Perhaps we should explore some other options before swanning off to Ireland,” Dad said, pushing his glasses up. “After all, Sophie, you’ve been through quite the ordeal.”
“I’ll nap on the plane. Look, we are dealing with the possibility of an army of demons. I don’t know about you guys, but those words are right up there with ‘root canal’ and ‘school on Saturdays’ in terms of things that terrify me. Were already three weeks behind. We don’t have time to just sit here and explore options or read more books or listen to more half-assed prophecies from this jerk,” I said, pointing to Torin. He made a gesture that I think was the old-timey version of flipping me off.
“So, yeah,” I continued. “Maybe this is a totally stupid idea. But if there’s even a chance one of us can get into the underworld, then we have to take it.”
“Okay, I do like you,” Finley said, flashing me a grin.
As I looked around the room at all these people-my family-excitement thrummed through me. Yes, this might go down in history as the stupidest thing I’d ever done, but it felt so good to have a plan that I didn’t care if it was a bad one.
Rachel HawkinsOh, Tiny Pink Jenna,” I half sobbed, half giggled. “I have never been so happy to see a vampire in my life.”
She squeezed me tighter. “I’ve never been so happy to be squished by a demon!
I would kill Mrs. Casnoff. I would blast that stupid hairdo right off her head, once I had my powers back.
Rachel HawkinsYeah, I upgraded,” she said. “I got it from Byron. Swore it was one-hundred-percent shatterproof.”
I raised an eyebrow, taking in the elaborate silver-and-amethyst setting. “It’s also one-hundred-percent tacky, but if it will keep you safe, then I’m all for it.”
“I’m going to get you a matching one that says ‘BFFs’ in like, runes or something.
It is a very long story, and I promise I’ll spill all later. Condensed version: my mom is a Brannick, I am the unholy love child of a Brannick and a demon, and the bar for family dysfunction is now set super high.”
Jenna, to her credit, knew when to just roll with it. “Okay, then.”
“The more pressing question right now is, why are we back at Hex Hall?”
Jenna looked around, taking in the unnatural fog, the dilapidated (well, more dilapidated) feel of the house. “Something tells me it’s not for a class ruinion.”
“Did you get pulled through some kind of magic tornado, too?” I asked her.
“No, I flew in here as a bat. It’s a new thing I learned from Byron.”
“Ha ha,” I said, swatting at her arm.
Someone on my other side nudged my shoulder, and I shifted closer to Jenna to make room. And then a hand closed over mine.
Before I even turned my head, I knew.
“Mercer.” Archer smiled down at me. “Fancy meeting you here.”
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t just throw my arms around his neck and kiss the heck out of him. And I really wanted to. So I settled for lacing my fingers with his and pulling him slightly closer.
Archer here, safe, his hand in mine. And Jenna, pressed tight to my other side. My heart was so full, I could hardly breathe, and even though I tried to keep it light, my voice was strained when I said, “Of course. Everything going to hell, and you turn up. I should’ve know.”
He shrugged, even though his eyes were burning with the same emotion currently racing through my veins. “Eh, Italy was getting boring. Figured I might as well see what you ladies were up to.
Oh my God,” Jenna murmured, just as I said, “Holy hell weasel,” under my breath. I won’t repeat what Archer said.
Someone in the crowd-I think it was Taylor-shouted, “But the school is closed. Everyone was saying…”
Her voice trailed off, and one of the faeries piped up, her voice higher and clear. “You have no right to bring us here. The Fae are no longer in alliance with the rest of Prodigium. On behalf of the Seelie court, I demand you send us home.” Ah. That was Nausicaa. She was the only one of the faeries that talked like she was rehearsing a play.
Next to me, Jenna leaned in closer and said, “The Fae broke their alliance? Did you know that?”
I shook my head just as Mrs. Casnoff pinned Nausicaa with a glare. No matter how feeble she seemed, she could still throw one heck of a dirty look. “Alliances and treaties have no meaning here at Hecate Hall. Once you’ve been a student here, your allegiance is to the school. Always.” She gave a smile that was more like a grimace. “It was in the code of conduct you signed when you were sentenced here.”
I remembered that, a thick pamphlet I’d barely read before scrawling my name on the dotted line. I suddenly wished I had of power of time travel so that I could go smack Sophie From A Year Ago around, and tell her to read things first.
Okay,” I finally said. “Can we all agree that this is maybe the most screwed-up situation we’ve ever found ourselves in?”
“Agreed,” they said in unison.
“Awesome.” I gave a little nod. “And do either of you have any idea what we should do about it?”
“Well, we can’t use magic,” Archer said.
“And if we try to leave, we get eaten by Monster Fog,” Jenna added.
“Right. So no plans at all, then?”
Jenna frowned. “Other than rocking in the fetal position for a while?”
“Yeah, I was thinking about taking one of those showers where you huddle in the corner fully clothed and cry,” Archer offered.
I couldn’t help but snort with laughter. “Great. So we’ll all go have our mental breakdowns, and then we’ll somehow get ourselves out of this mess.”
“I think our best bet is to lie low for a while,” Archer said. “Let Mrs. Casnoff think we’re all too shocked and awed to do anything. Maybe this assembly tonight will give us some answers.”
“Answers,” I practically sighed. “About freaking time.”
Jenna gave me a funny look. “Soph, are you…grinning?”
I could feel my cheeks aching, so I knew that I was. “Look, you two have to admit: if we want to figure out just what the Casnoffs are plotting, this is pretty much the perfect place.”
“My girl has a point,” Archer said, smiling at me. Now my cheeks didn’t just ache, they burned.
Clearing her throat, Jenna said, “Okay, so we all go up to our rooms, then after the assembly tonight we can regroup and decide what to do next.”
“Deal,” I said as Archer nodded.
“Are we all going to high-five now?” Jenna asked after a pause.
“No, but I can make up some kind of secret handshake if you want,” Archer said, and for a second, they smiled at each other.
But just as quickly, the smile disappeared from Jenna’s face, and she said to me, “Let’s go. I want to see if our room is as freakified as the rest of this place.”
“Good idea,” I said. Archer reached out and brushed his fingers over mine.
“See you later, then?” he asked. His voice was casual, but my skin was hot where he touched me.
“Definitely,” I answered, figuring that even a girl who has to stop evil witches from taking over the world could make time for kissage in there somewhere.
He turned and walked away. As I watched him go, I could feel Jenna starting at me. “Fine,” she acknowledged with a dramatic roll of her eyes. “He’s a little dreamy.”
I elbowed her gently in the side. “Thanks.”
Jenna started to walk to the stairs. “You coming?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I’ll be right up. I just want to take a quick look around down here.”
“Why, so you can be even more depressed?”
Actually, I wanted to stay downstairs just a little longer to see if anyone else showed up. So far, I’d seen nearly everyone I remembered from last year at Hex Hall. Had Cal been dragged here, too? Technically he hadn’t been a student, but Mrs. Casnoff had used his powers a lot last year. Would she still want him here?
To Jenna, I just said, “Yeah, you know me. I like poking bruises.”
“Okay. Get your Nancy Drew on.
I could barely make out the wooden door and had to move my hands over it for a while before I found the iron doorknob. I twisted it, but it was locked. Of course.
“I already tried it,” Archer said from behind me.
I was glad it was dark, so that he couldn’t see me blush yet again. “I told you, Cross. It’s all kissing in castles and Applebee’s from now on.” I turned so that my back was to the door.
He walked forward. “Ah, but this is technically outside the cellar,” he murmured as he pulled me into his arms.
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