The shadows slithered from her and Neferet, content, called for her assistant to bring her a glass of wine laced with blood.

“Find some virgin’s blood this time,” she snapped when the young vampyre answered her summons. “The other is simply too common, and I have a feeling a celebration will soon be in order.”

“Yes, Priestess, as you command.” The assistant bowed and scurried out.

“That is right.” Neferet spoke aloud to the listening shadows. “All will be as I command. And someday soon they will not call me Priestess, but Goddess. Someday very soon…”

Neferet laughed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Dragon

A Sword Master notices everything. It’s part of what makes him successful—what keeps him alive. Though it didn’t take his preternatural abilities of observation for Dragon Lankford to know something was going on with Zoey’s inner group. It only took following his instincts and asking one simple question.

Shortly after second hour was underway Dragon instructed his students to begin their warm-up exercises, and told them he would return momentarily. Instinct had been niggling at him, driving him, prodding him, worrying him. Darius and Stark were talented Warriors—both more than capable in their specialized areas of weaponry. Darius was probably the most gifted knife thrower Dragon had ever known, and Stark’s infallibility with bow and arrow was, indeed, awe inspiring.

Neither of those abilities meant they should be in charge of training young, impressionable fledglings. Teaching was a gift in itself, and Dragon very much doubted that two such youthful vampyres had the experience and wisdom needed to be true professors.

She had been young when she was made a professor, so very young. That was how he’d met her—his mate—his life—his own. He knew what Anastasia would say were she here. She would smile kindly and remind him that he should not judge others harshly because of their youth—that once he had known how that felt. She would remind him that he was in the perfect position to mentor the youths—to be sure they developed into worthy Warriors and exceptional teachers.

But Anastasia was as dead as the past and because of that his life was utterly changed. Dragon did not want to supervise or mentor or oversee young professors, especially in light of the fact that they had begun this extra class so that he would not have to suffer the presence of the Raven Mocker turned boy. But Dragon was finding that duty was an odd thing. Even though he had stepped away from the path he’d walked with his mate and his Goddess, it seemed he had not become entirely free of the bonds that tied him to honor and responsibility.

So, begrudgingly, Dragon gave in to the instinct that was telling him to check on the young Warriors and made the short trek from the field house to the arena of Lenobia’s stables where Stark and Darius had set up their Warrior training.

As soon as he placed foot inside the sawdust arena, Dragon knew he’d been right to be concerned. The two vampyres weren’t conducting training—the human stable man was. Lenobia was nowhere to be seen, and the two Warriors were following Aphrodite from the stables. Dragon shook his head in disgust.

“Darius!” he called. The young vampyre paused, gestured for Stark and Aphrodite to go ahead, and then he hurried over to Dragon. “Why is a human leading your class?”

“It cannot be avoided,” Darius said. “Stark and I must escort Aphrodite and Zoey.”

“Escort them? Where?”

Dragon could see that Darius was not comfortable discussing the subject with him, but he really had very little choice. No matter their differing views on Rephaim and Neferet and some of the new red fledglings, Dragon was still Darius’s ranking Warrior, and as thus he owed the Sword Master an answer.

“Thanatos is going to lead Zoey and her circle in a ritual at her grandmother’s farm. The spell involved is supposed to reveal the manner of her mother’s death.”

Dragon felt the shock of it—this was major spellwork, and one that entailed some measure of danger, even if the threat was more emotional than physical. I should have been informed. I should have been included.

Dragon kept his thoughts veiled and only asked, “Why now, during school hours, is this ritual taking place?”

“This is the fifth night after her murder.”

Dragon nodded, understanding. “One night for each of the elements. Four would be incomplete. Six would be too late. It must be tonight.”

“Yes, that is how Thanatos explained it, too.” Darius added, obviously uncomfortable, “May I have leave to go, Sword Master? My Prophetess awaits.”

“Yes, you may.”

Darius bowed and Dragon watched him go. Then, with a grim set to his handsome face, Dragon Lankford changed direction and made his way quickly to the classroom Thanatos had made her own.

He was relieved to see the High Priestess was still there, looking through one of the cupboards in the rear of the room and gathering candles and herbs, which she placed carefully in a large spellwork basket that was all too familiar to him. It had been Anastasia’s favorite.

The sight of it made him feel raw and exposed. Nevertheless, he cleared his throat and said, “Priestess, may I have a word with you?”

Thanatos turned at the sound of his voice. “Certainly, Sword Master.”

“Darius tells me you are leading Zoey’s circle in a reveal ritual and some major spellwork at her grandmother’s farm.”

Though he didn’t frame the words in a question, Thanatos nodded. “Yes.”

“Priestess, I was under the impression that you are aware that I am Leader of the Sons of Erebus at this House of Night.”

“I am aware of your position here, Sword Master,” she agreed.

“Then, though I do not mean to admonish you or show you disrespect, I must ask your reasons for not informing me of and including me in an undertaking of such rare importance as well as danger.”

Thanatos hesitated, and then she nodded, as if agreeing with him. “You are correct, because of your position at this school I should have informed you of my plans. I did not for a very simple reason: I decided that your presence at the ritual would be a distraction; therefore, I did not include you and did not inform you. I apologize if that seems I did not respect your position. That was not my intention.”

“A distraction? Why would I be a distraction?”

“As Stevie Rae’s Consort and protector, Rephaim will be attending the ritual.”

Thoroughly annoyed Dragon retorted, “What does Rephaim have to do with me being a distraction?”

“If you harm the Consort of the Priestess who embodies the earth element, that will definitely distract her from performing her very pivotal part in the reveal ritual, and it will hinder the spellwork to follow.”

“I would be there to protect our students. Not to harm them.” Dragon forced the words through clenched teeth.

“And yet Aphrodite has been given a vision wherein you appear to be harming Rephaim.”

“I would not do that unless he was endangering the other students!”

“Be that as it may, your presence would be a distraction. Dragon, two other Warriors will be present, and the power of Zoey’s circle will be strong. The students are protected. And, Sword Master, let me add that I have seen a deep, disturbing change in you since the death of your mate.”

“I grieve her loss.”

“Sword Master, I think the truth is that you are lost. And even were Rephaim not going to be at the ritual, I would not want you present.”

“Then I will leave you so as not to be a distraction.” Dragon spun on his heels, but before he could exit the room, Thanatos’s words snared him. “Please let me explain. I would not want you present at any ritual wherein a spell was cast to reveal the truth about death with the intent to bring about justice and closure. I do not mean to insult you, but I sense that you are in such conflict in your own life that your presence would simply go against the very heart of the spell.”