“Merry meet, High Priestess,” I said first, fisting my hand over my heart and greeting her respectfully before I added, “I thought Kevin would already be here.”
“Hey there, Z,” Stevie Rae said. “We thought he was havin’ breakfast with you and Stark.”
I opened my mouth to say that I hadn’t seen him when the door opened and in rushed Kevin followed by this world’s version of Shaunee. I had to stop myself from grinning and hugging her, especially as she was still a fledgling, which made her look a lot younger than eighteen.
Kevin fisted his hand quickly over his heart. “Merry meet, High Priestess Anastasia.” As Anastasia greeted him in return, he glanced at me and grinned.
“Kevin, why have you brought this fledgling here?” Anastasia asked, though not unkindly.
“This is Shaunee,” Kevin said.
“Aren’t you a second-year student?” Anastasia asked.
Shaunee looked nervous, but she fisted her hand over her heart and bowed to Anastasia before saying, “I’m a third year, High Priestess.”
“Merry meet, Shaunee. Before this awful war began, I prided myself on knowing all of the fledglings. I plan on being able to say that I know you all again very soon.” Anastasia’s gaze went to Kevin. “And why did you bring this young fledgling to my office?” she asked again.
Kevin smiled and with a jolt I realized that he looked truly happy. “You should tell her,” he said to Shaunee.
Shaunee cleared her throat and then, in a clear voice that was beginning to hold some of the power that her mirror in our world possessed she said, “Kevin helped me discover something that he said you would want to know. I have an affinity for fire.”
Anastasia’s eyes widened in surprise, and then her face lit with a smile as well. “What a lovely blessing Nyx has bestowed upon you—and so unusual in a fledgling. Kevin was correct. This is welcome news today.”
I wanted to cheer and congratulate Shaunee, and one glance at Stevie Rae said she did too, but she only made a small fist pump and mouthed yes!
Anastasia was saying, “Shaunee, who is your mentor?”
“It was Lenobia,” she said softly.
“Oh. Well, then. I shall mentor you myself. Lenobia and I were fast friends. Next week you and I will discuss your classes and be sure that you get plenty of training in rituals and circle-casting. You’ll need to—”
She was interrupted by a massive commotion in the hallway outside her office, and the door burst inward to reveal Other Neferet standing in the middle of a nest of writhing, hissing tendrils of Darkness. Beside her was a middle-aged woman I instantly recognized as Lynette. Sons of Erebus Warriors were closing in around her. Their weapons were drawn, and they looked grim.
Neferet was utterly serene. “Hello, Anastasia.”
Both of the Starks moved as one, pushing Kacie and me behind them. Rephaim and Kevin joined them as Stevie Rae, Aphrodite, and Shaunee sprinted behind the wall of Warriors they’d created.
“Anastasia! ” Dragon’s roar came from behind Neferet.
Neferet didn’t so much as glance at him, but instead spoke in a perfectly reasonable, calm tone. “Oh, relax, Dragon. Your mate is completely unharmed—unlike my Lynette and I would be if my children weren’t here to protect us. Anastasia, I must tell you that under your leadership, my House of Night has certainly become unwelcoming.”
Anastasia stood. “My House of Night is welcoming—to friends. You are not a friend.”
Her full lips turned up. “Well, perhaps not, but you will be very glad to receive the information I bring.” Her emerald eyes found me. “I see that you already realize you are in danger—the little busybody from that Other World has arrived before me.”
Dragon filled the doorway behind Neferet. I could see Damien in the group of Warriors that had taken position beside him. He was holding a fencing saber, which he wielded with deadly accuracy.
I couldn’t keep my mouth shut another second.
“What the hell do you want, Neferet?”
She looked at me directly and said, “Why, oddly enough, the same thing you want. I want to kill the Neferet from your world before she kills all of us, and to do so, you need to call forth this world’s winged immortal named Kalona, which I happen to know you cannot do without me. So, why don’t you all stop this boringly predictable posturing, put down your toylike weapons, offer my handmaid and me a seat and refreshments—and let’s talk.”
32
Zoey
What followed was utterly bizarre. When no one moved or said anything, Neferet sighed dramatically.
“Lynette, dearest, please give the prophecy to Anastasia.” Lynette began to walk forward, but Neferet’s hand on her shoulder halted her. “First, I will need to know that none of the testosterone-filled Warriors standing between us and the High Priestess will harm my handmaid.”
“They will not,” said Anastasia.
I could feel tension radiating off the two Starks, Kevin, and Rephaim—Neferet must have as well because she continued to maintain a grip on Lynette’s shoulder, saying, “Warriors, will you allow my handmaid to pass to the High Priestess?”
The four of them nodded.
“Go ahead, dearest.”
Lynette moved from Neferet’s side, and the tendrils of Darkness parted just enough to let her pass. She didn’t look at any of the Warriors, but kept her gaze on Anastasia, going directly to her and handing her a piece of paper. I could see that it had what looked like a poem printed on it. Lynette turned and
