“Of course not,” Mama says. She pats at my clothes, as if brushing them off. I think she’s still unconvinced, but then she says, “You’re too thin, Elliot. You work too much.”
“And you worry too much,” I say. I pull back, sliding past her to sit in the chair opposite her high-backed one. Despite being the most prestigious member of the autumnal coven, Mama always makes time for her people. She allows them to enter her office every Monday morning and complain over whatever menial thing is bothering them.
That said, she chose the world’s most uncomfortable chair for them to sit.
To move them along, she’d once told me with a wink.
“So, who are you looking for?” I ask, jerking my chin toward the ritual. “Sebastian again? Or the Pruce woman?”
“No.” Mama shakes her head. She purses her lips, as if debating whether to tell me.
“Is something going on?” I ask, straightening.
Sebastian Vulce and his clan of vampires attacked us not long ago. They’d stolen one of our prisoners and left over a dozen witches dead. Mama and the council have been uneasy ever since. Though they haven’t announced anything, I suspect they have retaliation in the works.
“Sebastian’s little witch visited last night,” she says finally.
“Ah,” is my only response. It doesn’t surprise me that the vampires are scheming too. That’s how everyone is in thisgodsforsaken world. They all dream of power, of wealth, and the destruction of those who stand in their way.
In Mama’s defense, the vampires have ruined her life every chance they get. They killed her husband—my father—while she was pregnant, leaving her to raise me alone. And years later, when she agreed to a peace treaty with them, Mama was publicly attacked by Sebastian. They deserved her wrath, her curse. And still, I wish more than anything this would all end. As it is, we’re in a constant state of alert, just waiting for the next rebellion.
Mama’s expression grows tighter. Her hair is almost entirely grey now, and her wrinkles look heavier than usual. She had me late in life, when most her age had teenagers. She’s always been older than my friends’ parents, and yet…She looks so much older than she did even last year.
“Secora Reed?” I ask. Mentioning the Day Realm’s most notorious criminal—and our greatest traitor—does something strange to my stomach. Like Mama hates the vampires, I have more than enough reasons to hate Secora.
She’s a violent criminal. An escaped murderer. A woman who once killed the closest friend I’ve ever had—and avoided persecution.
I have every reason to hate Secora Reed, but for some reason, I don’t. I can’t explain why. Maybe it’s because, before she was a monster, she was just the lonely girl in my class. Forced to wear black, ostracized by everyone around her. She was the adopted sister of a close friend. OfHarrison’s close friend.
Simply thinking of him sours my stomach. I clear my throat, forcing the feeling away.
“Yes,Secora Reed,” Mama says with a sneer. “Nasty little thing can’t seem to stop meddling. She was here last night.”
My pulse spikes, but I don’t let myself react.
“In Ochre?”
Mama nods as she returns to her chair. She takes a long drink of tea, eyes watching mine carefully.
“The augur house,” she says. “She approached Virginia and demanded her cooperation.”
I blow out a breath and lean back in my chair. The wooden rungs dig against my spine.
“Cooperation forwhat?”
“Unclear,” Mama says. Deep wrinkles bracket her frown. “Virginia was too rattled to ask. Anyway, Secora is back in the Night Realm now, but she’s clearly after something. I just don’t know what…”
Mama trails off on another sigh. Takes a drink of tea.
“She’s going to be a problem,” she says. “I imagine she’ll appear here at some point. We need to have a plan. A way to uncover her motives without her realizing.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for her,” I say. “Maybe ask if any of the other healers?—”
“Don’t,” Mama cuts me off sharply. “She’s dangerous, Elliot. Stay away from her, you understand?”
“Well I wasn’t planning to get drinks with her,” I say, teasing. Mama’s posture doesn’t ease in the least, and I can’t resist rolling my eyes. “She’s an escaped murderer. Obviously, I’m going to be careful?—”
“You’re going to stay away,” she repeats. “Say you understand.”
