Page 79 of Pretty Little Psycho

“Because I see and hear everything,” she whispers. “Zeke is a Graves. He’s turned all the initiates against Riot, Atlas, and Valentin. He wants Nocturnus power for himself. But he needs a Blackwell to do it. You.”

It feels like the room is spinning and the floor is falling away from my feet. My knees start to tremble as the realization of what’s happening finally sinks in. “Fuck. Okay, shit. What do I do?”

“You need to go to the woods, Maur. Soon the time will come for Nocturnus to join you. You’ll be safe until they do.” Her blue eyes glow under the chandeliers, ethereal and haunting.

Nothing feels right. I don’t want to leave my guys… “I don’t know, Jess.”

“Libra and Villette are out there. They need you too,” she murmurs.

Wait, what? “They were just here a second ago, Jess. Why would they go out into the woods?”

She tugs on my wrist again, but I don’t budge this time. She lets out a frustrated sigh. “Because I told them to.”

Fuck. I can’t let my friends put their lives in danger because of me. I nod. “Where do I go?”

She loosens her grip on me. “Follow the path past the old cemetery. That’s where they’ll be. And be careful, Maur. Don’t get lost. Not all who wander can be found.”

A chill snakes up my back as I remember those exact words from my first day here. Except they came out of Miss Florian’s mouth. I don’t have time to process the coincidence because Jessamine is shoving me out the front doors. When I look back, she’s gone.

Fuck.

It’s freezing now, and I don’t have my coat. I wrap my arms around my body and shuffle forward. The ground is covered with a thick blanket of fresh snow. I curse as I try to muddle through it in my four-inch stiletto heels.

I try calling Riot, Atlas, and Valentin multiple times but none of them pick up. So I keep walking into the dark and creepy woods by myself during the winter solstice—the longest night of the year.

Libra and Villette don’t answer my calls either, which makes me even more concerned. Maybe there’s no reception by the cemetery… I hope they’re okay. Fuck. I hope I’m okay.

As I walk, my thighs brush against each other, and I’m somewhat comforted by the cool smooth steel blade that’s strapped inside my garter. After what happened to Bailey and me last summer, I try not to leave the house without it.

The stillness feels ominous. Like something is holding its breath and watching me, stalking me through the dark. There isn’t a single soul around. Every student and professor is back at the ball dancing and drinking the night away while I’m stuck out here. Just once it’d be nice to go to a party without someone trying to kill me.

My feet ache in these shoes, but I pick up the pace. I’m half-tempted to run but with my luck, I’ll end up breaking my fucking ankle or something. I take slow deep breaths and try to still my pulse. I use the flashlight on my phone when the path twists deeper into the woods, leaving all the lanterns and fairy lights behind.

The cemetery gates creak in the fluttering wind and my stomach knots. “Libra? Villette?” I call out.

A raven squawks, shattering the silence. Fuck, I hate these birds so much. I check my phone again—still no calls or texts from anyone. What the fuck is going on? Am I an idiot for coming out here by myself? I shudder as I pass a row of unmarked graves.

A branch snaps behind me. I spin around, my heart racing. “Guys? Are you there?”

“Hey, beautiful.” A hooded figure steps out from behind a tree.

Zeke. No.

My teeth chatter and my knees shake. I try to step back but stumble onto a cold headstone. “Leave me alone, Zeke. I don’t want any part of this.”

His smirk is evil and sadistic. “But you are a part of this, Maureen. I’m sick of chasing you. Tired of you always getting away. Thanks to Jessamine, I finally have some alone time with you.”

Bile climbs up my throat. I swallow hard to force it down. This can’t be happening. “She… set me up,” I whisper.

Zeke chuckles. “She understands what I’m trying to do. Nocturnus should serve the ravens. Not the other way around. Silas Graves understood that. Every Graves did until Riot came along.”

I can’t believe that scrappy little ghost girl has been playing me this whole fucking time. I’ve been so blinded by my past, so desperate to make connections that remind me of home, that I didn’t even see the truth right in front of me. Jessamine was always there, watching, stalking every move I made. She told Zeke I was at Nocturnus House that night. And when he followed me into the elevator, she told him I’d be there at that exact time. And now… she tricked me into coming out here by myself. All while pretending to help me. If she weren’t already dead, I’d fucking kill her.

Zeke walks toward me. “You’re seeing it now, aren’t you? The ravens have promised to return Silas to her. But only if she delivers you to me. It’s an eye for an eye, beautiful.”

I wince. “A soul for a soul.”

“I assumed control of Nocturnus tonight. You belong to me now, Maureen. And I have so many plans for us,” he sneers.

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