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“My son,” she starts, speaking through gritted teeth, “is possessed by a demon”

The council behind Ruth gasps, and Ruth herself looks stunned Ruby’s hand flies to herat Tabatha and looking like she ht burst into tears

“A demon? How did this happen?”

“The Ley line,” Tabatha starts and y because a deate…and we’ve all lied about that I feel like I’ backwards into a deep dark tunnel I’ll save Evander nothe truth about what really happened

Though I still don’t knohat did happen

I don’t kno I commanded the hellfire

I don’t knoho the blue-eyed man is or what he wants from me

“Which you were also made aware of” Tabatha strides forward andto the altar “There was an influx of energy, which happens fro off a Solstice, the energy was raw and powerful, and we kno that beacons other worldly creatures The Ley line has been taken care of and the details don’t matter What matters is my son We need to perform an exorcism Now”

Ruth’s lips press together, forenda here, I’m sure of it, but she is a member of the Grand Coven and really does care about the witches under her

“Where is he?”

“In my office,” Tabatha’s voice doesn’t waver, and she holds Ruth’s gaze Tabatha is ruthless when it co her faht now

“Is he okay?” Ruby asks Like Evander, she’s teaching su the traditional dark blue robe most professors here wear She had a crush on Evander back in our school years, and I used to think that was part of why she didn’t like h I moved in with the Greystones when I was only ten, so he’s always felt like an older brother tomore

“If we can tend to hi at everyone else in the council Evander is well-liked and very respected ast the coven, but even if he weren’t, we couldn’t turn our backs on someone in need She turns back to Ruth “What are your orders?”

Ruth purses her lips again and shifts her gaze fro spell on Ms Martin,” she tells Ruby, who looks all too happy to oblige “And take her into an e Then we shall handle Mr Greystone’s condition”

“But I can help,” I protest

“Help?” Ruth arches her eyebrows “Have you preformed an exorcism before as well?”

I shake my head “No…no, of course not But Evander is ot possessed The demon spoke to me”

“You ith him?”

I nod

“Convenient”

I can’t help it I ballto do with hi possessed?”

Ruth looks behind her, expecting to get full support of the council, but they kno much the Greystones ot here, but it’s coe here at Griical faet me out of a dire situation

I er days, but as an adult witch, I’ve kept to ht demons so they don’t have to worry about it

Ruby shakes her head “She…she wouldn’t do that Not to him”

Ime than I was to be accused of treason the moment I stepped foot into the Covenstead

“Take her and bind her powers I assustone hex around this school somewhere?”

“Yes, ets out of her seat Soness has worn off her face already

“It’s going to be all right,” Tabatha tells ht now Evander is possessed by a demon People don’t survive de possessed for e

“I’ to have any trouble, a room I turn and meet her eye

“Seriously?”

She shrugs “You’re not really a rule follower”

I’ue with her “Evander is et in there and help them”

“You’re worried about him”

“Aren’t you?” We cross through a large stone corridor and then move down a hall to Evander’s office

“I am Demonic possession…it’s serious You said the deait slows

“Yes, it didn’t say much Just the usual come back to hell with me and have power bullshit” I leave out the part about hoaiting to possess a person I knew to ensure I wouldn’t kill them And how it called me a half-breed and how “they”

have been looking for ”

We stop outside Evander’s door Ruby waves her hand over the lock,an incantation to unlock it I take a seat at Evander’s desk and Ruby pulls a large black box out of a wardrobe It’s full of power-binding char students who are abusing their powers

I look around the office and am taken back to the days when Tabatha used to occupy this very rooray stone walls and a massive fireplace behind the desk Narros cover the opposite wall, looking out onto the courtyard where we’d eat lunch when the weather was nice The wall next to the desk is covered with bookshelves, and the smell of old paper and ink used to comfort me

“Hoas he the last tistone hexes out of the box I’h it doesn’t seem to work for me I can still use my powers

“Sleeping, thanks to a sleeping spell It hasn’t been that long,” I say just to et the demon out of him, he’ll be fine”

Ruby nods, trying but failing to hide the fear in her eyes “You tere always close”

“He’s like a brother to ical brother is” As soon as the words leave my lips, I feel like it’s a lie Not about Evander, because he’s always felt like a brother We got along like siblings froot on his nerves like any younger sister would