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“Sheets,” Theta answered.
“What’s she going on about, Roy?”
“Shut up, Betty Sue,” Roy said. “Shut up and get in that truck.”
“Evie,” Theta said, and Evie knew. They all knew.
“I’m here. We’re all here,” Evie said. Theta could feel them in her, with her. She moaned, welcoming her rage like a lover. And then she blazed like a phoenix.
“Your chains don’t work on me, Roy,” Theta said in a voice that crackled with new heat. She walked forward, forcing Roy back down the porch steps. The chain slipped from her neck. The ground was unharmed by Theta’s heat. Like Miss Addie had said, Theta knew her own heart. She knew her intent. Theta was in charge. Her friends were with her, helping her, keeping her safe. She didn’t know just how much fire was inside her this time, but she knew she was no longer afraid of her power.
Theta lifted her hands. Flames shot from her palms, trapping the Klansmen in a perfect ring of fire.
“Are you going to behave?” she asked the men.
“Lady, you’re crazy!” one of the Klansmen said.
“Wrong answer,” Theta said. She inched the fire closer, and then a little closer still.
“Roy, I’ve got a family at home to think about!” one of the Klansmen shouted. “Lady, I’m sorry. Let me out! Please!”
“I’ll only get stronger, Roy,” Theta said. “And when I do, I promise you, you will never have a peaceful night’s rest again. I will come for you. And everyone will know the truth. Truth is like a fire, Roy.”
“It’s true,” Sam said. “You really don’t wanna be on her bad side, Roy.”
“If you leave and promise never to bother me ever again, I’ll stop.”
Closer by a hair.
“Okay!” Roy screamed. “Okay.”
“Okay, what?”
“I promise.”
Theta retracted her fire, sucking it back into her palms, where it was just a simmer. Roy didn’t need to know that she had precious little of it left, nor how much it had cost her to use it.
“Evie,” she whispered, and Evie understood.
“Get in your cars and go, gentlemen,” Evie said, taking over.
“I wouldn’t call them gentlemen,” Henry said.
The Klansmen raced to their cars and truck. For good measure, the Diviners made their engines run, startling the men with their show of combined energy.
As the Klansmen disappeared down the road, Theta collapsed against Memphis. She was sweating and exhausted.
“Hey, Princess. Nice show.”
“Thanks, Poet.”
“Never mind that. We have to find Isaiah!” Evie said.
The river sprayed past the jetty where Isaiah sat with Sarah Beth.
“What’s the surprise?” Isaiah asked.
Sarah Beth grinned. “I wanted you to be the first to know. My gentleman caller’s coming to take me away.”
