“I will.” He kissed her back, touching her cheek gently. Then he glanced at me. “If no one has an objection, I would like to patrol around the wall of the school, especially the eastern wall. If Neferet’s threads of Darkness are slithering around we need to know about it.”

“That sounds like a good idea. You guys okay with that?” I asked, looking to Stark and Darius for input. The two Warriors nodded. “Okay, great.” Then I turned my attention to Stevie Rae. “I think invoking your element is a really good idea, too, Stevie Rae. Damien, Shaunee, and Erin—you guys keep your elements close. If they can help strengthen or support, call on them. Just don’t be totally obvious and…” My words trailed off as I fully realized what I was saying. “No. That’s wrong. If you need to use your element do be obvious.”

“I get your point, Z,” Damien said. “It’s about time the House of Night is aware that there are prodigious forces of good working on our side against all that Darkness.”

“Prodigious means real big,” Stevie Rae translated.

“We know what it means,” Kramisha said.

“I didn’t,” Shaunee said.

“Me, neither,” Erin said.

I wanted to grin at the Twins and say it was nice to have them making twin-like comments, but as soon as Erin had spoken she’d blushed bright pink and turned away from Shaunee, who was looking super uncomfortable, so I gave up—temporarily—and made a mental note to light a red and blue candle for the two of them and ask Nyx to give them some extra help. If I could find the time. Hell, if Nyx could find the time.

I stifled a sigh and kept talking. “Okay, good. So, separate into groups. Go do normal things—like get some study books and go to the library.”

“That’s not my normal,” I heard Johnny B mutter, and a bunch of the kids around him laughed.

I liked the sound of their laughter. It was normal.

“Then go grab a basketball or something boy-like in the field house,” I said, not able to not grin at them.

“I’m goin’ to the cafeteria. The kitchen at the tunnels looks like locusts been through it. Z, we need to make a run to the grocery before we head back there,” Kramisha said.

“Yeah, well, that’s normal. Go ahead. Anyone who didn’t get to eat before we left go with her. And, guys, spread out. Don’t just eat in clumps. Talk to the other kids,” I said.

The fledglings made noises of agreement and organized themselves, breaking into little groups around Darius, the Twins, Damien, and Kramisha. Rephaim headed off by himself. I watched his back for a little while, wondering if he’d ever really fit in, and if he didn’t what that would do to his relationship with Stevie Rae. I glanced at her. She was gazing after Rephaim, too, with a look of total adoration. I chewed my lip and continued to worry.

“You okay, Z?” Stark’s voice was pitched low, and he put his arm around my shoulders.

“Yeah,” I said, leaning into him for a moment. “I’m just obsessively worrying, as per usual.”

He squeezed me. “That’s cool, as long as you don’t start bawling. The whole snot cry thing you do is seriously unattractive.”

I punched him playfully. “I never cry.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s right, and you never snot, either,” he said, smiling his cocky, cute grin at me.

“I know! Amazing, right?” I teased.

“Riiiight.” He drew the word out and kissed me on the top of my head.

“Hey,” I said, still nestled safely in his arms. “Would you go to the stables and give Lenobia a hand? I’m going to meet with Thanatos, then I’ll come to the stables and find you.”

He hesitated for just a moment and I felt his arms tighten around me. Stark didn’t like to separate from me, especially when crazy stuff was going on, but he nodded, said a quick, “I’ll be there, watching for you.” Then he kissed my forehead, let me go, and started off toward the stables. I shivered, chilled after the warmth of his touch. The other kids began to drift away in their groups, with Stevie Rae and Aphrodite hanging back with me.

“I’m going with you two, but wait a sec. First I’m gonna give my mom a call. She needs to know Neferet isn’t just full of bullshit, but full of danger.”

“Do you think she’ll listen to you?” I asked.

“Absolutely not,” she said without hesitation. “But I’m gonna try anyway.”

“Why don’t you just call your daddy? I mean, he’s the mayor and not your momma,” Stevie Rae said.

“In the LaFont household Mother is boss. If there’s any chance of Mr. Mayor getting a clue about Neferet, it’ll come from her.”

“Good luck with that,” I said.

“Yeah, whatever,” Aphrodite said, before taking out her phone and moving away from us.

Surprising me, Shaylin stepped away from one of the departing groups and walked to my side. “Can I come with you guys?” Her voice was soft, but she’d spoken clearly and her chin was lifted as if she was ready for a fight.

“Why do you want to?” I asked.

“I want to ask Thanatos about my colors. I know you guys told me to keep quiet about my gift, and I understand why. It was definitely something Neferet didn’t need to know. But she’s not High Priestess here anymore, and I have questions that I need to find answers to. Like Damien said, it’s been a long time since anyone has had True Sight. Well, Thanatos is smart. And old. I figured she could maybe give me some answers. If either of you don’t mind, that is,” she added quickly.

I looked at Stevie Rae. “You’re her High Priestess. Are you okay with that?”

“I dunno for sure. What do you think?”

“I think if we can’t trust Thanatos we’re totally screwed,” I said honestly.

“Well, then I think it’s time to circle the wagons, and believe Thanatos is one of the good guys. So, I suppose I’m okay with it.”

“Yeah, okay,” I said.

“Thanks,” Shaylin said.

“Well, that was a waste of time.” Aphrodite joined us as she put her phone back into her super cute sparkly gold Valentino purse. “At least it wasn’t a waste of much time.”

“She wouldn’t listen to you at all?” I asked.

“Oh, she listened. Then she said that she had two words for me: Nelly Vanzetti. Then she hung up.”

“Huh?” I said.

“Nelly Vanzetti is my mom’s shrink,” Aphrodite said.

“Why would your momma give you her name?” Stevie Rae asked.

“Because, bumpkin, that’s my mom’s way of telling me she thinks I’m sounding super crazy. Not that she cares whether I’m actually crazy—she’s just letting me know she doesn’t care to listen to me, but she’ll pay her shrink to.” Aphrodite shrugged. “Same old thing.”

“That’s really mean,” Shaylin said.

Aphrodite narrowed her blue eyes. “Why are you here?”

“She has a gift,” Stevie Rae said.

“My give-a-shit level is very low about that,” Aphrodite said.

“I have questions for Thanatos,” Shaylin said.

“So she’s going with us,” I said.

“Whatever.” Aphrodite gave her a dismissive look. “Go on, then. Ahead of us. I gotta talk to these two, without colorful ears listening.”

“Go ahead of us, Shaylin,” I said before the two of them could start arguing. Again. “We’ll meet you in Thanatos’s office.”

Shaylin nodded, frowned at Aphrodite, and then walked away.

Aphrodite held up her hand. “Yeah, I know, I should be nicer, blah, blah. But she bugs me. She reminds me too much of a mini–Kim Kardashian, which means she’s useless, irritating, and way too visible.”

I looked at Stevie Rae, expecting her to argue. All she did was shake her head and say, “I am tired of beating a dang dead horse.”

“Dead horse? That’s all you’ve got? Really?” Aphrodite said.

“I’m not speakin’ to you at all ever again,” Stevie Rae told her.

“Good. Now, on to the important stuff. You two aren’t gonna like either of the things I have to say, but you need to listen up—unless you want to be like my mom.”

“We’re listening,” I said.

Stevie Rae kept her lips pressed together, but nodded.