Page 101 of Wicching Hour

The boat rocked as a huge wave hit the deck, sloshing over and washing up the side of the gallery.Robert, Frank, and Faith did all the work while the rest of us tried to stay out of their way. Bracken stood with Robert, showing him the map and discussing the first stop.

I sat beside Gran, with Declan on my other side. Mom and Elizabeth sat on the opposite bench.

“Why the rush?” Mom asked. “We could have taken tomorrow to talk and plan and then headed out, once we all knew what was happening.”

Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak, but I gave a quick shake of my head. This wasn’t the time for explanations, especially when it felt like the enemy was listening.

“We’re approaching the wicching hour, Mom. There’s powerful magic in that.” As casually as possible, I pulled my glove down, exposing my wrist. “Gran, do you remember where I got these earrings? Faith was asking.”

Faith and Frank turned sharply at that, watching me while still pulling ropes and putting up sails.

“What?” Gran asked, sounding annoyed. While she looked at my ears, I moved my hand as close to hers as I dared without actually touching her.

Mom moved. My eyes darted to her but instead of saying anything, she was staring intently at my wrist with a look of horror.

“These earrings. I got them for my high school graduation. Do you remember who gave them to me? There are conflicting reports.” Under my words, I paid very close attention to what I was sensing. Dark, roiling evil and the smell of sulfur made my stomach twist. Chants echoed in my head.Fuck.

She rolled her eyes. “It sounds like you should be paying closer attention, then doesn’t it? I can’t keep track of every gift given and received in this family.” She shook her head on a huff of annoyance.

I pulled up my glove. “I guess getting old has messed with your memory.”

Gran turned slowly, a very un-Gran-like grin plastered on her face. “What was that, dear?”

I called up a wave to knock her off her bench. It capsized over the side, knocking Declan and me down and drenching us all. Hand out, I used my magic to hold her in place. “Help me!” I said to Mom and Elizabeth. “Don’t let it move. Declan, hold it down.”

I held my other hand up, shouting “Bracken!” but he was ahead of me again. The blade was already flying toward me. I swept it out of the air and came down just as Declan was thrown off in a burst of flames. His clothes were on fire but I was already slamming down, the blade in my hand and then in its chest.

Gran morphed into a hideous man with boils on his neck. He wailed as his skin broke apart in fissures of fire. One ear-piercing screech and he popped out of existence. In his place, he left a scorch mark on the polished deck.

Bracken was beside me. I handed him the blade and crawled to Declan. The front of his shirt was singed, sections burned off, and his skin blackened beneath.

No, no, no. Anguish rolled through me. “Robert!” I shouted. “We need you! Declan’s been hurt.”

The pain had him scowling. “I’m fine,” he said, pushing up to a seated position. “You know I heal fast.”

Robert was beside us, pushing Declan back down. Faith took over at the wheel as Frank finished bringing up the last sail. We started flying across the water as Robert held his hands over Declan’s torso. I sat on the deck beside him, worrying over him and getting in the way. Declan, for his part, bore it all stoically.

Faith kept turning around and watching us. “Did we just kill Gran?”

I shook my head on a sudden laugh. “No. That was a demon wearing a Gran suit.” I looked up at Mom. “Is that who came out of Gran’s house?” I was sure I’d feel it if one of the three died. I hadn’t felt anything. If he’d been in Gran’s house, though, how could she be okay?

Mom paused, her brow furrowed. “I’d told her on the phone that we were in a hurry. When I drove up, she was standing outside the door, locking it. At least, that’s what it looked like she—he—was doing.” She pulled out her phone and tapped Gran’s number.

“Put it on speaker,” I told her. We’d have a hard time hearing it, but Declan would know if it sounded like her.

It rang and rang. When it switched to voicemail, I patted Mom’s knee. “We’ll reach out to her.”

“Do you think…” Mom began. Her voice caught on the thought of her mother being killed by a demon.

“I didn’t feel anything,” I told her. “Did you?”

She shook her head.

“Then we’ll try to reach her,” I said, slipping a glove off my hand before holding it out to her.

She took it.Goddess, please show us our third. We’re afraid she’s been hurt by dark forces. My stomach swooped and then my mind felt like it was racing through the night sky. My consciousness hovered over Gran’s house. It was dark, no light shining out from her windows.Gran? Are you here?

Mom?My mother called.

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