tried to divine Gwen’s intentions.
In her arms she held the stuffed elephant from the antiques shop. It was missing a leg. She could have fixed it with a simple glamour, but both she and Tiffany liked it just as it was, loved so much it was practically disintegrating. She wished there were a spell she could cast on it that would lead her to Tiffany. But because the spell last night hadn’t worked, Scarlett didn’t know what would. Whoever had taken Tiffany had erected a strong, protective wall of magic around both of them—one that even the Ravens couldn’t penetrate.
Mei was asleep in Scarlett’s bed; neither girl had wanted to sleep alone. Not after what happened to Tiffany. Every time Scarlett closed her eyes, she saw it. Bright red spray across the wallpaper. Blood everywhere. There had been so much that it was hard to believe that Tiffany was still alive, even after the spell had said she was.
And now they had to find some mystical talisman that might not even exist. Scarlett had no idea where to begin to look. All she knew was that witches were in danger.
And it was all her fault.
Whatever you put out in the world came back to you threefold. And what she and Tiffany had done in their freshman year—what they’d hidden for so long—had finally caught up with them. And now Tiffany might pay for it with her life.
Scarlett quietly slipped out of bed. Mei stirred, and Scarlett put the stuffed animal back into her closet. She padded down to the kitchen. The house was silent. She wondered how many girls had spelled themselves to sleep and how many had spelled themselves awake to be sure they were ready for whatever came in the night. For once, Scarlett didn’t want to use her magic at all; she was saving it up for what was to come. She and her sisters needed to be at full strength to get Tiffany back.
In the kitchen she grabbed a mug and started the espresso maker. As it hissed and sputtered, she stared out the window. The campus was just beginning to rouse. Students rode past on bicycles or walked leisurely with earbuds in, their backpacks slung over their shoulders. It was almost surreal that the world was just proceeding as normal while Tiffany was being held somewhere, in pain, waiting for Scarlett and her sisters to save her.
“Hey,” a voice said, cutting through her thoughts. Vivi stood in the doorway, her hair sticking up slightly, her eyes puffy and red. “How are you doing?”
“How do you think?” Scarlett said, pouring the coffee into the mug. A little splashed over the sides, scalding her thumb, but she welcomed the pain. She deserved it and so much more.
Vivi blinked. “I’m sorry. That was a dumb question. I can leave if you want to be alone . . .”
Scarlett shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I’m just really on edge.”
“Of course you are.” Vivi hesitated, then completely surprised Scarlett by wrapping her in a hug. “I’m so sorry this happened. I know how much Tiffany meant to you. Means to you,” she quickly amended as Scarlett’s heart gave a painful squeeze. “And I’m sure this pales in comparison to what you’re going through with Tiffany, but I was also sorry to hear about you and Mason.”
Oh God, Mason. Scarlett hadn’t thought about him since she’d found Tiffany’s bloodied room. She sat down at the table clutching her mug, staring into its depths as if she could scry for answers there. In one night, Scarlett had lost the two people she cared about most in the world.
“He was right to break up with me,” Scarlett admitted. She didn’t deserve to be happy, to move on with her life with an incredible guy at her side. Harper would never have that chance. And now Tiffany might not either. “He’ll find someone better than me.”
Vivi looked surprised. “Scarlett, he’ll never do better than you. You’re . . . perfect,” she said finally.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Do what?”
“Flatter me. You’re a Raven now,” Scarlett said.
“Trust me, it’s not flattery.”
Scarlett huffed out a faint laugh. “Well, Mason can do better. And he will. And I have to accept that.” Scarlett curled both hands around her mug. “I’m not a good person, Vivi. I was awful to you, perhaps a little more than was required.”
Vivi sat down at the table and shook her head. “You helped me. You trained me even though you don’t