol on the side of his car.
        It was a quatrefoilЧfour circles stacked together like a curvy cross.
        The symbol of the ReapersЧof the Dark Elite.

        The entire scene played in my mind like a movie. Just as realЧthe sounds and sights and smells of home the same. And that was the scariest part. Something about the dream felt familiarЧfamiliar enough that I wasnТt sure if it had been a dream . . . or a memory. But I couldnТt remember seeing two men in black suits in an old-fashioned car arriving at the house. I didnТt remember yelling on the first floor or being unable to check on my parents. But still, something rang true. And I was afraid that something had something to do with the Reaper symbol on the car.
        Shaking it off, I pulled on my robe, grabbed my shower kit, and headed down the hallway to the bathroom. I stood under the spray for a good, long while, but I couldnТt erase the feeling that I was still in the dream. That IТd try to turn the shower handle but it would move out of reach, or IТd return to the suite and find the man in black outside my door.
        When I was dressedЧskirt and St. SophiaТs polo under a hoodieЧI walked across the suite to ScoutТs room and knocked on the door. She answered with a
        УYo!Ф
        I opened the door and found her standing beside her bed, stuffing books into her messenger bag. At the sight of me, her expression fell. УGeez, you look awful.
        What happenedШФ
        УNightmare.Ф
        Frowning, she glanced at the clock, then patted the bed beside her. УWeТve got a couple minutes. Bring her in for a landing.Ф
        We both sat down on the bed. I told her about the dream. She listened patiently while I rehashed the details, occasionally patting my knee supportively. When I was done, I let out a slow breath, trying to remind myself that it had been just a dream . .
        . except it didnТt really feel that way.
        УI think thatТs the thing that bothers me the most,Ф I told her. УI mean, I know I didnТt see any of that stuff. I donТt think IТve ever heard anyone yell at my parents.
        But it felt real.Ф
        УDreams can do that, you know. This one time, I dreamed I was being booed off the stage at this outdoor concert where I was playing the French horn. I donТt play the French horn, nor do I aspire to play the French horn. CouldnТt even pick one out of a lineup, probably. But when I woke up, I still felt like I was up there. IТd been humiliated in that dream, and the whole rest of the day I felt like IТd just walked off that stage.Ф
        УFrench horn in handШФ
        УExactly.Ф Scout stared blankly ahead for a few seconds, like she was reliving the memory. УI knew it was just a dreamЧI mean, logically I knew it. But that didnТt make it feel any less real. It took a while to, like, shake off the psychic funk or whatever.Ф She grinned a little and bumped me with an elbow. УYou just need to shake off your psychic funk.Ф
        УYou know, you are a pretty good friend. Those things they say about you are hardly true.Ф
        Scout snorted, stood up, and shouldered her messenger bag. УThey say IТm fabulous. And itТs crazy true. Now letТs go chow.Ф
        It was just common sense that Adepts who spent their evenings fighting evil needed a good breakfast to start their day. Unfortunately, there was only one route to breakfast, and that was in the cafeteria through the horde of teenagers already in line for their own breakfasts.
        Scout and I muscled into line.
        Okay, that might be overstating it. Our evening adventures were one thing. Down there, we ruled the night with magic and firespell and flirted with werewolves. We had supernatural muscle.
        But up here, we were the weirdish girl and her weirder friendЧjust two high school juniors trying to get enough credits for graduation while avoiding as much brat-pack drama as possible.
        Not that that was easy.
        Scout and I had just taken breakfast (hot tea and giant muffins) to a table when they walked in, Veronica in the lead, M.K. and Amie behind. They wore the same skirts that we did, but you could still tell they were different. They had swagger.
        They sauntered across the room like every eye was on themЧand they usually wereЧand like there was no doubt in the world who they were, what they wanted, or what they were going to get.
        The attitude aside, you kinda had to admire the confidence. Even Amie, who was a worrier, moved like the cafeteria was her personal catwalk.
        УIf you keep staring, your headТs gonna get stuck that way.Ф
        I glanced back at Scout and stuck my tongue out at her, then nibbled on a giant blueberry from my muffin. УI canТt help it. TheyТre like a really rich, super-put-
        together train wreck.Ф
        Scout rolled her eyes. УIТve totally taught you better than that. The brat pack is to be ignored. We rule the school around here.Ф
        УMm-hmm. If thatТs true, why donТt you head on over to the front of the roomФЧI pointed out a perfect spotЧУand tell them thatШФ
        УOh, I totally could if I wanted to. But right nowФЧshe bent over her muffin and began to cut it into tiny squares with a knife and forkЧУI am totally focused on nourishment and noshing.Ф
        УYouТre totally focused on being a dork.Ф
        УYou better respect me, Parker. I know where you sleep.Ф

        УI know where you snore.Ф
        After a few minutes of quiet munching, the bell rang, our signal that it was time to play goodly St. SophiaТs girls for the next few hours. УYou know whatТs crazy trueШФ
        I said, standing up and grabbing my messenger bag.
        УThat summer vacation canТt come fast enoughШФ
        УBingo.Ф
        УI am a genius,Ф Scout said. УOohЧdo you ever worry IТll become an evil geniusШФ
        УThe thought hadnТt really crossed my mind. YouТre a pretty good kid. But if you start moving toward the dark side, I promise IТll pull you back over.Ф We headed into the throng of teenagers heading for the cafeteria door.
        УDo it,Ф she said. УBut pull me back onto Oak Street Beach in the summertime,
        when everyone else is at work.Ф
        УConsider it done,Ф I said, and we disappeared into the plaid army.
        This time, the interruption came during European-history class. Mr. Peters had his back to us, and was filling the whiteboard with a chronology of Renaissance achievements.
        The intercom beeped in warning, and then the message began. УInstructors,
        please excuse the planning committee members for a meeting in classroom twelve.
        Thank you.Ф
        УNot much of a СsneakТ if theyТre making announcements, is itШФ Scout whispered behind me.
        УIt gets me out of history class,Ф I reminded her, giving her a wink as I grabbed my books and bag. I smiled apologetically at Peters as I followed M.K., Amie,
        Veronica, and a couple of girls I didnТt know wellЧDakota and Taylor, maybeШЧto the front of the room. None looked happy that I was joining them, but we filed out of the room without argument. That was good enough for me.
        The brat pack walked down the hall, and then into a small room at the end.
        It was a conference room with an oval table surrounded by office chairs.
        We filed down one side of the table. I took a chair a couple of seats from the end beside Dakota or Taylor (whichever they were) while M.K. flounced dramatically into her own chair and pasted a bored expression on her face. Amie took a seat beside Veronica near the head of the table, then arranged her pink pen and notebook just so.
        And on the other side of the table, something much more pleasantЧa contingent from Montclare. Michael, Jason, and John CreedЧof the dark brows and moody dark eyesЧsat in a line, all spiffy and perfect in their sweaters and button-up shirts.
        All three boys smiled when they saw me, but MichaelТs smile flattened pretty fast,
        probably when he realized Scout wasnТt following me into the room.

        УSheТs not much of a party planner,Ф I quietly explained.
        УParty pooper,Ф he muttered.
        I smiled at him, and then at Jason, my cheeks warming a little at the secret smile on his face and the glow in his sky blue eyes. I felt like a nervous little kid, my stomach full of butterflies. Here I wasЧonly a few weeks out of Sagamore, and I was talking to a boy who turned into a wolf at will. A boy whoТd jumped in front of me to keep me safe. Was it crazy coolШ Yes. And unexpected and strange, and still a little bit nerve-racking. We hadnТt really gotten to that point of comfort yet, where you just sink into the relationship, where youТre actually just dating , instead of thinking about the possibility and constantly analyzing it.
        Veronica cleared her throat, then gazed at us expectantly.
        УNow that weТre all here,Ф she said, УletТs get down to business. Our theme for this yearТs Halloween Sneak, already decided, is Graveyard Glam.Ф
        John gave three loud claps. УI like it already. Meeting dismissed.Ф
        Veronica gave him a half smile. УKeep your pants on, Mr. Creed. The theme is only the first item on the checklist.Ф
        Did Adepts even get Halloween offШ It seemed like that would be a busy night for us.
        УLast yearТs Sneak was held at Navy Pier.Ф
        There were ooohТs and aaahТs from the other girls. I knew what Navy Pier wasЧ
        an amusement park-type complex deal a few blocks awayЧbut I hadnТt yet been there.
        УThis year, we want to do something a little more mysterious.Ф
        Dakota/Taylor popped up a hand. УHow about the Art InstituteШ Plenty of secret corners in there.Ф
        УAlready done,Ф Veronica said. УTwo years ago.Ф
        УPritzker PavilionШФ Taylor asked. УWe could have it outsideШФ
        M.K. huffed. УHave you been outside in Chicago in OctoberШ NobodyТs gonna want to wear a Marchesa mini in the 312 when itТs rainy and fifty degrees.Ф
        УIt was just an idea.Ф
        УAnd weТve ixnayed it,Ф Veronica matter-of-factly said. УNextШФ
        Creed raised a hand.
        Veronica gave him a catty look. УDo you have something substantive to addШФ
        УOnly that my father has a yacht.Ф
        Figured.
        Veronica crossed her arms. УIТve seen your fatherТs yacht, John Creed. ItТs not enough boat for all of us.Ф
        УAre you insulting the size of my fatherТs boatШФ
        УOnly in reference to Sneak. Other ideasШФ Veronica scanned the room, and her gaze stopped on me. УParkerШФ she asked, with a challenging bob of her shoulders.
        УUm, I really havenТt been in Chicago very long.Ф And more important, you donТt want any part of the things IТve seen.
        УGreat. YouТre all clearly going to be a huge asset to getting this thing off theЧФ
        УField Museum.Ф
        Veronica stopped midinsult, then tilted her head at Jason. УWhat do you mean,
        Field MuseumШФ
        УThe Chicago Field Museum.Ф He leaned forward and linked his hands on the table. УI went to a bar mitzvah there once. You can rent out the main hall. IТm sure itТs not cheapФЧhe shruggedЧУbut we can party with Sue. That might be sweet,
        especially for Halloween.Ф
        I wasnТt sure if I was supposed to be jealous or not. УWhoТs SueШФ
        УSue,Ф Jason said, Уis ChicagoТs favorite Tyrannosaurus rex.Ф He mimicked claws and bared his teeth. УVery scary.Ф
        УIТm not afraid of dinosaurs,Ф I assured him. УTrust me, IТve seen worse.Ф
        Personally, I thought that was true, but I crossed my fingers just in case I was jinxing myself.
        УGrizzly bearsШФ Jason asked.
        УWhat about grizzly bearsШФ
        УHave you seen worse things than, letТs say, grizzly bearsШФ
        I smiled slyly. УYeppers.Ф
        УWhat about wolvesШФ
        УThose arenТt even a little scary.Ф
        УHmm,Ф he said, smiling slyly back. УGood to know.Ф
        Veronica tapped her fingers on the tabletop. УExcuse meШ Can we ixnay the bizarre wild kingdom flirtingЧassuming thatТs what this isЧand get back on topicШФ
        УSeriously,Ф M.K. said, putting a hand to her stomach. УItТs making me nauseous.Ф
        I bit back a smile. Sure, Jason and I werenТt exactly being subtle, but this time IТd been the one to create drama for the brat pack, instead of the other way around.
        That made a nice change.
        УI like the Field Museum idea,Ф Veronica said. УI have to check with the boosters about the price, but it shouldnТt be a problem. One or two of them might even be on the board of directors.Ф
        The Уboosters,Ф I assumed, were the St. SophiaТs alumni whoТd be donating a pretty penny so the juniors and seniors could have a luxe fall formal.
        УMake the call,Ф John said. УAnd let us know.Ф
        УRest assured that I will,Ф Veronica said, then glanced at the clock on the wall behind her. УThat didnТt take nearly as long as it should have. Anything else we should discuss right now, unless any of you are dorky enough to want to go back to history classШФ
        I guess I wasnТt supposed to be flattered that M.K. turned and looked at me.
        УDrinks. Food. Transportation. Dress code,Ф Amie recited.
        Veronica rattled off responses: УDrinks and food will depend on the location. The Field Museum probably has some kind of contract with a caterer. Limos for the transpo, and the dress code will be formal.Ф
        УLooks like you have things well in hand,Ф John said.
        УI always do. If there arenТt any more questions, letТs break into subcommittees and get into the details.Ф
        We all just looked at each other. Even M.K. looked confused. УV, you havenТt assigned any subcommittees.Ф
        УTheyТre DIY subcommittees,Ф she said. УAnd if you donТt DIY, we have to go back to class.Ф
        She stood there for a few seconds to let the implication sink in.
        УSubcommittees it is,Ф John said, pushing back his chair and standing up. УMy subcommitteeТs meeting over here.Ф
        УAnd whatТs your subcommitteeШФ Amie asked, pen in hand.
        УThat would be the subcommittee on rocking. Rocking hard.Ф
        I bit back a snort.
        The girls divvied up their committeesЧdecorations, food, etc.Чand then everyone began milling around. I walked over to the Montclare side of the table.
        After all, how often did we get a daytime visit from the boys in blueШ
        John Creed smiled in his way: a lazy half smile. УHello, Sagamore.Ф
        УHello, Chicago.Ф
        УYou and Jason became fast friends.Ф He slid a glance to Jason, who was talking to one of the other girls. Since IТd been in Adept-denial at the time, IТd pretended not to know Jason the day I met John Creed. (I know, I know. IТd apologized later.

        УWeТve gotten to know each other,Ф I said vaguely. УIТm surprised youТre into party planning.Ф
        УIТm into skipping class and spending time with private school girls.Ф
        Mm-hmm. УWell, good luck with that.Ф
        УAre you two going to Sneak togetherШФ
        I tried for a casual tone. УI donТt know. We havenТt really talked about it.Ф
        His thick eyebrows lifted. УReallyШ Weird.Ф
        УHave you invited someoneШФ
        He scanned the girls in the room. УIТm keeping my options open. One never knows when opportunity is going to come knocking.Ф When his gaze landed on M.K., I tried not to grimace. I also bet money that Veronica was not going to be happy with that.
        With perfect timing, Jason interrupted further discussion of whatever brat-pack

        УknockingФ John was going to pretend to hear.
        УSo,Ф Jason said, Уif youТre handing out rides on the yacht . . .Ф
        УWe can probably arrange something,Ф John said, then glanced at me. УHave you been out on the lake yetШФ
        УThereТs a lakeШФ
        It took him a second to realize I was joking. УTell me they let you out more than that.Ф
        УThey let me out plenty.Ф Just not usually aboveground, and usually after the sun went down. УAnd no, I havenТt been on the lake yet. Or the river either, actually, now that I think about it.Ф
        УWe definitely need to remedy that. It wonТt be long before winterТs here and the boatТs in dry dock. And then youТll get to experience your first Chicago winter.Ф
        УWinters in Sagamore were plenty wintry,Ф I pointed out.
        УIТm sure. Add thirty-miles-per-hour wind to that, and youТll get closer to Chicago.Ф
        He watched M.K. brush her hair over her shoulder, and then he was off, heading right for St. SophiaТs least saintly girl.
        I glanced over at Veronica, and watched her face tighten with the realization that her crush had picked a different victim.
        УHello, Sagamore.Ф
        I glanced up at Jason, and his mocking of John CreedТs apparent nickname for me, and smiled. УHello, Naperville.Ф I gestured toward Creed. УAre you two friendsШ
        I canТt get a read on him.Ф
        Jason shrugged. УWeТre friends of a sort, I guess. WeТve known each other for a long time, but weТre not close like Michael and I are. CreedТs the kind of person who pretty much always has an agenda. That doesnТt exactly make for a strong friendship.Ф
        УMore like a business alliance,Ф I said.
        John lifted M.K.Тs wrist to take a look at her watch. Since he had his own undoubtedly expensive version, I figured it was just an excuse to touch her.
        УLooks like heТs getting along with her pretty well,Ф Jason said.
        I nodded. УThatТs M.K. Problem is, I think her BFF has a thing for him.Ф I gestured toward Veronica, who was talking to one of the other Montclare boys while sliding secretive glances at Creed. She definitely had it bad. On the other hand, Garcia definitely seemed to be off the hook.
        УBummer,Ф Jason said. УNobody likes to be the one left out.Ф
        УUnfortunately true,Ф I said, anticipating what Scout liked to call УTBDФЧTotal Brat Drama. If there was anything likely to be worse than the brat pack left to their own devices, it was internal brat-pack squabbles.
        Nothing good could come from that.
        When the bell rang, everyone began to gather up their goods. Jason leaned down and pressed a kiss to my cheek. УSee you tonight at the EnclaveШФ
        УWith bells on,Ф I whispered back. УAnd firespell in hand.Ф
        УI look forward to seeing that,Ф he said. And with a wink, the Montclare boys left St. SophiaТs once again.
        Scout was in her room, granola bar and magazine in hand, when I made it back to the suite. She looked up when I walked in.
        УYou look like the cat that ate the canary.Ф
        УAs a vegetarian, I object to that metaphor.Ф
        Scout grinned teethily at me. УAs a carnivore, I object to your pickiness. Now spill the goods.Ф
        УThere were Montclare boys at our party-planning committee.Ф
        She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were flushed. УLike I care.Ф
        УOh, you care. Jason was there, and Michael, of course, and their friend John Creed.Ф
        She spun a finger in the air like she was twirling a party favor. УI know who John Creed is.Ф
        УDid you know Veronica has a thing for himШ But that he has a thing for M.K.Ш I feel like thatТs information we can use to our advantage.Ф
        Slowly, she looked up and grinned. УI knew there was a reason I liked you,
        Parker.Ф

5
        What, you might ask, was the best thing about being forced to attend an all-girlsТ boarding schoolШ Was it the lack of cute boysШ The bratletsШ The complete lack of a social lifeШ
        Maybe. But the mandatory study hall was right up there on the list.
        Scout and I were seated beside each other in the Great Hall, a giant room of stained-glass windows and books. We sat across from Colette, another girl in our class, at one of the dozens of tables, the room around us full of plaid-wearing teenagers in varying levels of study comas.
        Since IТd already filled Scout in about the party-planning meeting, I was actually doing my trig homework. Anyone who passed by the table might think Scout was reading up on European history . . . or the comic book that was stuck in between the pages of the textbook.
        TheyТd be wrong.
        The comic was actually a cover for ScoutТs Grimoire, her main book of magic.
        SheТd worked a charm to make it look like a racy comic book featuring a big-busted heroine with long hair and longer legs. I thought that was a dangerous disguise,
        especially if one of the dragon ladies who roamed the room decided it needed to be pitched. But Scout was smart enough to think aheadЧshe had disguised the book in the first placeЧso I assumed she had a clever magical backup plan.
        Personally, I was waiting for the day the comic book characters appeared in 3D at our suite door, ready to perform their magic at ScoutТs command. Geeky, sure,
        but that still would have been sweet.
        Scout had her faux comics, and I had my sketchbook. I loved to draw, and I was supposed to start studio classes anytime now. I could do still lifesЧdrawings of real objectsЧbut I preferred to lose myself in the lines and let my imagination take over.
        I kept a stash of favorite pencils in my messenger bag. And since my parents apparently felt guilty about sending me to Chicago while they did whatever they were doing in Germany, I also had a new stash of sweet German notebooks theyТd mailed out last week. When I finished with the trig problems, I pulled one from my bag, grabbed my pencil case, and set to work.
        I was in a roomful of charactersЧrich girls in plaid, weird girls in plaid, and the dragon ladies who patrolled the room and made sure we were doing homework instead of flipping through Cosmo. I was also in a room of cool architecture, from the dozens of stained-glass windows to the huge, brass chandeliers that hung above us. Each chandelier was made up of slender statues of womenЧancient goddesses, maybeЧholding up torches.

        I opened the first notebookЧa thin one with a pale blue coverЧand touched the pencil lead to the slick paper. I picked a goddess from the nearest chandelier and started drawing. I started with a light line to get the general shape of her body, just to make sure I had the proportions correct. As I worked on the drawing, IТd darken a final line and fill in the details.
        It wasnТt magic. It wasnТt trig. And best of all, the dragon ladies couldnТt complain.
        I was studying, after all.
        IТd just finished the sketch when the Great Hall went silent. It was usually pretty quiet, but there was always an undercurrent of soundЧpapers shuffling or low whispers as girls tried to entertain themselves.
        But this was quiet quiet.
        Scout and I glanced up simultaneously. My first thought had been that a spindly-
        legged monster had walked into the room. But it was just the headmistress.
        Marceline Foley strode confidently down the aisle in a trim suit and the kind of heels an adult would call Уsensible.Ф Her eyes scanned the room as she moved,
        probably taking in every detail of the students around her.
        Foley was still a mystery to me. She was the first person IТd met when I arrived at St. SophiaТs a few weeks ago, and sheТd given me a very cold welcome to Chicago. SheТd also been the one whoТd suggested my parents werenТt who they seemed to be. She had changed her tune, but when I had tried to talk to her about what was really going on, sheТd convinced me to let things lie. Foley knew my parents, and she seemed convinced that theyТd had a reason for not telling me what was really going on.
        A reason that put their safety at risk.
        What else could I do but believe herШ
        Tonight, she held a stack of small cardsЧlike index cardsЧin her hands. As she walked past the tables, she occasionally stopped and handed a card to one of the students at the table. And then she stepped forward, and she handed one to me.
        УInstructions for your studio art class,Ф she said.
        I hadnТt realized IТd been holding my breath until I let it out again. IТd been fighting tunnel-crawlers, but it was the principal who really tied my stomach in knots. IТm not sure what that said about me.
        I took the card from her. It was a schedule for the studio classes, which were supposed to start tomorrow. IТd have class in the Уsurplus building.Ф DidnТt that sound glamorousШ
        I glanced up again. Foley stayed at the edge of the table for a moment, the rest of her cards in hand, looking down at me. I waited for her to speak, but she stayed silent. After a nod, she moved along to the next table.
        УThat was weird,Ф Scout said. УWhat did she give youШФ

        I flipped the card her way so she could see it.
        УHuh. Looks like youТve found your creative outlet.Ф
        IТd only just stuffed the card into my notebook when noise erupted across the room. We all looked over to see Veronica standing at a table, her chair now on the floor, her face flushed and eyes pink. M.K., arms crossed over her chest, stared back, a single eyebrow arched at Veronica.
        УThings just went nuclear,Ф Collette muttered.
        УYou are a witch,Ф Veronica hissed out, then stepped over the chair and ran to the door.
        You could have heard a pin drop in the Great Hall.
        M.K. rolled her eyes and leaned toward the girl beside her, gossiping together while one of her best friends ran away from her. A dragon lady moved to the table and picked up the chair Veronica had knocked over. A low rumble of whispering began to move across the room.
        УAt least thatТs over with,Ф Colette said. УCan we all get back to studying nowШФ
        Scout and I exchanged a glance, and I read the same thoughts in her face that I had in mine: Could it really be that easyШ
        A few hours later we were back in the tunnels, Scout and I making our way back to the arched wooden door to Enclave Three, its status as an Adept HQ marked by the У3Ф above the door and the symbol on the doorЧthe letter Y inside a circle, a symbol Scout had told me could be seen across the city of Chicago. It was the mark of an Adept.
        Sure, putting symbols on buildings and bridges across the city wasnТt exactly in line with the AdeptsТ idea of keeping their work under the radar. On the other hand, I got the feeling the symbols were a kind of reminder that they were here. That they fought the good fight, even if no one else knew about the war.
        Scout opened the door, and the Junior Varsity Adepts of Enclave Three looked toward us: Michael Garcia, Jason Shepherd, Jill and Jamie, Riley, and Paul Truman. Each of them had their own unique magical talent. Michael was a reader,
        which meant he could УreadФ the history of a building just by touching it. Jamie and Jill were the elemental witches. Jamie could manipulate fire, and Jill could manipulate ice. Paul was a warrior. His magic gave him the ability to adapt his fighting style to whatever man or monster faced him. Paul was tall with skin like rich coffee. He was also cute and lanky enough that it was hard to imagine him in some kind of ferocious battle, but the determination in his eyes gave him away. As lanky as he was, he may not ultimately have the strength to beat that monster, but his magic always gave him a fighting chance.
        We walked into the giant roomЧbig, vaulted ceiling and tile-covered wallsЧ

        toward Jill and Jamie, who stood apart from the guys. But that didnТt stop Jason from winking at me, or Michael from making doe eyes at Scout. She rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on her face.
        УWhatТs up, AdeptsШФ Scout asked.
        УJust waiting for the head honcho to get started,Ф Jill said, nodding toward Daniel.
        Daniel was our new leader, a guy sent down from the bigwigs to keep an eye on Katie and Smith. Daniel, letТs say, was easy on the eyes. He was tall and blond,
        with strong shoulders, blue eyes, and one of those chin dimples. He was talking to Katie, who was cheerleader-cute and very petite, and Smith, an emo-wannabe with greasy hair and clothes that were always a couple of sizes too tight. Katie and Smith were the Varsity Adepts whoТd refused to send someone to rescue Scout; that was why Daniel had replaced them. IТd been the one begging them to go after her, and IТd seen the stubborn looks on their faces when theyТd said no. That was the kind of thing that made me question exactly who the Уgood guysФ were. I was still wary of them.
        Scout smiled at Daniel with big, wide eyes. УIТd be happy to help out Daniel with any special projects he has in mind.Ф
        I rolled mine. УIТm guessing heТs not going to take you up on that offer since heТs four years older than you. And in college.Ф
        УDonТt rain on my parade. I know heТs a little out of my league, but heТs just kind of . . . dreamy, donТt you thinkШФ
        УHeТs not bad,Ф I allowed, Уin a gorgeous, totally platonic, СLetТs get this magical show on the roadТ kind of way.Ф
        УYou know those movies where the blond girl walks byЧand time slows downШ
        She swings her hair back and forthФЧScout gave me a demonstration, her short hair hardly moving as she shook her headЧУand all the guys stare. I feel like Daniel could pull that off.Ф
        УHe could pull off staringШФ
        УNoЧthe time-slowing-down part. I mean, just watch him.Ф
        We were probably a pretty entertaining sightЧfour high school juniors, two of us in smokinТ-hot plaid uniforms, staring down a college sophomore. But she really did have a point. Daniel walked across the room to talk to Smith, and there was something about the way he movedЧlike he wasnТt just walking, but making a statement.
        Daniel also had swagger.
        УOkay, heТs impressive,Ф Jamie said.
        УI so told you.Ф
        УWhat are you two whispering aboutШФ MichaelТs head popped between us, gaze shifting left and right as he waited for details.
        УNone of your beeswax, Garcia.Ф

        I could see the sting of defeat in his eyes, but he kept a smile on his face. УYou know what you needШФ
        Ever so slowly, Scout turned her head to look at him, one eyebrow arched. Her expression was fierce. УWhatШФ
        УYou need a man who respects you. Who treats you like his equal.Ф
        Not bad, I thought. But Scout wasnТt buying. Sure, there was a little surprise in her eyes, but that was all she gave back to him.
        She put a hand on his arm. УThe problem, Garcia, is that no oneТs my equal. IТm the most ass-kickingest spellbinder in Chicago.Ф
        I rolled my eyes, but really didnТt have much reason to disagree.
        Before Michael could retort, Daniel clapped his hands together. УAll right, kids.
        LetТs get this show on the road.Ф
        We all clustered together, the Junior Varsity members of Enclave Three. Katie and SmithЧstill Adepts but not quite like usЧstood a little farther away. They both looked miffed to have been replaced. KatieТs arms were crossed over her chest as she glared daggers at Daniel, while Smith whipped his head to the side to throw his bangs out of his eyes. Given how many times IТd seen him do that in the last couple of weeks or so, I almost volunteered to grab scissors from my room.
        УFirst matter of business,Ф Daniel said. УTell me what you saw last night.Ф
        Scout popped a hand into the air. УThings. Big, nasty, naked, crawly things. They had pointy teeth, and they moved weird.Ф
        УLike a school of fish,Ф I put in.
        УLike barracudas,Ф Jason put in. УWe found this slime in one of the corridors near St. SophiaТs, and next thing you know they were coming at us. It took a dose of firespell, a protection circle, andФЧhe glanced at ScoutЧУwhat did you call itШФ
        УA flutterby spell,Ф Scout offered.
        УA flutterby spell to take them out.Ф
        Katie rolled her eyes. УIt was probably just Reapers.Ф
        УNo,Ф Scout said, her fierce expression not allowing argument. УFirst, they were naked. Second, they werenТt Reapers or trolls or anything else weТve seen before.
        They were something new. Something outside my Grimoire ЧI spent study hall today looking it up.Ф
        I held up my right hand. УShe did. I totally saw her reading.Ф
        УThey looked like something that walked straight off Dr. MoreauТs island,Ф Jason added.
        Paul crossed his arms over his head. УAnd youТre sure they werenТt sewer ratsШ
        Those things can go nuclear after a while.Ф
        УOnly if rats grow to five feet tall and began to walk upright. Well, mostly upright.Ф
        She bumped Michael with an elbow. УShow Тem what you got.Ф
        Michael pulled the cell phone from his pocket, tapped around for a few seconds,

        and handed it to Daniel.
        Smith peeked over DanielТs shoulder to look. It was very satisfying to watch that smug expression fall right off his face. УWhat is thatШФ
        УI donТt have a clue,Ф Daniel said, frowning down at the phone, then rotating it to get a different perspective. УWhere were you exactlyШФ
        УOne of the utility tunnels,Ф Jason said. УMaybe ten or twelve corridors from St.
        SophiaТsШФ He looked at me for confirmation, and I nodded.
        УAnd the slimeШФ Daniel asked.
        УMostly floor,Ф Michael said, Уbut it wasnТt contained there.Ф
        УThere was a lot of it,Ф Scout confirmed.
        Frowning, Daniel ran his hands through his hair. Beside me, Scout actually sighed.
        УThis isnТt the first time weТve seen the slime,Ф Daniel said.
        The room went silent.
        УExcuse meШФ Scout said. УThis isnТt the first timeШ ThereТve been others, and no one bothered to tell usШФ
        Even Katie and Smith looked surprised. All eyes turned to Daniel.
        УIt was only slime,Ф he said, Уand it was just last week. We had no idea what it was or where it came from. There were no signs of any new creaturesЧjust the stuff. And weТve seen slime before.Ф
        There were reluctant nods of agreement.
        УEctoplasmic slime,Ф Michael began to rattle off, Уauric slime, that half-fish thingy that slimed the tourist boat at Navy Pier, that time the Reaper used the allergy spell and Adepts were all dripping snot like water all over the cityЧФ
        УPoint made,Ф Daniel said, holding up a hand. УAnd now that we know what it isЧ
        and where itТs coming fromЧitТs time do something a little different.Ф
        Just like heТd scripted it, a knock sounded at the Enclave door.
        Katie hustled over, turning the handle and using her small cheerleadery stature to pull open the door.
        Two girls stood in the doorway. One was tall with whiskey brown eyes and cocoa-
        kissed skin, a cloud of dark hair exploding from a slick ponytail. There was something ethereal about her, and something slightly vacant in her expression.
        The second girl was shorter, a petite blonde with a shaggy crop of pale,
        shoulder-length hair. She wore an outfit appropriate for a punk stuck in Victorian England: short poofy black skirt; knee-high black boots; a locket necklace; and a thin, ribbed gray T-shirt beneath a complicated black leather jacket that bore panels of thick black fur. In her black-gloved hands was an old-fashioned leather doctorТs bag.
        УYowsers,Ф Michael muttered, earning him an elbow in the ribs from Scout.

        Daniel waved them in, and the girls stepped inside. Katie closed the door behind them.
        УEnclave Three,Ф Daniel said. УMeet Naya FletcherЧФ The taller girl offered a wave.
        УЧand Bailey Walker.Ф
        УI go by Detroit,Ф the blonde corrected, offering a crisp salute.
        УOh, IТm going to like this one,Ф Scout murmured with a grin. УSheТs got sass. Kind of like you, Parker.Ф
        УI am quite sassy,Ф I agreed.
        УDetroit,Ф Daniel corrected, then gestured toward Naya. УNaya is a caller. For the newbies among us, that means she speaks to the recently deceased.Ф
        I raised my eyebrows. УGhostsШФ
        Naya lifted a shoulder. УThatТs how theyТre generally known by the public, but they prefer Сrecently deceased.Т Calling them СghostsТ makes it sound like theyТre a different species. Like vamps or werewolves or the fey. TheyТre still human.
        TheyТre just . . . well . . . less breathy than we are.Ф
        УAnd Detroit is a machinist.Ф
        There were mumbled sounds of awe around the room. Being a УmachinistФ didnТt mean anything to me, but it clearly meant something to the rest of the Adepts.
        УThat means she gadgets,Ф Scout whispered.
        УDetroit and Naya have seen the slime in other tunnels,Ф Daniel explained. УAs you know, Enclave Two is an enclave of information, of technology. They arenТt used to battling it out with Reapers.Ф
        When he paused, I knew exactly where this was heading. My stomach sank.
        УTonight,Ф he continued, УyouТll be escorting them out to determine if their slime is our slimeЧФ
        УAnd if there are more creatures out there,Ф Katie added.
        The Enclave went silent.
        УDetroit has mapped out a passage from here to their slime spot,Ф Daniel continued, Уso she and Naya will play compass on this one. Jill, Jamie, and PaulЧ
        take point and travel in front of them. Once you get to the halfway point, youТll stop there to give everyone a green zone so they can get back. Michael will do what reading he can. Lily and Jason are on offense if necessary.Ф
        We waited for more, but Daniel didnТt say anything else.
        Scout and I exchanged a glance. He hadnТt said her name.
        УWhat about meШФ she asked.
        Daniel looked at her for a few seconds, then turned back to Detroit and Naya.
        УLadies, if youТll give us just a minute, IТd like to talk to Enclave Three.Ф
        They nodded, then disappeared out the door. When it shut behind them, all eyes turned to Daniel.

        УItТs your decision,Ф he told Scout, Уbut IТd like you to consider sitting out for this one.Ф
        The room went silent.
        УSitting outШФ she asked.
        УYouТve had a pretty rough go of it lately, and last night took a lot out of youЧ
        physically, magically, emotionally. Enclave ThreeТs job will be to protect Enclave Two if the creatures pop up, not toЧФ
        УOh, no,Ф Scout said, holding up a hand. УYou are not going to go there. Varsity or not, you are not going to suggest that I canТt go on a mission because my team-
        mates, my Adepts, donТt have time to babysit me.Ф
        I grimaced on DanielТs behalf.
        УScout, letТs be reasonableЧФ
        УI am being reasonable,Ф she said, picking up her messenger bag and slinging it over her shoulder. УThese people rescued me. They risked getting sucked dry by Reapers and they went to the sanctuary and they rescued me. No mother-trucking way are they going out there without me at their back. Not going to happen.Ф
        Michael took a step forward to stand behind Scout. УShe doesnТt go, I donТt go.
        And you know what I can do at the place.Ф
        There was silence for a moment as Daniel considered their position. Finally, he looked at Scout. УYouТre readyШФ
        УIТm ready,Ф she confirmed.
        УOkay,Ф he said. УThen get to it.Ф
        Everyone gathered up their bags and supplies and headed for the doorЧand the Adepts waiting for us outside.
        I glanced back at Daniel, saw a sneaky smile on his face. I realized heТd done it on purposeЧbaited her on purposeЧin order to rile her up, to get her ready to face whatever we might find in the tunnels.
        No wonder he was sent in to supervise Katie and Smith. He was good. Sneaky,
        sure, but good.
        Daniel caught my glance and nodded at me, then pointed at the door. УGet to it,
        Lily.Ф
        I got.

