Silence settled, heavy but not afraid.
Keegan stepped closer. “And what can we do? What do you want from us?”
Lady Limora’s smile softened. “There’s a bigger cause in all this. It’s not just about Stonewick or the Academy. This is about magical folk everywhere. So, understand that when ancient threats start circling, it’s wise to have equally ancient women standing in the way.”
Stella looked around the hall again, something like pride flickering through her expression.
“Well,” she said, “this is going to be one hell of a time.”
I exhaled slowly, taking it all in—the vampires, the magic, and the unspoken promise that whatever the Priestess was planning, she wouldn’t find Stonewick unguarded.
Trouble was on the horizon, and for once, we weren’t waiting it out alone.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The air was crisp as if it were settling into fall, and I rather enjoyed it. Keegan sat on the low wall with one boot hooked over the edge, Celeste curled beside me on the bench, her shoulder pressed into my arm the way she used to when she was younger, pretending not to be nervous.
I watched the leaves for a while, letting the quiet settle into my bones. The Academy loomed behind us, solid and watchful, while the village beyond felt softer somehow.
Still, the weight of what was gathering pressed inward. Trouble was brewing far beyond our walls, and a call for help seemed to be circulating.
Celeste was the one who broke the silence.
“What does the Priestess want?” she asked.
It was a simple question.
And I realized, with a hollow twist in my chest, that I didn’t have an answer.
I stared out at the trees lining the path, at the way their branches swayed as if whispering among themselves.
“I don’t know,” I said finally.
Celeste turned to look at me, searching my face for deflection or reassurance.
“You don’t have any idea?” she asked.
“No,” I admitted. “I know what she does. I know how she moves people around like pieces on a board. But what she actually wants? I don’t know.”
Keegan glanced over at me, his expression thoughtful, not surprised.
“That might be the most dangerous part.”
Celeste frowned.
“You went after Gideon,” she said slowly. “Didn’t you?”
I hesitated, then nodded. “I did.”
Her eyes widened. “You went to her? To the Priestess’s compound?”
“Yes, but she was preoccupied in Stonewick at the time.”
There was a beat of stunned silence, and then Celeste let out a sharp breath. “Mom.”
“I know,” I said. “Believe me, I know.”
Keegan shifted slightly, clearly enjoying what he was about to contribute far too much.
