House of Ivy & Sorrow

TWENTY-TWO





I stand at the front door, and Nana hovers over me to the point that it’s suffocating. But I let her because I have to go to school today. I still haven’t been able to protect Gwen or Adam past the barrier, and the thought of them being attacked next makes me ill. As much as I want to stay in Willow’s End, it’ll be easier to find them at school than orchestrate some scheme to make them stay in our ultra-fortified town.

“This will heighten your magical senses,” Nana says as she drapes a charm over my neck. It glistens like abalone shell. “And this is the strongest spell repellent I have. Also, one to boost your magic so you don’t have to use as much.”

“How long did it take you to make these?” I ask. She forced me to bed after dinner, insisting that I needed my strength today.

“For-freaking-ever,” Maggie moans from the living room couch. “I should know, since we only finished an hour ago.”

“We do what must be done, Margaret.” Nana holds out several extra necklaces and a bag of spell pearls that look like candy. “These charms are for Gwendolyn and Katherine, for protection and hiding and solidarity. You must stay together. Try to feed the boys these pearls—they have everything they need. But mind you, the spells won’t last as long as the charms, if you catch my meaning.”

“Nana . . .” The thought of guys digesting spell pearls isn’t a good way to start the day.

She holds her hands up. “Pleasant or not, you must know. Margaret and I will make more and—”

“Why can’t I go to school with Jo?” Maggie pulls herself up. Her long braid is messy, strands of hair sticking up in every direction. “I could help protect them.”

“Too complicated,” Nana and I say at the same time. Getting her a school guest pass, having her shadow me in classes, not to mention how Gwen might see Maggie as yet another person I was paying more attention to—the trouble outweighs the benefits.


Maggie pouts.

“I need you here to help with more potions anyway.” Nana unlocks the door and looks me straight in the eye. “I’ll be watching. If you see anyone suspicious, do not let them get near. If you were Cursed . . .”

I hug her. “I know. I’ll be careful.”

The bus honks, and I have to run to make it in time. As I scan the rows, I spot Gwen’s bright blond ponytail. She has her face turned away from me, since she’s chatting with Winn and Adam behind her. Kat and Billy are across from them, flipping through papers on who-knows-what.

I make my way to them and drape the charms over Gwen’s head. “I owe my grandma a hundred beetles for these.”

She lets out a little squeak, touching them with one finger. Then her hand wraps around them, and she looks at me with the same sad eyes she wore the first day she sat with us. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I did.” I sit next to her. “Nana gave those to Kat. I had nothing to do with it, but I should have thought about how you’d feel, and didn’t. I’m sorry.”

“I probably overreacted.” Gwen smiles a little as she inspects the bauble filled with swan down.

“You think?” Kat throws a wad of paper at her.

“Don’t say we’re cutting you out again,” I tell Gwen. “Because it’ll never happen, ever.”

Winn pats Gwen’s arm. “Told you it was nothing to worry about.” I raise an eyebrow, and Winn recoils. “Uh, she kind of yelled at me in text last night about stealing you away and ruining your trio.”

I turn to Gwen. “Seriously?”

She sinks into her seat. “I was really mad! And I already yelled at you and Kat, so . . .”

“I reassured her that I would never intentionally damage your friendship,” Winn says. “Hope that’s okay.”

“Of course it is,” I say.

“There’s only one problem with all of this.” Adam leans on the back of our seat. “Why didn’t you call me, Gwen? You could have cried on my shoulder.”

She gives him that look, the one that any guy would fall for. “I don’t have your number.”

He holds his hand out. “Gimme your phone.”

When he takes it, I elbow her. She bites her lip, and that’s all I need to know she’s totally smitten. Despite Kat’s claims that Gwen and I are giant balls of hormones, we’ve really only had a few crushes, and Gwen’s the only one who’s had a boyfriend until now.

“There.” Adam hands the phone back, his smile surprisingly charming instead of mischievous. “Now if you ever want to ditch these losers, you have a place to go.”

“Losers?” I hold out the spell candy. “I was going to let you have some of my nana’s best homemade sweets, but if you think so little of me . . .”

He snatches the bag. “You’re cool, Jo, even if you’re dating a complete dork.”

Winn takes the bag and shoves Adam off the seat. “That’s it. Go sit next to Gwen, since she’s the only one deserving of your presence.”

“Damn straight.” He pops a few candies in his mouth as he sits.

“These are pretty good,” Winn says through a mouthful. “Billy, you gotta try some.”

I breathe a tiny sigh of relief. At least they have some defense for the day, even if I have no clue how much it’ll help. It sure would be nice to know what we’re up against. Protection or not, I can’t seem to stop looking over my shoulder. I fear our hunters are closer than we’re prepared for.


Winn touches my arm, and I jump. That’s right: I’m in art, and nothing is wrong, unless you count being forced to sketch a rocking chair with one seriously creepy doll on it.

“Are you okay?” he asks. “You’re quiet. You haven’t said a word about how that doll looks possessed.”

I can’t help but smile. “I guess I’m a little on edge about what you said yesterday.”

“About the guy who took our picture?”

I nod.

He puts his arm around me, and I feel slightly better. “Don’t worry. If we see him again, I’m calling the cops. I don’t care if the guy is scary or crazy or what. I’m sorry I didn’t say something that day.”

I lean into him, glad for the comfort even if Winn is essentially powerless. If only cops could help.

The day is extremely uneventful, which makes it even harder to focus on anything besides who could be watching me. It’s all so normal, and yet not. I used to feel safe here. I can’t feel that way now.

Ten minutes before school lets out, I start to think maybe we’ll be okay. Maybe Nana and I blew things out of proportion. But then my heart stops, and every hair on my body raises.

Kat. Again.

My hand shoots into the air. “May I use the restroom?”

The teacher nods. “Take the hall pass.”

I rush out the door toward the physics room, where I’m sure Kat is furiously taking notes. Putting my hand to my chest, I wish I could get my heart to slow down. But as I round the corner, the sensation is immediately gone, replaced with shock.

Dark hair. Cunning eyes. A suit.

He smells of magic, of power deep and limitless. I shiver as we stand there, staring at each other. I can feel his wanting, like a rope around my heart. He craves me and the power I hold. And like Winn said, he’s a boy. An achingly beautiful boy who can’t be much older than I am.

Maybe he’s not the one who killed my mother, but that doesn’t mean he won’t kill me.