6
        There might have been sun outside, but the tunnels were still cold and damp.
        УDo you ever wish you were an Adept in Miami or TahitiШФ I whispered to Scout,
        zipping up the hoodie IТd pulled over a St. SophiaТs oxford shirt.
        УYou mean instead of this moist, cold Midwestern underbellyШФ
        I hopped over the other side of the rail to avoid a puddle of rusty liquid.
        УSomething like that, yeah.Ф
        Since IТd given him an opening, Michael snuck between me and Scout, then slung an arm over my shoulder. УYou know, if youТd been in Miami, you wouldnТt have met us.

        Scout rolled her eyes. УAnd what a crime that would have been.Ф
        УWhatever. You know you love me.Ф
        УI beg to differ, Garcia.Ф
        He faked a smile, but it was easy to tell heТd been hurt. Stung, he moved back to walk alongside Jason.
        УYouТre being kind of growly with Michael,Ф I whispered to Scout when he was out of hearing range.
        УHeТs being kind of annoying.Ф
        УHeТs just being himself.Ф
        She rolled her shoulders. УIТm sorry. IТm justЧI donТt know. Maybe Daniel was right and IТm not ready for this, you knowШ I mean, I did freak out last time.Ф
        УMaybe you should tell Michael that. Let him comfort you instead of pushing him away.Ф
        УNo more daytime television for you, missy.Ф
        УOh, my God. Did I just give you relationship adviceШФ
        УYeppers.Ф
        УSorry. WonТt happen again.Ф
        УI knew you were teachable.Ф
        I rolled my eyes.
        УAre you guys always this chattyШФ asked Detroit. She walked with determination,
        her arms crossed against the chill.
        УWe try to keep it light,Ф Scout said. УThereТs more than enough darkness in the world as it is.Ф
        УThe dark isnТt as dark as youТd think.Ф We all glanced over at Naya, who was walking with arm extended, the tips of her fingers trailing against the wall.
        УWhat do you meanШФ Scout quietly asked.
        She glanced back at us, her cloud of coffee-colored hair bobbing as she moved.

        УWe arenТt the only ones here, or there, or anywhere. TheyТre all around us. They live in the gray landЧthe not-quite worldЧall around us.Ф
        I swallowed thickly, goose bumps lifting on my arms as I fought the urge to look around me, scanning the near darkness for shadowy figures.
        УCan you see themШФ Scout quietly asked, and Naya shrugged.
        УSometimes. Mostly, I call to them. Talk to them. It takes a lot of energy to become visible. Sound is easier. Temperature is lots easier.Ф Suddenly, she stopped, eyes wide. УHave you ever been somewhere dark and quiet, and you felt a cold chillШ Like the wind had blown right through your soulШФ
        I nodded, eyes wide, like a kid around a spooky camp-fire. I also wondered about that first timeЧthe first time sheТd seen them, or heard them, or called them. Can you imagine what it would have been like to learn about the other in the world by hearing, suddenly one day, the living deadШ
        I decided learning a weird tattoo and a little electricity was a pretty good way to go.
        Detroit glanced over at Scout. УSo Daniel said you were a spellbinderШФ
        УYeah,Ф Scout said. УWhyШФ
        УI heard you were a spellcaster. And I thought, wow, big whoop, spellcaster, dime a dozen.Ф
        УDime a dozenШФ Scout asked. УI thought spellcasters were a mythШФ
        УDo you know what a spellcaster isШФ
        I lifted a hand. УI actually donТt.Ф
        Detroit held out her hand. УOkay, so thereТre the three IТs, rightШФ
        УIntent, incantation, incarnation,Ф I offered up.
        УRight. So it takes intent and incantation to get to the incarnation part. Writing the incantation is basically the spellbinding. YouТre putting the right words together in the right order to create a spell. So when youТre looking through your GrimoireЧ
        youТre looking at a flip book of spells, which are the result of the spellbinding.

        УFollowing you so far,Ф I added (helpfully).
        УOnce you get to saying the incantation, using the intent of it to make an incarnation of some kind happen, youТve got the spellcasting. Making the magic take life. Spellcasters just work from Grimoires that have been passed on to them.
        Or the Internet.Ф
        Scout lifted her eyebrows. УThey get spells from the InternetШФ
        УWell, not all of them.Ф
        Okay, apparently the Internet was a magical forest just waiting to be explored.
        Detroit waved her hand. УBut youТve got something special, Scout. You can do more than just repeat some words and make magic happen. You can bind the spells in the first place. You can transmute them from letters and words into magic.Ф

        УThatТs why the Reapers were so interested in you,Ф I said. УYou said they mentioned that, right, when you were at the sanctuaryШ That they were after your Grimoire , and that they were talking about the difference between spellcasters and spellbindersШФ
        Scout nodded. УThat would explain why they came after me, and why they wanted my book.Ф
        УThat makes sense,Ф Detroit agreed. УItТs a rare power. And if the whole point of your organization is to support the use of magic, finding someone who can actually make new spells would be huge.Ф
        УWicked huge,Ф Scout agreed. УI had no idea. I mean, I just assumed I did what everyone else did, you knowШ Writing spells, then actually making the incantations work.Ф
        УWow,Ф I said. УFor once, you were actually being too modest.Ф
        She stuck her tongue out at me. Probably I deserved that.
        We eventually came to a fork in the tunnels and took the path to the left. This one sloped upward, and continued on for only a few dozen yards.
        We stopped at a jagged hole that had been ripped into the brick.
        УIn there,Ф Detroit said.
        Scout gave the hole in the wall a suspicious look. УWhat do you mean, Сin thereТШ
        Where does that thing leadШФ
        УInto a janitorТs closet, actually,Ф Detroit said. УWe have to switch over from the railway tunnels to the Pedway.Ф
        I leaned toward Scout. УWhatТs the Pedway againШФ
        УStands for pedestrian walkway,Ф she said.
        УThe Pedway is a set of walkways through buildings in the Loop,Ф Detroit said.
        УSome aboveground, some underground. ItТs supposed to give people a way to get around downtown when itТs too cold to walk outside. ItТs also lit and a lot less damp.Ф
        Scout looked weirdly unhappy about the possibility of walking through what I assumed were aboveground, carpeted hallways. УWe usually try to avoid the Pedway,Ф she said.
        Detroit nodded solemnly. УI know.Ф
        I made a mental list of the things we might be trying to avoid: security guards,
        security cameras, locked doors. Or maybe anyone who thought a band of teenagers running around Chicago in the middle of the night was a little off.
        УVamps patrol the Pedway at night,Ф Scout complained.

        Well, I obviously forgot to mention them. УWhat do you mean СvampsТШФ
        УThe usual,Ф Scout said with a dismissive gesture. УGoth, fangs, death by crucifix,
        never see Тem eating garlic bread. Vampires arenТt friendly with Adepts.Ф
        УThey arenТt friendly with anybody,Ф Detroit said. УItТs not personal. And we might not even see any. The covens stick to quiet parts of the Pedway. The odds weТd actually run across them are pretty low.Ф
        Scout didnТt look impressed with the logic.
        УLook,Ф Detroit said. УThe Pedway is a shortcut. It takes a lot longer if we stick to the tunnels. And weТll only be in the corridor for a few blocks before we drop back into the tunnels anyway.Ф
        We stood there for a few minutes, the Adepts of Enclave Three exchanging glances as they figured out what to do. Since I was still a newbie, I figured IТd leave the decision-making to the more experienced members.
        Jason looked at Jill, Jamie, and Paul. УWhat do you thinkШФ
        УWell,Ф Paul said, УIТm not crazy about having vamps between us and wherever weТre going, but I like the idea of being in the tunnels for as short a time as possible. Besides, if we have trouble on the way in, we can always take the long way back.Ф
        УGood enough for me,Ф Jason said.
        And so it was decided. One by one, Jamie and Jill in the lead, we ducked into the hole in the wall. We emerged, just as Detroit had promised, into a janitorТs closet.
        All nine of us stuffed into a tiny, dark room among push brooms, mops, and buckets on wheels.
        УWould you like some lightШФ I whispered.
        УLetТs keep it dark,Ф I heard Jill say. УAt least until we figure out if anyone is out there. MichaelЧyou wanna fill us inШФ
        УOn it,Ф Michael said. I heard shuffling, probably as he squeezed through to get to a wall.
        УEchoes of business,Ф he finally said. УBusy. Always walking, moving. Faster.
        Faster. The world spins, and the feet keep moving.Ф He paused. УThatТs all I got.Ф
        УHmm. DoesnТt tell us much about whether the vamps are out there,Ф Detroit said.
        УNo, it doesnТt,Ф Jason agreed. УBut weТve got to get out there regardless.Ф
        I heard shuffling; then a glow lit the room from something in DetroitТs hand. It was the locket sheТd worn, now open in her palm. She swiveled it until it projected a complicated map onto one of the closetТs walls.
        We oooohed and aaaahed at the sight.
        УGadgets are my gig,Ф Detroit matter-of-factly explained. УNow, when we open the door, weТre going right. We stay straight until the corridor ends; then we take a left. Halfway down that corridor thereТs an emergency stairwell. IТve got to pop the sensor on the door, and then weТre in. We take the stairs all the way down, and weТre back in the tunnels. Everyone got itШФ
        УWeТve got it,Ф Paul said. УLetТs do this.Ф He cracked open the door and peeked through it, light slicing through the darkness.
        УClear,Ф he said, and one by one we slipped into the Pedway.
        It looked exactly like youТd expect a pedestrian walkway to look. This part of the corridor was wide and made of concrete, and the floor was made of chips of stone and tile stuck into concrete. Not much to look at, but it would certainly keep you out of the snow.
        We all run-walked through the corridor toward our next turn until Paul, panicked expression on his face, motioned us back against the wall. My heart suddenly pounding, we flattened against it.
        I blew out a nervous breath, my ears straining to hear whatever had triggered PaulТs concern, but heard nothing. The hallway was silent except for the hum of the fluorescent lights above us.
        And then the voice behind us.
        УWell, well, well. What have we hereШФ
        Slowly, I turned around. There were three of themЧa tall and dark-haired boy stood in the front; two girls stood behind him. All three wore gray and black clothes in complicated layers over bodies that were supermodelЧor maybe just anorexicallyЧthin. By the look of them, I would have guessed they were about my age. But then I got a look at their eyesЧdark, dilated, and definitely not young.
        Better yet, none of them looked happy to see us, and they were positioned between us and the janitorТs closet. Our escape route.
        УVampires,Ф Jason murmured. He glanced back at me. УBe ready,Ф he said and then stepped forward. Paul stepped behind him. I reached out and grabbed ScoutТs hand. She squeezed back.
        УYouТre out late, arenТt youШФ asked the vampire in front. He had a low, heavy accent, and when he talked I could see the tips of his fangs.
        One of the girls behind him hissed like a cat, her fangs gleaming in the overhead lights. She took a half step forward. I pushed back against the wall a little more, my muscles suddenly straining to run. It was like my body knew they were badЧand wanted to get away from them as quickly as possible.
        УWeТre on our way out of your territory,Ф Jason said. УAll we ask is safe passage for a few hundred yards.Ф He hitched a thumb over his shoulder. УWe only want to go as far as the next corridor. Just to the stairwell, then weТre out of your way.

        The vampires spread out, forming a lineЧand now a total barrier to the closet.
        УSafe passage is expensive,Ф said the one in front. УYou want to dance with the devil, you have to be prepared to pay the price.Ф The female whoТd hissed stepped toward him, then draped herself along his side like a languid cat, one hand on his shoulder, the other across his stomach. She made a low growl. There was something very disturbing about watching these kids play at being monsters.... It didnТt help that they actually were monsters.
        The other girl pulled a wicked-looking knife from her knee-length gray vest. Its blade gleamed in the overhead lights. She licked her lips.
        I guess blood was the price they wanted us to pay.
        УWe pay the price every day,Ф Jason said darkly. УYou know who we areШФ
        The boy in front scanned each of us in turn, his dark eyes judging and evaluating.
        УI know,Ф he agreed after a moment. УBut your sacrifice doesnТt pay the fee. This is my land. My territory.Ф He slapped a hand to his chest. УIf we let you move through our land, the thieves begin asking questions of us. And we donТt like questions.Ф
        I couldnТt help it. The words were out of my mouth before I could stop myself.
        УThe thievesШФ I asked. Scout called my name in warning, but it was too late. All their eyesЧdark and dilatedЧwere fixed on me. The boy in front tilted his head and let his gaze slip up and down my body.
        Gooseflesh lifted on my arms. Scout squeezed my hand harder and moved incrementally closer, like she could protect me just by being nearer.
        УYour magic is young,Ф he said. УUntested.Ф He sounded intrigued by the idea,
        maybe by the possibility that someday, someone would test it. That thought wasnТt exactly comforting.
        I may not have been thrilled to have his attention, but I wasnТt going to cower.
        Vampire or not, he wasnТt going to bully me. УItТs been tested enough,Ф I assured him. УWho are the thievesШФ
        He blinked slowly, like a drowsy tiger. УI believe you call them СReapers.Т We refer to them as the thieves of life.Ф
        I almost pointed out that he and his crew were vampires. I wasnТt sure how they could drink blood without a little thieving of their own.
        УAnd our passageШФ Jason asked, getting the vampire back on track.
        УI believe I mentioned the expenseШФ
        УName your price.Ф I could hear irritation rising in JasonТs voice . . . and in the new one that chimed in.
        УI donТt think the price is yours to name, iubitu.Ф
        We all turned to look behind us. At the other end of the corridorЧthe one we needed to get toЧstood another group with the same dark hair and the same black eyes, the same young skin and very old eyes. But these vampires wore lighter colors, and their clothes were all old-fashioned. Pencil skirts, red lipstick, and short fur coats for the girls; greased-back hair and long trousers for the guys. They looked like theyТd stepped right out of the 1940s.
        At the front of the group was a girl with long blond hair that fell in tight curls across her shoulders. She was the one whoТd spoken.
        The boy in black spoke again. УThis is not your concern, Marlena.Ф
        УOh, but it is my concern,Ф Marlena replied. УYouТre here, entertaining guests, in my territory.Ф
        Oh, great. Not only were we standing in the middle of a mess of vampires, weТd walked into some kind of fangy landgrab.
        The boy showed his fangs to Marlena, and my heart began to thud in my chest like a bass drum. I felt like I was standing in a room with a wild animal . . . or a pack of them.
        УYour territory stops three blocks back, Nicu.Ф
        УMy territory stops where I say it stops.Ф
        I leaned toward Scout. УAre they arguing about a couple of blocks of industrial carpetingШФ
        УNot just carpetingЧentrances and exits to the tunnels. They control getting in and getting out from the Pedway. That means Adepts, Reapers, and anyone else who uses them. ThatТs why we avoid the Pedway.Ф
        УGuess theyТre a little fuzzy on the boundaries right now.Ф
        УSounds like it,Ф she agreed.
        УLilyШФ Jason asked, without turning around. УCan you do something if we need itШФ
        УYes,Ф I told him, answering the unspoken questionЧcould I use firespell to take them outШ УBut itТs a lot easier if theyТre standing together.Ф
        УPerhaps now is not the time to have this discussion,Ф Nicu said. УNot when there are Adepts in our midst.Ф
        Marlena barked out a laugh. УI donТt care anything about Adepts, iubitu. Nor, I think, do they care for us.Ф She put her hands on her hips, her short red nails tapping against her skirt. УAre you scaredШФ
        This time, the bravado came from Paul. УHardly. But we do have things to do tonight. So if youТll give us passage, weТll get out of your way.Ф
        Marlena and her crew took a step forward, their movements synchronized.
        УVampires do not give. Vampires take.Ф
        Paul made a sarcastic noise. УYou think no one will notice if you harm us hereШ
        You think no one will care if you spill Adept blood in your hallwaysШФ
        УI think I find it amusing you believe we would spill your blood.Ф She ran the tip of her tongue across one of her inch-long canines. УOh, to be young again.Ф
        Ironic, I thought, since she looked like she was barely older than me.
        УLilyШФ Jason prompted.

        УIТm not sure I have enough juice to take two shots,Ф I whispered. Even if I took out NicuТs crew, that left another set of vampires who clearly werenТt conflicted about drinking from well-intentioned teenagers.
        УNo worries, Shepherd,Ф Scout quietly said. УI got this one. Parker, rile them up.
        IТll keep them talking. And when I give the word, lose the lights.Ф
        ScoutТs lids fell, and she began to mouth words. I couldnТt hear what she was saying, but it must have been a spell. I also had no idea what she was planning, but I trusted her. SheТd been an Adept longer than IТd been in high school, so I ignored the panicked roll in my stomach, sucked in a breath, and took a step to the leftЧ
        directly into their line of sight.
        УHi,Ф I said, waving until all eyes were on me. УSo, Nicu, what were you saying earlier about this being your landШ I think you said this was your territoryШФ
        Just as IТd predicted, Marlena wasnТt thrilled by that. She let out a low, threatening growl. УYour kingdomШ Such hubris from someone so undeserving of it.Ф
        The woman whoТd wrapped herself around Nicu untwined her arms and pulled out her own set of weaponsЧsome kind of sharp, round blades that fit over her knuckles. Nothing you wanted to run into in a dark allyЧor even a well-lit pedestrian walkway.
        УAnd what have you done to deserve it, you harpyШФ
        УMeШ I honor our memories, our traditions. You, on the other hand, are an embarrassment to the vampyr,Ф Marlena said. УYou and yours are pitiful. And we know that you are weak.Ф
        The vampires around Nicu began to hiss and show their fangs. He glared across at Marlena, his eyes half-hooded. УNever forget, Marlena, who made me vampire.Ф
        УMistakes,Ф she growled out, Уcan be remedied.Ф
        Scout was still mouthing her spell. With each word she spoke, the vampires seemed to become more and more angry. Soon they were screaming at each other in a heavy language I didnТt understand.
        I stood at the ready, hands at my sides, wiggling my fingertips as I waited for Scout to give me the signal to douse the lights.
        УThree,Ф she finally said, Уtwo, and one.Ф
        I tugged on the power, and the lights went out above us. The vampires began to yelp. I wasnТt sure if they could see any better in the dark than we could, but they clearly werenТt happy about being plunged into darkness while enemies were in their midst.
        On the other hand, they seemed to think their fellow vampires were the only enemies that mattered. As the groups rushed each other to wage their battle, we became irrelevant.
        I felt a hand at my elbow. УGo,Ф Jason said, and we moved in a tight knot, staying close to the wall as we ran for the next corridor. They ignored us, but the sounds of a fightЧripping flesh, bruising strikesЧerupted behind us.
        We ran full out in the darkness. When we made it to the next corridor, Detroit finagled a light to lead the way. It was a glowing ball that bounced through the hallway, leading us to the end of the corridor and then to the left until we reached the gunmetal gray fire door. The stairwell was lit from within, and it cast an orange glow into the hallway. The bouncing light disappeared into the puddle of light.
        Paul pushed at the long bar across the door, but it wouldnТt budge. УLocked,Ф he said, glancing back at us.
        УThereТs an access pad,Ф Jill said, gesturing toward the small white box that sat beside the door. УYou need a card to open the door.Ф
        Scout pointed at Detroit, before casting a nervous glance back at the hallway.
        УCan you do something, or do we need to have Paulie rip the thing off its hingesШФ
        УIТm on it,Ф Detroit said. She moved to the wall and elbowed the panel. Just like in the movies, the plastic cover popped off. She whipped out a set of tiny tools from her leather jacket, and then she was working. A tiny screwdriver in each hand, she began to pick and pluck at the sensorТs insides.
        УYou okayШФ
        I looked over and found Jason behind me, worry in his eyes. УIТm good.Ф
        He touched a fingertip to my thumb. УGood. Otherwise, IТd have to run back and take a bite out of crime, if you know what I mean.Ф
        УShow-off.Ф
        He winked.
        УGot it,Ф Detroit announced. She pressed the plastic cover back into place, then waved her giant black watch over the pad.
        For a moment there was silence, and then the door clicked as the mechanism unlocked.
        Detroit pushed through the door.
        УNice job,Ф I said, passing by as she held the door open.
        УItТs not firespell,Ф she said, Уbut it works for me.Ф
        No argument there.

7
        Detroit and Paul stayed by the door until we were done, then pulled it closed until it clicked shut again behind us. We filed down the stairs. A steel bar stretched across the final landing, probably to keep folks out of the basement and the tunnels. We hopped over it to reach the tall, metal fire door that punctuated the dank bottom of the stairwell and waited while Detroit jimmied the lock on a chain on the door.
        IТll admit it; I was impressed. Detroit had skills that made caper movies look low budget. But I wasnТt the only one pleased with our trek so far.
        УNice job back there,Ф Scout said, nudging me with her elbow. УIТm calling that Adepts, one. Vampires, zero.Ф
        УAgreed,Ф I said, holding up a hand. УIТm gonna need some skin on that one.Ф She reached out and high-fived me.
        It took only a couple of seconds before Detroit tripped the tumblers and was pulling the chain away. УAll right,Ф she said. УLast part of the trip.Ф
        УAnd this was supposed to be a shortcut,Ф I muttered.
        УAt least we got to spend some quality time together.Ф
        I gave Jason a dry look. УBe honest. You were hoping IТd use firespell. You wanted to see it.Ф
        УWell, if you want me to be honest, then yeah. I wanted to watch you work your mojo.Ф
        УJeeeez, you two,Ф Scout said. УMake out somewhere else.Ф
        УSpoilsport,Ф I told her.
        The fire door led back into the railway tunnels. Maybe the Pedway architect figured theyТd put be put back into use someday.
        УWeТll stay here and watch your back,Ф Paul said, pointing between himself,
        Jamie, and Jill. УWe can ice out the vamps if they make it in, make sure you have a clear path back to the Enclave.Ф
        УEspecially since weТre taking the long way home,Ф Jason advised.
        Detroit grumbled, but seemed to get his point.
        From there, it was only a couple hundred yards before we reached a ramshackle wooden door.
        УThis is it,Ф Detroit whispered, opening the door and giving us a peek of a walkway between our wooden door and a set of metal double doors at the other end of a long corridor. The walkwayТs ceiling was covered by grates, and we could hear the sounds of music and engines above us as cars passed by.
        УThis is whatШФ Jason asked, confusion in his expression as he surveyed the hallway. УWhat are we supposed to be seeingШФ
        NayaТs face fell. УItТs gone.Ф
        УThe slime,Ф Detroit said. УThis is where we saw it.Ф
        УI definitely donТt see any slime,Ф Scout said, cramming beside me in the doorway. She was right. I mean, we were underground, so it wasnТt like it was sparkling clean in there, but there was definitely no slime.
        Detroit looked crestfallen. УI donТt understand. This is really where we saw it. It couldnТt have just disappeared.Ф
        Jason gestured toward the double doors at the other end of the corridor, which were marked with those pointy biohazard stickers. УNo,Ф he said. УBut someone could have cleaned up the slime.Ф
        УReapersШФ I wondered. УYou think the Reapers know something about the creaturesШФ
        УMaybe, maybe not,Ф he said. УAfter all, we didnТt, not until we saw them last night.Ф He looked at Michael. УWhat can you tell usШФ
        Michael nodded decisively, then rubbed his hands together like he was getting ready to roll some dice. He stepped forward into the corridor, put a palm flat against the wall, and closed his eyes.
        УItТs muddy,Ф he said. УUnclear. So many coming and going. So much birth and death. Change . . .Ф But then he shook his head.
        УI canТt read anything else clearly.Ф When he opened his eyes again, there was defeat there. УI canТt see anything else.Ф
        УWhat does that tell youШФ Scout asked, tilting her head at him. УWhat does it mean if you canТt read anythingШФ
        Michael shook his head, clearly flustered by whatever heТd seenЧor hadnТt seen. УCould be that too much went onЧtoo much magic for any one message to filter through. Or could be some kind of blocking spell.Ф
        УWeТve seen those before,Ф Detroit agreed. УSpells to erase the magicТs fingerprints, scramble the magicТs DNA. Reapers use obfus for things like that.Ф
        I lifted a hand. УSorry. WhatТs an СobfuТШФ
        УObfuscator,Ф Detroit explained. УSomething that obfuscatesЧmakes it hard for Michael to get a read on the building.Ф
        УAny chance youТve got a magic detector in your bag of tricksШФ Scout asked.
        УOh!Ф Detroit said, fumbling through the pockets of her leather jacket until she pulled out something tiny and black that was shaped like a pill. She held it up between two fingers.
        УMagic smoke,Ф she said. After Scout pulled Michael back into the doorway,
        Detroit leaned forward and tossed the pill into the hallway.
        It hit the concrete floor and rolled a little, finally settling against the double doors.
        УFour, three, two, andЧФ Before she could say Уone,Ф the pill emitted a puff of blue smoke. As it rose through the far end of the corridor, we could see pale green lines crisscrossing the air, like dust highlighting a laser beam.
        УWhat is thatШФ I wondered.
        УTrip wires,Ф Scout said. УMagical trip wires. And I have got to get one of those spells.Ф
        УIТve got a box at the Enclave,Ф Detroit whispered. УIТll bring you a couple.Ф
        УWe are now besties,Ф she whispered.
        УWhat do they doШФ Michael asked.
        Scout pointed toward the smoke. УThey set wards,Ф she said. УTheyТre like trip wires. If we breach one as we try to cross the door, whoever set the spells them gets a signal. Like an alarm bell.Ф
        УAnd I bet Reapers would be on us in nothing flat,Ф Jason predicted. УThis has got to be their handiwork. I mean, itТs got to be someone with magic, and if this was an Adept hidey-hole, weТd know about it.Ф
        УWell, weТre definitely not going in there looking for slime,Ф Michael said. УWhatТs plan BШФ
        УI am,Ф Naya said. УI will call someone.Ф
        УOne of the recently deceased,Ф Detroit clarified, gesturing toward Naya. She took a step out of the crowded doorway into the corridor, blew out a slow breath and moved her hands, palms down, in front of her as she exhaled like she was physically pushing the air from her body.
        Jason bumped my arm. УLetТs set up a protective area while sheТs getting ready,Ф he said, then pointed to each of us in turn. Michael and Scout made a line between Naya and the wooden door into the tunnels, and Jason and I stepped around them all to create a barrier between Naya and the trip wires. Two lines of Adept defense in case something nasty popped through either way.
        Once in position, we waited silently, gazes skimming nervously around the corridor, waiting for something to happen.
        As if the air conditioner had suddenly kicked on, the temperature in the room dropped by ten or fifteen degrees. I stuffed my hands into my pockets. УItТs super-
        chilly down here today.Ф
        All eyes turned to me. Understanding struck, and the hair at the back of my neck lifted. The corridor felt like a field of power lines, abuzz with potential energy.
        УThat wasnТt just a breeze, was itШФ Michael whispered.
        The sidewalk grates began to vibrate, then clank up and down in their moorings as something moved into the corridor. The air got hazy, and a cold, thick fog sank down among us.
        УSheТs here,Ф Naya whispered.
        Jason muttered a startled curse, then reached out for my hand. I laced my fingers with his and squeezed. Michael and Scout were also holding hands. About time.
        The mist swirled, but didnТt take shape.
        УShe is having trouble heeding the call,Ф Naya said. УThe energy . . . is scattered.Ф
        УIs that why we canТt see herШФ I whispered to Detroit. The question seemed rude Чlike this poor girl could help that she didnТt have a bodyЧbut important nonetheless.
        УIt takes a lot of power for the spirit to make contact, to penetrate the veil between the gray land and ours. Making herself visible would take more power than sheТs got. But that wonТt stop him or her from reaching out, or helping us.Ф
        Naya finally opened her eyes. УHer name is Temperance Bay. She was one of us, an Adept. Her skill was illusion. She could change the physical appearance of an object. She diedЧwas takenЧby a Reaper at nineteen. Ten years ago.Ф Naya shook her head. УThatТs all she can tell meЧand she had trouble getting that much across. The energy down here is bad. Noisy.Ф
        УThat explains why I couldnТt get a good read,Ф Michael said.
        УWhat would cause thatШФ I asked.
        Jason pointed up. УCould be the trip wires. Could be because weТre down here in a hole. Could be because of whatever went on in this place before we got here.Ф
        That didnТt exactly bode well.
        УHey,Ф Detroit said, looking at me curiously. УYouТve got firespell, rightШФ
        УUm, yeah. WhyШФ
        УWell, firespell is power magic. So maybe you could send her some firespell power, like an amplifierШФ
        Was she kiddingШ I barely knew how to turn the lights on and off. УI wouldnТt know how to do that.Ф
        Undeterred, Detroit shook her head, then began tapping at the screen of her big black watch. УNo, I think we can do this. ItТs just a matter of energy. Of plugging you in, I guess.Ф
        I looked at Scout, who shrugged, then Jason.
        УThis oneТs all you, kiddo. YouТre the only one who knows what it feels like. Do you think you could do itШФ
        I frowned, then looked at Naya. УCan you ask Temperance if she has any idea how to do itШ How that might workШ I donТt want to hurt her. I mean, could I hurt herШФ
        УOf course you could,Ф Naya said. УSheТs deceased, not nonexistent. Her energy remains. If you unbalance her energy, sheТs gonna feel it.Ф
        УSo no pressure,Ф Scout added from across the room.
        No kidding, but I was an Adept, and I knew what needed to be done. УOkay,Ф I said. УAsk her what I need to do.Ф
        Naya nodded, then rubbed the saintТs medal around her neck. Her expression went a little vacant again. УTemperance, we await your direction. You have heard our plea for assistance. How can we help you make manifestШФ Her eyelids fluttered. УNourish her with the energy,Ф she said, Уto help her cross the veil. She says that I can bridge the gap to help you focus it. To help you direct it.Ф
        I nodded again. I didnТt fully understand what Temperance was, but I had an idea of how it could work. Temperance was basically a spirit without a body. Naya was the link between us, the wire for the current I could provide. If I pretended Temperance was like a lightbulb in the tunnels, I might be able to give her some energy.
        The only question wasЧcould I do it without killing both of usШ
        УGive me your hand,Ф I told Naya. She reached out and took my palm, and I squeezed our fingers together. УWith your other hand, can youЧnot touchЧbut somehow reach TemperanceШ Like, have her center herself near youШФ
        Naya nodded, and Temperance must have moved, because I felt the spark of energy along the length of our arms.
        УHere goes,Ф I said, and closed my eyes. I imagined the three of us were a circuit, like the connected wires in a circuit board. I pulled up the well of energy, and instead of letting it flow into a bulb above me, tried to imagine it twisting, funneling from my extended arm into NayaТs, slinking softly through her, and into the ghost at her side.
        I felt my hair rise and lift around my head as energy swirled and NayaТs fingers began to shake in my hands.
        УHoly crap,Ф I heard Scout say.
        My eyes popped open, and I glanced at Naya. УAre you okayШФ
        Her eyes were clenched closed. УIТm fine. Just keep going.Ф
        УI saw her.Ф
        I looked back at Scout, her face pale, her eyes wide, and the key around her neckЧsomething worn by every girl at St. SophiaТsЧlifting in the currents of magic.
        УI saw her. She wore a brown skirt. You were doing it. Keep going.Ф
        I nodded, then closed my eyes again and imagined a long cord of energy between the three of usЧtwo current Adepts and an Adept from a former time. I pushed the energy along the current, not too much, just a little at a time, narrowing in as it spindled between us, like a fine thread being spun from a pile of frothy yarn.
        I imagined the energy moving through Naya, slipping past her again, into the whirl of energy that was Temperance Bay. I tried to fill her with it, and with Naya acting as a conduit, I could feel her on the other sideЧher ache to be heard by the world around her, to be seen and remembered once again. It was a hunger, and as I offered her the energy, I felt her relief. When that hunger eased, I pulled back on the power again, slowing it to a trickle, and finally cutting it off.
        Our hands still linked together, I opened my eyes. EveryoneТs gazes were focused to my right, past Naya, at the girl who stood beside her, gaze on me.
        She wasnТt quite solidЧmore like an old movie projection than an actual girl. But even still, there she was. She had wavy brown hair that fell nearly to her waist, and she wore a simple, straight brown skirt and long-sleeved sweater. Her eyes were big and brown, and although she wore no makeup, her cheeks were flushed pink,
        like sheТd just come in from the cold.
        Maybe she had. Maybe the gray land was cold.
        She moved toward me, her image flickering at the edges as she moved, her body transparent. She held out her hands. I let go of NayaТs hand and extended both of my shaking hands toward Temperance.
        And then we touched.
        I couldnТt hold her handsЧbut I could feel them. Their outlines. Their edges. She was made of energy and light, coalesced into a form we could see, but still not quite real.
        УTemperance Bay,Ф she said, her voice soft and barely audible.
        УLily Parker.Ф
        She smiled back at me. I knew she was thanking me, so I returned her smile.
        УHow long will it lastШФ
        УNot long,Ф she said, then turned to look at Naya, who nodded at both of us.
        УTemperance,Ф she said, Уwe think that building was used by the enemy, but we arenТt sure why. We need to know what went on in there, and we need to know if anyone is still using it. Can you move through itШ Take a look and see what kinds of things they were doingШ We need to know if there are computers or papersЧ
        documents of any kind that might be useful.Ф
        Temperance nodded, then walked toward the doors, one slow step at a time. She moved right through the trip wires and then the doorsЧand then she was gone.
        УAnd now we wait,Ф Naya said.
        УWaitingФ meant sitting cross-legged on the ground, the others chatting while I waited to get a little of my own energy back. It hadnТt occurred to me that filling Temperance up with power meant draining some of my own. My arms and legs felt heavy, like IТd run a marathon or was coming down with the flu. Jason sat beside me, eyes scanning the corridor as he offered me granola bars and water to boost my energy.
        For Detroit, УwaitingФ meant working her mechanical magic. While we crouched in the entryway, she pushed the buttons on the sides of her giant black watch. After a second, a coin-shaped piece of black plastic popped out like a CD being ejected from a laptop.
        УWhatТs thatШФ Scout asked.
        УCamera,Ф Detroit whispered, then gestured toward the double doors. УI figure since weТre here, we might as well be proactive. The pictures arenТt fabulous, but itТll give us eyes on the doors without risking Adepts.Ф
        She glanced around, her gaze settling on the concrete eave at our end of the corridor. УThatТll work. Should give us a clear view.Ф She looked around. УCould anyone help me get a lift upШФ
        УIТll help,Ф Jason said. He went down on one knee, the other propped up like a step, and held out a hand. Without hesitation, Detroit took his hand for balance,
        stepped up onto JasonТs propped knee, and pressed the plastic coin into the concrete.
        УNow I have a way to check in on whatever this is at the lab,Ф Detroit said.
        УYou guys have a labШФ Scout asked.
        Detroit looked up, surprise in her face. УSure. DonТt youШФ
        УYouТre joking, rightШФ
        Detroit just blinked at Scout. УNo.Ф
        УUh, yeah, that room we met in earlierШ ThatТs our entire Enclave.Ф
        УNo way. You guys are running a low-budg operation. WeТve got a lab,
        conference rooms, kitchenette, nap rooms. I mean, itТs not lush or anythingЧitТs a bomb shelter built in the nineteen sixties or something.Ф
        УNot lush, she says, but they have a nap room.Ф Scout made a noise of disgust,
        then glanced at me. УYou know what we needШ A benefactor.Ф
        УArenТt your parents, like, superwealthyШФ I wondered.
        УWe need a generous benefactor,Ф she clarified. УMy parents are pretty Green-
        focused. Ah! I made a pun.Ф
        Detroit offered Scout an arch look, like she didnТt appreciate the use of humor in dire Adepty situations. I was beginning to wonder how they ran things over in Enclave Two. So far, it seemed like a pretty (up)tight ship.
        УYou know, I hate that weТve come this farЧand through a gauntlet of fangsЧ
        and we arenТt even going to take a look inside that building.Ф
        We all looked at Michael, who shrugged. УIТm just saying. I mean, I know thereТs bad juju there, but I hate to have come all that way for nothing.Ф
        УNot nothing,Ф Naya pointed out. УYouТll find out whatТs inside when Temperance returns.Ф
        УSheТs right,Ф Jason said. УAnd we donТt need to go looking for more trouble. We have to tell him about the vamps, and weТve already got a black mark against the Enclave. We donТt need another one.Ф
        УYeah, we heard about that,Ф Detroit said. She opened a pocket in her jacket,

        then pulled out a pack of gum. After pulling out a stick, she passed it around the room. I took one, unwrapped the foil, and popped it in my mouth. It was an odd flavorЧsomething old-fashioned that tasted like spicy clovesЧbut it wasnТt bad.
        Scout frowned at Detroit. УWhat exactly did you hearШФ
        УJust that you guys had some internal issues. That you didnТt follow VarsityТs lead on some mission. YouТre kind of a cautionary tale now.Ф
        ScoutТs features tightened. УVarsityТs lead was to leave me locked down in a Reaper sanctuary while Jeremiah and his minions ate me for lunch.Ф
        DetroitТs lips parted. УIТmЧoh, my God. IТm so sorry. ThatТs not what they said and I hadnТt heardЧФ Scout held up a hand. УLetТs just drop it.Ф
        УIТm really, truly sorry. I didnТt know. They didnТt tell us the whole story.Ф
        Scout nodded, but the hallway went silent, and the tension in the air wasnТt just because of the secret building next door.

