The dorm’s back property had some lights on it, exactly for the reason of deterring wayward students like me. It was also along the patrol route of one of the security guards but wasn’t a spot he stayed regularly stationed at. He wasn’t in sight, so I crossed my fingers that he was busy with another part of his beat. There were enough shadows on the lawn that I was able to stay within them the whole way—until I reached the back fence. It was lit up pretty well, and really, the only assets I had were that I was a fast climber and that the guard hadn’t surfaced yet. Falling back on that hope that the universe owed me some favors—especially after tricking me about Alicia—I gulped and scrambled over. No one shouted at me when I landed on the other side, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I’d made it out. Getting back in would be harder, but that was a problem for later, hopefully one Ms. Terwilliger could help out with.
I found Adrian waiting for me in the Mustang, exactly where I’d indicated. He gave me a sidelong glance as he drove us away. “No black catsuit?”
“It’s in the laundry.”
He smiled. “Of course it is. Now, where are we going, and what’s going on?”
“We’re going to Ms. Terwilliger’s,” I said. “And what’s going on is that we’ve been walking around in front of the enemy this entire time without even realizing it.”
I watched Adrian as I related my revelations and saw his face go from disbelieving to dismayed the more I spoke. “Her aura was too perfect,” he said once I finished. “Perfectly neutral, perfectly average. No one’s is like that. I brushed it off, though. Figured maybe it was just a weird human one.”
“Can someone influence how their aura looks?” I asked.
“Not to that extent,” he said. “I don’t know enough about these charms you guys use, but I’m guessing it was one of those that skewed the way her colors looked.”
I slumped into the seat, still angry at not having figured this out sooner. “On the bright side, she doesn’t know we’re on to her and Veronica. That could give us an advantage.”
When we reached Ms. Terwilliger’s house, we found all the lights on, which was a surprise. I’d assumed she was in bed, though this certainly wouldn’t be the first time she’d missed a phone call. Only, when we reached the house and knocked on the door, there was no answer. Adrian and I exchanged looks.
“Maybe she had to leave abruptly,” he said. The tone of his voice conveyed what his words didn’t. What if Ms. Terwilliger had already found out what we had and had taken off to fight Alicia and Veronica? I had no idea how powerful Alicia was, but the odds didn’t seem promising.
When no answer came from my second knock, I nearly kicked the door in frustration. “Now what?”
Adrian turned the doorknob, and the door opened right up. “How about we wait for her?” he suggested.
I grimaced. “I don’t know if I’m comfortable breaking into her place.”
“She left the door unlocked. She’s practically inviting us in.” He pushed the door open farther and looked at me expectantly.
I didn’t want to go back to Amberwood without speaking to her tonight, nor did I want to sit on her doorstep. Hoping she wouldn’t mind us making ourselves at home, I gave a nod of resignation and followed Adrian inside. Her house was the same as ever, cluttered and redolent with the scent of incense. Suddenly, I came to a standstill.
“Wait. Something’s different.” It took me a moment to figure it out, and when I did, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t realized it immediately. “The cats are gone.”
“Holy shit,” said Adrian. “You’re right.”
At least one of them always came to greet visitors, and others were usually visible on furniture, under tables, or simply occupying the middle of the floor. But now, there were no cats in sight.
I stared around in disbelief. “What in the world could—”
An earsplitting shriek made me jump. I looked down toward my hip and found the dragon sticking his head out of my satchel and trying to claw his way up my side. Belatedly, I realized I’d forgotten to cover the aquarium. He’d apparently slipped inside the bag back in my room. The sound he was making now was similar to his hunger cry—except even more annoying. Then, impossibly, he nipped my leg. I bent over and tried to pull him off me.
“I don’t have any pie! What are you trying to—ahh!”
Something zoomed over my head and smashed into the wall behind me with a loud splat. A couple wet drops of something landed on my cheek and began to burn. It was a wonder I didn’t hear a sizzling sound.
“Sydney!” Adrian cried.
I turned toward where he was looking and saw Alicia standing in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. Her palm was raised toward us, a shimmery and gooey substance cupped in it. Presumably it was the same substance that currently seared my skin. I almost wiped it away but feared I’d simply be spreading it to my fingers. I winced and tried to ignore it.
“Sydney,” said Alicia pleasantly. “Or should I say, Taylor? I figured I’d be seeing you two again. Just not so soon. I guess your car trouble didn’t delay you tonight.”
“We know everything,” I told her, keeping on an eye on that goo. “We know you’re working for Veronica.”
The smug look on her face momentarily shifted, overcome by surprise. “Working for her? I got rid of her ages ago.”
“Got rid of. . . .” For a few seconds, I was at a loss. Then the rest of the puzzle pieces fell together. “You’re the one who’s been absorbing those girls. And that witch in San Diego. And . . . Veronica Terwilliger.”
I’d been able to track Veronica back to the inn with the scrying spell. When Ms. Terwilliger had attempted a different locating spell, she’d come up blank. She’d assumed it was because Veronica had some sort of shielding. But the truth, I was suddenly certain, was that Veronica was already comatose. There was no active mind for Ms. Terwilliger to reach because Alicia had consumed Veronica.
Ms. Terwilliger . . .
“You’re here for her,” I said. “Ms. Terwilliger. Not me.”
“The untrained do make easy targets,” conceded Alicia. “But they don’t have the same power as full-fledged witches, who can be just as easy to absorb if you break them down first. I don’t need the youth like Veronica did, just the power. Once she showed me how the spell works, I was able to catch her in a weak moment. That other college girl tided me over until I wore down Alana Kale.” Where had I heard that name? Alana . . . she was Ms. Terwilliger’s comatose coven sister. “And finally I can take out the big hit: Jaclyn Terwilliger. I actually wasn’t sure if I’d be able to break her, but it turns out she’s done an awesome job of wearing herself out these last few weeks, all in the service of protecting her sweet little apprentice.”
“I’m not her . . .” I couldn’t finish. I’d been about to say I wasn’t her apprentice, and yet . . . wasn’t I? I wasn’t just dabbling in magic anymore. I had joined the ranks. And now, I had to protect my mentor, just as she’d protected me. If it wasn’t too late.
“Where is she?” I demanded.
“She’s around,” said Alicia, clearly delighting in having the upper hand here. “I wish you hadn’t found out about all this. You would’ve made a good hit, once you’d learned a little bit more. You’re just a small spark to Jaclyn’s flame right now. She’s the big score tonight.”
“Tell us where she is,” ordered Adrian, a powerful note in his voice that I recognized.