Page 23

TWENTY-THREE

Wren

“Hey, Viento my dude, nice job with the fog, but it’s verging on overkill.” Luke speaks softly to the Air Elemental. The six of us are clustered together in the deep shadows of the giant sycamore trees behind Moon Hall. Around us students and professors talk in frustrated and annoyed bursts about who the hell would set off fireworks inside a protection dome, but we can’t see them through the fog.

“Viento didn’t call the fog,” I tell him.

Luke grins at Viento. “Oh. Well. Lucky coincidence.” Viento’s amber eyes stare at Luke, who is the first to look away. He clears his throat and continues. “Okay, here’s the plan.” Luke reaches into his jeans pocket and takes out a slip of paper. He hands it to Lee, explaining, “You remember how you got to Maya’s old room, right?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Go back there. All of you. I’ve helped you as much as I can by creating this diversion and getting you in, but I’m assuming since you have Lily and Wren, together they can cloak you all enough to sneak into Aquarius Hall.” Luke points to the paper. “I overheard Celeste saying that she can’t kill the elder. The old woman’s pretty much immortal with all the Elemental magick she’s absorbed over the centuries. So Celeste and Rottingham are going to take her to the past and leave her there. Read the spell I wrote down to the office door and it’ll open exactly where and when Celeste and Rottingham will take the elder.”

“Wait, I don’t understand any of this,” I say.

Ruby nods. “Yes. Clarify.”

“The door we’re going to is magick,” Lee quickly explains. “It’s where all the rooms of the…” His voice gets rough and he has to clear his throat before he can continue. “It’s where all the rooms of the students who died here at the Academia are stored. Think of it like a kind of time machine. Through the door time has been frozen, and will remain frozen.”

I understand the concept of a remnant of the dead students’ energies remaining here at the Academia, Viento says to me. But it does not seem logical that Celeste would take the elder to one of those rooms.

My gaze shifts from Viento to Luke. “So Celeste is going to leave Catalina in a dead student’s room?”

Luke shakes his head. “No. Not in a student’s room. Just in the past. I heard her telling Rottingham that she’s taking Catalina to a past version of the Conduit Chamber, and that she chose a random day before school started this summer when the campus was pretty much deserted.” Luke shrugs. “I guess she’ll dump her back then, close the door, and be rid of her.”

It pisses me off so badly that Celeste thinks nothing of messing with our lives, with Catalina’s life, with the lives of all Moonstruck, that I have to force myself to keep my voice low. “Sounds like Celeste. That’ll free her up to come after me.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s the plan,” agrees Luke. “I gotta get back before Rottingham wonders where I am.”

“Where does he think you are?” I ask.

“Bathroom.” Luke grins. “Told him my IBS was acting up because of all the stress of dealing with Lee.”

“You don’t have IBS, dork.” Lily rolls her eyes.

“Yeah, but Rottingham doesn’t know that.” Luke’s grin fades as he continues. “Lil, I know you have to go with Wren and Lee to Aquarius Hall to cloak them so they won’t be caught getting there, but you really don’t need to go into the chamber. Maybe you and Ruby should sit this one out. Celeste isn’t easily persuaded. Forcing her to finish the ritual won’t be pretty.”

“So?” Lily scowls at him. “You do understand that all three of us managed to make allies of the wild Elementals, right?”

“Well, yeah.”

“And I promise you none of that was pretty.” She shakes her head. “Stop underestimating me.”

“Okay! Okay!” Luke holds his hands up in surrender to his sister. “I just want you to be safe.”

“Lily can handle herself,” says Ruby. “And I’ll be sure she’s safe.” They study him hard, like they’re looking for lies. “That’s how you got out of trouble? By blaming Lee?”

Luke’s laugh sounds nervous. I study him, too, and all I see is Lily’s annoying brother.

