No one else could answer her question, and so we all just listened, waiting.
“I think—and I realize this idea might not be popular,” Jess began, “but I think we should try to summon Sarah Claire.”
“Summon her?” My mother’s voice was sharp. “That sounds like an invitation for trouble.”
Jess raised a hand. “I understand that. But we—the Durupinen, I mean—have very powerful spells to protect us from spirits, no matter how hostile they are. We could communicate with her without subjecting ourselves to any danger.”
I could tell from the look that was passing between my mom and hersisters that they didn’t buy that assessment for a second, but they didn’t come right out and say it. Jess didn’t miss the hint, however.
“Look, I know I’m a total outsider here,” Jess said. “I don’t know much about witchcraft, and from what I’ve experienced, I’m not particularly keen to learn more. But as ignorant as I am about your kind of magic, I can guarantee that you know even less about mine.”
Jess let this declaration land, and though Rhi bristled ever so slightly, and Persi’s face twisted like she’d been forced to swallow some unpleasant-tasting medicine, no one argued with her. She took heart from this lack of outward disagreement, and went on.
“Over the last eight years or so since I discovered I was a Durupinen, I have interacted with thousands of ghosts. Most were completely innocuous—just lost souls in search of help. Others were hellbent on destroying me and everyone I hold dear. I promise you, I know what I’m doing, as far as spirits go. What I don’t have any experience with is this Darkness.”
My mother and Rhi both looked startled to hear Jess speak of the Darkness. I felt guilt filling me up, and struggled to find the right words to explain, but it was Persi who stepped in and answered their unspoken question, before I was forced to.
“There was no choice,” Persi said. “She’s connected with the Source, just like Asteria told Wren. It made no sense not to tell her. If she’s a… a Gatekeeper, like she says, and the Darkness is hellbent on acquiring a Gateway, then this is her business, too.”
It seemed this made too much sense for either Rhi or my mother to argue about, and so they didn’t try. Jess drew a bit of courage from their silence and, after giving them a chance to respond, pressed on.
“So here’s what I’m proposing,” she began. “You three get the grimoire back and try to find what magic Sarah Claire may have used on the night she stole it. Wren and I will attempt to summon Sarah Claire. If we can lure her out of hiding, we might be able to get enough answers to set this all to rights again.”
“Absolutely not,” my mom said at once. “I’m not letting Wrenanywhere near Sarah Claire without me. My sisters can obtain the grimoire without my help.”
Persi and Rhi looked at each other, and nodded in silent understanding. “We can do that,” Rhi said.
Persi, with a sudden gleam in her eye, laughed. “Sorry,” she said when we all stared at her. “It’s just… going behind the Conclave’s back—particularly Ostara’s, always gives me joy.”
Jess smirked. “Issues with authority, huh? Same, girl.”
“How do we expect to lure Sarah Claire out of hiding when we’re the very people she’s hiding from?” I asked.
“We have to tempt her with something she can’t resist,” Jess said. “So we’ll bring together all of the elements from the night of her death—the Geatgrima and the grimoire, together in one place. It will be easiest if we have something of hers, or at least, something that belongs to her bloodline. Does anything like that exist?”
My heart sank. “It used to, but it’s gone now. Persi and I used it to exorcise Sarah from Bernadette. It was destroyed and thrown into the sea.”
“Hmm,” Jess said, looking crestfallen. “Yeah, that would have been ideal.”
“The Claire coven has lots of heirlooms, surely,” my mom said. “Is there really nothing else tied closely enough to Sarah Claire to be useful?”
“The grimoire,” Persi whispered.
“Huh?” I asked.
She looked up and met my eye. “The Claire coven grimoire. Bernadette used it when she first brought Sarah back. She used it while Sarah was possessing her.” She whipped her head around to look eagerly at Jess. “Would that work?”
“That would be perfect!” Jess said. “Where is it?”
“At the Manor under lock and key, no doubt,” my mom said grimly. “Every coven jealously guards their magic, and the Claires are no exception.”
“Do you think there’s any way we could get our hands on it?” Jess asked.
“Ostara let us use that grimoire? Not a chance in hell,” Persi said without hesitation.
“Actually…”
I hadn’t meant to say the word out loud, but it had slipped out, and now everyone was staring at me. “Well… I just wonder if… if maybe Nova…”
