Page 64 of Divine Oaths

“Vivian is bound to her pledge to Ԑnhye,” Jojo said. “She wouldn’t be able to share what she knows with you, even if she wanted to.”

“But she could share it with me,” I said. “If I rush Ԑnhye, then we’d have eyes and ears inside all of the secret societies. I could even rush Theta too, so Honey and you guys wouldn’t be bound to keep the societies’ secrets from me, since I would be a member.”

“Rushing two societies? That’s a horrible idea,” Jojo said.

“It’s dangerous,” Kasem said. “Sigma and Theta hold rush at the end of October, on the thirty-first, when the veil between the living and the dead is at its weakest. And with the curse’s wrath getting stronger, it’ll be too risky. You saw what happened at Theta, Sianna. Even its own members can’t keep the spirits here at bay. Vivian had to break code to help that girl.”

“I’ll have you and Honey there. And Vivian,” I said. “Wouldn’t they protect new members so they can have more ghost hunters, or whatever?”

Kasem pursed his lips and Jojo looked away.

“Okay, I get that your messed-up pledges keep you from speaking to outsiders, but can you at least give me a nod or hint if I’m on the right track?”

“I mean, you’re not—not on the right track. Rush is when the veil is at its weakest, and Sigma and Theta are bleeding members now,” Kasem said.

But before he could finish speaking, a chill filled the air, the lights flickering as Kasem collapsed in his chair, his eyes rolling to the back of his head, his arms forced to his sides like some invisible power had bound him where he spoke. Horrified, I fell, and Jojo caught me before I hit the ground.

His hands were firm against my waist, and the familiarity of his touch calmed my wild heart.

“He’ll be fine in a minute,” he said, looking bored. “It’s just the pledge at work.”

But Kasem looked in pain, like something from inside was pulling him apart. After a minute or so, though, he was released. He jolted forward, gasping, cursing under his breath.

“That’s what you get for not honoring your pledge,” Jojo chastised. “I told you not to rush if you couldn’t keep your vow.”

Kasem wiped his mouth, and a trace of blood trailed against his wrist.

“And if I recall, when I pledged Sigma, it was because it’s expected of a Saint James to do so. I’m not trying to carry some emblem of its legacy like you or Father were.”

“That’s because you’re selfish,” Jojo said.

“At least I know where my loyalties lie. Do you, brother?”

Jojo ignored Kasem, turning to me instead.

“Do you see what it means to pledge? Whether it’s to Theta or Ԑnhye, you’ll truly be making a vow of loyalty to one or both of the societies. That isn’t just something to do lightly, Sianna. You’ve already tied yourself to my brother and our family curse. Why get more wrapped up in this?”

I don’t know what I expected. Even after everything, Jojo hadn’t changed his position on helping us.

Kasem looked between us, understanding settling in his gaze.

“I’m going to head to class,” Kasem said. He stood, grabbing a gray peacoat from a hanger near the door. “Sianna,” he said, “we can look through the journals more later. Maybe if we can figure out this ‘wraith’ development, it might lead us back to the curse and how to break it.”

When Kasem left, it was just me and Jojo.

“You’re not who I thought you were,” I said, standing now. “You’re a coward.”

I grabbed my clothes, gathering them in my arms. I’d need to have Honey return them to Janette. Jojo stood too, crossing his arms, watching me in his brother’s clothes with a cool glint of displeasure.

“Maybe I am,” he said. “But I’ve seen what death looks like at the hands of the curse.”

“And I haven’t?” I said. Anger flooded through me. I spun to face him, holding up the bracelet and flashing him the translucent mark that I now had to live with.

From the stabbing in the alleyway to the maze to the woodshop, and now to Theta House, I’d seen so many twisted and sinister things, things I couldn’t simply look away from just because I wasn’t a direct target of the curse anymore.

Something softened in Jojo’s eyes. Tentatively, he took my hand and ran his fingers along my wrist, letting his thumb play with the beads on the bracelet as he searched for words.

I should have pulled away. A part of me wanted to. But another part of me was a flutter of wings soaring at his touch. After all this time, even now, I craved him.