8
        It was another fifteen or twenty minutes before our ghostly spy made her way back to the doors where we waited. By that point, she was mostly a cold mist, a fuzzy outline of the girl weТd seen a little while ago.
        УSheТs fading,Ф Naya said, standing up as Temperance came through the doorЧ
        literally.
        Temperance tried to speak, but the sound was a tinny whisper.
        УSheТs communicating that the place is big,Ф Naya said. УShe saw only a little of it,
        but thinks thereТs more to see.Ф
        Temperance suddenly pulsedЧher light completely fading before she popped back into the visible world again.
        I looked around. УShould we try another dose of powerШФ
        Jason stepped beside me, gaze on Temperance. УIТm not crazy about that idea,Ф he said. УYouТre still pretty drained, and we still need to get back to the enclave. If you totally burn out now, that leaves us without even a chance of firespell on the way back. And weТre taking the long way back.Ф He gave Detroit a pointed look.
        УI can fix this,Ф she said. She opened her bag and pulled out a small black box.
        She put the box on the floor, then fiddled with it until it began to hum, and the top slid open. A lens emerged from the top and a cone of pale, white light shined upward toward the ceiling.
        Detroit frowned at it, probably tuned in to some kind of mechanical details the rest of us couldnТt even see, then sat down on her knees beside it and began to adjust dials and sliding bars on the side. УI wasnТt really keen on using it this go-
        roundЧitТs a new prototype. But since we canТt use firespell, might as well try it out.Ф She sat back on her heels and glanced up at Naya. УOkay, youТre СgoТ for launch.Ф
        Naya nodded, then closed her eyes and offered an incantation. УBy the spirit of St. Michael, the warrior of angels and protector of spirits, I call forth Temperance Bay. Hear my plea, Temperance, and come forth to help us battle that which would tear us asunder.Ф
        The light flickered once, but nothing else happened.
        I glanced sideways at Scout, who shrugged.
        УTemperance Bay,Ф Naya called again. УWe beseech you to hear our request.
        There is power in this room. Power to make you visible. Come forth and find it and be seen once more.Ф
        A rush of cold air blew across our little alcove, the box vibrating with the force of it. My hair stood on end, and I clenched JasonТs hand tight. However helpful Temperance might have been, she carried the feeling of something wrong. Maybe it wasnТt because of who she was, but of what she was, of where sheТd come from.
        Whatever the reason, you couldnТt deny that creepy feeling of something other in the room.
        УThe power is here, among us,Ф Naya said.
        The air began to swirl, the cone of light flickering as Temperance moved among us trying to figure out how to use DetroitТs machine. The light began to flicker wildly like a brilliant strobe before bursting from the box.
        And it wasnТt just light.
        Temperance floated above us in the cone of light, again in her brown skirt and sweater. I wondered if those were the clothes sheТd worn when she diedЧif she was doomed to wear the same thing forever.
        She began to talk, and we could hear the staticky, far-away echo of her voice from DetroitТs machine. УI am hereЧhereЧhere,Ф she said, her words stuttering through the machine.
        УTemperance,Ф Naya asked, Уwhat did you seeШФ
        УIt is a sanctuary,Ф she said.
        I gnawed on the edge of my lip. That was so not the news we wanted.
        УHow do you know itТs a sanctuaryШФ Scout asked. Her voice was soft.
        УThe markЧmarkЧmark of the Dark Elite is there, but dust has fallen. The building is quiet. Quiet.Ф
        УKeep going,Ф Naya said, her voice all-business. Not a request, but a demand.
        Her own magic at work.
        УItТs like a clinic,Ф Temperance said.
        УWhat do you mean, a clinicШФ Michael asked.
        УInstruments. Machines. Syringes.Ф
        УThat canТt be right,Ф Jason put in. УThe Reapers donТt need medical facilities.
        Their only medical issue is energy, and theyТve already got that covered.Ф
        A sudden breezeЧicy cold and knife sharpЧcut across the corridor.
        TemperanceТs image glowed a little brighter, her eyes sharpening. Without warning,
        her image blossomed and grew, and she was nine feet tall, her arms long and covered in grungy fabric, her hair streaming out, her eyes giant dark orbs. УThe unliving do not make mistakes.Ф
        There were gasps. But I remembered what Naya had saidЧTemperance was an Adept of illusion. The image, however creepy, wasnТt real. NayaТs eyes were closed again, probably as she concentrated on keeping Temperance in the room,
        so I took action.
        УTemperance,Ф I said.
        She turned those black eyes on me. I had to choke down my fear just to push out words again.
        УHe didnТt mean to offend you. HeТs just surprised. Can you drop the illusion and tell us more about what you sawШФ
        The giant hag floated for another few seconds, before shrinking back to by TemperanceТs slightly mousy appearance. УThere are needles. Bandages.
        Monitors. It looks like a clinic to me.Ф
        I bobbed my head at her. УThank you.Ф
        УYou are welcome, Lily.Ф
        УWell, thatТs definitely new,Ф Scout said, frowning. УWhat could Reapers need with medical facilitiesШФ
        УThe Reapers get weaker over time,Ф Jason pointed out. УMaybe theyТre trying to figure out some way to treat thatШФ
        УMaybe so,Ф I said. I liked the idea of Reapers turning to medicineЧinstead of innocent teenagersЧto solve their magical maladies.
        But I still had a pretty bad feeling about it.
        We couldnТt avoid a return to the Enclave. Not with that kind of information under our belts. We also couldnТt risk another trip through the Pedway, so after meeting up with Jamie, Jill, and Paul, we took the long way back, Detroit checking her locket every few hundred feet to make sure we were on track. The route was definitely longer, but it was also vampire-, Reaper-, and slime-free. Thumbs-up in my book.
        Daniel, Katie, and Smith jumped up from the floor when we walked in, their smiles falling away as they took in our expressions.
        УItТs all bad news,Ф Scout said. УMight as well cop a squat again.Ф
        When we were all on the floorЧthe JV Adepts exhausted, the Varsity Adepts in preparation for the shockЧwe laid out the details. We told him the slime was gone,
        but the Reapers had been there. We told him about the new sanctuaryЧthe medical facilityЧand the other things Temperance had seen.
        Daniel rubbed his forehead as we talked, probably wishing he hadnТt taken over the unluckiest of the Enclaves.
        УWe didnТt see anyone the entire time we were there,Ф Jason pointed out. УAnd Temperance said the building looked unused. So that means theyТre gone, rightШФ
        УNot necessarily,Ф Daniel said. УSometimes they rotate sanctuaries, especially if humans get too close. They move around to decrease the odds they get discovered, so an empty sanctuary doesnТt mean an abandoned sanctuary.Ф
        УWe planted a camera,Ф Detroit said. УWeТll have Sam call you if thereТs anything to report.Ф
        УSamШФ I asked.
        УSam Bayliss. Head of Enclave TwoЧand DanielТs girlfriend,Ф Detroit helpfully threw in. All eyes went to Daniel; Scout let out a low swear. So much for her happily ever after with Daniel.
        УThank you,Ф Daniel grumbled. УIf thatТs allЧФ Scout held up a hand. УBefore you send Enclave Two off into the sunset, youТll probably want to hear the rest of it.

        УThe rest of itШФ
        УIТm gonna throw a word at you.Ф She mimicked throwing something at him.
        УVampires.Ф
        DanielТs expression turned stone cold. УSpill it.Ф
        УWell,Ф Scout said, Уas it turns out, we needed to use a little, tiny, eentsy bit of the Pedway, and ran into a couple of warring nests of vampires. Long story short, I used a charm to rile them up against each other; then Lily doused the lights so we could escape back into the tunnels. OhЧand DetroitТs great with locks and such.Ф
        УWarring nests of vampiresШФ
        УTurf war,Ф Jason said. УTwo covens. Nicu and Marlena. I think she said she made him.Ф
        Daniel frowned. УShe must have made him a vampire. He was in her coven, then broke off to start his own. Covens donТt split very often. ThatТs probably not good news.Ф
        УEspecially if we want to use the Pedway,Ф Detroit mumbled. УDouble your vamps,
        definitely not double your pleasure.Ф
        Daniel made a sound of agreement.
        УYou know,Ф Scout said, Уthose things that attacked us had fangs. First we see them, and now we find out vampires are in some kind of turf warШ ThatТs a lot of fangs for a coincidence.Ф
        УThatТs a good point,Ф Daniel said. УNot a happy one, but a good one.Ф He looked at Smith. УDo some research. Figure out what you can about the vamps, about the coven split.Ф
        Smith flipped his hair out of his eyes, an emo Уyes.Ф
        УAnd usШФ Jason asked. УWhat are we going to doШФ
        УIТll be in touch,Ф Daniel said. УIn the meantime, stay away from fangs.Ф He rose,
        then walked to the Enclave door and opened it.
        УGo home,Ф was all he said.

9
        I knew they were busy. I knew they had lessons to prepare and exams to write. But what was no excuse.
        What made teachers think having students grade each otherТs trig homework was a good ideaШ My carefully written pages were now in the hands of the brattiest of the bratsЧMary KatherineЧwho kept giving me nasty looks as our trig teacher explained the answers. By some freak accident of desk arranging, this was the third time sheТd ended up with my paper. She took notes every day with a purple glitter pen, so my trig homework came back with huge X-marks on my wrong answers . . . and nasty little notes or drawings wherever she could find room.
        SeriouslyЧshe was such a witch.
        And not the good kind.
        When the time came to pass back everyoneТs answers, I noticed sheТd added a special note this time: УLoserФ in all caps across the top of my page, right next to the total of wrong answers. Since IТd gotten only one wrongЧand I also knew how many M.K. usually got wrongЧI held up my paper toward her, and batted my eyelashes.
        She rolled her eyes and looked away, but the paper on her desk was dotted with X-marks. I guessed she was going to have to find a tutor soon, Тcause money or not, I couldnТt imagine Foley would be happy about her failing trig.
        Between classes I checked my phone and found a message from Ashley, my BFF from Sagamore. She was still in the public school back home since my attempt to move in with her and her parentsЧor have her parents ship her out hereЧfailed pretty miserably. I felt a little guilty when I saw the message. Ashley and I hadnТt talked as much since IТd started at St. SophiaТs. There was the usual adjustment period, sure, but she had her own stuff in Sagamore, and I had a lot of paranormal (and brat-pack) drama. Add those to mandatory study hall, and I didnТt have a lot of texting time.
        But that didnТt make it any less fun to hear from her, so I tapped out a quick response. IТd actually gotten halfway through asking her to come visit me until I realized what a truly horrible idea that was. I added Уhard to have non-Adept friendsФ to my list of Adept downsides. You know, in addition to the Reapers and lack of sleep and near-death experiences.
        I settled for УI MISS YOU, TOO!Ф and a quick description of Jason. Well, minus the werewolf bit. No sense in worrying her, rightШ
        When the bell rang for lunch, Scout and I stuffed our books into our lockers and headed to the cafeteria.
        УIТve got a surprise for you today,Ф she said, her arm through mine as we joined the buffet line.
        УIf it crawls or bites, I donТt want to know about it.Ф
        УHey, what you and Shepherd do on your own time is up to you.Ф
        That stopped me in my tracks. УWhat do you mean, me and ShepherdШФ
        She did a little dance. УWeТre going to have lunch in the park with Jason and Michael.Ф
        УYou arranged a double dateШФ
        УNot if youТre calling it a double date. You can scratch it right off your list. But we are sharing in a communal meal, or whatever fancy East Coast terminology you folks like to use.Ф
        УIТm not sure upstate New York qualifies as СEast Coast.Т But either way, we call it lunch.Ф
        УLunch it is.Ф She grabbed two paper bags from the buffet. Since our lunch hour was one of the only times the powers that be at St. SophiaТs let us off campus (at least as far as they knew), they were pretty good about stocking brown-bag lunches. According to their decorator-perfect labels, one held a turkey sandwich,
        and the other held a Greek wrap with hummus. Being the resident vegetarian, I assumed the wrap was for me.
        УNothing for the boysШФ I wondered, pulling two bottles of water from an ice-filled tub.
        УThe boys are bringing their own lunch. I told you it wasnТt a date.Ф
        УWell, not a fancy date anyway.Ф Unless, of course, you counted ScoutТs rainbow-esque ensemble. SheТd paired her blue-and-gold plaid with red wool clogs,
        a lime green cardigan, and thin orange-and-purple head-bands to hold back her hair. Whatever you might say about Scout, her wardrobe was definitely not boring.
        With my blue cardigan and yellow Chuck Taylors, I felt practically preppy.
        Lunch in hand, we passed the brat pack and their snarky comments and thousand-dollar messenger bags and went through the school to the front door of the main building. The fresh air was a relief, especially after spending most of my days moving between the classroom building and the suite, and most of my evenings in damp tunnels.
        It was a gorgeous fall day. The weather was crisp, and the sky was infinitely blue,
        the color reflected across the glass buildings that surrounded our gothic campus in downtown Chicago.
        We walked up the street and past St. SophiaТs next-door neighbor, Burnham National Bank. The bank was housed in a fancy glass skyscraper. It was a pretty building, but still a strange sightЧit looked like a giant kid had stacked glass boxes on top of one another . . . but not very well.

        My heart sped up as we reached the next building. It was a pretty, short brick thingЧlike the slightly mousier older sister of the bank building. It was also the home of the Sterling Research Foundation, the other link in the chain that connected my parents to Foley and St. SophiaТs. While IТd basically promised Foley not to ask any questions that would hurt my parents, I didnТt think checking into the SRF was going to hurt anyone. I just had to figure out how to do it on the sly.
        For a moment, I thought about walking to the front door and peeking inside,
        maybe offering up some excuse about it being the wrong building. I chewed the edge of my lip, considering the possibilities.
        УLilsШФ
        I glanced back, saw that Scout was waiting at the corner, and nodded my head.
        УIТm right behind you.Ф
        We slipped into the alley that separated the two buildings, and then to the left when the alley dead-ended. NoЧwe werenТt meeting Jason and Michael in a dirty alley among Dumpsters and scattered bits of trash.
        The alley held a secret.
        Well, actually, it was the grass just beyond the alley that held the secretЧa secret garden of lush grass and concrete thorns. It was a hidden refuge that was technically just beyond the wall of St. SophiaТs, but it carried the same sense of mystery as the convent itself.
        We slithered in between the concrete columns and found Jason and Michael in the middle, sitting on a fleece blanket theyТd stretched over the grass. Both of them wore their Montclare Academy uniforms. The plaid skirts were bad enough, but at least our school didnТt make us dress like accountants.
        TheyТd already spread their lunchЧor what passed for lunch for sixteen-year-old boysЧon the blanket: fast food burgers, fries, and foam cups of pop.
        УWelcome to paradise!Ф Michael said, lifting a cup. It was a high school toast, I guess.
        УShepherd. Garcia,Ф Scout said, kneeling down on the blanket. I joined her. Jason leaned over and kissed me lightly on the lips.
        УHello there,Ф he whispered.
        I got a full and complete set of goose bumps. УHello back.Ф
        Michael munched on some fries. УHowТs life at St. SophiaТs todayШФ
        Scout unwrapped her sandwich. Little fringes of turkey peeked from between the layers of bread. УPretty much the same as every day. Brat pack. Teachers. Lily getting her learninТ on.Ф
        Jason smiled and his dimple perked up. УHer learninТШФ
        УThomas Jefferson,Ф I said, nibbling a black olive that had fallen out of my wrap. УI do a lot of thinking about federalism.Ф
        УItТs true,Ф Scout said. УShe is all up in the federalist period.Ф

        УMad props for checks and balances,Ф I said, offering her knuckles. She knuckled back.
        Jason snorted. УHow did you two survive before knowing each otherШФ
        УThat is one of the great mysteries of the universe, amigo,Ф Michael said. УBut since weТre all here together, maybe we should talk about the other mystery.Ф
        УNot a bad idea,Ф Jason said. He half unwrapped his burger and arranged the paper so it made a sleeve, then took a bite. УAt least Daniel believed us about the Чwhat are we calling themШ Rat thingsШФ
        УThatТs close enough,Ф Scout said. УAnd Daniel is definitely an improvement. So far, I approve of him.Ф
        УIТm sure heТll be thrilled to hear it,Ф I said.
        УDonТt tell me youТre crushing on him, tooШФ Jason asked, mouth full and eyebrow arched. ScoutТs cheeks flushed.
        She popped a corner of her sandwich in her mouth. УI donТt crush. I appreciate.Ф
        УYou should appreciate someone your own age,Ф Michael muttered.
        Scout humphed.
        Our phones chose that moment to simultaneously start ringing. If we were all getting a call, it must have been a message about Adept business.
        Michael made it to his phone first. УDanielТs called off tonightТs meeting. HeТs still figuring out what to do about the vampires.Ф
        УSo we donТt end up in the middle of a turf warШФ Scout asked.
        УThat would be my guess.Ф
        Scout sighed, then pulled another chunk from her sandwich. УSometimes I dream of lying in bed and spending my nightsЧand hold on to your hats, Тcause this is pretty crazyЧsleeping.Ф
        УAt least itТs not every night,Ф Michael said.
        УYeah, but itТs more on the nights we do go out. More monsters, more Reapers,
        more Сoperations,Т Ф she added with air quotes.
        Michael patted her shoulder. УSomeday IТll take you on a trip, and weТll spend our days relaxing in luxury.Ф
        УHawaiiШФ
        УIТm on scholarship. How about KenoshaШФ
        Scout shrugged. УThat works, too.Ф She looked down and began plucking through the paper bag and empty sandwich wrapper. УWhat happened to the other half of my sandwichШФ
        УYou just ate it,Ф Michael said.
        УNah, I couldnТt have. Not that fast.Ф She put a hand to her stomach, then pressed a little. УI do feel full. But I seriously donТt even remember eating it.Ф
        УMaybe youТre also distracted.Ф Michael winged up his eyebrows for effect.
        УYou ate it, didnТt youШ You ate my sandwichШФ

        Jason leaned toward me. УWhatever you might say about Scout, the girlТs tenacious.

        УThat she is. Did you eat her sandwichШФ
        He made a huff. УA gentleman does not take a ladyТs sandwich.Ф
        УAre you a gentlemanШФ
        УI am a gentlewolf. I did rescue a beautiful damsel in distress, after all.Ф
        УYou did do that. And I appreciate it very, very much. Being alive rocks.Ф
        He lifted a hand and brushed a lock of hair from my face. His eyes were the same color as the wickedly blue sky. УOf course I did. I think youТre pretty cool, you know.Ф
        My toes practically curled from the heat in his eyes.
        Scout cleared her throat. Loudly. УHey,Ф she said, bumping Michael with her elbow. УCould I talk to you for a secШФ
        УI didnТt eat your sandwich.Ф
        Scout made a sound of frustration, then grabbed Michael by the hand and helped him to his feet. УI know you didnТt eat my sandwich, but we need to talk,Ф she said,
        then pulled him between the thorns until they disappeared from view.
        УWhatТs that aboutШФ
        УI am not entirely sure.Ф
        We sat quietly for a minute.
        УYou know, we havenТt known each other very long, and we met under kind of strange circumstances.Ф
        I glanced over at him. This sounded like some kind of relationship talk. Was he going to ask me to SneakШ My heart sped up, but I went for a casual tone. УThat is true.Ф
        УI justЧI guess I think we should, you know, actually go out sometime.Ф
        I was a little disappointed I hadnТt gotten an invite to the Sneak, but I guess an actual date of any kind would work for now. I managed a smile. УWe could probably make that happen.Ф
        УI was thinking Saturday.Ф
        Okay, a definite date helped. УSaturday works.Ф
        УCool.Ф
        Scout and Michael popped out from between the thorns. His curly hair was standing up; her cheeks were flushed. I had to bite my lip to keep from saying something snarky.
        УAll right, Parker. You ready for schoolШФ
        I nodded. УLetТs do it.Ф
        I picked up the remains of our lunch, then stood up so Jason could fold up the blanket.
        УWeТll walk you,Ф Michael said, extending his crooked elbow toward Scout. She rolled her eyes, but took it.
        Jason glanced at me with amusement.
        УDonТt even think about it,Ф I warned him, but didnТt object when he entangled our fingers together.
        We walked back through the alley and past the SRF and bank building, then hit the Erie Avenue sidewalk back toward the school.
        That was where we found John Creed, standing beside the low stone fence that contained the St. SophiaТs grounds, his heavy eyebrows pinched together as he gazed at the phone in his hands. He looked up when we approached, then slid his phone into his pocket.
        УI didnТt know we had plans,Ф Jason said.
        УWe donТt. I had to drop by FranklinТs. ThatТs my dad,Ф he explained, gaze on me.
        УHeТs got an office up the street.Ф
        УHow is FranklinШФ Jason asked.
        УKnee-deep in money.Ф Creed looked at Scout. УAnd you areШФ
        УScout Green,Ф Michael said. УSheТs another St. SophiaТs girl.Ф
        УSwell to meet you, Scout Green, St. SophiaТs girl.Ф
        УDitto,Ф Scout said.
        УI figured IТd wait so we could walk back together. But you werenТt at the school.

        His gaze followed the sidewalk to the spot where weТd emerged onto the street.
        УWhatТs over that wayШФ
        УJust a shortcut,Ф Jason said, squeezing my hand as if to keep me quiet. I guess he wanted to keep the thorn garden to himself.
        Creed looked doubtful, but nodded anyway, at least until we lost his attention.
        M.K. and Veronica crossed the street toward us, steaming paper coffee cups in hand. Figured. They seemed like the expensive-coffee type.
        УI guess they made up,Ф Scout whispered to me.
        УGuess so.Ф
        Creed stuck his hands into his pockets. УAfternoon, ladies.Ф
        УHello, again,Ф M.K. said, giving him a catty look.
        Veronica smiled at Creed, but the smile drooped a little when she realized that he was slumming with us. УYouТre far from home,Ф she said. УPaying a visit to the conventШФ
        Creed smiled. УWaiting for my brothers-in-arms.Ф
        УCute,Ф M.K. said, giving Scout and me a dirty look. УAnd theyТre just tagging alongШФ
        УSagamore and Scout are friends of JasonТs,Ф Creed said with a big smile. УAnd that makes them friends of mine.Ф
        Jason leaned toward me. УJust a warning, friendship with Creed comes with a lengthy disclaimer.Ф

        УFunny man,Ф Creed said. УVery funny.Ф He glanced over at Veronica. УHowТs the party planning comingШФ
        УGood,Ф she said. УItТs going to be pretty sweet when itТs all said and done.Ф
        He nodded dutifully at Veronica, then slid M.K. an inviting glance that deflated VeronicaТs smileЧbut strengthened the resolve in her expression.
        УUm, so howТs the boatШФ Veronica asked.
        УMy fatherТsШ Still pretty good, I imagine.Ф
        The church bells began to chime, signaling the end of lunch.
        УWe should go,Ф Jason said, untangling our fingers. УWeТll see you later.Ф
        УLater,Ф I said with a smile.
        УOh, crap,Ф Scout exclaimed. УI forgot to grab my chemistry book.Ф She gave me an apologetic look. УIТm gonna run to my locker. IТll see you in class.Ф
        IТd barely nodded when she took off running down the sidewalk and toward the front door.
        УIТll catch you ladies later,Ф Creed said, taking a position next to Jason and Michael. They started down the street, their escape leaving me, M.K., and Veronica standing awkwardly on the sidewalk.
        УGive us a minute, M.K.,Ф Veronica said.
        M.K. arched a questioning eyebrow.
        УIТll meet you inside.Ф
        Apparently knowing when an order had been given, M.K. shrugged and started for the door.
        When she was gone, Veronica looked back at me. УSo you and Creed are friendsШФ
        УWe know each other. I wouldnТt say friends.Ф At least not before I heard JasonТs disclaimer. УWhy do you askШФ
        УI thought you didnТt know him.Ф Her voice was snotty, like IТd been keeping John Creed locked away from her on purpose.
        УI know who he is. ThatТs it.Ф
        УMm-hmm.Ф There was obvious doubt in her voice. Why did she care if I knew him or notШ SheТd seen me holding hands with Jason. УHe calls you СSagamoreТ like you two are close.Ф
        УYou were with me the first time I met him. You heard him call me Sagamore.Ф
        That didnТt seem to stop her. The thing she apparently had for Creed must have been shorting her logic circuits, as it didnТt seem to compute.
        УYeah, well. I just think you need to stop playing coy.Ф
        I almost called her out, almost reminded her that it was her best friendЧM.K.Ч
        who seemed to have an in with John Creed, not me.
        But before I could speak, someone else jumped in.

        УIs there a problemШФ
        We looked behind us to where he stood on the sidewalk in jeans and a long-
        sleeved T-shirt, stormy blue eyes trained on Veronica.
        Sebastian. Reaper . . . and now stalkerШ
        My heart began to pound in my chest, and my fingers began to tingle with anticipatory magic. The Darkening on my back warmed, maybe from my proximity to him, my heart suddenly thudding in my chest. IТm not going to lieЧI was scared out of my mind. This guy was a Reaper. I mean, I didnТt think he was going to blast me right here on the sidewalk, but I could still remember how much the firespell had hurt. I really didnТt want to go through that again.
        Of course, now I had firespell, too.
        УWhatШФ Veronica stuttered out, her gaze moving between me and Sebastian.
        УI asked if there was a problem.Ф His voice was cold and smooth like marble, his steely eyes on the brat in front of me. I wasnТt sure if I should applaud him . . . or feel sorry for her.
        УNo.Ф
        УGreat. Probably you should get to class, then.Ф
        She started to argue, but before she could get out word one, heТd dropped his head a quarter of an inch, leveling his gaze at her.
        УWeТre done,Ф she said, evil eyes on me, before turning and hurrying toward the gate. Since the first bell had already rung, I needed to do the same thing. But before I could bolt, he put a hand on my arm.
        A shiver trickled down my spine.
        УGet your hand off me.Ф
        УIТm not done with you.Ф
        I made myself look back at him, made myself look him in the eyes. УWeТre on the street. You canТt do anything here.Ф
        УSure I could,Ф Sebastian said. УBut I wonТt.Ф He glanced back at VeronicaТs bobbing form. УIs she giving you troubleШФ
        УYouТre giving me trouble,Ф I told him. УI knew I saw you on the street the other day. Why are you following me aroundШФ
        УBecause we need to talk.Ф
        At least he wasnТt going to deny it. УWe have nothing to talk about.Ф
        УWe have firespell to talk about.Ф
        УNo,Ф I corrected, Уwe have firespell, period. End of story. ThereТs nothing that needs to be talked about.Ф
        УReally.Ф His voice couldnТt have been drier. УBecause youТre an expert in using itШ In manipulating itШ In creating the sparkШФ
        УIn creating theЧФ
        УThe spark,Ф he interrupted. УYou know nothing about your power. And thatТs ridiculously dangerous.Ф
        I crossed my arms and huffed out a breath. УAnd whatЧyou should be the one to teach meШФ
        The look he gave back suggested that was exactly what he thought he should do.
        But then his eyes clouded. УThe world isnТt nearly as black and white as you believe, Lily.Ф
        IТd actually begun to ask him what he meant until I remembered who he was and whose side he was on. That made me turn my back and start down the sidewalk again. I wouldnТt run away from him. Not again. But that didnТt mean I was stupid enough to stand around with a sworn enemy.
        УQuit following me,Ф I called back, loud enough for him to hear. УWeТre done.Ф
        УNo, weТre not. Not by a long shot.Ф
        I shook my head, forcing my feet to the ground even as my knees wobbled. But that didnТt stop me from glancing back when I was inside the gate.
        This time, he was gone.
        I kept my head down in class, my eyes on my books, glad that Scout sat behind me.
        I wasnТt sure I should tell her about SebastianЧeither that he had been following me, or that heТd tried to save me from Veronica.
        HeТd tried to intervene.
        What was that aboutШ
        I mean, he was a Reaper. The sworn enemy of Adepts, the folks who thought it was okay to buy a few more years of magic with someone elseТs soul.
        And yet he was also the guy whoТd given me the clue to using firespell and whoТd stepped into a near-fight with Veronica.
        Something strange was going on. I wasnТt sure whatЧI certainly didnТt think he was some kind of Robin Hood of magicЧbut whatever it was, I wasnТt ready to tell Scout.
        No, this was going to need a little more time.
        I hoped I had it.

10
        Dinner was Tex-Mex food, which St. SophiaТs managed pretty well for a snotty private boarding school in the middle of downtown Chicago. And as a vegetarian, it was usually a favorite of mine. Tex-Mex at St. SophiaТs meant tortillas and beans and peppers and cheese, so it was usually easy to whip up something meat-free.
        We had an hour after dinner before study hall for Scout and, according to Foley,
        art studio for me, so we headed back to our suite for some time offЧand so I could get my materials together.
        When we got in, AmieТs door was open, the light off. LesleyТs door was shut,
        cello music drifting from beneath the door. She played the cello and spent a lot of time practicing. Luckily, she was really good at it, so it was kind of like having a tiny orchestra in the room. Not a bad way to live, as it turned out.
        When Scout and I walked in and shut the door behind us, the music came to a stop. A few seconds later, Lesley emerged from her room. She wore a pale green dress with a yellow cardigan over it, her blond hair tucked behind her ears, her feet tucked into canvas Mary Janes. She stood in her doorway for a moment, blinking blue eyes at us.
        Lesley was definitely on our side, but she was still a little odd.
        УWhatТs up, BarnabyШФ Scout asked, dropping onto the couch in the common room. УSounds like the cello playing is going pretty well.Ф
        Lesley shrugged. УIТm having trouble with some of the passages. Not as vibrant as I want them to be. Practice, practice, practice.Ф
        I took a seat on the other end of the couch. УIt sounds good to the plebeians.Ф
        УOoh, nice use of todayТs Euro-history lesson,Ф Scout complimented.
        УI am all up in the vocab.Ф
        Lesley walked around the couch and sat down on the floor, her skirt fluttering as she moved. She wasnТt an Adept, but she was pale and blond and had a very old-
        fashioned look about her. It wasnТt hard to imagine that sheТd stepped out of some fairy tale and into modern-day Chicago.
        УHowТs it going with your secret midnight missionsШФ
        Although she wasnТt totally up to speed on the Adept drama, she knew Scout and I were involved in something extracurricular at night.
        УThe missions are going,Ф Scout said. УSome nights are better than others.Ф She bobbed her head toward AmieТs door. УAmieТs little minion saw us coming in on Monday night. Has she said anything about it to youШФ
        Lesley shook her head. УNot to me. But I heard Veronica tell M.K. and Amie about it. She said Lily was out with a boy.Ф Lesley looked at me. УDo you have a boyfriendШФ
        УKinda,Ф I said, my cheeks heating up.
        УThey say anything elseШФ Scout asked. УOr did they believe usШФ
        Lesley shrugged. УMostly they wondered who the boy was. They didnТt think youТd been here long enough to meet a boy.Ф
        УOur Parker moves pretty fast.Ф
        I kicked Scout in the leg. УStifle it,Ф I said, then smiled at Lesley. УThanks for the update.Ф
        УI could do some opp research if you want.Ф
        Scout and I exchanged a puzzled glance. УOpp researchШФ she asked. УWhatТs thatШФ
        УOpposition research. I could follow them around, eavesdrop, take notes. Maybe find something you could blackmail them withШФ
        УFor a nice girl, Les, youТve definitely got a dark side.Ф
        Lesley smiled grandlyЧand a little wickedly. УI know. People look at me and they donТt really think IТm up to it. But IТm definitely up to it.Ф
        УWe will mosТ defТ keep that in mind,Ф Scout said. УBut for now, since weТve got an hourФЧshe paused to pick up the remote control for the small wall-mounted televisionЧУhow about a little oblivionШФ
        I gave her forty-five minutes before I headed back to my room to assemble my supplies.
        I had no idea what weТd be doing in art studioЧdrawing, painting, ceramics,
        collageЧso I put together a little of everything.
        First step, of course, was to take stock of the supplies IТd brought with me from home. A couple of sketch pads. Charcoal. Conte crayons. My favorite pencils, a sharpener, and a couple of gummy erasers. A small watercolor box with six tiny trays of color and a little plastic cup for water. Three black microtip pens IТd nabbed at the Hartnett College bookstore, where my parents had been professors.
        (College bookstores always had the best supplies.)
        I tried not to think about Sebastian or the things he wanted to talk to me about,
        and instead focused on the task at hand. I put the supplies into a black mesh bag,
        zipped it up, and threw the whole shebang into my messenger bag.
        When I was ready to go, I headed out and locked my door behind me. The common room was empty again. ScoutТs door was shut, and when I tried the knob,
        it was locked.
        Weird. Since when did Scout lock her doorШ
        I knocked with a knuckle. УHey, you okay in thereШ IТm heading out for studio.Ф
        It took a second before she answered, УIТm good. Just about to head to study hall. Have fun.Ф

        I stood there in front of her door for a few seconds, waiting for something more.
        But she didnТt say anything else. What was she up toШ
        I shook my head and walked toward the hallway. I definitely did not need another mystery.
        The surplus building was a steeply roofed box that sat behind the classroom building. The classroom building was pretty new, but the surplus building was definitely oldЧthe same dark stone and black slate roof as the main building.
        Maybe it had been a stable or a storage building when the nuns still lived at St.
        SophiaТs.
        I had to walk around the building to find the door. And when I opened it, I stared.
        Small or not, the building definitely had pizzazz. It was one big room with an open ceiling all the way up to the pitched roof. Skylights had been cut into one side of the ceiling, so the roomЧat least earlier in the dayЧwould have been flooded with light.
        One wall was made of windows, the ceiling a high vault with huge crisscrossing wooden beams. A dozen or so standing wooden easels made a grid across the floor.
        УYou can take an easel, Parker.Ф I turned and found Lesley behind me, a canvas tote bag brimming full of supplies in her hand. For anyone else, I would have thought it strange that she hadnТt mentioned she was in art studio when we were in the common room. For LesleyЧnot so much.
        She walked to an easel, then began pulling supplies and sketchbooks out of her tote and arranging them on a small shelf beneath her easel. I took the one beside hers.
        УYouТll keep your easel for the year,Ф she said, arranging empty baby food jars and cups of pencils and brushes. УSo you can unload your stuff and come back after study hall. The TAs usually keep a still life ready so you can practice drawing forms, or whatever.Ф She inclined her head toward a table at one end of the room.
        УWhatТs a TAШФ I asked, pulling out my own bag of pencils and sketch pads.
        УTeaching assistant. They usually get an art major from Northwestern or Illinois Tech or whatever to teach the class.Ф
        With great care, she organized her supplies, creating a little nest of tools around her easel. I didnТt have much to arrange, but I placed everything within armТs reach,
        put my bag on the floor, and took a seat on my stool.
        The room filled after a couple of minutes, the rest of the small studio class taking their own easels. Just like in any other high school, the room was a mix of types.
        Some looked preppy, some looked average, and some looked like they were trying really hard not to look preppy or average. There were girls I didnТt know, who I assumed were in the classes behind and ahead of me.
        And when everyone had taken an easel and arranged their things, he walked in.

