Page 24 (1/2)

Why doesn’t he ever wear a shirt? flitted through , "Ah, good Here is Zoey I ah Priestess Stevie Rae, as well as our Prophetess, Aphrodite"

Kalona stepped back so that the three of us could be seen by the coe screen showed the High Council Chamber in the temple at San Clemente Island, just off the coast of Venice Seven stone thrones, each ornately carved, were on a stage-like area Six of the thrones were occupied I knew the seventh belonged to Thanatos I wasn’t sure how I felt about the fact that they hadn’t filled her spot on the High Council I liked that Thanatos was here with us, yet still had enough power to h Council I didn’t like that that ht mean she could be yanked back there at any ti and everyone was staring at me My face fla quickly "Merry h Priestesses I’ whatever excuse I was going to babble

"She’s stressed out because we’re all stuck here," Aphrodite finished for me She performed a cursory bow "Merry meet It’s me, Aphrodite"

"We remember who you are, Prophetess" Duantia spoke first "It would be rather difficult for us to forget our first hu in the h Council Then Duantia turned her dark eyes on me, and I could feel their power even with thousands oflate is so to lih Priestess" Before I could start to apologize again, she looked from me to Stevie Rae "Merry meet, Stevie Rae When events allow, the Council and I would like to extend an invitation to you and your unusual Consort, Rephaiued by the two of you It is true that the boy actually shifts his form from hu formally Then she smiled a little shyly, but answered Duantia’s question with no hesitation or embarrassht, but as soon as the sun rises he changes into a raven"

"He has no recollection of the hours when he is a beast?" another High Council member asked

"Not really, no Or at least if he does he hasn’t told me Rephaim doesn’t like to talk about it much"

"We will speak more of this when you and your Consort visit us," Duantia said

"Better get one of those really big dog travel crates," Aphrodite whispered to Stevie Rae

I elbowed her

"Now, back to the subject at hand," Duantia continued "Thanatos has suht’s events Aphrodite, the Council extends our condolences to you A parent’s death is never easy"

"Thank you"

"Zoey, Stevie Rae, Aphrodite, you were present when the apparition manifested on your campus Thanatos reports to us that you believe it was Neferet Are the three of you in agreement on this?"

"We are," I said "Aphrodite and I saw the spiders first I kneas Neferet then She’s ht, and when she fell frorated into a whole nest of spiders"

"It was obvious fro the spiders weren’t norotthe circle"

"As I already said, I had felt a change in the school’s energy just before Zoey called ht was that I was sensing the approach of death, and death did visit our caht, but upon reflection I believe I also sensed the approach of the Tsi Sgili Her power is derived from death and Darkness--it is what has fueled her iree with Zoey and her circle Neferet atte that the Council members looked undecided "It was definitely Neferet’s body that almost reformed before the elements threw her off campus"

"Not far off," Aphrodite said "She killed my father at the school’s main entrance That’s probably as far as she couldsomeone"

"We also believe Neferet could be responsible for the fledgling’s rejection of the Change that night," Thanatos said "Her specter passed through the girl as she fled the circle, and the fledgling died mere minutes later"

"Yes, the child with the water affinity," Duantia said "Such a shah it does make sense that an iling’s death in such a way," said another Council ave her the power she needed to fully manifest"