

### TRIUMPH OF CHAOS

### Book 3 of the Red Magic Series

### Jen McConnel
TRIUMPH OF CHAOS

By Jen McConnel

Published by Jen McConnel

2nd Edition

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2016 Jen McConnel

Cover Designed by Rocking Book Covers, 2016

This book is a work of fiction. Characters, locations, and events are products of the author's mind, or have been used in a fictitious manner. The author acknowledges the right of all trademark holders for products mentioned in this work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or to actual events, is purely coincidental.

License Statement:

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

### TRIUMPH OF CHAOS

### Jen McConnel

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Copyright

Ready for more magic?

About the Author
Chapter One

For months, I thought I'd killed my best friend.

Now I sort of wish I had.

What kind of person does that make me?

Justin had once told me that I'd go crazy if I tried to decide who should live or die, but I kept thinking that if I'd been able to make that kind of choice in the first place, none of this would have happened. If Rochelle had really died on that rooftop last fall, then the world wouldn't be falling apart, and I wouldn't be to blame.

Sometimes, it sucks to be a Witch.

I used to scoff at people who preached about the end of the world, but ever since Marcus, I hadn't been able to laugh off the sandwich-board crazies popping up everywhere. Maybe it would have been funny if I didn't know the truth.

The world was ending. Or at least it would be if I couldn't stop it.

Sulking, I followed my parents into our favorite breakfast place. They didn't seem to notice the group of people standing on the corner holding signs that promised the end was nigh.

"Phew," Mom said, pulling off her light-blue cardigan. "Summer will be here before we know it!"

A waitress bustled over, handing out menus and smiling at us. "Feels to me like summer's already started!"

"Weather like this is exactly why people need to pay attention to global warming. I'll have a sweet tea, and the breakfast special," my dad added, settling back into his chair without glancing at the menu.

The waitress scribbled on a notepad. "I don't know about all that, but eighty degrees in March is odd, even for North Carolina!"

Mom nodded, shooting a look in my direction. "We just have to stay cool and try not to think about what July will be like."

After the waitress had taken our orders and moved on, I leaned forward. "You don't think this heat has anything to do with... " I gestured helplessly.

Mom shook her head. "Not something we should talk about here."

Dad snorted, and I heard him mutter, "Not something we should talk about, period."

My stomach clenched, and I stared at my hands, trying to pretend I hadn't heard him. Ever since I got back from Scotland in January, my parents had kept me at arm's length. Well, not Mom as much, but even she was more reserved than usual. My father seemed to want to pretend that I didn't exist.

I had thought I'd only been away for a month, but the trip had actually taken over a year. I'd ended up in the Celtic Underworld, and time runs differently in Underworlds; I should have remembered that. While I'd been there, Rochelle had glamoured herself and pretended to be me. My parents _said_ they believed I was who I said I was, but there was an edge to our relationship that hadn't been there before.

It probably didn't help that I had participated in what had become the biggest nuclear disaster in the history of the world.

Mom and Dad are both Green Witches, hippie-dippie earth-loving types, and they seemed to take it personally that their daughter had so thoughtlessly damaged the earth. To be fair, I _had_ thought what Marcus and I did could be fixed, but that's beside the point. My parents seemed to think the fact that I had messed with nuclear power at all was an intentional act of rebellion. It made talking to them nearly impossible, but I kept trying. Whether they liked it or not, I needed their help to fix the mess I'd made of things.

"So," I began, forcing myself to sound cheerful, "what are you guys going to do this weekend?"

Dad muttered something about saving the world, but Mom shot him a dark look. "I might work in the garden." She hesitated. "Did you want to help?"

Before I could answer, Dad butted in. "Lena doesn't exactly have a green thumb."

His words stung, but he was right—my gift seemed to be destruction, not growth. I tried to shrug it off. "I can help, if you want."

Mom smiled, and for a moment, I could almost forget about everything that had happened, but by the time the food came, the familiar knot was back in my stomach, and I picked at my pancakes without enthusiasm. It had been hard for me to eat ever since Marcus died.

Marcus had been another Red Witch, like me. He was a little older than me and hard as granite. He'd been trained by his patron, the goddess Cerridwyn, and she had shown him how to use his magic by subjecting him to countless battles and acts of brutality. I'd never known anyone as powerful or frightening, and I had killed him.

Well, not directly. I released this crazy god of chaos, Loki, and Loki was the one who instigated Marcus's death. But it still felt like the guilt rested solely on my shoulders: if I hadn't listened to any of the Red gods, maybe Marcus would still be alive, and then I could figure out if I hated him or was in love with him. _Yeah, I'm not messed up at all_ , I thought sourly.

"How's breakfast?" Mom interrupted my thoughts, staring pointedly at my plate.

I looked down, surprised. I had eaten everything in front of me, and it even looked like I'd licked the plate clean. I didn't remember taking a single bite. "Um. Good," I lied. "What about you?"

She shrugged. "The toast was a bit dry, but the omelet was good."

I nodded, struggling to make small talk. Before I could think of anything else to say, someone cranked up the volume on the TV suspended over the doorway.

"Europe is still in a state of chaos as leaders scramble to secure the countryside of France. Meanwhile, the president is preparing for a visit to Germany to discuss nuclear energy. It is assumed that he will push for stricter safety regulations." The reporter read the teleprompter with no emotion, clearly unaware of the effect his words were having on my family.

Dad slurped his sweet tea loudly. "I thought you said you were working on it."

I shrugged, but I felt my hands starting to shake. "I'm trying. There's not a lot I can do, remember? It's not my territory." If I didn't get a grip on myself, I knew I'd light up like a sparkler in a minute.

"You should have thought of that before."

"Richard." My mom's voice was low with warning. "This is not the place."

He glared at me. "Fine. But she needs to think about the consequences of her actions."

I met his gaze, furious. "Believe me. That's all I've been doing lately." A burst of Red energy crackled on my skin, and I gritted my teeth, pulling the power back inside.

Dad snorted, oblivious, and Mom flagged down the waitress for the bill. When my arms stopped sparking, I stood up and headed for the door. Neither of them asked where I was going, but I didn't care.

I marched up to the apocalyptic group, still chanting on the corner. "Give me one," I said, sticking my hand out for a flier.

An older man with gray hair and a sagging chin frowned at me. "There isn't much time left." He handed me a flier solemnly. "Repent now, before it's too late."

"It's already too late." I pretended not to notice the fearful look he shot me as I sat down on the curb, skimming the paper. It was the same old religious drivel, talking about Armageddon and God. According to this group, the only way to escape the coming end times was to give up worldly goods and join them in their quest to spread the truth.

I crumpled the flier in disgust. It had been foolish of me to expect Nons to have a solution, but I couldn't stop hoping that they might know more than they let on. Evidently, _that_ group didn't. _What am I going to do?_ Resisting the urge to bury my head in my hands and sob, I slapped the hot pavement underneath me instead. Cracks shot through the sidewalk, like ice, and someone in the little group on the corner shrieked. _Good. You should be afraid of me_. I glared at them, and one by one they picked up their signs and crossed the street.

When my parents finally walked by me, I stood without a word and followed them to our Subaru parked at the curb. The seatbelt buckle burned my fingers, but I barely noticed. The heat was miserable, but something about it made me feel powerful, too. I almost laughed at that thought. Powerful and destructive. Red magic was linked to fire, something I'd learned firsthand after meeting Loki. _It's no wonder the hot weather is winding me up_. I glanced up at the front seat, wondering if I should tell my parents how close to exploding I'd come that morning, but then I shook my head. We drove home in silence, even though I knew the storm would have to break sometime.

A few blocks from our house, my phone buzzed insistently in my pocket, and I looked at the screen. My throat clenched. _Justin_. My ex had been trying to get me to sit down and talk with him ever since I came back, but I hadn't felt up to it. I'd been avoiding him for months. I didn't know what to say to him about Loki and Rochelle, and I couldn't even imagine telling him about Marcus. _So, yeah, I met the other Red Witch, and we sort of made out, but now he's dead, so we can get back to normal, right?_ Still, talking to him would be a break from _not_ talking to my parents. Anything was better than that.

"Mom," I leaned forward, tapping her on the shoulder, "could you drop me off at Justin's house?"

She hesitated, glancing at Dad, but he didn't act like he'd heard my question. Finally, Mom nodded. "I suppose. But be home in time for dinner." Her eyes flicked quickly to the rearview mirror, and I heard her unspoken thought: sooner or later, we'd have to deal with all this.

"Thanks." I hopped out of the car as soon as we pulled up in front of Justin's house. He only lived a few blocks away from us; I could have just walked over once we got home. But for some reason, now that I'd decided to see him, I couldn't wait a minute longer.

He was sitting on the sidewalk in front of his house. His shoulders looked a little wider, and maybe his hair was shorter than I remembered, but nothing else about Justin had really changed. He was still the first boy I'd ever loved, and the poor guy had been the recipient of my disastrous attempts at love magic twice. _And he'd spent a year with the fake me_. My stomach clenched.

I had no idea what had happened between him and Rochelle while I was gone, but I had a feeling whatever it was would be more than I could handle. That was another reason I'd been avoiding him, that and the whole Marcus situation. I tried to push the other Red Witch out of my head when I saw Justin.

He stood up and smiled his heart-melting smile, and just like that, it was like I'd never been gone. Without thinking, I threw my arms around his neck. He embraced me, and it felt good to just stand there, safe in his familiar arms. Tingles raced up my spine, and I shivered in pleasure. It wasn't the same electric shock I'd gotten whenever I touched Marcus, but I still leaned into his body, enjoying the sensation.

"That's quite a hello." He chuckled, letting me go, and I tugged on the bottom of my T-shirt, not meeting his eyes. Maybe I still wasn't ready to be around him.

I cleared my throat, preparing to tell him everything. "I've been gone a long time."

He nodded. "I know."

Startled by his serious tone, I looked at him closely. "What do you know?"

Instead of answering, he silently opened the front door. He led me up to his bedroom, and then warded the door behind us. "I know that you were gone for over a year."

If I'd been sitting down, I would have fallen off the chair. Instead, I lowered myself shakily to perch on the corner of his desk. "How long have you known?"

"Lena, come on. Do you really think I can't tell the difference between the real you and a glamour?"

I blushed, thinking about the glamour Aphrodite had taught me to weave. Justin had been fooled by that for a few days, but there was no way I was going to bring _that_ up. "My parents didn't know."

He shrugged. "They probably expect you to be different all the time. We're teenagers, right?"

I laughed weakly. "So you knew this whole time. But I thought—" I broke off, remembering something Mom had said over the phone while I'd been gone.

"I kept hanging out with her. I mean you. I didn't know who it was, and I didn't want to do anything to make your parents suspicious. But nothing happened." He spread his palms wide. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

_So you got back together with the fake me, but you didn't do anything?_ I looked at him, wanting desperately to believe what he said. "It was Rochelle."

He stared at me as if I'd slapped him. "I thought she was dead."

"So did I. But I didn't kill her, I guess, and she glamoured herself to look like me to take revenge." I forced a laugh, trying not to imagine Rochelle making out with Justin. "I'm actually surprised she didn't hurt you. She's always hated you, you know."

His brown eyes were full of concern. "How did you get rid of her?"

"My friend Izzy helped me." I kept my words short, hoping he wouldn't ask me any questions about Izzy. Talking about her would lead to talking about Marcus, and I wasn't sure I could do that yet.

Justin closed his eyes, pressing his fingertips to his forehead in concentration. "How has she gained so much power? Black magic is strong, but this is ridiculous."

I took a deep a breath. We'd gotten there quicker than I'd hoped, but I couldn't lie to him. I could never lie to Justin, but that didn't mean I had to tell him everything. I measured my words carefully. "Another Red died, and Rochelle took his place."

Justin opened his mouth, and I shook my head.

"It's complicated. But Rochelle is a Red Witch now." I took a deep breath. "And it's even worse than that. While I was gone, I found out what Hecate wants."

I told Justin what I could, haltingly, doing my best to leave out Marcus while telling him about Hecate's plan to remake the world. Finally, with shaking hands, I told him about Loki.

"So now the worst of the Red gods is free again, and between him and Hecate, the world could end at any time." I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to sound matter-of-fact. "Rochelle controls a third of the world, and if you've been watching the news, this hasn't been a good few months for Europe." I held up my hands helplessly. "I just don't know how to stop any of it."

Justin didn't say anything for a minute. I watched him nervously, waiting for the cold glances and accusations that I'd gotten used to from my parents, but he didn't tell me I was a monster. He studied me, and then he sat down on his desk chair and reached for my hands. Smoothly, he pulled me into his lap, one arm circling me firmly for support, and I leaned against him, surprised at how easy it was to be so close. "You said your friend Izzy helped you stop Rochelle. So maybe it's a question of working together."

I nodded, relieved that he wasn't asking any questions yet, and I tried to think straight. It wasn't easy with his breath tickling my ear. "Did you know that there are six types of magic?"

He looked at me as if I'd grown wings. "There's White, Black, and Green. And of course, Red." He squeezed me gently when he said that, and my heart began to speed up.

I shook my head, trying to focus. "For some reason, when magic came to America, part of it was left behind. There's also Blue and Yellow; my friend Izzy is a Blue Witch."

Justin paused for a moment, digesting what I'd said. "Why wouldn't they teach us that?" He rested his chin on my shoulder, and I shivered at the contact.

"I don't know." I wanted to lose myself in the simple sensation of being pressed against Justin, but finally I leaned away from him, still perched on his knees. "I have a lot of questions, and I don't know where to start. But the important thing is the six magics. Together, they're balanced. Green is earth magic, Blue controls water, Yellow is for air, and Red is for fire. And White and Black are the balance of spirit." I twisted around, watching his face. "If we can balance the paths, maybe all six together is more powerful than any Red Witch."

"Or the Red gods." Justin spoke without inflection, and I watched him nervously.

"If we could form a group, a Coven—"

He stood up abruptly, dropping me onto the chair. "What kind of crap did you get into over there?"

I hopped out of the chair, clenching my fists. "It isn't crap! I met a Coven there, and Izzy and I think that might be our only option." I could feel the swirl of Red energy pulsing through my hands, but I struggled to control it.

His lips parted in surprise. "Covens are things in horror movies, Darlena! And besides, how could Witches of such different paths work together? It would all turn into chaos."

"No," I said tightly. "This is our only chance to stop chaos."

He shook his head. "Look, I want to help you. You know that." His eyes searched mine. "But you've changed since you came back. I can't," he paused, taking a deep breath, "I can't tell what it is, but it's as if you're somebody else." He stared at me for a long moment. "Maybe I just got used to the way Rochelle felt."

I pulled back as if he'd slapped me. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He held up his hands quickly. "You were gone for over a year. I knew that she wasn't you, but I still spent a lot of time with her. I got used to the way her energy felt. Yours feels—well, it isn't the way I remember it."

I glared at him, fighting the urge to kiss him and show him I was exactly the girl he remembered. Instead, I gritted my teeth. "People change. That's part of life."

Justin shook his head. "But are you sure you've changed for the good?"

Chapter Two

I made it home without exploding in anger, but it was a good thing that Mom and Dad didn't try to talk to me when I came in. As soon as I was safe in my room, I slammed my door shut and grabbed a pillow from my bed. With a surge of Red energy, I chucked the pillow at the window, releasing my anger with it. The glass shattered as the pillow sailed through it.

That window had already been replaced once: Rochelle had jumped out it during our last confrontation. Somehow, I didn't think my dad would be willing to replace it a second time.

"Damn it," I muttered, instantly calm. My magic had been bubbling close to the surface for months, but I hadn't lost control like that in a long time. I felt frayed and vulnerable, but at the same time, I felt relieved.

"Mreow?" Xerxes poked his head out from under my bed and looked at me curiously. I sank down to the floor, kneeling beside him. The old cat sniffed me once, bumped his head against my hand, and then turned and went back under the bed. _Even he can't stand to be around me right now,_ I thought bitterly.

Gods, what was wrong with me? I leaned my head back against my bed and squeezed my eyes shut. It was like I couldn't decide which destructive emotion to feel. I'd been vacillating between anger and depression ever since I came back from Europe, but right now, it felt like self-loathing was winning. "I could really use a little help right now," I said out loud to my empty room. The air shimmered for a moment, and a warm breeze rustled my hair, but nothing else happened.

I had not had contact with a single god since returning home in January, and it was starting to freak me out.

Witches at my old school were trained to believe that it was old-fashioned to take a patron, but most of the Witches I'd met had all sworn to someone. I'd even had a patron, at first: Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. Our bonds were broken by a choice I made, and I hadn't had much contact with her since.

But it wasn't Aphrodite I was desperate to talk to. Persephone had been a constant fixture in my life ever since I declared to follow the Red path. She'd even helped me in the beginning by switching places with me, giving me time to learn about my magic under the protection of her husband, Hades, while she distracted Hecate and Rochelle from their quest to kill me. But Persephone hadn't had much to say to me since I'd arrived in Scotland over a year ago.

The last god or goddess I'd spoken to was Freya. I shuddered at the memory. She knew that I'd released Loki, and she said the other gods knew as well. Maybe that was why Persephone hadn't answered any of my pleas for help.

Still, the silence was strange. When I first declared to Red magic, the Red gods couldn't stay away from me. There are only ever three Red Witches at any given time, and the gods were all courting me. I'd learned a little bit more about the patron relationship since then, and I was really glad I didn't sign up for that with any of the gods who came calling. The patron oath is binding, and if I'd taken, say, Kali as my patron, my magic would have been bound in her service. As it was, I'd only narrowly escaped being Aphrodite's pawn.

Now that Rochelle was a Red Witch, it seemed like the Red gods had forgotten about me. I didn't miss the strange visitations from Kali and Pele, but Persephone had felt more like a friend.

_That's stupid,_ I told myself sharply. _Gods aren't friends with humans, not even Witches._

There was a gentle knock at my door, breaking into my thoughts.

"Come in." I didn't get off the floor.

"I heard a crash. Is everything all right?" Mom spoke quietly from the doorway.

Too tired to lie, I pointed to the window. "I broke it. Again. Can't wait to tell Dad."

She knelt down beside me on the floor and patted my shoulder. "I think we might have some plywood in the shed. You and I can take care of it, if you like."

I shrugged, but my heart surged at the thought of her helping me again, even with something as stupid as the window.

"How did it break?"

"I threw a pillow at it."

Her voice was carefully neutral. "Oh. I'm glad you aren't hurt."

"I was trying to get Persephone's attention."

She was quiet for a moment, and I risked looking at her. Tears stood in her eyes, and I felt a sharp twist of guilt in my stomach. Ever since I'd pissed off Hecate, Mom's contact with her own patron had been limited, too. My mom's patron was Demeter, the mother of the goddess I trusted most. It hadn't seemed ironic at first.

"Have you heard from her?"

Mom shook her head, and the tears spilled over. "She never got back in touch with me after your trip to Greece."

It had been well over a year since that happened; in that time, I'd gone back to Europe, found Marcus, released Loki, and set off a nuclear disaster. "It's not fair that she's punishing you because of me."

"But you're my daughter. I'm responsible for your actions."

Her voice trembled, and I looked at her, surprised. "Mom, I'm almost a legal adult. I can make my own choices."

"I know you can, sweetie, but that doesn't change the fact that Demeter blames me for your behavior." Her voice dropped and she wiped away her tears. "I blame myself, too."

Shocked, I stared at her. "That's why you've been like this?"

"Like what?" She swallowed a sob.

I spread my arms helplessly. "Like whatever you've been since I came home. I knew Dad was mad, but I couldn't figure out if you were mad or just didn't trust me anymore." I struggled to keep my tone even, but Mom heard the clash of emotions in my words.

She reached out and gripped my hand. "Of course I trust you! I'll always trust you. But the things you've done, Lena—" Her voice broke, and she squeezed my hand, trying to regain her composure. "I must have done something wrong," she finally whispered, "to let you come to this place."

The unfairness of it pushed at the raw wound inside me. "Mom, I have enough guilt for both of us. You can't start feeling like this is your fault, too. It's not. I chose to be a Red Witch. I chose to pursue Hecate. It was my choice to make a bargain with Loki." My voice rose as I spoke, and energy pulsed under my skin.

She shook her head, tears wet on her cheeks, but I ignored her. After avoiding the painful topic ever since I'd come home, I suddenly felt like I'd explode if I didn't tell Mom everything. Standing up, I took a deep breath and reached into my carefully warded closet. I pulled out my ratty backpack and handed it to her.

"I may not have made the best choices," I said softly, "but I do have a weapon I didn't have before."

She clutched the bag nervously, not opening it. "What's in here?"

I took a deep breath. "Chains that will bind a god."

Her expression was confused, so I went on.

"That was part of the deal. Loki gave me his bonds when I set him free."

"Lena!" Mom stood up swiftly, holding the backpack at arm's length. "You need to give these back to the gods! Let them deal with Loki: they've done it before."

I nodded once, feeling miserable. "I know. But I went to all that trouble to get them. I had planned to bind Hecate."

Her eyes looked sad. "Do you really think Hecate is your biggest problem right now?"

"No. It's not just Hecate, or even Loki. It's all of the Red gods." I swallowed, looking at the strange weapon in my hands. "We have to figure out a way to use these chains to stop them."

A familiar voice floated across the room. "I'm surprised at you, Darlena. It isn't all of us."

When I looked over my shoulder, Persephone stood there next to my shattered window.

The sight of her made me want to dance around in relief, but I was still angry about her silence, so I crossed my arms and glared at her. "Where have you been?"

"Still arrogant, aren't you? Darlena, even I did not know where you were or who was in your place until recently."

"I've been home for months."

Mom pinched me and shook her head, but I didn't care. Persephone had some explaining to do.

The goddess spread her hands wide. "You must remember that it was winter. I am bound to the Underworld with the seasons."

I snorted. "That didn't stop you before! I seem to remember you coming here in the fall."

She shook her head. "That was different. I had not yet made my annual descent. Remember?"

Of course I remembered. The goddess hadn't gone down to the Underworld that year because I had gone in her place. She'd sent me to Greece to keep me safe from Hecate and Rochelle, and I owed her for that. Big time. I frowned, struggling against my anger. If there were any gods I could trust, Persephone was one of them. I hoped.

"It's good to see you," I finally offered, grudgingly.

The goddess frowned. "I was not pleased when I heard what you have been doing."

Just like that, my anger boiled over again. "What was I supposed to do? You showed up in Scotland, told me that Hecate was planning to stir things up and cause the end of the world, and then you expected me to just sit around and let that happen?"

Mom pushed her way in front of me, bowing to the goddess. "Lady, please forgive my daughter."

Persephone sighed. "I am used to her fits of temper by now. Reds are never mild."

"Hey," I snapped, "I'm right here."

The goddess looked at me again, searching my eyes for a long moment. Finally, she said, "I came as soon as I could. You will need a patron now more than ever."

My heart lifted at the idea. If I had a patron, I would be safe. I was ready to say yes, but something held me back. "Has Rochelle declared a patron yet?"

The goddess snorted. "She is playing the Red gods for fools, letting them court her and coax her, accepting their gifts but promising nothing in return. But I am sure it will not be long before she makes her choice, and you must realize that a patron's power will only strengthen her."

I bit my lip, considering. I needed Persephone's help, but I had to tread carefully. If Rochelle didn't have a patron yet, maybe I could still beat her without making such a binding vow. "But how would having you as my patron help?"

Persephone frowned. "Surely you've realized by now that magic is amplified when you work with a patron."

I nodded. "But it's also amped up when multiple magical paths work together. Izzy helped me fight Rochelle, and it was a lot easier than it had been the first time."

Mom tapped my shoulder and lowered her voice. "Sweetie, you don't want to offend _another_ goddess. Her offer is very generous."

I glanced at her, remembering that her own patron had cut her off for the past year and a half. She'd been drained and miserable, and her magic was weaker than it had ever been. Slowly, I turned back to face the goddess. "Why did your mother abandon mine?"

Persephone stared at me, her eyes blank. "I do not meddle in her affairs."

"She dropped my mom because of me. Because I'm opposing Hecate."

Persephone inclined her head slightly. "Perhaps. It is likely."

My mom made a warning sound, but I ignored her. "So that's what a patron can do for me, huh? Abandon me when I need her most? No thanks."

The goddess met my gaze. "I would not abandon you. The fate of the world is still within your grasp."

_Gods, no pressure_. I wanted to beg for her help, but I stiffened my spine and shook my head. "Fix this." I gestured to my mother. "Give her back her patron, and I'll consider vowing to you."

Persephone smirked. "Do you really think that a daughter has power over her mother?"

I shrugged. "I know you want to help me, but I know you also need a Witch to work through, to use. Without someone to take you on as a patron, you're virtually powerless in my world, aren't you?"

The goddess glared at me, and I held my breath. Saying it out loud had been a gamble. I knew it was true, but maybe I'd crossed a line and she would just incinerate me on the spot. The seconds ticked by, and nobody moved.

Finally Persephone nodded, but her face was expressionless. "I need a Witch. You need a patron. I will do what I can to mend our mothers' bond. And then, Darlena, I will hold you to your word."

She vanished in a shimmer of sunlight. "I didn't promise anything yet!" I called to the empty air. "I just said I'd consider it."

Mom shook her head sadly. "Oh, Lena," she whispered. "What are you doing?"

"I don't want a patron if she could hurt me the way Demeter has hurt you."

"But the power of a god will help you. Remember, you're up against more than just Rochelle."

I rubbed my forehead. "I know. They're just using her."

"You said that Hecate and Loki are trying to end the world: anyone else?"

I laughed weakly. "Does it need to be more than that?"

Mom paused, her nose crinkled in thought. "If you knew for sure which of the Red gods were involved, maybe we could predict the coming disasters. If we knew which gods were acting, we might know how they would try to destroy the world."

A name popped into my memory, something Marcus and the Coven had discussed that I hadn't had time to process. "Set."

Mom's eyes widened. "The Egyptian god?"

I nodded. "The Coven said he's the one who held Izzy prisoner last year, but we never really had the chance to talk about it."

Mom drew a shuddering breath. "Well, then, you need to call Izzy."

I glanced at my clock, doing the math quickly. "It's only evening there. Maybe I can catch her." Now that Mom had suggested it, I realized I really missed the Blue Witch. I crossed to my desk and turned my computer on. Izzy and I had been keeping in touch via Skype, and I hoped I'd get lucky and she would be at her computer. The time zone difference was annoying, but we'd been able to talk almost once a week ever since she returned to Scotland. I hadn't asked her much about her captivity, and she hadn't volunteered any information, but Mom was right: we needed to have a better idea which Red gods were involved before we could come up with a plan, and maybe she remembered something that could help.

My mom opened the door. "Remember, Lena, I want to help."

"I know. But I'm still not sure what to do."

She nodded once, and then closed the door softly behind her. For a minute, I wanted to run after her, to hug her like I did when I was little and I thought she could fix everything. But as much as I wanted her help, I knew that my mom couldn't clean up the mess I'd made. _It's up to me,_ I thought, trying not to panic.

Chapter Three

Luck must have finally been on my side. Izzy was online when I logged on, and it only took a few seconds to boot up the video chat. The computer went blank for an instant, but then Izzy's smiling face filled the screen. Her dark hair was streaked with teal and purple, and I laughed in surprise.

"The hair's new."

"Hello to you too. Yeah, I was bored."

I grinned. "I like it."

"Good, 'cause it's not washing out. I thought it was semi, but I think I used permanent instead."

Shaking my head, I stood up to ward my bedroom. Once I was sure that our connection was secure, I sat back in front of the computer. "How's Dr. Farren?"

Izzy sighed. "She's okay. Out of everyone in the Coven, she seems the most ready to forgive you. Well, maybe."

"That's progress," I tried to joke.

Izzy smiled slightly. "I'm trying, Darlena. It isn't easy; they're still mourning Marcus, not to mention the whole Loki thing."

My stomach clenched when she said her brother's name, but I tried to ignore the guilt. "I know, I know." I sighed. "I had just hoped we'd have some help by now. It feels like we're doing nothing."

The screen flickered, and Izzy sounded like a dying radio.

"What did you say?"

"I asked if you've talked to any of the gods." She stared at me so hard I almost flinched.

"Have you?" I didn't want to get into the whole Persephone thing. Like my mother, Izzy had a patron she loved, and she didn't understand the fact that I couldn't commit to that kind of relationship.

She nodded, frowning. "Isis says the Egyptian gods are a mess. They're all taking sides."

I took a deep breath. "What did she say about Set?"

Izzy's forehead puckered. "She doesn't say much about him to me. All things considered, I don't actually mind."

I paused, wondering how far I should push her. "Izzy, if you remember anything from your captivity that would help us—"

The microphone screeched. "I've told you, I don't remember anything. Just this feeling of being cut off from Isis, and sometimes I heard voices." Her lower lip quivered, and I decided to drop it for now.

"Any disasters in Scotland?" I asked, changing the topic. Has Rochelle come after you yet?"

Izzy raised her eyebrow. "No. Why do you think she'd even waste her time with me?"

"Because you helped me." I hesitated before voicing my deepest fear. "Anyone who helps me automatically becomes her enemy."

Izzy snorted. "I'd like to see her try. I beat her once before." She flexed her fingers, and I thought I saw a flicker of blue surrounding her.

"Just be careful, okay?"

"Whatever, Mom."

I glared at her impish face, grinning back at me from my computer. "I'm serious. I've already hurt you enough."

She paused. "Marcus wasn't your fault."

Pain swelled up in my throat, and I fought back tears. _Shit. I can't fall apart now._ I shook my head because I was afraid to say anything.

"Darlena, listen to me. He had free will; we all do. He chose to work with you. He chose his fate." Even across the shaky Internet connection, she sounded older than fourteen. She was like that sometimes; it was easy to forget that Izzy was still just a kid.

But I couldn't forget the way I'd destroyed her family.

I drew a ragged breath. "Okay. Fine. But I need you to be careful."

She saluted me with a smirk. "Roger that, boss."

"And try to remember about Set, if you can, okay?"

She was silent. Finally, she said, "I'm doing my best."

"I know you are. I'm just frustrated. It's like I'm fighting smoke. I don't know what their plan is, or even which gods are involved."

She paused, toying with a piece of her hair. "Darlena, I know you don't want to hear it, but this might be the time to take a patron. Then you'll get more information about the gods, at the very least."

I glared at her. "Drop it."

Her gaze was intense. "Fine. But I'm just trying to help."

The chat screen went blank, and I realized that Izzy had disconnected. Feeling guilty for fighting with her, I tried to reconnect three times, and then I sent her a quick text. I couldn't afford to alienate Izzy; I didn't have that many people left who were willing to help me. _And she's sort of my only friend, besides Justin._

Frustrated, I flopped across my bed. _Why can't I fix anything?_ Xerxes popped out from wherever he'd been hiding to walk up and down my back for a few minutes, but eventually he got tired of it and scratched at the door. I stood up to open it, and then sat back down on my bed, totally at a loss. How was I supposed to solve anything? _All I do is cause chaos._

I squeezed my eyes tight, working to quiet my mind. Marcus's image popped into my thoughts, and I shuddered. I'd tried to avoid thinking about him since I got home, but now, gingerly, I probed the wound. With my eyes closed, I relived the last moments of his life: the sirens going off all around us, the guard with the gun, the nuclear reactor in the background, and echoing loudly in my memory, Loki's victorious laughter. Even with all the movies I'd seen, I had never realized how awful it was to actually watch someone die from a gunshot wound. I'd been plagued by the gruesome memory whenever I fell asleep, but that afternoon I was awake, and the scene shifted.

Marcus's last words had been to Izzy; I knew that. But now he looked directly at me and spoke, keeping his eyes locked on mine. "Avenge me." He whispered the plea twice, and even when my eyes flew open and the memory subsided, I could still hear Marcus's voice ringing in my ears.

I sat up quickly, and the blood rushed out of my head. Swaying for a moment, I tried to get my bearings. Despite the steamy day outside, my room suddenly felt like the walk-in freezer at the deli, and I shivered. Reliving Marcus's death had always been painful, but there was an edge to the memory today that made me afraid. I rubbed my hands against my arms, trying to take some of the chill away. I heard Marcus's voice again. "Avenge me, or you'll wish we'd never met."

I stared around my room, petrified _. Is Marcus haunting me somehow?_ I forced a laugh. _As if I don't have enough to worry about. My_ first impulse was to call Izzy back and ask if she'd heard from her brother, but that seemed cruel. It was bad enough that I'd killed him; I didn't need to remind her of that by asking her something thoughtless and impossible.

And it had to be impossible. _Death doesn't work that way_. Admittedly, I didn't really know how death worked, but when I was in Hades, it seemed like he had the situation well under control. I hadn't seen any shades drifting off toward the surface or making a break for it. So how was Marcus speaking to me from the grave?

My mouth felt like sand. "Marcus?" Everything was silent, so I tried again. "Marcus, if you can hear me, say something."

My door swung open with a crash, and I jumped. I peeked into the hallway, but it was empty.

I shut my door and looked around my room. Nothing moved. "Is it really you?" My heart rose into my throat, and I felt a strange sense of anticipation. I waited there, my hand on the doorknob, but nothing else happened. Either I was going crazy, or Marcus had been trying to reach me. _Gods, which of those options is worse?_

My dad's voice broke the silence. "Dinner!" His curt command echoed up the stairs and through my closed door, piercing the strange chill that had settled in my room and bringing me back to reality.

"Marcus," I tried once more, "please don't leave. If you're really here, there are things I need to say to you."

I waited for a heartbeat, and then headed downstairs to join my family. Mom took one look at me and pulled me aside. "What did Izzy say?"

I had almost forgotten about Skyping Izzy, and I floundered for a moment. "Nothing. She's fine. She colored her hair."

Mom smiled, but she still looked worried. Thankfully, she dropped it.

Dinner was tense. Sweet potato quesadillas are one of my dad's special recipes, but that night they tasted like dirt. I ate fast, hoping to escape up to my room as soon as possible so I could continue trying to contact Marcus, but Dad cleared his throat when I pushed my chair back. I braced myself for another lecture, but I wasn't expecting his next words.

"I think it's time you re-enroll in school."

I stared at him, confused, before glancing at Mom. She looked just as bewildered. I tilted my head to one side as I looked back at Dad. "But I was kicked out."

Dad shook his head. "I'm not talking about going back to Trinity."

I still didn't understand what he meant. "There isn't another magical school in the area, is there?"

He coughed. "You can't mope around the house forever doing nothing. You need a high-school diploma."

It dawned on me and Mom at the same moment. My mouth fell open and Mom's eyes widened.

"Richard, I can't believe you're suggesting this. What will happen to Lena?" She glanced at me. "What's more, what about the Nons?"

"It'll be good for her," he said firmly. "Maybe she'll learn something from them."

I snorted. "What can Nons possibly teach me?"

He gave me a sharp look. "For one thing, you might learn to respect your elders. I heard about how you spoke to Persephone this afternoon."

I crossed my arms and glared at Mom, but she fiddled with her napkin, not meeting my gaze.

Dad continued. "And besides, I'm tired of having you lay around the house like some bum. You haven't solved anything by doing nothing, and it's time you went back to school."

_This can't be happening._ "But I haven't been around Nons in years! You pulled me out of public school, remember?"

Mom jumped in. "I don't think this is a good idea, Richard."

He glared at us both. "Lena can't keep doing nothing," he repeated.

"But school!" I frowned, trying to articulate my anger. I hadn't been in school for what felt like six months, but in reality, it had been over a year since I was expelled from Trinity. And that didn't even start to consider what it would be like to be around Nons all the time. What if I lost control of my temper, and my arms lit up like the Fourth of July? "How is this going to help?"

Dad shrugged. "If you can come up with an alternative, I'll consider it."

"How long do I have?" I pounced on his suggestion eagerly.

He closed his eyes, thinking. "I'd say a week is fair."

I looked at Mom, and she nodded. "We'll think of something else." She shot my dad a look, but he didn't budge.

Dad lifted his hand. "Darlena, I only want what's best for you. And sitting around the house moping isn't doing anyone any good."

I pushed my chair out, barely able to contain my frustration. "Going to school with Nons won't do me any good, either." Without looking at my parents, I stalked outside and sat down on the porch, stewing.

The hot air was thick and dry, not the usual humid pressure I'd been used to my whole life. It made it hard to take a deep breath, and I coughed, my thoughts as brittle as the air. Mom and Dad had always had a strange affinity for Nons, but Trinity had been very isolated. I didn't know any Nons, not really; there were the people I interacted with every day, strangers at the grocery store and people in the neighborhood, but everything I knew about Nons I'd learned secondhand. _And they sure don't seem like they've got the answers I'm looking for._

Why in the world had my dad decided that he needed to send me to school? It was like some twisted fairy tale where the princess gets shipped off to boarding school to get her out of the way. I had to come up with something.

With a sigh, I leaned back and closed my eyes. Instantly, I saw Marcus's face.

"You have to do something," he whispered.

Eyes closed, I answered him. "I don't know what to do."

"About what?"

My eyes popped open, and I realized that Justin was staring down at me in concern. Hurriedly, I pushed Marcus out of my mind.

"Do you always talk to yourself?" he joked, holding out a hand to help me to my feet.

I let go of him as soon as I was upright, conscious of the warmth that shot up my arm when he touched me. "My dad wants me to go back to school."

Justin frowned. "Trinity won't let you back."

"I know. He thinks a Non school would be good for me."

Justin snorted. "That's ridiculous."

Even though I agreed with him, I bristled. "What's wrong with Nons?"

"Nothing! That's not the problem, Lena. You're like a live wire. What's your father thinking?"

I glared at him, suddenly angry even though he'd just said what I'd been thinking. "You mean you think I'd be dangerous to them?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Did he give you any options?"

Rubbing my temples, I thought back to the bizarre conversation. "He said I have a week to think of something else, but he's tired of me moping around the house."

Justin closed his eyes, considering. When he looked at me, I couldn't read his expression, and I took a wary step back. He studied me like he'd never seen me before.

"What?"

"What about the other paths? What you were telling me about this morning?"

"What about them?"

He paused, choosing his words carefully. "What if you could find a way to study them?"

For a moment, I felt a glimmer of hope, but then I shook my head. "I tried that. I'd have to go back to Europe for it, and I don't really think I'd be welcome there."

"What if," his eyes met mine, "you did the teaching?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your dad wants you to go back to school, right?" He started pacing around the porch, his arms moving as he talked. "What if you were the one doing the instructing? What if we start a school?"

I stared at him in surprise. "I thought you didn't agree with me about getting the magics together."

He put his hands in his pockets. "I didn't at first. But I talked it over with my patron, and I've had a chance to think about it. It may be our best bet."

Curious, I studied his face. "Justin, who _is_ your patron?" Until that moment, I realized that I'd never been sure if he'd taken one or not.

A familiar voice came from the lawn, and my hair stood on end. "Me."

Chapter Four

I crouched down, summoning Red magic. In an instant, I was covered in sparks, ready to do battle: Loki was standing on my lawn.

"Darlena, drop it." Justin's voice was low and close to my ear, and I glared at him.

"You set me up!" I almost unleashed all my magic right then, but I didn't want to hurt Justin, even if he had betrayed me. "Get out of the way."

Loki laughed, and I did a double take. His laugh was like wind chimes, not the harsh, guttural sound that plagued my nightmares. I stared at the god more closely. Although he looked exactly like Loki at a glance, his hair was different: Loki had live flames coming out of his scalp, and this god had long white hair. He sort of glowed, too, with a faint bluish-white tint that reminded me of the full moon.

Warily, I looked at Justin and then back to his patron.

The god laughed again quietly. "I see from your reaction that you've met my brother."

"Loki is your brother?" I stared at him, incredulous. "Then who the hell are you?"

"Foster brother, I suppose is a better title. But there's an uncanny family resemblance." The god was talking to himself, as if he had forgotten all about Justin and me. I stared at him, trying to fight the panic still pulsing through my blood.

Justin sighed. "This is my patron, Baldur."

The name tugged at my memory, and I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down. "You're the reason Loki was imprisoned, aren't you?" I remembered reading something about Loki orchestrating Baldur's death. He was so beloved by the other Norse gods that they'd retaliated by locking Loki beneath the earth in eternal torment. I stared at him, trying to understand what made the god in front of me so special.

The god smiled sadly. "And you're the reason he's free."

My anger flared again, and magic surged through my body. "Look, if you just came here to blame me—"

Justin grabbed my shoulders. "Relax, Lena. This is my patron. I've worked with Baldur for two years. I trust him." His eyes bored into mine. "If you trust _me_ , show it."

I glared at him, but finally I nodded. The energy swirling around inside me dissipated, and I gradually released my grip on Red magic. When I wasn't sparking anymore, I nodded to Justin again. Drawing a deep breath and turning to Baldur, I asked, "How do you want to help?"

"Justin has told me about what you learned in Europe. It was good to be able to talk of the magic of my homeland. I can help guide you to educate other Witches, if that is what you truly wish."

All at once, the adrenaline that had been coursing through my system when I first saw Baldur left me, and I sagged against the porch. "I just want to fix the mess I've created. I don't want the world to end, and I want to deal with Rochelle once and for all."

Baldur nodded, his face expressionless and calm. "There are a few ways to achieve your goals. One, you could seek to increase your individual power."

Izzy's suggestion about a patron popped into my mind, but I tried to keep my face blank. I crossed my arms and stared at Baldur.

The god continued. "Although, throughout history, Witches who strive to be the most powerful are usually those who become the most corrupt."

Justin interrupted. "Darlena's already plenty powerful."

Baldur nodded in agreement. "Option two is to share your power."

I looked at him, confused. "How do I do that? Aren't all Witches able to wield their own power?"

The god stared at me so long that I began to shift uncomfortably. "Think back to the moment when you released my brother."

I closed my eyes, trying to figure out what he meant, but suddenly, I understood. When Marcus and I had joined hands, I had funneled my power into him, giving him double energy to control. My thoughts spun quickly. "Do you mean working together, like in a Coven?"

Justin flinched at the word, but his patron just nodded impassively. "That is one way to share power. Another is through education."

"The school idea. Teaching other Witches about the other paths," Justin put in eagerly.

I frowned. "But I don't know enough to teach them!"

