observed.
“Really?” I couldn’t believe it, given the endless number of books in the library.
“A list of the most recently turned gifted vampires, with your name at the end. Harper Lane—gifted with the ability to still use her witch magic.”
I replayed her words in my mind, and joy rushed through me. “So my magic won’t go away?”
“You’ve already asked your one question,” she said.
I rolled my eyes, since obviously I wasn’t asking a question question—the kind that required her to find a book on the shelves.
“Vampire gifts are permanent,” I said instead. “I’ll have my gift forever.”
And now that I was a vampire, forever meant a lot more than it did when I was a witch. Because vampires were immortal.
I was immortal. I was going to stay seventeen forever.
The knowledge that I now had endless years ahead of me didn’t feel real.
At least I looked mature for my age—easily able to pass as someone in their twenties.
“Are you all right?” Hecate asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “It’s just… a lot to process.”
“It is. Now, I must take my leave. And I recommend you do the same.” She glanced at the witches roaming the aisles, as if saying, You don’t want to stay here and end up like them.
“Wait,” I said, and she watched me patiently. “Thank you. For letting me keep my magic.”
“I had nothing to do with it,” she said. “It was all you. You’ve always been extremely gifted with magic. And, as you know, when people with an extraordinary ability are turned into vampires, that ability amplifies.”
“Of course.” I nodded slowly, still in shock that I had my magic. I’d spent days locked in that room while in transition, devastated about losing it.
Now, I had it back.
And I was going to use my gift to get revenge for the destruction of Utopia, by doing everything I could to kill Lilith, Lavinia, and every single demon and dark witch who walked this Earth, until the supernatural world was safe again.
15
Harper
I used my key to enter the Haven’s tearoom. No one was there.
So I walked to the notepad, picked up the pen next to it, and wrote, It’s Harper. I’m alive and in the tearoom. Get the twins and Ethan, and meet me here.
I folded up the paper and sent it as a fire message to Mary.
Minutes later, Mary, Rachael, and Raven rushed inside. They stared at me like I was a ghost.
“Where are the twins?” I asked. “And Ethan?”
“You’re a vampire,” Mary said, as if she hadn’t heard my question.
“I am.”
“But you just sent a fire message.”
“I’m a gifted vampire. My gift is the ability to use witch magic. I’ll explain more when the twins and Ethan get here.”
“They’re not coming,” Rachael said flatly.
My stomach twisted, and I braced myself for the worst. “What happened?”
“They’ve left on a mission to Ember,” Mary explained. “Now, I think we should all sit down. I’ll send for food and refreshments. Because we have a lot to catch up on.”
“Neither of my daughters will go dark,” Rachael said for what must have been the fifth time.
“That’s what I told Lavinia,” I said. “But she sounded pretty convinced otherwise.”
“She’s wrong.”
“I know.”
Except there was no way to really know. Anyone could go dark if they were pushed to a breaking point. And we had no idea what was happening to them in Ember.
“Someone needs to go to Ember and warn them,” I said. “I’ll do it.”
“No,” Mary said sharply.
“Why not?”
“It’s too dangerous.”
“I’m a vampire gifted with witch magic,” I said. “I can handle danger.”
“And Ember is a prison realm full of dark mages and dark fae. Yes, you’re strong, but they’re stronger.”
“You don’t believe in me.”
“I absolutely do believe in you. But this is their mission—not yours. And like you said, you’re a vampire gifted with witch magic. That makes you incredibly unique.”
“What’s the point of being ‘incredibly unique’ if I can’t do something to help?”
“Why do you think you can’t do anything to help?” Raven asked.
“Because they’re in Ember,” I said. “And I’m here.”
“I wasn’t referring to helping Ethan and the twins,” she said. “I’m talking about what’s happening here on Earth. You said you want to help us win against the demons. So, figure out what you can do to help us here.”
I sat back, frustrated. Because ever since Ethan and the twins had arrived in Utopia, I’d been in charge of overseeing their training. Their mission was my mission.
But what if it wasn’t? Because as much as I hated to admit it, Mary had a