        I kept blinking, thinking that my eyes were deceiving me, until he walked byЧas if in slow motionЧand gave me a tiny nod.
        Daniel was my studio TA.
        I bit back a grin as he walked to the front of the room, and began thinking of ways to break the news to a very jealous suitemate. And she wasnТt the only ones with eyes for His Blondness. The other girlsТ gazes followed him as he moved, some with expressions that said theyТd be happy to spend an hour drawing his form.
        He turned to face us, then stuck his hands in his pockets. УSo, welcome to studio art. IТm Daniel Sterling. IТll be your TA this year.Ф
        УThere is a God,Ф whispered the grateful girl beside me.
        УWeТre going to spend the first few weeks on some basic representational exercises. Still lifes. Architecture. Even each other.Ф
        Lesley and I exchanged a flat glance. It looked like she was as thrilled at the idea as I wasЧnamely, not at all. I was perfectly happy with my body, but that didnТt mean I needed it to be the source of other peopleТs art.
        УToday weТre going to start with some basic shapes.Ф He began to pick through a plastic milk crate of random objects, then pulled out a small lamp and its round lamp shade, a couple of wooden blocks, and three red apples. He draped a piece of blue velvet over the table, setting the blocks beneath it to create areas of different heights. Then he put the lamp and apples on the table and organized them into a tidy arrangement.
        When he was done, he turned back to us. УAll right,Ф he said. УUse whatever media you choose. YouТve got two hours. LetТs see what youТre made of.Ф
        Drawing was a strange thing. Probably like other hobbiesЧbasketball or cello playing or baking or writingЧthere were times when it felt like you were going through the motions. When you put pencil to paper and were aware of every dot,
        every thin line, every thick shade.
        At other times, you looked up from the page and two hours had passed. You lost yourself in the movement, in the quiet, in trying to represent on paper some object from real life. You created a little world where thereТd only been emptiness before.
        This was one of those times.
        Daniel had come around a couple of times to offer adviceЧto remind me to draw what I actually saw, not just to rely on my memories of what the objects looked like,
        and to remind me to use the tip of my pencil instead of mashing the lead into the paperЧbut other than those trips back to the real world, I spent the rest of the time zoned out, my gaze darting between the stuff on the table and the sketchbook in front of me.
        That was why I jumped when he finally clapped his hands. УTime,Ф he said, then smiled at us. УGreat job today.Ф When everyone began to pack up their supplies, he held up a hand.
        УYou didnТt think you were going to get out of here without homework, did youШФ
        There were groans across the room.
        УAw, itТs not that bad. Before we meet again, I want you to do a little Second City appreciation. Find a building in the area and spend an hour getting it on paper. You can use whatever materials you wantЧpaint, ink, pencil, charcoalЧbut I want to see something representational when youТre done. I want you to think about line and shadow. Think about positive and negative spaceЧwhat parts of space did the architect choose to fillШ Which parts did he decide to leave emptyШФ
        We waited for more, but he finally bobbed his head. УNow youТre dismissed.Ф
        The girl beside me grumbled as she stuffed a small, plastic box of watercolors into her bag. УI liked him a lot better when he was just the pretty new TA.Ф
        УAh,Ф he said, suddenly appearing to walk past us. УBut thatТs not going to make you a better artist, is itШФ
        She waited until heТd passed, then raised hopeless eyes to me. УDo you think thatТs going to hurt my gradeШФ
        I glanced back at Daniel, whoТd paused at the threshold of the door to talk to a student. He held her sketch pad in one hand and used the other one to point out various parts of her drawing.
        УI think heТs going to be pretty fair,Ф I decided. What I hadnТt yet decided was whether he was here by accident . . . or on purpose.
        I practically ran back to the suite after class was over, then slammed into ScoutТs room.
        I probably should have knocked.
        She was on her bed and wearing gigantic headphones. SheТd already changed into a bright green tank top and pajama bottoms, and in her hand was a hairbrush she was using as a microphone to belt out a Lady Gaga song at the top of her lungs.
        I slapped my hands over my ears. Was Scout generally coolШ Yes.
        Unfortunately, she was also pretty tone-deaf.
        She yelped when she saw me, then fell to her knees on the bed. She dropped the brush and whipped off the headphones. УSeriouslyЧknockingШФ
        I chewed my lips to keep from laughing.
        УParker, if you so much as snicker, I will bean you with this brush.Ф
        I turned my head into my shoulder to stifle the snort and winced when the brush hit my shoulder. УOw,Ф I said, rubbing it.
        Scout sniffed and put the headphones on the floor. УI spend my days in class and most of my nights saving the world. IТm allowed to have a little Scout time.Ф
        УI know, I know. But maybe you could, you know, focus it in a more productive direction. Like drawing.Ф
        УI donТt like to draw.Ф
        УI know.Ф I shut the door behind us. УBut you know who does like to drawШФ DonТt you love a good segueШ
        УYouШФ
        I rolled my eyes. УOther than me, goofus.Ф
        УI give up.Ф
        УOur intrepid leader. DanielТs my studio teacher.Ф
        УNo. Freaking. Way.Ф
        УTotally.Ф I dropped my bag and sat down on the edge of her bed. УHe walks in,
        and I was like, СHoly frick, thatТs Daniel.ТФ
        УYou would say that. Is he good at drawingШФ
        УWell, I didnТt see a portfolio or anything, but since Foley hired him, IТd assume so.Ф And then I thought about what IТd just said. УUnless she hired him because heТs an Adept. Would she do something like thatШФ
        Scout frowned. УWell, she does know about us. I wouldnТt put it past her to offer an Adept a job. On the other hand, the board of directors would have her head if she hired anyone less than worthy of her St. SophiaТs girls.Ф
        УTrue. I can tell you thisЧhe likes to give out homework in studio just like he does in the Enclave.Ф
        УWhat do you have to doШФ
        УDraw a building downtown.Ф I pulled up my legs and crossed them. УI had an idea ЧIТm thinking about drawing the SRF building.Ф
        УReallyШФ I saw the instant she realized what I was up to. УYour parents,Ф she said. УYou think you might learn somethingШФ
        I shrugged. УI donТt know. And Foley basically told me not to ask questions about my parents. But it seems like a way to get a good look at the building, maybe glance around inside, without causing trouble.Ф
        Scout bobbed her head left and right. УThat is true. I donТt know how they could connect you back with your parents, anyway.Ф She gestured toward my skirt. УThey might guess you go to St. SophiaТs, but theyТre practically next door. They probably see the uniforms all the time, so they wouldnТt think too much of it.Ф
        УThat sounds reasonable. You can actually come up with pretty good ideas when you put your mind to it.Ф
        УEven though IТm not going to win a talent contest anytime soonШФ
        УWell, not at singing anyway.Ф
        She hit me with a pillow. I probably deserved that.
        УSo, at lunch today, Jason didnТt ask me to Sneak.Ф
        УLils, youТve barely even planned Sneak yet. Give it time. HeТll get there.Ф

        УHe did ask me out on Saturday.Ф
        УOMG, you two are totally getting married and having a litter of babies. Ooh, what if thatТs literally trueШФ
        I gave her a push on the arm, then changed the subject. УDid Michael ask you to SneakШФ
        УNot exactly.Ф
        She sounded a little odd, so I glanced over at her. УWhat do you mean, Сnot exactlyТШ Did it come upШФ
        УYeah, I mean, we talked about it . . .Ф
        It took me a minute to figure out what she was dancing around. УYou asked him,
        didnТt youШФ
        Her cheeks flushed. УMaybe that was discussed in a general sense.Ф
        I poked a finger in her shoulder. УHa! I knew you had a thing for him!Ф
        IТd expected a look of irritation; instead, she was blushing.
        УOh, my God,Ф I said, realization hitting. УYou guys totally made out behind the concrete things.Ф
        УOh, my God, shut up,Ф she said.
        We spent the next couple of hours like true geeks. We studied trig, then rounded out the night with some European-history review, and I sent messages to my parents. I walked a weird line between missing them, worrying about them, and tryingЧlike Foley had suggestedЧto keep them out of my mind. But I was surrounded by weirdness, and that just made me think of them even more. There was so much I wanted to tell themЧabout Scout and Jason, about being an Adept,
        about the underground world IТd discovered in Chicago.
        Maybe they already knew some of it. Foley had hinted around that they might know about the Dark Elite. But they didnТt know about Jason or firespell, and they certainly couldnТt know how my life had changed over the last couple of weeks. I wasnТt going to break it to them nowЧnot over the phone or via text message and not when they were thousands of miles away. For now IТd trust Foley. But that didnТt mean I wasnТt going to check out the SRF building. After all, how much trouble could drawing a building get me intoШ
        When it got late enough that my eyes were drifting shut, I packed up my stuff to head back to my room.
        УYou can sleep here if you want,Ф Scout said.
        I looked up at her from my spot on the floor, a little surprised. IТd slept over before, when Scout had had trouble sleeping after her rescue. But I hadnТt done it in a few days, and I wondered if everything was okay. УYou goodШФ
        She rolled her eyes. УIТm fine. WeТre teenagers,Ф she reminded me. She uncurled her legs, then bent over the side of her bed and pulled out a thick blanket in a boxy plastic wrapping. It was the same one she gave me every time I bunked over.
        УWeТre not setting a precedent here or anything.Ф
        УAnd they definitely donТt do bed checks or anything.Ф
        УM.K. thanks her lucky stars for that,Ф Scout muttered.
        УSeriouslyЧthat is grade A disturbing. I donТt want to think about the extracurricular field trips sheТs taking.Ф I hitched a thumb toward the door. УIТm going to go throw on some pajamas.Ф
        УGo for it.Ф Scout punched her pillow a couple of times, then snagged a sleeping blindfold from one of the bedposts. She slid it on, then climbed under the covers.
        УNice look.Ф
        She humphed. УIf IТm asleep when you come back, letТs keep it that way.Ф
        УWhatever. You snore.Ф
        УI am a very delicate sleeper. It complements my delicate beauty.Ф
        УYouТre a delicate dork.Ф
        УNight, Lils.Ф
        УNight, Scout.Ф
        I woke up suddenly, a shrill sound filling the air. УWhat the frickШФ
        УWhoozitШФ Scout said, sitting up in bed, the sleeping mask across her eyes. She whipped it off, then blinked to orient herself.
        I glanced around. The source of the noise was one of the tiny paper houses on her bookshelves. It was fully aglow from the inside, and it sounded like a fire alarm was going off inside it.
        Scout let out a string of curses, then fumbled out of bed. And I do mean fumbled Чshe got caught in the mix of blankets and comforters, and ended up on the floor,
        half-trapped in quilts, before she managed to stand up and pluck the house from the bookshelf.
        УOh, crap,Ф she intoned, lifting up the house to eye level so that she could peer into it. When she looked back at me, forehead pinched, I knew we were in trouble.
        УThatТs my alarm. My ward got tripped.Ф

11
        I stood up and walked toward her. УWhat does that mean, СMy ward got trippedТШФ
        Scout closed her eyes, then pursed her lips and blew into the houseТs tiny window. By the time she opened her eyes, the house was silent and dark again, as if its tiny residents had gone back to sleep.
        She put it carefully back on its shelf, then looked at me. УDanielТs been teaching me how to ward the basement doorsЧitТs supposed to keep the nasties out or send out an alarm if they make it through. You know, since they kidnapped me and all.Ф
        УI do recall that,Ф I agreed supportivelyЧand wondered if that was what sheТd been working on in her room.
        УThis house was keyed to the vault door in the basementЧthe big metal one with the locks and stuffШФ
        УSo the house is, what, some kind of alarmШФ
        She nodded, then grabbed a pair of jeans from her closet. УPretty much. Now, go get dressed. WeТre going to have to handle this.Ф
        My stomach knotted, nerves beginning to build. УWhat do you think it isШФ
        She blew out a breath. УI donТt know. But IТm guessing itТs not going to be pretty.Ф
        Unfortunately, I guessed she was right.
        WeТd both pulled on jeans, shirts, and sneakers to make our way downstairs. WeТd decided we didnТt want to be captured by Reapers or rescued by AdeptsЧor worse Чin silly pajamas. The school was quiet as we moved through the hallways,
        probably not a surprise since it was nearly two oТclock in the morning. On the other hand, I half expected M.K. to jump out from behind a corner. I figured her being out on some secret rendezvous was only slightly less likely than the possibility that weТd soon be staring down half a dozen creeping monsters.
        We made it through the Great Hall and labyrinth room, then through the door that led to the stairs. We stayed quiet until weТd made our way into the locked corridor that led down, after two staircases and a handful of hallways, into the basement. IТd taken this route beforeЧthe first time IТd followed Scout on one of her midnight rambles, actually. And we all knew how that had ultimately turned out.
        УDo we have a plan of action hereШФ I quietly asked, tiptoeing behind Scout.
        She adjusted the strap of her messenger bag. УIf IТm as good as I think I am, we donТt need one.Ф
        УBecause your ward worked.Ф
        УNot exactly. This was only my first time warding, so IТm not expecting much. But I also worked a little magic of my own. And if that worksЧI am officially da bomb.

        УWow. You really went there.Ф
        УI totally did.Ф
        УWhat kind of magic did you workШФ
        УWell, turns out, DanielТs a protector.Ф
        УYou are seriously stalking him, arenТt youШФ
        УHa. YouТd be amazed what you can find on the Internet. Anyway, a protector is a guardian angel type. His magicТs all about protecting breaches. But his magic works more like an alarm. I like to be a little more walk and a little less talk. A little less conversation and a little more action.Ф
        I guessed her endgame. УYou booby-trapped it, didnТt youШФ
        УLittle bit,Ф she said, then stopped short. She glanced back at me and put a finger to her lips as we neared the final corridor. УIТll go first,Ф she whispered. УYou follow and firespell me if my hex didnТt work.Ф
        I nodded. УGood luck.Ф
        УLetТs hope it doesnТt come to that,Ф she said, and we moved.
        The door was nearly twice as tall as I was. The entire thing was edged in rivets, and a huge flywheel took up most of the middle of the door, as did a giant steel bar.
        But the bar and the flywheel and the fact that the door itself weighed a ton hadnТt stopped the two girls who lay on the floor in front of it, arms and legs pinned to their sides, rolling around on the floor.
        I couldnТt stop my mouth from dropping open. УWhat theЧФ
        УOh, nice,Ф Scout smugly said. She walked into the corridor, hands on her hips,
        and surveyed the damage. One of the girls wore a green-and-gold cheerleading uniform, her wavy, dark blond hair spilling out on the floor as she rolled around,
        trying to unglue her arms and legs. The second girl was curvier and wore an oversized dark T-shirt and jeans over big, clunky shoes. She was pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes.
        Realizing they werenТt alone, the Reapers took the opportunity to blister our ears with insults. Scout rolled her eyes. УHey, this is a convent, Reapers. Watch your language.Ф
        УUnmake this spell, Millicent Green,Ф spat out the cheerleader, half sitting up to get a look at us. УRight now.Ф
        УYou couldnТt pay me enough to unmake it, Lauren Fleming.Ф There was equal venom in ScoutТs voice. Obviously, she and Lauren were acquainted. УWhat are you doing in our territoryШФ
        The second girl lifted her head from the floor. УWhat do you think weТre doing here, geniusШФ

        УBeing completely and totally hexbound would be my first guess. LilyШФ
        Technically, I had no idea what УhexboundФ was, but Scout had said sheТd done a hex, and these two girls seemed like they were tied up with some kind of invisible magic, so I made an educated guess. УCertainly looks that way. How do you two know each otherШФ
        УMillicent remembers the agony of defeat,Ф the second girl put in.
        ScoutТs lip curled. УThere was no defeat. I forfeited the game because Lauren locked me in the green room.Ф
        УLike that mattered. You would have lost anyway. IТd been training for six weeks straight.Ф
        УBecause your mom was your coach.Ф
        УAt least my mom was in the state at the time.Ф
        The room went silent, and my gaze darted back and forth between the two of them. I was waiting for Scout to growl or hiss or reach out to rake her nails across LaurenТs face.
        УSo, what gameШФ I asked. УBasketball or softball or . . . ШФ
        УQuiz Club,Ф they simultaneously said.
        I had to bite back a snicker, and got a nasty look from Scout.
        She walked closer and prodded LaurenТs cheer shoe with a toe. УHow did you get through the doorШФ
        УHow do you thinkШ Your wards are crap.Ф
        УIt was locked the old-fashioned way.Ф
        УHelloШФ said the second girl. УIТm a gatekeeperШ I pick locksШФ
        Lauren made a sound of irritation. I got the sense she wasnТt friends with her uncheerleadery teammate. On the other hand, Reapers probably didnТt care much about friendship when teaming up for infiltrations. They were evil, after all. Being BFFs probably didnТt figure into it.
        УFrick,Ф Scout muttered. УI didnТt know they had a gatekeeper.Ф
        УClearly,Ф snarked out the apparent gatekeeper.
        Scout rolled her eyes. УLetТs recall whoТs spindled on the floor and whoТs standing victoriously over you, shall weШ Geez. ThereТs a hierarchy, ladies.Ф
        УWhatever,Ф Lauren said petulantly.
        УYeah, well, you can СwhateverТ this, cheer-reaper.Ф Scout began to clap her hands and stomp her feet in rhythm, her own little cheer. УHey,Ф she said, УitТs getting cold in here. There must be some Reapers in the at-mo-sphere.Ф
        Lauren made some really offensive suggestions about ScoutТs mom. Did she cheer with that mouthШ
        УIТm going to ignore those very classless suggestions about my parentals,Ф she said. УWhy donТt we go back to my first questionШ Why were you trying to break into St. SophiaТsШФ

        УWe didnТt just try,Ф said the gatekeeper. УWe accomplished .Ф
        УTwo feet inside the door hardly qualifies as accomplished, mi amiga. Unless youТd like your mouths hexbound as well, I suggest you talk.Ф Scout held up her hands and closed her eyes and began to recite some magical words. But since those words were УabracadabraФ and Уmumbo jumboФ and Уhocus pocus,Ф I guessed she was playing chicken.
        УYou know why weТre here,Ф the gatekeeper quickly answered, her voice squeaking in her effort to get out the words.
        УMe and my GrimoireШФ
        УLike youТre so freakinТ special,Ф Lauren muttered.
        Scout squared her shoulders. УSpecial enough. My Grimoire is out of reach, and even if you got me, IТm sure as hell not going to go willingly. Did you two think you could just walk in here and carry me outШФ
        Lauren laughed. УUm, yesШ Hello, hypnosis powerШФ
        Scout moved closer and peered down at Lauren. УAh, there it is,Ф she said,
        pointing down at LaurenТs neck. I took a closer look. Around LaurenТs neck was a small, round watch on a gold chain.
        УHave you ever seen those old movies where some evil psychiatrist hypnotizes someone by swinging their watch back and forthШ She can do that.Ф
        УHuh,Ф I said. УThatТs a pretty narrow power.Ф Not that it made me any less happy that her hands were bound. These two seemed like the type to write УloserФ on your forehead in permanent market once theyТd gotten you down.
        УVery narrow,Ф Scout agreed with a wicked grin. УAnd you know what they say about girls with very narrow powersШФ
        УWhatТs thatШФ
        Scout paused for a minute. УOh, I donТt know. Honestly, I didnТt think weТd make it all the way through the joke.Ф
        Lauren did a little more swearing. Gatekeeper girl tried to join in, but she just wasnТt as good at it.
        УI donТt know what that means,Ф I admitted. УHow can someone be dumber than a baguetteШФ
        УIt means youТre stupid.Ф
        I thought back to my nearly perfect trig homework. УTry again.Ф But that just reminded me that we had classЧincluding trigЧin a few hours. Exhaustion suddenly hitting me in a wave, I worked to get us back on track. УWhat do you want to do nowШФ
        Scout looked back at me. УWell, weТre in the convent, and theyТre in the convent.
        ThatТs two too many people in the convent.Ф

        Five minutes later, we were dragging two squirming girls through the vault door and into the corridor behind itЧand out of St. SophiaТs. They were hard to move, not just because they were fidgety, but because every time we gripped them near the shoulders they tried to bite us.
        УIsnТt there a better way to do thisШФ I wondered, standing over Scout. УI mean, if youТd knocked them completely unconscious theyТd be a lot easier to move.Ф
        УYeah, but weТd be leaving them completely at the mercy of whatever else might roam the tunnels at night. And that would be such a Reaper thing to do.Ф
        Lauren growled.
        We finally managed it by dragging them by their hexbound feet into the tunnel. But it wasnТt pretty, and the swearing didnТt get any better. Neither of themЧespecially not the cheerleaderЧwas thrilled to be dragged through five or six feet of underground tunnel on their backs.
        When they were on the other side of the door, Scout put her hands on her hips and looked down at them. УAnd what did we learn today, ladiesШФ
        УThat you suck.Ф
        Scout rolled her eyes. I raised a hand. УWhile weТre here, I have a question.Ф
        УGo for it, Lils. All right, cheer-reaper and gatekeeperЧФ
        УIТm in the band.Ф
        УSorryШФ
        УYou call her cheer-reaper, I figure you should call me by my title, too. IТm in the band. I play the French horn.Ф
        Scout and I shared a grin.
        УТCourse you do,Ф Scout said. УOkay, cheer-reaper and French hornist, my friend here has a question for you.Ф
        УThanks,Ф I offered.
        УAnytime.Ф
        I turned toward them. УHave you two seen anything weird in the tunnels latelyШФ
        УOh,Ф French horn said, Уyou mean the rat thingiesШФ
        I blinked. I hadnТt thought it was going to be quite that easy. УWell, actually, yeah.
        You know anything about thoseШФ
        The French horn player huffed. УWell, of course we do. WeЧФ She was interrupted by LaurenТs screaming. УShut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!Ф And she didnТt stop there. She kept screaming and screaming. Scout and I both hitched back a little, then shared a wary glance. That kind of noise was surely going to attract attention.
        УShut it, Fleming,Ф Scout said, kicking her toe a little, then glancing at me. УThat may be our cue to depart.Ф
        УThey know something,Ф I pointed out.

        УI know something, too. I know weТre going to attract a lot of unwanted attention if they keep screaming. And then we have to make up some ridiculous explanation about how we heard screaming through the vents in our rooms, and we followed the sound back to the basement, and we found these girls lying on the ground and pretending to be tied up by invisible rope because theyТre practicing for the regional mime championships.Ф
        I blinked at her. УIs that explanation more or less believable than we woke up because two girls who are actually evil magicians tripped a magical alarm wired to a door in the basement we arenТt supposed to know aboutШФ
        Scout paused for a minute, the nodded. УPoint made. LetТs go home. Ladies,
        have a pleasant evening.Ф
        Not surprisingly, Lauren stopped screaming. But that just meant the curses were a little less loud than they had been before.
        We left a flashlight on the ground between them, then slipped through the door again. When we were both on the other side, we used all our weight to push the thing closed again, muffling the sounds of cursing that were coming from the other side. I took a step back while Scout spun the flywheel and slid the security bar into place, metallic cranking and grinding echoing through the corridor.
        УTheyТve seen the rat things,Ф I said.
        УAnd if LaurenТs screaming means anything, theyТve done more than just that.
        They know more than just that, which means the Reapers and the rats are definitely tied together. It wasnТt a coincidence that Detroit and Naya saw the slime outside that sanctuary.Ф She put her hands on her hips and looked at the closed door. УI also guess I have to try to ward the door again.Ф
        УYou can do it!Ф I said, giving her a chipper thumbs-up.
        УDaniel could do it,Ф she said. УAnd without a spell. MeШ He says, СGo for it,
        Scout,Т and I have to rough out a few linesЧhardly have time to pay attention to the meter, to the melody, the rhythmЧugh,Ф she said, and the irritation in her voice was really the only part of the monologue I understood.
        УSo, what does that meanШ Dumb it down like youТre talking to a girl whoТs only had magic for, like, a few weeks.Ф
        She smiled a little, which had been the point. УYouТve seen me work my magic.
        Putting together an incantation is hard work, and wards are harder than most.
        ThereТs no physical charmЧlike the origami I used on the thingiesЧto boost the words. Daniel didnТt give me a lot of direction, and he certainly didnТt give me time to do it well. The ward wonТt really keep out anyone with any skill, and the hex isnТt going to last much longer.Ф She glanced down at her watch. УFifteen minutes or a half an hour, topsШФ
        Probably not enough time to find Daniel and get him into the basement, even if he was already in the Enclave. A blast of firespell wasnТt going to do much to the door,
        and opening up the door again to firespell the Reapers into unconsciousness would just be a waste of time. TheyТd eventually wake up, and weТd still have doors with breach problems.
        We needed stronger wards, and we needed them now.
        I grinned slowly, an idea blossoming. УMaybe I can do for you what I did for Naya and Temperance.Ф
        Scout tilted her head. УWhat do you meanШФ
        УWell, if I could funnel energy through Naya, maybe I could funnel it through you.
        To strengthen the wards, I mean.Ф
        УHuh,Ф she said, then looked at the ground, frowning as she considered the possibility. УSo youТre thinking the trouble isnТt that the wards didnТt work, but that they werenТt strong enough to keep the Reapers out.Ф
        I nodded. УI mean, youТre the expert on wards so youТd know better than me, but if we pump up the power, wouldnТt it make the ward harder to break throughШФ
        УIt might,Ф she said with a nod. УIt definitely might. Do you need to recharge or whateverШФ
        УItТs two oТclock in the morning.Ф
        УIТll assume thatТs a general yes, so weТll do this and go back to sleep. What do I need to doШФ
        УWhat do you have to do to work your magicШФ
        УRemember the triple IШФ
        УUm, intent, incantation, incarnationШФ
        She nodded and held out a hand. I took it in mind. With her free hand, she pressed her palm to a flat spot on the door. She closed her eyes, and her lips began to move with words I couldnТt hear. The door began to glow, pale green light filling the corridor.
        УNow,Ф she quietly said, her eyes still closed.
        I closed my own eyes, and tried to imagine the power around me, the atomic potential in the air. I imagined it flowing through my fingers, then my arm, then across my body. I felt her jump when it reached her, and her fingers tightened on mine.
        УYou okayШФ
        УKeep it coming,Ф she gritted out.
        УTry not to flinch,Ф I said, Уand donТt try to fight it. Just let it flow across you and into the door. Let me do the work.Ф
        Scout let out a muffled sound, but she kept her fingers tight on mine. She kept the current intact.
        A low hum began to fill the air. I opened my eyes a little. The hum was coming from the rivets as they vibrated in their sockets. The green glow was also deeper now, the light more intense as Scout transmitted the magic into the door.
        УHowТs it comingШФ
        УI think weТre . . . almost there. I can feel it filling up. Sealing. Closing up the cracks.Ф
        That was great, but it was late, and I was exhausted, and Scout wasnТt exactly a finicky magic eater. I could feel her capacity power, like a cavern of magical potential.
        And that potential liked firespell.
        УOkay, I think weТre done, Lily.Ф
        I tried to pull back, to slow down the flood of power to a trickle, but it didnТt want to stop. ScoutТs magic kept sucking more power, and I couldnТt close that door.
        УLily, weТre done here.Ф
        УI canТt make it stop, Scout.Ф
        The door began to pulse with green light. Off and on, off and on, like the worldТs largest turn signal.
        УLily, I need you to do something. This is starting to hurt.Ф
        I looked over at Scout. Her hair was standing on end, a punky blond-and-brown halo around her head.
        УIТm trying, I swear.Ф
        УYou can do it, Lily. I believe in you.Ф
        I closed my eyes and pretended the magic was a faucet and I was turning one of the knobs. Unfortunately, that imaginary knob felt like it had been welded closed. УI canТt get it!Ф
        УThen weТre going to have to do this the old-fashioned way!Ф
        I opened my eyes and looked at Scout. The door was beginning to emit a pulsing noise. Each time it glowed it put out an electrical roar. I had to yell over the sound to be heard. УWhat old-fashioned wayШФ
        УOn three, we pull ourselves apart! AgreedШФ
        I swallowed, but nodded. УOn three!Ф
        She nodded back, and we began the countdown. УOneЧtwoЧand three!Ф
        We yanked our hands apart, but it wasnТt easy. It felt like I was pulling back a twenty-pound concrete block. I managed to untangle my fingers from hers, but the power was still pouring out, and it wanted to move. Since it couldnТt flow into Scout anymore, it pushed her awayЧand me with it.
        I flew down the corridor and hit the floor five or six feet away. I heard the echoing thump as Scout hit the floor in the other direction.
        УOw.Ф
        Very slowly, I sat up, hands braced on the ground to push myself upright. УOh,
        crap, that hurt.Ф

        УSeriously,Ф she said groggily, sitting up again, a hand on her forehead. It took a moment before she turned her head to look at me. УAre you okayШФ
        УIТve been better. Are you okayШФ
        She checked her arms and legs. УNothing broken, I think.Ф
        One hand on the wall for support, I stood up, but had to wait until the room stopped spinning. УI have to say, that totally sucked.Ф
        Scout tried to flatten down her hair, which was still sticking up in odd angles. УI guess our magics hate each other.Ф
        УOr really like each other, since we had trouble prying ourselves apart. Either way, I donТt think we should do that again.Ф
        УAnd we also probably should not tell Katie or Smith or Daniel that just happened.
        Lecture,Ф she added in explanation.
        Very, very slowlyЧmy bones aching from the fallЧI moved back to the door and reached out a hand to Scout.
        УDefinitely donТt need a lecture,Ф I agreed as I pulled her to her feet. УI do need fourteen or fifteen hours of sleep and a giant cheeseburger.Ф
        УArenТt you a vegetarianШФ
        УThatТs my point.Ф
        When we were both on our feet, we looked back at the door. It still pulsed like a severed heart in a horror film.
        УYou know, thatТs really gonna be noticeable if someone comes down here.Ф
        УI guess we could try to ward the door upstairs to keep people from coming down.Ф
        I gave her an exceptionally dry look. УNo way am I going through that again. Got a better ideaШФ
        УWell, the firespell fades over timeЧI mean, people wake up after they get knocked unconscious with it. You did, anyway.Ф
        УI love being a cautionary tale.Ф
        УSo maybe it works the same way here, too. Cop a squat.Ф Without waiting for me to move, she turned her back to the wall across from the door, crossed one foot over the other, and sat down on the floor.
        УWeТre going to wait it outШФ I could hear the grumpy sleepiness in my voice. I felt bad about it, but it was late. I wanted to be curled up in bedЧor even in a wrinkled blanket on ScoutТs floorЧfast asleep.
        УJust until weТre sure the green is fading,Ф she said. УIf we know itТs fading, that means itТs going back to normal. And if itТs going back to normal, weТll sleep a lot better later.Ф
        She had a point. And it would have been pretty irresponsible to just walk away.
        Adepts were supposed to be a secret, but it wouldnТt be long before anyone who saw the door started asking questions.

        УFine,Ф I said, and sat down on the floor beside her. She immediately pulled out her cell phone and began texting.
        УDanielШФ I wondered.
        УDaniel,Ф she agreed. УWe need to tell him about the breach, and we definitely need to tell him the Reapers know about the creatures. That raises all sorts of nasty questions.Ф
        УLikeШФ
        УLike whether theyТre trying to domesticate them to use as some kind of weapon.Ф
        I grimaced. УIn the interest of my ever sleeping well again, letТs pretend thatТs just not possible.Ф
        When the texting was done, Scout put her phone away. She sighed, then dropped her head to my shoulder. УDoes the door look any different to you nowШФ
        УNot really. YouШФ
        УNot yet.Ф
        УWeТll just give it a few more minutes.Ф
        If only.