Baldur spread his hands, palms up, in a gesture of invocation. "You must teach those who know less than you."

I snorted. "Right now, I'd say that's nobody."

"You are forgetting something very important, Darlena Agara. You know much more than many."

Justin looked at me curiously, and I shrugged. "Then I guess I don't know it."

The god sighed. "You need to increase your strength. You could focus on your own personal power, or you could join together in a community, teaching those without magic how to safely wield power."

I stared at Baldur, dumbfounded. "Those without magic? What, are you saying I should teach Nons?"

He nodded once. "If you choose to increase your power through others, you should not be exclusive in your teaching."

"But Nons can't do magic!" I argued, annoyed. "What is it with everybody and Nons all of a sudden?"

"Have you ever tried to teach them? Think, Darlena Agara. Think about how much of magic is thought and will. The power is stronger in a Blood Witch than in a Non, but with proper training and the right tools, why couldn't anyone practice magic?"

Justin looked at his patron in confusion. "I don't understand. It's against magical law for Witches to reveal themselves to Nons."

A thought occurred to me, and I frowned at Justin. "But doesn't Trinity already do just that?"

He stared at me blankly.

"The Dreamers. Remember, Rochelle wasn't born a Witch. Maybe there _is_ some way to teach them magic."

"But it's still against our laws!" Justin argued.

Baldur frowned. "It's their world too. I believe that the gods and Witches have ignored Nons for too long. They may tip the balance in the coming battle."

_The coming battle_. With a flood, everything I had read about the Norse gods came rushing into my mind. I stared at Baldur, studying his face, and then I turned to Justin. "You said he's been your patron for two years. Have you always seen him?"

Justin hesitated, but when Baldur nodded at him, he told me the truth. "I've worked with his guidance for two years, but he was just a voice that would come to help me when I called. I didn't start seeing him until just before you came home."

I looked at the god, horrified, and he nodded again. "You, Darlena Agara, know what this means."

Justin frowned. "I don't understand. Why does it matter if I never saw him until recently?"

I turned to Justin, my jaw clenched. "In Norse myth, Baldur is dead. He can only come back to Earth in preparation for Ragnarok."

"What's that?"

I stared at him, surprised that he didn't know the crucial story, but it was Baldur who answered.

"At Ragnarok, the gods will perish and the earth will be submerged in water. It is the last of the battles, which is why I am allowed to fight. Ragnarok is the end of the world."

With that dramatic statement, Baldur vanished, leaving Justin and me standing alone on the porch. Justin turned to me, his face ashen.

"So the fact that I can see him now means the world is closer to ending? For real this time?"

I nodded. "I guess so." Guilt gnawed at me. "You said you started seeing him in January. It must have been after I freed Loki."

Justin took a deep breath. "So how do we fix this?"

"Was he serious about teaching Nons?"

"I think so. He's never said anything to me that he didn't mean."

I shook my head, frustrated. "But it's so crazy! How would we even find Nons willing to learn?"

"I don't know. But Baldur seemed pretty insistent that the only way to take on the forces you've released is to strengthen your power in some way."

I pounced on his words, looking for a fight. "So all this is my fault?"

Justin stared at me for a long minute. "Whether or not the gods were planning to end the world before you came along, you can't ignore the fact that you freed Loki. That's made the situation much worse."

I sat down on the porch swing and kicked my feet hard. "I don't know how to do this on my own."

Justin sat beside me, holding my hand gently. It felt safe and familiar, and even though I was angry, I focused on the way our fingers laced together. _If only it could be like this all the time. No crazy gods, no chaos—just us._ Justin leaned his head toward me. "You don't have to be alone. Let me help you."

I met his eyes, and for a moment, I was almost surprised. They were rich, deep brown, not the emerald eyes that kept me up at night. _Marcus._ Feeling guilty, I looked away and cleared my throat. "Do you want to try to teach Nons about magic?"

"Not yet. I think we should try to get other Witches who are willing to help first."

I tried to keep my tone light, but the words felt flat. "I thought you said Covens were things that belong in horror movies."

Justin frowned. "I'm still not sure how I feel about that, but if my patron says working together is a good thing... "

He trailed off into silence, and we sat there for a few minutes, watching the lavender twilight creep across the sky. He traced lazy circles on my wrist with his thumb, and the longer we sat there, the more I almost convinced myself that the world wasn't really ending. Finally, I turned to him. "Why did you swear to a god that you couldn't even see?"

Justin squeezed my hand. "You told me yourself that White is spirit magic. What's more spiritual than faith in the unseen?"

I nodded, even though I didn't really understand. Red magic only felt real to me when I was using it. Meeting Hecate had been wholly different than knowing she existed, and I wondered if I could ever take things on faith the way Justin did. "Is that why you're helping me? Faith?"

"What do you mean?"

I struggled to put my thoughts into words. "You're helping me because you believe in me, even though I haven't done anything to prove that you should. Hell, even though I've done things that should prove you can't trust me." _And even though you don't know everything that happened in Scotland._

His face hovered close to mine, his eyes glistening in the growing darkness. "I take a lot of things on faith." He pulled me closer, almost kissing me. "But you're very, very tangible and real. I trust you because I can't help myself."

His breath was warm on my face, and he lingered there for a moment before I leaned toward him. Our lips met, and I felt the dizzying sensation of uncertainty. For an instant, I didn't remember if I was kissing Justin or Marcus, and I pulled away. Confused, I dropped my eyes to my lap.

I cleared my throat. "I'm glad you trust me. I just hope you won't regret it again."

He sighed. "I know that the love spell was part of your training from Aphrodite. But she's not your patron anymore. You won't ever work magic on me again, will you?"

Mutely, I shook my head.

Justin kissed me again, gently this time, and I forced myself to focus on him. "I trust you, Darlena. And I want to help you. Just tell me what you need."

What did I need? _Forgiveness, for a start. And maybe a supersecret weapon_. "I need some time to come up with a plan. Baldur said a lot of things tonight, and I need to think." I stood up, disentangling myself from his arms.

Justin rose too. "Your dad said you have a week, right?"

I forced a smile. "Maybe I should just let him send me to school. At least then I could recruit the Nons."

He smiled, but he shook his head. "I told you, I don't think that's the place to start. Remember what I said about teaching."

I started to protest, but he lifted his finger to my lips, and my skin started to tingle.

His eyes held mine. "Please, Lena. Sleep on it." Slowly, he removed his finger, and I fought back the urge to reach for him. Still, I stood there on the porch long after he had left, staring at the darkening sky and trying to sort through my jumbled thoughts.

_Maybe Justin's right. All I need is a good night's sleep, and then I'll be able to figure things out._ But my subconscious had other ideas.

***

In my nightmare, I was walking across a dead field. After what felt like miles, I came to the edge of a deep chasm. My foot dislodged a stone and I could hear it bouncing toward the bottom of the hole, but I never heard it stop; the sound just sort of faded away. Curious, I leaned forward to get a closer look at the bottomless pit when I sensed someone standing behind me.

Marcus was there, his face expressionless and his fists clenched. Dried blood caked his shirt, and I shuddered, remembering the gunshot that had killed him.

I hesitated, but then I spoke to him. "Where are we?"

He spread his hands wide. "You might say it's the end of the world."

I shook my head, confused. "But that's just a pit."

Marcus laughed. "Silly Witch. True, where we are physically is _just_ a pit, as you put it. But it's where we are in the stream of time that I am talking about. And because of you, we are standing at the end of the world."

I glared at him. "Look, I wanted to wait and get help from the Coven. You're the one who pushed us at the end!"

His lips twisted in a wicked smirk. "I told you, love is my fatal flaw. I would have done anything to save Izzy."

"She won't be safe if the world ends."

Marcus shrugged. "I grow tired of your concerns." He thrust out the palm of his hand, toppling me backward into the pit. I screamed, but no sound came out of my mouth. It was like I'd been pushed into a vacuum; there were no sounds at all, just silence as I fell. I kept hoping I would land, hoping it would end, but I was still falling when the dream changed.

The pit surrounding me became a vast, empty space, and I hung suspended in midair. A faint red glow filled the void, and I could see dark figures standing around me in a circle. I couldn't make out any of their features, but power emanated from all sides, and something told me that I was surrounded by gods.

I finally found my voice. "Can you help me?" I begged the strange figures.

A low chuckle filled the room. "The time for that is past. The world must be remade."

With a chill, I realized that I was facing the crazy Red gods. Was Loki there? Was Hecate? I looked frantically around the circle. "What would change your mind?"

"Nothing," they hissed, the word enveloping me like water.

"But if you destroy the world, no one will be left to work magic for you!"

Rochelle strode into the room beneath me. "Darlena, get a clue," she said. "They'll only kill the people who stand in their way. And when you're gone, the world will belong to us!" She raised her arms in a ritual gesture, and black flames shot up around the perimeter of the room. The gods vanished, but Rochelle stayed beneath me, watching as the fire crept closer. My flesh started to burn, and the smell of singed hair filled my nostrils.

I woke up with a scream, my heart pounding in my chest. Before I had a chance to calm down, my computer pinged insistently. I staggered over to my open laptop, bleary and confused. _What now?_

There were five new messages from Izzy. The first one, sent two hours ago, seemed optimistic.

Izzy: We have a plan, will tell you more when we get back.

The next message, sent five minutes ago, seemed like it had come from another person.

Izzy: Disaster! Need you now.

The next three messages were frantic pleas for me to wake up.

My hands started shaking. What was happening to her? Quickly, I sat down and typed a reply. I turned on Skype, and Izzy's face filled the screen. Her skin was smudged with dirt, and her eyes looked wild.

I sat back, shocked. "What's going on?"

"Darlena, it's bad. The Coven is gone."

I stared at her, sure I hadn't heard her right. _How can they be gone?_ She looked over her shoulder nervously.

"We're coming to you. Those of us that are left."

"What are you talking about?" I gripped the screen, trying to get Izzy to look at me.

"There's no time now. I just needed to warn you."

She wasn't making any sense. "What happened? Were you attacked?"

She sobbed. "Yes. No. Oh, it's not what you think. It's worse."

"What could be worse?" Images of Armageddon flashed through my mind, but they didn't prepare me for what Izzy was about to say.

"Roy and Samuel sold us out. They broke their oaths to the Coven and attacked us while we were working magic together."

I stared at her, dumbfounded. "Your dad and your uncle betrayed you?"

She made a sound that was halfway between a laugh and a sob. "Look, I can't explain any more. But we're coming to America. You have to help us!"

Frantically, I nodded. "I will!"

It was only after the screen went blank that I realized Izzy hadn't mentioned how many members of the former Coven would be coming with her. I bit my lip, thinking. Even without Roy and Samuel, the group would have been seven adult Witches, not counting Izzy. I wondered just how many people my parents would allow to stay here while we figured things out. Sitting back in my chair, shaken from my nightmare and Izzy's revelations, I struggled to think of a plan.

I had thought the bonds of a Coven were unbreakable. Wouldn't the group use magic to seal their commitment to each other? How, then, had Roy and Samuel been able to attack the rest of the group? _And why?_ I shuddered, remembering Samuel's hawk-like stare.

_But bonds can be broken,_ a voice whispered in my mind. _Look at me and Rochelle._

I shook my head, denying the similarity, but it was true. Rochelle had sworn to the Black path, but she'd somehow broken her vow to become a Red Witch. And then there was me, the girl who broke her bonds with her patron. No one I had ever met had done that before, and even Marcus had seemed frightened of my inability to keep a promise.

With a start, the images from my dream came flooding back, and I remembered Marcus pushing me into the pit. What if I'd been attacked in my dream at the same time Marcus's father and his uncle attacked Izzy and the Coven? I shuddered, piecing together the dream, but then I frowned in frustration. I wouldn't really know anything until Izzy and the others showed up.

"Marcus, what are you doing?" I whispered to my empty room.

A door slammed in the hallway, and I jumped.

"If you're really there, you better come up with a better way to communicate, and fast! The slamming and crazy dreams are getting old." I tried to sound fierce, but the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up, and I was scared. Really scared.

I thought I heard a harsh chuckle, but it was gone in an instant. Bleary-eyed, I stumbled down to the kitchen to make some coffee and warn my parents to expect houseguests.

Chapter Five

Mom was already up when I staggered into the kitchen. Even though she usually drank tea, she was leaning against the counter, clutching the coffeepot as if it were a life preserver.

"Bad night?" I asked, unnecessarily.

She nodded. "Nightmares. You?" She poured me a cup, and I took it gratefully.

"More stuff about the world ending. I got a message from Izzy."

Mom sat down at the table. "In your dream?"

I pulled myself up on the counter, carefully clutching my mug. "Nope. On the computer."

Mom sighed. "What's wrong?"

I took a gulp, burning the back of my throat. "Could a few people stay here? I mean, could we keep them safe?"

She stared at me for a long moment. "You mean, could we serve as a kind of sanctuary?"

My frayed nerves made it hard for me to concentrate, but Mom's words recalled the novel I'd been forced to read just before getting kicked out of Trinity, and I giggled. She glared at me, and I tried to explain. "I'm sorry. They made us read _Hunchback_ at Trinity. I was just thinking of when he claims sanctuary in his own home."

Mom rolled her eyes. "You didn't answer my question, Lena."

I sighed. "Yes. Izzy and the Coven need sanctuary."

"From what?"

I fiddled with the leg of my pajamas. "Two of their former members attacked them. That's all I know." I didn't add that Roy and Samuel were related to Izzy; that would make them look even worse in Mom's eyes.

She pressed her fingers against her temples and shut her eyes. "How many?"

I shrugged, taking another long swallow of coffee. "Izzy didn't say. Not more than seven."

"Seven people? You want us to open our home to seven strangers?"

"Not strangers! You know Izzy."

Mom exhaled quickly. "But what do I know about the rest of this... Coven?" She paused before she said the word, as if she couldn't quite accept the idea of a group of Witches working together. What was it about these people and their prejudices? First Justin, now Mom.

"Dr. Farren is a White," I began, starting with a path that Mom would understand. "Her patron is Hera, and she helped me and Izzy a lot when I was in Scotland."

Mom nodded. "You've mentioned her. Who else?"

I paused. "I don't really know the rest of the group very well." Besides, I didn't know who survived the attack. "But they're like family to Izzy, so that's something, right?"

She took a drink, and I did the same. "Have you decided what to do about your dad's request?"

I stared at her, surprised that she was changing the subject. She still hadn't said if the Coven could stay or not, but I didn't want to press her. Gathering my thoughts, I took a moment before answering. "Justin and I talked last night. His patron suggested that I should teach what I know."

"How would you go about doing that?"

"Well," I began thoughtfully, "now that the Coven is coming, there will be Witches who know more about the other paths. Maybe they can help me teach about Blue and Yellow magic."

"But what good would that do?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure, but Justin's patron seemed to think it was important that I do it."

She was silent, staring into her coffee cup. "It would be nice to have some guidance from my own patron." Her words were quiet, but they still cut me.

_I did this. She's alone because of me_. Anger swirled inside me, and I clenched my fists. "You still haven't heard anything from Demeter?"

Mom lifted her shoulders in a defeated shrug. "Not yet. But Persephone told you she'd try, and I suppose that's all I can ask for."

"Mom, why did you swear to Demeter in the first place?"

She stared at me in surprise. "You met her! Surely you understand. She's the mother of agriculture, which makes her the guardian of humans. Her gifts have enriched the world. I had hoped—" her voice wavered for a minute before she regained control "—that I would be able to make as much of an impact as she has."

I slid off the counter and put my arms around her shoulders. "Mom, you're amazing. She's an idiot if she isn't proud to call you her Witch."

"I really hope you're not speaking of me, young one." A melodic voice came from behind me, and the skin on the back on my neck stood up. Before I could turn around, Xerxes rocketed into the kitchen like a bat out of hell. He skidded to a stop behind me, and I heard him instantly start purring loudly.

I turned around and looked at Demeter. "It's good to see you again." I dipped my head in respect, trying desperately to bite back the thoughts that were whirling around inside my head. _Who does she think she is, queen of the universe? How dare she hurt my mother?_

"I am a mother, too, child. Don't forget that I, too, have been hurt."

I backed up, startled. It had been so long since I'd been around any gods, I'd forgotten that some of them had that nasty mind-reading trick. Maybe it was time for me to go back to guarding my thoughts like Aphrodite had taught me. Before I could speak, however, Demeter had pulled Mom out of her chair. They embraced like sisters, each of them clinging to the other. Embarrassed to witness such a personal scene, I slowly backed out of the kitchen.

I ran into my dad in the hallway, and for one awkward moment, neither of us said anything.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "What are you doing up so early?"

I shrugged, angling my body to keep him from walking into the kitchen. "Mom and I were having coffee."

"That sounds like exactly what I need right now." He started to push past me, but I put out my arm to stop him.

"Um, Dad? Demeter's here."

Surprise flitted across his face, but he didn't push it. Instead, he grabbed his keys off the hook by the front door. "Let's go get breakfast."

I stared at him. "I'm still in my pajamas."

He opened the door. "Does that matter?"

I glanced down. I'd put on a sports bra before coming downstairs, and aside from the cupcakes on my pants, I almost looked like I'd been out for a run or doing yoga or something. "I guess not."

"Good." He closed the door carefully behind us. "I want your mother to have as much time as she needs."

I walked behind him down the driveway, surprised at how quickly he understood what I hadn't said. My dad wasn't usually intuitive, but I guess when it came to Mom, he really would do anything. We took a meandering route through town, and I kept waiting for Dad to harass me about going to school, but he didn't seem inclined to talk. By the time we got back to the house with a big box of doughnuts, Demeter was gone and Mom was smiling brightly. She pulled Dad into the yard for a quick conference, sliding the door shut behind them. I don't know what Mom said to Dad, but he was surprisingly chill when Izzy called from the airport a few hours later. The only thing he said to me was, "Do we need to take two cars?"

I relayed the question to Izzy, and there was a tense silence on the line. "There's only three of us," she said softly, and a shiver passed over my skin. _What the hell happened to the rest of the Coven?_

Dad and I took the old station wagon. Mom opted to stay home and do some last-minute cleaning, even though it seemed like that's all she'd been doing since Demeter showed up that morning. I didn't ask what had transpired between then, but for the first time in months, Mom seemed like her old self: bustling, cheerful, and constantly busy. I was glad she got a much-needed energy boost right before Izzy and the Coven landed; I was sure their news wouldn't keep her happy for long.

We hadn't even pulled up to the curb at the airport when Izzy walked outside, leading two women. I stared at Dr. Farren in shock. Her once-black hair was no longer streaked with gray—it was pure white. Lorna clutched her elbow, looking disoriented. Izzy appeared unharmed, but her eyes had a strange, haunted expression that reminded me of whenever I'd asked her about her captivity.

I swallowed nervously, and then I popped out of the car, a fake smile plastered on my face, and I heard Dad get out of the car too. I hugged Izzy quickly, trying to pretend I couldn't feel her shaking, and then I glanced at the women with her.

"Um, Dad, this is Dr. Farren and Lorna. And you remember Izzy."

He came around the side of the car and opened the trunk. "Where are your bags?" He spoke in a neutral tone, clearly not as shaken as I was by their haggard appearance.

"No bags," Izzy said. "Just us. Is that okay?"

Dad nodded, trying not to look stunned, and I wondered what Mom had told him about the attack. He held open the back door of the car, and the ragged members of the Coven crawled in.

"What happened?" I hated to pester them, but I needed to understand what we were dealing with.

In the rearview mirror, I saw Izzy open her mouth to speak, but Dr. Farren cut her off.

"We'll tell you everything when we can, but this isn't a tale I want to relive more than once." Beside her, Lorna shuddered and covered her eyes.

Dad's eyes flickered to me. "Of course. My wife is at home waiting for us." Without another word, he turned the key in the ignition, leaving me to wonder what had happened to the Coven.

Izzy sat behind me, and although we drove in silence, she leaned forward and gripped my shoulder. I put my hand over hers and squeezed, trying to ignore the gnawing guilt in my gut. I was certain that Roy and Samuel's attack had something to do with me.

***

Mom was standing on the front porch when we pulled up, and my pulse sped up when I saw Justin leaning casually against the railing, talking to her. None of the three Witches in the backseat had said a word on the twenty-mile drive, and I looked over at Dad nervously.

He was still acting calm. "We're glad to have you here in our home."

Dr. Farren opened the door and helped Lorna out, and the Blue Witch whispered, "Thank you." I didn't know if she was speaking to Dad or Dr. Farren. Both, maybe.

Mom came down the driveway and gave Izzy a warm hug. "I'm so happy to see you again, sweetie."

Izzy squeezed her back, but I noticed tears in her eyes.

"Thanks, Mrs. Agara. It's good to be here, I guess."

Mom patted her back. "Not the best of circumstances, I'll admit, but you're always welcome here." She released Izzy and looked at the two women. "I'm Linzi Agara. Welcome to North Carolina."

Dr. Farren straightened her shoulders, a little bit of her old authority returning. "I'm Talia Farren, and this is Lorna Osgood." She hesitated, her eyes darting around as if she were waiting to be attacked again. "We appreciate your hospitality."

Mom smiled warmly at her. "Lena has said a lot about you. I'm looking forward to getting to know you both."

She guided them inside, Dad bringing up the rear, but Izzy lingered in the driveway with me. Justin was still standing quietly on the porch. I glanced at Izzy, but she shrugged. I turned to Justin, half annoyed that he was just waiting there. I really wanted to find out more about what had happened to Izzy, and I didn't think she'd want to talk in front of a strange Witch.

"What are you doing here?"

Justin came down the steps to meet us. "I came over to talk to you, and your mom said you were at the airport." He smiled at Izzy. "Who's the kid?"

Izzy bristled, and her cheeks flushed. "I'm not a kid, thank you very much. I'm Isadora, beloved of Isis, mistress of magic."

Nobody said anything for a minute, but then I burst out laughing. "Oh, gods, Izzy, if you could hear yourself! You sound like somebody in an old movie!"

Her tense demeanor slipped, and she smiled. "Old habit. I get defensive when people call me a kid."

Justin held up his hands in apology. "I didn't mean it. You're just short for your age."

I laughed again. "Izzy's fourteen, Justin. She's perfectly tall enough for her age. Not," I added quickly, "that there's anything wrong with being fourteen."

Izzy shrugged. "You learned not to judge me by my age. He will too."

Justin smiled. "I'm sorry, Isadora," he said formally, "I won't make that mistake again."

She eyed him for a moment, but then she smiled. "Call me Izzy," she said as she stuck out her hand. "Everyone does."

***

Justin didn't stay for very long, but he gave me a meaningful glance before he left, and I knew I'd have to fill him in on my houseguests soon. Even though Dr. Farren and Lorna were shell-shocked, it felt good to have Izzy around again. I'd forgotten what it was like to have a girlfriend, even one who was so much younger than me. Mom was sitting in the kitchen, talking quietly with the two Scottish Witches, so Izzy and I snuck upstairs and rushed into my bedroom. I sealed the room with a ward, and then I turned to her.

"Okay, now that we're not on Skype, you need to tell me everything!"

Izzy frowned. "It was awful. The Coven was doing a ritual to try to stop the disaster in France, and I was with them. I didn't usually do magic with them, but I'd gone out to spend the weekend with my grandparents." Her voice cracked.

I'd almost forgotten about Frances and Frederick, and I felt a sinking sensation settle into my stomach. "Gods, Izzy, I'm so sorry. I didn't even ask about them."

She shook her head. "We're the only ones who survived."

There was nothing I could say. _What would I do if I lost my family?_ After a moment, I hugged her, wishing I could do something. Izzy hugged me back stiffly.

She kept talking as if she were in a trance. "Just before we released the healing energy, Samuel and Roy broke the circle. They dropped their hands and stepped back. Then the room filled with black smoke, and I couldn't see anything." She lowered her voice. "I could hear them, though."

I shuddered, not wanting to ask her what she'd heard, but she kept talking anyway.

"It was like when I was captured. Sounds of pain all around, but this time, they were voices I knew." She stared into space emptily for a moment, and then shook herself like a wet dog. "I ran outside. Dr. Farren found me hiding under her car. She drove Lorna and me back to Edinburgh, and we went straight to the airport."

"How did you call me?"

She smiled weakly and flashed her iPod. "Skype works on this, too. I called you from the airport lobby."

I sat down on the edge of my bed. "This is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Izzy."

She frowned at me. "Why do you keep blaming yourself for everything bad that happens?"

"Because I'm dangerous! People around me keep getting hurt." I spat, feeling the pent-up guilt and rage that I had been ignoring for weeks come spewing out my mouth.

Izzy suddenly glowed with Blue light. "Look, Darlena, you may be a Red, but that doesn't give you permission to feel guilty all the time. If I hadn't been dumb enough to get captured, none of this would have happened."

I wanted to believe her, but ever since I'd declared to Red magic, it had been one disaster after another. Finally, I shook my head. "What are you going to do with all that magic?" She was visibly pulsing with energy.

She glared at me. "I don't know. Incinerate you?"

I laughed nervously. "But I'm the fire Witch. Blue magic is tied to water."

"Fine." She sniffed. "I'll drown you. Anything to make you stop feeling sorry for yourself."

I drew a deep breath. "Izzy, I _am_ sorry for my actions." Her color flared up again, and I hurried to add, "But you're right. I can't control everything, and not everything is my fault." _Even though a lot of it is._

She paused, but I could see the magic fading around her. "Just stop being such a twit, okay?"

I forced myself to smile. "I'm sure I will, now that you're here."

Chapter Six

Izzy camped out on my old trundle bed, sharing my bedroom with me. The last person to use that bed was Rochelle, back when we were best friends, but Izzy only laughed when I told her that.

"Then it's due for a good cleaning." She sent a surge of Blue energy at the mattress, and in a minute my whole room smelled like lemon and flowers.

"What did you do?" I asked, amazed at the fresh, clean scent that filled the space. I wasn't too keen on cleaning, and this was the best my room had smelled in a long time. Usually, I used candles and incense to mask the smell of dirty laundry.

Izzy laughed. "Just a simple cleaning spell. That's one of the things you can do with water."

I patted the bed, but it was perfectly dry. "Can you teach me?"

She shrugged. "It's not hard. What's your favorite smell?"

I paused for a minute. "Cinnamon," I finally decided.

"Okay, good. So think of cinnamon, and now think of fresh, clean water. When your energy is filled with scent and intent, let it go."

I tried to do as she instructed, but instead of the quick flash that had accompanied Izzy's magic, a round fireball shot across the room. I yelped, and Izzy quickly doused it with a stream of water. Steam filled the air, but when it cleared, my bed was untouched.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly. "I did what you told me."

Izzy nodded. "Sometimes, I forget that our magics are so fundamentally different." She was silent for a minute, thinking. "What kind of magic did Marcus teach you?"

I stared at her in surprise. "How did you know about that?"

She shrugged. "I figured that if you guys worked together at all, he'd get annoyed with how little you know."

I bristled at her words, but I still told her the truth. "He taught me to work with the elements, but it was all chaos stuff."

"Like what?"

"Like moving the earth or screwing with the weather." I didn't mention that he had also shown me how to repair the damage we had caused, but the memory rose to my mind unbidden. How much more could he have taught me if he'd lived?

"I don't know how to do any of that." Izzy leaned forward eagerly, her words cutting through my memories. "Will you teach me?"

I was about to say no, but then I remembered Baldur's instructions. I stared at her dumbly.

She put her hands on her hips. "What's your problem? You don't want to share what you know?"

I tilted my head, considering. "Sure. But what if I don't just teach you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Justin's patron, Baldur, suggested that I teach other Witches. And," I added hurriedly, "maybe you could teach me too?"

She closed her eyes and settled onto the floor with her legs crossed. "That sounds like something I've heard before."

I watched her, and as the seconds ticked by, I found myself wondering if she'd drifted off to sleep, but eventually, her eyes popped open.

"I know!" She looked up at me in excitement. "Isis said the same thing to me, right after you and Marcus rescued me."

I sat down beside her. "What did she say exactly?"

"That knowledge is power. That we must share our power or we won't stand a chance."

Baldur's reminder about Nons flitted through my mind, and I wondered what Izzy's patron would say about teaching magic to them. I didn't mention it, though; I agreed with Justin that that wouldn't be the best place to start. It was going to be hard to overcome my deep distrust of Nons, but I'd worry about that later. _Right now, I just want to focus on how to teach other Witches._

"How could we set up something like this?"

Izzy paused. "The Coven seemed to share their magics with each other. Maybe we should form a group like that?"

I considered pointing out that the Coven hadn't been such a good idea in the end, but that felt too cruel. Instead I said, "How would we form a group?"

Izzy smacked the side of her forehead and giggled. "We already have a Coven! Well, practically."

"What are you talking about?"

"We have two Witches of three different magical paths. Plus you."

I counted on my fingers slowly. "There's you and Lorna for Blue, and Dr. Farren for White." I frowned. "Who else?"

"Your parents and Justin, silly. They're both Green, and he's White, right?"

Had I told her that? I squinted. "How'd you know that?"

She looked surprised. "You can't tell?"

"Well, I mean, I knew it already. How did you?"

She exhaled loudly. "I can see magic. I can look at any Witch and tell you what path he follows without ever seeing him cast a spell."

I stared at her, processing her words. "Is this an Isis thing?"

"Maybe. She is Mistress of Magic, right?"

I nodded, still unsure.

"Remember when we met? I knew you were a Red before you said anything."

The memory of Izzy confidently telling me she knew what I was rushed back. "I've never heard of another Witch who could do that."

Izzy shrugged. "I guess it's sort of like the hippies who can read auras," she continued. "I have to concentrate to do it, but I saw the Green around your dad the first time we met, and your mom too. Justin's magic is so strong that I thought I was looking at an angel or something."

I choked on a giggle. "He's great, but he's no angel."

"But he's like you. His magic sticks out about a foot from his entire body."

"That's how far mine extends?" I stretched out my arms, staring at them intently, but I couldn't see anything. "Can you show me?"

Squinting her eyes in concentration, Izzy traced her hand around my head. I couldn't see the color she said was there, but her hand never came closer to my body than a foot and a half.

When she was done, I asked, "What does it mean?"

She shrugged. "I always associate people with a wider aura of magic with more power. That means that you and Justin are two of the more powerful Witches I've ever met."

A thought occurred to me. "Izzy," I began slowly, "what did you see when you fought Rochelle?"

Izzy pursed her lips. "Hers is bigger than yours. But it's weird: it's Red along the outside, but inside, close to her body, it's Black."

I shivered, not sure what that could mean. "So Rochelle is stronger than I am?"

She nodded. "Only if you face her alone."

"Right." I took a shaky breath. "When should we talk to the others about forming a Coven?"

Izzy smiled sweetly and flopped down onto her freshly cleaned bed. "When I wake up. But I warn you, I might sleep for years."

I chuckled. "The cat won't let you. We'll tell them in the morning."

I flicked off the light, and my room plunged into darkness. I lay awake for a while, listening to the sounds of Izzy's breathing. Despite the disaster that had hit the Coven, I felt almost relaxed for the first time in months as I drifted off to sleep. That night, no nightmares plagued me, and if I had any dreams at all, I didn't remember them in the morning.

Chapter Seven

Mom had taken Dr. Farren and Lorna out to the coast before Izzy and I woke up. While on the one hand I was glad she was doing everything she could to try and help them heal from the shock of Samuel and Roy's betrayal, I was also sort of annoyed. I'd really been ready to broach the subject of a Coven with my parents, and I knew I needed Mom's support before I tried to talk to Dad.

"Did she say when they'd be back?" I grumbled at my dad, who sat quietly at the kitchen table with his newspaper.

"Do the math yourself, Lena. It's a three-hour drive, and they left here before sunup. Your mom will be home around dinner, I'd guess." He sounded cranky too, and I wondered why.

Izzy grabbed a bagel and sat down next to him. "Then that just means you get to hear the idea first."

I shook my head at her frantically, but she didn't notice. Dad looked at her before folding his paper and setting it down.

"All right, you've got my attention. What do I get to hear first?"

Izzy nodded at me, and I sighed. I took a long swallow of coffee, trying to stall, and I felt Izzy kick me under the table. Finally, I said, "When Izzy helped me fight Rochelle in January, it worked because there were two of us."

Izzy rolled her eyes, but Dad nodded, his face blank. "That's nothing new."

"I know." I took a deep breath. "Look, Izzy and I were thinking that if we could form a Coven—"

Dad sputtered, cutting me off. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

My temper flared. "Why? What's wrong with the idea of trying to work with other Witches? Doing it alone hasn't worked for me so far."

"Darlena, you were working with another Witch when you blew up that nuclear plant!"

I glared at him. "That's different."

"How?"

Izzy leaned forward."Because then, it was just two Reds. A Coven would have more than one kind of magic. It would be balanced, sort of."

Dad ignored her and stared at me. "Just who were you thinking of for this little group?"

I took a deep breath. "Like Izzy said, balance is important. So if we found, say, two Blues, two Greens, and two Whites, we'd have a place to start."

"And I assume you wouldn't try to bring another Red into it?" I'd never heard my dad sound so bitter, and I stared at him for a minute before answering.

"Right. We need balance, but we also need an uneven number. Right, Izzy?"

She nodded. "Dr. Farren's old Coven was made up of nine Witches. If we could get nine, that would be awesome."

"So we'd need two more. But of which color?" I looked at Izzy.

"I'd say Yellow."

I nodded, forgetting my dad for a minute. "Then we'd have all the paths. Well, except for Black." I paused. "But I don't know any Yellows."

Dad interrupted. "Is this your grand plan to avoid going back to school?"

His words triggered my memory, and I nodded. "I forgot! Yes, Dad, because the Coven would be kind of a school, too."

He frowned. "I don't follow."

"We'd share our different magics with each other," Izzy said, smiling. "Darlena and I have lots of ideas."

"And Dad," I said slowly, "I know you want me to go back to school, but Justin's patron said maybe I should teach what I know and learn from other Witches, just like Izzy is saying." That wasn't exactly what Baldur had said, but I didn't feel like explaining the whole thing to my dad just then.

He frowned. "I'm uncomfortable with the concept of a Coven. Why do you think you need to form a group like that, Lena? Look at what happened to them." He pointed outside vaguely, but I knew he was talking about Dr. Farren and Lorna.

"Witches are stronger together. That's one of the things they know in Europe that we've seemed to forget over here. A Coven would give us a good chance to stand against Rochelle and the Red gods."

Dad smacked his hand on the table, and Izzy and I both jumped. "There it is. The root of all this. You need to get over your jealousy of your best friend and let it go."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. "She's tried to kill me. Multiple times. But this isn't about Rochelle."

Izzy shook her head. "Mr. Agara, the Red gods want to end the world. That's what we're trying to stop."

He frowned at her. "Forgive me, Izzy, but you're a child. Both of you. You have no right meddling in the affairs of the gods. The worst things that have happened in the world lately have been caused by my daughter, not these gods." He turned his gaze to me. "Are you sure you're trying to fight against chaos? It seems like all you've done is cause it since you declared Red two years ago."

I stared at him, speechless. Red sparks shot up and down my arms, and Dad flinched. Before I could do anything, though, Izzy grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the table.

"Come on, Lena. Let's go for a walk."

As we left the kitchen, my rage exploded, and I found my voice again. I stopped and stared at my father. "If you aren't with me, you're on their side. Some Green Witch." I stomped away before he could answer, Izzy rushing along in my wake.

Once we were outside, I screamed, energy coursing through me. A ball of fire burst into the air above me, and Izzy calmly doused it with her magic.

"What the hell is wrong with him?"

She shrugged. "Lena, he's upset. You're his only daughter. Think about what's happened in the last two years."

"It doesn't matter. He should see that this is the only way to make a difference."

"What's the only way?" Justin strolled up the driveway, his hands in his pockets. I glared at him, still fuming.

"Where did you come from?" I snapped.

"Lena, chill. I was coming over to see you guys." He glanced at Izzy. "What happened?"

"We told her dad about the Coven idea."

Justin frowned. "Want me to talk to him?"

Although it should have thrilled me that Justin was willing to get into it with my dad for me, I felt incensed. "When did I say I needed to be rescued?"

He held up his hands, surprised. "Calm down. I thought I was helping you." He looked hurt, and I struggled to get a grip on my emotions.

"You can help. You can be in the Coven." Izzy smiled at him. "We need another White."

He shifted his attention away from me, and I took a few deep breaths, trying to get my strange anger under control.

"Who's the other White you've got?" he asked Izzy.

She winked. "Well, right now, it's just you. But Dr. Farren is White, and I'm sure she'll help us."

Justin glanced at me, and I managed a weak smile. "I'm sorry. My dad just made me really mad."

He nodded. "I get it. What would it mean for me to join your Coven?"

Izzy and I looked at each other. "Um," she began. "Well," I said at the same time.

Justin burst out laughing, and my frustration dissolved. "You guys really don't have a plan, do you?"

"Look, your patron's the one who said the Coven would be a good idea," I reminded him, putting my hands on my hips. "We're winging it!"

He nodded, his brow scrunched in thought. "Well, for starters, there would need to be an oath." His eyes met mine. "For a group to work together, they would need some kind of common purpose and some kind of promise."

Izzy snorted. "Common purpose is easy. 'Help us save the world from the crazy gods.'"

Justin grinned at her. "Sounds simple."

"What kind of oath? Like a patron oath?" I asked, remembering my melodramatic dedicancy to Aphrodite. I shivered as I suddenly recalled the words of my broken vow: _May I never rest if I break this trust with word or intent._ I glanced up at the sky nervously. I hadn't intended to break my vow to her, but when I had, I didn't do anything to fix it. Would things be any different now if she were still my patron? Or would I still be just as screwed?

Izzy pulled me out of my reverie. "Not that binding, but something we could say to vow that we won't turn against each other. Something to make it safe for us to band together as a group."

She and Justin kept talking, but I was thinking about the vow I'd made so long ago. Aphrodite and I had parted on good terms, I guess, but I had to wonder: would a goddess ever forgive a Witch for breaking that kind of promise? I was vaguely aware of the plans Justin and Izzy were laying out, but I didn't contribute. I was too busy worrying about the past.

That night, I decided to try to contact Aphrodite. While Izzy was occupied explaining the Coven idea to Mom, Dr. Farren, and Lorna, I grabbed my backpack and climbed down the tree outside my window. Even though I'd learned that a Witch could contact just about any god she wanted anywhere in America, I didn't think it would hurt to call Aphrodite with a little back-up, and the park near my house would be the perfect place to suck up to the goddess of love: it was a prime make-out spot, as I knew from shameful experience. Gingerly, I probed the memory of the night Justin and I broke up.

We'd been there, in that park. I'd glamoured myself in an attempt to seduce him, but no matter what I did, Justin didn't want to have sex. At the time, it had incensed me. When we got back together as a result of a love spell, I could have pushed the relationship in that direction, but something held me back. _When I do finally find somebody who wants all of me_ , I promised myself as I looked up at the trees, _I won't use magic. I want to make sure it's real_.

The sounds of couples kissing and cuddling drifted through the night air, and I sat down beneath an old oak tree, trying not to feel voyeuristic. I pulled the fractured mirror out of my bag and stared at the pieces. Aphrodite had given me that mirror when I dedicated to her, and when I was running around Europe with Marcus last winter, it had shattered. At the time, I'd assumed it simply broke in my bag from me being careless, but now I wasn't so sure. What if the broken glass meant something? I swallowed nervously.

I'd also brought a red candle, which I set on the ground in front of me. I closed my eyes and concentrated on fire, and after a minute, the candle sparked to life. I grinned: I had never tried to do something so precise before, and it was a thrill to use even that small burst of Red energy. _Maybe I am getting better at all this._

"Aphrodite," I whispered, staring at the flame, "I have need of you."

Silence filled the park. Even the sounds of the teenagers under the trees stopped for an instant, and I held my breath. Would this even work?

After a moment, the goddess shimmered into existence in front of me, and I stood up quickly, bowing my head.

"I didn't think you'd come!" My throat tightened, and I realized that despite it all, I'd sort of missed her.

She glared at me. "I'm not here because you summoned me, girl. I come bearing a message."

Her tone was frosty and her eyes were hard. I took a careful step back and felt the rough bark of the tree press into my spine. "Who's the message from?"

She laughed, smoothing her hands over her hips in a familiar gesture. "Who do you think? My brethren. We decided to give you fair warning."

My heart thumped loudly. "We?" _Gods, I hope she doesn't mean what I think she means_.

"Darlena, surely you aren't that foolish? The alliance of Reds. We've decided to reveal a bit of our plan."

I felt numb, and she laughed again at my expression.

"Oh, yes, I'm the enemy now. I thought you figured that out already: none spurn me without consequence." Her words were heavy, and if I hadn't already been backed against the tree, I would have tried to move away.

As it was, I was suddenly feeling more and more trapped. "I didn't mean to break my vow."

"That doesn't change the fact that you did." She waved her hand dismissively, and I shut my eyes, waiting for something to happen. After a moment, I opened one eye, then the other. The goddess hadn't incinerated me. I flexed my fingers, wondering if it was too late to run, and Aphrodite snarled at me. "I grow weary of this conversation. Listen close, for I will only speak the message once."

I stared at her nervously. "I'm listening."

"We will remake the world in fire and blood. Cities will fall, madness will descend, and you are powerless to stop it."

"That doesn't sound like a warning, just a threat." _No point wasting time being_ _polite_ , I thought. _If she's going to kill me, I'm already dead meat_.

Her eyes glistened as she read my thoughts. "Your warning is this: for each act of chaos that you stand against, one of your circle will be lost."

Confused, I shook my head. "I don't have a circle."

She smiled wickedly. "Not yet. But you and the little Blue are forming one, are you not?"

Realization crept over me, and I stared at her in surprise. "You mean the Coven?"

She nodded. "For every disaster you avert, you send one of your followers to her death."

I shivered. "You'll kill people just for helping me? Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?"

Her lips curved up in a cruel smile. "Oh, we will. But we're saving you for the end. You won't die until the entire world succumbs to chaos. Then, perhaps, you'll see how futile your attempts at balance have been."

My stomach churned, but I forced myself to meet the goddess's eyes. "Why would you align yourself with them? Just because I broke my vow?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I am always on the winning side, one way or another."

