Page 57 of Death Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I hesitated for half a second. Not because I didn’t trust Greyson. Because the disk felt alive in the worst way, as if it were listening.

Then I handed it over.

The moment it left my hand, my fingers warmed slightly, as if they’d been released from a grip.

Greyson took the disk carefully, turning it in his hands. His expression stayed calm, but his eyes focused, studying the etchings.

Lucinda leaned forward. “Could a relic be causing this?”

Tegan stepped closer, her voice tight. “It could.”

Lucinda’s gaze snapped to her. “Explain.”

Tegan’s mouth pressed into a line. “There is a relic from my vault. The Resurrection Relic.”

My stomach dropped. “What is that?”

Tegan nodded once. “It calls the dead. It doesn’t raise them with control, but it draws them. It wakes what should stay asleep.”

Lucinda’s eyes narrowed. “And where is it?”

Tegan’s jaw tightened. “Still missing.”

Caton’s twitch jumped again. “Missing.”

Tegan’s gaze turned icy. “Yes. It was stolen with the others, and I have yet to recover it.”

Lucinda stood, movement crisp. “We must investigate this immediately.”

Nishi crossed her arms. “We just did. We found the disk.”

Lucinda’s gaze cut to her. “We investigate the relic. If it’s missing, we find out who has it.”

Greyson lifted his eyes from the disk. “And we should assume whoever has it is the same person raising the dead.”

Hunter’s jaw clenched. “Aurora can keep containment for a bit. But if this keeps spreading, we’re going to lose the streets.”

Lucinda’s gaze flicked to me again. “Then you will help us find it.”

Faith stepped forward. “Salima has been helping.”

Lucinda ignored her. “All of you will find it.”

Eve’s face tightened. “Where?”

Lucinda’s smile returned. “Tegan’s house. She will call her ancestors.”

Of course.

We moved as a group, Greyson tucking the disk into a warded pouch he produced from his pocket as if he carried those around for fun. He probably did. Greyson built wards at Scorchwood. A man like that didn’t leave home without precautions.

The trip to Tegan’s place was short and unpleasant, mostly because I kept replaying Lucinda’s threat in my head.

Remove you from my coven.

It wasn’t just a power move. It was a warning.

Lucinda wanted me scared.