No, that wasn’t true. Bryan stared straight ahead as he followed Syd’s instructions, no expression on his face, like he’d completely tuned out. Leo hadn’t stopped thrusting his fingers through his hair since we began cleaning the scene.
“Ms. Reed?” Virgil Graves, the father of my nemesis, Vanessa, walked up. Since the head of the Council was now part of the body count, that put Graves in charge. I stopped raking and waited for him to tell me why he hesitantly regarded me. “In these troubled times, our world needs a guiding light, something good to believe in.”
“Have them start up a prayer group.” I went back to raking.
“It’s going to take more than that,” he went on, fidgeting with his tie. “As you know, with Albert’s death, it’s my duty to step into the role of head of this Council.”
“Congratulations.”
“As head of the Council, it’s my job to heal our world. That begins by having a prophecy not directed by fear, but rather by hope. We need to come together as a whole.”
I stopped raking again and studied him until he glanced at the bodies on the opposite side of the tent as Syd had them loaded into vans. I waited until he returned his attention to me. “Are you asking me to be the prophecy again?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m asking.”
“I’ll pass.” I dropped the rake and walked away.
Graves followed me. “Ms. Reed, I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation.”
“I understand it just fine.” I stopped and turned. “You declared me the prophecy when I couldn’t even control my calls. After I stopped Alec von Leer, you thanked me by nearly giving the title to a dark elemental leecher who’d partnered up with the grand poohbah of the dark side. If Stephens hadn’t freaked out over Spencer Dalton’s birthday, we’d be having an entirely different conversation. And I still stopped them. Your thanks on that one? You give the prophecy to someone who’d faked her own death to get away from it. The Council’s track record isn’t all that stellar.”
“Yes,” he agreed and fidgeted with his tie again. “We’ve made mistakes, mistakes that cost lives. Please, don’t let Stephens’s past mistakes stop you from doing what’s right.”
I just looked at him, stunned at his level of epic cluelessness. “Seriously? You’re pinning this all on Stephens? You were right there with him, Virgil. You didn’t step up. You didn’t stop him. You just let him run the Council—run our world—using fear and discord. I’m done.”
“You’re the true prophecy.”
“That’s just a title.” I stormed off.
He, of course, followed once again. “Ms. Reed, please reconsider.”
“Bite me.”
“Ms. Reed!” His outburst echoed through the tent. Everyone stilled to watch the show. I stopped and crossed my arms, jutting out my hip as I waited for him to stop in front of me. “I’m asking you to do the right thing. Our world needs you.”
“The answer is still no. I won’t work for a Council who’d allow something like this to happen.” I motioned at the destruction around us. Even though Syd had taken all the bodies, there were still piles of wood to rake up, tables and chairs to put away, and a reality to face.
“We had no idea Samantha Reed would turn on us.”
“I call bullshit. The woman disappeared almost six years ago. She suddenly reappears on the heels of me defeating the elemental the Council imported in from the UK, where she’d been hiding out. No coincidence there. How did you think this was going to go?”
“This is your last chance to do the right thing, Ms. Reed.”
“Or what?”
“Or your rejection could be taken as a stand against the Council.”
I unfolded my arms. Did he just threaten me? “Those are my choices? I either take back the prophecy or I’m labeled dark?”
“Take a few hours to think about it. I’ll expect your decision before sunup.” With that, he walked away.
Screw that noise. I marched over to the guys to tell them about the ultimatum Graves just dropped on me. As I drew closer, I thought about it. No matter my decision, they’d stay by my side. If I turned down the prophecy, got labeled as dark, the guys would be labeled as dark right along with me.
Fuck a bunch of fuckers.
Leo turned as I approached and offered a weak smile. “Hey, babe.”
I walked into his arms. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m in shock, to be honest. We knew she was dark, but I don’t think any of us expected her to be with Alec and Spencer. That…” He trailed off and shook his head. “I just can’t wrap my brain around that one.”
Tell me about it. “I’m going to go for a walk. I need to clear my head.”
“Do you want company?”
“No. I want to see if I can talk to Cressida.”
He nodded. My guys totally got my connection to the school’s founder and didn’t question it when I needed time with her. I said my good-byes to the guys and headed out, emerging from the tent for the first time since the attack. The sun wouldn’t be up for a couple of hours. I lifted my face to the sky and pulled in a deep breath, relishing the fresh air.
With a sigh, I approached the statue and slowed, resting my hand on the bronze. “Hey, Cressida. Just giving you a heads-up that I’m heading to the ruins. Please be there.”
My hand slid away from the statue as I moved on, too distracted to teleport. I couldn’t focus now if my life depended on it. I’d just stayed up most of the night cleaning the horrific path of destruction left by my mom.
Twenty minutes later, I stepped into the ruins, wringing my hands and struggling to breathe without breaking down. Crying
