Page 97 of Slayer

Whoa. “And it’s inside?” I asked as we turned to walk toward the building.

“Stella!” an unwelcome voice called behind me, and we all turned.

What the heck?

Kitty Sinclair was standing at the end of the walkway, making her way over to us.

“What’s she doing here?” Celia muttered angrily.

Asher and the others looked at me, and I cleared my throat nervously.

I’d almost completely forgotten about this woman and wanted to keep it that way.

Celia walked ahead to meet her head-on as I staggered behind her.

“What are you doing here, Kitty?” Celia asked with a look of skepticism.

Kitty rolled her eyes. “I’m here to support my granddaughter on the biggest day of her hunter career.” She looked at me, beaming.

Celia’s head reeled back. “You’re not coming inside.”

Kitty’s pleasant mask dropped, and all of a sudden, I was staring into the eyes of hatred. “Oh really? Who bought this building?”

“Molly’s father. He donated it,” Celia said. “And you’re not allowed in. Only active hunters.”

Kitty scoffed. “Oh, so you’re shaming retired hunters now? I have more kills than you’ll ever have. You turned out to be a real disappointment, Celia.”

Celia pinned her with a glare. “Goodbye, Kitty.”

Kitty looked at me, and her face was suddenly filled with sadness. “Do you see how she treats me? Because your mother filled her head with lies.”

I stayed quiet.

“Bye, Kitty,” Celia said.

Kitty’s jaw clenched. “Stella will come find me when she wants answers.”

My brow furrowed at that. Answers?

She walked away, and Celia turned to me. “I’m so sorry you had to see that. And right before your big moment.”

I shrugged. “It’s fine.” I didn’t really know that woman. She wasn’t my grandmother in any emotional sense.

Celia watched her leave and shook her head. “Amazing slayer, like she’s set all the records. But a horrible human being.”

Slayer? Kitty was a slayer? I assumed she’d be an arcanist like Molly.

Celia took a deep, cleansing breath, seemingly shaking off what had just happened, and then walked back over to the group. “Okay. Shall we?”

We stepped up to a set of double doors flanked by two hunters.

“ID,” the hunters said to Celia, who pulled out her badge. They scanned it and then asked for all our student IDs. One by one, we were scanned, and I began to grow even more nervous. This was feeling super legit.

Asher shifted to my right side, and I began to question if I’d even heard him correctly last night.

He fantasized about kissing me? Daphne broke up with him? He was acting totally normal. Not a tick of nervousness as he stood, feet hip width apart and hands crossed before him.

I, on the other hand, was freaking out.