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Willow’s mouth dropped open. “See! I knew y’all was listening to me!”

Miss Veda laughed as her form began fading.

Lakelyn tightened her grip on my hand while Willow grabbed both arms of her chair.

“Oh, hell nah,” Willow muttered. “I don’t think I’m ever getting used to that part.”

“Goodnight, y’all,” Miss Veda said bidding us goodbye.

A second later, she was gone.

And then there were three.

Chapter twenty-eight

Lakelyn

For a long moment after Miss Veda disappeared, none of us said anything. I remained curled against Caspian on the couch with his arm around my shoulders and my hand resting over his.

There were still a thousand things my mind hadn’t fully caught up with, but for once, I didn’t feel the need to demand another explanation.

At least not right at the exact moment.

I had Caspian beside me, Willow was safe, Kaidence and Granny were away from all the madness, and Chalis was finally gone. After everything that had went down that night, silence felt good… Willow apparently disagreed.

She pushed herself out of the chair and surveyed the living room before releasing a long breath.

“Well… I gotta say, sis. When I planned this party, I knew it was gonna be memorable; I just wasn’t expecting murder confessions, ghosts, disappearing bodies, spells, and my dead brother-in-law coming downstairs dressed like Gomez Addams.”

“Willow.”

“What?” She turned toward Caspian. “And no disrespect, but you came back looking good as hell too, bro. I know it’s only been six years, but death didn’t age you a damn day. I know some people I went to school with who are still alive and need to explain what the fuck happened. We’re the same damn age. Why I gotta explain that every time somebody sees us together?”

This girl.

Caspian laughed. “Appreciate it, sis.”

“You’re welcome.”

I shook my head, but I couldn’t stop smiling. “You are ridiculous.”

“And exhausted.” Willow reached for her phone. “Which is why I’m about to remove myself from this family reunion and let y’all have the rest of the night to yourselves.”

I nodded. “That might be the smartest thing you’ve said in hours.”

She started toward the foyer, but I stopped her before she got far.

“Hold on. What about all this?”

Willow followed my gesture around the room.

The party might have ended, but evidence of it was everywhere. Empty cups and plates crowded several tables, black and silver decorations still covered the downstairs, artificial candles lined the staircase, and enough fake spiderwebs stretched across corners to make the mansion look as though nobody had cleaned it since Caspian died.

Her mouth twisted. “Um… tomorrow?”

“Hell no!”

“Lakelyn, I said I’ma clean it!”