“So, if someone is cursed, they can’t make the pledge?” I glanced up at Shiloh.
She tore her eyes away from her own book and looked at me. “That’s right.”
“But what if someone has already made the pledge? Is there still a way to get out of it?”
Her forehead wrinkled. “A way out of the pledge?”
I nodded.
She sat up and pushed her hair behind her shoulder. “Well, there are two ways I know of. Suspension between the realms or the final death.”
Seeing my confusion, she cleared her throat. “If a witch is suspended in time or trapped between the worlds, they wouldn’t be required to fulfill the pledge and well, in final death, the witch would be completely gone. Their essence void.”
My heart sank. Those were my choices? I slammed the book closed, anger flaring to life.
Shiloh gave me a curious look.
“What about Gloria? She’s a witch, but she’s not in any coven.”
“Not every witch has a coven. But all the ones that are pledged do.”
“So, it’s kind of like the GRIMMs. You don’t have a choice but to do their bidding.”
Shiloh swung her legs around and slid to the floor. “It’s similar, yes. But the witches practice magic and the GRIMMS are not supposed to use their conduits for anything besides their work. Protecting ordinaires and concealing magic.”
I snorted. “We’re learning how to use magic to stop magic.”
“In a way, yes. In the past though, there were GRIMMs who went too far and strayed off the path. Wizards, they called them.”
My eyes snapped to hers. “Wait, so the GRIMMs were wizards?”
“The ones that made their own laws about magic. They got too wrapped up in what they could do with it and forgot our main objective.”
“To protect the ordinaire and conceal magic. And police the extraordinaire?” I asked.
“Exactly.”
Her words rattled me, bringing so many more questions. If my mom disagreed with the GRIMMs, why didn’t she become a wizard instead of a witch? Was there even a difference and why Luna Negra? From all the research I’d done, I’d found their lists of horrific acts long and gruesome. The answers I needed wouldn’t be found in the school, I’d already tried to look up my mom, but as Javi told me, she’d been erased completely from the records.
If no one remembered her, why was I forced to pretend I wasn’t her daughter?
“You about done? I think I’m going to start getting ready,” Shiloh interrupted my thoughts.
I stood up and stretched. “Yeah. Let’s finish later.”
We put our books and notes away and headed for the closet. I pushed the questions and Grayson’s infuriating face out of my mind. Time to forget about it all.
In record time, Shiloh managed to turn herself into a gorgeous lifelike doll with flawless makeup and a pretty ballgown. Her raven hair hung in big locks around her face.
Javi was going to flip out.
I stared at myself in the mirror. Black fishnet stockings and black denim, cut-off shorts with a plain, graphic, red and black tee. My cropped jacket, heavy makeup, and combat boots finished the look.
It was nearly ten when Javi came to get us. He stepped in, his jaw dropping when he spotted Shiloh. Literally dropped.
Her cheeks reddened underneath the subtle blush she’d applied. I couldn’t help but smirk at the pleased smile tugging her lips.
“Doesn’t she look great?” I prodded my idiot cousin.
He nodded emphatically, eyes still on her. “Yeah. Wow. Shiloh, you look amazing. Are you supposed to be a princess?”
I rolled my eyes. Of course, that was what he fantasized. Typical.
“No. I’m a doll.”
There was that uncertainty in her eyes again. I frowned. Whoever hurt her in the past had done a number on her self-esteem. I felt a fierce sense of protection for her.
“What are you supposed to be?” I interrupted, waving a hand down his expensive business suit.
Javi grinned. “Bruce Wayne.”
My eyebrow arched.
“You know… Batman?” He gave me an exasperated sigh.
“I know who Bruce Wayne is…”
His lip curled. “And what are you supposed to be?”
“Didn’t feel like dressing up this year. How are we getting to this party?”
“Boat.”
“A boat?”
He nodded. “Tyler has a boat. The headmaster’s house is on an island. Not too far from here. Rhys, Monica, and Sofia are coming with us too. They’re waiting for us at the dock.”
Great. His jerk friends. Shiloh hesitated. Before she could talk herself out of it, I looped my arm in hers and led her toward the door.
“Let’s go,” I ordered Javi.
I turned to her. “We’re gonna have fun. Don’t worry about the others. If they’re being asses, we’ll go do our own thing.”
She smiled. “Sounds good.”
Javi brought up the rear. “I’m included in that too, right?”
I rolled my eyes. “As an ass? Sure, Javi.”
He scowled.
We headed for the elevator, catching curious stares in the hall. Javi flashed them a smile while Shiloh and I ignored them.
Nobody needed to know our business.
“How are we going to get past the guard gate?” Shiloh asked.
Good question. I turned to hear Javi’s answer.
“Portal.”
Her eyes widened. “But that’s against school policy.”
“And so is going out past curfew,” Javi added.
“Wait. What about… your dad?” I turned to Javi and glanced at the bracelet.
“I took care of everything. Relax, ladies. Don’t worry your pretty little heads about it.”
Before I could elbow him in the side, the elevator stopped on the first floor. We filed out and headed for the entrance.
“We can’t go out the front,” Shiloh hissed. “The cameras.”
I followed her gaze to an empty spot ceiling level at the corner of the room. Surprise filled me. Was it invisible or something? Not hard to imagine at a school like GRIMM.
“Right. Good call. It’s way too close to curfew. Let’s go through the tunnel.”
My ears perked up. Secret tunnel? Why didn’t anyone show me that on the tour?
He led us down the hall and paused at the giant dragon portrait at the end. After waving a hand and chanting something, the
