“All the way to Wandstown and fifty miles on the other sides.”
I cocked my head. If the property was so vast, could there really be fencing on all sides that connected? And if there was, how would they know if it had been breached? Why did Headmistress Wake think it so preposterous that someone had gotten onto Spellcasters grounds when I’d found Tabitha? Most of all, why would she question my parents’ concerns about the perimeters not being fully secure? There had to be a weakness somewhere.
My mind drifted back to the howling that had pierced the air that night, and I gulped. We were hearing humming now, and I’d heard howling the night of Tabitha’s death. What if it wasn’t just one creature that had found their way onto Spellcasters property, but many?
“We’re getting close,” Alex said.
“Isn’t it odd that we latched onto it and not Ms. Seeley?” I asked, shocked that I hadn’t considered it before.
Alex tilted his head. “No,” he said unconvincingly.
Yeah right.I rolled my eyes, recognizing the signs of a guy trying to be all strong and proud. My dad pulled that move all the time.
“Nice try, Al—oh holy crap!”I leapt backward, my hands flailing, as a figure stepped out from behind a tree.
“It’s just me!” Amethyst shrieked, ducking away from my frantic swatting.
I paused in my assault. “Amethyst? What are you doing?! You scared me!”
“The same thing as you guys, obviously.” She looked around. “You heard the humming, didn’t you?”
I nodded. “But where’s your partner?”
Amethyst’s chin wobbled, and only then did I realize how messy her hair looked.
“I don’t know. I was leading the way, and when I turned around, Mina was justgone!”
My blood froze. Humans often thought of the fae as sweet, dainty little creatures. And while there weresomelike that, a lot of the fae were actually mischievous, or worse, violent and bloodthirsty.
“I just realized I lost her when I heard you guys talking. And I thought it would be best—”
“We should stick together,” Alex said before Amethyst finished. “But we should still try to find the circle. What if the music mesmerized Mina, and she got shifted through?”
The idea sent a shiver up my spine. Fae could lure people into Faerie, or shift them through, with music, if they were able to match the individual’s energy resonance. Those who were shifted through were often used as slaves in various Faerie courts, unless someone—usually a magical—bargained for the person’s freedom. They succeeded with humans more often than witches. Still, it wasn’t unheard of for a fae to latch onto a witch and pull them into the faerie realm.
Amethyst nodded. “I considered that. But I didn’t want to find it by myself and risk being shifted through, too.”
“Should we—” My mouth snapped shut as the humming vibrated through the air again, loud and from the right. “It’s coming from right over there!” I pointed to a small clearing a short distance away.
Alex’s eyebrows furrowed. “You heard it?”
I nodded, confused. “Yeah. Didn’t you?”
Amethyst shook her head, and Alex’s eyes narrowed. “No . . . how did you, if we didn’t?”
“We don’t have time. Grab hands,” Amethyst instructed.
I tilted my head in question.
“Ms. Seeley hasn’t talked about it yet, but the fae can’t take numerous people through faerie circles at the same time. Just one. If we link up, we’re safe.”
Immediately, I grabbed Amethyst’s hand with my right hand, but my left hesitated. Alex was standing on the other side of me, looking very conflicted about having to link up with me.
I bit my lip.Is he going to walk around me and take Amethyst’s hand? Oh my God, how mortifying would that be?
A half dozen other embarrassing scenarios raced through my mind before the hum sounded again, ripping me back to the moment. My eyes landed on Alex, who had tensed. Slowly, his gaze lifted to meet mine, and even though the look of frustration had not vanished from his face, he extended his hand.
Amethyst shuffled in my periphery, and cognizant of how odd our trepidation must seem, I took Alex’s hand quickly, gripping his palm tight with mine.
