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The description of Ortus Cottage filled my head.

Where the living and the dead walk side by side.

It was Penny. She’d taken those witches. She’d fooled everyone.

To get Elmer back—she was helping Charity from the grave. And that cottage was the key.

His gaze hardened and he sat forward again. “What’s she up to? Do you think she’s still trying to reanimate my brother? She contacted my mother, threatening to share a picture she took of him, one we don’t want getting out. She told Mom not to tell me, that she wants to meet with her tonight to discuss payment.”

“It’s not money she wants. Neither of you should meet with her, it’s too dangerous. She’s been manipulating us. She wanted me to believe Sapphire wants to hurt her. And she knew I’d assume you sent those demons after me. She did it to keep the tensions high between our families, to keep us focused on each other and not what she was scheming.” I shot to my feet and Isaac did as well. “I need to go, but you need to stay away from Penny.”

He called my name as I ran back to my car and got in.

I had to stop her.

CHAPTER 37

Iris

I hit Penny’s number and waited.

It rang four times then went to voicemail.

I hit it again.

It rang twice—and this time she answered, but she said nothing, and neither did I. I waited.

Finally, she sighed. “You know I was lying, huh?”

“Yes.” Fear and anger knotted inside me.

“I can explain. You see, I thought…”

“Stop, Penny. No more lies.”

Silence.

I had to tread very carefully here. “I think I know what you’re doing and I think you’re in over your head. Let me help you.”

More silence.

“Penny…”

“Don’t pretend you’re my friend now, Iris.” The change in her voice sent icy shards down my spine. “You’re such a stupid bitch. You have all this power, and you choose to be nothing. Charity would be ashamed of you, of all of you, in your pathetic coven.”

Even though I knew what Penny was doing, but the conformation had me gripping my phone tighter. “How did Charity reach out to you, Pen?”

I could almost hear her mind ticking over, deciding what she should tell me. Again, I said nothing and waited.

“I’ve been stuck working with all those dusty books for years,” she finally said. “Forgotten, always overlooked, but there’s so much power in them, you know? So one night, I tried to tap into it. I did a séance, but instead of reaching the person I wanted…Charity reached out to me.”

“You were trying to reach Elmer? Isaac told me the truth about you and his brother. You loved him?”

“Charity called out to me. She chose me. And she told me a way to get him back,” she said, excitement in her voice now.

“You’re going to reanimate him.”

“That’s not possible, sadly, but there’s another way.”