"But weren't you the one who wanted to convince me that there's more to chaos than death and destruction?"

Aphrodite snarled. "The next time we meet, you had better find some form of protection." Her features relaxed slightly, and she held out her hand and looked at it, as if examining her manicure. "There are a myriad of things that I would like to do to you."

I straightened my shoulders and glared at her. "You won't get the chance. Tell your friends that it doesn't matter what they say they're going to do. I won't stop fighting for balance."

She smiled. "I shall enjoy watching you suffer, then. Choose your circle carefully, Darlena. Remember: everyone you pick must be someone you are willing to sacrifice."

My anger bubbled over. "You wouldn't hurt them. I'm the one you want!" But the goddess had already vanished into the night.

My candle snuffed itself out, and I stared at the broken shards of the mirror. I had kept it because I still trusted Aphrodite but not any longer. Hurriedly, I scratched at the earth with my hands, not caring that the dirt caked under my fingernails. I dug a small hole, and then I shoved the pieces of the mirror into it, covering the shards with dirt and leaves. When I was done, my anger left me in a rush, and suddenly I was shaking with fear.

_The gods are bluffing,_ I told myself as I walked home. _Joining together in a Coven will strengthen us._ But a seed of doubt had taken root, and by the time I got home, I didn't know what I believed anymore.

Mom came rushing down the walk when I approached. I waited for her to berate me or ask where I'd been. Instead, she folded me into a tight hug.

"It's starting," she whispered.

"What is?" Confused, I stared at her. Had someone in our group already died? _But we haven't even formed a Coven yet._

"There was an earthquake in Turkey at almost exactly the same moment a bomb went off in the London Underground. And a volcano erupted in Greece. The death toll is already in the thousands." Her eyes glistened with tears.

I stared at her, dumbfounded. Aphrodite hadn't been a messenger, I suddenly realized. She'd been a decoy. I clenched my fists, ready to explode, but then Mom touched my cheek with her hand, turning my eyes to hers. Gods, she looked frightened! I took a deep breath.

"It's not the end of the world," I said with false lightness, trying to make her smile.

Tearfully, she shook her head. "It's starting," she said again.

I swallowed. She was right. "Then it's time for us to act."

Mom hesitated. "Your father doesn't like it."

"I know. But will he help us anyway?"

She looked back at the house. "Let me go talk to him."

"Mom." I caught her hand as she turned to go. "We need both of you. If he won't do it, you don't have to, either."

She nodded. "I want to help. But you're right. You need two Greens. I'll see what I can do."

"Where's Izzy and everyone else?"

"Inside."

I thought for a minute. Now that I'd decided to act, I didn't want to waste another second. "Can we use the fire pit?"

She nodded. "I'll send them out back."

"And you and Dad will come too?" I asked hopefully.

Mom sighed. "I'll do what I can," she repeated, her eyes brimming with tears.

I hugged her. "That's all I can ask."

She went back in the house, and I pulled out my phone. After sending a quick text to Justin, I headed to the backyard to start a fire. It was too hot to need it, but I felt stronger when I had fire nearby. _Hopefully_ , I thought, _I'll be even stronger soon. Hopefully, by the end of the night, I'll have a Coven to help me stand against the Red gods_. Aphrodite's warning faded from my mind as I concentrated on the growing flame and the sense of strength that filled me the longer I stood there.

Chapter Eight

It didn't take long until I had a bright fire burning in the old fire pit. Izzy joined me first, giving me a big hug before settling down on the ground beside the leaping flames. I dragged the old lawn chairs over and arranged them in a circle around the fire. There were five chairs altogether, and in the back of my mind I felt a warning that only five of us would be coming, but I pushed that thought aside. Surely my dad couldn't ignore what was happening in his own backyard, could he?

Izzy didn't talk, but she began to hum a sweet melody, and I listened to the music as Dr. Farren and Lorna came out of the house.

I hadn't seen much of them since they'd landed, and I studied Dr. Farren in the firelight. Her face was drawn, and her shoulders sagged as if she were already defeated, but I could see the same spark in her eyes that she'd had when we met a year ago. With a jolt, I realized I desperately wanted Dr. Farren on my side.

"That's a lovely fire," Lorna said softly.

"Thank you." I shrugged. "Fire is easy for me."

Lorna sank into a chair and pulled it close to the blaze. "I'm always cold lately," she said in a light voice.

I looked at her, surprised. "How can anybody be cold in this heat?"

Lorna's face clouded. "I guess it's shock."

I felt like an ass. "Right. I'm sorry," I began lamely, but then I trailed off.

Lorna smiled at me gently, but her eyes looked strained. "It wasn't your fault."

Guilt tugged at me. Even though I assumed their Coven had been destroyed because of me, we had no proof of that. Yet. _But if Aphrodite isn't bluffing, it will be my fault if anyone else gets hurt._

Dr. Farren looked at me, and I tamped down my frightened thoughts. She raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Aphrodite's warning flickered through my mind again, but I pushed it away. With effort, I looked Dr. Farren in the eyes. "Do you have any doubt that the world is ending?"

She shook her head curtly. "I will always work for truth and justice. And this is not the right path for our world."

I nodded. "I know." After a moment, I added, "I'm really glad you're here."

She smirked wryly. "Given the circumstances, I can't say that I agree with you." She sat down and looked at the fire. "Although I did have a feeling that you were not gone from my life forever."

A twig snapped, and we all looked up in surprise. I felt my muscles tense as I pulled up Red magic: my arms tingled with power as I peered into the darkness, panic seeping into my bones. Had they finally come to destroy us?

"It's just me. Sorry about that." Justin came around the side of the house, and I relaxed.

Wordless, I reached for him, and his hand slid into mine. "Thank you," I whispered.

He squeezed my hand in reply, his eyes searching for mine in the dark. "Are you ready?"

I turned and looked at the house, thinking of my parents. "Let's wait a bit longer." _They won't really ditch me, will they?_

Justin followed my gaze and nodded. "We can spare five minutes."

Dr. Farren cleared her throat, and Justin and I turned to the fire. "While we wait, would you mind telling us your plan?"

I looked at Izzy, but she was still humming her strange tune. It was like she was in a trance or something. I took a deep breath. "We thought that a Coven would be our best bet to stand against the coming chaos."

Lorna shuddered. "But after what happened last time—" Her voice faltered, and it hit me for the first time that Lorna had lost her mother. Julia was the entire reason Lorna had joined the Coven in the first place, and now she was gone. How was Lorna even keeping it together?

"But there are no Black Witches here." Dr. Farren spoke matter-of-factly, but Lorna shuddered again. "And we can all trust each other, yes?" Her dark eyes bored into mine.

I nodded. "We all want the world to last, don't we?"

Everyone but Izzy nodded. She was still humming, and her eyes had glazed over. I glanced at her, worried. _Why is she hitting a trance now?_ She didn't move, and I looked around the circle again.

I cleared my throat. "Does anyone have any suggestions that don't involve a Coven?"

The sound of the fire crackling seemed loud in the silence that followed my question.

I glanced over my shoulder at the house, but there was no sign that my parents were going to join us. My heart sank, but I tried to keep my expression neutral when I turned back to the group around the fire. "Does everyone agree that forming a group is the best way to stand against our enemies?"

No one spoke, but Justin nodded hesitantly, and Dr. Farren inclined her head.

Something had been bothering me for days, and I finally found the words to express it. Avoiding Lorna's fragile gaze, I looked at Dr. Farren. "Are Roy and Samuel a threat to us?"

She paused, considering the question. "To be truthful, I don't know. Their attack was unexpected, but then again, so was our survival."

"Maybe they don't know we got away," Lorna offered softly.

I glanced at her. "Why do you think they turned on you?"

"Roy was mourning the loss of his son and blamed us for our inaction." Dr. Farren's voice was expressionless, but I still felt a twist of guilt at the mention of Marcus. "As for Samuel, I don't know his reasons. His patron, Anubis, is the son of Set. In January, you and Marcus implied that Set might be working with Hecate."

I shook my head. "Marcus said that. He never mentioned it to me, so I have no idea where he got that."

"Even so, that might speak to their motives."

Justin looked at her steadily. "So what you're really saying is their attack is bigger than your old Coven. This might affect all of us."

She nodded once. "I hope it does not. But you're right: if they _have_ allied themselves with Rochelle and the violent gods, they may still be our enemies."

We fell into a tense silence. I watched the flames as they leaped up the edges of the fire pit, listening to the snap of boiling pinesap.

"Rochelle definitely wants the world to end." A flash of memory assaulted me, and I grimaced. "She told me once that she doesn't believe Nons have any right to share the world with Witches."

"So we can reasonably assume that she has no problem killing Nons." Dr. Farren tapped her forehead with her finger. "Which is in keeping with the disasters that have been happening in Europe."

"What have they managed to do so far?" Justin asked.

"There's the nuclear disaster, to start." Dr. Farren looked pointedly at me as she said it, and I had to force myself not to react. "There was also a bombing in London today."

"And an earthquake in Turkey, plus a volcanic eruption in Greece."

Justin whistled quietly. "So Rochelle controls Europe. What about the third Red Witch? Do we know anything?"

I shrugged. "We'll find out pretty quickly, I guess, depending on where in the world chaos starts popping up."

"How will we stand against a Red in her own territory?" Dr. Farren's question brought me up short.

"I don't really know," I admitted. "But when Rochelle tried to kill me in January, the only way I defeated her was with Izzy's help. Different magics together are more powerful than even Red magic alone."

"And that is why you want to form this Coven?" Dr. Farren looked at me searchingly. "To stand against chaos?"

"What other reason would I have?"

"You are not, perhaps, seeking revenge?"

I glared at her. "This isn't about Rochelle. It's about the world." Gods, why did everyone think I was just some spiteful brat? "When I became a Red, I didn't know what I was getting into." I took a deep breath. "I do now. I can either let chaos take over, or I can do as much as I can to control it. But there's only so much I can do alone."

Izzy stopped humming abruptly. "We should ask the gods."

Everyone turned and looked at her. "Which gods?" I asked stupidly.

She giggled lightly. "Why, our patrons, of course!"

I felt a prickle of unease, but the others were nodding thoughtfully. "How do we do that?"

"You simply invite us to your fire," Baldur spoke from behind me, and when I turned around, I saw that he was flanked by two goddesses. I stared at their blue robes and radiant black hair. One of the goddesses had rainbow wings sprouting from her back, and she crossed the fire to stand behind Izzy.

"A wise suggestion, daughter," Isis whispered.

_The other goddess must be Nepthys,_ I thought; she looked just like her sister, only without wings. When she stood behind Lorna, my suspicions were confirmed.

"Where's Hera?" I turned to Dr. Farren. She fiddled with her sleeves uncomfortably.

"My lady usually doesn't take sides on mortal issues," she finally admitted. "I have spoken with her individually, of course, but I do not think she supports us. Not," she added hurriedly, "that she would do anything to harm our endeavor. She just doesn't take part in such squabbles."

Before I could say something, Baldur cleared his throat. "Do you have a patron, yet, Darlena?"

I shook my head. "No."

He sighed. "Then those of us who are here must begin the dialogue. We have been invited, and we may give our views."

"A Coven will strengthen you." Isis spoke quietly, but her voice radiated power.

"But strength is also a weakness," Nepthys added.

I looked at Baldur. "I already know what you think."

He raised an eyebrow. "Have you told them what I said?"

I shrugged. "Some," I answered honestly.

"I support this Coven," he said quietly, "if you will consider bringing Nons into your circle."

There was that word again: circle. _That's what Aphrodite said,_ I realized. I opened my mouth to tell them her threat, to offer one last warning, but I didn't get the chance.

The fire exploded, sending a shower of sparks into the sky. I stepped back with a shriek, too startled to do anything. Lorna and Izzy quickly doused the flames with water, and the gods vanished in the smoke. Thick white steam obscured the other Witches from my sight, and I suddenly had the eerie sense that everyone had disappeared.

Marcus's voice whispered in my ear, and I stiffened.

"Talk is not action. Stop wasting time!"

I glared into the empty night around me. "This is important."

"Avenge me. Find Loki. That is all that matters."

"Loki isn't the only problem!" I said, clenching my fists.

He didn't say anything else, but I knew without turning around that someone had been watching my strange conversation. The smoke cleared, and when I looked back at the smoldering ruins of our fire, Justin was staring at me.

"Who are you arguing with?"

_Right. I'm going to tell you that I'm sort of being haunted by the other Red Witch_. I shrugged. "Just thinking out loud."

His eyes never left my face, but after a minute, he nodded. "You're right. Loki isn't the only problem."

I looked at him in surprise. "I would think that you and your patron would want him locked up forever!"

Justin shook his head. "Baldur wants us to work together. He's advocating balance, not revenge." He chewed on his lower lip thoughtfully. "I honestly don't think he cares what happens to Loki. He just wants us to think about the Nons."

"An interesting proposition." Dr. Farren stood by the remains of the fire. "I have never known Nons who could work magic."

I still didn't think it was a good idea, but there was no point lying to her. "At my old school, Trinity, they sometimes recruited Nons. We called them Dreamers."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Would our Coven include these Dreamers?"

"I don't know. I haven't got any clue how to find Nons who could even do magic."

"I do," Izzy said quietly, and we all looked at her.

"What do you suggest, Isadora?" Dr. Farren's voice was quiet but commanding.

Izzy looked at me. "I can tell what kind of magic a Witch practices just by looking at them. I bet I could tell if a Non was capable, too."

"That might work," Justin began slowly, "but before we do that, I think we need to officially form this Coven."

Lorna shuffled her feet. "Why rush into anything?"

Dr. Farren nodded. "Besides, a Coven is stronger when it's formed all at once, rather than adding pieces over time. We should wait until we have all of our prospective members."

"We can still make a vow to each other, though, can't we?" Izzy looked around the circle, and Justin and I nodded. I couldn't let all this time and planning be for nothing.

The words popped into my mind unbidden, and I spoke firmly. "I vow to support those who work against chaos."

After a pause, everyone repeated what I had said. Lorna and Dr. Farren's voices were faint, but Izzy and Justin sounded loud and confident.

I took a deep breath. "And I will not harm anyone who takes this vow."

Justin responded instantly. I looked at Izzy next, and she smiled as she spoke. Lorna repeated my words softly, and finally I turned to Dr. Farren. She hesitated, and I narrowed my eyes at her.

"We aren't a Coven yet. But I assume you're willing to swear that you won't do harm."

Her eyes met mine. "Like my patron, I am always on the side of right. I will not harm anyone who takes this vow."

Remembering the vow Marcus and I had made in the Black Forest, I held out my hand. Magic pulsed in me, and I felt singed when Justin placed his hand on mine. Izzy quickly followed suit, and Dr. Farren and Lorna clasped their hands on top of ours. A ribbon of Red magic snaked around our hands, followed by two strands of White and two of Blue. We didn't move, and the magic wove itself in a complicated knot. After a minute, the colors faded, and the tingling in my arm dimmed.

"We're allies now." Justin smiled at me, but I looked across the circle at Dr. Farren.

"We've always been allies. Right?"

She raised an eyebrow and nodded at me. "Just because I will not rush into the bonds of a Coven quickly enough to suit you does not mean I will not help. I don't want chaos to triumph, either."

"I'm glad that we can agree on that." I fought back my growing irritation and the fear that Marcus had been right. He hadn't wanted to work with the Coven in Scotland because he said that they wasted time talking and deliberating. He thought they'd never take action, and after tonight, I was beginning to wonder.

_But we're not a Coven yet_ , I reminded myself. _We're just allies_.

"We need a plan." Dr. Farren looked at me expectantly, and with a start I realized I'd somehow ended up in charge.

"Izzy and I will look for Nons," I began, and Izzy nodded eagerly.

"I can start working a spell for forgiveness to help the survivors of the bombing in London." Lorna's voice sounded stronger than it had all night, and I smiled at her.

"That a good idea. I never would have thought of it," I told her honestly.

She shrugged. "It's not enough to fight chaos. We also have to clean up the mess, or hatred and fighting will spread." She paused, her eyes sad. "Chaos isn't isolated. It only takes a single spark before it takes on a life of its own, like wildfire."

"Lorna's right." Dr. Farren looked at Justin. "Maybe you and I can devise a way to connect with other Witches. We're going to need more help than just the five of us if we want our actions to have any impact."

He nodded. "I have a few ideas for communication."

"So that's settled, then. Izzy and I recruit, you two talk, and Lorna will start cleaning up Rochelle's mess." Everyone nodded, and I tried to smile. "We're making progress."

"You have to move faster," Marcus hissed in my ear. No one else heard him.

Chapter Nine

"So, where are we going to find some Nons?" Izzy asked, flopping down on my bed.

I shrugged. "It's the end of March. I bet some of the schools are on spring break or something."

"Are you saying we need to head to a vacation spot?" She grinned at me.

"The whole darn state is a vacation spot." I paused, thinking for a minute. "Why don't we look online and see if anything particularly non-magical is happening in Durham this week?"

She snorted. "What, like a 5K or something?"

"Something like that." I had already opened my laptop and was skimming the city events calendar. "There's an outdoor music performance at the American Tobacco Campus this Friday night."

Izzy wrinkled her nose. "A whole college devoted to smoking? That's gross."

I laughed. "No, that's not why it's called that. It's the old tobacco warehouses. Forever ago, cigarettes were the biggest export from our state."

Izzy frowned. "I still don't get the college thing."

"It's not a college. The warehouses have been turned into restaurants and stuff. It's actually really cool down there."

"Why do they call it a campus?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but I bet we'd find a lot of Nons at this concert."

"What kind of music is it?"

"Bluegrass."

She made a face, and I laughed.

"Welcome to the South, sweetie."

"Fine. I'll go, but you better buy me food or something. And maybe some earplugs."

"There's a cool pizza place right there; we can grab dinner and then walk around." I paused, thinking about her plan. "So what do we say to the Nons if you see magic around them?"

Izzy shrugged. "'Hey, do you want to do magic?'"

"Seriously? Would you try that in Scotland?"

Her eyes were innocent. "What's the problem? Lots of people want to do magic. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Izzy," I said gently, "things are a little different here. This is the South, right?"

"So?"

I tried to figure out how to explain it. "So, a lot of people are pretty religious."

She looked at me blankly, and I sighed.

"Magic isn't really cool here. Lots of Nons don't want anything to do with it. Like, sometimes they don't even let their kids read fantasy novels in school." At Trinity, I'd been taught that Nons were rigid and intolerant despite my parents' affection for them, but Izzy didn't seem to have the same hang-ups.

She lifted her hands. "So what did you have in mind?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. But I don't think we can just blurt out stuff about magic." I shrugged helplessly. "We'll have to start the conversation slow."

"Whatever. I'll spot 'em if you worry about talking to them."

"Great," I laughed. "Since I'm so good at making friends with strangers."

"I liked you the first time we met."

"That's because you didn't know any better." I tried to say it lightly, but my stomach clenched. _What if I can't get Nons to trust me?_

On Friday, Izzy borrowed my old bike and I took Mom's. Things had been tense between me and Mom and Dad ever since the fire. Nobody brought it up, but I felt like they'd betrayed me by staying inside. They acted like none of this stuff was actually happening, and I was relieved to escape from the house for a few hours with Izzy. I didn't bother telling my parents the reason we were going downtown, but they probably assumed I was just showing Izzy around Durham and didn't question us.

I'd never been able to manage to ride a bike in a skirt, but Izzy didn't seem to be having any problems. It was still hotter than midsummer even though it should have been spring, and Izzy had dressed as if we were going to spend the day at the beach. I couldn't blame her; the short sundress she was wearing looked a lot cooler than my shorts and T-shirt. I was drenched in sweat by the time we chained up the bikes outside the pizza place.

"This is so cool," Izzy breathed, looking around at the old orange and red brick buildings.

"Right? I love this place." I grinned, leading the way to the takeout counter. In a few minutes we headed outside, armed with a large pizza topped with artichokes, tofu, and I-don't-know-what-else. I led Izzy to a low brick wall halfway between the restaurant and the outdoor stage.

"Shouldn't we get closer? There's no one to check out back here."

I shook my head. "The concert's not for an hour. Trust me. That lawn will fill up fast."

She shrugged and folded a slice of pizza neatly in half before cramming it into her mouth. "Ow, the cheese is hot!"

I laughed and took a bite. "But it's good."

"It is," she agreed. "And I'm hungry! I forget how much riding a bike makes me want to eat."

"It seems like you always want to eat," I teased, remembering the first lunch we'd shared in Scotland.

"I'm still growing," she said imperiously. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"Izzy," I asked suddenly, "do I look older to you?"

"Older than me? Of course."

"No." I shook my head. "Older than when we met. I was sixteen then. But I should be almost eighteen now, thanks to the Underworld."

She paused and studied my face. "No, you really look the same. What about me?" Izzy had also been missing for a year; I hadn't really considered that before.

Her cheekbones seemed a little longer, but my memory was fuzzy. "I'm not sure."

"That's something to ask Isis about later."

I nodded.

"Don't you wish you had a patron to answer your questions?"

"Drop it," I said. "That's not why we're here."

"Fine." She shrugged and finished another slice of pizza in silence.

I watched the crowd that was beginning to assemble. Hopefully we'd find some Dreamers before the band started. I had nothing against bluegrass; in fact, it's one of my guilty pleasures. But I didn't think Izzy would like it too much. Even though she was younger than me, she seemed too cool for that.

"There's one," she said quietly. I looked where she was pointing. A tall, skinny guy with a bad case of acne was spreading out a picnic blanket for a girl in a tube top.

"Him?"

She nodded. "He could do Green magic."

I was surprised. "You can see a color for him, even though he doesn't know what magic is?"

She nodded again. "And there's another one over there." She pointed to a guy in his late twenties with a scruffy beard. He was pushing a baby in a stroller back and forth distractedly, and I shook my head.

"I don't know. Aren't there any together?" I didn't really want to make small talk with a young dad or a guy on a date.

Izzy glared at me. "What am I, an all-request station?" She huffed dramatically. "I'll keep looking."

The fiddle player came out on stage to tune, and the crowd had doubled in size when Izzy quietly said, "Bingo."

I looked to where she was pointing and did a double take. "Izzy, are they twins?"

She shrugged. "Let's find out."

Before I could say anything, she was off the wall and sauntering over to two short guys with black hair. I chased after her, forgetting about the rest of the pizza. By the time I caught up, she was laughing at something one of the guys had said.

She turned to me and winked. "And this is my friend, Darlena."

I tried to smile, but something about the guys made me nervous. Their honey-colored skin reminded me of someone, but I couldn't quite place the memory.

"Hey, I'm Ben, and this is Brad." The guy wearing round glasses stuck out his hand, and the other guy bobbed his head shyly.

"Are you guys twins?" I blurted out.

Ben laughed. "Yeah. Gotta love Mom's sense of humor. Being identical wasn't bad enough, she had to go and name us with alliteration too."

I grinned at him. "At least your name doesn't mean 'little darling.'"

Izzy snorted. "I love _my_ name, thank you very much."

Brad asked quietly, "Is Izzy short for Isabelle?"

"Nope. Isadora." She smiled broadly and looked at me. "It means 'beloved of Isis.'"

"Very New Age. I like it." Ben grinned.

"Are you guys from Durham?" I asked. Izzy glared at me. I could tell she'd been about to say something about magic, but I shook my head at her slightly. We didn't know enough about these guys yet.

"Halfway. Dad lives here, but Mom lives with her parents on the big island."

Warning bells went off in my mind. "The big island?" I asked stupidly.

Brad nodded. "In Hawaii. We switch off between the two of them." He sighed. "I really miss Hawaii."

"Dude, Pele's mountain ain't got nothing on this crowd!" Ben spread his arms wide, smiling at us.

Pele. That was who they reminded me of. I'd met the frightening goddess twice since becoming a Red, and I wasn't exactly on her good side. I shot Izzy a frantic look, but she ignored me.

"That's twice we've talked about goddesses. Are you guys interested in that kind of thing?"

Ben snorted. "What, feminism?"

Izzy leaned forward. "No. Magic."

Chapter Ten

The microphones screeched as the band took the stage, and the crowd jumped at the feedback. Luckily, the fiddle player had fast fingers, and he started a rousing reel. Ben and Brad didn't have a chance to answer before the music started, and I tugged on Izzy's hand.

"I need to talk to you!" I cupped my hand over her ear and yelled.

She looked at me, confused. "Now?"

I grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the crowd. "Now."

Even though it got quiet enough to talk once we rounded the corner, I kept my lips pressed together until we got back to our bikes.

"I've changed my mind," I said to her. "We need to go home. Now."

"Darlena, what's wrong with you? Those guys were perfectly nice, and they could both do magic."

"They're from Hawaii!"

She looked at me, her face unreadable. "So, what, you're a closet racist?"

"Izzy, this has nothing to do with race. It's—" I broke off, trying to articulate my experiences with Pele, as Ben came around the corner.

"Listen, what kind of crap is this?" He glared at me. "Are you guys running some kind of weird Internet show or something?"

Brad walked up behind his brother. "Cool it, B. They're just stupid is all."

My anger exploded. "We aren't stupid, and we aren't filming you for TV. Magic is real, which you'd realize if you ever bothered to open your eyes. I mean, you're the ones who brought up Pele. You can't say she's stupid, can you?"

When I finished speaking, all three of them were staring at me like I'd lost my mind.

"You're totally whacked, girl." Brad began to turn away, but Ben shook his head.

"Have you ever been to Hawaii?" His golden eyes held mine, and I shook my head. He raised an eyebrow. "Then how do you know Pele?"

I took a deep breath. "Because I'm a Witch."

Izzy smiled. "We both are."

Ben stared at us. "Brad, stick around. I think this is for real."

His twin threw his hands up in the air, but he sat down on the curb.

"So you're a Witch," Ben repeated thoughtfully. "Can you prove it?"

I looked at Izzy, and she shrugged. "You can't just trust us?"

"Why would I? One minute you girls are chatting us up, then you say the magic word, and _bam_ , you take off running like thugs." He glared at me defiantly. "Why in the world would I trust you?"

He had a point. "Fine. Watch and learn." Carefully, I summoned a pinch of Red energy and released it through my hands, shaping a glowing ball. It pulsed dangerously, and I tried to keep my thoughts clear.

Brad clapped sarcastically from the ground. "Nice trick." He looked up at Ben. "Can we leave now?"

Without thinking, I flung the energy ball at Brad. He ducked, and it clattered to the pavement behind him, ripping the stone like an earthquake. Izzy glared at me, and quickly I focused on repairing the damage. It took a minute because I was upset, but it finally worked. The sidewalk was uneven, but the gash I'd made was gone.

"They're not interested. Let's go." I grabbed my bike, expecting Izzy to follow me. But she was standing there watching the brothers.

Brad looked appropriately scared, but Ben's eyes were shinning. "So, why did you show us that?"

"We need help," Izzy said simply, "and we could teach you two magic in exchange."

Ben broke into a wide smile. "Count me in!"

Brad groaned. "You are such a loser."

"Dude, she almost incinerated you! That was so cool. This stuff is for real."

Izzy and I watched as they argued. She was smiling sadly, and I wondered if she and Marcus had ever argued like that. Guiltily, I pushed the thought of him away.

Finally, Brad stood up. "We'll come with you, but that doesn't mean we have to stick around."

Izzy shrugged. "Fair enough. That'll give us a chance to introduce you to the others, at least. Maybe they'll change your minds."

"Others?" Ben echoed.

I smiled nastily. "Yes. We're forming a Coven." I didn't wait to see their reaction before I turned and got on my bike. Izzy grabbed the handlebars.

"There's only two bikes. We should let them ride."

I glared at her. "What, and we get to walk?"

Ben laughed. "Not at all. May I?"

I hesitated, but then I dismounted from the bike and leaned it toward him. "Be my guest."

"I can peddle, if you want to sit." He hopped on the pedals experimentally, and I looked at Izzy.

"Marcus and I used to do this all the time. It's safe enough."

Ben glanced at her, and I thought I saw a flicker of jealousy on his face. "Who's Marcus? Your boyfriend?"

"Brother. He's dead." Izzy's voice was quiet, and for a moment, no one said anything. Then she sat on her bike, keeping her feet pulled away from the pedals. "Are we going?"

Brad got on the bike in front of her, and Ben looked at me with one eyebrow raised.

I sighed. "Fine. But just in case you were wondering, magic doesn't bring people back from the dead. Try not to kill us."

He grinned. "As you wish, Your Highness."

Justin was waiting on the porch when we pulled up to my house. His face was impossible to read, but he walked over to me and slipped his arm around my waist as I hopped off the bike. I almost fell on my face, and his arm tightened around me.

"Where were you guys?" He kissed me on the cheek, ignoring the twins.

_What's with the PDA all of a sudden?_ "We headed downtown. Izzy wanted to try something." I took a step back, carefully not looking at Justin.

"We found them!" Izzy declared with a smile.

Justin looked at her and then seemed to notice Ben and Brad. "I see. Who are they?"

"They're Nons," I began hurriedly when I saw Brad open his mouth. "Izzy thinks they could learn magic."

Justin nodded, and after a second, he stuck out his hand. "Justin."

"Ben. This is my brother, Brad."

Brad grumbled something that might have been a greeting, and Justin turned back to me.

"Everyone's around back. Dr. Farren called a meeting."

_Was she planning to tell me about it?_ I tried to smile. "Then this is as good a time as any for these guys to meet everyone."

"Did Darlena tell you what this is all about?" Justin looked at Ben, but he shook his head.

"Just that we might be able to learn to do magic. She said you all needed help of some kind?"

"The world's about to end. We need everyone we can to stop it."

Brad's jaw dropped. "I told you they were kooks."

"Cool it." Ben didn't flinch. "We'll at least stick around to hear what everyone has to say."

Izzy grabbed his hand. "Come around back. I'll introduce you guys to Lorna and Dr. Farren."

The three of them rounded the side of the house, and I felt Justin's eyes on me.

"What are you doing, Lena?"

I avoided his gaze. "What are you talking about?"

He sighed. "You've been pulling away from me ever since you got back. What's happening to us?"

Finally, I looked at him. "What 'us', Justin? We broke up two years ago." I hated to say it, but once I started, I couldn't stop. "And then last year, after the love spell, you ditched me again. When did we get back together that I didn't notice?"

Justin clenched his jaw. "We've been working things out. I thought this is what you wanted."

"I don't know what I want!" My words surprised us both, and for a fleeting moment, I remembered the feeling of Marcus's lips on mine. I swallowed, trying to ignore the memory. "A lot has changed," I explained weakly. "We've been apart for over a year!"

"It only felt like two weeks to you, though." His voice was accusing, and I shrugged.

"At first, yes. But the longer I've been back, the more different everything feels. Not just us," I hurried to add, "but with my parents too. I lost a year of my life, and everyone's changed." Dusk had fallen while we talked, and his face was bathed in shadows. It made him almost look like a stranger.

He took a step closer to me, his nose almost touching mine. "I haven't changed. I still love you."

My heart began to beat wildly as I looked at him. Our lips were so close. I could lean forward and kiss him, and we could pretend this strangeness between us had never happened. I shut my eyes, trying to decide of it would be a mistake or not, but before I could act, he closed the distance and kissed me.

Marcus's angry voice whispered in my ear. "This does nothing to stop the gods or avenge me."

The kiss suddenly tasted bitter and I pulled away, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. "I'm sorry, Justin. It's just all different right now. I don't know what I want. I can't think of anything but stopping Hecate and Loki and Rochelle. I don't want the world to end."

He closed his eyes as if he were denying my words. When he finally spoke, his voice was carefully neutral. "I will keep helping you however I can." Abruptly, he spun on his heel. "We really should get back to the meeting. What were you thinking, bringing those two Nons here?"

I shrugged, trying to ignore the way my heart stung at his tone. "Izzy says they can help."

"I guess we'll see, won't we?" He disappeared around the side of the house.

For a minute, I just stood there. The air was muggy and thick, the kind of dusk I usually expected around my birthday in August. _How much worse will this summer get?_

"It will be unbearable if you don't act soon." Persephone's voice was soft, and when I looked at her, her face was tipped toward the sky.

It was a relief to see her, and my worries spilled out of my mouth before I could think. "Everything's falling apart. My parents won't help, and Aphrodite's joined the crazy gods. Dr. Farren's patron won't even support her!"

Persephone was quiet for a minute. "Is that what's worrying you? That a patron may not be worth taking?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "How long were you standing out here?"

She shrugged. "Long enough."

"Then you know that isn't the only thing on my mind."

"Darlena, have you considered that perhaps a formal Coven is not the only way to combat your enemies?"

I stared at her, confused. "But I only beat Rochelle the second time because Izzy was helping me."

"Multiple magics can work together without the formal bonds of a Coven. Perhaps it is time for you to consider different options."

In my heart I knew she was right, but I didn't want to believe that we'd wasted so much time.

Persephone answered my thoughts. "Building alliances is never wasted time. You will need all the help you can get if you are to succeed in this quest."

"Do you still want to help me?"

She inclined her head gently. "I seek balance. If that is still your aim, then you can count me as your ally."

I hesitated. "I haven't decided anything about taking you as my patron, you know."

"Even though I helped our mothers to find reconciliation?"

I crossed my arms. "That was you?"

She nodded.

After a beat, I said, "Thank you. But I'm still not sure."

"I know. I could help you more directly if you did, but in the meantime, I will still offer whatever assistance I can." She paused, looking up as a bat fluttered overhead. "You need to know that the other Red has not picked a side yet."

I stared at her in surprise. "How do you even know that?"

The goddess smiled. "Don't forget that Red magic is under my sphere of influence. This might be an opportunity for you to tip the balance in your favor."

A sudden feeling of excitement bubbled up in my chest. "If we could talk to her, maybe we could convince her that Rochelle is nuts."

"Or that the world is not ready to be remade," she whispered softly.

I nodded. "That would make so much difference if we had two Reds on our side." I looked into the goddess's dark eyes. "Can you tell me where to find her?"

"India," the goddess said simply. "Take that knowledge and use it however you choose. But Darlena," she added with a note of caution, "remember that you do not act alone any longer. If you are committed to your circle, this is a decision that must be shared."

I felt myself deflating; for a moment, I'd had a fantasy of trekking through India in search of the other Red. "You're right." I swallowed bitterly, thinking about Marcus. "Things didn't go so well the last time I went looking for a Red."

The goddess touched my head in blessing. "You have come far, little one, but you still have much to learn. Remember to accept help when it is freely given."

I nodded. "Thank you." She vanished into the night, and after a moment, I headed around back to find everyone and tell them the new information from the goddess. _Who knows_ , I thought. _This might be a game changer._

Chapter Eleven

Dusk had given way to true darkness, and when I reached the patio, everyone was sitting around the lit fire pit. Ben was reclining casually in a folding chair, but Brad was standing behind him, looking profoundly uncomfortable.

Dr. Farren glanced up as I came around the corner. "Good. We're all here."

I noticed that my parents had joined the circle at the fire this time, and my heart soared. I grinned at Mom, and then I looked around at the group. "I have some news to share with you."

Everyone stared at me expectantly, and I swallowed, remembering that I hadn't told them about my confrontation with my old patron. Persephone's words about sharing responsibility rose into my mind, and I paused. _Bad news first._ "Well, two things, actually. Aphrodite is on the side of the crazies." Lorna gasped at my admission, and Izzy shook her head sadly. I decided not to mention Aphrodite's threat; it didn't seem the right time for that, especially with two Nons sitting around the circle with us. "But the second thing is good news," I hurried to add. "Persephone told me that the third Red hasn't chosen sides yet."

Ben cleared his throat. "Could you tell us what side you guys are on?"

Justin glared at him. "We're the good guys. We want to keep the world from ending."

I ignored him and spoke directly to Ben. "Some of the gods have decided that they want a redo: the modern world doesn't give them enough attention, so they're looking for a way to end things and start over."

Ben looked pale under his tan, but he nodded. "Okay. And you said Pele is on the crazy side?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure where she stands on this, but she's certainly not a big fan of me. I assume she's working with them."

"That doesn't sound like her," Brad muttered.

Dr. Farren leaned forward. "Regardless of who is working to end the world, we are working to preserve things." She looked at me pointedly. "How does the other Red matter?"

I stared at her openmouthed. It was Izzy who finally answered.

"If we could convince her to help us, we'd be even stronger. Working together is the only way to end this, right?" Everyone nodded, although I noticed that my dad barely moved his head. Izzy continued. "Then it makes sense that we should work with another Red if possible."

"Did you forget what happened the last time two Reds teamed up?" Dad spoke quietly, but his words still stung.

Struggling to get a grip on my emotions, I answered, "I wouldn't be the one to go look for the other Red. It's too dangerous." I stared into the flames, carefully avoiding eye contact with the rest of the circle.

Dr. Farren's voice was clear and strong. "I volunteer. I can't do much here without the support of my patron."

"I'll go with you." Justin flashed a smile. "Two Whites should be able to withstand anything this Red can dish out."

I looked at Justin, surprised. He didn't meet my eyes.

Izzy smiled in the firelight, ignoring my distress. "All in favor?"

Lorna raised her hand, followed by my parents. Everyone looked expectantly at me.

I shook myself and looked away from Justin. "Well, duh, of course I'm in favor of finding her. She's somewhere in India."

Dr. Farren nodded. "I still have family there. That might help us get started."

"Um," my mom began hesitantly, "if you two are going, what does that mean for this group?" She gestured around the fire. "I mean, are you still planning to work as a Coven?"

There was a pause, and then I shook my head, remembering Persephone's words. "I don't think that will work for us. Sharing power like that might make us stronger, but we've seen that it can also make us vulnerable." Lorna whispered something and nodded her head vigorously. "But we're all committed to standing against the destruction of the world."

My dad stood up. "In that case, count me in. I promise to support each of you as far as I can, and I promise not to do anything that may harm the world."

Mom nodded, holding his hand. "We both promise."

Ben cleared his throat. "I think," he said with a quick glance at Brad, "that we'd like to help, if we can."

Izzy smiled. "We'll start teaching you magic right away."

Ben nodded, but Brad looked sick. "I still don't think Pele is part of the problem."

I was about to say something truly snarky, but Dr. Farren cut me off. "Then maybe it would be a good idea for you to contact her."

Brad's eyes widened. "I can do that?"

We all nodded.

"How?"

"Do you have something from Hawaii?" Lorna asked.

The twins nodded, but it was Ben who answered. "We always travel with a bag of sand. Mom's idea. She says that way we'll never be parted from our home."

Justin rolled his eyes. "That must be fun to explain to airport security."

Brad snorted self-consciously. "There was that one time—"

Dr. Farren interrupted. "The two of you should try to contact Pele and find out what she wants. However, it might be best not to mention all of this." She gestured around the circle.

"Or me," I added under my breath.

Brad heard me, and he nodded. "How do we contact her?"

For a minute, everyone was silent. Then we all began offering ideas at once.

"I speak to Isis in graveyards," Izzy said.

Lorna spoke over her. "Nepthys comes in my dreams."

"Libraries and museums are good for me," Dr. Farren said.

"Baldur shows up if I ask him to. I mean, I just ask the air, and he's there."

Mom, Dad, and I remained silent, and Ben turned to us. "What about you?"

I shrugged. "The gods usually just show up: I haven't had much luck summoning them." I thought about my broken mirror from Aphrodite and felt a stab of guilt. "Well, sometimes I can," I amended lamely.

Ben nodded. My parents remained silent, but he didn't press them. "I'm sure Brad and I can think of something. We're pretty close to Ma Pele, even if we haven't talked to her the way y'all have talked to your gods."

"We'll figure out what side she's on before we do anything else."

Justin rose. "And Dr. Farren and I will leave for India soon."

She nodded. "Immediately. As soon as I can contact my family and make arrangements."

_Immediately?_ My heart turned over, but I forced a smile. Mom squeezed my hand. "I'm glad you're staying home this time, sweetie," she whispered in my ear. I didn't answer her. How could I explain the tangled mess of emotions I'd been feeling ever since Justin volunteered to go?

Izzy and Lorna chanted an incantation, and the fire extinguished in a pillar of white smoke. As the circle broke apart and everyone moved away, I felt the strangest sense of abandonment, as if we'd never be all together again. I shook myself, trying to stop thinking so negatively, but something still felt off.

That night, I had bizarre dreams. Justin and I were fighting, and then we started making out. Things were really getting steamy, but when I opened my eyes in the dream, I was kissing Loki. "You can't escape me now," he whispered, but his voice sounded exactly like Marcus's.

I fought against him, and the god turned into a column of flame. I couldn't pull my hands away, and I watched in horror as my skin started to smoke.

"This is what comes from fighting chaos. You must embrace your nature. Destruction is all you were made for!" Loki's voice merged with Marcus's and Justin's, and all three of their voices swirled around, taunting me while I lay there burning.

I woke up screaming and sopping wet.

"You were on fire!" Izzy's voice was shaky, and it took me a minute to realize I wasn't dreaming anymore.

Blue light radiated from her body, and when I looked down at myself, I was still glowing faintly. "Did you douse me with water?" I asked her, incredulous.

She nodded, her eyes wild. "You started screaming, and when I woke up, the room was full of smoke."

I drew a deep, shuddering breath. "Thank you." Not wanting to risk using magic, I got out of bed and began pulling off the soaked sheets. "I was having a nightmare."

Izzy helped me strip the bed; the sheets made a soggy puddle on the floor. "So, what, nightmares make you spontaneously combust?"

I shook my head. "I don't know what happened. I was dreaming about Loki. He was the fire in my dream."

She looked shaken. "Does that mean he attacked you? But I thought the gods couldn't attack humans directly."

"They can't."

We looked at each other then, realization dawning on us both at the same moment. Izzy's eyes flashed. "Someone helped him get into your head."

"Who would do that?"

Izzy spoke with certainty. "Rochelle."

She was the obvious choice, but I shook my head. "She can't do anything out of her territory." I didn't know if that were true or not. I'd used Red magic unintentionally in Scotland, but once Marcus and I met, it was almost as if I needed his permission to use my powers. I hoped that meant that Rochelle couldn't reach me here.

Izzy frowned. "But then who was it?"

I remembered Marcus's voice in my dream, and I chewed on my lip, thinking. "Izzy," I began cautiously, "do you believe in ghosts?"

