Page 54 of Death Card

Orion’s too shaky to drive, so I take over, following closely after Malik all the way to the house.

My nerves are a bundle of frayed edges. I called Lizzie right after I spoke to Gramps and asked her to meet us. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her about Chris’s death over the phone, and the last thing I want is for her to find out from someone else.

By the time we get home, some of the Elders have arrived. They sit around the dining room table, faces still as stone. Malik walks straight into his grandmother’s arms. Her expression cracks as she clutches him tight. She whispers something into his ear, and his shoulders shake as he sobs.

“What happened?” Gramps asks. “We need the whole story.”

I grip the back of a chair so tightly my knuckles ache. The guys remain silent as I tell the Council about the party, my confrontation with Aria, and Chris’s death.

Aunt Lorraine shakes her head. “Haven’t you done this before?” she asks. “Why couldn’t you save him?”

I stare down at my hands, feeling betrayed by my own magic. This time shouldn’t have been any different than with Marian. Except…

“The little girl that Gramps and I saved didn’t have much magic to begin with,” I muse aloud. “Her father was a mortal. But Chris was a full-blooded witch. I don’t think he could survive the loss of his magic.”

The others shift uncomfortably.

“This illness, or demon possession, or whatever it is, robs the person of their magic.” I think of James Peterson. “That’s why they’re dead and the little girl isn’t.”

“That’s a good theory, baby,” Aunt Roberta says.

“Oh, stop,” Aunt Lorraine says, releasing Malik so she can aim her dark gaze on the rest of us. “This has gotten ridiculously out of hand. We can’t continue to excuse Mikaela’s weakness. I have been advocating for fresh blood for years. It is past time to elect a new Witch Queen.”

Gramps aims a stern finger at his sister. “Lorraine, I’ve had enough of you.” He narrows his eyes and gets to his feet. “It’s me you’ve got a problem with. You couldn’t stand to see my wife succeed, and now you’re trying to sabotage my granddaughter. I won’t have it. We arefamily.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Aunt Lorraine snaps. “It has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with Adelaide’s incompetence. It’s her fault that those witches were emboldened to do this. She didn’t stamp them out when she had the chance.”

Now Aunt Roberta rises from her seat. The three of them stand off against one another while the rest of us watch with hesitation.

“Don’t you start,” she hisses. “Do you think you could’ve done a better job? A lot of innocent people would’ve died. Adelaide did what she thought was best.”

“Besides,” Gramps chimes in, “it was Rose who chose not to confront them when their dark activities came to light.”

“Hey, hey,” I say. “Can someone please give me the full story so I can know what the hell we’re actually dealing with?” All three Elders shoot me a look. I duck my head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to curse.”

“The mortals ran the Hightowers’ ancestors out of Salem,” Aunt Roberta begins. “By the time their descendants made it here, they’d left a trail of destruction in their wake. It was an open secret that they dealt in blood magic, and they brought that mess with them.”

“Your great-grandmother was hesitant to confront them,” Gramps says. “Adelaide tried, and that’s when they disappeared. There were signs that they hadn’t left New Orleans—stories in the paper about mysterious disappearances.”

“The human sacrifice stopped when Gloria became Matron,” Aunt Roberta says. “And your grandmother left it alone. She didn’t think it was worth it to start a war.”

“And now look where we are.” Aunt Lorraine marches over to Gramps and stabs her finger at him. The older sister scolding her little brother. There are some roles that don’t change with age. “The time for inaction is over.”

“I’m well aware.” Gramps brushes her aside and comes over to me. “You’ve been to their home.”

Even though it’s not a question, I still answer, “Yes. Malik and I found it.”

Gramps grabs a sheet of paper and scribbles a note. He hands it to Orion. “Take this message to their house. Malik, you’ll go with him.” Gramps narrows his eyes at Orion. “You’re only the messenger. Do not engage, and donotdisappoint me.”

Orion’s shoulders stiffen. “Why doIhave to go?” he asks. “You really want to send me into enemy territory after they killed Chris?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I want to do.” Gramps grasps both of Orion’s shoulders. “They need to know that we’re not afraid of them, and you’re the best person to deliver that particular message. You’ll be your sister’s right hand someday soon, and you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself. Am I correct?”

Orion holds his gaze. “Yes, sir.”

“Good.” Gramps releases him with a pat on the shoulder. “Watch your backs, and meet us at the park directly afterward.”

“What’s the plan?” I demand.