“My maid. Alice.”
“I know who you are,” Stone whispered, as though he was still thinking. “I should have seen it.”
“Seen what?” Phoenix asked. “Stone, what the fuck?”
“Your name isn’t Alice, is it?” Stone said, his spine stiff with anger. “You were once Celia. This is why you wanted to come here all along—for this sapphire. And you know of this sapphire because your name isn’t Celia, either.” He pulled me closer to his side, his grip tightening around my arm as if someone were about to snatch me from him. “Now, how long has it been since you’ve been called your true name, Lacie? Certainly much longer than I’ve been alive. Or dead. Whichever way you want to put it.”
The woman smiled, and horror consumed me.
I stood frozen, staring at her, unable to comprehend that she was the same woman from the story of Alec & Circe. After all these years ...
Stone’s expression closed up, hardened. “Lacie. Celia. Alice. Very clever. Were you the one who taught Circe anagrams?”
Her mouth twitched. “Look at you, Stone. You’re a completely different person.”
“And you found the nerve to speak to me. Afraid of a grain sack, are we?”
“What is happening ...” Phoenix whispered under his breath.
The woman extended her hand. “Adora, get your pieces so we can be on our way.”
Stone’s hand slipped down into mine, and he turned to face me. “I know you want to save your mother. I know how important she is to you, but think about all the people who’ve died, and all the people who could die if we don’t finish this.”
“This is your last hope,” Alice countered.
“One is missing. We can’t save her without the last piece,” I challenged.
“I have the last piece.” She held up the necklace hanging around her neck, the pendant attached to it. “We have everything we need.”
Julian laughed. “What exactly is stopping five Heathens from ripping that stone from your neck and just walking away?” he asked. “You do realize you’re not only outnumbered, but you’re out muscled, too. You are out … everything.”
“Are you so sure about that?” Alice clutched her necklace. “If I remember correctly, your source of magic has halted, but mine can end your life slowly and painfully one by one.”
Zephyr looked at Julian. “Can one fifth of the sapphire do that?”
“Yes,” Stone confirmed. “Yes, that sapphire can absolutely do that.”
Oh, I could kill her, I thought. “If you harm any of them, I will kill you myself.”
“I am immortal, child,” Alice said, beginning to rub the pendant, whispering an incantation.
We all exchanged glances, worry written on all of our faces.
Then a guttural hiss escaped from Beck as he fell to the side, clutching his stomach. His palm caught the cave wall, and he used it to support his weight as he groaned in agony.
“Stop!” Julian barked as he and Phoenix rushed to him, and Zephyr moved in on Alice just as Beck collapsed to a knee, waves of anguish moving across his face as he cried out. His big blue eyes went wide in their sockets, blood vessels popping inside them.
“Alice, please!” I cried.
Beck’s screams, the Heathens’ cursing, it all seemed to go on and on. And just when I thought Beck was about to be taken away from the world, the moment dissipated, like fog on a cold, fall night.
Five shadows had appeared and surrounded Alice.
They rippled, moving like waves, closing in on her.
“No,” Alice chanted, stepping back, trying to get away from them.
Stone took us back a step, away from the Shadows, too.
