Page 17 of Hallowed Bones

He strides off, back into the fray of the groups gathered around the bonfires. The sound of talking and crackling music pouring out of shitty speakers follows after him. I turn and eye Elodie.

“So…” I begin.

“Don’t—” Elodie tries, but it’s too late.

“You’ve got a thing for the townie,” I say.

She groans. “It’s not like that,” she says. “We’re just really good friends.”

I nod solemnly as if I truly believe her, but I can see the signs of a girl with a crush. I haven’t been that girl in a long time, but it’s nice to know that I can still spot it when it’s right in front of me.

“Don’t worry,” I tell her, tapping a finger to my lips. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Elodie ducks her head, rolling her eyes as she half turns in the direction of the fire. Before she can say anything more, though, there’s a rumble in the crowd. The two of us glance toward the lake as the roar of a boat cutting across the water echoes into the open space. Elodie moves up to my side as we watch the light on the lake grow steadily closer and closer.

“Well, well, well, it looks like they’re actually coming to this thing,” Elodie murmurs.

“They?” I look at her. “They who?”

“Those guys I told you about,” Elodie says, nudging my side. “You know—the Sons of Salem.”

I stare at her. “I thought you said the Bishop guy threw this party. Why wouldn’t he come to his own party?”

Elodie shrugs. “I don’t know. He showed up at the one I went to my freshman year, but not last year. Maybe this year is special because all of them are at Ipswich now.”

My eyes slowly shift back to the approaching light of the boat. After a moment or two, though, we both lose interest, and when I spot Jonah walking back toward us with a couple of cans in hand, I nudge her.

We end up meeting Jonah halfway, and I thank him as I take my beer and Elodie takes hers. “Why don’t we introduce Haven to a few more people?” Jonah suggests, his arm finding its way back around Elodie’s shoulders.

The smile she gives him is practically glowing as she nods. I sigh and give in. Might as well let them lead since they are the only two I know here. Jonah directs us toward other partygoers, weaving in and out of various groups gathered together, chatting, dancing, and drinking under the full moon overhead. Time stretches as they introduce me to a group of girls here and a group of guys there—most of the partiers turning out to be students and only a couple other than Jonah are townies. By the time my beer is nearly finished, my earlier sense of dread has all but disappeared and I’m leaning into the vibe—swaying to the music around us as I half listen to the conversations.

“So, Haven,” Jonah says, capturing my attention and dragging me out of my reverie. “What brought you to Ipswich?”

“Uh…” Shitfuck. I blink like a deer caught in oncoming headlights as both Jonah and Elodie peer at me curiously, waiting for an answer. In response, I shove my can up to my mouth and drain the last of my beer. When that’s gone and I’m left with no other recourse, I grimace and crumple the can against my side.

“It’s a college,” I say lamely. “I’m here to learn?”

Jonah bursts out laughing at that as Elodie’s face sours. “Are you telling us or asking us?” Jonah finally asks after he’s regained his composure.

I sigh and shrug. “I don’t know.” I glance out at the lake with its reflection of the heavy moon overhead gleaming across the watery surface. “There weren’t a whole lot of choices for me, and I couldn’t stay with my aunt any longer. It was college or … nothing.”

“She didn’t know much about the history of Salem,” Elodie comments to Jonah. “Her dad is super anti–occult stuff or something.”

Was, I mentally correct. My dad was a lot of things—anti-occult, one of my favorite people in the whole world, and … a secret-keeper, apparently, since I never even knew he’d been here before I’d gotten the acceptance letter.

“Well, it’s a pretty decent place,” Jonah says. “I hope you like it here.” He offers me a small smile, no doubt picking up the twinge of awkwardness that has entered the space between us.

I smile back and open my mouth to ask more about him, when a masculine voice calls out. “Hey, Elodie!”

Jonah abruptly straightens, his face turning into a twisted mask of discomfort and annoyance.

Surprised by the sudden change in him, I glance in the direction of the speaker to see the reason for the shift. Instead, I find a man—men, I mentally correct, catching sight of three others on his heels—striding from the lake’s edge where the back half of the boat from earlier bobs slightly offshore.

“Holy shit,” Elodie whisper-hisses. Her eyes are wide as she looks from me to Jonah and then back to the men rapidly approaching.

“Elodie?” I blink at her, wondering what the hell she’s freaking out about. A moment later, it clicks when the men arrive and Elodie blurts out the first one’s name.

“Ezra!” She moves away from Jonah, smiling brightly, though it’s clear it doesn’t reach her eyes.