Izzy sat down on her bed. "What are you talking about?"

"You might think I'm crazy, but I keep hearing Marcus's voice."

She stared at me. "You think Marcus is haunting you?"

I shook my head. "Not haunting, exactly. Hanging around to get revenge is more like it."

"On who?"

"Loki." With a shuddering sigh, I finally told her everything about Marcus's death. She listened, her face pale, and then she shook her head in disbelief.

"But why would Marcus let Loki use him to hurt you? That doesn't make sense."

I didn't want to tell her the details of the dream; I still hadn't told her that I'd kissed her brother twice before he died. Nervous, I cleared my throat. "Marcus was in my dream just now, too. What if as a ghost he can't control his actions, but Loki can still use him?"

Izzy frowned and closed her eyes. "That still doesn't sound right."

I hesitated. "So, um, he hasn't contacted you?"

She shook her head, her eyes still closed. "No. Which is one of the reasons I don't think Marcus is actually haunting you."

"But I keep hearing his voice!"

Her eyes flew open and she glared at me. "Did you ever think, Darlena, that maybe Red magic has scrambled your brain a bit?"

I stared at her, dumfounded. Instantly, she dropped her gaze.

"I'm sorry. I just refuse to believe that he's a ghost."

"So the automatic assumption is that I'm crazy? Thanks a lot."

Izzy stood up and gathered the wet bedclothes from the floor. "I'll put these in the laundry room. Why don't you take a shower or something and change?" She didn't meet my eyes as she left the room.

Annoyed, I changed out of my wet pajamas into a T-shirt and a pair of yoga pants. I didn't really want to stick around and talk to Izzy if she was going to accuse me of being crazy, so I pried the plywood off the window and slipped down the tree like I had so many times before. The night air was sticky and hot, and clouds obscured the sky.

I trudged along the road in the darkness, sifting through the pieces of my dream. Had it really been Marcus? Whether he was haunting me or not, there was truth to Loki's words: if I kept denying my nature, it would destroy me. Not knowing what else to do, I kept walking, frustrated.

For months, I'd felt the Red energy building up in me like a pressure cooker waiting to burst. It tingled beneath my skin, and without conscious effort, I opened myself up to it. It was like slow dancing across a bed of coals; my body twinged in pain, but there was something delicious about the sensation, too. My fingers twitched in anticipation, and I felt the swirl of chaos threaten to overwhelm me. Sparks glowed on my arms, dancing over my skin, and I knew that if any Nons saw me, they'd think I was a human firecracker.

I don't know how long I stood there consumed with magic. But at some point, a twig snapped behind me, sounding like a gunshot, and I whirled around, ready to fight. That was when I realized where I was.

I'd walked all the way from my house to Rochelle's without even knowing it. The windows of her house were dark, and I realized with a start that I'd never thought about how Rochelle's parents were handling everything that had happened. Did they think their daughter had disappeared? Did they even remember her? Rochelle's parents were Nons, and as far as I knew, they were still totally oblivious of the things Rochelle was capable of.

The house loomed behind me like something from a scary story, but that wasn't what pushed me over the edge. In the darkness, I thought I could see Rochelle leaning casually against the mailbox, smirking at me. She lifted a hand to wave or attack, and I snapped.

Without thinking, I thrust the magic I'd been holding forward in a defensive move. Flames shot out of my hands, hitting the house with an impact that shook the ground. As soon as I released the magic, my foggy head cleared, and I realized how stupid I'd been. Rochelle wasn't there anymore.

_She'd never been here,_ I realized, as the violent orange flames I'd conjured consumed the large white house. The heat from the fire was intense, as if I'd stuck my head in the oven after Mom baked. My eyes watered, and my ears roared. The fire wasn't soft or gentle; it was a raging, violent monster. I stood rooted to the spot as Rochelle's house burned. For a moment, I wondered if her parents had been inside. _Oh, gods, had I killed them?_ I felt sick, but my thoughts and my body were disconnected. I didn't even try to control the blaze; I just watched. _Maybe Izzy's right,_ I thought dispassionately. _Maybe I have gone crazy_. Suddenly afraid of myself, I looked up and could have sworn I saw Loki's face in the smoke. When I blinked, the image faded, and I couldn't be sure if it had ever really been there in the first place.

A few blocks away, a siren sounded, followed by another, and as they came closer, I did the only thing I could think of.

I turned and ran.

Chapter Twelve

I was almost back to my house when a dark shape loomed up in front of me. "What the hell happened back there?"

I jumped, frightened. Had someone seen what I'd done? The voice was vaguely familiar, but for a minute, I couldn't place it. Then the clouds parted just a bit, allowing watery moonlight to stream down on us, and I gasped.

"Are you following me?"

Brad didn't even have the grace to look ashamed. He crossed his arms. "Tell me what that was all about."

I tried to brush past him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He blocked me. "Look, you and that crazy girl brought us into this. The least you can do is admit what happened."

I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath. "What do you think happened, since you know so much?"

"I think you blew up a house!"

"Then you'd be right." I stepped around him and kept walking.

He didn't block me this time, but his question stopped me. "Why?"

I turned to look at him. "Why what?"

He gestured helplessly toward the horizon. Even over the houses, I thought I could still make out the red glow from the fire, and my stomach clenched with fear. Had I just murdered Rochelle's family? "Why did you do it?"

_Why?_ "Because I'm crazy! I didn't have a reason. I'm just a psychopath waiting to kill innocent people. Oh, and by the way, I eat little children, too." I whirled away from him, determined to leave everything behind.

"I agree that you're nuts," he said calmly, "but I don't think the rest of that stuff is true."

I shrugged and kept walking. After a minute, Brad caught up with me.

"Look, if you don't want to talk about it, it's okay."

My throat clenched, and I turned on him. "No, it's not okay! I just blew up a house. I maybe killed two innocent people. All because I thought I saw Rochelle."

He frowned. "She's the girl who's trying to kill you, right?"

"Well, yeah, me and the rest of the sane world."

"I thought you just said you weren't sane."

I glared at him, and he quickly stopped smiling. "Why are you following me, anyway?"

He shrugged. "Pele told me to."

I leaped away from him as if he'd pulled out a knife. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"He's doing as I asked." The volcano goddess materialized beside us, and reflexively, I tried to grab Red magic, but it was like reaching into a dark hole. Nothing happened, and I panicked. Had I somehow broken my connection to Red magic? _What good is any of this if I can't defend myself?_

Brad was watching me nervously, but neither he nor the goddess made a move toward me. I glared at him. "From this point on, consider you and your brother uninvited from our circle."

"I wouldn't act so hastily if I were you." Pele's words were soft, but they carried power. I turned to face her.

"Why, because you want to use them to destroy us? Go ahead and kill me now." I spread my arms out, palms up. "For some reason, I can't use magic right now, so this is your chance." I almost hoped she'd take me up on it.

Pele smiled her frightening smile. "Perhaps that offer would have appealed to me in the past, but now, little Witch, I do not seek your death."

"She wants to help us, Darlena," Brad blurted from the shadows. The goddess and I both stared at him, and he looked at his feet like a chastened toddler.

"You aren't part of this anymore, Brad." I tried to keep my voice neutral, but I was shaking.

"That's a pity, for I always help my children."

I looked at Pele. "What are you saying?"

She straightened her shoulders. "I am willing to cast my lot with you. To stand against the chaos that is even now devouring Europe. On one condition."

Her words washed over me, and I stared at her stupidly. "You'll help?"

She smiled, showing her sharp teeth. "If you train the brothers. Make them Witches, and I will help."

I glanced at Brad, but he was still looking at the ground. I turned back to the goddess. "What's in it for you?"

"Once they are trained, they will vow to me. They are of my island; they understand how to serve me."

A shiver washed over me as I remembered the first time Pele asked me to vow to her; she'd demanded sacrifices. My eyes darted to Brad before I shook my head. "But that's impossible! You're a Red goddess. Even if I train them, they won't be Red Witches."

Pele threw back her long black hair and laughed. "I am not a goddess who is constrained by meaningless boundaries. There is more than chaos in my nature."

I stared at her, uncomprehending. "Do you mean that gods aren't bound by the same paths that bind Witches?"

"Witches do not have to be bound either, girl. But that's a lesson you must learn for yourself."

My head felt thick, and my thoughts whirled around helplessly. Finally, I turned to Brad. "Is this what you and Ben want?"

He nodded eagerly. "We love Ma Pele. We want to work for her. And help you, of course," he added as an afterthought.

I looked at the goddess skeptically. "And you'll really help us? This isn't a trick or something?"

She drew herself up and glared at me. Flames danced in her eyes, and I shuddered, thinking of the burning house I was running from. "I do not lie. Unlike some gods, my word is true. Train these boys, and when they vow to follow me, I will help you battle chaos."

I still didn't know how Pele would be able to help us, but I didn't want to let myself think about it too much. "If the circle will still have them, then we've got a deal."

Pele nodded. "The deal is struck. When the time comes, you may count me as your ally."

She vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving me and Brad alone on the sidewalk.

After a moment, I turned to him and raised my eyebrow. "She told you to follow me?"

He nodded, looking embarrassed. "She wanted to talk to you alone. I was following you to find a time when she could."

Alone. _When everyone finds out what I've done, will they ditch me?_ I thought about Rochelle's parents, who were maybe smoldering inside their house as I stood there. I swayed on my feet, and Brad hurriedly propped his shoulder under mine. "I'm fine," I grumbled, but he didn't step away.

"Whatever happened with that house, you aren't fine. You need to lie down."

I shook my head. "I need to tell somebody," I ground out. "I have to undo it somehow."

Brad shook his head. "Sleep first, Darlena. There's nothing you can do now. Besides, I'm pretty sure someone already called the fire department."

I glanced back at the red-tinged sky behind us, but I didn't argue with him, and he helped me walk the remaining block to my house. "Ben and I will be here first thing in the morning."

I tried to nod, but I could barely move my head. "Fine. Just let me tell everyone about—" I gestured helplessly "—tonight."

"Deal." He grinned crookedly. "For the record, I still think you're crazy, but in a good way."

"If only that were true," I whispered, taking the spare key out from under the mat and letting myself into the dark house. I wanted to close the door behind me and forget what I'd done, but I couldn't escape the memory of Rochelle's house going up in flames.

Chapter Thirteen

It didn't take long for my parents to find out. The fire was all over the news the next morning, and Mom and Dad watched, tense and silent, while they ate breakfast. Surprisingly, neither of them spoke to me, but even their silence felt like an accusation. I couldn't bear to tell them that their worst fears were true: that I was the monster who'd blown up that house. Thankfully, the news reporters didn't say anything about any bodies after the fire, and I allowed myself a small sliver of hope. Still, even if I hadn't killed Rochelle's parents, I'd come too damn close. My stomach twisted in knots when I tried to eat anything, so I finally pushed my chair away from the table.

"I'll be out back if anybody cares," I announced to the room. Lorna and Dr. Farren weren't around, but Izzy was sleepily sipping a cup of coffee in the chair beside me. She looked up with concern, but she didn't say anything. We hadn't spoken since she doused me with water and called me crazy the night before.

I retreated into the backyard. Kicking my shoes off, I climbed up the ancient magnolia tree behind the house. Its branches were narrow and I felt them bend under my weight, but I didn't care. I needed to feel safe again.

Mom had taught me how to climb trees, and this one had always been a favorite of mine. I hadn't climbed it in years, but I trusted the tree: it wouldn't let me fall.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I heard a sickening crack. The branch split from the tree, and I slammed into the ground five feet below. The leaves shook and I leaned forward, trying to catch my breath. When I looked back at the tree, it seemed to shiver, as if it were glad to be rid of me.

"Fine," I said aloud. "Just fine. My own trees are fighting me!"

I heard the screen door open behind me, but I didn't turn around. Finally, Izzy said, "What are you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing? I'm yelling at a tree. Just like crazy people do."

Izzy sighed, and I glanced at her over my shoulder. "You aren't crazy. I'm sorry I said that."

"No, you're right. There's something wrong with me." I almost told her about blowing up Rochelle's house, but something held my tongue. Instead, I shook my head. "You're right," I said again, more firmly. "There's no such thing as ghosts."

Izzy hesitated. "I did some spell work once you left last night. I think ghosts can exist."

I stared at her as if she'd just told me she'd won the lottery. "Seriously?"

"What, now you don't believe it?"

I shrugged. "I don't know what to believe."

"Look." She sighed deeply. "I spoke to Isis. I did a meditation, and I remembered things I'd learned a long time ago. If the spirit is strong enough in life, it can stick around in death."

I snorted. "Well, that definitely applies to Marcus. I've never met a stronger Witch."

"You're stronger."

I just looked at her.

She nodded at my startled expression. "He had more control because he had more time to learn. But you're a strong Witch, Darlena. You just need to figure out how to use your power."

I didn't want to think what it would mean if I really were stronger than Marcus. He'd been the scariest Witch I'd ever known, including Rochelle with her insane lust for power. Marcus had had an edge to him that felt lethal, even when we were allies. _Even when we were kissing_. Shaking my head, I pushed that thought away. "So Marcus might be haunting me."

She nodded. "In theory. We could try to contact him to know once and for all."

"How do we do that? Can we ask Isis to help us?"

Izzy smiled impishly. "Nope. We do it the same way the Nons do."

I stared at her, uncomprehending. "How's that?"

"With a Ouija board. Don't you ever watch horror movies?"

I groaned. "Izzy, it's a board game. For gods' sake, we could buy it at the Walmart."

Izzy laughed. "Luckily, we won't have to. I have one."

"You fled Scotland for your life without any bags, and now you're telling me that you have a Ouija board?"

Her face darkened, and she began to glow faintly with Blue light. For one ridiculous minute, I thought she was going to attack me, but then she snapped her fingers, and something landed in front of her with a _plop_.

I stared at the ground in disbelief. A battered black spirit board sat on the dry grass between us. "Do I even want to know how you did that?"

Izzy shrugged. "Suffice it to say that's one of the perks of being raised by Isis. I doubt you could even do the spell if you tried."

I ignored her barb and knelt to study the board. "I've never seen one like this before."

"Found it in an antique shop on a school trip to London."

I looked up at her stern expression. "Izzy, who have you contacted using this board?"

She pursed her lips. "That doesn't matter. But I know this board works."

"Because you've used it?"

After a moment, she shook her head. "But the Witch who sold it to me promised it was the real thing." She tried to laugh. "When I bought it, I wasn't looking for ghosts. It was just something of a lark. But now we need it and I have it, and that's that."

I shook my head. "I don't know. I've never done anything like this."

"First time for everything, right?" She dropped down onto the grass beside me.

"I guess." I felt a little self-conscious sitting in my backyard in broad daylight. "Don't ghosts prefer the dark?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Has he talked to you during the day?"

I thought back. Grudgingly, I said, "Yes."

She smiled. "So this is good enough, then." Deftly, Izzy warded the backyard, effectively hiding us from the view of the neighbors. Then she encased us in a shimmering bubble, a spell I'd never seen before, but I guessed it was to add an extra layer of protection. It always surprised me how much magic she knew since she was so much younger than me. _But I guess that's what happens when you're trained by a god_. Marcus knew all kinds of things I didn't know, too.

_Marcus_. I drew a ragged breath and looked at the board. "How do we do this?"

Izzy grabbed a stone from the grass beside her and set it on the board. "We'll use this, I guess." She reached across the board and gripped my forearms. "Ready?"

I nodded. "I guess."

Izzy cleared her throat. "Marcus? Are you there?"

We sat there holding onto each other for a few minutes in silence.

Finally, Izzy sighed. "Maybe you should try. You're the one he's talking to, after all."

I heard the sting of disappointment in her words, but I tried to ignore it. Now that we were trying to contact him, I wasn't sure it was such a good idea, but I didn't know how to back out now. "Marcus? It's me, Darlena. And Izzy. Can you hear us?"

For a couple of breaths, nothing happened, but then Izzy whispered, "Look."

The stone was quivering on top of the Ouija board.

We stared at it, and I felt Izzy's fingernails digging into my arm. "Marcus?" I whispered.

The stone kept shaking.

Izzy loosened her grip on me. "This doesn't feel right."

Before I could answer, the stone flew off the board toward her face, hitting her with a sickening _crack_.

I barely had a chance to react before blood was gushing from Izzy's nose. The sight of it made me dizzy.

"What the hell was that?" She pressed her fingers to her face, trying to staunch the flow of blood.

"I don't know."

"That can't have been Marcus. He'd never hurt me."

Harsh laughter filled my ears, and I stared at her blankly. "She's so naive," Marcus whispered in my mind.

Izzy must have seen something on my face, because she lowered her hands and stared at me. "Did he just speak to you? What'd he say?"

I shook my head, denying everything. "He can't be a ghost. You were right. Let's get you cleaned up."

The laughter echoed in my head as I helped her inside, and I felt tendrils of ice creeping up my neck. Despite the ninety-degree heat, I shivered.

The kitchen was empty, thankfully, and I had Izzy cleaned up and clutching a bag of frozen peas against her face before my dad walked in. He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow, but he didn't say anything about it. I sighed in relief as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Before I could leave the kitchen, Dad cleared his throat. "Lena, your mother and I are headed to Raleigh. Did you girls want to come along?"

Izzy looked at me questioningly. "It's a peace rally," I explained.

"We meet at the state capitol on the first Sunday of every month. It's an all-day thing, very exhilarating. There's a large group of activists, not just Witches, but Nons too." He gave me a hard look. "It might do you some good to remember what you claim to be fighting for."

I shook my head. "You guys have fun. Izzy and I have things we need to discuss."

She nodded. "We should probably call Ben and Brad and start training them."

My dad hesitated like he wanted to say more, but then he shrugged. "Okay. We'll be home for dinner."

To my surprise, Lorna walked into the kitchen, wearing dark sunglasses and a floppy wide-brimmed hat. Her voice was steady for the first time since she'd come to America. "Are we ready to go?"

Dad smiled at her and looked at Izzy, completely ignoring me. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us? Peace seems to be a very Blue and Green thing." He chuckled, and Lorna smiled at his bad joke as Mom came into the kitchen, riffling through her purse.

But Izzy shook her head. "Thanks, Mr. Agara, but not this time. Maybe next month!"

Dad didn't say anything else, and Mom gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before they headed out. I stood in the doorway, watching as they slipped into the station wagon. Lorna looked happier than I'd seen her since she got here, and she and Dad were chatting animatedly as he started the engine. Mom waved from the front seat as the car backed down the driveway, and after a moment, I waved back. For the second time that morning, ice danced across my spine, and I felt vaguely uneasy as Izzy chattered about her ideas for teaching Ben and Brad how to do magic. I couldn't shake the sense that something worse than Marcus's cranky ghost was hanging around, but I didn't have the faintest idea what it might be.

Chapter Fourteen

A few minutes after my parents left, the doorbell rang. Confused, I answered it.

Justin stood there, a suitcase at his feet. I studied his face, but he didn't look at me.

"Since when do you ring the doorbell?"

He shrugged, not meeting my eyes. "Is Dr. Farren ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"We're leaving for India today. The flight's in three hours."

Dumfounded, I stared at him. Finally, I blurted, "You're really going to leave me?"

He looked at me coldly. "I thought you made it quite clear that there's nothing between us. Yes, I'm leaving. I hope it helps."

Before I could answer, Dr. Farren came down the stairs carrying my mom's old hiking backpack. "I've already checked us in online, but we should leave now. Don't want any trouble with security."

Justin nodded. "My dad gets back from a business trip tomorrow, so I'll just leave the car at the airport for him." He grabbed Dr. Farren's bag and his own and walked down the driveway.

I glared at her. "Were you going to tell me about this?"

Dr. Farren sighed. "We agreed we needed to move fast, Darlena."

I struggled to get a grip on my emotions. "But... doesn't this seem sudden?"

She shrugged. "I was able to reach my family last night, and then I found a pair of discounted tickets. Everything seems to be falling into place on this one." She smiled at me gently. "I don't question good fortune when it finally finds me."

Slowly, I nodded. "I guess." I glanced out the door, watching as Justin slammed the trunk.

Dr. Farren tapped my shoulder. "Be careful."

I tried to laugh. "You're the ones who're hunting another Red."

"Still. There is great power in you, Darlena, and that attracts danger like flame draws a moth."

_That's the second time this morning that someone told me I was powerful_. Strangely, her words weren't comforting. "I'll do my best. Izzy will help."

Dr. Farren nodded. "Isadora!" She raised her voice slightly, and Izzy popped around the corner. She glanced at the open door and at Dr. Farren, and to my surprise, her eyes filled with tears.

"You have to come back," she said, her voice heavy as she tried not to cry. "You have to come back so we can both go home when this is done."

I was startled. Izzy had rolled with everything that had happened, and it had never occurred to me that she was homesick for Scotland and her magical school. Dr. Farren was the headmistress of the school, and I suddenly realized that she was probably the only constant adult figure in Izzy's life. I stepped back, trying to give them a little bit of privacy for their goodbyes.

Finally, Dr. Farren pulled away from Izzy and looked at me. "Remember, Darlena: be cautious."

I nodded. "Travel safe, and keep us posted."

"We will."

The door closed behind her, and only then did I realize that Justin hadn't come back to say goodbye. I rushed onto the porch, but the car was already pulling into the street. I waved until the car was out of sight, but he didn't turn his head. My heart sank into my feet. _Is this really the way things are going to be between us now?_

Izzy was watching me with sympathy when I turned back toward the house. "He'll be back. They both will."

I swallowed, willing myself not to cry. "Yeah, but I don't think it will be the same."

"Do you want it to be the same?"

I stared at her, processing her words. Finally, I shook my head. "Not really. It's been two years since we broke up. I mean, it only feels like one for me, but in reality, we haven't dated for two years." I realized I was babbling, and I took a deep breath. "Maybe whatever we are will be better once he comes back."

Izzy's voice was soft. "He _will_ come back, Lena. Really."

I let her lead me back inside the house, trying to ignore the worry that was chewing on my gut. _Why did everyone have to leave today?_ I glanced at Izzy, insanely grateful that she was still on my side. _It's not like they've abandoned you,_ I argued with myself. _They're all just doing what they have to do_. But I kept glancing at the door, willing Justin and Dr. Farren or my parents to forget something and come back.

"What should we do today? We've got the house to ourselves. Oh!" Izzy smiled broadly. "I know! Can we turn on the air-conditioning?"

I just looked at her.

"It's been ninety degrees all week, but your dad won't turn it on. He never needs to know!"

Despite my dark thoughts, I laughed. "Fine. You know, a normal kid would throw a party in an empty house, or something."

She shrugged, pushing a few buttons on the thermostat. "I've never pretended to be normal." Icy air blew through the vents, and Izzy sighed in contentment. Secretly, I was relieved. The hot weather never used to bother me, but all spring I'd felt like my skin was on fire. It was no wonder I was having combustible nightmares.

_Nightmares. Marcus_. I glanced at Izzy nervously. "Um, Izzy, about Marcus—"

She shook her head. "I don't believe the rock was his fault. In fact, I'm not sure I believe he's a ghost."

Exasperated, I flopped onto the couch. "Then how do you explain the fact that I keep hearing his voice?"

She sat up straight. "Could it be a glamour? Rochelle has tricked you before."

The thought hadn't occurred to me. "I don't know," I said, puzzling over the idea. "I suppose so."

"What did the so-called ghost say to you?"

I thought back, digging into my memories. "He wants vengeance. He doesn't want his death to have been in vain."

Izzy snorted. "That's nothing my brother would have ever said."

"I don't know, Izzy. He was murdered. He's got a right to be pissed."

She shook her head again. "No, you don't get it. Even though he trained for war, Marcus never wanted to be hero." Her eyes grew foggy as she remembered her brother. "He told me once that he'd rather die anonymously on a battlefield than be remembered; he said he always thought Achilles was an idiot for choosing glory."

I only knew a little about Marcus's training. He'd said that Cerridwyn, his patron, had trained him in Red magic by taking him through time on a tour of history's greatest battles and disasters. I wondered if he'd ever told his sister that. He'd seen enough battlefields to justify his hope for an anonymous death, but then why did I keep hearing his voice talking about revenge?

Izzy leaned forward. "So if it's not Marcus, who would use his voice to push you to act?"

"I guess Rochelle makes a certain amount of sense," I offered, but something about that statement felt discordant.

"In that case, we need to do a banishing ritual. You've got to get rid of that creepy voice in your head!"

Izzy was probably right; after all, she knew Marcus better than I ever would, but I still hesitated. Part of me didn't want to lose Marcus again, even if it wasn't really his voice I was hearing. _That's just perfect_ , I chastised myself. _You're obsessed with a dead guy. So normal._

Izzy ignored me, chattering away about her plans. "This would be a really great way to start teaching the boys how to do magic. Banishing rituals are stronger with more people."

I was still getting used to the idea of communal magic. Even though I'd wanted to form a Coven to defeat the forces of chaos, it had never happened, and I was starting to feel like maybe that was a good thing. "Do we really need them for this? I mean—" I went on, trying to ignore her sharp glare "—they don't know what they're doing. Couldn't they screw it up?"

"They have to start somewhere. And you and I will be there to keep things safe. Besides, banishing spells aren't _that_ hard."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine. Give them a call."

She grinned. "I already texted Ben. They should be here any minute."

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. I tried to glare at Izzy. "You knew I'd let them help with the banishing?"

She shook her head. "No, but I knew you didn't have any other plans for today, and I figured we should teach them sooner rather than later."

Suddenly, I remembered what Brad and Pele had said the night before. "Izzy, there's something about them I need to tell you—"

But she had already opened the door.

Brad looked at me and then quickly lowered his eyes, but Ben smiled easily and crossed the threshold. "I'm glad you girls are ready to get started."

I forced myself to smile at him. He seemed perfectly at ease: did he know about the deal his brother had struck with Pele? I shook my head slightly. Of course he knew. Brad wouldn't keep something like that from his twin, would he?

"So," Brad said quietly, still looking at his feet, "what did you guys want to do today?"

"Darlena is being haunted," Izzy began without preamble. "We need you to help us with a banishing spell."

Brad turned pale, but Ben looked at me with interest. "Haunted, eh? Bad breakup?"

I laughed nervously, but my face felt hot. "Not really. And not really haunted: someone is using the voice of a Witch who died to tell me to do things."

"And you're sure it isn't actually the ghost of this Witch?" Brad asked skeptically.

I hesitated, but Izzy nodded. "It's my brother. And whoever the voice is, he's been saying things that my brother would never say."

"I keep forgetting you lost your brother. I'm sorry," Brad said, his words sounding hollow and out of place.

Izzy shook her head. "This isn't about Marcus. It's about protecting Darlena and all of us from whoever wants to manipulate her."

_Manipulation_. I had been manipulated before, I realized, and in a spectacularly awful way. A prickle of warning inched down my back. "Guys, hang on a sec."

Izzy put her hands on her hips. "We have to start somewhere! And you need to get rid of that creepy voice."

I shook my head, trying to clear it. A dull, throbbing pain had started at the base of my spine, and the pain was creeping up my back. "It's not that. I think I figured out who it is."

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Who else? It's Rochelle. We already talked about this."

"No, Izzy, it's not Rochelle. I'm being manipulated. When was the last time I was manipulated like this?"

Izzy hesitated, but I could almost see the wheels turning in her mind. "But how could he—?"

"He did it before, didn't it? And that was while he was trapped. I'm guessing he's much stronger now that I freed him."

"Hang on," Ben said. "What are you girls talking about?"

Instead of answering, Izzy warded the room. After the Blue glow had faded, I added my own wards. We looked at each other nervously.

Izzy cleared her throat. "Um, if Darlena is right about this, we didn't just call you over here to banish a ghost."

"Then what are we here for?" Brad crossed his arms and stared at me.

I took a deep breath, trying to slow my pounding heart. "I think we need to banish a god."

Chapter Fifteen

Brad stared at me, his mouth hanging open. "You can do that?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. But you guys need to know before we go any further who we might be dealing with here."

Ben nodded, looking unruffled. "Who do you think it is?"

"Loki." The sound of his name made my stomach churn as if I'd taken a bite of rotten fruit.

"He's which one again?" Ben asked.

"The Norse god of chaos. He's supposed to be trapped until the end of the world." To my surprise, Brad was the one who answered. He glanced at me and shrugged. "I like comics."

I snorted. "That Loki is pretty tame compared to what we're dealing with here."

Brad hesitated. "But if he's loose, the world really is ending." He looked truly scared, like he'd finally decided to believe everything we'd told him about magic. I almost didn't have the heart to tell him that I was the reason Loki was free in the first place.

Izzy nodded. "And it seems like he's haunting Darlena. Well, I guess not haunting. Bothering would be more like it."

"But why would Loki be interested in her?" Ben didn't sound mean, just confused.

I took a deep breath and decided to tell them the truth. "Because he's been able to manipulate me before. I'm the reason he's free."

"Wait a minute. So you recruit us to help you stop the end of the world, which you started in the first place?"

I glared at Brad. "If you want to see it that way, then sure. But Rochelle and Hecate were already working together long before I freed Loki."

"Darlena," Izzy interrupted, "do you still have his chains?"

I nodded, ignoring the startled expressions on the twins' faces. "Upstairs. In my closet."

"Do you think we could use them?"

"I don't know, Izzy. It took all of the Norse gods to trap him the first time. What good could the two of us do?"

"Four." Ben spoke softly, but his voice was strong. "You've got four of us here. It's worth a shot."

Brad nodded after a moment, and a voice that I wanted to forget hissed, "Five."

Izzy looked like she was going to pass out. "Darlena," she whispered, "there's a strange goddess standing in the living room."

Ben laughed out loud, and Pele bared her teeth in a smile. "That's Ma Pele. She's agreed to be our patron once we learn magic."

Izzy's eyes telegraphed an urgent question to me, and I shrugged. "We'll talk about it later."

After a minute, she nodded and closed her eyes. I didn't have long to wonder what she was doing: there was a soft rustling sound, and Isis appeared behind Izzy, extending her shimmering wings in a magnificent display. "I can add my strength," the goddess said, in a voice that sounded like chimes. "And I can also summon my sister."

"Even though Lorna isn't here?" I blurted.

Isis regarded me. "There are more bonds than the ones between Witch and patron. The bonds of blood run deeper still."

The air shimmered, and another goddess appeared. I had seen her before, so I knew she was the twin to Izzy's patron, but I hadn't expected the frightening shape that accompanied her.

Izzy recoiled in fear, but no one else moved.

"I come, sister," Nepthys spoke formally, "and I have brought strength."

Izzy whimpered. "It's Set."

Her words took my breath away, and I stared at the strange god. A mask obscured his face, making him look like a wild dog, and Red light pulsed around him. "Why would we trust him?"

The mask bared its teeth, and I realized the god really did have the head of an animal. I tried to swallow my fear, and he spoke. "I am not what I seem. You of all people should understand this."

Isis said nothing, keeping her face neutral. I glared at her, and then looked at Izzy, hiding behind her patron. "You kidnapped Izzy. Why should we trust you now?"

The monster god laughed. "All things change. Even gods. You trust the other Red one." He gestured sharply to Pele.

I frowned. "That's different."

"Why?"

"Because she never harmed my friend!"

Izzy spoke softly. "I forgive him."

I looked at her, exasperated. "Now's not the time for that, Izzy."

Set smiled wickedly at me. "But it is for her to say, after all. If the child has no objections to my presence," his voice hissed suddenly, making him sound more like a large snake instead of the monstrous dog he looked like, "then I don't think anyone else has the power to object."

"We need all the strength we can get." Persephone strode into the living room from the kitchen, and I gaped at her in surprise. "Three Red gods may be enough to bind the Lord of Lies—" she gestured around the room "—with the assistance of all present, of course."

Isis and Nepthys exchanged a look, but then they nodded. Brad shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, and Ben stared around at the assembled gods in wonder. "Now what?" he asked breathlessly.

Persephone looked at me. "You still have the chains?"

I nodded.

"Fetch them. We will prepare the fire."

"It's the middle of the day!" I blurted.

The goddess smiled. "I doubt your neighbors will notice. Trust me."

I did trust her. I nodded once, and then rushed upstairs to retrieve the slimy bonds. _Marcus died for these, and Rochelle gained power because of them._ I had intended to use them to confine Hecate, but in the time since Loki's release, I'd felt powerless, trapped at home, unable to act. _No more,_ I vowed, grabbing the backpack that housed the chains. First, we would deal with Loki, and then I would settle things with the other Red gods once and for all.

The bag felt heavy as I carried it down the stairs. When I opened the back door, I paused, staring at the strange circle assembled around the fire.

Izzy stood between Isis and Nepthys. Ben looked comfortable, even though he stood between Set and his wife. Brad stood on Set's other side, carefully looking at the flames. Pele flanked him, with Persephone between her and Isis to complete the circle. A part of me wondered if the Red gods should be separated and spread out, but I didn't say anything. Instead, I placed the bag at Persephone's feet and stepped into the space between her and Pele. She nodded at me. "A circle of nine."

Persephone spoke softly, but I still heard her. I looked around with a start, and Izzy met my eyes with a sharp intake of breath. Maybe we had formed a Coven, after all, although I'd never heard of another Coven that included Witches, Nons, and gods.

Despite the boiling hot day, they had started a fire in the fire pit. There was no smoke yet, but orange and red flames licked the air. It felt uncomfortably familiar, and for a minute, I caught Brad's gaze across the fire. He knew what I was remembering: the crackling noises Rochelle's house had made as it burned. I shook my head slightly and focused on the goddesses beside me. There would be time to talk about that later. First, we had to deal with Loki.

Persephone lifted her arms. "We have a chance to join together today to right a wrong. Our actions may or may not be enough to tip the balance away from chaos." Her dark eyes focused on each person in the circle in turn. "Are all here of the same mind? Do you come here to confine the god Loki?"

One by one, the gods inclined their heads. In a clear voice, Ben answered, "Yes," and Izzy and Brad nodded at the same time. Persephone looked at me.

"I want to fix what I've broken."

She nodded, and I felt a strange sense of calm wash over me.

"Join hands. Mortals and gods alike, and prepare to act as a conduit for power. What flows through you will be very strong: do not let go of the hands beside you, or the spell will be for nothing."

Set smiled hungrily. "Think these Witchlings can handle it?"

Ben looked up at him. "I'm ready for whatever happens."

Set chuckled and nodded to Pele. "I can see why you picked this one."

The Polynesian goddess didn't say anything, but I could see her flaming eyes sparkle for a minute. Then she reached out and took my hand, and I felt my bones begin to melt.

Persephone grasped my other hand, and I gratefully released the energy into her. Power coursed around the circle, making a complete circuit before building like a snowball. We were enveloped in a hazy glow. Red, Yellow, and Blue energies spiraled around us toward the sky in a sort of inverted funnel cloud. Brad stumbled, but Set and Pele held him up firmly, and he didn't break the circle. Faintly, I heard Izzy begin to hum, just like she had when we'd first met to discuss forming a Coven.

The power built until it felt as if I was floating. I shut my eyes and focused on squeezing the goddesses' hands on either side of me.

Suddenly, there was a crack like thunder, only it seemed to come from the earth beneath us. My eyes flew open as searing pain shot through my head. Pele gripped my hand tightly, and I moaned. In one final burst of energy, Loki materialized in the flames.

He lunged for me. "You can't do this! I am free and will not be bound."

"Now!" Persephone commanded, and without knowing what I was doing, I leaned forward, breaking the circle, and thrust all the energy into the center. Everyone around me did the same. Persephone pulled the chains out of the bag and flung them toward Loki. A column of flame shot into the air, and there was another cracking sound. The ground rumbled, and I fell back in confusion.

"We don't get earthquakes in North Carolina!" I had to scream to be heard over Loki's cries. Pele laughed beside me.

"Anywhere that one is, the ground will quake. Look!"

A chasm had opened up in the middle of my yard, rock and soil ripped apart by some great force. The ground rumbled again, and the fire pit teetered precariously on the edge of the rift. Loki was still standing in the flames, and I realized he looked like he'd been put in a straight jacket. He struggled against the bonds, and the fire pit tilted dangerously to the side. "You can't confine me!" he spat, locking eyes with me. "I will always break free!"

The ground shook, tipping the fire pit and the bound god over the edge and down into the chasm. With a shriek, Loki tumbled into the earth. The fire pit disappeared with him, and for a moment, everything was still. My chest constricted painfully, like someone was crushing my lungs, but I forced a breath. As if I'd cast a spell, the ground began to move again as soon as I exhaled, and the ragged edges of the yard pressed back together. It was like watching a video played backward, and in seconds, there was no sign of Loki, the fire, or his bonds.

My ears were still ringing, but at least I could breathe again. I inhaled deeply, and then I sat up in relief. "Did we do it?"

Persephone shrugged. Sweat stood on her forehead, and she looked exhausted. "We won't know for sure until you face Hecate. If Loki is still free, she will win."

"But if this worked?" I persisted.

Set grinned wickedly at me. "Then you might just have a chance. Although," he added, "I don't usually bet on the underdog. I expect you to take action soon or even my wife won't be enough to keep me on your side."

He vanished into the air. Isis gave her sister an exasperated look, but Nepthys just shrugged, her gaze steady.

"We needed his strength," was the only explanation she offered, her face expressionless. Then she, too, vanished.

I stared at the spot where the ground had opened up. _Gods, I hope this worked._

Izzy knelt beside me. "We'll know soon enough, I guess." She helped me to my feet, and we turned toward the house. Pele nodded to me once, and then smiled at the twins before she vanished. Isis disappeared in a rainbow shimmer, and after a moment, Persephone nodded. "We can hope this will be a start," she said, her eyes searching mine, "but the battle is not yet won."

She disappeared before I could say anything.

Chapter Sixteen

Brad and Ben were buzzing from their first magical experience, so I ordered four pizzas and told them to stay. If they were anything like the Witches I was used to, they'd be able to eat a pizza each at least. I was starving. Magic always left me feeling empty, and the quickest way I'd found to come back to myself was to eat something. Izzy had once told me that bread and honey was the best cure, but pizza would have to do for now.

Izzy curled up in the padded recliner in the living room, looking a bit like a frightened cat. I crossed to sit on the arm of her chair, not touching her but close enough to hug her if she wanted. She didn't move, just sniffed and stared into the room with glassy eyes.

"Is this about Set?" I asked quietly. Brad and Ben were loudly debating how much they should tip the delivery guy when he got there, and they didn't seem to be paying any attention to us. I wondered if she hadn't really meant it when she said she forgave the god.

Izzy nodded. "I haven't seen him since... " She trailed off and shuddered.

"But he can't be all bad, right? I mean, he helped us deal with Loki."

She met my eyes. "He kidnapped me. He locked me in the darkness and kept me away from everything that mattered." She paused. "I forgive him," she finally ground out, "but that doesn't mean I trust him. Why would he help us now?"

I shrugged, uncertain. "Lorna might know more. After all, Nepthys is his wife, and she was here today too."

Izzy didn't say anything else, but her face was hard. Even after the food arrived and we all fell on it like starving refugees, she didn't talk. I couldn't imagine what it would have been like to be captured by a god and then to stand in a circle and work magic with that same god. No wonder Izzy looked like a nervous wreck.

"That was wicked!" Brad spoke around a mouthful of melted cheese, and I had to smile.

"Wicked as in evil, or wicked as in cool?"

He rolled his eyes. "What do you think? What a rush!"

Ben nodded, folding his slice of pizza in half and cramming most of it into his mouth. "I've never felt anything like that."

"What _did_ you feel?" I asked, curious. I'd only ever talked about magic with trained Witches; was it any different for Nons?

"It was like fire. Like liquid fire flowing through my body."

I chuckled. "That might be because you were holding Pele's hand."

Brad nodded thoughtfully. "Could be. What does it feel like for you?"

I paused, considering my words. I glanced at Izzy, but her eyes were still distant. "It's like electricity," I began. "Like I'm a conduit for the biggest electrical charge on earth."

Ben leaned forward eagerly. "Does it feel the same when you do magic alone?"

I smiled, hearing the emphasis he put on the word "magic." These two had certainly come a long way in a short amount of time. "Sort of. Not as strong, though."

"So magic in a group is stronger than individually. That's interesting."

"I wonder if that's why my school never taught us to work together." The thought had just occurred to me, but it made a certain amount of sense. Trinity didn't seem to want to train powerful Witches. After all, I'd been kicked out as soon as I declared to the Red path.

"At my school, they taught us to do magic together and separately," Izzy said softly.

I looked at her, but her eyes were still unfocused. "Maybe that's another difference between the American and European systems. The American system values the individual, but at the same time, it doesn't let its Witches get too powerful."

Brad laughed. "It's all about control. But you're breaking tradition."

His words raised a faint sense of alarm in my mind, but I couldn't understand why. "I don't know what I'm doing," I said honestly.

Ben cocked his head on one side. "Fighting chaos. You're trying to make things better."

I forced a laugh, but guilt pinched me. "I've had so much success up 'til now."

He shrugged. "Maybe you needed the strength of a group. Maybe now that you have one, you can make a difference."

Brad flicked on the television. "Let's see who needs to be helped!" His words were mocking, but I noticed that he leaned forward on the couch eagerly, flipping channels. Maybe these two wouldn't be so bad to work with.

"Wait, go back." Izzy spoke suddenly, her voice sharp, and we all looked at her. She gestured to the TV. "Go back a channel."

Brad obliged, and for a minute, we stared at the screen. The images and words didn't reach my brain at first, but I finally processed the scene of devastation. It looked like countless shots I'd seen of the Middle East ever since the wars began, but there was something familiar about the gaping crater on the screen. I stared at it, not understanding, and then the news anchor's words penetrated my mind.

"A suicide bomber decimated the state capitol building in Raleigh this morning. The death toll remains uncertain, but a large peace rally was in progress at the time of the explosion. It is estimated that at least two hundred people were in the immediate vicinity at the time of the blast. Emergency crews are still searching for survivors."

Black and gold spots swam across my vision. _This can't be happening_. I had the vague sensation of someone holding me close, but my ears were ringing, and my vision was blurry. I croaked, "Mom, Dad?" and then I threw up on the rug. After that, everything went black.

