Revealed

CHAPTER NINE

Zoey

“Zo, Thanatos sent me to find you. The conference with the High Council has begun,” Aurox said.

“Oh, crap! I totally lost track of time.”

“High Council conference? WTF?” Aphrodite said.

“Yeah, again, crap.” I checked my phone: 10:10 PM. Yep, I was ten minutes late. “Sorry, with all this basement moving stuff I forgot to tell you guys. Thanatos is going to ask the High Council to intercede with the TPD because she thinks the humans are going outside their boundaries in the investigation. She wants me to join her so we can tell them about Neferet materializing and being all super crazed and our circle kicking her out, which is what set up the fact that she ate the mayor.” I paused, and sent Aphrodite an apologetic look. “Sorry for saying it like that.”

She shrugged. “You’re just telling it like it is.”

“Well, she should say it in a nicer way,” Stevie Rae said, sending me a frown.

“Bumpkin, nice has never been something I give much of a shit about. Z should just tell it like it is.”

“Hey, we all know you got so wasted last night you couldn’t function most of today. There’s no point in pretending like nothing can bother you,” Stark said. He aimed his comment at Aphrodite, but he wasn’t even looking at her. He was watching Aurox and frowning.

“Stark, two words: shut it,” Aphrodite said. “Oh, and two more words: jealous much?”

Goddess, I was sick of their bickering. “Aphrodite, since you’re okay talking about your dad, I want you to come with me to Skype the High Council.” I spoke quickly before Stark could say whatever petty comment he had opened his mouth to say, whether it was to Aphrodite or Aurox. “Stevie Rae, you come with me, too.”

“Okie dokie,” she said.

“We better get going. Thanatos sent Aurox on a fetch mission for you, so that means you’re late,” Stark said, grabbing my wrist and sounding super douchey.

I raised my brows at him and pulled my wrist from his grasp. “We, meaning Aphrodite, Stevie Rae, and I, are going right now. And yeah, I’m late because I got all caught up in a zillion petty fires that need to be stomped out around here. While we’re talking to the High Council I need you to be sure the red fledglings have gotten all their stuff moved into the basement, then help Darius and Damien gather everyone together to go to the funeral. I’ll meet you there.”

“But I wanted to—”

“To what?” I knew I was sounding like a bitch, but my patience was gone. It was obvious that what he wanted to do was to be sure he was stuck to my side if Aurox was anywhere around. “Stark, you didn’t see Neferet materialize. That’s what the High Council is going to want to hear about.”

“I just thought you might need me to—”

I cut him off again. “I need you to not argue with Aphrodite or me, and just be sure Erin’s funeral doesn’t turn into a stupid gang fight.”

Aurox cleared his throat. “I’ll go ahead of you and let Thanatos know you will join her momentarily.”

“Yeah, thanks Aurox,” I said absently as the kid took off, obviously glad to get away from the tension he’d accidentally caused.

I could see that I’d embarrassed and probably even hurt Stark, but I really didn’t have the time or the energy to baby his feelings. So I didn’t say anything. Stark didn’t say anything. No one said anything. Until Stark fisted his hand over his heart, bowed formally to me, said, “It will be as you command, Priestess. I hope your conference with the High Council goes well,” and walked away, with silent Darius and Damien following him.

“Okay, awkward,” Aphrodite said. “You know Stark is just being possessive because of the Aurox slash Heath thing. No need to hammer the kid in front of Bull Boy.”

“I didn’t hammer him!”

“Actually, Z, you sounded pretty mean,” Stevie Rae said.

“Are you going to tell me you’re always super sweet to Rephaim, even when he’s annoying the crap out of you?” I said, feeling kinda sorry that I’d lost my temper at Stark, especially in front of my friends, but also still feeling annoyed at him.

“Yeah, I can tell you that I’ve never been mean to Rephaim on purpose,” Stevie Rae said.

“That’s probably because he’s only a boy half the time. It’s pretty tough to get mad at an effing bird. It’s gotta be like dating a dog. I’ll bet he’s happy and wiggling like he had a tail every time he comes back to see you,” Aphrodite said. “Jesus, it exhausts me just thinking about it.”