12
        There are nightmares, and then there are nightmares. You know the dream where youТre in class, but you totally forgot to take a shower and stuffШ How about the dream where you wake up beside your best friend in the basement of a private school fifteen minutes before classes startШ
        Long story short, that dream ends with you running through the school in yesterdayТs clothes in front of pretty much the entire junior and senior classes.
        Luckily, the fact that we were nearly late for class kept us from having to explain to the dragon ladies what weТd been doing in the main building so early. But I heard Scout yell УFell asleep studying!Ф three or four times before we were back in our rooms.
        There was no time for a shower, so I cleaned up the best I could, brushed my teeth, and pulled on my uniformЧplaid skirt, button-up shirt, fuzzy boots, and a cardigan. I pulled my hair into a topknot. My only accessory was the classicЧmy room key on its blue ribbon.
        I met Scout in the common room, both of us pulling on messenger bags and hustling through the door. I handed over a smushed granola bar. She ripped into the plastic with her teeth, then stuffed the wrapper into her bag.
        УIf only the brat pack knew how glamorous we truly were,Ф she muttered, taking a huge bite of the bar. With her wrinkled skirt, untucked shirt, and mismatched sneakers, she didnТt look much better than I did.
        УYeah, it definitely looks like you were in a hurry. ItТs not like youТd wear mismatched sneakers on purpose.Ф
        She gave me a dry look.
        УOkay, except in this particular instance because mismatched shoes look awesome,Ф I amended. УTruly an amazing fashion choice. YouТre quite the trendster.Ф
        Scout rolled her eyes and started down the hall again. УOne of these days, youТre going to respect me.Ф
        УOh, I totally respect you. ItТs your wardrobe I have issues with.Ф
        Issues or not, I did a pretty good job of dodging the chunk of granola bar that came my way.
        We stood there for a moment, horrified, our mouths gaping, but unable to look away.
        It was a Thursday lunch in the St. SophiaТs cafeteria.
        It was also the near end of what had been a long and unfortunately creative week in the St. SophiaТs kitchen: meatloaf with wasabi mustard sauce; vegetable mix with parsnips, whatever those were; and roasted potatoesЧthe funky purple ones.
        Unfortunately, the end of the week meant leftovers. And, unfortunately, leftovers at St. SophiaТs meant Уstew.Ф
        The stew was one of the first things Scout had warned me about (yesЧeven before the Reapers and soul-sucking). This wasnТt your average stewЧthe stuff your mom made on a snowy weekend in February. It was a soupy mix of whatever didnТt get eaten during the week. Today, that meant parsnips and funky potatoes and chunky bits of meatloaf.
        I was a vegetarian, but even I hadnТt been spared. There was a veggie version of the УstewФ that included beans and rice and some kind of polygon-shaped green thing that didnТt look all that edible.
        And the worst thingШ It was only Thursday. Over the weekend, it was actually going to get worse. We had three-day-old Sunday stew to look forward to.
        I pointed to a green thing. УWhat do you think that isШФ
        УIt looks like okra. I think the stew is supposed to be gumboey.Ф
        I curled my lip. УIТm not sure IТm up for brave food today.Ф I grabbed a piece of crusty bread and a bowl of fruit salad. Compared to my other options, I figured they were pretty safe. And speaking of bravery, I should probably get started on my drawing of the building.
        УHey, IТm going to head outside after class. I need to get my drawing in.Ф
        УYou still thinking about drawing the SRF buildingШФ
        УYeah. IТm not sure what itТll accomplish, but itТs the least I can do. I know I have to stay low-key in terms of investigating my parents, but I still have to do something
        , rightШФ
        Scout shrugged. УI think thatТs up to you, Lils. YouТre not even sixteen. YouТre entitled to believe your parents told you the truth about themselves and their workЧ
        that they told you everything you needed to know. I donТt think you have any obligation to play Nancy Drew for the Parker family, you knowШФ
        УThatТs pretty great advice.Ф
        УI have my moments.Ф
        УHmm. Well, anyway, did you want to head outside with meШФ I bobbed my head toward the window and the strip of blue fall sky I could see through it. УIt looks pretty nice out there. Might be fun to get some fresh air.Ф
        She shook her head. УNah, thatТs okay. I need to get some work done.Ф
        УSchoolworkШ Did I miss something in classШФ
        Crimson crossed her cheeks. УNo. IТm just working on something.Ф
        The words sounded casual, but the tone definitely didnТt. I didnТt want to push her,
        but I wondered if this was going to be another one of those locked-door nights for Scout. If so, what was she doing in thereШ Not that it was any of my business . . . until she decided to tell me, anyway.
        УNo problem,Ф I said. УIТll see you before dinner.Ф
        УGo for it. And if you decide to break into the SRF building to figure out the goods on your parents, take your cell phone. You never know when youТre going to need it.Ф
        A few minutes later, I stood on the front steps of St. SophiaТs, my sketch pad and pencils in my bag, ready to walk to the Portman Electric Company building and begin my investigation. I mean, my sketch.
        But that didnТt make my feet move any faster. I felt weird about going thereЧnot just because I was trying to be sneaky, but because I recognized I might learn things I didnТt want to know.
        What if my parents were involved in something illegalШ Something unethicalШ
        Something that shamed them so much they had to hide it from meШ Foley certainly thought it was something that could get them in trouble. At the very least, it was something I wasnТt supposed to know about . . . or talk about.
        Problem was, my imagination was doing a pretty good job of coming up with worst-case scenarios on its own. St. SophiaТs was practically next door to the SRF,
        and IТd seen the letter in which they tried to convince my parents to drop me off at St. SophiaТs. Plus, the SRF did some kind of medical research, and Foley had said my parents did genetic research.
        And now . . . the Dark Elite had a medical facilityШ
        That was the rock that sat heavy in my stomach, making me rethink all the memories of my time with my parents. After all, if theyТd lied about their work, what else had they lied aboutШ
        I shook off the thought. That was just insecurity talking. They were my parents.
        They were good people. And more important, they loved me. They couldnТt be wrapped up with the Reapers.
        Could theyШ
        I know Foley told me to keep my mouth shut. I know I wasnТt supposed to ask questions, to put them at risk. But I had to figure out what was going on. There was too much on the line. That was why I kept putting one foot in front of the other, until I was outside the stone wall that separated St. SophiaТs from the rest of the world and walking down the sidewalk toward the SRF building . . . at least until someone stepped directly in front of me.
        I looked up into blue eyes.
        Sebastian.
        He spoke before I could even think of words to say.
        УIТm not going to hurt you.Ф

        УGet out of my way.Ф
        Instead of answering, he took a step forward. This was the closest IТd been to him, and being closer just made the effect that much more powerful. Maybe it was because he was one of the bad guys, but there was something undeniably wicked about him.
        But IТd seen enough wicked. I gave him a warning look. УDonТt take another step.Ф
        УI swear I wonТt hurt you,Ф he said. УAnd we both know that if IТd wanted to hurt you, I could have already done it.Ф Ever so slowly, he lifted both hands, as if to show he wasnТt holding a weapon. But as long as he had firespell, his weapons were his hands.
        УWhy are you following meШФ
        УI told you why. Because we need to talk.Ф
        УWe have nothing to talk about.Ф
        He glanced around, gaze scanning the sidewalk like he expected Adepts to attack any minute. And maybe they would. He was in our territory. УNot here. We have to talk somewhere more private.Ф
        УYou want me to go somewhere alone with youШ Are you highШФ
        УNo, IТm not high.Ф His voice was flat. УBut I am serious.Ф
        УSo am I. I also know which side youТre on, and itТs not mine. Give me one reason why I should do anything other than blast you right where youТre standing.Ф
        УIТll give you two. First, weТre standing in the middle of a public sidewalk. You and I both know you arenТt going to do anything here. Second, IТve already saved your life once, and I came to your rescue yesterday. IТve given you a reason to trust me.Ф
        He would play that card. And while I still didnТt trust him any farther than I could firespell him, I did wonder what he was up to.
        УIТm going to need a better reason than Сyou didnТt kill me when you had the chance.Т Ф
        УBecause there are things you need to know about firespell. And if it will ease your mind, IТll use this.Ф He reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a flat, gleaming dog tag on a thin chain.
        УA dog tagШФ
        УItТs a countermeasure,Ф he said, slipping the chain over his head. When the flat of the metal hit his shirt, he squeezed his eyes closed like heТd been hit with a shock of pain. When he looked up at me again, his stormy eyes seemed dull.
        УIt neutralizes magic,Ф he said, his voice equally flat. If he was telling the truth,
        then it was like the magic had actually permeated his personality. Take the magic away, and the spark disappeared.
        УItТs more effective as a protective measure if youТre the one wearing it,Ф he explained, Уbut IТm guessing youТre just suspicious enough to say СnoТ if I ask you to put it on.Ф
        УIТm careful enough,Ф I corrected. УNot suspicious.Ф
        УThen both,Ф he said. УI can appreciate that.Ф
        I gave him a look that I figured was plenty suspicious, partly because this guy was just likable enough to make me nervous. He wasnТt supposed to be likable.
        Scout might have been the one to pull me into the world of Reapers, but Sebastian was the one who made sure I couldnТt get out again.
        УTen minutes, Lily,Ф he repeated.
        I took a moment to consider his offer, then blew out a breath. One way or another, I was going to have to get off the street. If ScoutЧor anyone else from St.
        SophiaТs or MontclareЧsaw me talking to him, there were going to be lots of questions.
        УIТll give you five minutes. And if I donТt like what you have to say, you can kiss consciousness good-bye.Ф
        УI think thatТs fair.Ф He glanced around, then nodded toward a Taco TerryТs fast food restaurant across the street. The restaurantТs mascotЧan eight-foot-high plastic cowboy, lips curled into a creepy smileЧstood outside the front door.
        УWhy donТt we go over thereШФ
        I looked over the building. The cowboy aside, there were a lot of windows and a pretty steady stream of customers in and outЧtourists grabbing a snack, or workers out for lunch. I doubted heТd try anything in the middle of the day in the middle of the Loop, but stillЧheТd supported ScoutТs kidnapping and heТd put me in a hospital for thirty-six hours.
        He must have seen the hesitation in my eyes. УItТs a public place, Lily. Granted, a public place with paper napkins and a really, really disturbing cowboy out front, but a public place. And itТs close.Ф
        УFine,Ф I finally agreed. УLetТs try the cowboy.Ф
        Sebastian nodded, then turned and began to walk toward the crosswalk,
        apparently assuming IТd follow without blasting him with firespell along the way.
        I wiped my sweaty palms on my skirt and made the turn from the school grounds onto the sidewalk on Erie Avenue. I was willingly walking toward a boy whoТd left me unconscious, without even a word of warning to my best friend.
        But curiosity won out over nerves, and besidesЧin between his leaving me unconscious and asking me here, he had managed to save my life. In a manner of speaking, anyway.
        The only way to find out what was up and why heТd helped me was to keep moving forward. So I took one more step.
        We made our way across the street in silence. He held the door open for me, and we maneuvered through the tourists and children to an empty table near the window and slid onto white, molded plastic seats. Sebastian picked up the foot-high bobble-
        headed cowboyЧthat would be Taco TerryЧthat sat on every table beside the plastic salt and pepper shakers. He looked it over before putting it back. УWeird and creepy.Ф
        Not unlike the Reapers, I thought, and that was a good reminder that it was time to get things rolling. УI donТt have a lot of time. What did you needШФ
        УYou have firespell.Ф
        УBecause of you,Ф I pointed out.
        УTriggered by me, maybe, but I couldnТt have done it alone. You had to have some kind of latent magic in the first place.Ф
        He lifted his eyebrows like he was waiting for me to confirm what heТd said. Scout had told me pretty much the same thing, but I wasnТt going to admit that to him, so I didnТt say anything. Besides, this was his gig. As far as I was concerned, we were here so he could give me information, not the other way around.
        УHow is your training goingШФ
        If he meant training with firespell, it wasnТt going at all. But I wasnТt going to tell him that. УIТm doing fine.Ф
        He nodded. УGood. I donТt want you to get hurt again because of something IТd done.Ф
        УWhy would you careШФ
        He had the grace to look surprised. УWhatШФ
        I decided to be frank. УWhy would you care if I was hurtШ IТm an Adept. YouТre a member of the Dark Elite or whatever. WeТre enemies. ThatТs kind of the point of being enemiesЧhurting each other.Ф
        Sebastian looked up, his dark blue eyes searing into me. УI am who I am,Ф he said. УI stay with Jeremiah because IТm one of his people. IТm one of themЧof us.
        But you are, too.Ф But then he shook his head. УBut weТre more than magic, arenТt weШ Sure, itТs the very thing that makes us strongerЧФ
        УBut it also makes us weaker,Ф I finished for him. УIt tears you down, breaks you down, from the inside out. I donТt know what Jeremiah tells you about that, but whatever superhero vibe youТre rocking now, it wonТt last forever.Ф
        УAnd how do you know thatШФ he asked. УHave you seen a member of the Dark Elite break downШФ
        I opened my mouth to retort that I didnТt need to see it, that I trusted Scout to tell me the truth. But while that was true, he made a good point. УNo. I havenТt.Ф
        УIТm not saying it happens or not. IТm just saying, maybe you should figure that out for yourself. In our world, thereТs a lot of dogma. A lot of Сthis is how it isТ and Сthis is how it should be.ТФ He shook his head. УI donТt know how it works for your people,

        and IТm not saying weТre going to be best friends or anything. IТm just offering some advice. Take the necessary time to figure out for yourself whatТs good and bad in the world.Ф
        We looked at each other for a few seconds, the two of us staring across a plastic table, until I finally had to look away. His gaze was too personal, too intimate,
        even for a secret lunch hour meeting at Taco TerryТs.
        УIs that what you wanted to talk to me aboutШФ
        УPart of it. I also wanted to warn you.Ф
        That brought my eyes back to him. УAbout whatШФ
        УI hear you stepped into the turf war between the vampires. Between the covens.Ф
        УI donТt know what youТre talking about.Ф
        УI know you stepped into the middle of something you shouldnТt have. But I also know you need to go back.Ф
        I lifted my eyebrows. УI am not going back. They nearly tore us to pieces the last time.Ф
        Sebastian shook his head. УYou need to go back. And you need to ask the right questions.Ф
        УThe right questions about whatШФ
        He looked away quickly, apparently not willing to share everything. But he finally said, УFind Nicu. Ask him about the missing.Ф
        Scout had been kidnapped by the Dark EliteЧwas that what he meantШ Had the Reapers taken more AdeptsШ УWhat do you mean, the missingШФ
        УThatТs what you need to find out. I canТt ask the questions for you.Ф
        УIf youТve hurt someone, I swear toЧФ He gave me a condescending look. УIТve helped you. IТm helping you again.
        Remember that.Ф
        I lifted my eyebrows. УYou just told me to go back to see the vampires while theyТre in the middle of a turf war.Ф
        УFor your own good.Ф
        I doubted that, but I had questions of my own. Might as well take this opportunity.
        УWhile youТre being helpful, tell me about the new monsters in the tunnels. Slimy thingsШ NakedШ Pointy earsШФ
        УI know nothing.Ф
        I shook my head; heТd answered too fast. УYouТre lying. I know they have some connection to the Reapers.Ф
        УIТm not part of that.Ф
        УWrong answer. YouТre one of them,Ф I reminded him. УWe know the monsters have been in at least two spots in the tunnels. Where are they coming fromШФ
        He looked away. УJust talk to Nicu.Ф

        That made me sit up a little straighter. УNicu knows about the monstersШФ
        УThatТs all I can tell you. I have my own allegiances to protect.Ф
        УWell, at least youТre done pretending to be a good guy.Ф
        Sebastian looked back again and leaned forward, hunching a little more over the table. УThis isnТt a game, Lily. This is our world, and we are different from the rest of them. From the rest of the humans.Ф
        УNo,Ф I said. УWe arenТt different. We have a giftЧa temporary gift. It doesnТt make us different. It only makes us lucky.Ф
        Shaking his head, he sat up straight again. УWe have a temporary gift now. Did you know thatШ That the magic hasnТt always been temporaryШ WeТve been losing it, Lily. Over time. Slowly but surely, each generation has their magic for a little less time than the generation that came before it. And maybe thatТs because weТre blending with humans. Maybe itТs some kind of magical evolution.Ф He shrugged. УI donТt know. But I do know we want a different future. We donТt want to just give up something that has the potential to help so many people.Ф
        УYou mean something that has the potential to hurt so many people.Ф
        He shook his head. УAll of this magicЧhave you thought about what it could do for humanityШ Do you know the things weТve already done for humanityШ All those moments in human history where someone gets some amazing insightЧthe polio vaccine, the understanding of relativityЧyou think those moments are an accidentШФ He shook his head. УNo way.Ф
        УThat doesnТt justify what you have to do to keep the magic. If weТre losing it,
        weТre losing it. We need to accept that and be done with it. ItТs not an excuse to use people to keep the magic longer than nature wants you to have it.Ф
        УYou think no cost is worth the price,Ф he said. УI disagree.Ф
        УYour cost is the lives of other humans.Ф
        УThe cost for our good deedsЧfor saving millions by our contributionsЧis a bit of one person. The many are more valuable than the one. We believe that.Ф
        I just shook my head. There wasnТt much chance I was going to agree with him however well he justified it. I looked up at him again. УLauren and some gatekeeper girl paid us a visit last night.Ф
        His eyes went hugely wide. УLast nightШФ
        I nodded. УYou want to tell me whyШФ
        УI donТt know,Ф he began, but before I could object, he held up his hands. УI donТt.
        It could be Scout. Jeremiah was interested in her.Ф
        УBecause sheТs a spellbinderШФ
        УMaybe.Ф
        УSheТs off limits. Permanently,Ф I added, when he looked like he was going to object. УIТve got firespell, and I know how to use it. Any more Adepts come sniffing around St. SophiaТs looking for her or her Grimoire or whatever else, and we wonТt just leave them hexbound in the tunnels.Ф
        УYouТve turned vicious.Ф
        УLike you said, this isnТt a game.Ф
        УAt least youТre listening to part of it,Ф he muttered. Then he lifted the countermeasure and pulled it over his head, relief clear in his face when he placed it on the table. УI want to show you something. Hold out your palms.Ф
        I gave him a dubious expression, which lifted a corner of his mouth.
        УYouТre being guarded by a plastic cowboy, and weТre in a restaurant full of people.Ф He put his hands on the table, opening and closing them again until finally,
        eyes rolling, I relented.
        And felt a little bit guilty about it.
        I put my hands on the table, palms up. Slowly, he cupped my hands in his long fingers, then curled my fingers into fists. My skin went pebbly, the hair at the back of my neck lifting at his touch.
        УYou have to learn to control firespell,Ф he said, voice low. УBut when you can,
        youТll harness elemental powers.Ф His hands still wrapped around my fists, my palm began to warm from the inside.
        УWhat are you doingШФ
        УIТm teaching you.Ф His voice was low, lush, intimate again. Slowly, he began to lift his hands from mine, like he was making a shield over my hands.
        УOpen your palms.Ф
        A centimeter at a time, I uncurled my fingers. There, in each of my hands, was a tiny jumping spark of green. Aware of our surroundings, I stifled a gasp, but raised my confused gaze to his as he continued to shield the sparks from public view.
        УYouТve seen the broad shot firespell can give you,Ф he said. УYouТve learned how to fan the power out. But you can pinpoint the power, as well.Ф
        He tilted my hands so that my palms were facing, and the edges of my hands were against the table. And then, ever so slightly, he began to move my hands from side to side. The sparks followed suit, the momentum pushing them back and forth between my hands like the birdie in a game of badminton.
        And just as quickly, it was over. He pressed my hands together again, the two sparksЧlike they were just a quirk of static electricityЧsomehow dissipating. He pulled his hands away again. I opened my palms, rustling my fingers as I searched for some hint of the spark.
        УThe power is yours to control,Ф he said, sliding the countermeasure into his pocket again. УYours to manipulate. But you must be open to the power and your authority over it. ItТs not always an easy burden to bear, but that doesnТt mean you shouldnТt wield it.Ф
        He looked at his watch. УI have to go.Ф He slid to the end of the booth and stood up.
        УI still donТt know what you did. How you gave me that spark.Ф
        УThe spark is yours. I just brought it out. Remember that. You are different, you know.Ф
        Stubbornly, I shook my head. УNot different,Ф I said again. УAnd only lucky for a little while. WeТre willing to let it go. Are youШФ
        He looked away, but I had one more question. УSebastian.Ф
        He glanced back.
        УHow did you know I was going to be outsideШФ
        He shrugged. УI didnТt. I just got lucky.Ф
        Without elaborating, he turned and walked into the crowd of men, women, and children waiting for their tacos. The crowdЧand then the cityЧswallowed him up again.
        I sat there for a moment just processing the meeting, rubbing the tips of my fingers against my palm. I could still feel the tingle there, and I wasnТt sure I liked it. I rubbed my hands against my skirt, as if to erase the feeling. Something about itЧ
        about himЧjust made me uneasy.
        УProbably has something to do with the fact that heТs my sworn enemy,Ф I mumbled, then slid out of the booth myself. I walked back across the street and toward the school.
        I couldnТt help but wonder about SebastianТs motivations. He said he was concerned about meЧbut he didnТt really have any reason to be. Was he flirtingШ I doubted it, and even if he was, no, thank you.
        Was it because heТd given me firespellШ Had the magic created some kind of bond between us that I didnТt know aboutШ I made a mental note to ask Scout about it . . . without telling her why I was asking. I might eventually need to spill SebastianТs interest in me, but I wasnТt going to do that now. There was no reason, as far as I could see, to raise the alarm bells.
        By the time I returned, my secretly empty sketchbook in hand, Scout was in the common room, ready to head out for dinner.
        To be honest, seeing her made me nervous. I still wasnТt sure what I should tell her. After all, IТd willingly had a meeting with a Reaper. Granted, a Reaper whoТd saved my life, but given her experiences, I wasnТt sure sheТd care much about the difference. I didnТt want to keep a secret from her, but I also didnТt want the lecture.
        So I decided to let it ride. I kept the dinner convo light, and steered away from all things darkly elite.
        Study hall followed dinner, and as soon as we got back to the suite, Scout hied off to her room. She walked in, and with an apologetic glance back at me, started closing her door.
        УEverything okayШФ
        УYep. Just some work to do.Ф
        Okay, this was, what, the second time this week sheТd locked herself in her roomШ УWhat are you working onШФ
        УJust some spells. Nothing personal. I just need quiet and . . . you know . . . to concentrate.Ф
        УOkay,Ф I said. I watched her disappear into her room, trying to figure out what I was supposed to do. Was I supposed to worry about herШ Give her privacyШ Break down the door to make sure she was okayШ I mean generally, IТd be all for having time to oneself, but this girl had been kidnapped. I didnТt want to leave her alone if she was in there being held at spell-point by a Reaper.
        УSheТs fine, you know.Ф
        I glanced back. Lesley stood in her doorway, the bow to her cello in hand.
        I didnТt want to talk about Scout within earshot, so I walked over to LesleyТs room.
        УWhat do you meanШФ
        She plucked a tiny piece of lint from the bow. УShe did the same thing earlier. She seems fine, though.Ф
        УHuh,Ф I said. УDid you notice anything oddШФ
        УShe has a nose ring. And her hair is dyed two colors.Ф
        Okay, Lesley did have a point there.
        УBut IТm not sure how you are.Ф
        My eyes widened. УWhat do you meanШФ
        She tilted her head to the side and gave me an up-and-down look. УYou look weird. WhatТs going onШФ
        Was she really that astuteШ Or was I sending out some kind of УI just had a secret meeting with a ReaperФ vibeШ I shrugged and hoped it looked nonchalant.
        УNothing. Just. You know. Being me.Ф
        She didnТt look convinced, but when she shrugged, I figured she was moving on.
        In any event, time to change the subject. УSo, IТm gonna work on my drawing for studio. HowТs yours coming alongШФ
        Lesley shrugged. УIТm done.Ф
        УAlreadyШ We donТt have class again until next week.Ф
        УIТm not running secret missions at night. I had time.Ф She turned on her heel and headed back into her room. УAnd now itТs time for practice,Ф she said and shut the door behind her.
        You had to admire that kind of focus.
        Since AmieТs room was empty and LesleyТs cello-playing made a pretty good soundtrack to creativity, I grabbed my sketchbook and started drawing. Sebastian might have interrupted my afternoon plans, but he wasnТt going to take over my evening.

13
        ScoutТs room was empty when I woke up the next morning. I showered and pulled on my plaid, grabbed my bag, and headed to the cafeteria. I found her at the end of a long table, surrounded by empty chairs. There was a tray in front of her, and a half-eaten muffin on the tray. A couple of notebooks were open beside it.
        I plucked a box of chocolate milk and a carrot-raisin muffin from the buffet, then took the seat across from her. УYou got an early start.Ф
        She glanced up from the notebook. УYeah. SorryЧwas I supposed to wait for youШФ
        I pulled out a raisin from the muffin and dropped it on the tray. I liked carrots, but raisins were just weird. Like little wrinkly fruit pebbles. No, thank you.
        УWell, we didnТt have a contract or blood oath or anything, but you usually wait for me. Should I ask what youТre working on, or is it secret, tooШФ
        She blew out a breath. УNot secret. Just a spell.Ф
        Three more raisins hit the deck. УI see,Ф I said, although I really didnТt. УHowТs it coming alongШФ
        УIТm not really sure.Ф
        Since she wasnТt playing chatty, I finished cleaning out my muffin and downed the bit that remained. When the bell rang, we grabbed our books, dumped our trash,
        and headed out to pretend to be normal high school juniors.
        I thought about Sebastian pretty much all morning long. I didnТt mean to; he just kept popping into my head. I felt pretty weird about that. I was talking to Jason, after all.
        And when I got a text message from Jason with the deets about our first official date, I felt that much worse.
        УFOR OUR DATE SATURDAYЧHOW ABOUT LUNCHШФ he asked.
        УLUNCH WORKS,Ф I texted back.
        УANY PREFSШФ he asked.
        I thought about it for a second, but decided I wasnТt picky. As long as we got out of St. SophiaТs, IТd be happy. УUR PICK,Ф I told him.
        УIF I COULD, IТD PICK YOU,Ф he said. I swooned a little.
        And speaking of secrets, since IТd been interrupted yesterday, I still had art studio homework and Sterling Research Foundation business. Mom and Dad business.
        After morning classes, I invited Scout to head outside with me. She said no again, and since she was pretty well focused on whatever spell she was working on, she didnТt seem that worried about the fact that I was leaving her alone at lunch again. And this time, I really did plan to be alone. I put a couple of sketch pads and my watercolor kit into my bag, firmed up my courage, and headed out.
        The sky outside was overcast, like a gray blanket had been tossed over the city.
        And because of the clouds, there werenТt any shadows. It made everything seem a little weirdЧa little flatter than before. The St. SophiaТs flag hung limply above the school, no wind to stir it up.
        I started down the street, walking past the bank and slowing when I reached the STERLING RESEARCH FOUNDATION Sign. For a couple of minutes, I stood outside and made myself focus on the architecture. The shape of the windows. The lines of the building. The little details that the original architect had put into it.
        Because I really did have an assignment to do, I made myself think about shapes and shades, and not about the stuff that might lurk inside it.
        The information.
        But I was here, and I had a chance. I made a split-second decision, then brushed my fingers against the SRF sign, like that little touch could give me luck. And then I walked inside.
        A bell rang when I pulled open the front door. The receptionist, who sat behind a long wooden desk, glanced up. She looked pretty young, with short, curly blond hair and blue eyes. The nameplate on her desk read LISA. She took in my plaid skirt and St. SophiaТs hoodie, then smiled kindly.
        УHi there. You must be from the school down the streetШФ
        I nodded, walking slowly toward the desk so that I could get a sense of the reception area. Although the building was squat and old-school on the outside, the interior was bright and modern, with lots of sharp lines and edgy furniture. There was a closed door behind the reception area, and another one on the left side of the room behind an L-shaped sofa.
        I reached the desk, then tugged on my satchel. УYeah, I am. IТm Lily. IТm in an art studio, and weТre supposed to study a building in the neighborhood. Would it be okay if I draw yoursШФ
        УOh, sure, thatТs fine.Ф
        УI just didnТt want you to think I was snooping around or anything.Ф Although I totally am, I silently added.
        УItТs no problem. IТm Lisa, so if anyone gives you any trouble, just find me, okayШФ
        УSure,Ф I said. УThanks a lot.Ф I felt a prickle of guilt that she was being so nice.
        ItТs not like I had bad intentions, but I wasnТt being exactly truthful, either.
        After we exchanged a smile, I began walking to the front door. But then I stopped,
        and I didnТt know what I was going to say until the words were out of my mouth.
        УUm, if you donТt mind me asking, what kind of things do you research hereШФ
        УOh, we donТt actually do research. WeТre a foundationЧwe sponsor other peopleТs research.Ф
        Nerves lit through my stomach. I was getting closer, and I knew it. УOh, yeahШ
        That sounds cool.Ф
        УItТs very interesting,Ф she agreed. УWe fund scientific research projects all over the world.Ф
        Of course they do, I thought, then smiled again. УThanks again for your time.Ф
        УAnytime,Ф she said, then looked over at her computer monitor again.
        That was when LisaТs phone rang. УWow,Ф she said after sheТd picked it up. УYou finished faster than I thought you would. IТll be right up to get it.Ф The handset went down, and she slid out of her chair and from behind her desk, then trotted to the stairs, where she disappeared through a second-floor door.
        I glanced back at her desk.
        Crap. You only live once, rightШ
        When the upstairs door closed behind her, I made my move. I skittered behind her desk, put a hand to the door behind it, and peeked inside.
        It was an office, and a nice one. My heart thudded when I read the nameplate on the desk: WILLIAM PERRY.
        Someone named William had signed the letter to my parents on SRF letterhead Чthe letter that encouraged them to send me to St. SophiaТs and not tell me what they were working on. If this was his office, he was an SRF bigwigЧthe head of the foundation, maybe.
        I wasnТt sure how much time IТd have before Lisa came back, so I glanced around to see what could be checked quickly. There were framed diplomas on one wall, and the opposite wall held a desk with a tall credenza behind it.
        There was a computer on the desk.
        УBingo,Ф I quietly said. I peeked back into the hallway to make sure the coast was clear, then moved in for a look at the computer monitor.
        None of the programs was on, but the guy had a really messy desktop. There were icons everywhere, from files to Internet links to random programs. I scanned them quicklyЧI surely had only a moment before she came back downstairs again Чand decided on his e-mail program.
        When it loaded, the first message in the queue was from Mark ParkerЧmy dad Чand the subject line read, УDNA TrialsЧRound 1.Ф
        My hand shaking, I opened it.
        УDear William,Ф it read. УTo follow up from our last call, weТre beginning to pull in the data from the first round of trials. Unfortunately, weТre not seeing the DNA combinations weТd hoped to see. WeТre still hopeful some adjustments in the component samples will give us positive results in this round, but adjustments mean more time. We donТt want to push the schedule back any further than necessary,
        but we think the investment of time is worth it in this case. Please give us a call when you have time.Ф The message was signed УMark and Susan.Ф
        Somehow, over the thudding of my pulse in my ears, I heard the clacking of LisaТs footsteps in the lobby. I closed the program, ran away from the desk, and held up my paintbrush.
        She looked inside PerryТs office, worry in her expression. УWhat are you doing in hereШФ
        I smiled brightly and held my paintbrush up. УSorry. I pulled this out and dropped it.
        It rolled in here. I didnТt mean to pry.Ф
        УOh,Ф she said, clearly relieved. УWell, letТs get you back into the lobby.Ф
        When I was back in her safety zone, she took a seat behind the desk and gave me a thin smile. УGood luck with your drawing,Ф she said, but she didnТt sound very enthused. I might have had an excuse for being in the office, but some part of her wasnТt buying it. Time to get out.
        УSure. Thanks again for your help. Have a nice day.Ф I practically skipped out of the building, even though the urge to run back into the room was almost overwhelming. My parents had been on the computer in PerryТs office, talking about researchЧand clearly not the philosophical kind.
        I walked outside, heart still beating wildly, and headed to an empty covered bus stop bench. I took a seat and took a moment to process what IТd seen.
        FactЧmy parents knew Foley. She admitted they knew each other, and IТd seen a letter theyТd written to her.
        FactЧthat letter had been written on SRF stationery. That meant my parents were connected to the foundation, and that connection was strong enough that they got to use the letterhead.
        FactЧmy parents had talked to William Perry about УDNAФ and what sounded like experiments. That meant my parents and Perry were still in contact, and they were giving him updates about their work. Whatever that was.
        ConclusionЧmy parents werenТt just philosophy professors, and they were definitely researching something.
        But whatШ And even if you put all those facts together, what did they meanШ And what did they have to do with my being at St. SophiaТsШ
        And then the lightbulb popped on.
        There was one more fact I hadnТt consideredЧScout and I had snuck into FoleyТs office one night to return a folder stolen by the brat pack. While we were there, we found the letter from William to my parents. HeТd also written something like heТd Уinform Marceline.Ф
        William knew Foley, which meant that if I wanted more facts, she was the next person on my list. And although sheТd cautioned me about digging too deeply, it could hardly hurt to talk to her about things, could itШ After all, she was in the middle of the mystery just like I was. Realizing my next step, I walked out of the bus stop and back toward the convent. The school bells began to ring just as I reached the front door of the convent, but I ignored them.
        I wasnТt going to class.
        I walked through the main building and into the administrative wing. Her office was at the end of the hall, MARCELINE D. FOLEY Stenciled across the open door in gold letters. A sturdy-looking woman stood inside, dressed in black, clipboard in hand. One of the dragon ladies.
        I made eye contact with Foley, who sat behind her desk, and stood a few feet away while she and the woman finished their discussionЧsomething about tuition billing issues. When they were done, the woman walked past me. She looked at me as she passed, but didnТt offer a smile, just a tiny nod of acknowledgment.
        My stomach knotted, but I made myself walk to the threshold of the door. I stayed there until Foley looked up at me.
        УMs. Parker. ShouldnТt you be in class right nowШФ
        УI need to talk to you.Ф
        УAboutШФ
        УMy parents.Ф
        Alarm passed across her face, but only for a second. And then she looked like the headmistress once again. УCome in, and close the door behind you.Ф
        I walked inside and shut the door, then sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk, my bag across my lap.
        УI know you told me to think hard before I asked too many questions about my parents. But like we talked about, I know theyТre connected to the Sterling Research Foundation.Ф I paused, gathering my courage to make my confession. УI went there a few minutes ago. IТm going to draw the building for my studio class. I went inside to ask permission, and kind of got a glance at a computer.Ф
        УKind ofШФ she repeated, suspicion in her voice.
        I ignored the question. УI found an e-mail about my parents. It was to William, the head of the SRF, and it was all about their research. Something about DNA results and trials and what they were going to do in the future.Ф
        Foley waited for a moment. УI see,Ф she said. УAnything elseШФ
        УAnything elseШ IsnТt that enoughШ I mean, IТve confirmed theyТre not doing philosophical research. Or not just doing philosophical research. They talked about DNA, so I guess that means genetic research.ФI stopped. УTheyТve been lying to me.Ф
        УTheyТve been protecting you.Ф
        I shook my head. УTheyТre in Germany, but even if they were here right now, IТd feel so far away from them.Ф
        УLily.Ф Her voice was kind, but stern. УI am not privy to the details of your parentsТ work. But I know that theyТre doing important work.Ф
        УWhat kind of important workШФ
        She looked away. A dark knot of fear began to curl in my belly, but I pushed it down. УThey work for the SRFШФ
        УThe SRF funds their research.Ф
        УWhy did the SRF give them advice about sending me hereШФ
        УIt suggests the SRF rendered advice about protecting you from the nature of their work or the circle of those who also engage in it.Ф
        That knot tightened, and I had to force out the words. УWhy would they do thatШФ
        She gave me a flat look.
        УBecause it has something to do with the Dark Elite.Ф
        Her lips pursed tight.
        My legs shook so badly I had to lock my knees to stay upright. The Dark Elite were doing some kind of medical procedures. My parents were doing some kind of DNA experiments. Were they part of the Dark EliteШ
        УDo they know I have firespellШФ I asked, and I could hear the panic in my voice.
        УDo they know IТm involved nowШФ
        She sighed. УThey receive regular updates about you and your safety.Ф
        УAnd thatТs all youТre going to tell meШФ
        УThatТs all I can tell you. ThatТs all IТm allowed to tell you,Ф she added, as I started to protest. УJust as there are rules of engagement for you as an Adept, there are rules of engagement for me asЧФ
        УAs whatШФ
        УAs the headmistress of this school,Ф she primly said.
        I shook my head and glanced over at one of the walls of books as tears began to slide down my cheeks. УThis really sucks.Ф
        УMs. ParkerЧФ
        УNo, IТm sorry, but it sucks. TheyТre my parents. I know less about them than half the people on this block in fricking Chicago, and the stuff I do know is all lies and secrets and half-truths.Ф
        Her jaw clenched. УI believe itТs time for you to return to class, Ms. Parker,
        before you say things that youТll regret and that will result in demerits and punishment.Ф
        I opened my mouth, but she was up and out of her chair before I could say anything.
        She tapped a finger onto the desktop. УRegardless of your concerns about your parents, you are at my institution. You will treat this institution and this office with respect, regardless of the circumstances that brought you here. Is that understoodШФ

        I didnТt answer.
        УIs. That. UnderstoodШФ
        I nodded.
        УLife, Ms. Parker, is very often unfair. Tragedies occur every second of every minute of every day. That your parents saw fit to protect you with certain omissions is not, in the big scheme of things, a substantial tragedy.Ф She looked away.
        УReturn to class.Ф
        I went back to the classroom building. But I walked slowly. And before I even made it out of the admin wing I ducked into one of the alcoves and pulled out my phone.
        Sure, I was equal parts mad at my parents, worried for their safety, and sad about whatever it was they were doingЧand that theyТd lied to me about itЧbut mostly I felt very, very far away from them.
        УARE YOU OKAYШФ I texted my dad.
        I sat with the phone in my hands, staring at the screen, wondering why they werenТt answering. Were they hurtШ In the middle of doing evil things . . . or debating whether to tell me the truth about those evil thingsШ
        Finally, I got a message back. УWEТRE GREAT. HOW ARE CLASSESШФ
        I gazed down at the screen, trying to figure out what to ask him, what to say, how to form the right question . . . but I had no clue what to say.
        How do you ask your parents if theyТre evilШ
        I closed my eyes and rested my head against the cool stone behind me. You didnТt ask, I finally realized. You held off until you knew the right thing to say, until the question couldnТt be delayed any longer. You held off so you werenТt creating unnecessary drama that was only going to cause trouble for everyone.
        Tears brimming again, I set my thumbs to the keyboard. УBORING. TTYL.Ф
        УLOVE YOU, LILS,Ф he sent back.
        Nobody ever said growing up was easy.

