The Ravens (The Ravens #1) - Kass Morgan Page 0,16
a moment later, a current of electricity buzzed through Vivi’s fingertips. The sparkler crackled to life in her hands, sending bluish-gray sparks streaming into the air.
Vivi gasped. Ariana looked at her in astonishment as her own sparkler erupted to life, red sparks raining down at her feet. All over the garden, sparklers lit up one by one.
But not all of them caught fire.
“I think I got a dud,” a girl to Vivi’s left complained, shaking the sparkler and then trying to light it with a nearby candle. Another girl in a silver gown hit her sparkler against her palm as if willing it to catch fire.
“But we didn’t even light them,” Ariana whispered to Vivi, waving her sparkler in a figure eight.
“Must be a party trick or something,” Vivi said, even though that didn’t explain the electricity still buzzing in her fingertips.
“God, I hope I get a bid,” Ariana said longingly.
Vivi felt a prickle on the back of her neck and glanced over her shoulder. The beautiful girl who’d handed Vivi her sparkler was staring at her. There was a strange, almost challenging look on her face. But instead of looking away, Vivi met the girl’s gaze. “Me too,” she finally said, and she realized that she meant it.
Chapter Six
Scarlett
Scarlett stood on the roof of Kappa House, gazing out over the quiet campus. The recruitment party had ended hours ago and the rest of the girls were sleeping. The night was dark and starless, the only light coming from the antique gas lamps flickering along the path to the house. Somewhere overhead, ravens circled, and an owl hooted in the distance. A light breeze rustled the trees of the forest that edged up against their backyard.
Scarlett didn’t know why she was up here. She didn’t even remember coming to the roof. A cooing sound came from the aviary behind her. When she turned, she could see all the birds lined up, rustling in their sleep. The ravens were their familiars and they were once kept in the girls’ rooms to watch over the sisters. But as time went on, it was thought to be cruel to keep them in the confines of the sorority. They could serve their purpose and still be free to roam. Now they resided here and were able to come and go as they liked. But they always returned.
One raven’s eyes popped open and looked at her. Yellow eyes glowed in the dark. Scarlett was sure it was her favorite, Harlow.
Suddenly, she heard shuffling behind her. “Hello?” she called. “Is someone there?”
All that met her was silence.
She spun once more and noticed a pentacle etched into the roof at her feet, the circle rimmed with coarse salt. A long white tapered candle dotted each point of the star. The ritual layout looked familiar, but Scarlett had never used it herself. White was for banishments or bindings—for getting rid of negative things in your life or preventing your enemies from harming you. Had one of her sisters been performing a spell up here and forgotten to clean up after herself? It seemed unlikely. Scarlett’s unease intensified.
That was when the chanting began. She didn’t recognize the words. It sounded like ancient Greek, but not any of the blessing chants she’d memorized. This was something else, something darker. The words sounded guttural. Whoever was speaking them practically snarled each syllable. “What’s the matter, Scarlett?” a husky voice rasped in her ear. “Did you forget the words?”
Scarlett spun around in horror. A cloaked figure had appeared on the roof, blocking the doorway down to the house. It approached her slowly, leaving bloody, smeared footprints in its wake. Scarlett opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but she choked on her own tongue. She made to run, but her muscles were frozen in place, magically bound so she was nothing more than a terrified statue.
“Or is it something else?” the voice rasped.
The chant had become a growl. The wind picked up, out of nowhere, and flung Scarlett’s dark curls into her face, obscuring her vision.
The figure leaned in, so close that Scarlett could feel its hot breath on her cheek. Then it tore the hood from its head and Scarlett gasped.
Harper.
Her hair was tangled around her pale white skin. Her eyes were dark fathomless pools, wild and wide. A tear dripped down her cheek, leaving a blood-red trail. Around her neck was the silver heart-shaped locket she always wore. “Guilt will be the death of you, sister,” she whispered.