Page 20 (1/2)

Dad closed his eyes and took a deep breath, like he was having to physical y restrain hi "Sophie,"he said slowly "I can't do this alone Theeven for me But if both of us were to trywel , I think we could do it"

"Why?"I asked "You said yourself that the griic in the world So what do you want it for?"

Another deep breath "Acadeh ic start to rise up "If you want my help so erous business, and I think it's better for you if you know as little as possible That way, if we're-if we're caught, you can honestly say you didn't knohat I was doing"

"No,"I said, shakingme half of what I need to know You said yesterday that it was tiave up Ara lot for you, and for the Council So telon"

Chapter 12

It was Dad's turn to look surprised For aoff But then he nodded and said, "Fair enough I told you that the Council had been trying to raise a deinia final y located this book"He gestured to the grireed that the erous, and the book was locked in this case Ever since then, no one's been able to do a possession ritual But now"

"Daisy and Nick,"I murmured

"Exactly"

"So what? You think sorimoire out and used that spel to h his hair, and for the first ti "No, it's not that This case is exceedingly difficult to open I just want to see the ritual itself, what's required for a possession spelIf I knew exactly what had been done to Daisy and Nick, then ure out who did it to theh explanation, but, to be honest, it stil scared the crap out of ic in the whole orld could never be seen as a good thing, you know? But I didn't say that to Dad Instead, I asked, "Okay, so hoe get it open if it's so 'exceedingly difficult'?"

Dad laid a hand on top of the case "Brute strength, basical y The case requires al twelve of the Council members to unlock it"

I raised my eyebrows "Okay, wel , since there are only two of us, and only one of us is a Councilhis head, Dad cut me off "No, technical y, we're both Council members You're the heir apparent to the head of the Council, ergo-"

"Dad, it is way too early to be using words like 'ergo'And even if I am a Council member, that stil leaves us ten people short"

"Yes, wel , that's where the brute strength part comes in Between our combined powers and the blood, it should open for us"

"Blood?"I echoed faintly

Dad looked grier out of his suit jacket "I told you, blood ive ht froray, and I knew the house would be waking up soon

I also knew that I real y, real y didn't want to give Dad my hand

"This is why you worked with me yesterday, isn't it?"I asked, my voice barely audible "You wanted tothe library to s washed over Dad's face, and I hoped it was guilt "It wasn't the only reason, Sophie,"he replied

"Okay, but please remember that I stil broke a lot of mirrors yesterday Shouldn't ait until I've had a little more practice?"

Dad shook his head "Yesterday afternoon, The Eye attempted a raid on Gevaudan"

It took me a moment to remember that that was the name of the fancy shapeshifter school in France "Tier a luxury we can afford,"Dad said Then he asped, and he laid his now-bloody hand on top of the bookcase His blood trickled over the runes carved into the glass, flowing into theht Inside its box, the book seemed to shudder a little

I waited forYeah, I felt kind of sick, but I think that was s of dread

"Sophie,"Dad said, holding out the dagger "Please"

I thrust outhilass The pain was bright and quick, and not nearly as bad as I'd thought it would be Fol owing Dad's lead, I puthow hot it had been last tiic covering it, and ed in response "Nohat?"I whispered, unable to take my eyes off olden light got brighter

"Do e did yesterday,"Dad said, his voice low and even "Picture a human memory A hu in theof the corn h me Almost instantly, at least a dozen books flew off the shelf nearest to es fluttering al around us

"So panicked eyes tomy head like my brain was an Etch A Sketch that could erase Archer

Think calhts Moht, and she let you ride the Ferris wheel over and over again Laughing The twinkling lights, the smell of funnel cakes

My heartbeat slowed, and I felt my powers curl up inside me, safe, ready to be directed

"Much better"Dad sighed with relief "Now, focus on the case and just think Open"

I took long slow breaths and did just that My hand was starting to feel cold, and I had the unsettling sense that the case was soht, and I rapidly blinkedto overwhels appear out of thin air I had flown, for God's sake I wasn't going to faint opening a stupid glass box