Page 40 of Dead End

“No.”

“How can you be sure? It isn’t moving.”

“He’s in shock. He wasn’t expecting retaliation.” Sure enough, the right wing lifted. Then the left. The beakless birddragged himself into the air and flew away awkwardly with a limp wing.

“You didn’t kill it,” Goran said.

“That wasn’t the plan.” Death was never the plan.

The Slavic prince regarded me. “It will only come back with a vengeance once it’s healed.”

“Not without a beak he won’t. Not much of a devourer without one.” And it would take the ancient creature decades to regrow a body part.

“Are we safe?” Steven asked.

“Not by a long shot.”

“How many more of those traps do you have in the yard?” Goran asked.

“Not enough to defend against what’s coming.” I turned away from the window. “Steven and Ashley, I want you go home and stay indoors as much as possible.”

“Again?” Ashley complained.

“Yes. If you see anything unusual, call me.”

Ashley bit her bottom lip. “What about Nana?”

“I’ll be fine,” the elderly ghost said. “You’re the one with a life to lose, and I’d never forgive myself if I was the reason you were here when disaster struck.”

“But I can help,” Ashley protested. “I can do magic.”

“You’re learning magic,” I said. “Big difference.” And the type of magic Phaedra was teaching Ashley wouldn’t be helpful in a crisis. Witch magic was slower, more methodical.

“What if…?” Ashley began, but her big brother took her by the arm and steered her toward the door.

“When Lorelei speaks, I listen,” he said.

Nana Pratt’s face crumpled. “Respectful of women. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Ray glanced across the yard. “I want to see what it dropped on the lawn.” His form dissipated.

Ashley grimaced. “What if it’s bird poop? Who’s going to clean that up?”

“It’s not your concern. Goodbye now. Thank you both for coming.” Nana Pratt planted kisses on their cheeks and urged them forward. They were past the gate by the time Ray returned. Based on his pained expression, I ruled out bird poop.

“Unfortunately you need to see this, Lorelei.”

My shoulder muscles tensed. I didn’t love a statement that started with ‘unfortunately.’

I followed the ghost across the bridge to the strip of yard between the fence and the moat. My stomach lurched when I saw the gift Ziz had delivered. It wasn’t a rock.

It was a head.

CHAPTER SEVEN

I crept closerto the head. The blonde hair was a clue, but the sparkly pink headband was the dead giveaway, no pun intended.

“Who is it?” Ray asked.

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