He punches Lee on the shoulder. “Damn right! Bro, you should’ve heard me.” He makes his voice pathetic and pleading. “‘I didn’t want to take off with Lee, but after that Water Elemental cut my leg I needed a healer—plus I knew I could collect intel on him and the rest of them for you.’” Luke bows like we’re his starstruck audience and continues in a normal voice, “Thank you. Thank you. I totally accept my Emmy for best actor in a bullshit Academia de la Luna conspiracy.”

Ruby takes Lily’s hand. “Your brother… I have no words. Or rather, I have no appropriate words.”

Viento’s amused snort echoes through my head.

“Whatever. You know I’m growing on you.” Luke waggles his eyebrows at Ruby, who shakes her head at him but also can’t hide her smile. “Okay, gotta get back to Rottingham and Celeste. No clue why, but he wants me with them.”

“It’s probably because you’re his only intern left and he has to finish indoctrinating you into supporting his nefarious deeds,” Lee says.

“Big wording me, bro, but very true—a total promotion. Anyway, I’ll stall them for as long as I can. You need to hurry so you get there first. Hide. Rottingham, Celeste, the old woman, and I will be there soon.” Luke starts to move out of the shadows into the foggy night but turns back and whisper-shouts, “Hey, break a leg!”

Lily shakes her head as the fog swallows her brother. “He’s always been annoying but predictable. Told you he’d get the spell from Mom.”

“And he’d blame Lee,” adds Ruby.

“And I’d recognize his sign,” says Lee. “Wren, Lily, can you two really cloak us so we can sneak into Aquarius Hall?”

“Absolutely,” I assure him. “How do you think we got into Moon Hall and pulled the magick book from the fireplace?”

“That’s awesome, you two!” Lee squeezes my hand and smiles at Lily.

“Can you cloak Viento, too?” Ruby asks Lily.

Tell the fierce one I do not need cloaking. I shall mix with the fog and darkness and remain close enough to you to slip into the room to the past when Lee opens the door.

I relay Viento’s words to the group, and then Lily presses the fourth finger of her right hand down with her thumb and begins weaving magickal symbols gracefully in the air. I feel the heat of my power building quickly under my ribs and take her free hand in mine. “Lee, you lead us, but stay as close to us as possible and try not to make any noise.”

He nods tightly and steps in front of Lily and me.

“I’ll be right behind you.” Ruby moves into place.

Viento lifts above us and disappears in the foggy darkness.

I meet Lily’s gaze. “Ready?”

“Absolutely.”

I close my eyes so I can concentrate and command the power building within me to flow into Lily. Through our joined hands I feel her body jolt as she accepts the boost. “Go!” I tell Lee.

He moves forward, heading in the direction of Aquarius Hall as, under her breath, Lily chants over and over, “You see nothing. We are not here. You see nothing. We are not here.”

It’s like when we snuck into Moon Hall, only easier. Lily is more confident, and I realize I’ve gotten better at channeling power. It’s second nature to me now, and it’s simple for me to keep moon magick flowing to her.

Lee moves carefully but steadily through the campus. He pauses frequently, allowing small groups of students or professors to walk past. Tonight the campus is only awake because of the fireworks. There aren’t Scorpio moons charging all over the grounds looking for us. There are only bed-headed, yawning students dragging themselves back to their dorms, and rumpled, bathrobed professors who look annoyed at being awakened for a silly prank.

We stay off the cobblestone paths but have to pass Crossroads Courtyard on our way to Aquarius Hall. I can’t stop my gaze from going to the center of the large circle where the bricks are stained a shade darker than the rest. Instead of struggling not to dissolve into a puddle of tears, I accept that I miss Sam—that I’ll always miss Sam—and reach deep and draw strength from knowing that she would be so proud of what we’re going to do.

Lee leads us around the back of Aquarius Hall, where he pauses at the door that opens to the hall’s laundry room. “Okay to go inside?” he whispers.

Lily keeps up her litany, “You see nothing. We are not here. You see nothing. We are not here,” but she squeezes my hand. I hope it’s late enough that no students are hanging around doing laundry but know we really don’t have a better choice.

“Ready,” I tell Lee. “Move fast. People can’t see us, but they can see a door opening by itself.”

