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“How disappointing. Now, go about what I have commanded. When I return and control the House of Night and rule as Tsi Sgili Goddess of all Vampyres, you will be richly rewarded.” Neferet punched the end call button.

She was sipping her wine and contemplating a slow, painful death for Charles LaFont when a noise from the bedroom tugged at her attention. She’d forgotten the young bellboy who had brazenly flirted with her when she’d arrived earlier that night. He’d been very willing to feed her then. He would be less willing now that he realized how close to draining him critically she had come. She stood and carried her half empty wineglass with her as she headed to her bedroom. She would be able to taste his fear in what was left of his blood.

Neferet smiled.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Zoey

Stevie Rae and I were supposed to meet Thanatos in her classroom. I’d called her while we were in the short bus on our way to campus. We hadn’t spoken much. All she’d said was that she knew about Neferet’s press conference and to come to her room right away.

The House of Night smelled like smoke.

The whole school reeked. As we pulled into the parking lot I realized that it didn’t just stink like smoke. Sadly I’d had enough experience to recognize the sharp scent of fear.

The normal school day hadn’t started, that much was super obvious. There were fledglings milling all around in gossipy little groups. They definitely weren’t heading to first hour. That should have been cool. I mean, what kid doesn’t love a snow day or a random water leak or whatever? But somehow it didn’t feel cool. It felt confusing and not safe.

“Okay, so, I realize it’s totally not normal for me to say this, but I think Thanatos should have made everyone go to classes today.” Aphrodite creepily echoed my thoughts again as we unloaded from the bus. “What’s going on instead is bullshit and a recipe for holy-fuck-we-can’t-make-it-without-Neferet panic.” Aphrodite made a sweeping gesture that took in the clusters of whispering fledglings as well as the vampyres and fledglings who were working at one of two grim jobs—clearing the rubble from the stables or adding to the enormous network of wooden beams and planks that would become Dragon Lankford’s funeral pyre.

“I am in agreement with you, my beauty,” Darius said grimly.

Silently, I sent up a quick but fervent prayer: Nyx, help me to say and do the right thing—and help my circle, my friends, to be strong and sure. Then I faced my group and followed my gut. “Okay, as much as I hate to admit it out loud, well, or even not out loud, Aphrodite’s right.”

Aphrodite tossed back her long blond hair. “Of course I am.”

“This school needs a big dose of normal and, sadly, I think we’re the best part of normal they’re gonna get right now.”

“That mean they’s fucked,” Kramisha said. She had on her yellow bobbed wig and stacked heels that had to have been five inches of black patent leather. Her skirt was short and super sparkly. Somehow she pulled off the crazy look, making me consider (for about 2.5 seconds) wearing heels more often.

“I’m being serious, Kramisha,” I said.

“So am I,” she said.

“Look, y’all. We can be normal. A new normal. One that’s more interestin’,” Stevie Rae said with a big grin up at Rephaim.

Aphrodite snorted. I ignored her, smiled at Stevie Rae, and kept talking. “We’re going to split up. Part of you guys go to the stables. Part of you go to Dragon’s pyre. Remember, be normal,” I said sternly. “Act like you would regularly act. We need to get a grip and help guide things back to something that seems manageable. Look, right now it feels like we’ve been attacked from everywhere. The stables were on fire. Cats were killed. Dragon’s dead. And now Neferet isn’t just an evil nutjob. She’s an evil nutjob who has involved the human community in stuff that’s way beyond their understanding or their ability to deal. We gotta be strong and visible. We gotta keep the House of Night together. Like I told Thanatos last night—we’re a lot more than bickering children and it’s about time we stand up, stand together, and get the respect we deserve.”

“Wise counsel, Priestess,” Darius said, making me want to hug him. “I will go to Dragon’s pyre and spread calm there.” He smiled warmly at Aphrodite. “Come with me. Your influence will be good for the Warriors who are bereft over the Sword Master’s death.”

“Usually, I’d say, wherever you go, I go, handsome,” Aphrodite said. “But I need a little Z time, so I’m gonna go with her to talk to Thanatos. How ’bout I meet you at the pyre afterward?”

Her words surprised me, and I thought about the fact that, except for Shaylin earlier that day, I hadn’t really talked to anyone since the reveal ritual. The bus ride back with Dragon’s body had been silent and difficult. Then there had been the fire, the dead cats, and—thankfully—sleep, though not enough of it. All of that meant no one had backed me into a corner about Aurox. Was Aphrodite getting ready to? I glanced at her. She’d tiptoed and was giving Darius a kiss. She looked like she always did—crazy about her Warrior and kinda bitchy about everything else.

“I’m gonna go with Z, too,” Stevie Rae’s voice broke into my neurotic study of Aphrodite. “When we get done talkin’ to Thanatos I’ll be out by the funeral pyre. You’re gonna be needin’ some serious grounding there, and earth is the right element for that.” She gave Rephaim a quick kiss. “Will you meet me out there?”

“I will.” He kissed her back, touching her cheek gently. Then he glanced at me. “If no one has an objection, I would like to patrol around the wall of the school, especially the eastern wall. If Neferet’s threads of Darkness are slithering around we need to know about it.”

“That sounds like a good idea. You guys okay with that?” I asked, looking to Stark and Darius for input. The two Warriors nodded. “Okay, great.” Then I turned my attention to Stevie Rae. “I think invoking your element is a really good idea, too, Stevie Rae. Damien, Shaunee, and Erin—you guys keep your elements close. If they can help strengthen or support, call on them. Just don’t be totally obvious and…” My words trailed off as I fully realized what I was saying. “No. That’s wrong. If you need to use your element do be obvious.”

“I get your point, Z,” Damien said. “It’s about time the House of Night is aware that there are prodigious forces of good working on our side against all that Darkness.”

“Prodigious means real big,” Stevie Rae translated.

“We know what it means,” Kramisha said.

“I didn’t,” Shaunee said.

“Me, neither,” Erin said.

I wanted to grin at the Twins and say it was nice to have them making twin-like comments, but as soon as Erin had spoken she’d blushed bright pink and turned away from Shaunee, who was looking super uncomfortable, so I gave up—temporarily—and made a mental note to light a red and blue candle for the two of them and ask Nyx to give them some extra help. If I could find the time. Hell, if Nyx could find the time.

I stifled a sigh and kept talking. “Okay, good. So, separate into groups. Go do normal things—like get some study books and go to the library.”

“That’s not my normal,” I heard Johnny B mutter, and a bunch of the kids around him laughed.

I liked the sound of their laughter. It was normal.

“Then go grab a basketball or something boy-like in the field house,” I said, not able to not grin at them.

“I’m goin’ to the cafeteria. The kitchen at the tunnels looks like locusts been through it. Z, we need to make a run to the grocery before we head back there,” Kramisha said.

“Yeah, well, that’s normal. Go ahead. Anyone who didn’t get to eat before we left go with her. And, guys, spread out. Don’t just eat in clumps. Talk to the other kids,” I said.

The fledglings made noises of agreement and organized themselves, breaking into little groups around Darius, the Twins, Damien, and Kramisha. Rephaim headed off by himself. I watched his back for a little while, wondering if he’d ever really fit in, and if he didn’t what that would do to his relationship with Stevie Rae. I glanced