LOGINChris shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Unbelievable,” he hissed as I smirked with satisfaction.The trip to the clinic went by a lot faster on wheels than on foot. Chris remained glued to my side, his hair falling into his eyes as he repeatedly checked on me. I simply smiled in the backseat, and w
Epilogue — Part IIAvaAs the balloon hit me square in the face, I stumbled back, nearly losing my balance. Chris’s strong arm caught me, steadying me as a chorus of “Surprise!” filled the air.Our living room had been transformed, covered with balloons and streamers in shades of blue and silver. A
Her imprisonment in New Moon was coming to an end, and soon she would be returning to Moonstone on parole. The thought filled me with a mixture of apprehension and hope, as it did all of us.But that was not coming for another month.As the Elders filed out, I leaned back in my chair, unable to keep
Before I could comment, the Elders finally filed in, their usual robes swishing around them as they moved. Fatima was now the Eldest since Elise was gone, and so she took the end of the table opposite Chris.Claire hobbled in after her; she had been leaning on a cane lately due to a sudden onset of
Epilogue — Part IAvaMy hand rested on my belly as I waddled through the doors, half-ignoring Chris’s presence. He sighed, letting the door fall shut behind me.“What’s wrong?” he asked, following me to the circular council table in the center of the room.“Nothing.”That was a lie.It was my 40th
For a moment, Chris was silent, his gaze intense as he searched my face. Then, without warning, he dropped to his knees, burying his face in my skirt. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close.“Goddess, I can’t wait to marry you,” he murmured, his voice muffled by the fabric.I smiled, run
“Mommy!” the little girl cried out. “Mommy, she’s here again!”My stomach dropped, my insides turning thin and weak. No, no, it couldn’t be; I remembered this night. I remembered the terror, the certainty that there was something—someone—in my room night after night.I remembered how my parents woul
“I... I don’t know,” I admitted finally. “I guess I never thought about it that way.”Chris squeezed my hand gently. “I’m not trying to shake your beliefs or anything,” he reassured me. “But you taught me yourself how important it is to keep an open mind.”I nodded, still lost in thought. We continu
Ava“Your mother lied to you, Ava; spirits are real. And it’s okay to be afraid.”My eyes widened at the mention of my mother. “How do you know about that?” I hissed, wrenching my arm away.Zara released her grip on my wrist, her expression inscrutable. “I saw it in my scrying glass,” she said simpl
After a bit more convincing, Betty finally relented. “Alright, fine,” she said, throwing her hands up in the air. “But if I get too freaked out, I’m calling it quits.”“Fair enough,” Chris said, standing up. “I’ll be the seeker for the first round. You all have five minutes to hide. Ready?”We nodde