“You, I’m used to being hateful, so I’m not gonna say anything ’bout you bein’ mean. Her, I’m not.” Stevie Rae turned her back on Aphrodite. “Is somethin’ wrong with you, Z? You’re jumpy as a cat on a hot tin roof.”

“Elizabeth Taylor was a goddess,” Aphrodite said. “Batshit crazy, but a goddess.”

“What are you talking about?” I said.

“The movie. Ask Queen Damien. I’m sure he wishes he had been Elizabeth Taylor.”

“Aphrodite, sometimes I think you’re speaking another language, but officially here’s what’s wrong with me: I’m tired of everyone bickering. I’m tired of Stark acting weird about Aurox. I’m tired of not knowing how I’m supposed to act around Aurox because of the Heath thing. I’m tired of people getting eaten. I’m tired of worrying about what the hell Neferet is going to do next. And I’m super effing tired of being stuck at the House of Night like a prisoner.”

Aphrodite and Stevie Rae looked at me like I’d grown wings.

“Damn, Z. You need to start drinking,” Aphrodite said.

“Does Xanax work on fledglings?” Stevie Rae asked her.

“It’s worth a try,” she said.

“I’m right here. I don’t like to drink, and I don’t want a Xanax.”

“I’ll grind one up if you sneak it into her brown pop,” Aphrodite said.

“Deal,” Stevie Rae said.

Then they both started laughing.

I shook my head. “You two aren’t funny, and we’re late.” I walked away from them. They trailed after me, still giggling at my expense.

I was surprised to see Kalona standing behind Thanatos, arms folded over his bare, muscular chest, looking like the statue of an avenging angel.

Why doesn’t he ever wear a shirt? flitted through my mind. Then Thanatos gestured at us to join her, saying, “Ah, good. Here is Zoey. I am glad to see she is accompanied by the young High Priestess Stevie Rae, as well as our Prophetess, Aphrodite.”

Kalona stepped back so that the three of us could be seen by the computer camera, along with Thanatos. The large screen showed the High Council Chamber in the temple at San Clemente Island, just off the coast of Venice. Seven stone thrones, each ornately carved, were on a stage-like area. Six of the thrones were occupied. I knew the seventh belonged to Thanatos. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the fact that they hadn’t filled her spot on the High Council. I liked that Thanatos was here with us, yet still had enough power to maintain her seat on the High Council. I didn’t like that that might mean she could be yanked back there at any time.

I realized no one was saying anything and everyone was staring at me. My face flamed with heat and I fisted my hand over my heart, bowing quickly. “Merry meet, High Priestesses. I’m sorry I’m late. I was, um—” I paused, totally losing whatever excuse I was going to babble.

“She’s stressed out because we’re all stuck here,” Aphrodite finished for me. She performed a cursory bow. “Merry meet. It’s me, Aphrodite.”

“We remember who you are, Prophetess.” Duantia spoke first. “It would be rather difficult for us to forget our first human Prophetess.” She was sitting in the most ornate of the thrones and, obviously, was leading the High Council. Then Duantia turned her dark eyes on me, and I could feel their power even with thousands of miles separating us. “Being late is sometimes inevitable. Stress is also inevitable. Learning to limit one and handle the other is part of being a High Priestess.” Before I could start to apologize again, she looked from me to Stevie Rae. “Merry meet, Stevie Rae. When events allow, the Council and I would like to extend an invitation to you and your unusual Consort, Rephaim, to visit San Clemente Island. We are intrigued by the two of you. It is true that the boy actually shifts his form from human to raven daily?”

“Merry meet,” Stevie Rae said, bowing formally. Then she smiled a little shyly, but answered Duantia’s question with no hesitation or embarrassment. “Yes, ma’am, Rephaim’s just like a normal boy at night, but as soon as the sun rises he changes into a raven.”

“He has no recollection of the hours when he is a beast?” another High Council member asked.

“Not really, no. Or at least if he does he hasn’t told me. Rephaim doesn’t like to talk about it much.”

“We will speak more of this when you and your Consort visit us,” Duantia said.

“Better get one of those really big dog travel crates,” Aphrodite whispered to Stevie Rae.

I elbowed her.

“Now, back to the subject at hand,” Duantia continued. “Thanatos has summarized last night’s events. Aphrodite, the Council extends our condolences to you. A parent’s death is never easy.”

