Part 18 (1/2)
”If it means we don't have to go outside again, it works for me.”
Cortez got to his feet and headed for the back hall.
”Sorry,” Savannah said. ”I didn't mean to cause more trouble. He surprised me, that's all.”
I squeezed her shoulder. ”I know. We'd better give Cortez a-”
Someone rapped at the back door. This, unlike the ringing phone and doorbell, was a first. When I'd looked through the kitchen window earlier, my backyard had been empty, possibly because no one dared be first to climb the fence. Now even that sanctuary had been invaded.
As I listened to the impatient rapping, anger surged through me and I stomped off to confront my newest ”visitor.” I glanced out the back door window to see Victoria and Therese. Worse yet, they saw me.
Chapter 22.
The Threat I backed into the living room.
”The Elders,” I hissed at Cortez, who was in the bedroom returning Morton's wallet to his pocket. ”It's the Coven Elders.”
”Don't answer the door.”
”They saw me.”
He swore under his breath.
”I'm sorry,” I said.
”It's not you. Hold them off. Count to five, let them in, then stall for a few minutes. Keep them in the hall.”
I ran back to the rear door, pulled open the sidelight curtain and motioned that it would take a minute to open the door. Then I undid the lock spell and perimeter spell and spent so much time turning the dead bolt, you'd think I had fifty of them. Then I ushered the Elders inside while blocking their path down the hall.
”You made it through the crowd?” I said. ”Geez, it took us-”
”We had to come through the woods,” Victoria said. ”A most unpleasant experience. Therese has ripped her blouse.”
”We had to come,” Therese said. ”Is it true? What they say? About poor Grantham?”
”We came because you lied to us, Paige. You said there wasn't a sorcerer in town.”
”I never said-”
”You implied as much, leaving us all vulnerable to attack. Look what's happened now. This sorcerer brought Mr. Cary back to life.”
”No, that was the necromancer. Sorcerers can't raise the dead.”
”Which makes us feel so much better,” Victoria said, her face contorting into a most unladylike snarl. ”We have been invaded, Paige. Not only by a half-demon, but a sorcerer and a necrophiliac-”
”Necromancer,” I said. ”A necrophiliac is someone who has s.e.x with dead people. Necromancers don't-or, at least, I hope they don't. . . On second thought, let's not go there.”
”Paige Winterbourne! I have had enough of your-”
Thud! Something crashed in the stairwell. Then Savannah's whisper floated up, ”s.h.i.+t! I'm sorry, Lucas. I slipped.”
He shushed her, but too late. Victoria thrust me aside and strode toward the cellar door. I ran after her and caught up when she was one step from the bas.e.m.e.nt stairs. I lunged to slam the door shut, but I was too late.
”What in G.o.d's name-”
”Oh, my lord,” Therese said, looking over Victoria's shoulder. ”They've killed a man.”
”We haven't killed anyone,” I snapped. ”The guy broke into our house and. . . and I-”
”There was a struggle,” Cortez said, from the bottom of the steps. ”I accidentally knocked him unconscious. We're moving him to the bas.e.m.e.nt where he can leave through the hatch. Having been struck on the head, he'll be disoriented and will likely believe he fell in that way. As you can see, we have everything under control.”
”Under control?” Victoria wheeled on me. ”Is this what you call having things under control, Paige? Dead people wandering around mortuaries? Mobs of strangers on your lawn? A sorcerer in your house, dragging a half-dead man into your bas.e.m.e.nt? You took a simple situation and with each pa.s.sing day, no, with each pa.s.sing hour hour you have made it worse.” you have made it worse.”
”Victoria,” Therese said, reaching for her friend's arm.
Victoria shook her off. ”No, it has to be said. We asked her to leave things alone-”
”I haven't done anything!” I said.
”You disobeyed us. Blatantly disobeyed us as you have been disobeying us for years. For your mother's sake, Paige, we put up with it. In accordance with her dying wish, we let you take the child, though G.o.d knows I wouldn't trust a parakeet to your care.”
”That's enough,” Cortez said, starting up the stairs.
I waved him back and turned to Victoria. ”Tell me what I've done wrong. Please. I consulted a lawyer, as you advised. I cooperated with the police when Leah killed that lawyer. I sat in the police station and I answered their questions and I waited for help. For your your help.” help.”
”The Coven doesn't exist to help those who bring trouble on themselves. You took the girl, knowing this demon woman was after her, knowing she was Eve's daughter and therefore didn't belong anywhere near the Coven.”
”The Coven exists to help all witches. No one doesn't belong.”
”That's where you are mistaken.” Victoria looked down the steps at Savannah, then back at me. ”You have twenty-four hours to make alternate arrangements for her care. Permanent arrangements. If you do not, you are no longer welcome in the Coven.”
I froze. ”What did you say?”
”You heard me, Paige. Fix this now or you will be banished.”
”You can't banish me. I'm the Coven Leader.”
Victoria laughed. ”You are not-”
”Victoria,” Therese said again. ”Please.”
”Please what? Please continue this charade? We're too old for these games, Therese. We should have put a stop to them last year. You are not Coven Leader, Paige. Do you really think we'd allow ourselves to be led by a girl so incompetent she manages to turn a simple custody challenge into an all-out witch-hunt?”