But Jack ignores him completely and comes to stand by me instead. “You should see this,” he says.
There’s not much that could cause such a reaction in both Maya and Jack. They’re such level-headed, optimistic people, it takes a lot to rattle them. With a sense of foreboding, I take the piece of paper from Jack.
It’s a black-and-white photo of me, a close-up candid. The resolution isn’t great, but my curls are definitely recognizable. Below the photo is printed a single word.
WITCH.
My breath stops in my lungs, and my pulse thunders in my ears. I sway, or maybe the room sways around me, I can’t be sure. My vision goes fuzzy, and I think I might pass out. Then I drag in one sharp, painful inhale, and the world rushes in with a snap, the colors too vivid, the sounds too loud.
A light bulb pops above my head, and the three sea dragons jump.
“Skye,” Aiden says, “calm yourself.”
He reaches over and plucks the leaflet from my numb fingers. His expression doesn’t change; it’s like he’s expected this to happen all along.
Another bulb goespop, sending a shower of glass shards tinkling to the floor.
“Hey.” Jack puts one hand on my shoulder and the other under my chin, forcing me to lift my head. “You’re safe. We won’t let anyone get to you. Just take a deep breath and try to relax. Then we can go to your cabin and grab your bracelets if you’d like.”
“Yeah. About that.” Maya stalks to the window and peers through the curtains. “The villagers are coming. A lot of them. Devlin Ward is leading them, and I don’t think he’s happy.”
“What?” Aiden joins her at the window, throwing the curtains wide open.
And there it is, the first glimmer of a flashlight in the dark. And another. Soon, shapes materialize from the darkness, closing in on the Lodge. The Amber Bay clan has come to get their answers.
I’d lost my home and my family once already when my coven cast me out. I’d thought the worst had already happened to me.
I guess I was wrong.
To be continued…
* * *
