“The only laws recognised inside these walls are the laws of nature,” Isadora said. “We cater to exclusive predilections here, and many of our clients are lawmakers who would not wish to see theirs exposed if this house were made public.”
“You blackmail people.”
Isadora smiled. “My witches extract secrets – some from the other covens who visit us, many from ordinary humans. We store them all for when we need them.”
“Anything that could help us now?” Corbin asked.
Isadora gave me one of those cold smiles. “Yes.”
I waited for her to elaborate. She didn’t.
“Well.” Corbin fitted his hand into mine and squeezed hard. The red door slammed shut behind us. “That didn’t go as well as I hoped.”
“You’re telling me.” My legs wouldn’t stop shaking. I didn’t trust myself to tackle the steps back down to the street.
“Maeve, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that was what this ritual involved. My parents told me to keep secret the fact you were still alive from other witches, but I thought that was just for your safety – in case the fae got to them. You know I’d never ask you to?—”
“I know.”
“There’s another way. There must be, and we’re going to find it.”
“Corbin, can we not talk about this for a bit?”
“But—”
I yanked my hand from his. “I have to go back to that house and put on a happy face for Kelly and pretend that I didn’t just learn my mother was supposed to stab me. I mean, what if shedidstab me? What if me surviving was a fluke? What if she isn’t a hero sacrificing herself at all, but a monster?”
“Hey, hey, this isn’t like you – talking about heroes and monsters like this is a storybook. Use your logic, Maeve. It always steers you toward the truth. The point is, youarealive. That means something in the ritual didn’t work properly. But the Slaugh never rode. If we can figure out why that is, we can do it again.” Corbin reached for my hand, but I shrugged away. Right then, I didn’t want anyone to touch me.
We rode back to Camden in silence. My mouth tasted of curry and bile. I unfolded my mother’s letter from my pocket, but I couldn’t get past the first line – rage blinded my vision.
I clasped my hand over my chest, feeling my heartbeat through the thin fabric of my shirt. Did a knife pierce my chest by my mother’s hand? Isadora said she had seen it, and her careful words made me believe she would not lie.
How am I alive?
Kelly bounced on me as soon as I entered the flat, telling me in long, breathless sentences all about her afternoon of sightseeing. I listened with half an ear, nodding in all the right places as I tried to check in on my guys, sending them messages with my eyes that only they would understand.
I need you.
Flynn and Jane sat on the fluffy rug, playing with Connor like nothing was amiss. Arthur sat on one end of the couch, a wadded ball of agitation with his headphones plastered over his ears and his fingers drumming against his knees. Rowan peeked out from behind the door of our room. He was the only one who caught my gaze, and his whole body shuddered when he saw my expression. He held the door open, beckoning me to him.
At least he hasn’t run away again.
“I’m going to get cleaned up,” I smiled at Kelly. It wasn’t a complete lie – I was desperate to brush the taste of bile from my teeth. “I’ll be out in a second, and then we can think about dinner.”
“We’ve already taken care of it,” Kelly said. “Flynn’s done a big order of sublami?—”
“Souvlaki!” Flynn piped up without looking up from Connor’s shape-matching game.
“—and other delicious-sounding things from a Turkish place around the corner. I’ve never had Turkish before. I’m excited.” She hugged me again. “You look more tired than I am, and I was the one who flew across the Atlantic Ocean today. Go shower or whatever. I’ll call you when the food comes.”
“Thanks, sis.” My empty stomach growled. I hoped the food would stay down.
I pushed the door open and slid into the bedroom, clicking the door shut behind me. Rowan sat on the edge of his single bed, staring at the window, hugging his knees to his chest and resting his chin on his hand. His locs fell over his shoulders like a curtain.
“Are you okay?” I flopped on the bed beside him.
He shook his head. “I had two panic attacks today.”
