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I turned to Dad, "You said ere going to a friend's house Why didn't you tel aze "Because if I had, you wouldn't have come"

Out of the corner of roup and head for the irl shot me one last look before they slipped inside

"Sophie, this is the Council,"Dad said, drawingthere

"That's it?"I heard Cal say under his breath, and I had to adined the Council as this huge, shadowy group of Prodigiu

I don't know if he heard Cal, or if he could just read the looks on our faces, but Dad said, "There are normal y twelve members, but now there are just the five of us currently at Thorne"

"Where are-"Jenna started to say, but she was interrupted as one of the men stepped forward He was older than Dad, and his white hair gleaht "I'm Kristopher,"he said, his voice thick with an unidentifiable accent "It is a pleasure to old, but he was definitely a shifter I could feel it

Wondering if he turned into a husky dog, I turned to the next guy, craning my neck to look up at his reminded me of water in oil: they were black, but they stil swirled with every color, froreen to blue to pink

"Roderick,"he said as my hand disappeared into his The woray hair and little round glasses, I thought she looked like someone's nana; but when I went to shake her hand, she yanked me to her and sniffedabout speaking with al of theasped as wefrom the one-two punch of the Council on the steps, plus the deers, I probably would have too It was one of those spaces where you felt like you could look forever and stil not see everything Hecate could be overwhel like this The black-and-white lad I hadn't worn a skirt, and I was nearly blinded by the acres of gilt that covered every surface Like Hecate, the main entrance was doer, and carved from white limestone The steps were covered in a carpet as red as spil ed blood

Overhead, the curved ceiling was covered in adepicted Fros around the roo swords at weeping wo into battle while their horses'eyes rol ed in fear

I shivered Even in June, it was impossible to believe you could ever be waroose buh five hundred years'worth of spel s had seeped into the stone and wood

"They have statues,"Jenna said "In a hallway"Sure enough, two bronze statues of veiled wouarded theup They were al wearing black uniforms, and had nearly identical s?"Jenna whispered to rin, "but I'ht be involved"

"This is our household staff,"Dad said, sweeping his ar you need, they'l be happy to help you with"

"Oh,"I said weakly, feeling like my voice echoed in the cavernous room "Great"

Beyond the crowd, at the top of the stairs, was a large marble arch Dad nodded toward it and said, "Our teh there, but we can see those later I'e of Dad's sleeve and pul ed hiroup "Actual y,"I whispered, "I'd like to knohere those other demons came from Are they-they're not my brother and sister, are they?"

Dad's eyes widened behind his glasses "No,"he said "Dear Lord, no Daisy and Nick areWe can talk more about them at another time, but no, they're no relation to us"

"Then why are they here?"

Dad frowned and rol ed his shoulders "Because they have nowhere else to go, and this is the safest place for theuys could take them out if they went al super-demon"

But Dad shook his head, puzzled "No, Sophie, I meant it's safer for them Nick and Daisy have already had several atteiveLara over Her heels clicked on the marble as she strode toward us

"Sophie, Lara has prepared soet acclimatized? We can talk later"

It obviously wasn't a request, so I just shrugged and said, "Sure"

Lara led us across the foyer to a tal stone doorway housing yet another set of steps As she led us up the di into a tomb

As alked, Lara rattled off statistics that I only half listened to They were unbelievable anyway

Over aspace More than three hundred rooht bathrooms Three hundred and fifty-nine o thousand four hundred and seventy-six lightbulbs

Jenna was shaking her head by the time we reached the fourth floor, where the three of us would be staying Cal was shown to his rooles e peeked over his shoulder The rooreen bedding and drapes were kind of old-and-white furniture was definitely not Nor was the giant ruffled canopy over his huge bed

"Wow, Cal,"I said, feeling a little bit like myself for the first time since I'd walked into this crazy house "You wil be able to have soonna be so jealous"

Cal shot me a half smile, and I felt some of the weirdness between us dissipate "It's not so bad,"he said Then he flopped down on the bed, only to sink out of sight in the middle of it As Cal drowned in a sea of fluffy coverlets and throw pil ows, I couldn't help but crack up