My nightmares were punctuated with fire and mangled body parts. I kept searching through the rubble, looking for my parents, but all I found were bloody fingers and legs. It was impossible to identify anyone from the mass of pieces, and the stench of decomposition filled the air. I stood on the charred marble steps—all that remained of the capitol building. Rochelle stood above me, looking out at the chaos.

"You'll never win. You burned a house, I destroyed a city. Give up, Darlena, and maybe I'll let you die peacefully."

"You did this? How? This isn't your territory." I stared at her numbly, trying to understand.

She laughed harshly. "Fool. As a Red, I control Europe. But I am not only Red."

Black smoked surrounded her, blotting out my sight, and I woke up with the harsh sound of her laughter grating in my ears.

I was alone in my room. A melted ice pack was sitting on my forehead, but I pushed it away. Slowly, I sat up, trying not to remember the ghastly images of my dream. The room was dark, and for a minute, I was disoriented: what time was it? Had it all been a nightmare?

Then I heard a high-pitched keening sound coming from the hallway.

I stumbled out of my room and stared. Xerxes sat in front of my parents' bedroom door, yowling. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled. In seventeen years, I'd never heard the cat make a sound like that. I knelt to the floor and held out my hand, desperate to comfort him. "It's okay, buddy. Come here."

The cat ignored me. He kept wailing like a mourner at a funeral, and reality crashed into me. Even if my dream had been wrong, the cat knew.

My parents were dead.

Chapter Seventeen

No police officer came to the door. Even three days after the blast, emergency workers were unable to identify most of the remains at the state capitol. _Rochelle certainly did her work well_ , I thought bitterly.

We tried to get a hold of Dr. Farren to let her know what had happened, but her flight had been in the air at the time of the explosion, and the cell phone number she'd given us kept going straight to voicemail.

"You could text Justin," Izzy offered quietly.

I shook my head, feeling numb. "He wouldn't care."

"That's not true! He loved you. He'd want to know."

I burrowed deeper into my blankets. I'd been camped out in my bedroom ever since the news. "It doesn't matter."

Izzy left me alone, and I faded in and out of sleep. Sometimes, I thought I could hear Brad or Ben downstairs, but I didn't care enough to get up and check.

It felt like a sledgehammer was pounding in my brain: thinking hurt. I didn't want to eat, but every evening, Izzy forced me to drink a little broth.

"You can't die too. You can't just give up!" She persisted, even when I threw the broth at her head.

The thing was, I really wanted to give up. Chaos suddenly seemed unimportant. What did it matter if I could save the world if I couldn't even save the two people who mattered most to me?

The fourth night after the explosion, I dreamed of Rochelle again.

She was wearing tacky gold beads around her neck and holding a glass of champagne. "Here's to my victory," she said, raising her glass and smiling.

I clenched my fists. "It isn't over yet. You can't claim victory until you actually win something."

Rochelle's features shimmered, and suddenly I was face-to-face with Hecate.

"But I _have_ won," she said in her gravelly voice. "You are defeated: admit it. If you surrender this fight, perhaps I will return your parents to you."

I felt a pull in my gut telling me to flee, but I stayed still, standing before the Queen of Witches. "They aren't really dead?"

She laughed. "Oh, they're dead. But," her voice lowered to a sinuous whisper, "I have control of the realms of death. I could guide their spirits home again."

I shook my head, not trusting her offer. "Why would you help me?"

Hecate's eyes glistened. "Nothing is free. My help comes with a price: your complete surrender. Let the world be whatever it will be. Give up Red magic, and I'll give you back the last two years of your life."

"Two years? It hasn't even been a year since I met you."

The crone cackled. "Are you forgetting your time spent in Anwyn? The wheel has turned 'round twice since you became a Red, Darlena. One word from you, and all that never happened. You could go back to the way you were before." She paused. "Everything could go back to the way it was before."

"This is a dream." My voice was shaky, and she laughed.

"It is whatever you want it to be. Deny chaos, and you can have your family back. Step away, and I'll make it so you never became a Red Witch."

I shook my head, but the dream was slipping away.

"You will remember my offer. One day soon, we will meet again."

Her voice faded, and I slowly blinked myself awake.

Lying there in the dark, I shook my head, and the dream receded. I snatched at it with my mind, but it was wispy, and in a moment I only had a vague memory of the dream: something Hecate promised me that I desperately wanted. I shook my head again, trying to bring the dream back, but my mind stayed annoyingly blank. _Whatever it was isn't important,_ I told myself.

The house was silent. I didn't even know what time it was. The clock was blinking 12:00 like we'd had a power surge. Who knows, maybe we had. I hadn't exactly been paying attention for the past few days. I debated for a minute, and then swung my feet around the side of the bed. My legs felt shaky when I stood up, and I suddenly realized that I hadn't moved from that spot since the news. Cautiously, I sniffed the air, and I gagged.

I smelled worse than I had after running my first and only 5K the year I turned fourteen. The hallway was deserted, and I staggered into the bathroom. The shower stayed perpetually cold, but I didn't care. It was enough to be up and moving. Slowly, circulation returned to my legs and arms, and I let the water flow over me with my eyes open. Soap got in them, but I didn't mind the sting.

It was good to feel something.

Cautiously, I moved down the hallway, clutching Mom's big beach towel around me. I didn't run into Izzy, and the house felt empty. Still, I wasn't taking any chances. Once I was dressed, I grabbed my purse and slung it across my body. With a quick burst of magic, I removed the plywood from the gaping hole that had been my window. I was down the tree and on the ground before I had time to think, and I headed for the street.

Pieces of my nightmares came back to me, but the only thing I knew for sure was that my parents were dead. _And,_ I reasoned as I walked out of the neighborhood, _I happen to know the god of the dead. One of them, anyway_. I walked until I reached a gas station, and then I used the decrepit pay phone to call a cab. The driver showed up twenty minutes later, and although he looked at me strangely when I asked him to take me to the airport, he didn't say a word about my lack of luggage. I glamoured the tip so he'd forget he ever saw me, and then I headed to the ticket counter. I felt a momentary pang of guilt and thought about calling Izzy, but then I decided against it. She wouldn't agree with what I had planned, I was sure of that, and I really didn't want to deal with any more conflict.

Besides, if Hades wouldn't help, Izzy never needed to know.

Chapter Eighteen

Before I left, I'd grabbed the crystal sphere that Hades had given me on my first trip into his realm. I also packed my mom's athame, a gift from when I'd first declared to Red magic. It was hard not to fiddle with it, but I left it in the bottom of my purse next to the sphere and stared out the window, awake, for the entire flight. When I'd gone to the Underworld before, I'd almost thought that Hades and I could be friends. Well, not really friends, but at least friendly. He'd treated me well for Persephone's sake, but he'd sort of seemed to like me too. I hoped I would have as nice a reception this time.

The plane landed in Greece without difficulty, and I made my way to the familiar hillside. Instead of the bountiful harvest I remembered, the fields were sparsely planted with weak green shoots scattered every few yards. I stared at the land in surprise, wondering if perhaps I'd forgotten the way.

"This is the best my mother and I can do." Persephone's voice was sad, and when I turned to face her, tears glistened in her eyes.

"What happened to the harvest? I mean, I know it's only spring and all, but still... " I trailed off lamely and she shook her head.

"The world is dying. The harvest has grown smaller each year, but this is like nothing I've ever seen before." She lowered her voice and looked over her shoulder. "The farmers are saying this is the worst year since Mother blighted the earth in her search for me."

"But that was centuries ago! How could they possibly remember?"

"The people who work the land have longer memories than you might imagine, Darlena. Still, whether they are right or not, this is a terribly small crop to start the season with."

I wanted to comfort her, but I still felt hollow over the loss of my parents. "It'll get better." My words sounded empty, and the goddess looked at me for a long minute.

"I know what you seek," she said finally. "He will not yield them."

I shrugged and started walking. "I have to try."

"You cannot let your heart interfere with the struggles of the world. We are counting on you to restore balance, Darlena."

Anger bubbled up in me, the first real emotion I'd felt in days, and I whirled to face her. "I don't care about the world! Don't you get it? None of that matters anymore."

Persephone's eyes were hard. "We have all made sacrifices. The greater good must be considered."

"I told you, I don't care. This isn't a sacrifice. Rochelle murdered them!" My voice squeaked dangerously, and I was afraid I might start crying. Taking a deep breath, I managed to say, "I didn't give them up."

She reached out her hand but stopped before touching my face. "But now you must, child. You must let them go."

I shook my head, feeling my face flush with anger. "Not if there's still a chance."

"There is no chance, Darlena. Death is final."

Ignoring her, I kept walking. I half expected her to follow me and try to talk me out of it, but she didn't. When I got to the bottom of the hill near the cottage she shared with Demeter, I looked back, but the goddess was nowhere to be seen.

"Fine," I grumbled. "I didn't need her help anyway. I can handle Hades."

My confidence melted as soon as I saw the gaping cavern that led to the Underworld. Cold air rushed out, and faint voices whispered things I couldn't understand. _I forgot how creepy this place is_. Taking the crystal sphere out of my bag, I walked into the darkness before I lost my nerve.

The ball gave off a faint glow, and with it, I made my way through the cavern. The space seemed larger and more sinister than before, as if unseen watchers lurked above me in the tall cave, waiting for their chance to pounce. I shivered, trying to ignore my mounting sense of dread. _You'd think this wouldn't faze you_ , I chided myself. _It's not exactly your first Underworld trip, and Hel was way creepier._ Still, my thoughts raced, and the crystal almost slipped out of my sweaty hands more than once.

Like before, I reached the swirling black water, but this time I didn't have to conjure a boat. There was a flat raft bobbing near the shore, and a figure swathed in black stood on board, leaning rigidly on a long pole.

I swallowed nervously. "Is this the ferry?"

The figure nodded but didn't speak. I dug a few coins out of my pocket, remembering a faint piece of the myth. "Here's my payment."

A skeletal hand reached out, and I flinched as our fingers met. Electricity tingled up my arm, and I stared at the shadowy figure. A deep sense of fear had rooted in my stomach, but I climbed aboard the raft and we set off in silence.

The crystal sphere glowed fainter and fainter until I was traveling in inky darkness. I remembered sinuous stalactites and stalagmites lining the water, but this time, I couldn't see a thing. It was like I'd been sucked into a timeless void, and I had to force myself to breathe evenly. _Now's not the time to panic._ I could sense the creepy figure standing behind me, poling the raft silently, but I didn't turn around. I had a feeling that I didn't really want to know who my companion was.

Finally, the boat bumped against the shore, and I leaped out. As much as I didn't want to speak to the strange figure, I realized that it was probably in my best interests to stay on the good side of as many gods and mythological figures as possible, so I turned to say, "Thank you."

The raft had already pushed off and was drifting back the way we had come, but a familiar voice rang out across the water. "Remember, little Witch, all roads lead to me. I will always be at the crossing of the ways, and one day soon, you will seek me." Hecate's voice was like rusted nails, and I grew alternately cold and hot thinking that I'd been on a boat with her. It was like a nightmare come to life. _Nightmares... and dreams._ Something tugged at my memory, but it vanished before I could catch the thought.

Why hadn't she killed me and been done with it? Nothing made sense anymore. Shaking, I began to climb the trail I knew would lead me to Hades's throne room. I slipped once, and as I was peeling myself off the rocky ground, I heard a low growl directly in front of me.

Raising my eyes, I came face-to-face with the most hideous creature I'd ever seen, and I almost forgot about Hecate. No myth had prepared me for Cerberus, the guard dog of the Underworld. He looked more like a mangled science experiment than a dog: each of his three heads was different, but all six of his eyes were red. The center head looked like a rabid Rottweiler, while the head to the left was all German shepherd. Worst of all was the head to the right: it was undeniably a wolf, salivating and licking massive, razor-sharp teeth.

He growled again, a strange, mangled sound that came from three throats, and I took a nervous step back.

"Nice doggy. I don't want to hurt you."

He bared all three sets of teeth, and I silently cursed my parents for never getting a dog. Maybe if they had, I'd know how to deal with this monster. My stomach clenched when I thought of my parents, and I tried to ignore the sick sensation that threatened to overwhelm me. Instead, I focused on Cerberus.

"I just need to talk to your boss. If you'd let me pass, that would be awesome."

The Rot cocked his head to one side as if listening, but the other two heads kept snarling. I took another step back. _If I can get around the dog, I should be able to sprint the last few feet to Hades's throne room_. Calculating the distance, I eyed Cerberus's teeth distrustfully. I didn't think I could make it around him without magic.

_Magic_! I felt like an idiot. The last time I had traveled here, I'd been able to use my powers, and I fervently hoped that was still the case. I'd learned that the different underworlds had different rules, but I hadn't even considered using magic. Tentatively, I summoned a small bit of Red magic, all the while looking at the dog.

"Nice doggy. Nice doggy doesn't want to hurt me, does he?" I threw a small fireball to the left, and Cerberus whimpered and cowered. I began inching around him, tossing fire in front of me to make him pull back. Finally, I had slunk around to the other side of the path.

"That's a good boy. Stay!" I flung a wall of fire between us and sprinted up the path. I could hear Cerberus howling behind me, but he didn't sound like he was getting any closer. I was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when I crashed into Hades.

His expression was not as soft as I had remembered. His eyes glistened like black diamonds as he looked down at me.

"Well, if it isn't the troublesome Red Witch. I didn't think we'd meet again, child."

I took a step back and lowered my head in a quick bow. "I'm sorry. I came about—"

"Your parents." He sighed, listening to Cerberus's yelps down the corridor. "Did you hurt the dog?"

There was something dangerous in his tone, and I shook my head. "I just used fire to distract him. It will burn out."

Hades muttered something under his breath that I couldn't hear and then turned with a flourish. "This was a wasted errand, Darlena. Go home."

I followed him into the throne room. "I want my parents."

"The dead stay dead, child. Even you cannot change that."

"Damn it!" I hit the cavern wall with my hand, and I was surprised when the room reverberated from the blow. "I need them."

"Life is death, child. They died naturally enough: let them go."

"It wasn't natural at all! Rochelle blew up the capitol. She murdered them."

Hades shrugged, and suddenly he didn't look angry. He just looked like a tired old man. "Thousands of people die because of violence every day. Why should I release your mother?"

"Because I can't do this without them." I fought back tears, and Hades's words penetrated my mind. "What do you mean you can't release my mother? Aren't they both here?"

A soft voice interrupted us. "Darlena?"

I paused. _Seriously? Can it be that easy_? I turned around, and this time I almost started crying for real. Mom was there, all right. She was smoky, transparent, and very obviously dead. "Hi, Mom." I finally managed to croak.

She reached for me, and it was like cold mist settling on my skin. I tried not to shiver, but I couldn't help myself, and her face fell.

"It's okay, sweetie. I'm happy here."

I shook my head. "It isn't fair. I want you to come back with me."

"I can't do that, Darlena. It wouldn't be natural."

"I don't care!" I tried to hug her, but my hand passed through her shimmering form. I choked back a sob. "I just need you and Dad. Where is he, anyway?"

My mother exchanged an inscrutable look with Hades, and he cleared his throat.

"The afterlife has always shaped itself to the beliefs of the individual. Your mother is here because of her deep connection to Demeter."

"What about my dad?"

Mom reached for me again, and I felt clammy fingers on my arm. "This is my afterlife. It isn't his."

My brain refused to listen to what she was saying. "Where is he?" I turned around, half expecting Dad to materialize behind me.

Mom sighed. "Your dad didn't believe the same things we do, sweetie. He isn't here."

I glared at Hades. "Tell me where he is." My voice was shaking, but I clenched my fists, digging my fingernails into my palms. The pain almost steadied me.

"Lena," Mom began, but her voice broke.

Hades met my eyes. "Your father never took a patron. He never believed in any afterlife enough to go there."

I stared at him numbly. "What are you saying?"

"Some souls fade away."

I shook my head, unwilling to believe it. "You're lying! You're just too weak to help me." Suddenly, my dream of Hecate came rushing back in full detail, and I remembered. _There's a way to fix everything._ Awe washed over me as I thought of what it would be like to have my life back, and I shook my head again in wonder. "I'm asking the wrong god. If you won't help me, at least _she_ will." I took a step back, elated.

Mom tried to grab my shoulders, but I barely noticed her icy touch. "Darlena, don't even think of it! Not after everything you've worked for. I don't mind being dead." She smiled gently. "It's very pleasant here. I just wish there were some way I could help you."

"You can only help me if you're alive." I looked over her and stared at Hades. "And if he won't help me, I'll find someone who will."

Hades narrowed his eyes. "You walk a dangerous path, little Witch. Would you so quickly throw away all that you have learned?"

I laughed harshly. "What good is any of it? Everyone I love still ends up dead. I can't beat chaos: the world is ending anyway, and I can't do a damn thing to stop it."

Mom sighed. "Let us go, Lena. Don't lose focus. You can still beat Hecate and the other Red gods."

I shook my head, and Mom took a step back, confusion on her face. "Maybe it's time I stopped trying to beat them. Maybe Rochelle had the right idea after all. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and all that."

The cavern rumbled, and my mom began to fade even more. She opened her mouth, but Hades spoke first. "Darlena Agara, if you speak the truth of your soul, then you are no longer welcome in my realm. Go now before I am forced to punish you for your trespass." Hades loomed above me, filling the cavern with his massive godly form. Mom reached out for me one more time.

"I love you, Lena, and I believe in you." Her voice was barely a whisper. "Don't give up." She vanished in a cloud of vapor, and my throat constricted.

The ground shook once more and I retreated down the path, still facing Hades. "I'm leaving. But just remember, Hades, you had a chance to stop everything that's going to happen."

The god returned to normal size and shook his head sadly. "It is not I with the choice, little Witch. You will be the unmaking of us all."

I turned on my heel and rushed toward the water, leaving Hades and his throne room behind. Cerberus had vanished, which was a relief, but so had the ferry. And Hecate.

"Hey!" I yelled across the inky water. "Hey! I want to talk to you."

Nothing stirred. The surface of the water was like a black mirror, perfectly smooth. I pulled out the sphere, trying to see if there was another way out, but it refused to glow.

"Damn it!" I threw the crystal into the river, feeling a strange sense of release as soon as it splashed into the water. For a minute, nothing happened, but then I noticed a faint glow over my shoulder. I turned toward it and spotted a narrow staircase carved into the rock wall of the cave. The light seemed to be coming from directly above it.

I took a deep breath. "I don't have anything to lose, I guess." The truth of my statement settled over me, and I felt my anger smooth away. "I have nothing left to lose," I said louder, daring the cavern to contradict me. Feeling lighter than I had I a long time, I started to climb the stairs.

They were so steep it was almost like climbing a ladder. I jammed my hands against the wall as I climbed and kept my eyes trained above me. If I looked down, I was sure I would lose my footing, and I wasn't ready to die. Not yet. Not until I found Hecate and got back the last two years of my life.

Her words played in my mind, crystal clear now that the strange fog that had enveloped the dream had finally dissipated. All I had to do was give up Red magic, and the goddess would restore everything I'd lost. I'd be free; I'd have my parents back. My heart started beating wildly. _And I'll have another chance to make things right with Justin._

I emerged into the watery sunlight on a rocky hillside overlooking the city of Athens. Demeter's fields were behind me, but the polluted, congested city stretched out at my feet. I smiled and looked up at the sky. "Come and get me now," I offered, spreading my arms wide. Below me, car horns blared, and a siren roared to life. Then, everything froze.

There was a moment of stillness, and then the ground beneath my feet began to roll. I slid down the hill toward the city, stumbling a few times but mostly keeping my balance. When I got to the street below, it cracked and rippled. Someone screamed, and the ground split again. Everything was in chaos, and in the midst of the earthquake, I started to laugh.

Buildings toppled, the street buckled, and pedestrians ran for cover. "Do it, Rochelle! I won't try to stop you," I called out to the crazed air. There was no point fighting against chaos anymore; soon enough, I'd hand over my power to Hecate, and I'd forget I'd ever heard of Red magic.

I couldn't wait.

Chapter Nineteen

The earthquake didn't last very long, and once the ground stopped shaking I began to walk through the rubble. I called out occasionally, but neither Rochelle nor Hecate came to me. After wandering around for a half hour, I began to feel queasy. Even without any bodies, the destruction around me was eerily similar to the crater left by Rochelle's attack on my parents, and I started to sway on my feet.

Hurriedly, I sat down on a curb and put my head on my knees. The madness of the morning washed over me, and Hades's words penetrated my mind. My dad was gone. Even a bargain with Hecate might not bring him back.

"Do souls ever actually die?" I whispered. Just because he hadn't believed in an afterlife didn't mean he was gone forever, did it?

I was shocked by my mother's revelation, and by Hades's words. Dad had always seemed so wedded to tradition: if anyone would take a patron, I had assumed he would. Although now that I thought about it, I realized he'd never mentioned working with any god. Growing up, I'd always known about Mom's connection to Demeter, even though I'd never met any gods until this whole Red mess started two years ago, but my dad had never talked about a patron. Sure, he'd spoken at length about the forces of nature and the gods who supported Green magic, but I couldn't remember a time where he'd ever told me if he worked with a specific god. He'd kept a lot of his magic to himself, and I had never thought to ask where he stood on the whole patron thing.

And now it turned out that he'd never taken one. I remembered something Mom had said a long time ago about Dad being closer to White magic than he was to Green. Maybe his deep connection with spirit prevented him from swearing his allegiance to a patron. Maybe he thought he could work better alone.

My stomach convulsed, and for the first time I realized why my dad's disappearance was so disturbing. I hadn't taken a patron either. Did that mean that when I died, I would cease to exist?

"The choice is still in your hands." I looked up, expecting to see Persephone standing on the street beside me, but shimmering wings filled my vision.

"What are you doing here?" I didn't mean to be rude, but I was surprised. I'd learned that the gods were bound by the lands of their worship, and an Egyptian goddess shouldn't be waltzing around the ruined streets of Athens.

Isis laughed gently, a sound like tiny bells filling the air. "There are very few places that did not know my worship. Temples to me were built as far north as London." She stretched her arms, and her wings flexed in imitation. "Athena's city is like an old friend. I am always welcome here."

I hadn't known that. "But that doesn't explain why you're here right now, talking to me."

She shimmered, and her wings vanished. Kneeling gently beside me, the goddess looked into my eyes. "I am here, dear one, because there are people missing you. People who cannot travel across time and space the way I can. I came looking for you."

For the first time since I'd landed in Greece, I thought of Izzy, and a wave of guilt washed over me. "Is she worried?"

"They all are. The twins have been a comfort to my little Isadora, but she is pining for her best friend."

Her words startled me. "I don't have a best friend anymore."

Isis raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you really think?"

"My last best friend tried to kill me. I'm done with friends."

"I think not. You care for my Witch, do you not?"

I wanted to snap at the goddess, but I considered her question. "I guess we're friends," I offered after a moment.

"She sees you as the sister she never had. To her, at least, you are her best friend."

I laughed bitterly. "She'd better hide, then. The people who matter to me have a tendency of ending up dead."

"Do not scoff at friendship, Darlena. You cannot do this alone."

Pain welled up inside me, and I gritted my teeth to keep from crying. "That's just it. I can't do it anymore, period. I've lost too many people. I don't want to lose the few things I have left."

"If you make this bargain, you will lose things you cannot even imagine."

I met her eyes in surprise. "How do you even know about that?"

She shrugged, and for a minute, her wings shimmered back into existence. They vanished quickly, and I wondered if I had imagined it. "It is my business to know the realm of dreams. There is great magic in dreaming, and I am, after all, Mistress of Magic." She smiled, and her skin sparkled.

Words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop myself. "She's promised me my life back. It'll be like the last two years of hell never happened."

"Like you never met Izzy or her brother, Marcus."

My throat caught at the mention of his name. Ever since we exorcised Loki and chained him beneath my house, I'd tried not to think of Marcus. Now that his so-called ghost wasn't haunting me anymore, it was easy to pretend he wasn't on my mind. But Isis seemed to see right through me, and hearing his name hurt.

"Maybe it would be better for both of them if I got a redo, don't you think? Marcus would still be alive, and Izzy would still be happy at her school."

Isis shook her head sadly. "Reds do not live long, and Marcus had been practicing Red magic for two decades. You did not cause his death." She raised a hand to stop my protest. "You may have accelerated the process and altered the circumstances, but Marcus would not have lived to the end of this year, regardless of your influence."

Some of the guilt I had carried around since January lifted, and I felt my face relax. I forced my lips into a thin line and stared at the goddess. "That doesn't change the fact that I want my life back."

She spread her hands wide. "This _is_ your life, Darlena. It is messy and chaotic and beautiful."

"Beautiful?" I spat the word like it was a lemon. "How can you say that any of this is beautiful?" I looked around the street at the destruction from the earthquake. The damage still seemed ghastly, but for the first time I realized that people were moving around the rubble, talking to each other. No one was frantically searching for loved ones, and no one was crying or screaming. The people seemed calm. _They're just in shock_. I crossed my arms and glared at the goddess.

"It is beautiful because it is yours. No one will ever live the life you have been given."

"Lucky them."

Isis shook her head. "I know you think your world is over, but you have a bright future. You just have to survive the tests and trials to reap your reward."

I stood up so quickly that my head spun. "Well, I've survived. And that's what I intend to keep doing. My chances at a long and happy life are much better if I'm not a Red, don't you think?"

She didn't say anything, but her eyes glittered. I turned away, determined to summon Hecate as soon as I could.

"You still have a choice, child. I pray you are wise when the moment comes."

I turned around to retort, but the goddess had vanished. My shoulders sagged involuntarily, and I felt my mood darken. "It doesn't matter. I've made my choice." No one acknowledged me, the crazy girl standing in the middle of the street talking to herself, and after a moment's hesitation, I continued to pick my way along the ruined street.

I didn't have a plan, but I kept walking and eventually found a hotel with a blue door. Carelessly, I pushed the door open; it crashed into the stucco wall.

The old woman behind the counter jumped as if I'd shot her and glared at me. I tried to ignore her irritation. "Can I have a room for tonight?"

She nodded, but her face was still creased in a scowl. "Money?"

I dug my credit card out of my bag, but she shook her head.

"Cash." She folded her arms across her chest and smiled at me triumphantly.

I raised an eyebrow and pulled my emergency cash out of a small pocket in my bag. "Cash." I plunked it down on the counter, enjoying the consternated look on the woman's face.

Finally, she nodded once. "Come." She handed me a large black key, more like something I'd expect to find at an antiques market than a tourist hotel, and pointed to whitewashed stairs at the back of the room.

"Which room?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Up."

"But which room is it?"

"Room."

I had a feeling the woman spoke better English than she let on, but I was too tired to argue. All of my anger had drained away when Isis spoke to me, and it felt like I'd lost my strength, as well. "Fine. I'll figure it out."

I trudged up the stairs and inspected the doors along the second floor. There were only four of them, and only two had keyholes large enough for the monster key I carried. I closed my eyes and tried to conjure the answer using magic, but I felt empty. Finally, I just tried the first door.

It didn't open. After a struggle, the key clicked in the second lock, and I let myself into the small room. The walls were white, like everywhere else in the hotel, and the bed was just a small twin covered with a rag quilt. Warped blue shutters filled the wall across from the door, and I crossed the room to open them.

The view was breathtaking. I hadn't realized I'd been climbing when I was out on the street, but the hotel was halfway up the hill. The city stretched out beneath me, and from my vantage point, it didn't seem as obvious that an earthquake had happened only hours ago. If I leaned out the window, I could just make out the corner of the Parthenon over my left shoulder.

I shuddered. The thought popped into my mind that I was waiting in the shadow of the gods to destroy the world, and I shook my head. "Now's not the time to start getting paranoid," I muttered.

Weariness, jet lag, and heartbreak all hit me at once, and I staggered to the bed. I don't remember lying down, but I must have fallen asleep instantly, because I was plunged into a vivid dream.

Chapter Twenty

I was standing on a cliff overlooking a desolate wasteland. Smoke rose from the ground miles beneath me, and the sky was orange. When I looked down at myself, I saw Hecate's inky robes and skeletal hands, and I opened my mouth to scream.

Instead of a scream, words poured out of my mouth. "We have broken the world for the final time. Let what was once whole remain shattered, and may all things of value cease to matter."

My arms lifted without my consent as if I were invoking a spell, and Hecate's raspy voice continued to echo through the air.

"Life is not precious without the dark gods. Let all survivors bow down now and offer reverence. It is our right; it is their due. The world is without light, and all who oppose us will be crushed."

The lack of rhyme threw me off, and my tongue flailed helplessly in my mouth. Before Hecate could continue speaking through me, I saw a ragged chain of prisoners. They were marching slowly up the hill, weaving their way to my place on the cliff. Justin was in the lead, his jaw clenched in defiance, and my heart turned over at the sight of him. Chained to his waist was a girl I'd never seen before. Her skin was dark cinnamon, like Dr. Farren's, but she wasn't old. She looked roughly my age, and amber hair spilled onto her shoulders in a tangled waterfall.

Chained to the strange girl was Dr. Farren, looking subdued and broken. She kept her eyes on the ground as she marched, but that wasn't the sight that frightened me the most.

Izzy's lifeless body was being dragged along on the chain behind the prisoners. Her face looked like wax, and she was being jerked over the rocky ground without care. I rushed forward to help her, but my feet held me in place. Brad and Ben were nowhere to be seen, and for a moment, my mind registered the fact that they must be dead, but then I focused on Izzy again.

"Izzy!" I screamed, forcing my own voice past Hecate's lips.

The dream swirled, wrenching me away from the cliff and my battered friends. Now I stood in the dark. It was too black to see, but cold air rushed around me quietly. I stretched my hands out in front of my face, but they reached into emptiness.

"Where am I?"

"Where all lost souls go."

I looked around desperately for the source of the voice. "Dad?"

"Here, sweetie."

"Where are we?"

"Purgatory. Neither of us believed enough to find anything better." His voice was devoid of emotion. "I don't mind. It's nice to have peace and quiet for once."

"But you're dead!"

"So?"

I struggled with my words. "I'm not."

"Don't count on that, Lena. If you're here with me, you couldn't be alive."

_Couldn't be alive_. The words echoed as I struggled for consciousness. When I woke up, something was strangling me, and I clawed at my neck frantically. I finally peeled my eyes open to find that my attacker was just the bedsheet. Somehow, I had managed to wind it around my torso and neck in my sleep.

Gagging, I thrashed around, trying to free myself from the fabric. I tumbled to the floor, the sheet trailing behind me.

I landed with a _thud_ , but no one came running. _I guess the woman downstairs really doesn't care what happens to me as long as I paid the bill in cash._

The shutters were still open, and I looked out at Athens, gasping for breath and trying to shake off my nightmare. I hadn't been asleep for very long. The sky was still ashy, but a faint glow was beginning to illuminate the buildings below me. I drew in a deep breath of smoggy air and tried to sort through my jumbled thoughts.

Had I actually been Hecate? The thought filled my stomach with lead. If that were true, was it already too late? Hecate had promised I would get my life back if I surrendered to her and gave up Red magic, but my dream seemed to tell a different story. _Didn't it?_ I thought back to the dream. My friends had been prisoners, but I had been nowhere in sight. They wouldn't keep fighting if I stopped. At least, I didn't think they would.

But then there was the strange girl in my dream, the one chained to Justin. She had a fierce expression that reminded me of a tiger I'd seen in the zoo when I was a child. Even with chains around her waist, she didn't look like someone who could be beat. Who was she, and why did her presence beside Justin annoy me so much?

Frustrated, I shook my head. I didn't understand anything from the first dream, and dwelling on it was making me feel like I had a fever. I shifted my memory to the second dream. That seemed more straightforward. Somehow, I'd found my dad, wherever he was. He'd said something about Purgatory, and the word sounded vaguely religious, but it wasn't something I was familiar with. The creepy part of that dream was the fact that he'd assumed I was dead too.

I held my knees, rocking back and forth gently. Would that be my fate one day? To die and find nothing but darkness? I hated the fact that my parents were dead, but at least I'd seen Mom. She seemed happy enough hanging out in Hades's realm. But my father was just a disembodied voice. He'd sounded different, too, I realized. As if he had no emotions anymore.

I shuddered. Whatever had happened to him, I still had the power to bring him back. I could reverse the last two awful years, and everything would be okay again. As the sun rose over Athens, I tried to convince myself that I was doing the right thing. Pushing the memories of my nightmare aside, I splashed water on my face from the basin in the corner of the room.

I left the key on the deserted front desk downstairs and headed out into the street in search of Hecate. She shouldn't be too hard to find; I was in Greece, after all. People had worshiped her there alongside the Olympians for centuries.

Even though the sun was barely up, people were already on the street, going about their mornings. They climbed over the rubble from the earthquake, walking along ruined streets as if nothing had ever happened. I envied them their ability to keep going when the world around them was falling apart.

A swarthy man with curly hair was standing on a corner, smoking a cigarette. He took one look at me as I approached and nodded. "Maps? Tourist? Good price!"

I fished a few coins out of my pocket, silently cursing the innkeeper for cleaning out my cash. At first, the man shook his head, but he must have read desperation in my face because he finally handed me a battered map.

"No charge."

I tried to smile at him, but it felt more like a snarl. He took a step back, waving his hands at me.

"Go on, go on. No charge."

I veered around him and walked another block before taking a seat in front of a trattoria. The windows were dark, but I had no doubt that someone would come along and chase me off soon. My stomach grumbled in protest, but I unfolded the map and tried to ignore the hunger that was gnawing at me.

I was glad I hadn't paid for the map. It looked like it had been left out in the rain and then crumpled up carelessly. Words smudged together, but after staring at it for a few minutes, I was able to orient myself. According to the map, there was a museum up on the Acropolis. Dr. Farren had once told me that you could contact just about any god in a large enough museum, so I figured that would be as good a place as any to begin my search for Hecate.

_And then_ , I thought grimly, _all this will end._

Chapter Twenty-One

The doors to the museum were just opening as I approached, and I hurried to join the long line that already snaked around the front of the building. Despite last night's earthquake, there were plenty of tourists waiting to see the collection. I folded my rumpled map and listened to the hum of conversation around me.

If I closed my eyes, all the languages and accents sounded like the hostel I'd stayed at in Scotland, and I fought back a shiver. Marcus wasn't the only one I'd killed on that trip, and when I heard something that might have been an Australian accent behind me, I suddenly remembered the faces of those two girls. They'd been from New Zealand, not Australia, but their voices had sounded sort of the same to me. They died in a cave-in underneath Edinburgh: we'd been exploring the vaults because the girls were looking for ghosts, and I'd released a burst of Red energy that had left them dead and the vaults destroyed.

Someone jabbed my shoulder. "The line's moving."

I barely looked at the woman standing behind me, but I mumbled an apology and shuffled forward. I'd caused so much chaos. I only hoped I would find Hecate soon and undo all the damage of the past two years. _Everybody's lives will be so much better, not just mine,_ I told myself firmly.

Finally, the line filed into the museum, and I paid the admission fee with my credit card. It wasn't really expensive enough to do that, but since I was out of cash, I was out of options. The man behind the ticket counter handed me a map and an audio guide, and I set off toward the first exhibit hall.

White marble lined the room, and I felt the distinct tingle of magic. I glanced around nervously, but no one seemed to be paying any attention to me. As I walked along, staring into the carved faces of the Greek gods, I realized that the magic I was feeling came from the sculptures themselves.

I'd never really given much thought to the ancient peoples who worshiped the gods I knew, but now I wondered about them. What must it have been like for Nons and Witches alike to see the presence of magic in their lives because of the gods? I remembered the farmers who came to Demeter each fall to have their harvest blessed: they were Nons, but they were still aware of the magical world.

That thought brought me up short. Everything I'd ever learned in school said that Nons and Witches had to live separately. It had been drummed into our heads as much as the Rede, the cardinal rule of Witchcraft that demanded we do no harm. _But magic can harm,_ I thought, _and some Nons can still experience it. Look at Ben and Brad._

If Izzy hadn't seen magical potential in the twins, we never would have talked to them. I wondered for a moment if they were still working with Izzy to learn magic, or if they'd given that up when I abandoned them. I really had abandoned everyone: I didn't even leave a note about my plans, and clearly Izzy was worried. Her patron wouldn't have popped over to Greece just to chat. I pushed back a wave of guilt. _It's better this way_. Wearily, I continued my circuit of the museum.

After a few minutes, I paused and looked up at a statue of Aphrodite. The sculptor had captured her hard eyes, a dramatic contrast to her sensuous mouth. _Because of me, this goddess is now working toward the end of the world._ I shivered, remembering her threat back in North Carolina. _That's another thing I'd fix if I gave up Red magic._

Feeling more depressed than I had since my nightmares, I continued into the next gallery. At the end of the room stood a massive sculpture of a woman with a veil. At first, I wondered if it might be Hera, but the closer I got, the easier it was to recognize the face that loomed above me.

I'd found Hecate at last.

The sculptor had envisioned a very different goddess than the one I knew, but the figure was unmistakably the Queen of Witches. A dog crouched at her feet, and the goddess herself seemed to have three heads. The center head looked straight at me, and the artist had made her expression almost kind and thoughtful. The other two heads, joined on either side of the center head, looked left and right. Their expressions were calm, as if the goddess was shielding her thoughts from all viewers.

"Here I am," I whispered, looking up into the familiar faces. "I'm ready to give up."

Nothing happened, and as the seconds ticked by, I began to feel self-conscious. No one else was lingering in front of the sculpture, and I felt the prickle on the back of my neck that told me someone was watching me. Slowly, I turned around and scanned the room.

My eyes landed on a tall man standing near the door, and I took an involuntary step back in surprise. His hawk-like nose and willowy frame were impossible to mistake, even though I hadn't seen him since I'd been in Scotland. It was Izzy's uncle, Samuel. He made eye contact with me and smiled a thin, threatening smile. Then he whirled and left the room.

Forgetting about Hecate, I hurried after him, anger boiling through my veins. It was because of him that Izzy had lost her grandparents, and that Dr. Farren and Lorna had lost their entire Coven. _This Witch has a lot to answer for_. I clenched my fists, willing myself to contain my rage until I reached him.

Before I got to the door, however, the floor of the museum shuddered. The people around me murmured nervously, and then the floor shook in earnest. Everyone rushed for the door, and I found myself caught up in the crowd. As we surged toward the exit, I lost sight of Samuel.

The floor shook again, and this time somebody screamed. A sound like a million motorcycles filled my ears, and I struggled to stay upright against the panicked flood of tourists trying to get out of the museum. I'd heard of people being trampled to death, and I didn't want to become another cautionary tale. Using my elbows, I braced myself against the people around me, letting them push me along with them. We were almost out of the museum when the earth shifted violently.

Statues toppled, ancient marble crashing to the floor like cheap pottery. A harried-looking museum guard was trying to control the panicked flow of people, but he wasn't having much luck. I heard the word "aftershock" ripple through the crowd, and somebody screamed again.

Samuel appeared ahead of me, facing me instead of moving with the stream of people. This time when our eyes met, he smiled a broad smile, showing his teeth. He lifted one hand in a triumphant gesture, and I lost it.

Pushing my arms forward, I threw all the magic I could grab at Samuel. The force of it knocked me over, and I suddenly found myself dodging feet and knees. A wave of energy rippled through the crowd, and I felt a large space open up around me. When I struggled to my feet, Samuel was nowhere to be seen. Despite the ongoing quake, the crowd was standing still, staring at me. At least, the people who were left were staring at me.

The front of the museum was gone, ripped away like a bomb had gone off. I could see more people milling around outside, but between me and them was a terrible sight: bodies littered the floor under a thin coating of dust.

Shocked, I stood frozen for a minute. That was long enough for the people around me to begin pointing at me and screaming.

"She's a terrorist!"

"She used a flame thrower, I saw it!"

"Hold her! Don't let her get away."

Hands surged forward, and I did the only thing I could think of.

I ran across the corpses, dodging the people who tried to stop me. I tried not to look down, but I saw hands and bodies flash beneath my feet before I finally made it to the cracked sidewalk outside the museum.

The people outside hadn't caught the same fervor as the people inside, so nobody stopped me as I raced down the hill. I ran to the center of the city, dodging cars and pedestrians as I went. My lungs were screaming, but I didn't care. I turned corners and veered around signs, trying to lose myself in the maze of buildings that surrounded the Acropolis. When it felt like my chest was going to explode, I finally stumbled to a stop on a quiet street.

I held my breath, listening for the sound of pursuit, but all I heard was a dog barking faintly somewhere. Clutching my side, I started to walk, and I noticed a sharp pain in my left foot. Lifting up my sandal, I saw a jagged piece of glass sticking out of the thin sole. When I yanked it out, it was longer than my finger. Gods, how deep had it gone into my foot? I didn't stop to find out. Somewhere in the chaos, I realized that I'd lost my purse, but I didn't turn around to look for it.

Woozy, I kept walking, trying to step lightly on my left foot. I knew I should stop and clean the wound, but I didn't want to stop yet. Stopping meant facing the destruction I'd caused and remembering all the bodies I had run over, so I kept going.

Dizzy and disoriented, I passed a building with an American flag flying out front. For a second, I thought I was hallucinating, but when I turned around, the stars and stripes were still there. My brain processed the gilt sign, and I breathed a ragged sigh of relief.

I was out of options, but maybe I wasn't out of luck just yet. Thinking fast, I limped into the American embassy and prepared to lie my way to safety.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The clerk at the front desk had bags under her eyes, and she barely looked up when I entered the embassy.

"Excuse me," I said, throwing as much glamour into my words as possible. "I've got a problem."

She sighed. "What do you need?"

"I've lost my passport and all my money. I think I was robbed out on the street during the earthquake." As I spoke, I looked around the room. Nothing seemed out of place here; maybe they hadn't felt the aftershock? I hoped the woman wouldn't question the one part of my story that was true.

She slid a large form across the desk. "Fill this out and we'll see what we can do. Do you have any form of ID?"

I shook my head. Since my purse was missing, I was out of options. With a burst of magic, I leaned forward, smiling sweetly. "You really don't need me to fill out that form, right?"

She blinked a couple of times but didn't say anything. I tried again.

"It would be so easy to arrange things here. There's got to be a plane leaving this afternoon, right?"

