I release my grip, turning my back on her. She’s not worth it. Never was. “I have an assembly to attend. Enjoy your visit.”
“Baz?” she asks, saccharine-sweet. “There is one more small thing, before you go. Teeny thing, really. The woman? The spirit-blessed?”
I turn on my heel, glaring at her. I’m not sure if Janelle sensed Stevie’s abilities or if Carly filled her in at some point, but it’s clear she knows Stevie is more than just the student Phaines attacked.
“What about her?”
“It would be a shame, don’t you think?” She inspects her fingernails, lifts her shoulders in a casual shrug. “If something were to happen to her? You’ve already lostsomuch. I would hate to see—”
I’ve got her against the wall in a heartbeat, my forearm across her throat, my eyes blazing, the very last of my self-control slipping away.
That scared little boy is long gone. All that’s left now is a man full of rage, full of hatred, withverylittle left to lose.
Stevie makes that list.
This crazy bitch does not.
“Threaten her again,” I say, pressing against her windpipe, “and I willendyou. We clear?”
“Baz? Mom?” Carly’s voice cuts through the haze of anger. “What the hell is going on?”
“Ask your mother,” I say, backing off. “I’m sure she’d love to explain herself.”
Janelle clears her throat, smoothing her hands over her hair. “Just… just a little mother/son misunderstanding is all. We’ll work it out.”
“You’re not my mother.”
Ignoring this, she turns her bright smile on Carly. “You look nice, honey. Are you ready for the assembly?”
Carly folds her arms over her chest, immediately suspicious. “How do you know about that?”
“Well… I wanted to surprise you both,” she says, her hands fluttering up around her throat. The throat I should’ve crushed when I had the chance. “But I suppose you’ll find out soon enough.”
It’s deadly silent in that room, save for the hiss and pop of the fireplace and the low din of students in the hallway, making their way to campus.
I cut my gaze to Carly, and we lock eyes. An unspoken understanding passes between us.
Whatever “surprise” Janelle has up her sleeve, Carly and I are the ones who’ll have to deal with the fallout. It’s always been that way. Probably always will be.
I take a breath. Brace for impact.
Janelle’s smile widens, the wolf finally emerging from her sheep’s clothing. “Anna Trello has offered me a job.”
Four
STEVIE
Just over a month into my enrollment at Arcana Academy, the most important lesson I’ve learned isn’t the one about never mixing essence of blackshade with powdered bat wing, or that there’s a secret society of Major Arcana mages whose sworn duty is to protect magick, or that the smoked gouda is always the first cheese to run out at Smash’s infamous cheese fountain.
No, the key lesson is this: The darker and more dangerous the secret, the faster it travels.
Seriously. It’s like Witch Hazel’s Third Law of Magick or something. Which is why I’m not all that surprised to find the High Priestess card tucked into my backpack this morning, followed by Isla and Nat waiting to ambush me outside the assembly hall.
“Stevie!” Nat shouts at my approach, her eyes flashing with equal parts anger and worry. “Oh, thank Goddess! Everyone’s saying you were murdered!”
“Not that I recall.” I pat myself down and try for a smile, but my friends are in no mood for it.
“We’ve been trying to reach you all weekend.” Isla crushes me in a hug, her silver teardrop pendant winking in the sunlight. “We’ve been going crazy!”