14
        Scout could see something was wrong when I walked into class. But it was Brit lit,
        and Whitfield, our teacher, watched us like a hawk. She took it as a personal insult if we werenТt as enthralled by Mr. Rochester as she was. So she skipped the notes and conversation, and instead pressed a hand to my back. A little reminder that she was there, I guess.
        When we were done with class for the day, we headed back to the suite, but I still wasnТt ready to talk about it.
        УSRFШФ she asked, but I shook my head. I was still processing, and there were things I wasnТt yet ready to say aloud.
        We did homework in her room until dinner, and she let me pretend that nothing had happened, that my afternoon hadnТt been filled with questions I wasnТt sure I wanted the answers to.
        I took what Foley said about real tragedy to heart. I knew what she meant, totally got her point. But if my parents were members of the Dark Elite, how could things get worse than thatШ If they were helping some kind of medical work or research for the DEЧif they were trying to help people who were hurting kidsЧhow was I ever supposed to be okay with thatШ
        I had no idea. So I kept it bottled up until I could figure out a plan, until I could figure out the questions to ask, or the emotions I was supposed to feel.
        Eventually, we went to dinner. Like I predicted, you know what was worse than Thursday lunch at the St. SophiaТs cafeteriaШ
        Friday dinner in the St. SophiaТs cafeteria.
        We stood in line, trays in hand, for a good minute, just staring at the silver dish of purple and brown and white and orange mess, grimaces on our faces.
        Without a word, Scout finally grabbed my tray, stacked hers on top of it, and slid them both back into the stacks at the end of the line. УIТm not saying I wouldnТt like to be a few inches taller with, like, crazy long legs, but thereТs no way I hate myself enough to put that stuff in my body again.Ф
        I didnТt disagree, but my stomach was rumbling. IТd skipped lunch for my SRF visit. УSo what nowШФ
        She thought for a second, then bobbed her head. УMrs. M,Ф was all she said, and away we went.
        I had no clue what that was supposed to mean. I still had no clue when she dragged me into Pastries on Erie, a shop a few blocks down from St. SophiaТs.
        (Thank God for Friday nights and a respite from the convent . . . at least during the daylight hours.)

        One entire wall of the bakery was filled by a long glass case of cakes, desserts,
        tarts, and cookies of every shape and size. A dozen people stood in front of it,
        pointing to sweets behind the glass or waiting to make their orders.
        УPastriesШФ I wondered quietly. УI was hoping for something a little more filling.

        УTrust me on this one, Parker,Ф she whispered back. УWeТre not buying retail today.Ф She waved at the tall teenager who was dishing up desserts. УHey, Henry.
        Is your mom aroundШФ
        The boy waved, then gestured toward a back door. УIn the back.Ф
        УIs she cookingШФ Scout asked hopefully.
        УAlways,Ф he called out, then handed a white bakery box over the counter to a middle-aged woman in a herringbone coat.
        УDin-ner,Ф Scout sang out, practically skipping to the beaded curtain that hung over the door in the back of the bakery.
        I followed her through it, the smell of chocolate and strawberries and sugar giving way to savory smells. Pungent smells.
        Delicious smells.
        My stomach rumbled.
        УSomeone is hungry,Ф said a lightly accented voice. I looked over. In the middle of an immaculate kitchen stood a tall, slender woman. Her hair was long and dark and pulled into a ponytail at the nape of her neck. She wore a white jacketЧthe kind chefs wore on television.
        УHi, Mrs. M,Ф Scout said. УI brought someone to meet you.Ф
        The woman, who was dropping sticks of butter into a giant mixer, smiled kindly.
        УHello, someone.Ф
        I waved a little. УLily Parker.Ф
        УYou go to school with our ScoutШФ
        I nodded as Scout pulled out a chair at a small round table that sat along one wall.
        УCop a squat, Parker,Ф she said, patting the tabletop.
        Still a little confused, I took the seat on the other side of the table, then leaned forward. УI thought we were going to dinnerШФ
        УKeep your pants on. Now, Mrs. Mercier is HenryТs mom. SheТs also part of the community.Ф
        That meant that while Mrs. Mercier wasnТt an Adept, she knew Adepts and Reapers and the rest of it existed.
        УAnd,Ф Scout added, УsheТs one of the best chefs in Chicago. She was trained at some crazy-fancy school in Paris.Ф
        УLe Cordon Bleu,Ф Mrs. Mercier said, walking toward us with a tray of flatbread.
        УAnd she enjoys feeding Scout when her parents are out of town. Or when St.
        SophiaТs serves stew.Ф
        УAnd when you add those together, you get pretty much always,Ф Scout said matter-of-factly, tearing a chunk from a piece of bread. УWarm, warm,Ф she said,
        popping it between both hands to cool it off.
        УWhich is pretty much always,Ф Mrs. Mercier agreed, smoothing a hand over ScoutТs hair. УI have three boys. Scout did a favor for my youngest, so I do favors for Scout.Ф
        I assumed that favor was why sheТd become a member of the community.
        Scout handed me a chunk of bread. I took a bite, then closed my eyes as I savored it. I think it was naanЧthe kind of flatbread you found in Indian restaurants Чbut this was hot, fresh, right-out-of-the-oven naan. It was delicious.
        УAnything particular youТd like to sample tonightШФ Mrs. Mercier asked.
        Scout did a little bow. УYouТre the expert, Mrs. M. Whatever youТve got, weТd love to sample. Oh, and LilyТs a vegetarian.Ф
        УYouТre in luck,Ф she said, glancing over her shoulder at the stoves behind her.
        There were pots and pans there, which must have been the source of the delicious smells. УWe made dal with potatoes. Lentils and potatoes,Ф she explained. She put a hand on my shoulder and smiled kindly. УIs that okay with youШФ
        УThat sounds really great. Thank you.Ф
        УYouТre quite welcome. Any friend of ScoutТs is a friend of mine.Ф
        Mrs. M plated up a heaping mound of rice topped by the saucy lentils and chunky potatoes, and brought us glass cups of dark, rich tea that tasted like cinnamon and cloves. She pulled up a chair as we ate, crossing her long legs and swinging an ankle, arms crossed over her chef jacket, as Scout filled her in on our last few weeks of adventures. The dinner was amazingЧeven if stew hadnТt been our only other option. And it felt normal. Just the three of us in the kitchen of a busy bakery,
        eating dinner and catching up.
        It was clear that Mrs. M loved Scout. IТm not sure what specific thing had brought them togetherЧalthough I assumed the youngest Mercier had been targeted by a Reaper and that Scout had helped. That was, after all, the kind of thing we did in Enclave Three.
        When we were done with dinner, Mrs. Mercier walked us back to the front of the bakery. The workday was over, so the bakery was closing up. The OPEN sign on the door had been flipped, and Henry stood in front of the case, spraying it with glass cleaner and wiping it down.
        Mrs. M gave Scout a hug, then embraced me as well. УI need to get a cake ready for tomorrow. Take back some snacks for yourselves and your suitemates, if you like.Ф She disappeared into the back room, leaving me and Scout staring at a good twenty feet of sugar-filled glass cases.
        УHoly frick,Ф I said, trying to take in the sight. I wasnТt really even hungry, but how was I supposed to pass up a choice like thisШ I thought of my dadЧit was just the kind of decision heТd love to make. He probably would have spent ten minutes walking back and forth in front of the case, mulling over flavors and calories and whether such-and-such would be better with coffee or wine.
        A stop at a doughnut place usually took twenty minutes, minimum.
        Scout looked equally serious. Her expression was all-business. УYour mission,
        Parker, should you choose to accept it, is to select an item from the bakery case.
        ItТs a difficult choice. The perils are manyЧФ
        УYou are such a geek,Ф Henry said, the glass squeaking as he wiped it down.
        УWhatever,Ф Scout said, tossing her head. УYouТre a geek.Ф
        УMm-hmm,Ф he said doubtfully. He put his bottle of cleaner and a wad of paper towels on top of the bakery case, then walked around behind it. УAll right, doofus.
        What do you want for dessertШФ
        Scout leaned toward me. УWhatever you getЧIТm eating half of it.Ф
        УGood to know,Ф I said, then pointed at a sandwich made of two rings of pastry stuffed with cream and topped with almonds. УIТll take one of those.Ф
        УExcellent choice,Ф Henry said. УYou have better taste than some people.Ф
        Scout snorted.
        Henry packed it in a small white box, taped it closed, and handed it over with a smile. Then he turned to Scout. УAnd you, little Miss GeekШ What do you wantШФ
        УI am not a geek.Ф
        УOkay, dork. What do you wantШФ
        This time, Scout stuck out her tongue, but that didnТt stop her from pointing to a small tart that was topped with fruit and looked like it had been shellacked with glaze. УTartlet, please,Ф she told Henry. He boxed one up for her, and after teasing her with the box for a minute or two, finally handed it over.
        УYou kids have a great weekend,Ф he said, as Scout and I headed for the door.
        УYou, too, geeko.Ф
        The door chimed as we walked through it and emerged back into the hustle and bustle of Chicago. Couples heading out to dinner and tourists getting in some final shopping hurried up and down Erie. Even though the workweek was officially over,
        the city didnТt seem to slow down. I wondered what it would take for Chicago to be as quiet and calm as my small town of Sagamore . . . and I bet freezing winter winds and a few inches of snow probably did that just fine.
        УTheyТre good people,Ф Scout said as we crossed the street.
        УThey seem great. The youngest sonЧФ
        УAlaine,Ф she filled in.
        УWas he a Reaper targetШФ
        She nodded. УHe was. He went to school with Jamie and Jill. They tagged him when he was pretty far goneЧdepressed all the time, not interacting with his family.

        And how could you not interact with that familyШ TheyТre awesome.Ф
        УThey seem really cool,Ф I agreed. УAnd Mrs. M clearly loves you.Ф
        УI love her back,Ф Scout admitted. УItТs proof that sometimes people come into your life you didnТt expect. ThatТs how a family is made, you knowШФ
        Having been dropped off by my parents at a school I wasnТt crazy aboutЧand having met Scout on my first day at St. SophiaТsЧI definitely knew. УYeah,Ф I said. УI get that. You and Henry get along pretty well.Ф
        УHa,Ф she said. УHenryТs a secret geek. He just doesnТt want to admit it. He watches every sci-fi movie he can find, but wouldnТt tell his friends that. He plays baseball, so sci-fi isnТt, you know, allowed or whatever.Ф
        We walked quietly back down the block, pastry in hand.
        УAre you ready to talk about whatever it is youТre not talking aboutШФ
        I trailed my fingers across the nubby top of the stone fence around St. SophiaТs.
        УNot really.Ф
        УYou know IТm here for you, rightШФ
        УI know.Ф
        She put an arm around my shoulders. УDo you ever wish that sometimes the world would just stop spinning for a few hours to give you a chance to catch upШФ
        УI really do.Ф
        She was quiet for a second. УAt least we have dessert.Ф
        That was something, I guess.
        It wasnТt until hours later, when Scout and I were in her room, listening to a mix of music from the 1990s, that I finally felt like talking.
        УJump AroundФ was blasting through the room. Scout sat cross-legged on her bed, head bobbing as she mouthed the rhymes, her Grimoire in her lap. Since my plans to sketch the SRF still hadnТt worked out, I sat on the floor adding details to a drawing of the convent, filling in the texture of brick and jagged stone while I picked at my pastry. And Scout had been right about thatЧmaybe it was the whipped cream (the real kind!), or maybe it was the sugar (lots of it), but it did help.
        I finally put my sketchbook away, put my hands in my lap, and looked up at her.
        УCan we talk about somethingШФ
        She glanced up. УAre you going to break up with meШФ
        УSeriously.Ф
        Her eyes widened, and she used the remote to turn off the music. УOh. Sure. Of course.Ф She dog-eared a page of her Grimoire, then closed it and steepled her fingers together. УThe doctor is in.Ф
        And so, there on the floor of her room, I told her what IТd seen in the SRF, and what IТd learned in my follow-up visit to FoleyТs office.

        And then I asked the question that scared me down to my bones.
        УTheyТre doing some kind of secret genetic research that they had to stick me in a boarding school and leave the country to work on. And we know the Reapers were using the sanctuary for some kind of medical stuff. What ifЧФ Scout held up a hand. УDonТt you even say that out loud. DonТt even think it. I donТt know your parents, but I know you. YouТre a good person with a good heart,
        and I know they raised you to care about other people. Otherwise, youТd be hanging out with the brat pack right now instead of resting up for whatever is coming down the pipeline tomorrowЧdoing the right thing. The scary thing. I donТt know exactly what your parents are doing right now, Lily. But I know one thingЧthey are not helping Reapers. ThereТs no way.Ф
        УButЧФ She held up a finger. УI know you want to say it so that I can disagree with you.
        But donТt. DonТt even put it out there. ThereТs no way. ItТs a coincidence, IТll admit,
        that weТve run across two mentions of medical or genetic hoo-ha this week, but even coincidences usually have rational explanations. And youТre not thinking rationally. Your parents are not like them. You know that, rightШФ
        It took a momentЧa moment while I thought about all the stuff I didnТt know about my parents right nowЧbut I finally nodded. She was right: Whatever questions I had about the details of their work, I knew them. I knew my dad had floppy hair and loved to make breakfast on Sunday mornings and told horrible, horrible jokes. And I knew my mom was the serious one who made sure I ate green vegetables, but loved getting pedicures while she read gossip magazines.
        I knew their hearts.
        She must have seen the change in my face.
        УOkayШФ
        УOkay,Ф I said.
        УLittle more enthusiasm there, Parker.Ф
        УOkay.Ф
        УYouТre probably going to find out your parents are in Germany working on some kind of top-secret new mascara or something. Ooh, or spy stuff. Do you think theyТd be doing spy stuffШФ
        I tried to imagine my dad playing Jason Bourne, or my mom playing a secret operative. УNot really. ThatТs not really their bag.Ф
        УMascara, then. WeТll just assume theyТre working on mascara.Ф
        My phone picked that moment to ring. I snatched it up, wondering if my parentsТ timing was truly that excellent. But it was Jason. Still pretty excellent.
        УHey. HowТs your Friday night goingШФ
        УPretty uneventful,Ф I told him. Which was mostly true. УWhatТs happening at MontclareШФ
        УPoker night. Except none of us has any money, so weТre playing for Fritos.
        Which Garcia keeps eatingЧGarcia. Lay off my stash, man. How am I going to go all in with four FritosШФ
        In spite of myself, I smiled a little. Scout rolled her eyes and flopped down on her bed. УUgh. Young love makes me totally nauseous.Ф
        I stuck my tongue out at her.
        УSo, about tomorrow. How about I swing by at noonШФ
        УNoon works. What should I wearШФ
        УNormal Lily stuff. Minus the plaid skirt. I meanЧyou should definitely wear a skirt or some kind of pants, but you donТt have to wear your plaid skirt since itТll be a SaturdayЧФ
        УYouТve been hanging around with Michael too much.Ф
        He chuckled. УAnyway, you two girls have fun. IТll see you tomorrow, okayШФ
        УOkay. Good night, Jason.Ф
        УGood night, Lily.Ф
        I hung up the phone and cradled it in my hands for a few seconds. Guilt settled like a rock in my stomach.
        Scout rolled over and looked at me. УOh, cripes. What nowШФ
        I wet my lips. Might as well finish the confession since IТd started it.
        УRemember the other day when I went out to draw over lunchШФ
        УSure. WhyШФ
        УWell, I didnТt actually end up drawing anything. I kind of got distracted.Ф
        УDistracted by whatШФ
        УSebastian Born.Ф
        Scout sat up straight, blinking like she was trying to take in the statement. УI did not expect to hear that.Ф
        УHe found me on the sidewalk. He said heТd wanted to talk to me.Ф
        УAbout whatШФ
        УAbout firespell. He feels responsible, I think, that I have magic. I told him I didnТt want to talk to him, that we werenТt friends. But then he asked me to go somewhere and talk.Ф
        УWell, youТre not going to do it. YouТre certainly not going to go somewhere and talk with himЧФ Her face fell as realization struck. УOh, Lil. You already did it, didnТt youШФ
        УWe walked across the street to the taco place.Ф
        УTaco TerryТsШФ
        I nodded.
        УYou met with a Reaper at a Taco TerryТsШФ
        I shrugged.

        She looked down at her lap, brow furrowed while she thought it over. УI donТt know what to say.Ф
        УI donТt either.Ф
        УIТm not sure if I should ring your neck for going, or congratulate you for the opposition research.Ф She gave me a sideways glance. УI want more info before I decide whether IТm totally peeved.Ф
        УHe gave me a speech about being a Reaper. About how itТs not as bad as people think. About how magic can be a force of change in the world, even if it means sacrificing people.Ф
        УYou donТt believe that, do youШФ
        I gave her a flat look. УI think the sacrifice argument would be a little more believable if they could point to anything decent theyТd actually done in the world.Ф
        УFair enough. But what was the pointШ Was he trying to sway you to their side or somethingШФ
        УI donТt know. I feel like heТs playing some kind of game, but I donТt know all the rules. But I think he definitely believes thereТsЧI donТt knowЧmerit to what theyТre doing.Ф
        УThatТs the Dark Elite ploy,Ф she said. УThatТs how they build their Reaper army.
        СThink of all the wonderful things we could do with all this magic!Т But when was the last time you saw any of those thingsШФ
        I nodded. УHe also showed me how to do something.Ф
        УSomethingШФ
        УHe showed me how to spark my magicЧhow to create this little molecule of energy.Ф
        УAnd he showed you this at the Taco TerryТsШФ
        I nodded.
        She shook her head. УThat is just . . . bizarre.Ф
        We sat there quietly for a minute.
        УAre you totally peevedШФ
        It took her a really long time to answer.
        УIТm glad youТre safe. And I could sit here and yell at you about not being careful,
        but you did exactly what IТd do.Ф She looked over at me. УYou didnТt just go with him because heТs hot, did youШФ
        I gave her a flat look.
        УHey,Ф she said, holding up her hands. УIТm not blind. Just because heТs completely evil doesnТt mean he doesnТt have that tall, dark, and handsome vibe. At least tell me you took the opportunity to interrogate him.Ф
        УTried,Ф I said, Уbut didnТt get much. He denied knowing about Lauren andЧ
        whatТs the other girlТs nameШФ
        УThe French hornistШФ

        I nodded.
        She tilted her head up, eyes squeezed closed. УJoanne or Joley or somethingШ
        LetТs just say French hornist.Ф
        УAnyway, I asked him about them. He confirmed our Grimoire theory.Ф
        Scout paled a little. УTheyТre looking for meШФ
        УThey are. Or at least your spell book. But I think I put the fear into him.Ф
        There was some pretty insulting doubt in her expression. I batted her with a pillow. УI can be fierce when necessary.Ф
        УOnly because you have a wolf at your beck and call.Ф
        УHeТs not at my beck and call. And weТre getting off track. Sebastian denied knowing anything about the monsters, but hereТs the really weird thingЧhe told me to go see the vampires. He said something about the Сmissing,Т and said we needed to talk to Nicu to figure out whatТs going on.Ф
        УA Reaper sending us into the arms of warring vampires. Yeah, that rings a little more true.Ф
        УWhat about the missing thingШФ
        УWhat about itШФ
        I rearranged my knees so that I was sitting cross-legged. УDoes that mean anything to youШФ
        УNot really. I mean, other than me being kidnapped and all.Ф Her voice was dry as toast.
        УYeah, thatТs what I thought, too. He did say Jeremiah was interested in you.Ф
        Scout went a little pale. УI gotta tell you, that does not thrill me.Ф
        УWeТre quite the pair, arenТt weШ TheyТre after you Тcause youТre some kind of wonder sorceress, and IТm some kind of crazy, firespell-wielding Adept.Ф
        УYou know, we could totally turn that into a comic book.Ф
        УWhoТd want to read about pimply teenagers with boy issues and magic problemsШФ We looked at each other before bursting into laughter.
        A knock sounded at the door. УItТs open,Ф Scout said.
        The knob turned, and Lesley stood in the doorway, blinking wide eyes at us. УI need to show you something,Ф she said.
        УWhatШФ Scout asked.
        УIТm not sure, but I think it falls into your jurisdiction.Ф
        Without so much as a word, apparently trusting that Lesley had seen something important, Scout gathered up her messenger bag.
        УLetТs go.Ф

15
        УLetТs go,Ф of course, was easier said than done when we were being stalked by the brat pack. The three of us emerged into the suite to find Veronica walking into AmieТs room, stack of magazines in hand. She wore the kind of grubby clothes that beautiful girls could get away withЧflip-flops, blond hair in a messy knot, rolled-up sweatpants, and a tank top.
        Veronica stopped, free hand on the doorknob, and looked us over. УWhat are you doingШФ
        We bobbled forward as Scout pulled the door shut behind us and hitched up her messenger bag. УWeТre going to find a quiet place to study. What are you doingШФ
        Veronica held up the magazines. УSelf-explanatoryШФ
        УExcellent,Ф Scout said. УGood luck with that.Ф
        УI know somethingТs up,Ф she said. УI donТt know what it is, but I know thereТs something.Ф
        УSomething like how M.K. sneaks out at night to meet her boyfriend, you meanШФ
        I smiled innocently at Veronica.
        She all but growled, but kept her eyes on me. УAre you going to meet JasonШФ
        she asked.
        УOf course not,Ф I said, but I could feel the blush heating my cheeks. IТd never been a very good liar, and while IТd been mostly honestЧwe werenТt planning to meet himЧwho knew what the night would holdШ
        УWhat about John CreedШФ
        There it was again. Veronica was clearly obsessed with Creed. Why not just call the boy and ask him outШ
        УWeТll be studying,Ф Scout repeated. She opened her messenger bag to show Veronica her art history book. УYou want to join usШФ
        Veronica watched us for a minute. УNo, thanks,Ф she said.
        She didnТt say anything else as we headed out the door, but I could feel her eyes on us as we left.
        Lesley led us through the Great Hall and then into the main building. When we got there, she led us down into the basement along the route we used to get to the vault door.
        УItТs down there,Ф she said, pointing down the stairs.
        УWhat isШФ I asked, nervousness building in my chest.
        УYouТll see.Ф
        УDo me a favorШФ Scout asked. УCould you stay up hereШФ

        Lesley didnТt answer, but Scout apparently took her silence as agreement, as she pulled my elbow and tugged me down the stairs.
        We found what Lesley had seen when we reached the corridor just ahead of the vault doorЧa trail of thick, ropey slime that led all the way back to the vault door,
        which stood wide open. There was no glow from the wards.
        УOh, crap,Ф Scout said.
        УYou think itТs fromЧФ
        УWhere else would it come fromШФ She frowned and surveyed the goop. УIt has to be the creatures. Maybe the wards didnТt hold.Ф
        УTemperance faded after a while,Ф I pointed out. УEven with the power boost, the wards might not have held forever. Maybe those Reaper girls broke through them again, and the rat thingies followed them in.Ф
        УAnd then the rats ate the girlsШФ she asked hopefully.
        УOr theyТre working together.Ф
        Scout froze. УThat would be very, very bad. Reapers are awful. Reapers with minions are far beyond awful.Ф
        УWhatТs the other optionШФ
        УMaybe they just skipped in after the girls.Ф
        We both looked up. Lesley stood at the end of the hallway, arms crossed over her chest.
        Scout gave her a look of disapproval. УWe told you to wait upstairs.Ф
        Lesley lifted her nose, and with a voice IТd never heard her use before, gave that attitude right back to Scout. УI am not a child, so donТt talk to me like that.Ф
        It took Scout a moment, but she backed off. УYouТre right,Ф Scout said. УIТm sorry Чbut that doesnТt meanЧФ Lesley cut her off with a hand. УI told you IТd help you,
        she said. УAnd IТm not going to leave just because things get slimy. Literally.Ф
        It took Scout a moment to respond. I understood whyЧeven after IТd taken firespell, she hesitated to bring me into the fold. SheТd worried about my safety; after all, if a Reaper thought I had information about Adepts, they might use me to get to them. It was probably the same fear she had for Mrs. M and for her friend Derek, who worked at a bodega near the school.
        УItТs dangerous,Ф Scout finally said, Уto know too much.Ф
        Lesley took a step forward. УI know what people think about me. That IТm weird.
        That I study or practice my cello, but canТt do anything else.Ф She shook her head.
        УJust because IТm not a social butterfly doesnТt mean IТm not smart or capable. I am,Ф she insisted. УAnd IТm loyal. I just want a chance to be something more than the weird girl, even if you two are the only ones who know it.Ф
        We stood quietly for a minute. IТm not sure what Scout was thinking, but I was impressed. How many friends did you have who offered themselves upЧto danger,

        to the unknownЧbecause they wanted to helpШ Not because they wanted anything in return, or because theyТd get credentials or fame out of it, but because it was the right thing to doШ
        УAnd the dangerШФ Scout asked.
        Lesley rolled her eyes. УTake a step back.Ф
        УWhatШФ
        УTake a step back.Ф
        We did as she asked, and just in time. Without any more warning, Lesley twisted on one heel and kicked so high she would have knocked the ring out of ScoutТs nose if sheТd been standing any closer.
        ScoutТs jaw dropped; mine did, too.
        УHowЧwhereШФ
        УIТm a black belt.Ф
        Scout extended a hand. УYou are so in. Welcome to the community.Ф
        Lesley waved her off. УFirst things first. What do we do about thisЧstuffШФ
        УThe trail ends at the corridor,Ф I pointed out, Уso it looks like they didnТt get any farther than that. Maybe they peeked in, didnТt find what they wanted, and left again.Ф
        УThatТs something,Ф Scout said. УFirst of all, letТs get some help.Ф She pulled out her phone. УIТm going to tell Daniel whatТs up. HeТll have to come through and reward the doors since they found a way to break through our spell. And weТre probably going to have to clean up the slime.Ф
        Lesley raised her hand. УCould we lead the brat pack down here firstШФ
        Scout gave her a pat on the back. УYouТre good people, Barnaby.Ф
        Things I didnТt sign up for when I hopped the plane to OТHare to attend St. SophiaТs School for Girls: firespell; werewolves (but still lucked out there); brat packers; Reapers; snarky Varsity Adepts.
        And slime. Lots of slime that had to be mopped up by Lesley, Scout, and me.
        ТCause what else would a sixteen-year-old girl rather be doing than mopping goo off a basement floorШ
        But we had to erase the evidence. Someone else finding the trail would only lead to questions Scout didnТt want to answer. BesidesЧif we had to come back down to battle anyone, it was a safety hazard. The stuff was really slippery.
        WeТd found a rolling bucket and mop in a janitorТs closet a few corridors away and pushed it down to the slimy corridor. Scout and I swabbed down the slime, and Lesley used an old towel to dry down the floor.
        It took twenty minutes to clean it all up, but when we were done you could hardly tell it had been the sight of paranormal activity.

        Scout put her hands on her hips and surveyed our work. УWell, I think it looks pretty fabulous.Ф
        УAt least it doesnТt look like the room got slimed. WhatТs nextШФ
        Scout looked at Lesley. УCan you head back upstairsШФ Before Lesley could protest at the slight, Scout held up a hand. УI donТt mean back to the suite. I mean stand guard upstairs. ItТs unlikely anyone would find their way down here, but stranger things have happened.Ф When she gave me a pointed look, I stuck my tongue out at her. Not that she was wrong.
        УCan you keep an eye on the basement door and make sure we have time to get it closed down againШФ
        With a salute, but without a word, Lesley headed down the corridor.
        Scout watched her walk away. УOkay, is it wrong that I really like the fact that she saluted meШФ
        УIt probably means that youТre destined to be Varsity so you can have JV Adepts at your beck and call.Ф
        УDo you really think IТd have them at my beck and callШФ
        Scout had once told me that she wanted to run for office one day. Given the sound of her voice, I had a sense she wanted to head up Enclave Three one day,
        as well.
        УWell, as much as youТre at KatieТs and SmithТs beck and call.Ф
        УIТm not at KatieТs and SmithТs anything. WaitЧwhat is a beck and call exactlyШФ
        УI think thatТs when you do their bidding whenever they want.Ф
        She grimaced. УI guess I am that, then. All for one and one for all, and all that.