“Thank you.”

“Zoey, Stevie Rae, Aphrodite, you were present when the apparition manifested on your campus. Thanatos reports to us that you believe it was Neferet. Are the three of you in agreement on this?”

“We are,” I said. “Aphrodite and I saw the spiders first. I knew it was Neferet then. She’s manifested as spiders before, here at the House of Night, and when she fell from the balcony it looked like her body disintegrated into a whole nest of spiders.”

“It was obvious from the beginning the spiders weren’t normal,” Aphrodite added. “And it only got more obvious when Z started casting the circle.”

“As I already said, I had felt a change in the school’s energy just before Zoey called me to report what was happening. My initial thought was that I was sensing the approach of death, and death did visit our campus that night, but upon reflection I believe I also sensed the approach of the Tsi Sgili. Her power is derived from death and Darkness—it is what has fueled her immortality. I agree with Zoey and her circle. Neferet attempted to manifest.”

“We saw her,” I said, not liking that the Council members looked undecided. “It was definitely Neferet’s body that almost reformed before the elements threw her off campus.”

“Not far off,” Aphrodite said. “She killed my father at the school’s main entrance. That’s probably as far as she could make it without draining someone.”

“We also believe Neferet could be responsible for the fledgling’s rejection of the Change that night,” Thanatos said. “Her specter passed through the girl as she fled the circle, and the fledgling died mere minutes later.”

“Yes, the child with the water affinity,” Duantia said. “Such a shame to lose a Goddess-gifted fledgling.”

“Though it does make sense that an immortal who feeds from death and Darkness could cause a fledgling’s death in such a way,” said another Council member. “That could be what gave her the power she needed to fully manifest.”

“Neferet killed Erin and Aphrodite’s dad,” I said firmly. “We even tried to tell the detectives that, but no way can we explain the whole truth to them. No way are they going to believe us.”

“And now they are asking for us to begin DNA testing with my professors to compare with the evidence they found on the mayor’s body,” Thanatos said.

I heard Aphrodite’s surprised intake of breath and realized I should have warned her about that detail. Crap! I really had to start managing my time better.

“Humans want to investigate this murder within your House of Night.” Duantia didn’t make the statement a question, but Thanatos answered her anyway.

“Yes, which is in direct contradiction to our traditions. I will not give the permission to invade this school. That is why I have asked for your intercession,” Thanatos said. “All the human authorities need to understand is that the vampyre community has charged Neferet with the death of the mayor, and that we are working diligently to find her and to bring her to justice. They can end their investigation and lift the restrictions on our House of Night. In return our oath is given that we will be quite certain Neferet will pay for her crimes.”

“And yet the local humans believe Neferet has been the victim of violence herself,” Duantia said.

“Because we couldn’t explain to them that she used Darkness to kidnap my grandma, so we had to use magick to save her!” I hadn’t meant to yell, but I was just so frustrated at how unfair the whole dang thing was!

“There is much that cannot be explained to the humans, Zoey,” Duantia said. “Your mother’s death at Neferet’s hands is another sad example of this.”

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

“Zoey, if the restrictions are lifted from the House of Night, are you and Stevie Rae still determined to continue to live off campus, separated from the school?” a Council member who had been silent until then suddenly asked.

“Yes,” I said. “The tunnels under the depot are more comfortable for red vampyres and fledglings.”

“Yet you are neither.”

I frowned. “Well, I’m not a normal fledgling either.” I raised my hands, palms outward, so that the lattice tattooing the Goddess had placed there was fully visible to the camera.

“And I’m not a normal Prophetess of Nyx,” Aphrodite said. “So, I’ll be going with them.”

“I’m the first red High Priestess,” Stevie Rae said. “That’s not normal, either, and I’m with Zoey and Aphrodite. We’re not meanin’ to make trouble, but it is what it is—we’re stickin’ together.”

“I don’t get the problem with us living at the depot. You guys were okay with it before,” I said.

“Yes, that was before Neferet was provoked enough to kidnap your grandmother and kill a fledgling and a human, and bring the local authorities into your House of Night,” said the same Council member.

I could hardly believe what she was saying. “That was not our fault!”

