The Ravens (The Ravens #1) - Kass Morgan Page 0,91

Jackson’s, she realized belatedly. Scarlett jerked it free and plastered on an innocent smile.

“Where have you been?” The older girl’s eyes narrowed. “I need you at home right now, Scarlett, for house business. Of all the times to run off with . . . someone.” Someone like him, she knew Dahlia meant. Scarlett could hear the disdain dripping from her tone.

“Sorry. Something came up. Something important.” Scarlett turned to Jackson. Forced her voice into a casual, dismissive tone as she said, “Thank you again for your help. Your information was very useful.”

Jackson nodded, not missing a beat. “All right. Well, if you need anything else, here.” He pulled out a piece of paper, scribbled down his number, shoved the paper into her hand, and climbed out of the car. He tossed a backwards wave at them and then walked quickly down the road and into the woods, disappearing into the night.

“What in the world was that about?” Dahlia asked, tucking a lock of blond hair behind her ear. “Are you seriously hooking up at our funeral, Scar?”

“No, of course not. I’ll tell you inside the house,” Scarlett said, getting out and slamming the car door closed. She cast a look up and down the street, fighting a shiver despite the warm evening air. “And we’re not dead yet.” Not if Scarlett could help it. All she could think about was Gwen, who had her powers back. Gwen, who could be anywhere. Doing anything. Gwen, who could be coming after all of them right now.

“But we need to talk inside the house,” Scarlett said. She wanted the full force of the Ravens’ protective spells between her sisters and the girl trying to destroy them.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Vivi

Vivi sprinted across campus, ignoring the amused or confused looks from the revelers she left in her wake. She passed groups of giggling girls teetering in heels, boisterous boys wearing too much aftershave, and cozy couples walking hand in hand or sitting under the romantic glow of a gas lamp.

Her shame over kissing Mason, so urgent and intense just moments ago, had been swept away by a supercharged mix of adrenaline and fury. She’d finally made a breakthrough with her talisman research and found a real clue. Except that the clue led directly to her mother and meant that she’d apparently been lying to Vivi her entire life.

As she ran, Vivi pulled out her phone and called her mother for the third time since she’d left the snack bar. This time, Daphne picked up. “Everything all right, sugar snap?” she asked. “I’m in the middle of a crystal ritual but I saw your missed calls and thought I’d better check.”

Vivi slowed to a fast walk. Panting heavily, she asked, “Do you have the Henosis talisman?”

Daphne paused just a fraction of a second too long, then said, “What on earth are you talking about, sweetheart? What talisman?”

“I saw a photo of you wearing it. Why do you keep lying to me? I know you were a Raven and I know you have the talisman.”

“I never lied to you, Vivi. Everything I did was to protect you.”

“Well, you’ve done a pretty shitty job at it, because now some psycho is threatening to kill the Ravens one by one until we hand over the talisman.”

“You have to get out of there,” Daphne said urgently. “Right now. I’ll find somewhere in Savannah you can stay, and then I’ll come get you.”

“What? Are you serious? I’m not abandoning my sisters. I just need the talisman. Do you have it with you? I won’t tell anyone you were the one who stole it, I promise.”

“I didn’t steal anything.” A chill had crept into Daphne’s voice. “The situation is far more complicated than you understand—”

“That’s not an excuse! Keeping information from me doesn’t make me safer. Why can’t you understand that? Where are you now? Let me come get the talisman and you can explain everything to me then.”

There was a long pause. “I can’t do that, Vivi, I’m sorry.”

“Okay . . . then bring it to me. It’s a matter of life and death. My friend Tiffany is going to die if we don’t find the talisman.”

“I’m sorry,” Daphne said again softly. “But it’s not in my power. Please take care of yourself, okay? I love you.”

The line went dead.

Vivi cursed and threw her phone down on the grass, then crouched to pick it up again with a groan. Fine, if Daphne wanted to be cagey, then Vivi would just have to find