        Her phone beeped, and Scout pulled it out of her bag again.
        УDanielТs on his way. Should be here in fifteen.Ф
        УSo weТre camping out in the basement againШФ
        She blew out a breath, then crossed her legs and sat down on the stone floor. УI donТt suppose you brought any cardsШФ
        DanielТs estimate had been a little low. It actually took him twenty minutes to get to us. He came in through the vault door, huffing like heТd run all the way through the tunnels.
        УSorry. Got here as fast as I could.Ф He put his hands on his hips. He wore jeans and a smoky orange T-shirt beneath a thin jacket. He glanced through the corridor.
        УYou got the mess cleaned up.Ф
        УIndeedy-o.Ф
        УHow muchШ I mean, how far into the building did they goШФ

        Scout showed him where the trail had led. УThey didnТt get far,Ф she concluded.
        УAlthough IТm not entirely sure why.Ф
        Daniel frowned, then paced to the end of the corridor and back again. УFirst the girls, now the rats and maybe the girls,Ф he said. УThey keep returning to St.
        SophiaТs. But whyШФ
        УSame reason they pinched ScoutШФ I offered. УThey want her GrimoireШФ
        He seemed to think about that for a minute, then nodded. УThatТs the best theory we have right now. LetТs assume thatТs true and build our defenses accordingly.Ф
        He walked back to the door, then began looking it over. УThe wards didnТt hold,
        huhШФ
        Scout shook her head. УNot even. Can you work it so theyТre permanentШ Like,
        theyТd let Lily and me get through, but not anyone or anything elseШФ
        Daniel pressed a hand to the door and closed his eyes in concentration. УYeah, I could probably work that.Ф
        It looked like he was getting started, but I still had a question. УArenТt we going to go after them, or at least see how far they gotШ I mean, we canТt just let the rats run loose in the tunnels.Ф
        He glanced back, only one eye open. УAll the Adepts are accounted for, tucked safe and sound into their beds, with the exception of you two.Ф He didnТt say
        Уtrouble-makers,Ф but I could hear it in his voice. УSo thereТs no immediate risk. Not enough that would justify sending you out on a hunting mission.Ф
        I couldnТt argue with that logic.
        While Daniel prepared to fire up his ward, Scout sent a message to Lesley to let her know that her work was done for the night, and that weТd be up as soon as Daniel was done.
        His method of magic was quite a bit different from ScoutТs . . . or anything else that IТd seen. SheТd said he was a protector. Maybe they had their own special brand of mojo. After heТd communed with the door, he pulled a short, cork-
        stoppered clear bottle from his jacket pocket and held it up to the light, checking it out. A white cloud swirled inside it, like heТd bottled a tiny tornado.
        Daniel sat cross-legged on the floor, facing the door. He pressed his lips to the bottleТs cork, then pulled out the stopper. The mist rushed out. Daniel closed his eyes, smiling happily as it expanded and circled him, swirling around like a magical version of SaturnТs rings.
        УWhat is thatШФ I whispered to Scout.
        She shook her head. УIТm not sure.Ф
        The rings still circling and his eyes still closed, Daniel put hands on his knees and offered his incantation. УSolitude, sacrifice in blackness of night. VisitorЧenemy of goodness and light. Hear the plea of this supplicant, protector of right, and quiet the halls of this reverent site.Ф

        For a second, there was nothing, and then the door flashed with a brilliant, white light that put huge dots in my vision. It took me a few seconds to see through the afterimages. By the time I could focus again, the mist was gone and Daniel had recorked the bottle.
        Scout squeezed her eyes closed. УLittle warning about the flash next time,
        DanielШФ
        He stood up and put the bottle back into his pocket. The doorТs glow faded back to normalcy. No buzzing, no pulsing, no vibrating rivets.
        УThat should hold,Ф he said, Уat least until they find a work-around. As Adepts,
        youТll be able to come and go at will. ItТll only keep out ReapersЧand whatever else they try to drag in here.Ф He pointed toward the other end of the corridor. УThat the way back to St. SophiaТsШФ
        Scout nodded, and we all headed off in that direction.
        УWhat was in the bottleШФ she asked as we took the stairs to the second floor.
        Daniel slid her a glance. УYouТve never seen sylphs beforeШФ
        Scout pointed at his jacket. УThat was a sylphШФ
        Surprisingly, I actually knew what a sylph wasЧor what it was supposed to be.
        My parents had given me a book of fairy tales when I was younger. There was a fable about three sylphsЧwinged fairiesЧwhoТd tricked proud villagers into giving the sylphs all of their youth and beauty. I think УVanity gets you in troubleФ was supposed to be the moral of the story. I always got the sense they looked basically like smallish peopleЧnot clouds of mist.
        As if in answer to ScoutТs question, DanielТs pocket vibrated a little. УThat was many sylphs,Ф he said, Уand since I can still feel them rattling around, I think you offended them.Ф
        They must have been snowflake-small to fit into that tiny bottle, I thought,
        wondering what else the underground had in store. What other creatures were hiding in plain sight, living among Chicagoans even though they had no ideaШ
        УSorry, sylphs,Ф Scout half shouted. УI didnТt mean to offend you.Ф
        УYou probably donТt need to yell.Ф
        УYeah, well, youТre not the one who offended the sylphs, are youШ One can never be too careful.Ф
        УIТd agree with that if I didnТt think you were being crazy sarcastic. IТm assuming youТre actually leading me out of this buildingШФ
        УOf course,Ф Scout said. УWeТre taking the bad-girl exit.Ф
        Daniel lifted his eyebrows. УThe Сbad-girl exitТШФ
        УWalk and talk, people. Walk and talk.Ф
        Lesley was gone when we emerged upstairs, and the main building was quiet.
        Scout silenced Daniel with a finger to her mouth, and we tiptoed across to the administrative wing where the officesЧincluding FoleyТsЧwere located. УWeТre taking the secret exit without the alarm. This is how some of St. SophiaТs busier girls, if you know what I mean, sneak in and out at night.Ф
        УNo way,Ф Daniel said.
        Scout nodded. УWelcome to the glamorous world of boarding school. Where the things that go bump in the night are either horrific creaturesЧФ
        УOr equally horrific teenagers,Ф I finished.
        We followed Scout through the main administrative hallway and into a narrower corridor that led from it. The offices looked dark . . .
        УStudents,Ф a voice said suddenly behind us.
        We froze, then turned around. Foley stood in her open doorway, a candle in one of those old-fashioned brass holders in her hand.
        УI believe itТs past curfew.Ф She slid her gaze to Daniel. УMr. Sterling.Ф It took me a moment to remember Foley knew Daniel because he was our studio TA.
        УSorry for marching through your territory,Ф he apologetically said, Уbut we were on a bit of a mission.Ф
        УA missionШФ
        УInterlopers,Ф Scout said. УThere were Reapers at the gates, so to speak. Daniel here warded the door, and now weТre escorting him out.Ф
        We stood in the corridor silently for a moment, Foley probably debating whether to let us go. Since she didnТt rush to call the cops about the man standing in the middle of her girlsТ school in the middle of the night, I assumed she knew about DanielТs magical tendencies.
        Her voice softened. УYouТre being carefulШФ
        УAs much as we can, maТam,Ф Daniel said. УAndЧI was sorry to hear about your daughter. She was a good friendЧand a good Adept.Ф
        I snapped my gaze back to Foley and the grief in her expression. SheТd had a daughter who was an AdeptШ And sheТd lost herШ
        Foley actually seemed to make more sense now. But before I could say anything,
        her expression went bossy again. She nodded at Daniel, then turned and walked away. УGet back to bed,Ф we heard.
        We were quiet for a moment until I looked at Scout. УDid you knowШФ
        She shook her head. УI mean, I suspected, given the fact that she was in the community, but I didnТt know sheТd had a kidЧor lost her.Ф
        We both looked at Daniel. His brow was furrowed. УI didnТt mean to bring up bad memories. Her name was Emily. She was a green thumb AdeptЧshe could grow trees and vines that practically encapsulated buildings.Ф He paused. УWe think it was a Reaper attack.Ф
        УI had no idea,Ф Scout quietly said.
        Guilt settled heavy in my stomach. УI didnТt either. And I was pretty hard on her earlier today.Ф
        УWe do the best we can with the information we have,Ф Daniel said. УFor now,
        letТs focus on the things we can change. Such as getting me out of here.Ф
        Scout nodded, then gestured down the hall. УThis way,Ф she said. We continued the walk in silence, and didnТt speak again until Scout paused in front of an old wooden door.
        She jimmied the ancient crystal knob. УThereТs no light in here, but you can use flashlights when the doorТs shut.Ф
        We stepped inside, shut the door, and pulled out our flashlights. The room was big and mostly empty, and the ceiling arched above it. The floors were made up of old wooden boards, and along one side was a fireplace that took up almost the entire wall. It was made of rough, pale stones that were still stained with soot. A simple wooden chair, the kind with rails across the back, sat beside the fireplace.
        I shivered. There was something creepy about this placeЧthe empty chair in the otherwise deserted room. I could imagine Temperance living here alone, waiting for someone to conjure her up. I shivered, then wrapped my arms around my shoulders.
        УWhat is thisШФ Daniel whispered.
        Scout walked to a corner of the room and began feeling around on the floor. УNot sure. I think it was the original kitchen for the nuns before they built the new wing.
        Mostly no one comes in here anymore.Ф
        УExcept bad girls,Ф I pointed out.
        УExcept that,Ф Scout agreed. She lifted up a ring, then pulled open an old door that was set into the floor. УRoot cellar,Ф she explained when we walked over. She pointed down into it. УThereТs a door to the yard, and from there you can just walk out the front gate. No alarms or anything.Ф
        Daniel headed into the cellar, disappearing into darkness. I followed him down,
        and Scout followed behind me.
        The root cellar looked exactly how youТd expect a root cellar to look. It was dark and damp, and it smelled like wet soil and plants. The ladder into it was wooden and rickety, as was the door that led to the side lawn. Had the folks whoТd changed the convent into a school with fancy classrooms failed to find the rickety doorЧor had Foley left a secret exit for any Adepts that needed itШ
        Yet another question, but I was already full up for the night.
        The evening was cool, so I tucked my hands into my hoodie pockets and followed Daniel and Scout to the street.
        УThanks for the help,Ф he said. УI might find some Varsity kids and ask them to take a walk through the tunnels. I think youТve already had enough close calls for the week.Ф
        УI couldnТt agree more,Ф Scout said. We said our final good-byes, and Daniel took off at a jog toward the street, then turned and headed out of view.
        УThis has been quite a week,Ф she said as we headed back up the ladder and into the building. УFirst teethy monsters, then vampires, and now Reapers.Ф
        I stopped. УWhat did you sayШФ
        Scout glanced back, then blinked. УWhatШФ
        УJust then. What did you sayШФ
        УOh, uh, teethy monsters, vampires, ReapersШФ
        УTeethy monsters,Ф I repeated. УYou said it the other dayЧthe rat things had fangs. And vampires have fangs, too, rightШФ
        УYeah, but so whatШФ
        I frowned. УIТm not exactly sure.ФI was on the edge of something.... I just didnТt know what.
        She pointed toward the door. УCome on. You can sleep on it and let it percolate in your dreams, or something.Ф
        УActually, I have a better idea.Ф
        УAnd that isШФ
        УI think we need to go visit the vampires.Ф

16
        УYou want to whatШФ
        УI want to go see Nicu,Ф I said. УMonsters with fangs, monsters with pointy little teeth. I mean, I know itТs kind of a long shot, but my gut tells me somethingТs going on there. Besides, Sebastian said we needed to talk to Nicu.Ф I shrugged. УMaybe this is why.Ф
        Her look wasnТt exactly friendly. УSo now youТre following SebastianТs adviceШФ
        УIТm following the only lead weТve got.Ф
        She was quiet for a moment. УThe vampires werenТt exactly friendly the last time we saw them.Ф
        УAnd they may not be friendly this time, either. But what other choice do we haveШ I say we visit the coven and skip the turf war bit altogether.Ф
        УOh, you just want to traipse into a coven of blood-sucking fiends and beg them for helpШФ
        I shook my head. УNot beg, but definitely ask. Do you remember what Marlena said about NicuТs coven being weakШ What if that wasnТt just talkШ Sebastian said something about the Сmissing.Т What if the Reapers arenТt just targeting AdeptsШФ
        Her expression softened. УYou think theyТre taking vampires, tooШФ
        УI donТt know,Ф I admitted. УBut if we find the vampires, and if we offer to help them
        . . .Ф
        УThey might not make breakfast out of us.Ф
        I nodded. УExactly.Ф
        She whistled. УThatТs risky. And even if it doesnТt get us eaten, we donТt know where the coven actually is.Ф
        УNo,Ф I said. УWe donТt. But we know who probably does.Ф
        Fifteen minutes later, we were in the back of a dark green cab with GYPSY printed on the door in white cursive letters. We were heading for BuckmanТs, one of those old-fashioned multilevel department stores a few blocks from St. SophiaТs. I wasnТt entirely sure why we were meeting at a department store, but when the girl with the map tells you to jump, you ask how high.
        The cab ride was short, probably not even a mile. But I stared out the windows the entire time, taking in a view of Chicago I hadnТt seen beforeЧI hadnТt yet been aboveground in the dark. We drove past soaring sky-scrapers, including two that looked like a pair of concrete corncobs, cars stuck into parking spaces right against the edge like tiny steel kernels. We crossed an iron bridge over what I assumed was the Chicago River, and then we passed the marquee of the Chicago TheaterЧ
        УOh, my God,Ф I said, turning to stare as we passed it by. УDid you see thatШФ
        УWhatШФ Scout asked.
        УIn the theater signЧin the marquee. ThereТs a circle inside a Y behind the word
        СChicago.Т Ф
        УFolks say that Y is supposed to stand for the branches of the river,Ф said the cabdriver, glancing up at his rearview mirror to look at me. УYou see Тem all over the city, including over by the theater. Kind of a weird deal, I guess, that theyТre on buildings and such, but there you are. Probably somethinТ to do with politics. ItТs Chicago, after all.Ф
        Scout and I exchanged a glance. I wondered if she wanted to speak upЧto tell the driver that the symbol wasnТt just on the buildings for decoration, that it represented the places where Adepts had fought for the soul of Chicago. But if she wanted to, she didnТt say anything.
        We pulled up outside a tall, squarish building, a clock extending out over the sidewalk.
        УThe shops are closed, ya know,Ф the cabbie said as Scout pulled money from her messenger bag.
        УWeТre just meeting our parents,Ф she said, passing the money over and opening the car door. УThey went to see a show.Ф
        That seemed to work for the driver, who took the money with a nod and watched in the rearview mirror as we scooted across the bench and out of the car.
        We found Detroit outside beneath the clock. She was wearing a brown vest over a long-sleeved shirt, brown suspenders connecting the vest to a pair of wide-
        legged pants with lots of pockets. The map-making locket was around her neck,
        and she had an old-fashioned, silver-tipped walking stick in her hand.
        УThanks for meeting us,Ф I said when we reached her.
        УNo problem. ItТs in everyoneТs interest to deal with the monsters, and if vampires are the way to do it, thatТs the way we do it.Ф She shrugged. УWhat exactly is the planШФ
        УWeТre going to talk to Nicu,Ф I said, offering up the explanation IТd come up with in the cab (the one that didnТt involve a Sebastian-related confession). УThereТs no way the rats could move around the city without intersecting with the Pedway at some point. And if theyТve been on the Pedway, the vamps know about them.Ф
        УSo you want to talk to Nicu,Ф she said. УBut why Nicu instead of MarlenaШФ
        УHe seemed a little friendlier,Ф Scout put in, after giving me a silencing glance.
        УSo weТre trying him first.Ф
        Apparently buying the explanation, Detroit nodded, then walked toward the building and peered inside one of the glass doors. She knocked on the glass.

        УI am now officially confused,Ф Scout said.
        УMe too. What are we doing hereШФ
        УThe Pedway runs through the basement,Ф Detroit explained, as a guard in a tidy blue suit and cap walked toward the door.
        УClosed,Ф the guard mouthed, pointing at his watch.
        Detroit, apparently undeterred, flashed the guard a peace sign. It took a second,
        but the guard nodded, then began the process of unlocking the door with a key from a giant loop.
        УHe supports peaceШФ Scout wondered.
        УI made a Y,Ф Detroit explained, showing Scout the sign again. УItТs recognized by the community. And Mr. Howard here is very much a member of the community. So be nice to Mr. Howard.Ф
        But Scout was too busy with her new trick to be meanЧsheТd made a peace sign and was staring down at her fingers. УGenius,Ф she said, eyes wide with excitement.
        УYouТll have to teach that to Derek and Mrs. M,Ф I pointed out, and she nodded back.
        Mr. Howard held open the door while we moved inside. Once in, he locked it tight again. УYou on the hunt for Reapers tonightШФ he asked politely.
        УNot quite,Ф Detroit said. УBut we appreciate the help, sir.Ф
        Mr. Howard nodded, then gestured toward a set of elevators. УBasement level, if youТre headed into the Pedway.Ф
        УThank you,Ф Detroit said, and we were off again.
        УSeriously, I want to go see Derek right now just to show him this. I know itТs not a big deal, but itТs like having a secret handshake. HavenТt you always wanted to have a secret handshakeШФ
        УNot that I can recall right at this minute,Ф I said, as we followed Detroit through displays of makeup and perfume. УBut IТm excited youТre excited.Ф
        The main lights were off, but it was clearly a department storeЧfloors of merchandise around an atrium in the middle. Although the stuff in the store was modern, the rest of it was old-school fancy. I stared up at the atrium. Fancy gold balconies ringed the floors above us like architectural bracelets, and the entire thing was capped by a pillow of frosted glass. The floor looked like marble. This place must have been really interesting in its heyday.
        We followed the marble path to the elevators. There were two of them; both had brass doors engraved with flowers.
        УThey really spared no expense back in the day, did theyШФ Scout asked.
        УI was just thinking that.Ф
        When the elevator arrived, we stepped inside. Detroit mashed the button for the basement. The one-floor trip was short but jarring. The elevators were definitely old-school, and the jumpy ride felt like it.
        We emerged into an area with lower ceilings and signs for restrooms and customer service areas. A giant sign reading PEDWAY hung on a corridor in front of us.
        УDoes it ever feel like we spend at least thirty percent of our Adept time just traveling aroundШФ I wondered aloud.
        УOh, my God, I was just thinking that, too! We are totally psychic today.Ф
        УYou two are definitely something today,Ф Detroit said. She flipped open her locket, then projected the map hologram against one of the walls of the corridor.
        This chunk of the Pedway was actually much nicer than the last one IТd seenЧthe floors were fancy stone with glittering chips in it, and long wooden flower planters lined the sides. The ceiling above us was a single, long, glowing rectangle, like a superhuge fluorescent light.
        The Pedway diagram looked like a subway map, with red marks in the shape of dropletsЧblood, I assumedЧat certain points along the way.
        Detroit scanned the route, then nodded. УYeah, a couple more blocks, and weТre there.Ф She snapped the locket shut again, then turned on her heel and started walking, her giant pants making a shush-shush sound as she walked. The outfit wasnТt exactly covert, but then again, walking into a home of vampires probably wasnТt all that stealthy, either.
        We walked in silence for a couple of blocks, occasionally going up or down a small ramp but generally staying in the basement level. After a few minutes, the scenery changed to Уdisco office chic.Ф The floors became orangish industrial carpet, the walls dark brick.
        Detroit stopped in front of a glass door with a long handle across the frontЧthe kind you might see in a strip mall office. She looked back at us. УThis is it. YouТll probably want to be ready with the firespell and stuff.Ф
        When we nodded, she pushed open the door. A set of old mini-blinds hanging on the inside of the glass clanked against it like an office wind chime. A haze of gray dust swirled through the air.
        I glanced around. WeТd walked into an abandoned office, the fabric-covered cubicle walls still standing. But instead of separating the room into little mini-offices,
        they made a maze that led farther back into the building. Bass from music being played somewhere in the back echoed through the room, vibrating loose screws in the cubicle walls. I didnТt recognize the song, but УparanoiaФ kept repeating over and over and over again.
        УVampires nest in old officesШФ Scout whispered.
        УVamps nest in whatever space they can find in the Pedway,Ф Detroit explained.
        УItТs lined with parking garages, offices, stores that sell to the business folks who grab lunch, whatever. When an office clears out, it gives the covens an opportunity to split. ThatТs what Nicu did.Ф
        After a glance to make sure we were ready, we began to wind our way through the maze. It ringed around in what felt like a spiral, finally dumping us into a giant circle surrounded by more cubicle walls . . . and filled with vampires.
        Rugs and pillows in various shades of gray were scattered on the floor, and similar fabric was draped over the cubicle walls. The vamps, still in their dark ensembles, lounged on the pillows or stretched on the rugs, but the best seatЧa clear plastic armchair in the middle of the roomЧwas reserved for the head honcho.
        Nicu.
        He wore a long, military-style coat and pants in the same steel gray color, and one leg was crossed over the other. He held a cut-crystal goblet in his hand, and there was no mistaking the dark crimson liquid inside of it. As I looked around, I realized the only color in the room was that same dark red that filled glasses in the hands of other vampires. That explained the coppery smell in the air.
        My stomach knotted, and I moved incrementally closer to Scout, squeezing my hands into fists so the vampires couldnТt see them shaking.
        Nicu gestured at us with his glass. УWhat do we have hereШФ he said, that heavy accent in his voice. УLittle rebels without a causeШФ The vampires snickered, and he didnТt wait for our answer. УTell me this,Ф he said. УIf you reject the Dark Elite,
        what does that make youШФ
        УThe huddled massesШФ one vampire suggested.
        Nicu smiled drowsily. УIndeed. And there can be no mistake that you have walked of your own accord into our nest, yesШФ He glanced from Scout to me, the question in his eyes.
        Out of instinct, I nearly nodded, but Scout held up a hand. УDonТt answer that,Ф she warned. УIf you say yes, you agree you came here willingly. That means you came here to give them blood. WeТre here for information,Ф she told him. УNot trickery.Ф
        Nicu barked out a laugh. УYou enter our home, you have already caused me trouble, and yet you seek to ask a favorШ Danger lurks where you tread.Ф As if to prove his point, he took a sip. The drink left a crimson stain around his lips, which he licked away.
        The vampires began to rise and shift, some of them moving around us, encircling usЧand cutting off our escape route again. I swallowed down fear, but opened the channels of my mind enough to let the energy begin to rush around. If I had to use it, I wanted to be ready.
        One of the vampiresЧa woman in a high-necked dressЧmoved toward us in a spiral that became tighter and tighter.
        УBacks together,Ф Detroit whispered, and we formed a triangle. I put my hands out, ready to strike, and assumed Scout and Detroit were doing the same with the magic at their disposal.
        But it wasnТt until I heard the yelp that I looked back. Detroit was wielding the walking stickЧthe end tipped in silverЧlike a weapon. And from the look of the crimson line that was beginning to trace down the female vampireТs arm, sheТd gotten too close.
        The vampires pulled the wounded female back into the main cluster and tended to the wound on her arm. The rest began arguing with one another, their voices high-pitched. I couldnТt make out what they were saying. Some of it, I think, was in another language. But some of it was more animal than human, like the yelps of fighting cats. We huddled closer together, our shoulder blades touching.
        УSilence!Ф Nicu finally yelled out, gesturing with his goblet, blood slipping down the sides from the movement. It took a moment, but the room finally quieted. It didnТt still, thoughЧweТd agitated the vamps, and they slithered around as if waiting to be set loose on us again.
        Nicu scowled, but nodded at us. УGet on with it.Ф
        УWeТve been seeing things in the tunnels,Ф I said. УCreatures. Not quite human,
        not quite animal. TheyТre naked. Pointy ears. Slimy skin. Lots of teeth.Ф
        УAndШФ
        I swallowed, but made myself say it aloud. УAnd theyТre terrorizing the tunnels.
        Someone nearly helped them breach St. SophiaТs tonight. The ReapersЧthe ones you call the thievesЧbelieve you know something about them. Something about the missingШФ
        Nicu went silent. A vampire from the far side of the room, a tall man dressed in long black layers, rushed to Nicu, the fabric of his clothing swirling as he moved.
        He knelt at NicuТs side and whispered something.
        Nicu looked away. When he finally began to speak, his voice was so quiet I had to lean forward to catch the words.
        УOne of our children is missing,Ф he said, thumping a fist against his chest. УOne of my own.Ф
        Scout and I shared a worried glance. УOne of your vampires is missingШФ
        He nodded, then looked away, a red tear slipping down his cheek. УFor two months now. We have heard nothing from her. Seen nothing of her. Her lover is bereft, and we fear she is . . . gone.Ф
        УAnd you think the thieves were involvedШФ
        УWho else would do such a thingШФ
        УMarlenaШ One of the other covensШ We heard you were fighting.Ф
        Nicu swiped at the tear on his cheek and barked out a laugh. УVampires do not steal from other covens. We may not agree on all things, but we have honor enough.

        I nodded in understanding. Vampires might not do it, but Reapers definitely would.
        And if we were right about the sanctuary, they werenТt above kidnapping someone to take what energy they could. But could that even work with vampiresШ УDo you know why they would have taken herШФ
        Nicu shook his head, but the vampire at his side prompted him with more whispers.
        УWe have heard rumors,Ф Nicu reluctantly said.
        УWhat kind of rumorsШФ
        Nicu met my gaze again, his eyes now fully dilatedЧsinking orbs of black.
        УRumors that the thieves are unsatisfied with their lot. There are rumors . . .Ф
        Pausing, Nicu held his goblet out, and the man at his side took it. Hands empty,
        he sat forward, elbows on his knees, and stared at us with terrible eyes. УThere are rumors the thieves are no longer satisfied with their short human lives. They seek our blood and our secret.Ф
        I frowned at him. УYour secretШФ
        УThe secret of vampire immortality.Ф
        I looked down at the fabric-covered floor, working through NicuТs theory. He thought Reapers had kidnapped a vampire to take the vampireТs blood, thinking that if they had the blood, they had the immortality, and they could use that power to keep their magic forever.
        But then I thought of what Temperance had said about the sanctuary, and I thought of the monsters. I came up with a different theory. A very, very bad theory.
        A cold chill sank into my bones.
        УI donТt think it was just the blood they were worried about,Ф I said, looking up at Nicu again. УAnd I think I know what happened.Ф
        All eyes turned to me. I ignored my nerves and went for it. Vampires or not, Nicu and his band had a right to know.
        УWe discovered a new sanctuary, a new building where the Reapers are doing some kind of work. Medical work. And the creatures that we saw in the tunnels had similarities to vampires. Claws andФЧI made myself get the last word out there
        ЧУfangs.Ф
        Scout turned to stare at me, horror in her eyes. УLily, no. ThatТs not possible.
        They couldnТt haveЧФ I just shook my head, and let them reach their own conclusions.
        УYou think they took one of mineЧused one of my childrenЧto build some kind of abominationШ Some kind of monsterШФ Nicu shook his head and waved a hand through the air. УYou are no longer welcome here.Ф
        УBut we need to find themЧto figure out howЧФ
        УNo!Ф Nicu said, standing at his throne, his jacket falling around behind him. УYou are no longer welcome. Return to your domain, and never speak of this evil again.Ф
        We didnТt waste time arguing.
        We hurried back through the Pedway. Scout texted Daniel to let him know what weТd discoveredЧthat one of NicuТs vampires was missing, and the missing vampire might have somehow been used by Reapers to build the monsters that were trekking through the tunnels and trying to sneak inside St. SophiaТs.
        Had Lauren and her gatekeeper friend been attempting to breach the doors just to let in the ratsШ Once inside, what were they supposed to doШ If they started attacking schoolgirls, their existence was definitely out of the closet. And Scout and I would have to battle them back, which meant our magic was out of the closet, too.
        Maybe that was the point. Did the Reapers hope the move would make us rejoin the Dark EliteШ Like weТd go back to the mother ship for safety once we were outed as AdeptsШ
        Frankly, I wouldnТt have put it past them. That sounded like the kind of plan Reapers would come up with. It also sounded like the kind of plan Sebastian might have known about. I made a mental note.
        We reached the pretty portion of the Pedway again, walking quietly along until Scout held up her hand. We stopped, and before I could ask what sheТd seen, she put a hand to her lips. We stood in the middle of the Pedway, soft jazz playing above us, waiting . . .
        That was when I heard what sheТd heard: movement and hard-soled shoes on the Pedway in front of us.
        УHide,Ф Scout said, shooing us all toward half walls that extended out on each side of the hallway. She and I squeezed behind one; Detroit ducked behind the other. We all peeked around the walls.
        Vampires.
        It was Marlena and her minions, sauntering through the Pedway like a queen and her entourage. But that wasnТt all.
        УOh, crap,Ф Scout said. УTheyТve got Veronica.Ф

17
        УWhat are we going to doШФ I asked, watching two of MarlenaТs minions drag a cursing Veronica down the Pedway. Her hair was falling down and her cheeks were streaked with tears and mascara, but it didnТt look like sheТd been bitten.
        On the other hand, total brat drama had now become Adept drama.
        УWhat is she doing down hereШФ I whispered.
        Scout sighed heavily. УShe probably followed us into the basement one night,
        then decided to play Nancy Drew. SheТs been watching us like a hawk this week.Ф
        УAnd she probably thinks we were with John Creed,Ф I realized, the puzzle pieces falling together. УSheТs been interrogating me about him all week. She thinks weТre buds because he and Jason are friends.Ф
        УNothing to do about it now,Ф Scout said, taking a step into the Pedway. I followed,
        and Detroit did the same.
        The vampires began to hoot, the minionsТ grip on Veronica tightening as she began to demand that they let her go.
        Marlena stepped around her vampires, this time wearing a tweed dress, fur wrap,
        and those old-fashioned stockings with the dark line up the back. She put her hands on her hips. УDid you lose something, darlingsШФ
        УLet her go,Ф Scout said. УOr you get magic and firespell and a silver-tipped walking stick, and you get knocked back into the nineteen forties where you belong.Ф
        Marlena hissed. УThis is not a game, little one.Ф
        УI am so sick of people telling me that,Ф I muttered, raising my hands. I relaxed and let the power begin to flow, letting it collect in my hands so that I could toss it out if necessary.
        УDid you invade St. SophiaТsШФ Scout asked.
        Marlena arched a darkly penciled eyebrow. УWe hardly have need for that, iubitu.
        Not when she is wandering through the corridors alone.Ф
        УBingo,Ф Scout muttered.
        УLet go of me!ФVeronica screamed again, yanking at her arms as she attempted to break free.
        Marlena had apparently had enough. She turned and slapped Veronica across the face, leaving a red welt across her cheek. УSilence!Ф
        VeronicaТs howls turned to silent weeping. Scout took a precautionary step forward.
        УMarlena, if you have issues with us, you need to let her go. SheТs not one of us,
        and has nothing to do with this. She will only bring attention to your kind.Ф

        MarlenaТs expression faltered for a second, but then went stone-cold again.
        УLiar.Ф
        УSheТs a normal,Ф I confirmed. УYou keep her down here, and things get very,
        very ugly for you.Ф
        УUh, ladies, speaking of ugly, weТve got a problem.Ф We turned to see Detroit looking behind us.
        I hated to turn around, but I wasnТt exactly in a position to run. Slowly, I glanced back as well.
        Vampires. An entire crowd of them, moving in from behind us.
        But these were a different kind of vampire. They were NicuТs.
        Nicu stepped through them to the front of the horde. He nodded at me and Scout and Detroit, then took in Marlena.
        УThey are children,Ф he said. УLet her go.Ф
        УShe is mine. My catch. My bounty. My prize.Ф She rolled the R in СprizeТ like an opera singer, and the sound sent a chill down my spine.
        УShe is not part of this world, and your bringing her into it will not help.Ф He inched closer, as did the vampires behind him.
        УWhen itТs time,Ф I whispered, УIТll grab Veronica. You two jump to the right, and then we make a run for it.Ф
        Detroit nodded, but Scout looked worried.
        УFirespell,Ф I reminded her. УIf they get me, I take them out.Ф
        She blew out a breath and nodded, then turned her attention back to the vampires and the turf war weТd gotten stuck in . . . again.
        Marlena put her hands on her hips. УYou choose children over your own kindШФ
        УThey have offered their help. They have come to us with information and have treated us as equals. In this, yes. We choose children over those who would forsake us.Ф
        In the silence, Nicu and his vampires took another step forward, then another,
        until they were directly behind us. I wasnТt thrilled about the proximity, but I trusted him a lot more right now than I did Marlena.
        УThen let us decide this once and for all.Ф
        УNot liking the sound of this,Ф Scout said.
        УDetroit,Ф I whispered, hoping the myths about vampires were true, Уwhen I give the word, point the locket at the vamps holding Veronica.Ф
        УGot it,Ф she said with a nod.
        УOn one,Ф I said, leaning forward just a bit to prepare myself for the steal. УThree
        . . . two . . . one!Ф
        Detroit popped open her locket, light flashing into the corridor as she aimed it toward MarlenaТs vampires. They raised their hands to their faces, hissing at the light, releasing Veronica. I jumped forward and grabbed her, then pulled her back behind the half wall, Detroit and Scout behind me.
        I dumped Veronica onto the floor, looking her over for wounds. She was quiet now, shock obviously setting in. In the vacuum behind us, the covens of vampires rushed together, NicuТs vampires scratching and clawing as they fought for the right to exist, Marlena fighting back the vampires whoТd tried to escape her.
        Nicu ran through the fray to reach us, stopping as he stared down at Veronica.
        She looked up at him with wide eyes, and his own widened in surprise.
        I glanced over at Scout, who shrugged.
        A second later, Nicu blinked, then looked at me. УRun,Ф he said. УAs fast as you can. Get her to safety and then find the monsters. Dispatch them.Ф
        We ran.
        Detroit led the way back to the Enclave. Scout and I each had an arm around Veronica, half walking and half carrying her through the dark tunnels, the light of DetroitТs locket guiding the way. Detroit used ScoutТs phone to send a message to Daniel. By the time we arrived at the Enclave, we found Katie, Smith, Daniel,
        Michael, Jason, and Paul waiting. The twins must have still been off on their own mission.
        The mood wasnТt exactly light, and seeing Veronica didnТt help. But Daniel stayed calm. He directed Katie and Smith to help Veronica, then clustered the rest of us together.
        УThe vampires are missing one of their coven,Ф he said. УThe Reapers have,
        perhaps, used the sanctuary to build these monsters. They have put Adepts and vampires, the Pedway and St. SophiaТsЧthe whole cityЧat risk. This ends tonight.Ф
        Scout and I looked at each other, but nodded. We knew what needed to be done.
        We had to find them, and we had to take them out.
        УWeТll deal with the girl,Ф he said. УYou start at the sanctuary. God willing, it will still be empty of Reapers. Either way, destroy the monsters.Ф
        УWeТll do it,Ф Jason said.
        УYouТve got to,Ф Daniel advised. УIf you canТt, weТre all in trouble.Ф
        Jason took the lead, and Paul was at our back. The rest of usЧMichael, Scout,
        Detroit, and meЧwere clustered into groups in the middle.
        This time, we needed speed, so we decided to try the shortcut, hoping the vampire squabble had played itself out. We didnТt see anything out of the ordinary until we made it to the Pedway. But when we emerged from the janitorТs closetЧ
        one careful Adept at a timeЧthings got more interesting.
        The hallway was empty but for five scratched and bleeding vampiresЧNicu and four others.

        УIs she okayШФ Nicu asked.
        If heТd developed a thing for Veronica, I was going to be totally freaked-out.
        УSheТs fine,Ф I told him. УSheТs being cared for.Ф
        УWill you erase her memory of these eventsШФ
        I looked over at Scout, who nodded. УSheТs not the type weТd trust in the community. She might use the information against us. One of the other Adepts will work their magic, and sheТll have no memory of what transpired. It wonТt hurt her,
        she added, at the obvious heartbreak in NicuТs eyes.
        Did love at first sight really operate that quicklyШ
        УThen thatТs the way it must be,Ф he said, resigned.
        УAnd your covenШФ I asked him. УAre you okayШФ
        УWe have survived the night,Ф Nicu said, Уso we are now a coven in our own right.Ф
        Oh, awesome, I thought. WeТd actually helped the vampires establish themselves. I really hoped that didnТt bite us in the butt later.
        УGood night, Adepts.Ф Nicu placed his hand over his heart, and then the entire group of themЧall at onceЧbowed to us.
        Detroit worked her magic on the stairwell doors, and we popped back into the tunnels again. If the rats were back, there wasnТt any sign of them.
        УYou think that means theyТre goneШФ Scout asked.
        УI think that means they donТt shed slime all the time,Ф Jason said. УAt least, thatТs my guess.Ф
        УAnd even if they were here,Ф Scout said, Уthe Reapers could have cleaned up after them. Who knowsШФ
        When we reached the sanctuary, we peeked around the alcove and into the final corridor. The doors were closed, the lights off.
        But there was a trail of slime that led from the corridor into the sanctuary.
        УAnd theyТre back,Ф Michael muttered.
        УHonestly,Ф Detroit said, УIТm a little glad to see the slime. I was beginning to worry that IТd imagined it all.Ф
        УNo such luck,Ф Scout and I simultaneously said. Scout glanced over at Detroit.
        УThe trip wires,Ф she said. УGot anything for thatШФ
        УAs a matter of fact, I do.Ф After searching her pants pockets, Detroit popped another black pill into the hallway, letting the magic smoke illuminate the trip wires.
        Then she unzipped a long pocket along her knee and pulled out a childТs spinning top.
        УQuick invention,Ф she said, Уbut I think it will work.Ф She crouched down and put the top on the floor, then gave it a twirl. It wobbled, but began to spin, whirring as it gathered speed and moved down the hallway toward the double doors.

        And as it spun, it began to spindle both the magic smoke and the trip wires the smoke had revealed. In a few seconds, the hallway was clean, the top glowing with newly bundled magic.
        УSeriously, I think thatТs the coolest thing youТve done so far.Ф ScoutТs tone was reverent.
        УGlad you like it,Ф Detroit said. She walked down and collected the top, then held it out to Scout. УI thought you could have it. You can unspindle the trip wires. Make them your own.Ф
        With her eyes gleaming like it was Christmas morning, Scout accepted the gift.
        УAll right,Ф Jason said. УNow that the coast is relatively clear, letТs get this show on the road.Ф He stopped in front of the double doors and glanced back.
        УEverybody readyШФ
        When we nodded, he pushed them open. One by one, we tiptoed inside.
        УLily,Ф he whispered. УLights.Ф
        I pulled the power and sent it upward. Long rows of fluorescent lights above us stuttered to life.
        We were in a hallwayЧthe kind you might see in a hospital. Wide corridor, pale green walls, doors on the right and left . . . and a long trail of slime leading back toward other rooms.
        УStay here,Ф Jason said, then began to move forward, peeking through the rooms on the right-hand side of the corridor. When he reached the second door, he stopped.
        УWhat is itШФ Scout whispered.
        He beckoned us forward, then walked inside. We followed him . . . and gaped.
        Temperance had thought the sanctuary was a clinic. But this didnТt look like any clinic IТd ever seen. The center of the room was lined with counters topped by pieces of medical equipment. And the walls were covered by whiteboards. Some with lines and lines of formulas, others with writingЧtheories about vampires and immortality and magic.
        And how to keep it forever.
        We stopped and stared at the last board.
        Photographs had been stuck there with magnetsЧphotos of Reaper works in progress. The rats, from tiny nubbins to full-grown creatures. For a second, I felt a little sorry for them.
        УWe were right,Ф I said. УThey were doing experiments, and vampires were their model.Ф
        Hands on her hips, Scout gazed at the pictures. УWhat were they trying to doШ
        Build some kind of forever-magic superbeingsШФ
        УMaybe,Ф Jason said. УOr maybe just figure out if there was a source for the immortality.Ф

        УMaybe it has something to do with the slime,Ф I suggested. УMaybe the slime served some kind of purpose. Like, I donТt know, some kind of immortality elixir or something.Ф
        УThat is totally rank,Ф Scout said, her face screwed into a look of disgust. УBut I wouldnТt put it past them.Ф
        УTemperance must not have known what these were,Ф Detroit said. УIf she had,
        sheТd have known this wasnТt a clinic.Ф
        УIТm sure she did the best she could,Ф Scout said.
        УWeТll let our guys figure out the details,Ф Jason said. УScout, take pictures of the whiteboards so we can turn them over. Lily, as soon as sheТs done, erase them. All of them. WeТre not helping them preserve whatever СscienceТ theyТve done here.