Instead of answering, she shook her head as if she had a bee buzzing in her hair. She slid off her stool and headed for an office in the back. "Let me get my supervisor. He can help you."

_Shit_. I debated turning around and running while she was gone, but the place probably had closed-circuit cameras. _I'm here now, so I guess I should try to see this thing through._

A man in a dark blue suit came toward me, and I felt a momentary surge of panic. He was easily six feet tall and built like a linebacker, and he didn't look like he'd be easy to manipulate. _What kind of special-operative training does the government give its employees?_ I swallowed nervously.

"May I help you?" The fluorescent lights overhead glinted off his bald scalp, and I forced myself to smile.

"Like I said, I got robbed in the quake. I don't have my passport or my money." I laughed ruefully. "I was headed to the airport, and in all the commotion, my suitcase disappeared. This is all I have left." I gestured down at my torn, dirty clothes.

He frowned. "Why was your money in your suitcase?"

I looked him straight in the eye. "My mom is paranoid. She told me to never travel with my money in an obvious spot, since a purse is more likely to get snatched than something else." I forced a short laugh. "I guess I proved to be the exception."

He nodded thoughtfully. "I'd like to help you, Miss—?"

"Smith," I answered quickly. I didn't want to use my real name if I could help it.

"Miss Smith," he continued, his face devoid of expression, "but I need some kind of proof that you are an American citizen."

"How could I be anything but?"

He didn't seem to be reacting to my glamour. _This might be a problem_. "Plenty of very convincing young ladies claim to be American citizens, but you'd be surprised how few tourists actually end up in the situation you are describing."

My stomach fell. "Really?"

"Really. Most tourists are more careful with their belongings, and," he added meaningfully, "they certainly don't put all their money in their suitcase."

My mind raced, searching for a plausible lie. "Like I said, my mom is paranoid."

"Are you traveling with your mother?"

"No. I'm on my own."

"A little young for that, aren't you?"

"I'm eighteen." The lie felt real, and I realized that in a few months, I _would_ turn eighteen. "I'm old enough to travel by myself."

"Were you in a cab when the quake happened?"

I shook my head. "No, I told you, I was walking on the street."

"Why would you be walking to the airport?" His questions were coming more rapidly and I was struggling to keep up.

"There weren't any cabs at my hotel, so I was walking 'til I found one."

"Which hotel were you staying at?"

I looked at him. "I don't remember the name, but it had a blue door."

"A blue door. Miss Smith, you could be describing just about any building in Athens."

"I can show you where it is. It's right near the Parthenon."

"That won't be necessary." He flicked his right wrist in a subtle gesture, and two men in brown security uniforms stepped forward. I'd been so focused on the official that I hadn't even noticed them, and I took an involuntary step back.

"I just want to get home." My voice rose, and I struggled to control the fear that was rushing through me.

He nodded. "We'll make sure you get home. If you'd please accompany these two gentlemen."

Nervously, I shook my head. "I haven't done anything wrong."

He gave me an inscrutable look. "Who said that you had? Please step this way, Miss Smith."

The guards closed around me, and it took all my self-control not to fling a fireball at them and take off running. "Where are we going?"

The shorter guard spoke in a clipped voice. "Somewhere you can answer a few questions."

"To help us help you," the other guard added in a friendly voice.

Shorty reached for my arm, but he must have seen something dangerous in my eyes, because he let his hand drop to his side without touching me. I fell in step behind the guards, nervously scanning the room. Was there any way I wasn't already on camera? If they didn't have security footage of me, maybe I could use Marcus's traveling trick and pop myself out of there. I hadn't tried it before, but he and Izzy had made it look easy. How hard could it be? The ceiling looked devoid of any surveillance equipment, but then I spotted a tiny red dot obscured by a fake plant in the corner. With a sigh, I followed the men out of the room.

They led me to a cubicle in the back of the embassy. I breathed a little easier when I realized that it wasn't a sealed cement torture chamber. The walls didn't reach the ceiling, so if I screamed, people would hear me. _Why would I scream? This is the American embassy._ Frantically, I tried to reign in my thoughts, but I was scared.

After the guards left, the man in the blue suit popped his head over the cubicle wall. "By the way, Miss Smith, I do hope you found time to visit the museum on the Acropolis. It's one sight that isn't to be missed."

He left before I could say anything, but that didn't matter. I was screwed, and I knew it.

_Someone must have caught me on camera at the museum this morning._ I slammed my hand into the desk in front of me, and I was surprised that my fist left a small divot in the surface. If anyone heard the sound, no one responded.

I cradled my hand in my lap, my mind working furiously for a solution. I was practically a terror suspect, and I didn't want to stick around to find out how I'd be treated when they realized I was lying. Gritting my teeth, I used a small burst of magic to heal my foot, but my hand still throbbed. Cautiously, I stood up and poked my head over the top of the cubicle. A wall separated me from the reception area, and I couldn't see any other exit. _There has to be another door_. I was sure that people who worked overseas would want some kind of emergency exit in case the embassy was ever attacked.

The hallway appeared deserted, so I ventured out of the cubicle. If anyone stopped me, I planned to say that I was looking for the restroom. That seemed like a plausible excuse. As I made my way down the corridor, my confidence grew. They hadn't arrested me or even locked me in a room, so clearly they didn't think I was a real threat.

I rounded a corner and saw the familiar red glow of an Exit sign a few feet ahead, and I sighed in relief. Soon I'd be out of there, and I'd figure out another way to get home. After the fiasco at the museum, I didn't want to stick around Greece any longer. _I'll just have to contact Hecate from the States._ I had almost reached the door when a hand shot out from an office near the end of the hall. I didn't even have time to process what was happening before I was being pulled into a pitch-black room. The door swung shut behind me, and I stood frozen in the dark.

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Shhh. Don't scream. I can't turn on a light; they monitor the power grid."

The voice was male, but the tone didn't sound threatening. In fact, he almost sounded helpful.

I swallowed nervously, my palms pulsing with magic. "What do you want?"

He chuckled, and I pressed my back against the door. "To help you. I'm a Witch, too."

Speechless, I stared into the dark. The sound of a match being struck filled the space, and his glowing head emerged. The man who claimed he wanted to help me was older than my parents. His gray goatee made him look like a retired beatnik, and his eyes were magnified behind large glasses. There was nothing about him to mark him as a Witch, and for a moment, I wished frantically that Izzy were here to look at his aura.

"What kind of magic do you practice?" I tried to keep the excitement out of my voice but failed.

He grinned broadly. "A little bit of fortune magic and a lot of kitchen magic. Just everyday things."

I'd never heard magic described in that way before. "I mean, what's your color?"

He stared at me blankly. "I'm white, like you, although I don't see how that matters."

I shook my head, exasperated. "Not your race. Your color! Your magical path."

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Every Witch knows what path they follow!"

He shrugged. "I taught myself how to do simple spells. No one's ever mentioned colors or paths before."

I stared at him in surprise. A part of me wanted to trust him, but it just seemed too weird to meet someone who claimed to be a Witch who didn't know anything about the paths of magic. "Show me something."

The match went out in a gust of wind, and I laughed nervously. "That's not magic."

"That's not what I was showing you." A faint blue light filled the room, like an emergency flashlight. The man was holding the glow in his hands. It flickered out quickly, but I was convinced.

"So you're a Blue Witch?"

He lit another match. "I don't know about that. But like I said, I want to help you."

"How did you even know what I am?"

He laughed softly. "I can sort of sense magic, and girl, you're like a flashing neon sign."

His words irked me, but I thought about what he'd said. "I've never really tried to sense another person's magic before. What's it like?"

"You know the feeling you get when you're doing magic?"

I nodded. For me, it was an electric tingling, coupled with heat flowing through my body.

"It's like that, only more faint. I can tell when other people are doing magic around me because my skin starts to prickle, like when I do magic only with the volume way down." He struck another match, and shadows danced around the room.

"I've never tried to figure out if someone was doing magic."

"Then how do you know who you can talk to about it?"

"Everyone I know is a Witch, so the topic isn't exactly off-limits."

"Wow." He was silent for a minute, thinking. "My partner is the only other person who knows magic, and that's only because I taught him."

_Gods, he must feel so alone!_ Were there other people like him, other Dreamers who had managed to learn a little magic without the help of a school like Trinity? "There are a lot more of us out there, I promise you."

He nodded, but his face looked wistful. "Look, if I help you get out, and if I ever come back home to the States, could I look you up?"

I hesitated, but he rushed on.

"Not to be creepy or anything, but I'd really like to know more Witches. Maybe you could introduce me?"

I smiled in relief. "Of course. My real name is Darlena Agara, and I live in North Carolina."

"Darlena Agara from Carolina. I'll remember you."

I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck, and I looked at him closely. "Did you just do magic?"

He smiled, proud as a kindergartener with a drawing. "Right in one. I have a memory spell that helps me remember things. I'll never forget you now."

Something about his words sent a shiver down my spine, but I ignored the feeling. "Great. So, can you help me get out of here?"

"Magic won't work. There's mandatory resistance training we all go through: no one says it's magic that we're protecting against, but I realized it right away. So those mind games you were trying are out."

I nodded, defeated. "So what do we do?"

He grinned. "Good old-fashioned escape plan: I cause a distraction, and you run for it."

I stared at him. "That's your plan?"

"Sometimes simple is better."

I paused. "Why do you want to help me?"

"Like I said, I've never met another Witch. I feel like we ought to stick together, right?"

"Right." I immediately felt guilty for the uncharitable thoughts I'd had about the old man. He was just trying to be nice.

"Oh, one more thing," he added, opening the door. "Thanks for the information."

"Any time. I hope I helped a bit."

He grinned. "You did." He slammed the door shut behind him, and I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. For a minute, I couldn't move, but finally I banged on the door. No one responded.

"Damn it!" I'd been so desperate to trust the man that I realized I hadn't even asked his name. At least before I'd been sort of free. Now I was really trapped. The question was, who was that man working for? The embassy wouldn't be the worst of my problems if he was working for Rochelle or any of my other enemies.

I felt a faint prick of hope. Maybe he was working for Hecate and he'd gone to summon her. I clung to that idea. As long as I kept my bargain with her, she wouldn't harm me, and all this would be over soon. I couldn't say the same for Rochelle.

I don't know how long I waited in the darkness, but I began to get antsy. It seemed like days ago that I'd blown up the museum at the Parthenon, but time couldn't have passed that quickly: all that had happened that morning. Kneeling on the cold cement floor, I conjured a small ball of light and left it floating over my head. It cast a red glow over my tiny cell, making me think of the darkroom at Trinity.

The only time Rochelle didn't use magic was in art class, and although her resistance had puzzled me, I'd let her talk me into completing a mundane semester of photography. While everyone around me was making prints that looked professional on their first try, I spent two months struggling with my timing. The prints I made were either black as coal or completely washed out, but despite the constant failures, I really liked working in the darkroom. The chemical smells that were once overpowering grew familiar, and I could spend hours bathed in the red light that hung above the door.

I squeezed my eyes shut to hold back the unexpected tears. I hated to admit it, but I missed the way things used to be with Rochelle. I hadn't allowed myself to think too much about our friendship or the life I'd left behind at Trinity, but suddenly I missed everything about it. _That's another part of my life I'll get back soon._ I smiled weakly at the thought. I might even try to stay out of Principal Snout's office for a month if I could go back.

A tear trickled down my cheek, and once I started crying I couldn't stop. I tried to force my thoughts in another direction. Why had that man betrayed me? I looked around the room, but the walls were bare cement. It looked more like a subterranean torture chamber than a room at a US embassy, and a shiver of fear ran down my back as I slowly stopped crying.

I'd blown up a major tourist sight. What's worse, I'd killed hundreds of people. It didn't matter that I'd been trying to defeat an enemy. If anyone at the embassy connected me with the explosion at the museum, no amount of talking would save me from becoming an international terror suspect. Based on what the man in the suit had said before I tried to escape, he knew something about what had happened that morning.

I blew my hair out of my face in irritation. What _had_ happened at the museum? Sometime in the middle of the aftershock, I'd lost control of my magic and blasted a bunch of Nons. But Samuel had been there; I hadn't hallucinated him. A chilling thought flitted into my mind: what if Samuel had been the one causing the aftershock?

_Greece is still part of Europe,_ I reminded myself. _That means it's in Rochelle's territory. Samuel couldn't cause mass chaos here—_

My thoughts broke off in a jumble, and a single idea began to take shape in the mess. What if Samuel was working with Rochelle? She had told me in my dream that she wasn't just a Red Witch, and Izzy said when she faced her, Rochelle's aura was Black lined in Red. If a Red Witch could also be a Black Witch, could a Black Witch somehow share power with a Red?

Pieces clicked into place like a puzzle. Samuel and Roy had destroyed their Coven in an act of betrayal, but what if they'd made another alliance? Rochelle wouldn't want the Coven to keep helping me, I realized with a sickening jolt. If she had ordered their deaths, then I really was to blame for the attack in Scotland.

I didn't have any proof, but something in my gut told me that Rochelle had begun to look for allies. Whether she was somehow sharing her power with them or just using them to do her dirty work didn't matter; anyone could be an enemy. I stood up swiftly, knocking my forehead against the light ball that I had made. It flickered and vanished, but I didn't bother to make another one.

Somehow, I had to warn Izzy. Samuel and Roy's betrayal was bad enough, but if it was just a part of this bigger mess, then Izzy and Dr. Farren were still in danger. My throat clenched, and I couldn't breathe for a minute when I remembered that Justin was running around India with Dr. Farren. If she was in danger, then so was he.

I groped around in the darkness. Standing in the center, I could sweep the tips of my fingers along the walls on either side of me. I tugged on the door handle, but it didn't budge. Slowly, I started running my fingers over the walls, from the floor to as far up as I could reach, but they were solid cinderblock.

"I could really use a little help," I spoke in exasperation, not expecting a reply in the empty room.

Something rustled to my left, and I turned toward the noise, conjuring another light ball quickly. There was nothing in the room with me, but I swore I heard another sound, this time over my right shoulder. I whirled around, but I still didn't see anything.

"Whatever you are, this isn't funny," I hissed, trying to mask my fear. "I need help, not games."

A cement block in the wall I was facing shifted an inch. I stared as it turned around slowly, the sound of rock grating on rock ringing in my ears. Another block started to move, and then another, and the room was filled with the most awful noise. When the rocks stopped moving, it took me a minute to notice because my ears were still ringing, but I finally saw the small hole in the far wall.

The bricks had shifted around, leaving a space large enough for a toddler to walk through. I eyed it warily, and then dropped onto my knees. It was a tight fit, especially my hips, but I wriggled through the hole and crept into the darkness.

It smelled like chalk and wet earth, and I tried to breathe through my mouth as I crawled through the narrow tunnel. Nothing spoke to me, and even though my red light didn't illuminate anybody, I had the sickening sensation of being watched. Sweat beaded on my brow, and I began to have a hard time breathing.

The farther I went, the hotter and more miserable I became. The tunnel felt like it was closing in on me, and it took all my strength to keep moving forward in the tiny space. I tried shutting my eyes, but everything started spinning. I thought about going back to the embassy to see what fate awaited me there, but every time I started to inch backward the rocks pressed in on me, squeezing the air out of me in an uncomfortable embrace. The tunnel was forcing me forward, and it suddenly occurred to me that I might not like wherever I was going to end up.

Still, I couldn't stop moving. The pressure from the tunnel walls was only bearable as long as I was inching forward, so I went on. By the time I finally saw a pinprick of natural light ahead of me and let my red light die out, I was convinced that I was crawling into a trap.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The tunnel spit me out into the blinding light, and for a minute, I could only see the white glow that surrounded me. I blinked a few times, and gradually my eyes began to adjust. The sun was white and brighter than I'd ever seen it, high in the pale sky above me. It was as if all the blue had been sucked out of the sky, leaving a milky tint behind.

The heat from the tunnel had only intensified, and I swayed on my knees as I stared up at the sun, sweat streaming down my face. Finally, I felt steady enough to look around. _Where the hell am I?_

I was kneeling on coarse sand, and as soon as I realized this, the palms of my hands started to burn. I scrambled to my feet and looked at the desert surrounding me.

Everything was white. The sand, the sun, even the sky. I squinted and looked toward the horizon, and I could see the flat line shimmering without obstruction. There were no trees, no plants, just rocky sand and sun as far as I could see.

My clothes were plastered to my skin, and I realized I was thirsty. As soon as I had that thought, I couldn't focus on anything else. My throat felt parched, and I began to wonder frantically how long a person could go without water. A couple of days? It felt like I'd already been standing there for hours, and I swayed dizzily.

"You're a Witch, you know. Nothing is out of reach for you."

The voice was vaguely familiar, and I suddenly felt cold. I took a deep breath and glanced around. Set was standing a few feet to my left, watching me with his canine head cocked to one side. It almost looked like he was thinking about having a snack.

The god laughed in surprise, and I silently cursed myself. I kept forgetting that some of the more powerful gods could read minds. "I'm not here to do you harm, Darlena. Let's sit, shall we, and discuss this matter like civilized people." He waved his hand, and a low tent appeared behind him. It looked like it belonged on the set of _Lawrence of Arabia_ : tassels hung beside the opening and a richly patterned carpet sat in front of the tent. The god turned and walked across the threshold. I kept expecting him to drop on all fours, but he carried himself almost like a human.

I hesitated. I really didn't want to be alone with Set, but the heat had become unbearable. Not sure what else to do, I followed him into the tent. Once inside, I stared around me, stunned. The tent was furnished entirely in red: scarlet silk fabric draped gracefully across the ceiling, and silk floor pillows in every shade of red from cranberry to plum were piled on the floor. A golden brazier sat in the center of the room, supporting a black tea kettle. Nervously, I sat down on a pillow.

Set folded himself up gracefully and sank to the floor beside me. "The riches of the desert," he said, offering me a tray of dried fruit. I shook my head.

"What do you want to talk about?"

He chuckled. "All in good time. First, tea."

On cue, the kettle began to whistle, and Set pulled two glasses out of the air. They weren't the teacups I had been expecting, but tall glass cylinders that looked like overgrown shot glasses. Each cup had a green leaf in it, and the god poured tea out of the kettle over the leaves.

"Mint gives it a special flavor. I'd recommend a lot of sugar. That's the way they drink it here."

"Here?"

"In Egypt, of course!" His eyes flashed dangerously, and his lips folded back in a snarl. "Some gods are confined to their native lands, although you wouldn't know that after talking to my sister."

I thought for a minute. "You mean Isis?"

He snorted. "Prissy little thing, isn't she? Just because her worship spread with the Romans and mine didn't. Doesn't give her a right to lord it over a fellow, now does it?"

I shook my head, not really listening to him. The tea, although hot, was surprisingly refreshing, and I drained my glass quickly.

"More?" Set raised his eyebrow and I nodded.

"It's different."

"The Egyptians are different. I may not get out much, but I'm happy here. This is a good land for me."

"It's like a furnace out there!"

He smiled, and for a minute, his eyes looked like fire. "I _am_ a god of chaos. Surely you've realized our connection with fire?"

I thought about Loki and Pele, and I nodded. "But why did you want to talk to me?"

He leaned back on his elbows. "I know what you've been considering. It's not a good idea."

I spilled my tea, burning my hand. Set ignored me and kept speaking.

"Bargains with gods never turn out the way you mortals expect, but this is a particularly bad bargain. Didn't you learn your lesson with Loki? Gods can twist the truth."

"I don't think it's any of your business." I tried to sound cold, but my voice shook with anger.

"You're a Red. That makes it my business."

"I won't be for much longer."

He stared at me levelly for a moment. "That's exactly the problem."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't generally meddle with Red Witches. Hell, I don't generally meddle with mortals, period. But I don't mind you."

"I don't want a patron," I said too quickly.

He narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't offering."

"Sorry."

His nostrils flared. "I just mean that if someone has to be a Red Witch, you're a nice change from the last few millennia."

"How so?"

He rolled his eyes. "Do you really think the other Red Witches have ever cared much about balance?"

"But you're a god of chaos. Why would you want balance?"

"Chaos _is_ balance, girl. It's a force of nature, and according to most of the old stories, it's the creative force that birthed the universe. But that doesn't mean it has to rage unchecked. You want to check it, and I like that."

I stared at him skeptically, and he pointed to the tent's opening.

"There is nowhere on earth where balance is more important than in the desert. It's a whole world on the tip of a pin."

I started to understand. "You don't want Hecate to destroy Egypt."

"I don't want her to destroy anything, but I know enough about chaos to know that it has a long reach. This war will damage my people and my country, regardless of the outcome. But if the world dissolves into chaos, we will be destroyed."

"You actually sound like you care."

His eyes burned with intensity. "I do."

"Then tell me one thing." I leaned forward. "Why did you kidnap Izzy? That wasn't exactly a friendly gesture." My voice was sharp with sarcasm, and Set winced.

"That had nothing to do with any of this. My interest in Isadora was different."

"Different how?"

Set looked down at the empty glass in his hand. "She belongs to my sister, and there's not much I wouldn't do for the chance to gain power over that puffed-up goddess."

I glared at him. "So you took Izzy to piss off your sister?"

"The girl is more than an ordinary mortal. I believe that Isis is grooming her to become her daughter."

"She raised her from birth. Of course she treats her like a daughter."

Set shook his head. "That's not it. I have a suspicion that my sister wants to make a god out of the girl."

His words startled me. "Is that even possible?"

"It's been done before, in the distant past, but always with disastrous results. Mortals and gods each have their role in the universe, and there are some lines that shouldn't be crossed."

I eyed him skeptically. "You sound like an old prude."

Set flashed his teeth. "Believe me, I am anything but. But Isadora is important to my sister, and I took her to prevent Isis from altering the order of things."

"That still doesn't make sense."

Set shrugged. "The quarrels of siblings run deep."

I was about to object, but then I thought about Loki and Baldur. "Maybe. But why did you release her?"

He snarled. "I didn't have anything to do with that. If it were up to me, I'd have kept her indefinitely. That fiend Loki took her from me."

I glared at him. "You're really not making me want to trust you, you know. You just said you wish you still had my best friend locked up."

Set looked bitter. "Isis bound me with an oath after her release that I would do the girl no more harm. I cannot capture her again, and whatever my sister does to the girl will have repercussions."

"I don't know about that. But I know I don't trust you."

Set smiled. "Good. Reds shouldn't be too trusting."

I threw up my hands in exasperation. "And you want me to stay a Red? You aren't making it sound very attractive."

"It's not. But like me, you are a keeper of chaos. This is not a responsibility that can be ignored or taken lightly."

I almost burst into tears, but I kept myself in check. "But it's not a responsibility I want. I haven't done a very good job so far."

Set stared at me, his eyes hard. "Do you really not understand," he said finally, "that you are the only thing that has kept the world intact for the last two years? Without you, Hecate would have already plunged the earth into Armageddon. You are the single thing standing between us and destruction."

His words startled me, but a tiny piece of me wanted to believe him. "Us?"

"Everyone, gods and mortals alike. Hecate will not leave any alive who do not worship evil: her world will be one of darkness and terror, and the mortals who survive will likely kill each other off in short order."

I shook my head, trying to deny his words. "But I don't want to be a Red anymore."

"Then everything is lost." His tone was final, and I felt as if he'd just dismissed me completely. It made me angry, but what could I say? I'd told him what I wanted. It didn't matter what he thought. Still, a niggling fear wormed its way into my mind.

I spent the night in the tent. Set wasn't there when I woke up, but I could feel the protective wards he'd set around the structure. I boiled some water for tea and was on my second cup when the god reappeared. His strange half-animal appearance was less jarring than when we first met, but he still wasn't a god I wanted to get too friendly with.

"Have you thought any more about your choice?"

"I have."

He looked at me expectantly.

"It's not something I'm prepared to discuss with you."

Set sighed. "That probably means it's something I don't want to hear."

I shrugged.

"Let it be known that I tried to avert the coming disaster." He spoke loudly, as if for the benefit of unseen listeners, and I glanced around the tent nervously.

"You told me what you know. And I appreciate the fact that you got me out of Athens."

He laughed. "You would be useless if you were broken by torture."

My stomach churned. "Were they really going to torture me?"

Set nodded. "There's video footage of what happened at the museum. The staff at the embassy knew who you were and what you had done from the moment you walked in."

I swallowed nervously. "But isn't torturing a teenager a little extreme?"

"Nothing is too extreme to those fighting terror. Things have changed in the years since the Twin Towers fell." Set banked the coals and said casually, "Did you know that the definition of what constitutes torture now is far beyond that of the Spanish Inquisition?"

"No." I looked at him closely. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "Man can do terrible things in the name of peace and justice. And it's not likely you would have received much sympathy: your attack was fairly brutal."

I shuddered. "Then I really owe you for getting me out of there."

"Why _did_ you destroy the museum?"

I hesitated. I wasn't sure how much of my theory to share with this god. "I saw an enemy, and I lost control."

Set clicked his tongue. "You know better than that. I'm not against a good disaster every now and again, but murder is quite another matter."

I bristled at his tone. "Look, it was an accident. If I weren't a Red, it would have never happened."

Set didn't answer, but the fabric that made up the tent began to unwind itself. The tent melted around us, and the rich carpet under my feet was replaced by desert sand.

"I hope you make a wise choice in the end, Darlena."

"Aren't you going to help me get home?"

Set raised one eyebrow at me. "You aren't willing to help me, and yet you still expect my support?"

I glared at him.

Finally, he relented. "There's money and a passport in this bag." He pulled a sack out of thin air and tossed it to me.

I hesitated, looking around at the sand. "What good will that do me out here?"

Set chuckled. "So you want the full fairy godmother treatment? Aren't we greedy."

I crossed my arms to control the Red magic that surged in me. I had the sudden urge to blast a hole in the desert. The god just looked at me, eyeing the sparks that danced on my skin. He seemed almost amused.

"A truck will be along in about five minutes. It's headed to Cairo. I trust you don't need me to hold your hand on the way to the airport?"

"I can handle it." I squinted at the hazy horizon. "Are you sure a truck is coming?"

"Would a god lie to you?"

"Yes. Especially a god who kidnapped my best friend."

"Interesting."

Set was watching me with his head cocked to one side again. It made me nervous. "What?"

"That's the second time you've referred to her in that manner. Would she feel the same after all this, I wonder?"

I shrugged self-consciously. "I don't know. But they're just words: it doesn't matter what I call Izzy."

"Words have power, Darlena." Set's voice was soft, and I realized he was dissolving. "More power than you imagine."

"Wait! Will you try to stop Hecate and Rochelle and all the crazy Red gods?" I called out to the wind, but Set had faded completely.

For a moment, I thought I heard his voice whisper the words, "Will you?" But the desert was quiet. I shook my head, deciding that I'd imagined Set's response.

Before I had time to think about the strange conversation, I spotted a cloud of dust on the horizon. I stood up and waved my bag in the air over my head, and a ratty pick-up truck sped into view.

The bed of the truck was full of men. Some were leaning on a wooden railing built around the bed like a cage while others squatted in the back. They were packed in tighter than should have been possible, and I eyed them nervously. The driver leaned out the window.

"Where's your camel?" The man laughed, but it wasn't a mean sound.

I laughed too. "Ran off last night!" I lied. "I was out here camping, but now I'm stuck."

Hands reached for me, and I was pulled aboard the truck. The smell of hard-working men who hadn't bathed filled my nostrils. I tried to hold my breath, but that didn't work. No one questioned my story, so I supposed that I should feel grateful for being rescued so simply, but the press of bodies and the smell were even worse in the heat, and I breathed shallowly. _Set couldn't have made this easy, could he?_

I watched the scenery fly by, marveling at the rocky, barren desert. Once or twice, I caught some of the men in the truck staring at me with a fierce expression, but they dropped their eyes as soon as I stared back. After we'd been riding for what must have been an hour, hands reached for me, pointing off to the horizon. I turned and gasped.

"Are those really the pyramids?" Three triangles were just visible in the distance, and we moved toward them at breakneck speed. The men in the truck didn't answer, but they smiled at me and nodded.

I watched the ancient tombs grow closer and closer, and when we were passing in the shadow of the smaller pyramid, I felt the presence of spirits, much like I had in the Underworld when I'd gone after my parents. I shivered. Looking around, and I noticed that a few of the men kissed their hands and made a swift gesture against evil. Whatever I'd felt, they clearly felt it too.

After the creepy sensation of being right by the pyramids, I wasn't prepared for what I saw when we passed them. A city curled around, coming right up to the area surrounding the ancient wonders.

I shook my head in surprise as the truck merged onto a real road. _Set's right_ , I thought. _Egypt is different_. If the drive across the desert was bumpy, I was not prepared for the drive on pavement. The truck accelerated, and I slammed against the wooden cage surrounding the truck bed. None of the men seemed to be the least bit concerned, but I felt the swaying motion of the vehicle and realized that it was likely that we would flip over or crash or both.

I squeezed my eyes shut and clenched my hands. I didn't want to risk using magic in case chaos got the better of me and I caused a wreck, but I didn't need to worry. The truck screeched to a stop, and my eyes popped open. We were unharmed, and the men began streaming off the truck. A few reached up to help me down, but they had already walked away when I turned to thank them.

Helplessly, I watched the men walk into the city, and then I turned to the driver. "Thanks!"

He grinned, showing two gold teeth. "Baksheesh?"

"Huh?"

He held out his hand, and I understood.

"Oh! Right!" I dug in the bag Set had given me and pulled out an American ten. I handed it to the driver, and his eyes got wide.

"Welcome, welcome to Egypt, miss!" He sped away before I could ask if I'd paid him enough. I shrugged. It shouldn't surprise me when people behaved oddly: no one was ever normal around me.

I joined the press of people on the street, looking for someone I could ask for help. It surprised me to see so many street signs in English; I hadn't expected that from a country in North Africa. In no time at all, I had tracked down a taxi and was flying through the streets of Cairo, headed toward the airport.

I checked the passport Set had given me and frowned. It used my real name, and after telling that Witch in Athens who I was, I thought that I might have ended up on a no-fly list or something, but I shouldn't have worried. The man at the ticket counter barely glanced at my passport when he sold me a ticket home, and a few hours later, I boarded the plane. As we took off, I pressed my face to the small window. Something about Egypt felt unfinished for me, and I had the overwhelming sensation that I would be back one day. _Maybe we can travel here once I get my parents back, all three of us_. Eventually, I closed the shade and sat back in my seat, dozing fitfully.

***

I didn't know what to expect when I landed in RDU. I hadn't spoken to Izzy since my parents' death, and I'd left in the middle of the night without a word. Even though my journey felt like it had only been a few days, the digital clock in the airport showed that I'd been gone for two weeks. _Stupid Underworld time zones_. It was already May. I'd missed Beltane, I realized, and I felt a twinge of sadness imagining Izzy and the twins dancing around a fire to celebrate the start of summer.

My jealousy fled the minute I stepped into the heat on the curb outside the terminal. Izzy rushed up to me and wrapped me in a rib-cracking hug.

"I thought you were dead, too. Don't do that again!"

I hugged her back, grateful to be home. "You aren't mad?"

She glared up at me. "Of course I'm mad."

"But you're still here." I looked around and spotted Ben waving beside a brand-new Prius. "How did you guys know I'd be back today?"

"Brad's getting really good at divination. But don't change the subject! Where the hell have you been?"

"Careful, you sound like my mother." As soon as I spoke, I remembered what had happened to my mother, and a shadow descended over me.

Izzy frowned. "Let's get you home. And then I expect you to tell me everything."

She led me to the shiny blue car, and I slid gratefully into the backseat. Brad looked at me steadily.

"You really screwed up."

I nodded.

Izzy slammed the front door, and Ben pulled away from the curb.

"I'm glad you're back, Darlena! Izzy's a good teacher, but she keeps saying how you know even more about magic." He smiled at me in the rearview mirror, and I forced myself to smile back.

"Not really. I just know how to make a mess of things."

I caught Brad nodding beside me, and I glared at him.

"How much do you know?" I hissed.

He shrugged. "We bought a new fire pit, and let's just say I'm getting really good at scrying with fire."

I glanced toward the front of the car, where Izzy and Ben were happily arguing about which radio station to play. "You didn't tell them, did you?"

Brad shook his head. "I figured you deserved that chance. If you ever came back."

"Well, I'm back."

"Yeah, but for how long?"

I fixed him with a sharp stare. "You and I need to talk. Privately."

He shrugged again. "Whatever."

Brad settled back into his seat, and I watched the familiar scenery fly by. Ben wasn't the kind of driver my mom would have been pleased with, but I reminded myself that that didn't matter now.

I squeezed my eyes shut, thinking of my mother as I'd last seen her. She'd seemed happy enough in Hades's realm, but I couldn't accept that she and my dad were glad to be dead. Especially not my dad, trapped in Purgatory with no one to keep him company. I shuddered. Both of them would still be alive if I'd never sworn to Red magic.

Izzy was watching me intently in the rearview mirror when I opened my eyes, and I struggled to clear my thoughts. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and I looked away. _How much does she know?_ I stewed silently as we drove, but my stomach rumbled loudly when we got off the highway.

Brad laughed. "I think Darlena's hungry."

Ben obligingly turned the car into a fast food restaurant. "Burgers okay?"

I'd been raised vegetarian because of my mom, but I found myself nodding. "Sounds perfect."

We pulled into the drive-thru and ordered a pile of food from the value menu. I paid for it with the cash left over from Set, and Izzy stared at my bag.

"That's new."

I glanced down at the red sack. "Yeah. Something I got while I was gone."

"Did you lose your luggage?"

"I didn't really take much with me." Suddenly, I realized what had been in the bag that I left behind in the chaos. "Shit!"

"What's wrong? Burn your tongue?" Ben turned around in concern.

Izzy smacked his shoulder. "Watch the road, volcano boy!"

I wanted to ask about the nickname, but Brad said quietly, "What did you lose?"

"My mother's athame!" Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that the bag was probably already destroyed. "Shit. I didn't even remember it until now."

Brad patted my hand awkwardly. "Maybe if you lost it you don't need it anymore?"

I shook my head. "You don't get it. That was my most powerful magical tool." _And it was the last thing my mother ever gave me._

Izzy turned around in her seat. "Brad's right. Maybe it's time to get new tools. I found a cool store over in Raleigh while you were gone."

My parents had mentioned that there was a magical shop nearby, but I'd never gone out there before. I struggled to get a grip on myself. "I've heard of it."

"Maybe what you need is a field trip! I know they have crystals and athames and all kinds of other stuff." Her anger seemed to be gone, and she smiled at me encouragingly.

I smiled a little bit and took a bite of my burger. "Okay." Ketchup dripped down my chin, and I tried to focus on eating. I realized I was starving. I hadn't eaten with Set, and I counted back on my fingers. It had been at least two days since I'd had any food. I inhaled the rest of the burger and started on the deliciously greasy fries. "A field trip might be good." _Even if it won't be the same as Mom's knife._

"But first," Brad reminded me, "you need to fill us in."

He was right. If I wasn't going to tell them anything, then I shouldn't have come back. I licked salt off my fingers. "Right." I took a deep breath as the car pulled up in front of my house. "Have you guys been staying here?"

Izzy shrugged. "Someone had to take care of the cat. Besides, I don't have anywhere else to go."

"And we didn't sleep here, of course, but we've been over most days." Ben parked the car, leaving the windows rolled down. "I hope you don't mind."

"That's fine." I felt a lump in my throat when I looked up at the house. It didn't look deserted or run-down or anything, but even sitting in the driveway, it felt empty. I wasn't sure I wanted to go back inside, so I headed around the side of the house. "Want a fire now?"

"It's too hot. But we can sit outside." Izzy grabbed my arm. "You should say hi to Xerxes. He's missed you."

I wanted to tell her that I wasn't the one the cat had been missing, but I just clenched my teeth. "Maybe later. I need to talk to you guys first."

Brad and Ben settled into lawn chairs that were already out, and Izzy grabbed a fourth chair for me. I sat down awkwardly and took a deep breath. How much could I tell them, and how much should I leave out? They stared at me expectantly, and I plunged in.

"I left," I began, "to find my parents."

Chapter Twenty-Five

Izzy studied my expression. "You mean you went to the Underworld?"

"Wait, you can do that?" Ben leaned forward.

I nodded. "I've been there before. I thought I'd start with Hades, and I was right."

"You've been to more than one Underworld?" Ben looked excited.

"It's not a good idea to just pick up and go, and they're not exactly tourist spots. But yeah, I've been to Hades, Anwyn, and Hel."

"Wow." He whistled under his breath. "That's so cool!"

I didn't want to argue with him, so I looked at Izzy. "My mother is there in the Greek Underworld."

Izzy sucked in her breath. "So you got to say good-bye to her."

_Not exactly._ "Something like that."

Her gaze sharpened. "You said your mother was there. What about your dad?"

I looked down at my hands. I'd laced my fingers together when we sat down, and they were turning purple. Carefully, I unwound them. "He never had a patron."

Izzy's voice was soft. "Oh my."

"What does that mean?"

I glanced at Brad. "You know that a patron helps you with your magic."

He nodded. "Sure. That's why we're both working with Ma Pele."

"She's wicked strong," Ben added.

I ignored him. "Well, I guess having a patron sort of determines where you end up when you die. Like, your beliefs shape your afterlife or something."

"I'd always thought that was a myth." Izzy looked at me with her eyes wide, and I had to laugh.

"It's all a myth, isn't it? But some myths are truer than others. Dad didn't have a patron."

"So, what, he's gone? Poof, just like that, no afterlife?"

I shook my head. "Worse than that. I had a dream about him. He's just a voice floating in the darkness. He said it was called Purgatory."

"Where dead babies go?"

I looked at the twins. "What are you talking about?"

Ben cracked his knuckles. "Dad's mom is Catholic. She's spent years trying to cram it down our throats. Purgatory is the place that babies go when they die."

"Only if they're not baptized," Brad interjected.

Ben shrugged. "Anyway, it's this big, empty void. Supposedly, it's better than Hell but nowhere near as cool as Heaven. People who were good but never got the chance to convert to Catholicism go there when they die."

"Like everyone who lived in the centuries before Christianity got its start?"

Ben nodded. "And anyone now who hasn't heard the word." He snorted. "It always sounded like a horror story to me, but if that's where your dad is... " He trailed off, and I struggled to fight back tears.

"It was just a dream," Izzy spoke up. "That doesn't mean he's really there."

"Hades and my mom said he is, so I'm going to trust this dream."

She looked surprised. "They told you he was in Purgatory?"

I thought back to the strange conversation I'd had in the Underworld and shook my head. "No, but they said he didn't believe in anything enough to have an afterlife. That's the same thing, isn't it?" Something warm slid down my face, and I realized I had started to cry.

"I'm really sorry about your dad, Darlena. But at least your mom is at peace."

I didn't make eye contact with Izzy. "Sure. Right. Thanks."

"But where have you been otherwise? You were gone a long time."

I glanced at Brad nervously, but he just stared back at me. It looked like he wasn't going to tell them what he'd seen. I realized that at some point I needed to get him alone and find out exactly how much he knew, but that could wait. "I was in Athens," I began slowly, "and I saw Samuel."

Izzy's breath caught sharply, and I watched her while I spoke. "He was messing with the aftershocks of an earthquake."

"But that's Rochelle's territory. Why would he have any power over chaos in Greece?"

I tried to phrase my theory with conviction. "If Rochelle could somehow share her power—"

"Isn't that what you two did with us? That time we banished Loki, I mean?" Brad looked from me to Izzy, and we both nodded.

"But we were joined. There's no way to share power without touching the other Witch." Izzy's voice was shaky.

"No way that we know of. But remember, Rochelle has learned how to fly, and that's supposed to be a lost art. Maybe Hecate has shown her other tricks as well."

"Who's this Samuel guy again?" Ben looked confused, and I turned to Izzy to let her explain, but her face was still as stone.

"He's one of the Witches who betrayed Izzy's Coven." _And her uncle,_ I wanted to add, but the pain that flickered across Izzy's face when I spoke kept me quiet.

Ben did something I wasn't expecting. He got out of his chair and crossed to Izzy, enveloping her in an awkward hug. I glanced at Brad, and he shrugged. _What had been going on while I was gone?_

Izzy pulled away from Ben after a moment, but her cheeks were scarlet when she caught my eye. I stared at her, and she smiled slightly. I didn't want to embarrass her in front of the twins, but clearly she and I had some catching up to do as well. "Anyway," I cleared my throat, "Um, I sort of blew up a museum trying to get to him."

They stared at me, stunned. Finally, Brad said, "That was you?"

I nodded.

"We've been watching the news, trying to pay attention to chaos, like you said. They said it was terrorists who wanted to destroy cultural treasures." Brad's voice was bitter. "But that was just you letting off a little steam."

"Look, I didn't mean to. I saw him, and I lost it. If you knew what he'd done—"

Brad glanced swiftly at Izzy and nodded. "Okay, fine, I get it, revenge and all that, but did you have to kill all those people?"

I gritted my teeth. "I didn't mean to. It just happened."

"Shouldn't you be able to control your magic?"

I snorted. "You just heard about magic a month ago, and now you want to give me advice? I've been a Witch all my life. You're just a stuck-up Non."

All three of them stared at me in silence. Finally, Izzy said, "They're both learning really fast, Darlena. I don't think either of them counts as a Non now."

"I don't need him to get magically self-righteous!" I stuck my thumb at Brad, and he leaned back in his chair.

"But he's got a point. Your magic has been out of control lately. Maybe there's something you can do to work on that?" Izzy's voice was earnest, and I suddenly wanted to reach over and smack her.

"Fine. Whatever. At least Set got me out of there before the state department could interrogate me." I said his name forcefully, and I was gratified when Izzy turned ashen.

"He helped you?"

I nodded. "More than you guys did, that's for sure."

Ben stood. "We're going inside." He reached for Izzy's hand, and I expected her to wave him off. Instead, she grasped him tightly and stood up. Somehow, they managed to slam the screen door shut behind them.

Brad leaned over and looked into my eyes. "You better fix that, and fast. You can't do this without us."

"Maybe I don't want to do this anymore," I muttered, but his expression didn't change.

"I don't care. You dragged us into this, and you better make it right somehow. That girl has been missing you to pieces."

I crossed my arms and looked away.

