Part 23 (1/2)

”My parents would've known,” she said ”They would've known all along They would've seen me and Ballard as babies They would've seen me shi+ft, and they never told row hair in unusual places, when you turn twenty-three And Gaven Gaven! This explains absolutely everything”

”Actually ,” I said

She looked ather head ”What is it?” she said Her eyes were sad again, al

”You do realize, Lia, that in a sense, I a narew up in New England, don't you? I was born here Then Risky had Ballard contactabout it? If you were a baby,” I said, ”and popped, went fro like a furball, and they didn't freak and kill you” or, I thought to ive that child up for adoption, ”then I think we have to assume that they expected it to happenwhich means Risky must've talked”

”Risky was ure out what that meant ”He probably, I dunno, let her down slowly Told her about Ballard and me Except Ballard's different It'swrong with being a olf,” I said And then, because she looked like she was going to cry: ”Or having been one But the fact reer conspiracy And that's what I want to know about”

I had let nored hiet our Marks first Then we'll see,” I said ”Can you see any more definition? Come on Show me I don't think it knohat it wants to be yet,” I said, looking at her Wiccan Mark ”Kind of like us”

Lia sniffled ”A witch who can't conjure, and a ho can't shi+ft,” she said ”I'm practically useless”

”What about me? I don't even knohat I can do?”

Chapter 18 The Wiccaning

Light filtered in through the slats in our door and the day of the Wiccaning was upon Lia and I So me had finally been worked out It happened so independently from myself

Becca had Seen

I could finally take it to raduates through their own Wiccaning process She hadn't told me what that all meant Probably on Mistress Genevieve's orders (”Halsey has certain things she has to figure out for herself”) In that , with being wiccaned

If they wanted to break in, so be it

I watched the swirling dustit all inso To hell with itto hell with theood, because we needed to be on our toes today, present, here

I wondered if I would See Then: if I would see the way they thought I should see, or the way Infester had seen , the way I sahen I saw the Wolf, or threw my mind and saw certain shadowy individuals, nebulous and out of reach

Asher's and Lia's advice to Hide was more important than ever

The heavy snores of the olves filled the atrium

Lia, tousle-haired, and I, made our way to the Meadpalace in our robes; then, because that was empty, the Star Room And there on the threshold were the other Initiates So curious happened My butterflies left me I was butterfly-free The other Initiates, h we could care less

I saw Vittoria spread her fingers with her off hand She had long, pointed, cri at her But her visible gulpless than her usual for took all day And as it was alphabetical, Halsey Andro the latter half of it

nobody spoke nobody needed to It was clear what this was all about Hiving and Houses

I just wondered if it would be like Valentine's Day, and so cards, while others would not

They weren't that cruel, were they?

So told me they were

Vittoria was up; it was my turn next

I looked wherethere Instead of feeling nervous, as I noruilty, because it had not shown, a carefree serenity settled over my brow

Maybe I was just a late bloomer

It was a while before I was called But, eventually, I was They certainly had put Vittoria through her paces Longer, in fact, than anyone else And so I stood up, and wished Lia good luckShe was after me, you see?and went to meet my doom

The Star Room looked somehow more ominous than I had ever seen it Still my butterflies would not flap Even when I saw the Wiccan Elders, and who they were

They consisted of the Mistresses of each of the three recognized Houses at the Gathering

Veruschka Ravenseal, Mariska Coven, and Fanishwar Harcort Lux was also in attendance, which reat,” I thought); and, here was a surprise, Julius Pendderwenn; together with Maria Lenoir and her consort, I seemed to recall was named Pier Alexander Asher stood next to theuard Gaven, of course, was also there Although what good he would be, I had no idea As were tins, I had never seen before in entleman I had seen at the party who always looked so surly, but whom, I realized noas so serious-minded that indeed, he was the only one who looked like he hadn't been talking to the rest He sat in contemplation, his head bowed But when I entered, he looked up atblue eyes jabbed into my own softer, brown ones

The coement Of Me

Everyone took their places Instead of Gaven, who usually es I could see her look at roup, with dark eyes

They were gathered in a circle, the judges, with me inside it, and all of them in their finest robes; me in mine

I looked up at the stands, but they had been darkened out An unusual amount of twitters came from the stands It was obvious the other Houses had sent their delegates I didn't knoho they were yet, but one thing was sure The numbers were there The Initiates would be Chosen

I didn't kno I felt about that Nu was over I was up

Veruschka started off ”Welcome Miss Rookmaaker” she said She had to readwhile she wrote so down Finally, she looked up at es

”It is my turn?” she said

They nodded, and she turned to me I couldn't help it I looked around at all of the' htly when I looked questioningly at him

”Miss Rookmaaker?”

Veruschka Ravenseal had apparently finished shuffling her papers, and was calling me back to attention I waited Finally, she spoke I repeat the event verbatim

”Try and keep eye contact,” she said

I looked into her blue-haired face ”Into o”