        We followed his directions. Scout walked slowly around the room, snapping photos with her camera so we had proof of what the Reapers had been up to. I followed behind her. Each time she snapped a photo, I used my sleeve to wipe off the writing.
        When the room was clean and ScoutТs phone was tucked away again, we headed back into the hallway. The rest of the rooms on the mazelike floor were either research labs, or more like the medical facilities Temperance had described.
        There were needles, bandages, and monitors just like sheТd said, but not for healing. For experimenting.
        The whole place had an awful vibe. And then we rounded a corner . . . and walked right into the nest.
        The rats had taken up an entire corridor, the walls and floor coated with slime.
        Dozens of them slept in a pile in one corner.
        Home sweet home, I thought.
        Detroit screamed.
        Chaos erupted.
        Jason immediately shifted, his giant silver wolf taking the attack. He pounced on the back of a rat, which began squealing and screeching and trying to throw him off.
        I looked over at Michael, who stood in the middle of the room, eyes wide with fear. I pulled him away, then planted him beside the wall on the other end of the corridor. УStay here, okayШФ
        He nodded, but pointed at Scout. УI think she needs help.Ф
        Scout was throwing what looked like marbles at the rats. Each time they made impact, they sent a shock wave through the creaturesЧtheir skin wobbling in circular ripples just like on a slow-motion camera. Unfortunately, while the shock waves moved the rats back a few feet, they didnТt stop coming.
        I looked around the roomЧand found the same problem all over. Everything we were doing was working, but only to a point.

        УThis isnТt doing much good,Ф Paul yelled, tossing one rat over his shoulder. УItТs not killing the rats!Ф
        That was when the gears clicked into place. ScoutТs spell might have worked before, but normal combat wasnТt going to do the trick. УThatТs because theyТre not really rats!Ф I yelled over the din of battle. УScout, what takes out vampiresШФ
        УThe usual stuff!Ф she yelled back. УFire, stakes, garlic, crosses, silver, and, you know, dismemberment.Ф
        I decided to leave that one to Jason. УRemember theyТre related to vampires!Ф I called out to everyone else. УSo hit Тem where it hurts!Ф
        I went with my best weapon. Firespell wasnТt exactly fireЧit was Jamie who had that powerЧbut it was as close as I was going to get. There was too much chaos to try an all-out burst of itЧtoo high a chance that IТd hit an Adept. But Sebastian had said I could use it in pinpoint fashion. Might as well try that now.
        I maneuvered around until I had a clear shot at one of them, then squeezed my hands into fists. I opened myself to the power, but instead of trying to throw it all back out again, I lifted a single hand, my fingers cupped, and visualized sending that single burst of magic into one of the creatures, the way Sebastian had taught me.
        And then I let it go. It still warped the air, but it was focusedЧthe firespell moving in the air in a tight spiral that ripped toward the monster and hit him square in the chest.
        He went down . . . and he didnТt get back up.
        Sebastian might have been evilЧbut he definitely had some firespell skills. And maybe because it was kind of like fire, vampires werenТt immune to it.
        Together, the four of us used our magic to knock out the rats one by one. It wasnТt easyЧthere were so many of them, we hardly had time to get one on the floor before the next one attacked. Even with my focused attack, IТd gotten too close to their claws and had burning scratches up and down my arms and legs as I fought back the army.
        I finished up the knot closest to me, then glanced over at Scout. She was using a pencil from her bagЧa make-do wooden stakeЧto take out a rat in front of her. It worked, and he hit the ground, but the rest of them were beginning to surround her.
        УScout!Ф I yelled over the sounds of fighting and squealing monsters. УDuck!Ф
        She did, and I threw out another dose of firespell, which put the creature lurking behind her on the floor. Then she popped up again, gave me a thumbs-up, and knocked out the one in front of her.
        УLily!Ф
        At the sound of DetroitТs voice, I glanced back, expecting to see her encircled by monsters. But there was a pile of them at her feet, her silver-tipped walking stick between both hands like she was wielding a sword. For an Adept who wasnТt supposed to be a fighter, she was definitely holding her own. But she used the stick to point into the other cornerЧwhere Jason was quickly getting surrounded.
        I couldnТt see JasonТs entire body, just bits of bloody fur as he leaped and rolled with the monsters.
        УJason!Ф I ran forward toward the melee, my hands outstretched, spiraling the firespell at each monster that jumped forward to attack him.
        One of them jumped out at me, but I tossed firespell in his direction. He was too close for a shot and the bobbling air nearly bounced back to knock me down as I moved toward Jason, but I shimmied and sidestepped it.
        I became a dervish, spinning and tossing firespell at anything and everything that stood between me and him. I finally reached him and helped him claw his way out of the pile. When the path was clear, he sat back on his haunches, tongue lolling as he caught his breath.
        I couldnТt help but smile down at him. УGood dog.Ф
        He might have been in wolf form, but the look he gave back was all Jason Shepherd. He shifted back, scratches on his face and arms, and looked around.
        УThanks,Ф he told me. I nodded and squeezed his hand.
        We stood, chests heaving, in the middle of a room full of dead rats. Whatever genetic engineering the Reapers had done, they really hadnТt done much for their postmortem longevity. They were beginning to smell.
        He glanced around. УEveryone okayШФ
        Scout wiped at her brow with the back of her hand. УIТm good.Ф
        УIТm tired, but fine,Ф I added.
        Michael and Paul gave waves from their corners of the room.
        Detroit looked up. УIТmЧIТm notФ was all she got out before pulling up the knee of her pants. There was a giant bite on the outside of her calf; blood was everywhere.
        Jason reached out to grab her before she went down, but didnТt quite make it. She stumbled backward into the wallЧand into some kind of emergency button.
        A piercing alarm began to ring through the sanctuary.
        Jason let out a curse. УThat might alert the Reapers,Ф he yelled over it. УWeТve put the monsters down, and now we have got to get out of here.Ф
        Detroit slid onto the floor. УIТm not sure I can make it out.Ф
        УYou just need a little help,Ф he said soothingly, then scooped her up and into his arms. УIТm taking the lead, and IТm going as fast as I can. Stay close behind in case we missed anything.Ф
        He began running down the hallway. Michael snatched DetroitТs walking stick and took off behind him. Scout and I followed through one corridor after another . . . at least until she stopped short. I watched Jason, Paul, and Michael disappear around another corner.

        УScout, come on! Reapers might be coming, and we need to go.Ф I tugged her arm, but she wouldnТt move.
        She pulled her arm free. УI canТt go, Lily. IТve been in the missing vampireТs positionЧbeing hurt and alone. And what theyТve done is awful. We canТt leave it intact and let them continue the work. We just canТt.Ф
        УScout, we have to go. DetroitТs injured andЧФ
        УYou donТt have to be here. IТve been working on a spell. I can plant it alone and get out afterward. You donТt have to be here.Ф
        That, I realized, was what sheТd been working on her in room. Getting rid of the sanctuary had been her plan all along.
        УI was one of them, Lily. I know how they workЧhow much it hurts, how bad it feels.Ф She slapped a hand to her chest. УIТm an Adept. I make a promise every day to help the people they try to hurt. To stop them from doing it. I canТt leave this place here for them to use at will. I canТt.Ф
        Tears began to brim in her eyes. УI canТt.Ф
        We looked at each other for a moment, before I nodded. УThen I stay. And I help.Ф
        She shook her head. УYou should go. You used up all your firespell.Ф
        УI think Sebastian taught me how to make my own power.Ф
        Her eyes went even wider. УLilyЧФ she began, but I shook my head.
        УIТve already kind of tried it, and I think it will work. You need it, and thatТs all I need to know to try again. WhatТs your spell supposed to doШФ
        УImplode the sanctuary.Ф
        Well, that would probably do it.
        УWonТt that take down the buildings on the streetШФ
        She shook her head. УItТs a pinpoint spell. ItТll wipe down the interior, but leave the architectureЧthe hardwareЧintact. ItТs like cleaning off your hard driveЧthe hard driveТs still there afterward, rightШФ
        I still wasnТt crazy about the ideaЧone wrong move, and we single-handedly brought down whatever building happened to be above usЧbut she was rightЧwe couldnТt just leave this place intact. Decision made, I nodded back at her. УOkay.
        What do we doШФ
        She reached into her bag and pulled out one of the tiny houses from her shelf.
        УWe have to set this spell. Then I give the incantation, and we run.Ф
        УCan you take down a building this bigШФ
        УI donТt know. I havenТt actually tried it. And even better, IТm only going to get one shot.Ф
        An idea bloomed. I reached out my hand toward Scout. УThen we make that one shot count. Give me your hand.Ф

        УYou want to help me trigger itШФ
        УIt worked last time.Ф
        УIt hurt last time.Ф
        УAnd itТs probably going to hurt this time, too. But if thatТs what we need to do, itТs what we need to do. And weТre in this together.Ф
        УYouТre the best.Ф
        УI know. But mostly I want to get out of here. Preferably in one piece.Ф
        She nodded, then walked into the room and put the tiny house on one of the tables. When she made it back to me, we let the door close in front of us. Scout offered her hand. I gripped it tightly in mine.
        Before we could begin, Michael ran back around the corner. УWhat are you doingШ We need to go.Ф
        УMichael,Ф I said. УRun. Tell Jason to get out of the building, and tell everyone to huddle down at the other end of the corridor. WeТll be right behind you. We promise. But for now, weТve got to take care of the sanctuary. Go now.Ф
        I saw the hitchЧhe wasnТt sure if he should leave us.
        Scout looked back at him. УDo you trust meШФ
        His face fell. УScoutЧФ She shook her head. УI have to do this, Michael. And I need you to trust me.
        OkayШФ
        He ran to her and whispered something in her ear. She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a fierce hug, then pressed a kiss to his cheek.
        УRun,Ф she said, and Michael took off. I trusted Scout just like he did, but that didnТt mean I didnТt still cross my fingers for luck.
        Scout moved back, took my hand, and closed her eyes. УYour cue is Сnight.Т When I hit that, fill me up.Ф
        УLetТs do this,Ф I agreed, and then she began.
        УWe are bringers of light.Ф
        I closed my eyes. Instead of pulling in power from the world around usЧpower that IТd had trouble controlling the last timeЧI imagined a spark blooming of its own accord. Bright and green, shaped like a dandelion.
        УWe are fighters of right.Ф
        I opened my eyes. There, in front of me, hovered a tiny green spark. Small, but condensed. A lot of power in one tiny ember.
        УWe must pull this place in, and make safe the night.Ф
        I pulled the spark into both of us. It bloomed and blossomed and spilled outward. I opened my eyes, and through the window in the door saw the tiny house explode into shards of light.
        And then it began.

        Like a tornado had suddenly kicked up in the Chicago underground, all the stuff in the buildingЧdoors, walls, tables, medical implementsЧwas sucked behind us.
        Scout and I yanked our hands away from each other. It definitely hurtЧmy fingers burning like IТd stuck them into a roaring fireЧbut we were still on our feet.
        And then we ran like the rats were still after us.
        We hurdled spinning lamps and dodged computer gear, pushing ourselves against walls to avoid the doors that came hurtling toward us. Scout stumbled over an office chair, and I grabbed and pulled her along until she was on her feet again.
        And the soundЧit was like a freight train roaring toward us.
        The walls began to evaporate, drywall and wiring sucking back toward the center of the spell. Finally, we turned a corner, and there were Jason and Michael, holding open the double doors that led out of the sanctuary.
        It was getting even harder to run, like we were swimming through molasses. The nightmare flashed through my mind, the door I hadnТt been able to reach.
        But this was real life, and I wasnТt about to go down in a sanctuary in some nasty tunnel. I pushed forward like I was racing for the finish line. We made it through the doors just as they were pulled off their hinges and into the current.
        We ran to the other end of the corridor and hunkered down in the threshold of the tunnel with Jason, Michael, Paul, and Detroit, and then we watched it happen.
        All of the stuffЧeverything but the concrete support columnsЧwas sucked backward into an ever-tightening spiral. It swirled around and closed in, becoming a sphere of stuff. And then, with a pop and a burst of light, it was gone.
        There was silence for a moment as we stared at the husk of the sanctuaryЧa place the Reapers could no longer use to hurt anyone, or try to further their own magic.
        УNow that,Ф Scout said, Уwas a good spell.Ф

18
        Maybe needless to say, we slept in Saturday morning. There was something about working serious magical mojo that pulled the energy right out of you.
        After checking in with Scout and reading a message from Daniel (Detroit was doing fine, and VeronicaТs memories of the capture had been ixnayed by Katie,
        who had manipulation power), I finally managed to pull on jeans and a hoodie so I could scrounge through the cafeteria for some breakfast. I nabbed a tray and loaded it with energy: juice, yogurt, and muffins for me, and a plate of eggs, bacon,
        and toast for Scout. I ignored the stares as I carried the tray back through the Great Hall. They thought I was weird, and I might have been. But IТd also worked my tail off keeping them safe, and I deserved a little weirdness now and again.
        When I got back, I went directly to ScoutТs room. We chowed down without speaking, finally mumbling something about being tired when weТd cleared the tray of pretty much every crumb. Although I was still contemplating a trip over to Mrs.
        MТs for a postbreakfast.
        And that was pretty much how the rest of the morning went, at least until we made the transition to my room.
        After all, it was Saturday, and I had a date.
        With a werewolf.
        I know, I know. I play the unique, totally hip, magic-having, brilliant, always-
        together teenager.
        Of course, the УteenagerФ bit is the most important part of that sentence. That was the part that made me change clothes four times, flipping through skirts and jeans and tops and scarves until the floor was pretty much covered in fabric. Scout read a magazine on my bed, generally not helping.
        SheТd suggested I wear a Уpotato sack.Ф
        What did that even meanШ
        The sun was out, so I settled on skinny jeans, a tank, and a half-cardigan. I shooed Scout out of my room and locked the door behind us, then settled the key around my neck. I was getting used to wearing it, and there was something about the weight of it that was kind of familiar.
        Outside my door, Scout yawned again, back of her hand at her mouth. УYou wanna go to dinner when you get backШФ
        УSounds like a plan.Ф
        She nodded, then began to trudge toward her door. УIТll be in my room. Wave at the gargoyles for me.Ф
        I snorted. УYeah, Тcause theyТre gonna wave backШФ

        She arched an eyebrow.
        Right. We were at St. SophiaТs.
        But it was also a weekend at St. SophiaТs, so the buildings were pretty quiet as I walked to the front door. Some of the girlsТ parents picked them up for a weekend visit home; some of them headed outside to explore the city.
        MeШ I was going on a date with a werewolf.
        He stood at the edge of the grounds in jeans and a tucked-in, button-up shirt in the same spring blue as his eyes. In his hand was an old-fashioned picnic basket.
        УHello, Lily Parker,Ф Jason said, leaning forward and pressing his lips to mine.
        УHappy Saturday.Ф
        УHappy Saturday.Ф
        УOur goal for today,Ф he said, Уis to pretend to be normal for a few hours. So I thought weТd spend our time outside. In the sun. And not underground.Ф
        I smiled grandly. УGreat minds think alike.Ф I nodded at the basket. УWhatТs thatШ

        УWeТre having a picnic.Ф
        УA picnicШФ
        He held out his hand. УCome on. We only have an hour.Ф
        I looked at him for a minute, trying to figure out what he was up to, before taking his hand. УAn hour before whatШФ
        УFor lunch. Then we have an appointment.Ф
        УAll right, bucko. But this better be good.Ф
        УBuckoШ We arenТt going on a date in nineteen seventy-four.Ф
        I rolled my eyes, but couldnТt stop the grin. Taking my hand in his, he led me down the sidewalk.
        Our picnic spot was a square of grass in a long, narrow park that ran between two buildings off Michigan Avenue. It was like one row in a checkerboard, squares of grass alternating with fountains and plazas with benches. Jason pulled his fleece blanket out of the picnic basket and gallantly held out a hand.
        I took a seat and waited for him to unload the basket. The first thing he pulled out was a glossy white box. He unfolded the top, revealing two brownies topped with a dusting of powdered sugar.
        I pulled a chunk from one of them and took a bite. УWow. ThatТs really good.Ф
        УI made them myself.Ф
        I slid him a suspicious glance.
        УDid I say СmakeТШ I meant to say I bought them at a bakery on the way over here.Ф
        УI figured. I mean, how would you have the time to bakeШ And you live in a dorm room, rightШ Do you even have a kitchenШФ
        УI have matches and a mug warmer.Ф
        УRebel.Ф

        УAnd with a cause, too. Just stick with me, kid. IТm going places.Ф
        I shook my head at the joke and pulled out another piece of brownie, trying to avoid splattering my jeans with a snowfall of powdered sugar.
        For nearly an hour, we sat on the blanket in the grass, and ate our lunch. We joked. We laughed. We talked about our hometowns and the people we went to school with.
        For nearly an hour, we pretended to be teenagers who had nothing more to do on a weekend than finish up homework, spend the night at a girlfriendТs house, or figure out what to wear to class on Monday morning.
        We just . . . were.
        And the more we sat in the grass on that beautiful fall day, the more we laughed.
        Every time Jason laughed, his nose crinkled up.
        Every time Jason laughed, my heart tugged a little.
        If I wasnТt careful, I was gonna fall for this boy.
        And yet something was . . . weird. Maybe it was the fact that IТd seen Sebastian.
        Maybe it was the fact that IТd seen Jason in wolf form. Maybe he was just tired. But there was something in his eyes. Something darker than IТd seen before. Scout had said once that the summer had been long, that the Adepts were tired.
        Maybe fighting the good fight was wearing on him, as well.
        But I pushed the thought aside. There would be enough worry when darkness fell again. For now the sun was enough.
        When lunch was done, the trash was tossed and the blanket was packed away again. Taking my hand in his, Jason led me toward our УappointmentФ on the other side of the river. As we crossed the bridge, I walked beside the railing, my eyes on the water beneath us.
        УThey dye it green for St. PatrickТs Day, you know.Ф
        УYeah, I saw that on TV once. ItТs cool that it runs right through downtown.Ф
        On the other side of the bridge, we took a set of steps down to a small riverside dock. I looked over at him. УWhat are you up toШФ
        УWeТre taking a ride,Ф he said, then gestured to his right. I glanced out across the river, where a longish boat topped with dozens of chairs was gliding toward us.
        УRiver tour,Ф he added. УWeТre going to take a little trip.Ф
        УI see. Thanks for keeping me posted.Ф
        УAnytime, Lily. Anytime.Ф
        When the boat pulled up, we waited while the passengers stepped off; then Jason handed the captain two tickets. We took seats beside each other at the front of the boat, and when the coast was clear, the captain motored us into the river. We headed away from the lake, deeper into the forest of steel and concrete.
        I stared up as the towers drew nearer, growing larger. Some looked like pointy pinnacles of glass. Others were round, like giant sugar canisters.
        УThey call them the corncobs,Ф Jason said, pointing to those twin, curvy towers that were full of parked cars.
        УThey look like it,Ф I agreed, neck stretched upward as I watched them pass.
        УHere, lean back against me,Ф he whispered, rearranging himself so that his body supported mine. I leaned back, my head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, and we floated down the Chicago River, the world around us. For the first time in a long while, I felt safe. Secure, like even if the world was full of ghosts and monsters and evil motivations, they couldnТt get to me. Not now. Not while we floated on inky blue water, the riveted steel of bridges above us, orangey red against the bright blue sky.
        УI was thinking about the Sneak,Ф he whispered. УI think we should go together.Ф
        My stomach felt like tiny birds had taken flight, and I was glad he couldnТt see the silly grin on my face. УYeah,Ф I said. УThat sounds good.Ф
        He squeezed me tighter. УLife is good.Ф
        For once, in that moment, it simply was.
        But moments like that donТt last forever, do theyШ
        We were back on land, walking toward St. SophiaТs when he pulled me toward the alley and the garden of thorns. I figured he wanted a quiet place to talk. I hadnТt expected him to unbutton his shirt. Blushing, I looked away, but I got enough of a view to see that he had the body of an athlete.
        УYou can look,Ф he said with a chuckle. УI need to show you something.Ф
        I glanced back, my eyebrow arched suspiciously.
        He held up two fingers. УCompletely PG. I promise.Ф
        I looked . . . then gaped. Across his chest were three foot-long scratches. They were well-healed now, three ripples of pinkish skin, the scars of an attack.
        Instinctively, I reached out my hand to touch him, before curling my fingers back into a fist. УWhat happenedШФ
        УInitiation,Ф he said.
        I wasnТt sure if he meant it was a badge of honor for joining the werewolves, or it was a mark of how heТd become one. But then I remembered that heТd told me being a wolf was hereditary.
        УWhen a wolf is old enough, he or she spends a night on a kind of journey. Like a vision quest. HeЧIЧwent into the woods. Some of the night is goneЧthe hours passed, but I donТt remember what I did. Some of it I remember, but a lot of those memories are just random sounds and images.Ф
        УWhat sounds and images do you rememberШФ
        He shook his head. УIТm sworn to secrecy.Ф
        УSeriouslyШФ

        His expression was grim. УItТs one of the rules. My parents donТt even know what went on. Just me andФЧhe looked down at the scars on his chestЧУme and the wolf who did this.Ф
        УInitiation,Ф I repeated. УThat seems kinda harsh.Ф
        УYouТre thinking like a human. Think about puppies. They learn by play fighting,
        biting, clawing. ThatТs different from the way humans learn.Ф He shrugged. УSame goes for werewolves. The world is a violent place.Ф
        УDid youФЧI paused, trying to figure out how to ask the questionЧУdid you learn anything while you were out thereШ Have a vision, I meanШ See part of your future or whateverШФ
        УI guess you could say I understood what it meant to be who I am.Ф His eyes seemed to cloud, like whatever heТd learned, he wasnТt thrilled about it.
        УIs it magicШФ I wondered. УI mean, they call you an Adept, and youТre a member of Enclave Three . . .Ф
        His expression darkened. УIТm an Adept because IТm something else, something other, and something powerful. Not because I have a talent.Ф He looked away. I could tell that something was bothering himЧsomething about being a werewolfЧ
        but I still wasnТt sure what it was.
        What had he wanted to show meШ The scarsШ
        УWhat is itШФ I asked.
        УI need to tell you something. And it may mean something to you. It might notЧbut I need to tell you.Ф
        My stomach rolled. Scout had tried to warn me about Jason; she hadnТt been specific, though. Now I wondered if I was about to get all the gory details. Did he have a girlfriendШ Was he a Reaper in disguiseШ Had he seen me talking to SebastianШ I gnawed the edge of my lip. УOkay. Go ahead.Ф
        УItТs a curse,Ф he said.
        We were quiet for a moment.
        УI donТt know what you mean about a Сcurse.Т Ф He shook his head, and he wouldnТt make eye contact. УIt means itТs not a gift, or magic. IТm not some kind of romantic mutant. IТm not a superhero.Ф He looked up at me, and his eyes shifted in colorЧfrom sky blue to chartreuseЧjust like those of an animal in the night. His voice dropped, became a little growlier.
        УThere was an ancient king named Lycaon. He was cruel to gods and men alike,
        and he was punished by both. The gods punished him by turning him into a wolfЧ
        but only halfway. So he wasnТt really a wolf, and he wasnТt really a man. He had to live in between the two worlds, never really a part of either. Humans punished him for that.Ф
        I reached out and took his hand, slipping my fingers into his. УSo thatТs where it all startedШФ

        Jason nodded. УWith Lycaon and his sons. They were my ancestors and the cause of it all. I bear the curse every day, Lily, of someone elseТs guilt.Ф
        УYou told me you ran away when you found out you were a wolf. Is that why you leftШФ
        УPart of it, yeah.Ф He looked up and away, out toward the city.
        He was quiet a long time.
        УWhy do I get the sense youТre not telling me all of itШФ
        It took a minute for him to look back again, and when he did, there was sadness in his eyes. УI like you, Lily.Ф
        I looked away, expecting the worst.
        УIТm not human,Ф he finally said. УI know you saw me transform, but itТs not a full moon. If youТre there, youТll get hurt.Ф
        УHurtШФ
        УAs the moon grows larger, my control gets weaker. I can be around friends, at least until the moon is full. ThatТs when we run.Ф
        УFriendsШФ
        His eyes shifted from blue to green and back again, and my heart tripped in time.
        УI have feelings for you, Lily. I shouldnТt. Not when I could put you at risk. There will be a girl. A wolf my parents will choose for me.Ф
        My head began to spin.
        УThatТs the real curse,Ф he said. УNot the fact that I transform, not even the fact that I lose control when the moon is full. The curse is the loneliness. The separation. Never really being anything except a wolf, because being something elseЧbeing humanЧputs everyone else at risk.Ф
        We were quiet for a moment.
        УI need you to say something.Ф
        УI donТt know what to say. I donТt know what you want me to say.Ф
        He dropped his forehead onto mine. УTell me it doesnТt matter.Ф
        I blinked back tears, but what could I say to this boyШ This boy with the spring blue eyesШ УI guess the lesson IТve learned over the last few weeks is that life is rarely what we think itТs going to be. So you do the best you can. RightШФ
        УDoes that mean weТre still on for SneakШФ
        I was quiet for a minute, considering my options. Best-case scenario, we just spent time together and didnТt waste time worrying about the future.
        Worst-case scenarioШ I fell for a boy I couldnТt have, and lost my heart completely.
        But I wasnТt even sixteen yet, and the future was a long way off. With all the crazy in the worldЧespecially in my worldЧwhy not enjoy it, rightШ
        УYeah,Ф I finally said. УWe can go to Sneak.Ф
        With a victorious groan, he pulled me tightly into his arms, his body smelling of sunlight and springy cologne. УI knew there was a reason I liked you.Ф
        We held hands as we walked back to St. SophiaТs, but we didnТt speak a word. He stopped in front of the gate and embraced me again, then dropped his head to press a kiss to my lips.
        After he left, I glanced back at the school. I wasnТt ready to head back inside. I looked out over the city again and spied the familiar orange moon of a coffee-
        house down the street.
        УThereТs nothing a little overpriced latte canТt fix,Ф I quietly said, then headed back down Erie toward Michigan Avenue, trying to clear my head.
        He was cursed.
        Let me repeat that. He was cursed. And when the full moon came, if I was around, heТd rather rip me into shreds than kiss me. It did tend to discourage dating humans, I guessed.
        Why did stuff like this have to happen just when things were looking so promisingШ When I was starting to like a boy with blue eyes who, at least until a few minutes ago, hadnТt been trying to kill me. There was a pretty big nasty in the closet,
        and the burden fell on me to deal with it. What was I supposed to doШ Tell him it didnТt matterШ
        Or worseЧlie to himШ Tell him weТd find a solution that thousands of yearsЧand probably thousands of wolvesЧhadnТt revealed.
        Tears stung at the corners of my eyes.
        I crossed the street at the light. IТd dealt with getting dropped off in Chicago, with firespell, with a best friend with a magical secret, with constant doubts about my parents.
        This was the straw that broke the AdeptТs back.
        It might be time to skip the latte and go straight for the triple hot chocolate.
        УWe keep running into each other.Ф
        I glanced up. Sebastian stood in front the coffee-house, orange paper cup in hand. He wore jeans and a dark blue fleece jacket that almost perfectly matched the color of his eyes.
        I swiped at the tear that had slipped down my cheek as casually as possible. УI assume itТs not a coincidence youТre a block from St. SophiaТsШФ
        Frowning, he held up his cup of coffee. УIt is, actually. My parents have a condo.

        He gestured toward the tower above the coffee place. УI was visiting.Ф
        It took me a second to remember that Reapers, whatever their motivations, were people, too. With parents and condos and lives beyond evening battles.
        But still . . . УWe arenТt going to be friends, you know.Ф
        His eyes seemed to darken. УI didnТt expect that we were.Ф

        УGood.Ф
        УFriendship is a lot simpler than what we are.Ф
        I looked over at him. УWe are not anything.Ф
        УThen why are you still standing hereШФ
        I looked away.
        УThe world isnТt black and white, Lily. Ambivalence rules the day.Ф
        I looked up at him. УMeaning whatШФ
        УMeaning what IТve been telling you. Meaning things are rarely as simple as they seem. Sometimes you donТt figure out how the story is supposed to end until youТve read it.Ф
        УAnd what are you supposed to do until you get to the endШФ
        He looked out over the city, pride in his features. He was undeniably handsome Чdark hair, dark brows, dark eyes. He had the bones of a fallen angelЧand apparently the same wickedness. But he had helped me, had given me undeniably helpful information. УYouТre supposed to do the best you can with what youТve got.
        Or youТre supposed to get it.Ф He looked down at me. УThereТs no fault in that, Lily.
        ThatТs what lifeТs about.Ф
        But that was where he was wrong.
        УNo,Ф I said. УThatТs not what this is about. Not this.Ф I cupped my palms together,
        closed my eyes, and blew into my hands. When I opened them again, the spark was there, the tiny star of pure green power.
        I looked up at him and saw the surprise in his face. I guess he hadnТt expected me to catch on so quickly.
        УThis isnТt a weapon. This isnТt a strategy. ItТs the thing that holds the universe together. The stuff that keeps us moving. You want me to doubt my friends. You want me to doubt what they do, the battle they fight.Ф
        I opened my palms and let the spark free. For a moment, I watched the spark flitter and float, then mouthed the words Уcome back.Ф The spark spiraled in the air,
        and then with a slow, arcing descent, landed on my palm again.
        When I spoke again, my voice was quiet. УIТm not sure why youТre talking to me.
        And IТm not sure I trust you. But I do know right from wrong. I donТt need a boy or a girl or an Adept or a Reaper to tell me that. You try to drown people in the sea of their own misery.Ф I swallowed. УAnd we try to bring them back.Ф
        УItТs never that simple.Ф
        УIt is that simple,Ф I said, eyes on the spark, which floatedЧas if waiting for a commandЧjust above my palm. УWe may not have magic for very long. But this isnТt a force for destruction.Ф
        I looked up at Sebastian, expecting to see disdain or disagreement in his expression. But instead, there was something soft in his eyes.

        He looked down at his clenched palm, and then opened it. In his curled fingers sat his own small spark. Suddenly, it jumped out to meet mine, the attraction of opposite forces. Like long-separated lovers, the sparks entangled, then rose into the air and floated through the currents across Erie Avenue.
        УSo that you donТt forget the world isnТt black or white,Ф he said. УItТs gray. And someone tells you otherwise, theyТre lying.Ф He reached out, and with a finger,
        brushed a lock of hair from my face. УYou deserve more than lying.Ф
        And then he turned and walked away.
        I stood there for a moment imagining the worldЧthe cityЧspinning on an axis around me.
        What if it wasnТt so easy to pick out good from badШ
        How were you supposed to know who the bad guys wereШ
        I looked across the street at the Portman Electric building, and let my gaze take in hearty brick and simple landscaping . . . and the letters of the Sterling Research Foundation sign.
        More important, how do you know who the good guys areШ
        As I crossed the street and walked down the block, I found a tour group standing in front of the conventТs stone gate. The tour leader wore a long black coat and a black top hat, a stuffed raven perched on his shoulder. He stood atop the stone wall, arms outstretched, his voice booming across the sunlight. The tourists kept looking between him and the conventЧback and forthЧlike they werenТt quite sure what to believe. I stopped a few feet away to listen in.
        УAnd in 1901,Ф he said, Уthe convent was the sight of a mysterious disappearance. The door to a room shared by four of the nuns rattled in the howling winter wind, so it was locked every evening when the nuns retired for their rest. But the lock was on the outside of the door, so once the nuns went to sleep,
        they stayed in the room until they were released the next morning.
        УOne evening, Sister Bernadette went to sleep with her sisters. They said good night to each other, said an evening prayer, and fell asleep. But when the other sisters awoke the next morning, Sister Bernadette was nowhere to be found! Her bedsheets were tousledЧand still warm. But the bed was emptyЧand the door was still locked from the outside! Sister Bernadette had disappeared in the night, and she was never seen again.Ф
        The tourists offered sounds of interest, then began snapping pictures of the convent.
        A few weeks after my initiation by firespell, his ghost story didnТt sound so unusual. I had a few ideas about where Sister Bernadette might have gone . . .
        The man in black noticed I was heading for the gate and waved his hand at me.
        УYoung lady, are you a student at St. SophiaТs School for GirlsШФ

        The people taking the tour turned to look at me. Some of them actually looked a little scared, like they werenТt entirely sure if I was real. Others looked skeptical, like they werenТt entirely sure I wasnТt a plant.
        УUm, yes,Ф I said. УI am.Ф
        УMm-hmm,Ф he said. УAnd have you seen anything mysterious in the hallowed halls of St. SophiaТsШФ
        I looked back at him for a moment and kept my features perfectly blank. УSt.
        SophiaТsШ Not really. Just, you know, studying.Ф
        At his disappointed look, I continued through the gate. I glanced up at the black stone towers and the monsters that stood point on the edges of the buildingТs facade. These were the gargoyles Scout had referred to, with their gnarly dragonlike faces and folded batlike wings. They perched on the corners of the building as clouds raced behind them, their bodies pitched forward like they were ready to take flight.
        УTheyТre definitely St. SophiaТs appropriate,Ф I murmured, Уbut they arenТt exactly pretty.Ф
        Okay, maybe I imagined it. Maybe I was tired, or the run-in with Sebastian had finally scrambled my brain.
        But just as the words were out of my mouth, and before IТd taken another step forward, the gargoyle on the right-hand corner of the building tilted its head and stared down at me with an expression that was none too amused.
        Frankly, he looked a little irritated.
        My jaw dropped. I wasnТt sure if I was more surprised that heТd movedЧor that heТd been offended because I didnТt think he was pretty.
        УSorry,Ф I mouthed back.
        Within the blink of an eye, he reassumed his position, and looked just the same as he had a moment ago.
        Surely I hadnТt just imagined thatШ
        On the other hand, I thought, walking toward the door again, stranger things had happened.
        It was St. SophiaТs, after all.

        ABOUT THE AUTHOR Chloe Neill was born and raised in the South but now makes her home in the Midwest, just close enough to St. SophiaТs to keep an eye on things. When not transcribing LilyТs adventures, she bakes (a lot!), watches entirely too much television, roots for her favorite college football team (Go, Big Red!), spends time with friends, and plays with her dogs, Baxter and Scout. In addition to the Dark Elite novels, she also writes the Chicagoland Vampires novels.