"Not that you're worth missing, but my brother cares about her. If she's miserable, he will be too. So fix this. Now."

"It's not that easy."

"It's not as hard as you're trying to make it. Grow up, Darlena. The world may be ending, but you're sure doing your part to destroy your friends."

"If something happens to y'all, it won't be my fault."

He stared at me without blinking. "You're a Red. Chaos is your deal, remember?"

I didn't answer, and finally Brad sighed and stood up. Before he entered the house, he looked over his shoulder at me.

"When you're ready to act like you've got a brain, I've seen some things we should discuss. About Rochelle and Hecate."

I shrugged.

As he slid the door shut, he added, "And Loki."

I watched my reflection on the glass slide to the left, and the door had just barely clicked when I exploded. "I can't do this anymore!"

A column of fire shot into the sky in front of me, and I struggled to control it. Finally, the flames burned down, leaving a black patch on the grass at my feet. The edge of the garden had been singed, too, and I knelt down next to the remains of my mother's herbs.

Tears welled up in my eyes. "I'm sorry, Mom." I gathered the blackened peppermint and sage plants to my face, but instead of the familiar smell, I was met with the rancid burn of charcoal. My throat caught, and I pulled the ruined plants away from my nose. "I'm so sorry! I didn't want any of this to happen." I started to weep, and for the first time in a while, I didn't try to stop my tears.

I cried beside the garden until I couldn't cry anymore. All my fear, all my frustration, and all my grief poured out of my eyes, and when the tears finally stopped, I might as well have been a hollow shell. Finally, feeling numb, I pushed myself up to my feet and headed into the house. Brad was right. I owed it to Izzy to fix things if I could.

She was curled up on the couch with Ben. The TV was on, and I caught a glimpse of the shower scene from _Psycho_ before I stood in front of them.

"Look." I took a deep breath, and Ben muted the movie. "I'm really sorry. It's just been too much."

Izzy toyed with the edge of Ben's shorts, not looking at me. "I've lost people too. There are better ways to deal with it."

"Maybe," I agreed. "But I'm not you. I'm not sworn to a Blue goddess, and I don't make people happy just by walking into a room."

"But you could try."

"If I'm a Red Witch, then there are some things I'll never be able to master. Peace is one of them."

Izzy raised her eyebrows. " _If_ you're a Red Witch?"

I stared at her silently, and she clapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh, gods, Darlena, you wouldn't give up now, would you?"

"I've done a lot of harm in the past two years. We're supposed to harm none, remember?"

Izzy shook her head, but I pressed on.

"Wouldn't it be better if none of this had ever happened? If there was a way to go back to the way things were two years ago?"

Ben looked at Izzy and then up at me. "But that's not possible. Even with magic, I don't think you can time travel."

I ignored him. "Izzy, answer me. Wouldn't it be better?"

She shook her head forcefully. "You can't ask me to make that kind of a decision! You being a Red has nothing to do with what Hecate was planning. How can you know it will all be all right?"

"I can't. But if there's a chance, I have to take it."

She glared at me. "Well, not me! I'm in this 'til the end. I lost everything to help you, and I'm not going to give up now."

"But what if there were a way for me to take it all back?"

Understanding crossed Izzy's face, and she turned pale. "You wouldn't make a deal with her, would you?"

"It would fix everything!"

Brad had come into the room behind me, and he snorted. "I doubt that."

I whirled to face him. "Look, you need to stay out of this. This is between me and Izzy."

He shook his head. "I know magic now, thanks to the two of you. You can't treat me like an idiot."

Ben got up. "He's right. But I think we need to go home and leave the girls to talk things out." He squeezed Izzy's hand. "Call me later, okay?"

She nodded at him. He didn't look at me as he walked by. When I heard the door slam, I sat down next to Izzy.

"I think I have a way to take it all back."

"But Darlena, she wouldn't give you this option if it were a good thing. You know Hecate. Think!"

I shook my head. "Izzy, I want my parents back." My voice broke, but before I could continue, she was rattling away.

"You think I don't want my family back? But I'd never make a deal with a crazy god to get them back. Death happens, Lena. It's part of life. It's our job to move on."

"But everything that's happened has been my fault! If I'd never declared to Red magic in the first place, none of this would have happened."

"You can't know that. You can't know what Hecate would have done if you weren't involved. You've saved people."

"Not the ones who matter."

Izzy glared at me. "I don't matter?"

"That's not what I meant. I didn't save you."

"Oh, and who made the bargain with Loki? Who set me free?"

"Marcus! He made that bargain. All I wanted was a way to defeat Hecate."

My words hung in the air between us, and I watched Izzy's expression darken.

"Fine. Fine, okay. My brother's the one I should thank, but he's not here, and he never would have had the chance to make that deal if it weren't for you."

"He never would have died if it weren't for me."

Izzy laughed humorlessly. "We all die, Darlena. Marcus would have left me sooner or later."

"But you don't know how much more time he might have had left."

She waved her hand. "Don't make this about my brother. If you make a deal with Hecate, that's due to your own cowardice. You chose your path; backing out now isn't anybody else's fault."

"Then maybe I made the wrong choice!" I was practically screaming at her, but I couldn't help myself.

"Deal with it! You're about to turn eighteen. Isn't it time to start learning to deal with your choices?"

A memory flashed through my mind. The first time I met Persephone, I had been angry and confused about my choice. She'd told me that choices weren't always easy, but they were our responsibility. At the time, her words had seemed so noble, but what if accepting your fate was just another way of giving up?

"I am trying," I lowered my voice and gritted my teeth, "to deal with this choice. It seems to me that everyone would be better off if I'd never become a Red."

"I think you're full of it." Izzy glared at me for a minute before she finally looked away. "But I told you before. I'm in this thing until the end."

"That's your choice." I stood up awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

"We all make choices. But before you decide for sure, will you come with us?"

I stared at her, confused. "Where?"

"That store in Raleigh. You need a new athame, and the boys want to buy some spell candles and stuff."

I frowned, suspicious that she'd be willing to drop it like that, but she was smiling innocently.

"And after, maybe we could all do a spell together for luck in our choices—whatever they are," she hurried to add.

I didn't like the idea of waiting any longer than I already had, but I supposed a trip to Raleigh wouldn't change anything. _Maybe Izzy just wants things to be normal before I undo my vow_. I realized with a pang that once I gave up being a Red, I wouldn't have Izzy in my life. Would we even remember meeting each other, or would the past two years become a blank slate? I shook my head sadly.

"Come on, Darlena. For me?"

"No, I'll go. I was just thinking."

Izzy smiled weakly. "Don't hurt yourself."

I forced a laugh. "When do you want to go?"

"There's no rush, is there?" She flinched at my expression. "I mean, you don't need to go today?"

"No, I guess not." I rubbed my eyes. "I am feeling pretty jet-lagged. Maybe we can go tomorrow."

"Why don't you go lie down? I'll bring you a snack in a bit."

I nodded. "Thanks, Izzy." I hesitated on the stairs. "I'm sorry everything is such a mess."

She shrugged. "That's life, right?"

_It shouldn't be._ I trudged up the stairs and pushed open the door to my bedroom. It smelled musty. In all the times I'd traveled and not made it home for months, my room had never smelled unused. I smiled ruefully. Persephone clearly hadn't felt like stepping into my place this time. As the thought crossed my mind, the air shimmered, and a familiar shape began to form, almost as if I'd summoned her.

Persephone gave me a small smile. "I want to help you, Darlena. If you'll let me."

"Shouldn't you be back in Greece helping with the summer planting?"

"Shouldn't you be fighting Hecate instead of curling up here to give up?"

"Look," I burst out, "you can't tell me what choices to make. You aren't my patron. Why does it even matter to you, anyway?"

Persephone looked sad. "It matters because I value humanity, every flawed and frail bit. And I thought you did, too."

I sat down on the edge of my bed, my head cradled in my hands. "Of course I value humanity. That's why I want to step down. If I had never become a Red Witch, so many people would still be alive."

"And so many others would now be dead. Chaos will always be there, waiting for the wrong person to tap into it, and as you've found, Witches who are willing to balance chaos are few and far between."

"It's too much. I can't handle this responsibility."

She sighed. "It seems to me that you have been doing a masterful job."

"Everyone wants to kill me! My old best friend and all the crazy gods are trying to destroy the world. Even Aphrodite, my first patron, wants me dead." I shook my head. "I've screwed everything up."

"Darlena," the goddess spoke softly, "remember that it takes barren winter earth to produce the bounty of the spring. What's on the surface is not as important as what lies beneath."

"Meaning what? I'm about to burst into flower?" I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"Meaning that even the earth has fallow times. You can't expect to escape the reality of the planet."

"Fallow and massively destructive aren't the same thing."

Persephone didn't answer. When I opened my eyes, I was alone in my bedroom.

"I can change all this," I whispered into my pillow. I buried myself in the covers, even though my room was sticky and smelled like old socks, and I fell asleep quickly.

Chapter Twenty-Six

A loud crash woke me, and I sat up in the dark, disoriented. Gradually, I realized that I was at home, sleeping in my own bed for the first time in what felt like years. Another crash rattled the bed, and I hurried to the door.

I crept down the stairs, gathering Red magic as I went. My arms tingled as the sparks danced on my skin, and I gritted my teeth, getting ready to do battle with whatever was waiting for me. I stepped off the stairs and paused. Everything was quiet for a minute, but then a burst of laughter filled the air. _They're laughing when they're being attacked_? I started to relax. "What in the world are you guys doing?"

They didn't answer, and I could see for myself when I entered the kitchen. Izzy and Ben were facing each other like fencers, brandishing frying pans. They crashed their weapons together with another clang, and I felt my teeth rattle. _Gods, do they have to keep doing that?_

The kitchen was a mess. Eggshells were piled up in the sink, and soggy bread sat on the counter, forgotten. My stomach grumbled, and I realized that Izzy had never brought me food the night before like she promised. _Is she already forgetting about me?_ It was just a small thing, but for some reason, I felt my anger pulsing.

"Where's the food?" I gestured at the mess. "Or did you guys forget what you were doing?"

Izzy laughed breathlessly. "Actually, we did. We _were_ making a feast." She dissolved into wheezing giggles.

"What she means to say is, I was making a feast, and then she challenged my skills in the kitchen." Ben twirled his frying pan casually, which just made Izzy laugh harder.

I glared at both of them. "Did you forget that some people just got back from a transatlantic flight?"

They started giggling again, and I stomped to the table. Brad slid a chair out for me, and I sank into it, gritting my teeth. "I don't know why they can't be serious."

"Everything's been pretty serious lately. You can't blame them for blowing off steam." He handed me a cup of coffee, and I tried not to show how grateful I was.

"Yeah, but they could blow off steam without making it sound like the house is falling down." I took a quick swallow.

Brad stared at me steadily. "Cause you're such an expert on healthy stress relief."

I ignored him and took another swig of the coffee. It was bitter and tasted old: clearly, this strange kitchen party had already been going on for quite some time.

Brad got up from the table, neatly stepped around Izzy and Ben, and returned with a banana. "They were going to make French toast, but I figure you need food before they remember what they were doing."

I took the banana without looking at him. "Have they been this nutty since I left?"

"Love makes you do crazy things, so I'm told."

"Love?" I snorted. "She's just a kid."

"Are you saying my brother's robbing the cradle?"

I glared at him. "She's fourteen."

He shrugged. "So? We're seventeen."

"Doesn't that seem like a big difference to you?"

Brad looked back toward the stove, where Izzy and Ben had finally put their frying pans to their intended use. "I don't know. She acts older."

I took a bite of the banana. "She's still a kid," I repeated sullenly.

He looked at me and narrowed his eyes. "It's not up to you, you know."

"Whatever."

Brad grabbed my arm. "Seriously. I know you think you're all big and bad, but there are some things that are out of your control. You just have to let it be."

I wanted to smack him, but instead, I felt myself choking up. "I get that. I can't control much. Trust me, that's one thing I've learned fairly well." I pulled my arm away and sniffed, willing my tears to stay put. _No way I wanted this Non to see me cry._

Brad looked surprised at my outburst, but before he could say more, Izzy plunked her pan down on the table. Slices of slightly burned French toast were piled on it.

"Dig in! They taste better than they look, I promise."

Nobody reached for the plates; they just grabbed the bread and started eating it. My mother would have laughed, but my father would have brought everyone napkins and silverware. I didn't do either. I grabbed a burned piece of toast and shoved it in my mouth.

Izzy and Ben's lighthearted banter slowed until we were all eating in silence. I could tell that my presence had altered things between Izzy and the twins, but I tried not to care. When we'd eaten everything, Brad pushed back his chair.

"Darlena and I will clean up. You guys should go outside or something."

Izzy smiled. "I don't mind helping."

I glanced at Brad. "No, you cooked. We can take care of it." It might be my only chance to find out what he saw when he was scrying. _And figure out how to get him to keep his mouth shut._

Ben grabbed Izzy's hand. "Can't argue with that. Let's go for a walk."

"I've got a better idea." She smiled at him sweetly. "Let's race!" She skidded through the house with Ben laughing behind her. When the front door closed, I breathed a sigh of relief.

I didn't bother with any preamble. "Tell me."

Brad turned to the sink. "We really should clean up."

I glared at his back, but finally I stood up and started to load the dishwasher. He scrubbed the stovetop and the counters, and I was surprised how quickly the kitchen returned to normal. I felt a pang of loneliness at the thought: the kitchen would never be normal again. Normal would be my mom making something while my dad read the morning paper. Normal was gone.

"Okay." I wiped my hands on the dishrag and tried to push my parents from my mind. "Now will you tell me what you know?"

"Like I said, I've gotten pretty good at fire scrying."

I nodded impatiently. "Well?"

"Loki isn't trapped forever."

That wasn't what I'd been expecting. "Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Every time I try to see the future, he's there. Destroying things."

I frowned. "How does he get free again?"

"I don't know. But that's only one of the problems we need to deal with."

I didn't bother telling him there was no "we" anymore. "What else?"

"Rochelle. She's split her power somehow. She's weak as a Red, but she's done something to sort of let Red magic do its own thing. I don't entirely understand it, but it's like she can be in two places at once."

I sat down heavily. "You mean she's not controlling things in Europe anymore?"

"She still is, but not directly, I don't think. I can't explain it, but whenever I try to see what she's doing, it's like looking in a prism. I see hundreds of her, each doing something else."

I stared up at him, surprised. "How do you even know what she looks like?"

"Izzy described her, and I found an old picture in your room."

"You were in my room?" The thought creeped me out, and I resisted the urge to smack Brad.

He shrugged. "I'm the one who was learning to scry. I needed to know what Rochelle looked like."

It made sense, but I still felt violated. "Whatever. So you found her picture."

He nodded. "It was the one in a frame on your desk." His eyes searched mine. "Why do you still have that?"

"What, I'm supposed to throw away my past?"

"No, but she's trying to kill you. Why didn't you get rid of it?"

Honestly, I hadn't thought about the photo in a long time, but I knew the one he meant: me and Rochelle posing in front of the Carowinds sign the summer before all this started. It was an awful picture: we were both sunburned from a day of standing in the long lines at the park, and I looked stoned. But Rochelle had given it to me in a frame for my birthday, and I sort of loved how bad the picture was. I loved that we weren't trying to be anything but ourselves. But I didn't want to tell all that to Brad, so I just shrugged.

He looked at me for a minute, but when he realized I wasn't going to say anything else, he moved on. "So, Rochelle can replicate herself or something, but that isn't all I've seen."

I stared at him, waiting for him to continue. My heart was racing. _Can he possibly know what I'm planning?_

"I've seen the end of the world."

I exhaled quickly. "Because of me fighting Hecate and Rochelle?"

He shook his head. "You weren't there."

My ears rang, and I stared at him. "What?"

"You weren't there. Every time I see the end of the world, you're never there."

"Do you see anyone else?"

He nodded. "All of us. That snotty boyfriend of yours, Izzy, and my brother, we're all there. But you aren't."

I felt a small icicle on my neck. "Then I must already be dead before that happens."

"No," he began slowly, "I don't think that's it. I think you aren't there because you choose not to be."

His words made me feel guilty. "I wouldn't abandon my friends!" I glared at him, but he held his ground, choosing his next words carefully.

"Not if you're a Red, you wouldn't. But I think you've found a way to change your mind, and I'm not sure you wouldn't take it if the option presented itself."

We just looked at each other for a minute. _How the hell does he know about that?_ Finally, I opened my mouth. "Whatever I do, it's my choice." My words sounded empty, hollow.

"Is it? Is it your choice to doom the world?"

I tried to sound more confident than I felt. "You just learned to scry. You might not really be understanding everything that you've seen."

"I understand enough. Loki isn't trapped, Rochelle can be two places at once, and when the world ends, you won't be around to stop it."

I didn't say anything.

"Admit it, Darlena. You're going to sell us out to get your own happy ending."

"It's not like that!"

"No?" he challenged. "Then what is it like?"

"If I weren't a Red, none of this would be happening."

"If you weren't a Red, no one would be trying to stop it."

I glared at him. "You need to worry about your own choices, Brad. Let me worry about mine."

"I'd like to, but your choices affect everything."

"Well, we've both seen what a mistake that was!"

His eyes hardened. "I didn't ask for magic. You forced me into this world. I will not let you abandon us."

The weight of my mistakes threatened to destroy me, but I gritted my teeth."It's not my job to save you! You better figure out what you're going to do in case the world ends."

I hurried out of the kitchen before I dissolved into frustrated tears, but his words followed me, and my heart almost stopped. "There's no 'in case' anymore."

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ben drove. It was like déjà vu of the ride home from the airport, although the tension had increased. When we pulled off the highway, I leaned forward to look out the window.

"I've never been to this part of Raleigh before." Abandoned warehouses and overgrown grass lined the road.

"This is the only Witchy store for a hundred miles." Izzy turned around and looked at me. "Didn't your parents ever take you here?"

I shook my head. "We weren't really big on tools, remember? Everything Trinity taught focused on the Witch's mind and will, not on using stones or candles or whatever."

"But you use candles. And clearly, your mom used some tools."

I thought of the athame, abandoned in the museum in Athens. When Mom had given it to me, it was the first time I felt like I could actually handle being a Red. Losing it was like losing her again, only worse: it was as if I had let her down.

_I can't let her down any more than I already have_. Dead is a pretty big letdown.

When we turned into the drive for the store, I was surprised. I don't know what I'd been expecting—maybe a rambling farmhouse, like the one Dr. Farren's old Coven used to meet in. Whatever it was, I wasn't prepared for a small brick strip mall with a sandwich place and a tanning salon.

Three other cars were in the parking lot, and I wasn't sure where their drivers were; the windows of all the businesses were tinted, making it hard to see inside. Izzy led the way to the center door, where the name of the shop was discreetly stenciled in white paint. Tiny chimes rang above us as we filed in, and the smell of incense filled my nose.

Brad coughed. "We don't have to use that stuff to do magic, right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Haven't you done just fine without it so far?"

"But it might help. We're here to learn, remember." Izzy sounded exactly like a schoolteacher on a field trip, and I fought back a laugh.

"Where do we start?" Ben tucked his hands in his pockets and rocked forward on his toes.

I shrugged, eager to be alone in the shop. "Why don't we just look around? I need a knife, and maybe you guys will find something you want too."

Izzy drifted off first, and then Ben turned to a display of miniature fountains that lined the front window. Brad looked at me. I prepared myself for more accusations, but they didn't come.

"Why are you here?"

_Like I would tell you._ "Izzy invited me."

He eyed me sharply. "So Izzy wanting you to is enough to make you do something you don't want? I find that hard to believe."

I tried to look innocent. "I've never been here before. I was curious."

"What about the tools?"

"Like I said, not something I usually use when I do magic." I looked around at the shop. From outside, it seemed tiny, but it stretched back through two doorways, and I got the feeling the shop was much larger than it seemed. "But I'm interested to see what they have."

"Is this about Hecate?"

I glared at him. "What could I possibly do here that would have anything to do with her?"

Brad didn't answer, and finally he looked away. "So the world isn't ending yet?"

"I told you, I'm not discussing my choices with you."

"But you aren't going to do anything right now."

I nodded. "You're safe for today."

He didn't laugh, but he must have gotten fed up with me, because he moved away, leaving me standing at the front of the shop alone.

A woman appeared from the doorway on the left. "May I help you?"

I jumped, startled. "We're just looking."

She looked around the empty room. "We?"

"My friends already wandered through there." I gestured vaguely at the doors, and she nodded.

"Anything in particular I can help you find?"

I shook my head. "Just here to browse."

She cocked her head to one side as if she was listening to something. Her hair was streaked with gray, and it was cut in a cute pixie. Her dress, if that's what it was, was lavender; it hung off her body as if there weren't armholes or seams or anything, but she looked strangely comfortable. A clear crystal dangled from a copper wire around her neck. "You're looking for ingredients for a specific spell," she finally declared. Her voice was calm, but I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"Maybe." I didn't know I was until I spoke, but I felt a thrill of recognition at the word. "Yes. For a spell to summon Hecate."

The lavender-draped woman clicked her tongue. "That's a powerful force to work with."

"I know."

She studied my face and nodded slowly. "I believe you do."

I hesitated, wondering if Izzy or the twins were about to burst into the conversation and start arguing with me, but the shop was silent except for the trickle of running water from the fountains. I was alone with the intuitive Witch. "Can you help me with that spell?"

She sighed and fingered her crystal. "Tell me what kind of magic you practice."

I hadn't been expecting that. I shifted my feet. "Why?"

"I live by the Rede, and usually, I don't ask questions. This is a business, after all. But Hecate magic can turn dark fast, and it's hard to control. I just want to get a sense of you."

"What path do you follow?" I hoped my question would distract her.

"I follow the path of the earth."

"So you're a Green Witch?"

Her nose crinkled as she smiled. "You might say that. I tend to call myself a garden Witch."

Puzzled, I stared at her. "You don't know about color magic?"

Her eyes brightened. "Of course! Pink is for love, and yellow is for energy. Blue brings clarity, and purple is for psychic awareness."

I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"What kind of color magic did you mean?"

"The paths!" Her expression was blank, so I rattled off, "Green, White, Black, Blue, Yellow, and Red. The six magical paths."

The lavender woman shook her head. "I've never heard magic described that way."

Her words reminded me of the man in Athens, and I paused. "Where did you learn magic?"

"My mother taught me. I try to live in her tradition."

"So you never went to school?"

"Of course I went to school! I got my MBA at State." She stood a little taller, as if she was trying to impress me.

I shook my head. "But what about magical school?"

She snorted. "Like those kids in the wizard books?"

I rolled my eyes. "Something like that. Except real."

Her eyes widened. "There are real magic schools?"

I nodded. "I attended one for most of my life."

"And that's where you learned about the different paths of magic?"

_Sort of._ I nodded again, and she studied my face. After a moment, she smiled.

"Thank you for reminding me that I will never know everything." Her words would have been sarcastic coming from anyone else, but she sounded utterly sincere. She turned toward the left doorway. "About that spell?"

I looked at her in surprise. "You'll help me?"

"I sense that it's not your intent to do harm."

I shook my head fiercely. "I'm trying to undo some harm that I've caused."

She nodded again. "I think I have some oil that would be good for summoning Hecate energy."

"Summoning her energy?" I echoed dumbly as I followed the woman down a dimly lit hallway.

She chuckled. "Of course! You don't think that magic can ever actually summon the gods themselves? The most we can hope is for their energetic guidance."

_If only that were true!_ My first impulse was to correct her, but I forced myself to stay silent. The brand of magic this woman was describing was puzzling, but I didn't want to stand there discussing dogma. I wanted to move forward with my plan, and she might be able to help me. I wasn't going to risk that with an argument, so I just nodded.

The woman reached for a small, dark bottle. "This is Hecate oil. I brew it myself under the waning moon."

I took it from her. "What do I do with it?"

"Anoint your forehead or throw a few drops on your charcoal to create an incense."

"Okay." I eyed the bottle skeptically. Maybe the woman was right; I could never hope to contact a god just by using a little bit of perfume.

The woman folded her hands together in front of her chest in a prayer. "I hope you fix what you're trying to."

I mimicked her gesture. It was one I recognized from my mom's Sunday morning yoga classes, and I felt a familiar prick of pain when I thought about her. _Soon, she'll be back where she belongs._ I pushed the thought away and smiled at the woman. "Thanks."

She left me alone, and I browsed around a bit. The shop had a bizarre arrangement of things: it was part garden store, part hippy boutique, and part Witchy paradise. I stopped to examine a display of multicolored stones. There was a neatly labeled card beside the arrangement, listing the names of the stones and their properties.

Impulsively, I reached for a small blue square flecked with gold. The card said it was lapis lazuli, and that it was a good stone to carry for personal happiness and strength. For some reason, the stone reminded me of Izzy, and I decided to buy it for her.

When I finally headed to the register to pay for the oil and the stone, Brad and Ben were already paying for their purchases.

"What'd you get?" I nodded my head at the purple bags they were holding.

Ben grinned and started to open his bag. "I got this little dude. Isn't he cool?" He pulled a small stone dragon from the bag.

I nodded hesitantly. "What does it do?"

Ben glanced at the shopkeeper, and she smiled, pointing to the dragon. "It's a talisman. You can charge it with protective energies and then keep it with you."

"Cool!" Ben said again. He tucked the dragon away. "Show her what you got, Brad."

"Maybe later." Brad sidled closer to the door. "I'll meet you guys outside."

Ben shrugged. "Thanks again!" he called over his shoulder to the woman. She waved as the door chimed behind him.

I handed her the oil, and then I pointed to the stone. "I'd like to get this too."

"For your friend?"

I stared at her in surprise. "How did you know?"

Her smile was wide. "Just a feeling."

I hadn't looked at the price of the oil, and when she read my total to me, I stared at her in shock. Finally, I fished out my credit card and swiped it, trying not to look at the digits that flashed on the screen. After all this, I had to hope the oil would be worth the expense.

Izzy was sitting on the curb when I left the shop, but the twins were nowhere in sight.

"Where'd the boys go?"

She pointed to the restaurant. "They were both suddenly starving."

I laughed and sat down next to her. "I got you something."

Her face lit up. "Me too! Hold out your hand."

"You first."

She smiled. "Same time, how 'bout that?"

I nodded and passed her the stone as she dropped something smooth and cool into my left hand. After a moment, we both started to laugh uncontrollably.

"What's the joke?" Ben emerged from the sandwich shop carrying two large bags. Brad was close behind him.

I looked at Izzy, and we started to laugh harder. "Great minds think alike!" I finally choked out, holding the stone she'd given me.

The twins shook their heads, and Ben smiled gently. "You girls are cracked. Let's go."

Izzy and I were still giggling when we got into the car. It felt good to laugh; I'd almost forgotten what it was like to just be happy for a moment. _I'm lucky I met Izzy_ , I thought, sobering slightly. _Even if I won't have her for much longer._

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I turned the stone Izzy had given me over in my hands. We were sitting upstairs in my room, and things almost felt peaceful. After a burst of Izzy's happy Blue cleaning magic, the musty smell was replaced with something that smelled like my grandmother's laundry. It wasn't perfect, but it was so much more bearable now.

"What is it?" The red stone was thin, and it looked more like a piece of glass than a rock. It was smooth and round, with a small hole drilled in the top, as if the stone was meant to be worn on a chain.

"Carnelian. It's one of the stones people in ancient Egypt used to worship Isis, and the sign in the shop said it helps balance energy." She smiled at me innocently. "If anyone needs help with balance, it's you."

"Are you calling me unstable?" I tried to joke with her, but my voice held an edge. She heard it and scooted away.

"No. It just seemed like it was meant for you."

"So did the lapis. Like it was meant for you, I mean."

She nodded and grinned. "Funny thing. Lapis is another stone that's associated with Isis. I love it."

"Happiness, strength, and balance. No wonder you're always smiling. Your goddess was the first guru." I tucked the carnelian into the front pocket of my jeans. I figured I'd find a chain for it later.

Izzy beamed at me. "I'm glad you like her."

I hesitated. "I talked to her in Greece."

Izzy's eyes grew wide. "Before or after Set?"

"Before. She was trying to convince me to do something."

My friend sucked in her cheeks. "And did she?"

I shook my head. "No. But you're right. She's a really cool goddess."

She nodded. "I'm lucky she raised me. I couldn't ask for a better replacement mom."

Something Set had told me crept back into my memory. "Izzy," I began slowly, "you don't think Isis would ever try to turn you into a god or anything, do you?"

She laughed. "That's ridiculous! Gods and mortals don't mix that way, not even gods and Witches."

I nodded, but Set's words had made me wonder. I didn't want to discuss him with Izzy, though. We were almost having a normal day, and I didn't want to spoil that by telling her why Set had kidnapped her in the first place. _Maybe I'll tell her later... if there is a later to worry about_. "Never mind. It was a stupid question."

"You know there aren't stupid questions. People are stupid, not the questions."

I smacked her gently with my pillow, and she squealed and bounded across the room. "Don't you ever get tired of being so bright all the time?" I meant it as a joke, but my voice was bitter.

"What do you mean?"

I gestured to her. "You. You're always smiling, always helping, always happy. Don't you ever just want to take a break?"

She bit her lip. "Sometimes. But that's part of who I am."

"Because of the Blue magic."

"Because of me. I'd rather be happy than miserable, and I like to make people smile. Is that such a bad thing?"

I shook my head. "No, you're right."

Her face relaxed. "I'm glad you like the stone. What else did you buy?"

I looked at the bag on my dresser. "Just some oil."

"You didn't get another athame?"

In all honesty, I hadn't even thought to look for one. "I wasn't ready."

Izzy's expression softened. "I know you miss them, but they aren't really gone. Death is just another way of life."

"You say that like it's so easy."

She shrugged. "I have to believe something. I've lost too many people. If I didn't make it easy somehow, I think I would break."

I didn't want to tell her that I was already broken beyond repair. "You're a good friend." My voice was quiet, and Izzy gave me a quick hug.

"So are you."

I forced a smile. "I'm going to need to borrow the fire pit tonight."

If my abrupt change of topic surprised her, she didn't show it. "Of course. It's yours, anyway. The boys and I have just been keeping it warmed up for you."

"Speaking of which, what's going on with you and Ben?"

Izzy giggled and looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I rolled my eyes. "It's sort of obvious."

She pursed her lips like she wasn't going to say anything, but after a moment, the words tumbled out. "He's really cute and he's funny and he makes me laugh all the time."

"You already laugh all the time."

Her eyes were serious. "But this is more. This is special."

I looked at her earnest face. "Just be careful. Trust me; love can be tricky." My heart constricted, thinking about the mess I'd made of my own love life. _Who am I to give dating advice?_

Her starry-eyed expression was replaced with one of concern. "Have you heard anything from Justin?"

I shook my head and tried to keep my voice steady. "I sort of hoped they'd contacted you."

"No, nothing from either of them." She paused. "I'm sure we'd know if something had happened to them. I mean, Brad and Ben and I have been watching the news like crazy. Everything's been fine in India."

"Yeah." I couldn't ignore the gnawing sensation in my stomach, though. "We didn't really part on the best of terms. I hope—"

"He'll come home. They _will_ find the other Red, and then he'll be home and you can fix things between you once and for all."

I smiled at her sadly. "I don't know about that. I've done a lot of damage."

"But you love him, right?"

I shook my head. "I don't know anymore. I used to."

"That counts for something."

I didn't want to argue with her, and for some reason, the conversation was making me increasingly agitated. "Look, whatever will be will be."

She nodded. "And it will all be good."

If I have anything to say about it, it will.

I waited until Izzy and Ben had left to go to a movie. Brad hadn't come over, so I was alone in my parents' house. Even without him around, Brad's voice kept pushing into my thoughts, blaming me for the end of the world. Firmly, I imagined that a door in my mind had swung shut, blotting out his accusations. I hesitated, but my mind felt almost clear, and I sighed in relief. _The world isn't going to end, not if I can help it._

I took my time getting ready for the spell, walking slowly from room to room. If everything went well, I'd be back there again, living the last two years that had been stolen from me. If I screwed something up, I wanted to have at least said goodbye to the only home I'd ever known. Xerxes trailed after me, mewing pitifully, but when I knelt to scratch his head, he slipped off, and I completed my circuit of the house alone.

The rooms felt noticeably empty. I hadn't realized how much Izzy and the twins were keeping my loneliness at bay just by being around. Mom and Dad had filled the house with energy; not all of the memories I had of them were pleasant, especially not since I became a Red Witch, but they were all I had. "I'll bring you home," I whispered to the empty living room.

Taking the oil and a box of matches outside, I lifted the cover off the fire pit. I could have used Red magic to light it, like usual, but if I was really going to give it up, I figured I should get used to doing things without the familiar Red sparks. The moon was almost exactly half full, and it gleamed like a fake smile above me. It only took me three tries before the fire caught, and soon a large triangle of flame filled the fire pit.

I kicked off my shoes and sank my toes into the ground. The earth felt dry, like Set's desert, and I realized that it hadn't rained once since I'd returned from Scotland five months ago. We'd always had droughts in North Carolina, but I couldn't remember a summer that had been as hot as this one. I hoped the fire wouldn't get out of control without me there to tend it; I didn't need to add burning down the neighborhood to my list of crimes. It was bad enough what I'd done to Rochelle's house.

I struggled to calm my mind, pushing those thoughts aside. There would be time to worry about the harsh summer later, after all of this was over. And maybe the weather would get better, too, once things were back to normal. Taking three deep breaths, I forced my mind back to the dream where Hecate had promised me a do-over.

I unscrewed the oil and let three drops of it fall onto the fire. It sizzled and leaped, and a smell that was both sweet and rancid filled the air. For good measure, I rubbed another drop of oil on my forehead.

"Hecate," I called out, lifting my arms above my head, "I'm ready to meet you again."

Everything stood still. Even the fire seemed frozen in time, the flames caught in the midst of their wild dance. I held my breath, waiting, and I closed my eyes. The stillness surrounded me, and it was easy to imagine that I'd somehow stepped into another world. I hesitated, wondering how I'd know when it was all over. Would there be a big flash? Would Hecate actually show up, or would she just snap her fingers and send me back in time?

_Can it really be that easy?_ I stood there, eyes closed and arms raised, for I don't know how long. Finally, a familiar voice filled the darkness.

"She said I have to bring you to her alive. Pity, but at least _I_ know better than to argue with the Queen."

I inhaled sharply, but I forced myself not to use magic. Biting back my fear, I opened my eyes and faced Rochelle across the flames.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I swallowed nervously. "She sent you?"

Rochelle bowed mockingly. "I'm honored at her trust, really. And this gives me a chance to see you give up."

I bristled, but instead of lashing out, I walked around the fire toward her. Rochelle's face looked gaunt, and her eyes seemed wild. "You look good," I finally lied.

She laughed. "I look like shit. But at least I don't look as bad as you."

"It's good—" I paused. Why was I making small talk with her? It wasn't really good to see her, even though that was what I'd been about to say. I shrugged. "Let's get this over with."

She reached for my arm, digging her long black nails into my flesh. The world spun, and I was suddenly reminded of the way Marcus used to travel. When Rochelle let go of me, my stomach was reeling. "Oopsy daisy," she chirped, pushing me toward the ground.

I staggered to my feet, breathing deeply. I couldn't let Rochelle push my buttons. I was there to make a deal with Hecate, and if that meant dealing with my former best friend, so be it. I didn't want to risk pissing either of them off, so I gritted my teeth and forced a smile. "How did you learn that?"

"What, traveling?" She smiled meanly. "It's just like flying. You can only do it if you have no fear."

"It can't be that simple. Nothing is."

"Killing your parents was."

Anger surged through my body, and I fought back the impulse to incinerate her right then and there. I couldn't kill Rochelle. _In a few minutes_ , I reminded myself, _we won't be enemies anymore._ Would I even remember any of this, once it was all over, or would we go back to the way things were, before I declared to Red magic?

She cocked her head to one side, watching me struggle to gain control of myself. "You've come a long way, but you were never meant to be a Red. I'm honestly surprised you're still alive."

"I guess I'm just hard to kill. But then again, so are you." Now that I was calm, I looked around. We were in a dark passageway, and something told me we were underground. It didn't feel like the Underworlds I'd been to, but I could still tell we were under the surface of the earth.

Rochelle laughed. "You didn't try very hard."

"I only had the one chance."

"Actually, I gave you a second chance. Remember?"

I nodded, following her up the dark path. "But I was weak, and you would have won."

"If that stupid little Blue hadn't been there to help you."

"Why did you impersonate me, anyway?" I'd always wondered, but there'd never been time to ask. Rochelle and I hadn't exactly had a rational conversation since she betrayed me.

Her shoulders lifted in a slight shrug, but she didn't answer.

We walked in silence for a few minutes. I asked her another question that had been weighing on me. "Were your parents in the house that night?"

She whirled to face me so quickly that I walked into her. "Yes," she hissed, "and now they're gone."

_Oh, gods_. Guilt gnawed at me. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think— I didn't mean to do that. My magic gets away from me sometimes." _One more thing I can fix,_ I told myself, trying not to feel sick.

"Then you're clearly not fit to be a Red. You should have controlled yourself. They never did anything to you." Her words were biting, but instead of making me feel even guiltier, they made me mad.

"It was an accident! At least I didn't murder them in cold blood like you did to my parents."

She laughed mirthlessly and kept walking. "An eye for an eye, Darlena. You hurt those I love, and I'll make you pay."

"You don't love anyone." The words popped out without conscious thought, and I saw her stiffen in front of me.

After a pause, she answered in a silky voice. "Maybe not, but I sure enjoyed Justin putting his hands all over me. You've got great boobs, by the way. It was fun wearing your skin."

I made a sound halfway between a growl and a yelp, and Rochelle laughed again.

"Oh, didn't he tell you? Justin was really into me." She paused, and her lips curved up in a cruel smile. "You finally got laid, Darlena. Just thought you should know."

Rage boiled inside me, and I struggled to stay calm. "He told me nothing happened."

She looked over her shoulder and winked. "Then one of us is lying. Care to take a bet as to who it is?"

Red sparks danced on my skin, but I forced my hands to stay by my sides. "Why would you do that? Why are you trying to destroy me?"

She stopped. Slowly, she turned to face me. "Are you seriously that stupid?"

"Sure. Whatever, I'm stupid. But you're crazy. Why are you doing this?"

"Did you ever think," she hissed, "what it was like for me to be your friend?"

I stared at her, not understanding.

"To listen to the teachers praise you every week, to hear about your talent and your potential day after day after day?"

"It wasn't like that! I was in detention more than anywhere else at that school."

"Because you were wasting yourself. Didn't you ever wonder why I never seemed to get punished, but you were always in trouble?" She paused. "Because they cared about you more. Everyone always did."

"You're crazy." I stepped around her and kept walking down the dark tunnel, but her voice was close to my ear.

"Your parents worshiped you, and that boy would have done anything for you."

Her voice broke, and I stared at her, not understanding. "But you hate him."

"You've always been dense, Lena. No, I don't hate Justin." She paused, struggling with a range of emotions that flitted across her face. "I never hated him," she said softly. "But all he could ever see was you."

My mind spun. "Rochelle, I never knew—"

Her dark eyes turned cold again. "I never wanted you to know. I thought it was hopeless, but then Hecate popped up in your living room, and everything changed. At first, I thought he'd abandon you, that I'd finally have a chance to show him how to love a _real_ Witch, but no matter how awful you got, he stuck by you." Her voice faltered. "No one ever treated _me_ like that."

I swept my hand through the darkness. "Are you trying to tell me that all this chaos is because you had a crush on my boyfriend?"

"He isn't your boyfriend!" she spat, spinning away from me. "He deserves better."

Her words stung, but I shook my head. "Trying to destroy the world isn't better, Rochelle. Do you really think Justin could forgive you for everything you've done?"

"I never would have done it if he'd just picked me in the first place."

Stunned, I stared at her. _All this time I thought her anger was directed at me, but it was really focused on Justin?_ "You told me you hated him," I finally said. "What did you expect me to do?"

"Use your eyes, maybe. If you'd really cared, you would have gotten out of the way after the two of you broke up."

"Rochelle, you have to believe me when I say I didn't know." Impulsively, I reached a hand toward her.

"You had everything I wanted." She pulled away, and after a moment, the pain that had crossed her face melted into satisfaction. "But now I have everything you want. And you're about to give up."

I shook my head, torn between pity and anger. "You don't have anything, Rochelle. You'll never have Justin; he'll never forgive you for all this. Besides," I added, glaring at her, "you're not even a full Red Witch, like me: your magic is still Black."

She laughed. "You really don't get it, do you? That's what makes me so powerful. I can go anywhere and do anything. _Your_ magic is tied down by stupid territorial boundaries, but not mine."

"That's what you said in my dream," I began slowly. "After my parents died."

She grinned. "That's right. I can cause chaos in Raleigh any time I want." Rochelle paused, her eyes locked on mine. "I could even destroy a little village in India where a certain handsome young White Witch is hanging out right now."

I felt cold. "You wouldn't harm him." _Gods, would she?_

"Why not? If he doesn't want me now, maybe it's just because he has no idea how powerful I really am." She stretched her arms wide. "You can't stop me. And soon, you won't even be a Red. You'll never save him."

"Leave him out of this, Rochelle," I ground the words out, struggling not to blast her. "If you really want him, you'll have to fight fair."

She laughed. "You can't make me. Give up, Darlena. That's what you're here to do anyway, isn't it?"

Black smoke filled the tunnel, and I was blinded for a moment. I reached for Red magic, but I couldn't seem to grasp it; it was as if it had never been there. I'd had the same sickening feeling a couple of times before, after the nuclear disaster and when I blew up Rochelle's house, but it had never felt like this. I almost couldn't remember what Red magic felt like anymore. Panicked, I walked forward, but I stumbled over something and fell to the ground. As the smoke cleared, I pulled myself up to my knees and realized I was kneeling in front of Hecate.

Chapter Thirty

I scrambled to my feet, but just as I started to stand up, the air pushed me down.

