18

I helped open the Boathouse with Melissa before Diana swung by and picked us up. Diana updated us on Ethan, whose condition was improving rapidly. Apparently he had something to tell me, but they weren't allowing in outsiders. "Maybe Adam can get you in after school."

Funny about being needed rather than wanted. Like a piece of taffy, you were stretched into every direction until you were no good to anyone. My coffee house gig was calling, and if I wanted to keep my job, I had to report in at 3 today. "How about tonight?" I suggested.

Diana shrugged. "That works too."

She looked tired, and truth be told, we both looked like hell. There were dark circles under my eyes that no makeup could touch. Only Melissa looked rested, and I wondered if she'd used magic on her dewy fresh face. I filled them in on developments with my Dad as well as what I'd learned about Poppy.

Diana said, "What if the knife shows up?"

Well, that would certainly be inconvenient. "We have to get rid of it."

"Destroy evidence?" Melissa said.

"It's either that, or Adam takes the fall, and the cops ask all sorts of questions we aren't prepared to answer."

They both looked resigned, as if suddenly realizing how much we'd have to compromise our values as time went on. I'd figured this out awhile back, and it didn't sit too well with me. When I'd first come here, I'd been this idealistic kid whose head was stuffed full of dreams. Now the only things that stuffed my brain were nightmares, the kind that rode me instead of the other way around.

School was interminable. I zoned out in Chem, daydreamed in Trig, and doodled in English. Lunch was a soggy sandwich with wilted lettuce, courtesy of the heat lamps on the lunch line. I threw it out after three bites and bought some yogurt. To my dismay, Poppy and her retinue headed straight for me. I said, "This table's taken."

"By whom?"

"Me, myself, and I. Now get out of my face."

"Not until we have a chat." Poppy threw down her lunch bag like a gauntlet, not apologizing when she spilled my chocolate milk.

I sopped up my milk with a few spare napkins. "About?"

She leaned toward me. "Do you really want me to spell it out, in front of all these people?"

Out in public, there was little she could do to me. "Take your best shot."

"Ooh, I bet you'd like that."

Poppy's minions flanked us, and I instantly knew they were witches. One or two I could handle, but not a wolf pack of she devils. "Your point?"

"It's not my point you should be worried about." I suddenly felt pressure in my side and looked down to see a blood encrusted blade in her friend's hand.

I smirked like it was no big deal. "You think I can't take that away from you?"

She sneered. "Try me."

This was a test of wills, but Poppy was also trying to gauge my strength. "Some other time."

Sally suddenly veered toward us and asked, "Is there a problem here?"

The growing tension suddenly dissolved and Poppy flashed her brightest smile. "Not at all. Just commiserating over poor Mr. Conant. We plan on visiting him real soon."

She shoved Sally aside and moved off with her flock. Sally watched for a moment before looking back at me. "Are you OK?"

Everyone kept asking me that, and I kept lying to their faces. "Yeah, don't worry about her."

"You think they're still a threat to Mr. Conant?"

"Yes. He's in no shape to defend himself."

"But you guys can't be there all the time."

"I know." I know Adam would try, but he wasn't superhuman. Sleep would finally claim him, and if one of us wasn't around to keep watch, Ethan would be in trouble. The hospital said he'd probably be there through the weekend, so we had to keep our vigil for another four or five days.

"Maybe my grandmother could help."

I was surprised by the offer. "Why would she want to get mixed up in this?"

"Because she cares - and she knows what Eben is capable of."

"You two discussed this?" I was touched by this, in ways I couldn't get my mind around. Outsiders didn't tend to help people like me, not without some personal agenda or motivation. Sally and Regina were doing this out of pure friendship, and that meant a lot.

"Of course. And we both agreed that we have to help in any way we can. Even if it means hanging out for an hour so one of you can take a break. I'll even help out down at the Boathouse if you need me."

I smiled in gratitude. "Thanks, Sally. We all appreciate it."

Faye and Melissa passed by, one with an eye roll and the other with an apologetic shrug. Sally sighed and said, "I'm not doing it for them. And what happened to you and Adam blows, so I'm totally on board with helping you two out."

Tears started to sting my eyes and I blinked a few times. "Don't let my Dad hear you say that."

"Don't worry. I'm staying far away from that man. No offense, but I'm sure glad you take after your Mom."

"So am I." Sally seemed to believe me, which was good, because she was dead wrong about me. I had tons of dark magic brewing inside me, and it was probably the only thing that would save my Circle in the end.