Jasmine covers her ears with her hands, her entire body shaking. “No, no, no...”
You can’t pity someone who’s murdered and eaten people. But this broken, mad woman was once a person. Before the magic and the madness consumed her.
She sees it coming a split second too late. Her eyes widen, her hands drop from her ears, and she tries to raise a shield. But she’s too slow, too scattered by Victoria’s words.
Victoria makes a sharp, twisting gesture with her hand, and I hear a sickening crack as Jasmine’s neck snaps. Her body crumples to the floor.
The snake familiar gives one last violent thrash, then goes still, and I’m thankful that was Ollie and not Hank.
No one moves. No one speaks. I think everyone is afraid to breathe.
I stare at Jasmine’s body, expecting to feel relief, but instead, there’s just an exhaustion that makes me sway on my feet.
Galanthis slinks toward Jasmine’s body, sniffing at it curiously. His tail twitches once, twice, then he turns his nose up and walks back to Victoria, settling at her feet.
Drake reaches me first, pulling me into an embrace so tight I can barely breathe. Lucien appears next, then Soren, and finally Ash, all of them forming a protective circle around me. For once, they’re not glaring at each other or making territorial claims. They’re just here, relieved that I’m alive.
I look past them to where Victoria stands, already issuing orders to the Lunar Coven members as they begin to clean up. We stand there in silence, the four of us, as Victoria methodically restores order. The room is chaotic with frightened students, the fresh smell of corrupted magic and blood, and Jasmine’s corpse still laying where it landed. No one’s coming to help her. She’s alone in death as she was in life.
Last time she was in charge, Victoria Wickersly wanted to drain my magic dry and leave me a withered husk, all in the name of tradition and order. She’d have done it too if Ash hadn’t gotten to me first. Now she’s just walked in and assumed the role of headmistress again.
But Ash stands at my side, looking like a million thoughts are going through his head, and I remember, the blood contract is with him. Victoria can’t touch me, not without going through him.
The Lunar Coven witches drag Jasmine’s body away. The students begin to leave, but a sharp clap from Victoria stops them in their tracks.
“Stay where you are! We have some rules to discuss now that I am here to restore order.”
Forty
Rose
Blood is still trickling down the back of my neck, my ribs ache with each breath, and my entire body feels like I’ve been hit by a truck as I watch Victoria reclaim her throne like she never really left.
“Trials are hereby suspended,” Victoria announces. “Classes will resume tomorrow. Curfew will be strictly enforced.”
Her eyes sweep across the stunned faces of students and faculty. “Additionally, I will be conducting individual interviews with every student and staff member. There is much to discuss, one of them being loyalty.”
I feel Lucien stiffen beside me.
“The Lunar Coven will maintain order during this transition,” Victoria continues.
She says it so matter-of-factly, like she’s entitled to this. Galanthis weaves between her ankles.
“Each of you will pledge yourselves to the Lunar Coven, under my leadership.”
Something inside me snaps.
It’s not just the words she’s saying, it’s the way she says them, as if Jasmine was right, and we’re all just little witches to be used and consumed, one way or another.
I step forward, breaking away from the protective circle of my guys. I can feel them all tense behind me, can practically hear Lucien’s mental command to get back where it’s safe.
But I’m done being safe. Safe hasn’t worked out so well for me, or for anyone else at this godforsaken academy.
“No.” My voice isn’t as authoritative as Victoria’s, but it’s clear enough, and everyone in the Great Hall can hear it.
Victoria’s head swivels toward me, eyebrows rising slightly. “Excuse me?”
“I said no.” I take another step forward, my legs shaking but my voice steady. “We’re not going back to the way things were. We’re not swapping one dictator for another.”