Lee nods and then goes briskly to the door and opens it. Ruby steps around us and holds it open as Lee, Lily, and I walk through it and into the laundry room. They close the door softly behind us.

Except for a dim light over the laundry sink, the room is dark and empty. My shoulders relax just a little and I nod at Lee to keep going. Wondering where Viento is, I glance around. Something flickers in my vision above me. I’m relieved to see the Air Elemental hovering over us. He’s flattened himself so close to the ceiling that he looks like an inky shadow sliding soundlessly after us. It’s definitely creepy, but creepy cool.

Lee pauses again after we move through the deserted kitchen. The double doors that lead from there to the foyer of the hall have windows in them, and we can see that there are a few Aquarius Hall students coming in the front door, but they’re heading up the staircase to their rooms, speaking sleepily to one another.

“Where’s the room?” I ask Lee quietly.

“Just out there behind the staircase to the left.” He takes the slip of paper Luke gave him from his pocket. “I’m ready if you are.”

Lily squeezes my hand again and I nod. Lee waits until there’s no one within sight of us and then moves quickly out of the doorway. As before, Ruby holds it open for us and brings up the rear. Viento glides after us, slides along the rear wall, and follows as Lee hurries us across the empty foyer to stop before an ordinary door I’d never even noticed before. The simple gold plaque on it reads: OFFICE .

Lee takes several slow, deep breaths and I know he’s grounding himself and setting his intention. Then he reads the spell.

“I wish to open the door to the past, forever frozen, forever still, forever the Conduit Chamber, for the one who was Doncella and is now Madre—and is always the one and only Elegida!”

The words on the gold plaque swirl and form CONDUIT CHAMBER . Ruby looks around the foyer and whispers, “Open it! Now!”

Lee opens the door and we hurry in with Viento gliding down the wall and slipping in behind us.

As soon as the door closes, we search the huge room. It’s completely empty. With relief, Lily ends her chant and I drop her hand.

“This place is incredible.” Ruby stares up at the enormous domed ceiling and the chunks of mirrors suspended from it like a giant mobile. It’s night and the light of the full moon dances over the surface of the mirrors, casting the chamber in a shadowed silver glow.

For a moment I can’t speak as the memory of the last time I was in this chamber washes over me. My stomach tightens as I search the dome for human-sized shapes of Elementals hanging out like giant bats.

The chamber is empty. Elementals rarely come here. They were only in the chamber that night because Celeste summoned them.

“That’s good,” I mutter to Viento, who has drifted down to hover beside me.

“What’s good?” Lee smooths the hair back from my face and caresses my cheek gently. His hand is warm and I lean into it.

“That it’s not the norm for giant, bat-like Elementals to hang from the ceiling like they were when we were here before.” I think I’m being strong, but I can’t help the shiver that skitters through my body.

Remind everyone that I cannot attack Celeste or Rottingham, Viento tells me. Not until the ritual is completed. Then the spell placed on me will be broken.

I repeat Viento’s words to the group and try not to feel defeated.

“Hey.” Lee puts his hands gently on my shoulders. “It’s different this time. I’ve got your back. So do Ruby, Lily, and Viento—even if he can only be on the defensive. You are not alone.”

“That’s right,” Lily says. “And when Luke and Catalina get here, you’ll have two more people on your side.”

Ruby nods. “We definitely have the numbers. Rottingham and Celeste against all of us? No contest.”

“Thank you. All of you.” I blink fast. Crying would be ridiculous right now. “We’re going to do this. We’re going to make this right. For Sam.”

“And for Maya,” adds Lee.

“For the Elementals, like Viento.” Lily smiles at our friend. “My beautiful firebird, and all the rest of the wild Elementals—so they can choose their futures.”

“For the Moonstruck Celeste has manipulated all these years,” says Ruby. “And for the Mundanes who, very soon, are in for a big, magickal surprise.” They glance around the chamber. “There’s nowhere to hide, but that doesn’t matter.” They nod at the door we just came through. “Good thing that opens inward. All we need to do is to be out of their sight long enough for Celeste and Catalina to enter the room. So, we wait here.” They walk over to stand against the wall to one side of the door. “When it opens it will block their view long enough for them to get inside.”

