The Ravens (The Ravens #1) - Kass Morgan Page 0,72
wanted to stand up and squeal, spin in a circle, text Ariana. Anything to release the fizzy joy bubbling up in her stomach. Or go full New Vivi and lean in for a kiss. For the first time in her entire life, a boy she had a crush on liked her back. Yet—the realization sank through her, heavy and sobering—there was nothing she could do about it.
Things had changed for her this year too. Magic had blown her entire life open. It gave her the power to alter her appearance, to reroute wind, to summon the most ancient and mysterious forces on earth. It had the power to welcome her, an only child, into a family of amazing women. But it couldn’t change the fact that Mason was the ex of one of her new sisters.
Mason was right. Vivi was a Kappa now. And if she had to choose, the answer was clear . . . “Yeah, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea.”
Mason leaned back against the bench and sighed heavily before turning to her with a sad smile. “The Kappa bond is pretty strong, huh.”
“It is . . . and I’m really lucky to be a part of it.”
Mason nodded, then fell silent. “Take care of her for me, will you?” he said finally.
“I will.” Vivi took a deep breath and forced herself to stand up. “Bye, Mason,” she said, and turned back toward the party, wishing she knew a spell to heal an aching heart.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Scarlett
“Not again,” Scarlett whispered. She crossed her arms over her chest and hugged herself as she shivered in her thin nightgown. She was in the second-floor hallway of Kappa House. All the doors to her sisters’ rooms were closed. But she could hear the rumble of thunder and see the storm booming outside the window at the end of the hall.
The sconces on the walls flickered. She heard laughter, deep and throaty, behind her. But when she whipped around, there was no one else there.
The pictures, she realized. The photographs on the walls were all laughing at her. Row upon row of portraits, Raven sisters of old, pointing their fingers at Scarlett and cackling with glee. Even though she was horrified, her eyes went to the faces she knew best to see if they were laughing too. Her mother. Her sister. Dahlia. Mei. Gwen. And, finally, Harper.
She staggered on her feet. Started to run. The laughter got louder. Harsher.
She reached the end of the hallway and crashed into solid wood. No door. It was a dead end. She spun around, then froze in terror. There was someone else in the house. Someone coming toward her. Dressed in a cloak—a long flowing garment with shredded sleeves, one hand extended toward her, fingernails like bloody claws. She had long dark hair, glowing eyes. Beneath her hood, a red, red mouth filled with teeth opened wide. Harper. Always Harper.
Scarlett startled awake to the sound of her own gasp. Just a nightmare. Just another nightmare. She gripped her sheets, bathed in sweat, even though for once, the temperature had finally dipped below seventy for the night. Outside, lightning crashed and storm clouds gathered. Her heart continued to slam against her rib cage, an incessant beat, refusing to let her go back to sleep. She wondered if the storm was her doing or if it was just the perfect backdrop for a shitty night.
She reached with trembling hands for the water she always kept on her bedside table, but the nightstand was empty. Belatedly, she remembered why. It came in flashes: The cab ride alone after Homecoming. Stumbling into the empty house. Sobbing her eyes out in the bathroom, then finally collapsing face-first onto her bed, not even bothering to clean off her makeup.
She probably looked like a nightmare now. Judging by the black streaks on her pillow, she figured her mascara was in runnels.
She levered herself out of bed, shivering in the cool evening air. In the bathroom, she ignored the mirror and splashed water on her face. She scrubbed until her skin stung, then buried her head in a towel. When she finally peeked at her reflection, her eyes were puffy and swollen, red veins creeping across the whites.
Another crash of thunder outside. Louder. The storm was getting closer.
She went back into the bedroom, checked her phone. It was just past three in the morning. With a groan, she collapsed back onto her bed, one arm across her forehead.