Page 145 of An Oath at Midnight

“If Willow had known, she would have stopped it, Maria. She stood up for others at this school. If she’d seen them hurt Emma, she would have stopped it, I know she would.”

“Lies!” Maria screamed. “Get them,” she said to her brother and sister.

I expected them to move slow, but they were fast. Emma came at me, grabbing for me. I tried to shove her back, but she was strong as hell. I touched her, but because she was already dead, nothing happened. I didn’t think even hacking off body parts would do much.

Marcel had other ideas completely, and instead of coming for me and Bram, he pounced on Robert, tearing into him and taking a bite out of the side of his throat. Robert screamed as blood pumped out of him.

Maria watched on, stunned.

“Untie Isaac and get Maria out of here,” I called to Bram, as Emmaline came at me again, mouth open, lips peeled back, trying to take a bite out of me.

Bram did as I said, slashing the ropes around Isaac’s feet and hands, while Marcel chowed down on Robert, who was now unmoving and obviously dead. Isaac sprinted for the exit, while Bram grabbed Maria. She kicked and screamed, hitting and scratching him, trying to get him to let her go.

“Run, Mags,” he roared.

I spun with force, kicking Emmaline’s legs out from under her. She hit the ground, and I sprinted for the stairs, Bram and a spitting, screaming Maria right behind me. We bolted to the top and I slammed the door shut after Bram, turning the old iron key in the lock, then dragged a heavy wooden seat over and jammed it under the handle.

Bram threw Maria down, and Isaac stepped forward, offering his belt. Bram quickly and efficiently tied her hands together with it, then used his own belt for her ankles.

“That door’s not going to hold them long,” I said when everything went quiet. “Once they’re done with Robert, they’ll come looking for more.”

“What do you want to do?” Bram asked.

“We need to hand Maria off to the council, then deal with those monsters.”

“I’ll take her in,” Isaac said, still visibly shaken.

“You’ll have to excuse me for not trusting you,” I said. “You know, since you tried to frame my sister for murder and all.”

He shoved his shaking fingers through his hair. “After finding all that evidence at The Cauldron, I truly believed she was doing it. I had no idea… I never would have—”

“Save it.”

The door opened and Asuka strode in, Jenna and several other council members behind her.

Bram immediately hauled Maria off the floor and dumped her at Asuka’s feet. “You need to get her out of here.”

Asuka looked at me, her expression stricken. “I’m so sorry, Magnolia. The council’s withdrawn all charges. Willow’s included in that, of course.” Her gaze slid to Isaac, and she all but bared her teeth. “We found the enchantment charms you hid in our houses. You’ll be held at Umbra Sanitarium while you await trial.”

The council enforcers moved in, grabbing him and hauled him and Maria away.

A crash came from the basement.

“It’s not over yet,” I said. “Maria and Ryan weren’t just killing for the hell of it. They were collecting body parts to build new bodies for her dead sister and brother.” I motioned to the door. “That’s them, behind door number one.”

Asuka paled. “The undead?”

“Yes.” Tingles danced across my back and around my side, swirling around my belly button, the markings the mother had given me heating until they were burning under my skin. I yanked up my shirt. “Bram?”

He rushed over, crouching to check them. His hand covered my side before he looked up at me. “They’re touching, but they’re colorful.”

I’d passed. I’d passed my task.

I didn’t get a chance to reply because pain arrowed down my spine, and I staggered back.

Bram grabbed hold of me. “Mags?”

I dropped to the floor like a dead weight, and a silent scream tried to burst from me as power exploded through my body. It built higher and higher, surging in waves; the gifts the mother had given our coven strengthening and solidifying inside me.