Page 94 of Thicker than Water

“My god,”Renata sighs.

“Jesus, whatnow?” Lexi says, attempting in vain to wipe blood from her tube dress.

Another vampire appears in the door of the emergency exit. A bright amethyst glitters at her throat. Her long, purple robe is disheveled.

It’s Amrita Vyas. She must have come from Elmwood Academy. In her arms she’s carrying…

“Hallie!” Amara shouts.

Without a moment to spare, we all huddle nervously around the two newly-arrived vampires.

“Is she all right?” Xia asks, her brow furrowed, her broomstick in hand.

“What happened?” I ask Amrita. “Did Tudor take the school?”

“He tried,” Amrita responds. Her large eyes are sharp, and her tone is brusque. “But we managed to capture him, the other vampires, and the Arundel shifters. Hallie defected to our side. She was injured, but she should be all right when she wakes up…”

“Thank Hecate,” Amara exhales, putting her hand to Hallie’s face to brush a stray curl out of her eyes.

Amrita tilts her head in confusion, but there’s too much going on to distract her. “Um…yes, one of the Hecate witches managed to heal her, but she should probably rest for a few days. I brought her back here, tocheck if you…”

“I left Tudor in the woods,” I reply, firmly. “We didn’t support his plan to attack the academy. If you’ve locked him in the Cave, I owe you a debt of gratitude. He would certainly have come back for my head if his plan had succeeded.”

Lexi gasps, clutching her chest. Amrita turns to her, and Renata.

“That’s right,” Renata says quickly, shooting Lexi an icy glare. “All three of us are with you, Amrita. We stayed behind, rather than attack the academy.”

Lexi nods anxiously.

“Well, it’s not really me you have to convince,” Amrita sighs.

The elevator chimes, and the club is filled with gold light.

“Ohshit…” Amara whispers.

Eight robed witches march grandly into the club, squinting their eyes in the underground haze. They’re in a tight formation, but don’t seem like they’re planning to fight. None of them are in the air, or have wands raised. They look like they’re expecting us to concede.

I recognize the witch in the center. She has a lined face and a haughty air. She holds up her head as though she owns the place.

But she doesn’t.

Now that Tudor is imprisoned,Iown this place.

I step out in front of Amrita and the others.

“High Priestess Nox,” I say, tilting my head in her direction.

“Tudor’s eldest progeny,” she says, with a slight wrinkle of her nose.

“Celine Côté,” I correct, firmly.

“Fine,Celine,” she says, a condescending note in her voice. “I’m afraid we’re not meeting on very positive terms. Your Creator, Tudor Thornblade, has broken the Arundel wolf shifters out of the Cave and attacked Elmwood Inclusive Magic Academy, one of the Hecate witch’s strongholds-”

Amrita snorts loudly behind me, but Lavinia ignores her.

“Luckily, the Triple Council managed to subdue him, and Tudor, Oana, and the shifters were thrown back in the Cave where they belong. As a gesture of goodwill, we returned his youngest progeny to you-”

“Ireturned Hallie to her sisters,” Amrita says sharply. “If I recall,Lavinia,youwanted to throw her in the Cave as well.”