"I like to see a Witch with humility. Stay there." Hecate's raspy voice was just as I'd remembered it, and I fought back a shiver. Even though my first impulse was to fight her, I gritted my teeth and bowed my head. _I can't piss her off now or she'll never let me go back._

Wind whipped around me, and I realized that we were no longer standing in the dark tunnel. Wherever Rochelle had been taking me, I'd arrived: the air was hot, and rough gravel littered the ground beneath my knees, jabbing into my flesh. I shifted uncomfortably, but that only seemed to make the pain worse.

"Where are we?"

Hecate's laugh was like rusty nails. "You are hardly in a position to ask questions, girl."

I looked around cautiously, but the wind wrapped around my head and jerked it back into place, forcing me to keep my eyes on the small, rocky square of ground in front of me.

"I need to know that they'll all be okay."

"You think this is a parlay?" Hecate's breath was warm on the back of my neck, and I suppressed a shudder at the thought of her looming over my prostrate form.

I inhaled, gathering my strength. "I have something you clearly want, or you wouldn't have offered me this bargain."

She laughed. "This is not a bargain. This is a last chance, Darlena. Surrender your magic, and I will graciously give you back the last two years of your life."

My mouth was dry, and I couldn't move my tongue.

She tapped my head with one of her sharp claws and I flinched. "Think of it, Darlena." She lowered her voice, her words seductive. "You will be a ripe beauty of sixteen again, with all your love and lust ahead of you. Not the ragged creature you've become."

"If I'm ragged, it's because of you." The words popped out unbidden, and I held my breath, waiting for her to kill me.

Instead, the goddess laughed. "I always liked your temper, Darlena. Do you remember when I told you that it would serve me well?"

Of course I remembered. I'd lost my temper with Hecate after I flipped over a car, killing two people, and the goddess had smiled like a snake. She thought I'd be a loose cannon, an uncontrollable force of chaos. I'd tried to fight against it, but in the end, she had been right. I'd done so much more harm than good ever since declaring to Red magic. "I remember," I said softly. "I'm surprised you do."

"There is nothing I do not know about you, child. Don't be surprised. I _am_ the Queen of Witches, after all."

I tried to nod, but the air still held my head tightly in place. Hecate kept talking.

"You have a chance to take my mercy, Darlena. Few mortals ever experience what you have known, and up 'til now, I've never offered any the chance to reclaim their lives."

Her words niggled at my brain, and I paused. "Why me?"

"Excuse me?"

I took a deep breath. "Why are you giving me this choice if it's not something you usually do?"

I heard the goddess step away softly, but I still couldn't move my head. Instead, I stared at the white stones on the ground. There was something naggingly familiar about them, but I couldn't figure out what.

"Do not question the gift of a goddess, girl. You've heard about gift horses and mouths, I trust?"

I didn't bother answering. "Will you release me? I don't like talking to the ground."

She clucked her tongue. "And I don't like arrogant Witches. Still, I suppose it does no harm."

I felt the pressure around me lift, and I moved my head cautiously from side to side. Sitting back on my heels, I looked around, and my heart stopped.

We were on a cliff overlooking a barren expanse of dirt and rock. The sky above us was unnaturally orange, as if there was a fire burning somewhere on the horizon. This was the scene of Hecate's triumph that I'd witnessed in my nightmare, the same mountaintop where she'd laughed as my friends were paraded by in chains. _Where they dragged Izzy's body._ I struggled to control my face, but luckily the goddess wasn't watching me.

I followed her gaze down the side of the cliff. Unlike in my dream, there was no chain of prisoners. What I saw was even worse.

There was an army of gods assembled beneath the mountain. I could make out Aphrodite's golden hair whipping in the wind, and Kali's many arms were impossible to ignore. There were hundreds more, gods I'd never met: a woman with the head of lion, a horned figure with black wings who looked like a gargoyle, a figure shrouded in black robes carrying a sickle like the Grim Reaper. But the one who pulled my eye was crouched in the middle of the group, his flaming hair like a beacon. Brad had been right: Loki was free again.

I made a choking noise, and Hecate glanced down at me. A slow smile spread across her face. "You've met some of my allies, I believe."

I nodded; I didn't trust myself to speak.

"So much power going to waste in the world." She shook her head sadly. "A bit like you, Darlena."

"What do you mean?"

"You could have been the greatest Red of all time. Instead, you've wasted the gifts I've given you and created a life of misery for yourself. But that will all be over soon."

A hunched man approached us, holding out a knife. He didn't look at me as he handed the blade to Hecate. When she unsheathed it, I jumped to my feet eagerly.

"That's my mother's. Where did you find it?"

Hecate smiled, but she didn't answer. "Your blood will undo your vow. Hold out your hand, Darlena."

I put both my hands forward, and I realized I was shaking. "Like this?"

She gestured with the knife. "Palms up."

I turned my hands, and I suddenly felt vulnerable. "You said you wouldn't harm me."

"Nor shall I. Just a small ritual shedding of blood to undo the promise you never really wanted to make in the first place."

She nicked both my wrists with the knife, but she was careful to cut away from the pulsing blue vein. I flinched and watched red blood well up on my skin. "Now what?"

"Darlena Agara." Her voice rang out over the cliff, carrying down to the assembled gods beneath us. I suddenly understood that she'd put me on display, and I stiffened my spine. "You stand at a crossing. Choose."

Her words echoed in my mind, and I realized she had said the same thing to me on the night I declared to follow Red magic. I swallowed nervously.

The familiar words washed over me. "A choice must be made. Once made, the path becomes your fate. Which will you walk?"

I stared at my own blood, feeling lightheaded. The wind whirled around me, and for a moment, it felt like I really was about to witness the end of the world.

Hecate's voice was harsh. "Do not waste this gift. Choose now."

I lifted my face and stared into her golden eyes. We locked eyes, frozen in time, but then, I felt myself start to smile. "I choose chaos." Tingles raced over my skin, but I stood a little taller.

The wind stopped. Nobody moved.

"I choose Red magic." I raised my voice louder, hoping the gods below me could hear every word. "And I will defeat you, even if it takes everything away from me. _That_ is my choice. I choose chaos."

Everything happened at once. Hecate snarled, "This will never be over!" and lunged for me, but I moved quicker. I lifted my hands and spun to the edge of the cliff, facing the cruel gods beneath me. Red magic coursed through me, and I threw my head back, enjoying the heady sensation of power.

"This is for my family!" I thrust my hands forward, and an avalanche of fire rolled down the mountain. I didn't stay to watch the chaos I had caused. Instead, I did the only thing I could think of: I ran forward and leaped off the cliff. Adrenaline rushed through me, but I wasn't afraid. I laughed.

_Rochelle was right; I just have to be fearless._ Hot air cushioned me for a moment, and I floated, flying over the burning mountain, but then everything went black.

Chapter Thirty-One

"That was ridiculously stupid. Brave, girl, but stupid."

The voice was familiar, but I didn't want to open my eyes. My body felt like one big sunburn: my skin was tight, and pain flared every time I shifted or breathed.

Someone set a cool cloth on my forehead, and I flinched.

"Oh, come on. If you're going to fly through fire, you have to expect to get burned."

I cracked one eye open. Set glared down at me.

"What happened?" My throat was dry, and my words were faint.

"Why don't you tell me?"

I started to shake my head but stopped at the pain that shot down my spine. "I don't know. It's fuzzy."

"You better believe it's fuzzy! What were you thinking, defying Hecate and setting yourself on fire?"

His words ran together in my head, and it took me a moment to sort out what he'd just said. "Setting myself on fire?"

Set nodded. "You're covered in third-degree burns. I've done my best to patch you up, but that's not really my expertise."

"But I don't remember fire. There was Hecate—" I sat up fast, and pain assaulted me. "Oh my gods. She didn't kill me?"

"Apparently not. But that doesn't mean you're safe. We need to get you home so you can regroup. Her army is still a threat."

I nodded, trying to ignore the pain the movement caused. "Okay." My brain was muddy. "Plane ticket and a passport?"

He smiled. "I was thinking something a bit more expedient than that."

Set stood up, and Isis stepped into view. Her wings were more shimmery than I remembered, and looking at her felt like staring at an optical illusion.

"Can you stand, Darlena?" Her voice was soft but firm, and I suddenly found myself filled with a desire to please her. I shook my head, clearing the spell, and I tested my legs. It took a bit of wobbling, and Set had to prop me up, but I finally managed to stay on my feet.

"Sort of." I tried to laugh, but my ribs hurt. I glanced down at my body, but I was wrapped in white linen bandages. I looked like an ancient mummy, and even though that was a little weird, I was momentarily grateful to not have to see the extent of my burns right away. "What happened to Hecate and the other gods?"

Set took a few steps back, glancing at his sister in disgust. "Whatever stupid stunt you pulled, kid, there will be time to worry about it later."

Isis nodded. "Right now, I just want to help you get home. Close your eyes, Darlena."

I started to obey, but I cracked my left eye open and looked at Set. "However you saved me, thanks."

He snorted. "You saved yourself. I just found you."

I hesitated. "Still, thank you. You didn't have to help me."

"I know. Maybe you'll return the favor." Set's canine face grinned, and I almost had the urge to play fetch with him. Almost.

"I don't know how."

"I'll think of a way. I don't leave debts unsettled, and you owe me one, Darlena."

I nodded, pieces of my broken memory sliding into place. "I flew."

"I know. It was impressive." He eyed me sharply. "Sure you don't want a patron? I'd be happy to have you."

Isis clucked her tongue in exasperation. "Now is not the time, brother." She looked at me, and I swayed on my feet. "Come, now. Let's get you home." She wrapped her shimmering wings around me, but instead of the blackout I'd been expecting, the world around us shifted and solidified into the night sky. It was vast and beautiful, and I started to smile.

I felt like I was standing in the planetarium in Chapel Hill, watching fake constellations rotate above me. "Are those really the stars?"

Isis laughed. "What else would they be?"

I tipped my head back and stared. The movement of the sky made me dizzy, but I had never seen anything so beautiful and clear. "Does it always look like that?"

"For me. The stars always shine brighter when I travel among them."

I grinned, forgetting my pain. "Of all the ways I've traveled lately, I think I like this the most."

She laughed again, a sound like bells. "Well spoken, for a mortal."

Her words dislodged a memory. I hesitated, but now might be my only chance to ask. "When Set helped me in the desert, he said something that I couldn't believe," I began, cautiously.

She snorted daintily. "My brother often says things that are unbelievable. That's the nature of chaos: lies and deceit."

I shook my head. "This was hard to believe, but it didn't sound like a lie. At least," I amended, " _he_ meant it."

"What did he say to you?"

I took a deep breath. "He told me why he kidnapped Izzy last year."

Her face darkened. "And what confession did he make?"

"He said he took her to keep you from turning her into a goddess and making her your daughter."

I waited for the goddess to laugh or tell me I was insane. Instead, she tightened her wings around me, blotting out the stars.

"I would be careful which things you repeat, Darlena." Her voice was soft, but there was a sharpness to her tone that frightened me. "Especially the words of an insane god like Set."

I nodded at her. "And I would hope that you, of all people, er, gods," I stumbled, "would know better than to mess with the natural order. We don't want things to dissolve into chaos, do we?"

We stared at each other, at a stalemate, and Isis never took her eyes off me when she finally said, "Remember, child, that you do not have say over all things. There are still the gods, Darlena."

"I wouldn't want it any other way. I just wanted to know if you were really thinking of doing something like that."

Isis didn't answer, and her dark eyes glittered, warning me not to say any more. I dropped it, and we flew through the stars in silence. At some point I must have fallen asleep, because eventually I woke up to the strange sensation of being gently rocked.

Isis was cradling me in her wings. "You should be awake when you arrive. There will be much explaining for you to do."

I nodded. "A cup of coffee would help."

She smiled. "Even my powers are limited. But I can drop you off at a shop before I take you home."

I thought of the coffee shop near my old school. Rochelle had burned it to the ground when all this started, and no one had bothered to rebuild on the barren lot. "No, thanks. Home is a good place to start."

She nodded. "Home is always the start." Her wings brushed against my cheeks as she set me on the ground. "Remember, Darlena," she cautioned before she lifted into the sky. "Not all gods are truth tellers. Make your own decisions."

"That's what I'm trying to do." I paused, and then I smiled at her. "Thank you for bringing me back."

She nodded. "I think we may meet again." With that, she vanished in a shimmer of rainbow light. It was like watching a beautiful bubble pop: everything faded a little bit once she was gone.

Isis had dropped me on the street in front of my house. I stared up at it, and for the first time since I'd faced Hecate, I felt a sliver of doubt. Had I really done the right thing? I'd given up my only chance to start over, and that meant I'd really lost my parents.

Before those thoughts could take hold, the door of the house opened, and Izzy rushed out. The twins were close behind her, and they were all smiling like they'd won the lottery. I barely had time to hold up my arms before Izzy launched herself at me. I braced myself for the pain of pressure on my burns, but nothing happened. I looked down in surprise: my bandages had vanished, and there didn't even seem to be any scars. Awkwardly, I hugged Izzy back, whispering a silent thank you to Isis for healing me.

Izzy hugged me tight, and Ben threw his arms around both of us. Even Brad patted my shoulder.

"What's the big deal?" I tried to act incensed, but I was smiling too. Fit to burst, my dad would have said.

"I was so sure you were going to turn yourself over to her. I thought you'd given up!"

I shook my head. "It wasn't ever about giving up. I was going to try to get a do-over."

Izzy's eyes widened. "You seriously thought she'd let you take it back? I don't believe you!"

"It's true. But at the end, I couldn't do it."

Brad sighed and turned to Ben. "I owe you five bucks."

His brother nodded, and Izzy and I gaped at them.

"You guys were betting on her?"

Ben looked sheepish, but Brad nodded. "Right. On whether my visions were right or not." He smiled at me. "I'm glad I was wrong."

_You were almost right_. I didn't want to tell them how close I'd come to giving up, and luckily they didn't ask. Izzy was more interested in what I'd actually done rather than what I'd planned to do.

"What did Hecate say to you?"

I looked at my wrists. Dried blood still caked the two slashes, a visible reminder of my ordeal. "She asked me to choose my path. And I told her that I choose chaos."

They were silent for a minute. Finally, Ben asked, "So we're still fighting against Hecate?"

"You don't have to. But I'm still going to try to bring balance to chaos. I don't want to let the gods end the world."

Izzy smacked my arm. "Of course we have to! We're all in this together."

The boys nodded, and tears welled up in my eyes. "I don't think I deserve your help, but thank you."

Brad grinned wickedly. "At last, she learns a little humility!"

Ben laughed, and Izzy sighed. "You two are worse than children sometimes."

"Aw, you know you love us." Ben's eyes sparkled, and Izzy smiled up at him.

"Whatever." She gave him a playful shove, and he folded her into a hug. They headed toward the house.

I started to follow them, but Brad touched my shoulder. "I'm glad you chose to keep fighting. I don't think we would stand a chance without you."

"I wasn't going to." For some reason, I felt compelled to be honest with him.

"I know."

"But then I realized where she'd brought me. I'd seen it before, in a dream."

His brow creased. "Why would a dream make you change your mind?"

I took a ragged breath. "It was a dream of the end of the world. Hecate was victorious, and you were all prisoners. But I wasn't there." I didn't mention that in the dream I had been Hecate.

Brad's eyes widened. "Was the sky orange?"

I stared at him in surprise. "How did you know?"

"That was one of the visions I had. It was why I was trying to talk to you before you left."

I shook my head. "Everybody tried to talk to me. I didn't realize until I was there."

Brad hugged me awkwardly. "Like I said, I'm glad you made the right choice."

It was more than just the end of the world that decided me, but I didn't want to tell Brad about the conversation with Rochelle. That wasn't something I was ready to discuss with anyone yet. _If she was willing to risk everything to get what I have_ , I reminded myself as I walked inside, _my life must be pretty special, even with all the chaos._

Chapter Thirty-Two

Things settled into an easy rhythm. Izzy and I worked with the twins to teach them magic each day, and whenever we could stand the heat, we had a fire. Most of the time, we didn't worry about continuing the lessons around the fire: we just wanted to roast s'mores and talk. Brad and Ben went home around eleven each night, and Izzy and I said good night to each other by twelve. She had moved out from the cot in my room into the guest room, and although I missed the company, it was nice to finally have some time alone.

Every day, we poured over international news sites, looking for Rochelle's next disaster. I finally told Izzy that I'd seen Rochelle, but I didn't give her all the details of the encounter. What worried me enough to share it, however, was the fact that Rochelle seemed to know where Justin and Dr. Farren were.

"I'd feel a lot better if we'd heard anything from them, but it's been two months without a word!" June was hotter than the spring, if that was even possible, and Izzy and I were sucking on Popsicles, trying not to drip on the keyboard as we did our daily news roundup.

She fanned herself with the mouse pad. "I know, but there hasn't been any bad news in India. We have to keep assuming that they're okay."

I stared at the computer screen. Destruction and tragedy were always in the headlines, but nothing seemed related to Rochelle. It was just the average amount of chaos. "Still. It feels weird."

She smiled at me sympathetically. "I know you miss him, but it'll all work out. You have to keep believing that."

"I know. I do believe it. I just feel like we can't move forward until we know what they've found."

Izzy shrugged. "It'd be nice to wait, but I don't think we should." She gestured to the computer. "There's a lot of chaos in the world, and we haven't done a thing to stop it."

I sighed and turned the monitor off. "I know. I guess I keep waiting for a miracle or something."

"We've gotta make our own miracle."

I paused, considering. "Well, it's hurricane season again. That's been a good time for me to work in the past."

Izzy smiled. "So what are you waiting for? A sign from the gods?"

She was right. That evening, I locked myself in my room with my old atlas and some red spell candles. I thought about the hurricane that I'd turned back the first summer I became a Red, but I didn't want to do the same thing. Energy has to go somewhere, and I wasn't sure what harm I'd caused to the weather patterns by destroying that hurricane.

Instead, I focused on the East coast. I traced my finger down the continent, looping around the Caribbean. Slowly, I built a shield along the coastline, strengthening it with my energy until the red candle burned out. If it worked, hurricanes would still form this season, but none of them would make landfall.

I tumbled into bed, not bothering to put away my atlas. The magic had sapped my strength, and I felt heavy and leaden. As my eyes closed, I mouthed, "I hope it works" to the dark room.

The next morning, I was surprised to wake up exhilarated. Usually, magic left me drained and fried for a day or more, and the spell I'd done hadn't been easy. Still, I was up before Izzy, and she was usually a disgusting morning person.

I brewed a pot of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table, and I had a flash of memory of sitting there with my parents. Mom was smiling over a mug of tea, and Dad was ranting good-naturedly at the newspaper. It could have been any morning in my life, but instead of choking up, the memory brought a sad smile to my face.

"I miss you guys," I whispered.

"They miss you too. But death is just another part of life."

I looked up at the dark-haired goddess. The morning light illuminated her from behind, and she glowed like a church painting.

"I was wondering when I'd see you again."

Persephone pulled out a chair and sat across from me. "Care to share that coffee?"

I looked at her, surprised. "I didn't know gods drank coffee."

"When we have to be up traipsing around the world in the wee hours of the morning, we do."

I laughed, and then got up to fill a second mug. She accepted it gratefully and took a long swallow.

"So," I began, "how do you know my parents are okay?"

"Death isn't the end of life, Darlena. It's just another journey. They were good people, so of course they're doing well."

"But my father—"

The goddess smiled slightly. "Hades told me about your explosive visit. Your father has been, well, transferred."

"Transferred?"

"I exerted my influence to have him moved. He is now in my husband's realm, with your mother."

I stared at her. "He's not in Purgatory anymore?"

She nodded. "It didn't seem fair, and I talked it over with Hades once he cooled down." She laughed. "I must say, you had him angrier than I've ever seen."

I blushed. "I said some things that would have pissed anyone off."

She reached her hand toward mine and gave me a gentle squeeze. "But actions speak louder than words. And your actions righted a number of wrongs."

"I hope so. It still feels like I may have made the wrong choice."

"But you stuck with the choice you made. Whether it was a mistake or not, you took responsibility, Darlena. That was very brave."

I was saved from having to answer by a sharp squeal at the door of the kitchen. Izzy stood in the doorway grinning. There was a pause, and then she launched herself at the goddess. Persephone patted her back gently, smiling.

"How are you? I thought Darlena chased you off for good."

I rolled my eyes at Izzy, and Persephone laughed indulgently.

"She tried. But for some reason, I find that I have loyalty to this Witch."

Her eyes held mine, and after a moment, I nodded once. "I guess I do, too."

Izzy looked back and forth between the two of us. "Wait. Are you saying you're actually ready to take a patron?"

Even though I'd learned there were more ways to be a Witch than I'd ever imagined, I was tied to Red magic by my own choices, and with it, I felt pulled to Persephone. _And_ , I realized, _I don't want to be alone anymore._ I nodded again, more slowly this time, and I never broke eye contact with the goddess. "If the offer still stands."

Persephone rose and spread her hands. "If that's what you truly wish."

Izzy clapped her hands in delight. She stopped quickly, looking embarrassed, but Persephone didn't laugh. Neither did I.

"All right," I said suddenly. "I'll do it."

The goddess smiled. "Hold out your hands."

I did, and in an instant, a single red pomegranate appeared between them. I grabbed it before it slipped to the floor.

"Cut the fruit, and eat three seeds."

I glanced around. "Izzy, can you hand me a knife?"

Persephone touched my shoulder gently. "Check your pocket."

I stared at her like she was insane, but I stuck my left hand in my back pocket. My fingers froze. "What the—"

"You reclaimed it when you took your fate from Hecate. It's yours by right."

I barely heard the goddess. I was staring at my mother's dagger, sheathed neatly as if it had never been gone. I pulled the blade out and swallowed. My blood was still dried along its razor-sharp edge.

Persephone pointed wordlessly to the fruit between my hands. The pomegranate was tough, and I had to bear down with a lot of force to cut through the skin. Once the cut was made, however, the knife slid smoothly through and grazed my palm. Ignoring the pain, I pulled the rind apart.

Red seeds were bursting at the seams of the pomegranate, waiting to explode in my hands. I plucked three seeds and looked up at the goddess.

"That's it? Just eat three seeds?"

She nodded. "Eat the seeds, and be prepared to accept the consequences of your actions."

I chuckled dryly. "Looks like I'll be getting a lot of practice at that from now on." I swallowed the seeds. It felt like I should say something, too, and after a moment, I spoke. "I take you as my patron, Lady of Flowers, and I will stand by the consequences of my deeds."

She nodded, unsurprised. "I accept you, Darlena Agara, and I, too, will stand by the consequences of my actions."

Red sparks descended over us like pixie dust, and Izzy gasped in wonder. My skin tingled, but instead of feeling different, I felt like myself for the first time in months.

After a moment, I grinned, and Persephone smiled broadly at me. Izzy clapped her hands, laughing.

"That was beautiful!" She hugged me, and then bowed to the goddess. "I'll let you two talk. I know how special it is to have a patron." She skipped from the kitchen, and I smiled after her.

Persephone nodded. "Come." She linked her arm in mine and led me to the dining room. "I think, little Witch, that you have much to tell me. But for now," she squeezed my arm gently, "I am glad you are back."

"Me too." I took a deep breath, ready to tell her all that had happened, but she shook her head.

"As I said," she spoke softly, "your actions spoke louder than your words."

I nodded at her, grateful that she wasn't going to make me relive my ordeal just yet.

"And Darlena," she added as she started to fade, "I never doubted that you would make the right choice. And it _was_ the right choice. Trust yourself."

Chapter Thirty-Three

"Darlena! You'd better get in here!" Ben's voice was sharp, and I rushed into the living room.

"What is it?"

He pointed to his laptop, where a news video was streaming. "—off the coast of India," the reporter was saying.

My heart crashed into my ribs. "What happened?"

Izzy rested her chin on Ben's shoulder. "A massive quake." Her voice was trembling.

"Bigger than the one that caused the tsunami a few years ago. Asia is effectively screwed." Brad grabbed the computer from his brother and began searching through news articles.

"Oh, no." I sank down on the ottoman. "That means Justin and Dr. Farren—"

"We don't know what it means," Ben offered reasonably.

His brother snorted. "We know there's probably already a massive wave headed for the southeast coast of Asia." He typed something and frowned. "Look at how much damage the last tsunami caused."

Brad turned the computer around to face us, but I looked away. Images of total devastation scrolled across the screen, and I clenched my fist. "Rochelle can't do this."

Ben patted my arm. "We don't know for sure if it was her."

I shook my head. "I'm sure it was her. She threatened to do something in India. I didn't listen."

Izzy nodded. "You did listen. But India isn't your territory; there's nothing you can do."

"Um, guys," Brad spoke softly from across the room, but I ignored him.

"There has to be a way to do more than I've been doing!"

Ben shrugged. "We haven't been hit by a hurricane yet this summer, and neither has anybody else. That seems like a lot to me."

Izzy nodded. "You can only control one-third of the global chaos, Darlena. Remember that."

"Guys!" Brad's voice was more insistent, and we all looked at him. "Check this out."

He passed the computer back to me, and I skimmed the breaking news report. I stopped reading, confused. "Does this say what I think it says?"

"'Swallowed up, as if it never existed,'" Izzy read over my shoulder. She looked up at me, her eyes bright.

Ben scratched his head. "What's going on?"

"'The tsunami,'" I read aloud, "'vanished.'"

"How is that even possible? Are you sure it just didn't start to begin with?"

I shook my head and pointed at the blurry photos that accompanied the short news bulletin. "That's a picture of the wave that someone snapped a few minutes after the quake. And that," I pointed to the second image of a placid sea, "is what just happened."

"So the tsunami just disappeared?" It was clear that Ben still didn't get it, but before I could explain, Izzy leaped up and hugged me.

"He did it! He found the other Red!"

I squeezed her back. "It sure looks like that!"

Ben's expression cleared. "You think Justin and Dr. Farren found the other Red?"

I nodded. "Only a Red could stop chaos like that. They must have found her!"

Brad let out a whoop and stood up. "This calls for a celebration!"

Izzy kissed Ben quickly. "We're doing it! We're beating chaos."

I grinned at the ceiling. "Now it's two-thirds of the world, Rochelle!"

Thunder rumbled above the house, and we all jumped. But then a metallic drumming sound started, and I rushed to the door.

"Rain!" Sure enough, silver droplets were racing to the ground, and the sky was inky. "That wasn't Hecate warning us." I laughed giddily. "It's really raining!"

I spun around in a circle on the lawn, and Izzy came out to join me. She grabbed my hands and twirled me, and I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the breeze and the cool rain on my face.

"I think we're winning!" Izzy said breathlessly as she let go of my hands.

I grinned at her. "I think you're right."

It was still raining softly the next afternoon when I walked downtown to a little strip mall by myself. A large painted eye stared at me from the doorway, but when I walked into the shop, it seemed deserted.

"Hello?"

"With you in a minute!" a voice called from around the cubicle-looking wall standing in the back on the room. I hesitated, shifting on my feet while I looked around.

A young man came out from behind the wall first, fiddling with the square of gauze that covered his forearm. A woman emerged behind him. She was plainly dressed, and she wasn't wearing any jewelry, which sort of surprised me.

"Keep it clean. Remember to run hot water on it as soon as you get home. Peeling is normal, but call me if you're worried." She took the cash he held out, counted it once, and smiled.

After the young man had left, she turned to me. "How can I help you?"

I took a deep breath. "I'd like to get a tattoo."

She was still smiling, but she squinted her eyes and looked at me. "Do you have parental consent?"

My heart thumped for a moment, and a bubble of grief threatened to overwhelm me. "I—"

"Sorry I'm late." I hadn't even heard the door to the shop open, but I recognized the voice.

I turned to look at Persephone, and I froze. She was wearing a gray skirt and a ruffled white blouse. She looked more like a corporate ladder climber than a goddess, and I was stunned. She winked at me and then leaned forward to shake the tattoo artist's hand. "I'm her guardian."

The woman nodded. "There are some forms to sign, for both of you." She eyed the goddess cautiously. "Did you say you were her mother?"

"Legal guardian. Her folks are dead, but her mom and my mom were close." She tapped the leather briefcase she carried under one arm. "I've got the documentation to prove it if you need to see it."

The woman nodded and handed me a clipboard while Persephone pulled the mysterious paperwork out of her bag. Whatever it said appeased the woman, because she turned to me and said, "While she's filling these forms out, let's talk about what you want. Do you have any other tattoos?"

I shook my head.

"Why did you decide to get one now?"

"I wanted to mark a big transition in my life."

She nodded, throwing a glance at Persephone, and I could almost read her thoughts. "What did you have in mind?"

I pulled the printout from my back pocket and handed it to her. Her eyes widened briefly, and I explained, "It's the Lorenz attractor."

"I know what it is. Chaos theory and all that, right?"

I nodded. "I want something like that."

"You want an image of chaos permanently inked on your skin?"

I pointed to the top of my foot. "Yes. To remind me that even when I'm walking through chaos, I still have control."

Her face softened. "How long have your parents been gone?"

"A few months."

She nodded, looking at the butterfly-like image I'd handed her. "Let me see what I can do. Are you ladies in a rush?"

Persephone shook her head. "Take your time. I know she wants this to be perfect." She sat down next to me on a narrow bench, and the woman disappeared behind the wall. The goddess didn't say anything, but she reached over and squeezed my hand. I squeezed back, grateful that she was there. My palms were sticky, and I realized that the idea of getting a tattoo was making me nervous.

The woman was back in no time. "Check this stencil and tell me if it will work."

She'd simplified the complex image down to something that almost looked like a butterfly or a figure eight but didn't quite look like either one. I nodded eagerly. "That's perfect."

"I'll be here waiting." Persephone smiled at me encouragingly as I followed the woman behind the wall.

"Hop up there for me." She patted a chair that looked disturbingly like a hospital examination table. "Do you just want the outline of the shape, or would you like to add a little color?"

"Whatever you think, I guess."

"An outline will be cheaper."

I smiled at her honesty. "Then let's just do an outline."

She pulled up a stool and sat down. "Which foot?"

"My right."

She pressed the stencil on top of my foot. When she peeled it away, ink marked the outline of the tattoo. "This feels different for everyone. But I should tell you that the top of your foot might be a painful spot."

"That's okay. I want it there."

She nodded and grabbed her needle.

It did hurt. A lot. It was like scraping a razor blade across my foot over and over again. I gritted my teeth at the pain, but she was done faster than I thought possible. She blotted the blood with a gauze pad, and then taped a fresh one across my foot.

"It'll peel, so don't pick at it. Keep it clean, and read this." She handed me a pamphlet as she helped me off the table. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt too much to stand on my foot, but I winced anyway.

"Thanks." I handed her fifty dollars, and she smiled.

"Call if there's anything about it worrying you." She patted my shoulder. "And keep walking through the chaos."

I nodded, but then I paused. "How did you know the symbol?"

She shrugged. "I studied physics in college."

"You did?" I blurted, looking around the tattoo parlor. Immediately, I flushed, but luckily, the woman just laughed.

"Yup. Gotta do what you love, even when it changes."

Persephone smiled. "And even when it doesn't," she said softly. The goddess held the door open for me, and I waved at the woman before following my patron onto the street.

Once we were outside, I paused. "I never thanked you," I began.

"You don't need to."

"I need to for this. For saving my dad."

She inclined her head. "It wasn't just for you. Your mother is happier now, and that makes my mother very happy."

Tears pricked my eyes. "Could I visit them sometime?"

Persephone faced me. "Darlena, sometimes it's better to move on. Most mortals never go to the Underworld until death comes for them."

I looked away.

She put her hand under my chin and lifted it. "I'll watch over them. And I'll watch over you." She laughed. "Consider me your go-between."

I nodded sadly. "We're all lucky to have you."

Persephone nodded. After a moment, she took a deep breath. "I think you should go back to school."

I stared at her in surprise. "Where did that come from?"

"Not Trinity. You're done there."

"Tell me about it," I muttered under my breath.

The goddess smiled. "I'm talking about college."

I looked at her blankly.

"You'll be eighteen in August. It's time to move on."

I paused, considering. _Maybe it is_. "Isn't it too late to apply anywhere?"

She smiled gently. "You're a Witch. It's never too late."

I nodded hesitantly, but then I realized something. "There's no way to pay for it. Don't most kids need their parents to sign on loans?"

Persephone's lips twitched. "Like I said, I'm the go-between. Your parents left a will, Darlena."

I just looked at her.

"They wrote it up when you were born. It's very simple, really. All their assets reverted to you upon their death."

Her words tumbled through my mind. "So, what, does that include the house?"

She nodded. "Everything they owned is now yours. I'm sure you'll find it easy to go to college."

"Wow." I paused. "I feel like Pippi Longstocking."

Persephone wrinkled her nose. "I don't know who that is."

"Just a kid who owned a house when her dad died." I frowned, suddenly wondering if the storybook character might have been a Witch too. Persephone misinterpreted my confused expression.

"I know that you will continue to mourn them, but you must also think about your life. Where will you go from here?"

I stared up at the sky, letting raindrops fall into my eyes. Finally, I shrugged. "I don't know. But I have some time to think: the summer's barely started."

"Just as long as you start thinking about it."

"They really left me everything?"

She nodded. "Everything."

"I did always sort of want to go to UNC," I began.

Persephone faded into the rain with a smile on her face. I walked the rest of the way home lost in thought, turning over the possibilities that the goddess had presented.

A battered postcard was waiting for me in the mailbox when I got home. The edges looked like they'd been chewed on by a mouse, but the picture on the front made my heart race. I recognized the white towers and dome of the Taj Mahal.

When I flipped it over, I realized my hands were shaking. I read the short message three times, and then I let out a shriek of delight.

"Darlena, Found her. All is well. We're coming home."

_Home_. I pressed the postcard to my heart and raced inside to tell Izzy everything.

###
Now that you've finished the Red Magic series, I'd love it if you'd leave a review on your favorite retailer's website. Please spread the word about these books, and thank you for joining me on this journey!

And if you're in the mood for another magical series, check out CURSE OF STONE, book one of _Counting Curses._ Keep reading for a look at Julia's story!

### CHAPTER ONE

"Julia, un momento!"

Julia paused, shifting her bag on her shoulder. She really didn't feel like talking, but it was impossible for her to be intentionally rude. "What is it?"

Giuseppe pulled a rose out from behind his back. "A beautiful lady deserves a beautiful flower, no?"

She hesitated. Her middle-aged super had been sort of hitting on her ever since she arrived in Rome six months ago, but the fact that he was married and had three kids had made her feel like it was only moderately creepy. But a rose? "No, thanks, Gio."

His smile fell, but his words were warm. "But you need something to brighten you up."

"Do I look depressed to you?"

After studying her for a moment, he nodded, and Julia cringed. "You work all the time. Always study, study, never play."

She shrugged, pretending nonchalance. "That _is_ why I'm here, remember."

"Other students know how to smile."

With a sigh, Julia reached for the rose. She brought the bloom to her face and inhaled theatrically, but she was surprised when the familiar scent really did bring a smile to her face. "Okay, fine. See, I'm smiling."

Giuseppe grinned at her, flashing the gold tooth in the front of his mouth unselfconsciously. "That's more like it. Now maybe the flower will lead you to a little romance."

"I thought it was the other way around; romance brings flowers, right?"

He waggled his eyebrows. "Does that mean that to you I wear the face of romance?"

Julia rolled her eyes. "'Night, Gio. Thanks for the flower."

"Ciao, bella! Remember to smile more often!"

_If only it were that easy_ , she thought as she trudged up the stairs to her small apartment. _It's been a long time since anything made me smile._ One of the reasons she'd signed up to spend a year in Rome was because everyone at the study abroad office had said it was the best place on earth, but so far, she wasn't enamored with the city. Rome was smelly and dirty, and the jumble of tourists and hawkers made the city streets anything but peaceful. Then again, it wasn't like she had anywhere else she was yearning to go, so she tried not to hold it against the city.

Dropping her keys on the table, Julia tossed her heavy bag on the end of her bed. Sure, Rome was the best place to study art and history, and she was earning credit for all of the courses she was taking, but after half a year of living abroad, Julia would have happily traded all the credit and enriching experiences for some peace and quiet.

She pressed her palms against her eyes. There was no point wasting time being homesick; she had work to do. With a sigh, Julia put the rose in a glass of water and then pulled her textbooks out of her bag. Turning the coffee pot on, she settled in at the small kitchen table, trying to memorize the names of the different Renaissance artists she knew she'd be tested on in class next week, but her focus wasn't there. Her passion and enthusiasm, already worn thin after the events of the previous year, had completely deserted her after the first week in Rome, and she was secretly counting down the days until she could leave.

True, spending New Year's in Rome had been pretty spectacular. Her roommate, Kai, had forced her to go out with a group of students, and Julia had actually had fun. The streets were packed with people, and everyone seemed in a wonderful mood. It had almost made Julia happy to be there, and she'd resolved to perk up for the rest of her time in the Eternal City, but her attitude adjustment fractured as soon as the second semester started up. Now that it was almost February, Julia's mood was frosty again.

"Knock, knock!" Kai called from the hallway, and Julia closed her book in relief.

"In here."

Kai poked her head around the corner, her spiky teal hair looking even more wild than usual. "I sort of hoped you were out."

Julia's face fell. "Sorry if I'm in the way."

"No, that's not what I meant!" Kai crossed the room and grabbed a mug, draining the coffee pot. "I just sort of hoped you'd be out having fun or something."

Julia sighed. "This year has been a pretty big mistake."

"So change it."

Julia looked at Kai, studying her roommate's open face. Even with the funky hair and the Monroe piercing hovering over her lip, Kai was the nicest person Julia had ever met, and she felt guilty for dumping her problems on her roommate but there was no one else to confide in. "I just don't know about anything anymore," she said after a moment's hesitation.

Kai grinned. "That means you're ready for something new. Like an adventure."

Julia grimaced. "Coming here was supposed to be my adventure."

"And you've still got, what, five months left? Who's to say your wild Roman times are behind you?"

"What do you think is going to happen? I mean, I go to class, I come home and study, and then I pass out."

Kai reached over and plucked the textbook off the table. "Question. And I want an honest, gut reaction, answer. Don't think."

Julia nodded slightly.

"Why are you here, Julia?"

"Because I didn't know what else to do."

The words hung in the air for a moment, and Julia swallowed.

"I mean," she continued, not watching Kai, "I'll be done with my coursework once I get home. Then it's just student teaching, and graduation." She paused. "It felt like it was now or never if I wanted to study abroad," she finished lamely.

"But it seems like a waste, Jules. You're miserable here; why'd you pick Rome, anyway?"

"All the art," Julia began, faltering.

Kai shook her head. "I know you keep saying you want to teach art, but girl, I've never seen anyone so bored with her homework."

Julia shrugged. "My mom always wanted to see Rome," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper.

A dark cloud passed across Kai's face. "I'm sorry, Jules, I didn't know."

Julia looked away, trying to keep her eyes from filling with tears. "It's okay. Sort of a stupid reason to do something, right?"

Kai shook her head. "No," she said softly, "it's a great reason. But would your mom really want you to be miserable?"

The words slipped out before she could stop them. "Believe me, this isn't anything new."

There was a pause, and then Kai got up and put her arms around her roommate. "She wouldn't want you to torture yourself, Jules. It's okay to be happy."

A sob welled up in Julia's throat, and she sniffed against Kai's shoulder. "I know. It's just, nothing seems like it matters now."

Kai squeezed her. "But you matter. You need to figure out a way to keep living."

Julia didn't say anything. How could Kai possibly understand? Both her parents were alive and well in New Jersey. They called once a week, and Kai adored them. Of course Kai would think it was easy to just keep living, but ever since her mom's fatal diagnosis of cancer two years ago, Julia had just sort of accepted the fact that her life was over. She skipped a semester of school to care for her mom, but that hadn't mattered in the end. When they were lowering her mom's casket into the cold, dark earth, Julia had felt like her own life was over.

Kai let go of her and sat back. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pestered."

Julia shrugged.

"Do you want to talk about her?" Kai asked softly.

_What was there to say?_ Of course she did; she wanted to talk about how her mom loved mocha everything, both the color and the flavor, and how she'd been the coolest single parent when Julia was in high school, never grounding her for anything. She longed to tell someone that her mom's favorite color had been robin's egg blue, and that she hoped people were right when they said that Julia looked like her. But she hadn't been able to form the words once in the year since her mom passed, and slowly, Julia shook her head.

"No. But thanks. I'm sorry for dumping on you."

Kai shrugged slightly. "It's okay." She paused, and an uncomfortable silence settled over them.

That was another reason Julia never talked about her mom. People always got weird, sooner or later, and she hated the sympathy and awkward stares that accompanied any conversation about her. It was better to just keep her mouth shut. Forcing a smile, Julia tapped her textbook. "I've got to get back to work."

Kai nodded, but her face looked pained. "Do you want to go out to dinner later?"

"Nah. Thanks, though."

"I just feel like I need to make it up for you; I'm sorry for putting you in a shitty mood."

Julia shook her head. "You didn't do anything, Kai. It's okay; seriously."

"I still think you're going to need to eat. Why not come out with me?"

Julia glanced at the kitchen window. The sun would be setting soon, but it was only about five o'clock, and most of the restaurants nearby wouldn't open until seven or later. "I don't know. Maybe if I get enough work done."

"If you're not careful, you'll work yourself to death!" Kai cringed as soon as the words left her mouth. "I didn't mean that."

"I know." Julia struggled to keep her expression neutral. "Let me study, okay?"

Kai nodded as she left the kitchen. "But think about dinner!"

Julia shrugged, focusing on the book in front of her. "Maybe."

_Not likely_. Julia sighed softly when she heard Kai close the bathroom door down the hall. "What's wrong with me?" Thoughts of her mom's final days filled her mind, and she rose quickly, refilling the coffee pot. Those kind of memories weren't helping, but Julia couldn't seem to stop dwelling on the worst moments of her mom's death. _Shouldn't I be over it by now?_ She sighed, staring around the tiny kitchen without seeing it. _Isn't there a limit on this kind of grief?_

###

CURSE OF STONE

By Jen McConnel

Available wherever ebooks are sold!
About the Author:

Award-winning author Jen McConnel writes NA, YA, and various other works. When she isn't writing, she can be found on her yoga mat or wandering off on another adventure. Visit www.JenMcConnel.com to learn more!

