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I just s Alice's words tothrough the night, the cold, clear air burning our lungs Overhead, the stars sparkled in the inky sky I could hear Elodie laughing next toin the first smile we'd ever shared

After we landed in the ce out the part where Alice wasElodie as a "lance at that, but she didn't say anything

"So What sorts of ic do you two do out here in Creepyville?"

Elodie asked

"A nuht, her skin looked like porcelain and her cheeks were rosy Even her eyes seehter I wondered if she had some sort of beauty spell If so, I really hoped we'd learn that one next

"Sophie hasobjects," Alice continued, "and she is currently working on a transportation spell"

Elodie turned to ?"

"Yeah," I said, like it was no big deal even though I still couldn't suer than a la on so for breath, I waved ht in front of Elodie Her mouth fell open, and I smiled at Alice

Elodie reached out and took the brooch, turning it over and over in her hands "Teach me"

She was a quick learner, faster than I had been, and within an hour she had made a pen and a tiny yellow butterfly appear I was a little jealous; I'd never conjured anything that wasn't inaniht side, Alice didn't seem very impressed with Elodie, and she didn't praise her nearly as much as she had me

While they worked on that, I worked on transporting myself from one spot to another, a spell I still couldn't master Alice said the best witches could cross oceans with that spell, but so far I couldn't even move one inch to the left

Finally, Elodie and I were both exhausted and pretty tipsy with ainst the ce off into space

"I hope it's okay that I'm here," Elodie said to her

"Why did you cory, just curious, so I answered, "Elodie caught ht she ic, too"

"Mrs Casnoff said to keep an eye on you," Elodie said to ic or if she was just genuinely happy to be here

"Why?" Alice asked, and both Elodie and I turned more serious

Briefly, I told Alice what had happened to Anna, and how Jenna and Byron were gone

"Are they sure it was a vampire?"

"No They don't knoho else it could be, though," Elodie said

"The Eye," Alice said, and I felt Elodie stiffen next to me

"I asked them about that," I said "But Mrs Casnoff said there was no way they could get to us There are too h that sent chills up my spine "Yes, that's what they said to h their pathetic defenses Do you really think The Eye couldn't do the saued, but I sounded unsure

Elodie scooted a little closer to me

"Don't they?" Alice asked She walked toward us and crouched down in front of reen cardigan, and when she'd discarded that, she unbuttoned her dress

I sat, frozen in horror, as she pulled her arm out of the left side of her dress and pushed down her slip

There, just where her heart would have been, was a large gaping wound

"This is what The Eye did to me, Sophia They tracked me down, they chased me until I could run no farther, and they cut out my heart Here At Hecate"

All I could do was stare at that hole and shakebeside me

"Yes, Sophia," Alice said quietly I looked up at her face and saw that she atching me with pity, like she was sorry she had to tell me all this

"It was the head of the Council hi safe here, and then offered me up like a lamb to sacrifice"

"But why?" I asked, my voice no more than a strained whisper

"Because they were afraid of reater than theirs"

My head was spinning and I felt like I ht throw up Soht at Hecate were nothing compared to this one wound, this one story