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“She is.”

“Is it going to happen tonight?” His voice drips with nerves.

I look at him over my shoulder. “It’s happening now.”

16

TANNER

We gather as close to the barrier as we can. From just inside the tree line, we can see The Hollow, the lawn, and the fountain.

I look at Kole. He’s breathing slowly and deeply, his hands clenched in front of him. He’s the only one of us not wearing a hoodie—and I can see his flesh dimpling beneath his tattoos. Waves of sorrow surge around him; the last time he was here, he watched Nova take her last breath.

I reach for the ring I’m wearing around my neck. As if we’re all thinking the same thing, the others do too.

If she’s going to return, tonight is the night. Especially after what Mack said, it has to be the night. So, even as we brace ourselves for what Kayla’s about to do, I’m praying we won’t have to follow through with the rest of our plan. I’m praying this is the moment our phoenix is reborn, and that she puts an end to The King before he can set one creepy demon foot on Earth.

“There,” Mack mutters, pointing at the steps.

Eve has emerged at the top of them. A wolf, in his human form, appears behind her. They talk for a moment before she grins and trots down to the lawn. This time, there are no skulls or candles. There is no altar, no books, no knives.

Eve stops at the fountain and braces her hands on its rim. She peers into it—although it’s completely empty—and closes her eyes. Then her hand goes to her throat. She pulls a pendant from her dress. It hangs from her neck on a long chain. She holds it up to the slowly descending sun and the light catches it.

I glance at Kole. He breathes out heavily and grips the nearest tree branch. “That’s Nova’s blood,” he says, the words barely making it out of his throat. His eyes darken and his lips twitch. “That’s what they took from her.”

Luther places a firm hand on Kole’s shoulder. Usually, I’d expect him to push Luther away, but he doesn’t. He lets his hand remain there while Eve turns and sits on the rim of the basin.

Swinging her legs like a child, she watches as werewolves emerge from the house. They gather on the lawn—not as many as before—and stand silently.

A mixture of nerves and excitement swirls in the air above them. Some are high, others are hungover, all are unsure whether they believe in what’s about to happen or not. Kayla is among them. She weaves her way to the front of the crowd and stands directly in Eve’s eyeline.

Finally, Ragnor shows himself. He stands at the top of the steps. He’s about to speak when a woman appears next to him. She tugs his sleeve, and he turns to stroke her face. He presses his forehead to hers, whispers something, then points back at the kitchen.

She nods, glances at the pack of wolves in front of her, then turns and goes back inside.

Next to me, Sam takes a large step forward. He’s perilously close to the barrier, so I try to tug him back, but he’s transfixed on the space where—a few seconds ago—his mother stood. In the flesh. Looking just the way she did twenty-five years ago.

Sam’s entire body starts to tremble. “Sam,” I warn quietly. “Come back. We mustn’t be seen.”

He refuses to budge.

I’m about to try again when Mack steps in front of him, puts his hands on Sam’s upper arms and meets his eyes. “We’ll get her out, Sam. But we need Kayla to succeed first.”

Sam tries to look away, but Mack ducks to keep his gaze. After a long quivering moment, Sam’s body untenses and he allows Mack to usher him back into the shadows.

Ragnor is making a speech. The usual League vitriol: humans are inferior, supers should rule the world. Yada, yada, yada. No one seems willing to point out that, right now, as he speaks, his human wife sits inside waiting for him.

When he finishes, and the crowd roars, my attention moves to Kayla. Except she’s gone. I can’t see her.

Panic surges in my chest. I scan the crowd, then see a flash of pale fur. It moves quickly between the others then, with snarling and gnashing of teeth, Kayla throws herself at Eve.

It happens so quickly the other wolves don’t have time to react, but I see it in slow motion. Kayla’s jaws are open wide. She is leaping through the air, aiming for Eve’s throat. Any second now, her teeth will puncture the large vein on the side of Eve’s neck, and the evil witch will bleed out on the floor.

There’s a stifled yelp.

Kayla’s eyes flash.

Eve flicks her wrist. There’s a loud crunching sound, and Kayla drops to the ground.