“No one is blaming you,” Duantia said quickly. “We are only attempting to sift through the many recent tragic events.” Suddenly she shifted her attention. “Kalona, you are the only immortal here. What is your opinion?” Duantia’s question seemed to surprise all of us. Thanatos shifted in her chair, and Aphrodite and I moved aside a little so that Kalona could stand between us and face the High Council.

He bowed, fisting his hand over his heart, before answering. “I see no problem with Zoey and her group, and that includes my son, Rephaim, living in the depot. They are guarded by strong, loyal Warriors, and the tunnels provide safety for them. As to the murders, I have no doubt that the creature, Neferet, manifested and caused both deaths, and that humans cannot begin to make her pay for her crimes.”

“Kalona, we have accepted you as part of our community because of the oath you swore to Thanatos, but we are all curious about your answer to one question in particular,” Duantia said.

Kalona’s wings rustled and his body tensed, but his voice was steady. “I will answer any questions you might wish to ask, High Priestess.”

“Though you never fully admitted being Erebus come to earth, Neferet presented you to us as such. She said you tricked her into believing it.”

“And yet I never claimed to be Erebus, and here I stand, sworn Warrior to a member of your own Council, as Neferet gets away with murdering children and humans.”

“Yes, it is an interesting turn of events. Our question is, who are you?”

Everyone, even Thanatos, was gawking at Kalona. Was he going to tell them that he was Erebus’s brother? Holy crap!

“I have been many things—a god, a lover, a destroyer, a savior. Now I am Death’s Warrior,” Kalona said. “It is fitting that I am also an immortal.”

I thought about speaking up and telling everyone that he was Erebus’s brother, but was he really? I’d already been late, looked irresponsible to the Council, and they had to know I was annoyed as hell at them. I didn’t need to spout out a claim like that and then have Kalona say nothing. Or worse, deny it completely. So, for a change, I kept my mouth shut.

“Kalona, I have prayed to Nyx and asked her to speak to me of you, and tell me if you present a danger to Thanatos, or to the House of Night,” Duantia said.

“And what did the Goddess say?” Kalona asked.

“Nyx has remained silent.”

“I think that is an answer itself,” Thanatos said. I thought she sounded pissed. She and Duantia had a silent stare down, which ended in Duantia looking away to address her Council. “Priestesses, has anything you heard here tonight changed your previous judgment on Thanatos’s request for us to intercede with the Tulsa humans?”

The five High Priestesses spoke creepily as one, “No.”

Duantia faced us again. “Then it is decided. What is happening in Tulsa has already caused unrest between vampyres and humans, as well as between fledglings and vampyres within the Tulsa House of Night itself. Part of you have broken from the whole, and it is clear to us from the recent events that this break is not a healthy one for the vampyre community. We have shunned Neferet. She is no longer our concern. It is not our responsibility to bring her to justice.”

“But Neferet’s the one causing the problems. She’s the one the humans need to blame—she’s the one you need to blame.” I practically choked trying to keep from yelling at them.

“She is immortal. As Kalona said, she cannot be brought to justice by humans,” Duantia said.

“You expect us to bring her to justice,” Kalona said.

“Yes, we do,” Duantia said. “Therefore, we will not intercede with the local humans. Nor will we any longer recognize the separation of fledglings and vampyres from your House of Night.”

“Sgiach is a vampyre High Priestess and she lives separately from you—and you’ve allowed that for centuries,” I tried to reason with them.

“Sgiach is not causing unrest with humans. Sgiach is not coming to us asking for our aid,” Duantia said.

“You know what, it makes perfect sense now why she stays on a booby-trapped island and ignores you,” I told them.

“Perhaps it is time Tulsa became an island as well.” Thanatos sounded grim and powerful. “I abdicate my position on the High Council effective immediately.”

“Thanatos, you cannot mean to lead your House of Night into breaking with the High Council!” Duantia stood. The rest of the Council were looking either super shocked or super pissed.

“I mean to change and adapt. I mean to remain here as High Priestess of Tulsa’s House of Night. I mean to support these two unusual High Priestesses and this Prophetess in their desire for a place of their own. And, most importantly, I mean to bring Neferet to justice without allowing an invasion of my school.”

“But that is not—”

“That is my oath; so mote it be!”

Then Thanatos clicked the disconnect button. Skype made its funny little hang-up sound, and the screen went blank.