Free Pickup Styx by Liz Schulte Page B

you shouldn’t have cursed her.” Sy’s eyes flashed.
    Edith stabbed her knitting needles into the ball of yarn, and I felt a very familiar collecting of energy in the room, similar to what Selene did before she brought down buildings. “Edith, if you want to protect Selene, you need to come with me.”
    It took a moment, but finally her face relaxed. She set the yarn aside and stood with dignity. “I will come back. God help you all if anything happens to her while I’m gone.”
    Frost huffed with impatience and set her book to the side. “She’s already dead, people. What do you think’s going to happen to her aside from a little decay?” We all looked at Selene, searching for signs of decomposition.
    “Relax.” She waved a dismissive hand. “I have her for twelve hours. After that . . . ”
    Edith and I left Sy chatting with Frost like they were old friends. We all met back in my father’s quarters. The coven sat on one side of the room and Edith stood on the other.
    “What’s she doing here?” Jessica asked.
    Devin nudged her. “How did things go with Selene? Nothing has happened, has it? I’ve been having the strangest dreams.”
    “Everything went as expected with Selene.” I forced a smile I didn’t feel. “We brought all of you here because we need help. My father has escaped—or we think he has. We need you to help us track him.”
    “How?” Leslie asked, sending Edith a wary glance.
    “My blood,” I said. “I know we’re all worried about Selene, and things have happened in the past that may make it hard to trust some members.” I looked at Edith and she stared at the ground. “But you are the people she’s closest to. Each of you love her in your own way, and she needs your help.”
    I waited for them to each nod, Jessica going last as she continued to glare at Edith.
    “When Selene makes it back, and I have to believe she will, the last thing we need is for my father to attack her. I don’t know if he is planning anything for certain, but I can’t take the risk. He has held a grudge against her for too long.”
    “Blood will be tricky,” Devin said, chewing on her lip.
    “Bloodlines take you in a lot of different directions,” Leslie added. “It isn’t like we can pinpoint a particular strand of DNA.”
    “Just say what you all mean,” Katrina said. “We need Selene.”
    “That’s why I brought Edith.”
    “There’s no way in hell,” Jessica said. “Last time we did spells with her, she had us cursing Selene without knowing it. Find another way.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
    “I wouldn’t hurt my granddaughter,” Edith finally spoke.
    “Oh, besides, you know, the last time,” Katrina said, eyes bright with emotion, foot tapping rapidly.
    “Wait.” Sebastian held up his hand. “We all know what happened then.” He looked back and forth between Edith and the girls. “I think it’s time to let that go and work together. You all want to help, and right now, this is the most help you can give. Can you put aside your differences for the greater good?”
    “How can you trust her?” Katrina asked me. “Look, I was all for Selene talking to her grandma before she died, but I don’t think we should let that woman’s magic anywhere near here. She is bat-crap crazy.”
    “The spell will have nothing to do with Selene. We are dealing with me this time, and Sebastian is right. Edith had the best intentions last time. Jaron perverted those intentions into something to suit his agenda, not hers.”
    Katrina and Jessica didn’t look convinced.
    “I am asking you to do this.”
    “We’ll try,” Devin said, stepping between them. “It will be okay.”
    Leslie stepped up and took Katrina’s hand. “We’ll be extra careful that nothing goes wrong this time.”
    Jessica rolled her eyes. “I wish Selene were here.”
    “Devin, what was the last dream you had about Selene?” Katrina asked.
    I hadn’t heard that she’d had a dream about Selene.