“And if Celeste and Catalina come in first, slam that door shut,” says Lee.

“Absolutely,” Ruby agrees.

We take our places. Ruby is closest to the door. I’m beside her. Then Lee and Lily. Viento hovers way above us, hiding in the shadows cast by the moonlit mirrors.

We don’t have to wait long. The door glows. Through it Celeste’s muffled voice speaks the same spell-work words Lee recited. My palms are sweaty and I swear my heart is beating loud enough that Celeste should be able to hear it through the door.

It’s hard for me not to focus on the last time she and I were in this chamber—how she was suspended by threads of moon magick, how she was so powerful that she almost killed me.

Lee’s arm slides around my shoulders. He bends and whispers, “You can do this. You are powerful and you are not alone.”

The door opens.

Luke enters the chamber first. I hope that he’s followed by Catalina and Celeste, but on his heels is Rottingham. Then Celeste sweeps into the chamber. She’s pulling Catalina with her. The old woman’s hair is completely disheveled and her face is pale. Her wrists are zip-tied behind her back. Celeste kicks the door closed behind her as she strides into the chamber. Rottingham is in front of her and she pushes Catalina at him as she sweeps past. The old woman stumbles and falls to her knees, crying out in pain. Rottingham moves toward her, but Celeste’s sharp voice halts him.

“Leave the elder. She’s fine on the floor.” Celeste reaches the center of the room and stands directly under the dome. Moonlight caresses her skin, making it seem as if she’s lit from within.

She turns then, her gaze going directly to us. She smiles. “Well done, Luke. You were right. It really was a simple thing to get them all in here.”

Luke, Rottingham, and Catalina turn to face us. Ruby has already begun to move away from the wall. I walk with her. Lee and Lily come with me, but Lily doesn’t stop. She marches over to Luke. He stands at the edge of the moonlight circle cast by the dome.

“You betrayed me?” Her words sound emotionless, but she stands rigidly, almost like she’s made of glass and one wrong word from Luke will shatter her.

“Lil, I didn’t betray you . I chose a side. I chose Celeste and Rottingham and the Lunar Council. I chose keeping moon magick where it belongs—with us Moonstruck. You can be with me! Together we could—”

With an open hand and a sound like the crack of a whip, Lily slaps Luke. “You betrayed me and every one of your friends. Do not speak to me. You’re no longer my brother.” She turns and walks back to where we’re standing.

Lily doesn’t look at Luke again.

Celeste’s laughter pulls our attention to her. My stomach rolls sickeningly. Silver threads of moon magick descend from the mirrors to her. She weaves her hands through them, gathering them to her. I feel their power and their pull, and I stagger a couple steps forward as she speaks. “Luke is right. He didn’t betray anyone. He made a choice. A correct choice. I’ve kept moon magick and the Elementals safe for more than two centuries, and I will continue to keep them safe.”

Catalina’s voice slices across the chamber at Celeste. “You hoard power that is not yours.”

I add my voice to the elder’s as I force my feet to stop moving toward her, though the pull of the silver threads is almost unbearable. “You trap beings on this island who are not yours to control. I knew there was something off about you from day one, and now everyone will know it.”

“No, little girl. We end this now. The old woman will never leave this chamber. She’ll stay here, alive forever, caught in the past.” Celeste’s smile is reptilian. “And you, Doncella, will also remain here forever, only you won’t be alive.” She thrusts her hand into the middle of the glistening threads of moonlight she’s gathered and shouts, “Cuchillo!” The swirling threads join to form a dagger that is all too familiar.

As Celeste grasps its hilt, Ruby moves forward, but Celeste is too fast. Her arm lifts. With the speed of a viper, she throws the dagger at me.

“No!” Lee shouts. From the corner of my vision I see him racing toward me.

Little Bird! Viento soars down from above.

But I know they’ll be too late. The dagger will skewer me. I gasp and tense.…