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“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Hector said over and over. Monica seemed to calm down as his kind voice filled the night.
“Come, my dear,” William said, helping Monica out of her casket.
Monica’s knees shook. “I’m okay? W-what happened?”
“The poison wasn’t real,” Hector said.
Talia and Grant shared a collective gasp.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t tell you,” Nadine said. “We needed the priestesses to believe your grief was authentic.”
“Monica!” Talia raced forward and flung her arms around Monica’s neck.
“She’s weak,” Hector said.
Grant scratched his head, still trying to process it. “How did you pull this off?”
“We called in as many favors as we could,” Nadine explained. “The priestesses planned to poison Monica, and we knew they’d get Hector to do it, so we went to him and warned him. With Lucas’s death magic and my Curse Breaker powers, Hector was able to brew a potion that would mimic death. We worked together to make the brew—and the antidote—and Hector swapped the potions. We had to make the priestesses believe she was really dead.”
“Hattie agreed to help us retrieve the casket,” I told them. “And Verla offered to give us a place to hide our car, so we could return unseen. And William—”
“You were the anonymous donor,” Chloe realized.
William nodded kindly. “It is my funeral home, after all.”
“You held the funeral so the priestesses would come,” Chloe said. “If we’d have broken Monica out before she was poisoned, they’d come after us—all of us.”
“They will never know she lives,” William said.
“There’s a safe haven in California that welcomes refugees of all races,” Hattie explained. “I lived there for some time. Though tension is high among the Elementai, the town of Hok’evale is a safer place for Monica now than Octavia Falls.”
“Thank you!” Monica cried. “Thank you. I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll go to Hok’evale,” Verla requested. “Promise you’ll stay safe.”
“Yes, of course,” Monica said. “But Binx—”
“He’s in the car,” Talia told her, sounding elated. She was so happy to have Monica back. “You’ll take him with you.”
Monica began sobbing. “You have all been so kind, but how will I get to Hok’evale?”
William gestured toward Verla’s house. “I have a car waiting for you.”
“And take this,” Hattie offered, pressing a piece of paper into Monica’s hands. “These are your directions, and your instructions for when you arrive. Find Jakob Weatherby and tell him I sent you.”
Monica wiped the tears from her eyes. “Thank you. All of you.”
“Come,” William encouraged, helping Monica through the snow.
Behind her, Hattie waved her hands. The casket returned to the earth, buried once more. If I hadn’t been here to see it, I’d never believe the grave had been disturbed. She turned to follow William and Monica, and we all trailed behind her.
Grant didn’t let us get far. He placed his hands on his hips and stepped in front of Nadine and me. “You sons of bitches. You actually did it. And you managed to hide it from us, too.” At first, I thought he was upset, but then he clapped me on the shoulder and said, “Well done.”
I beamed as Grant went to follow the others. Nadine smiled up at me, and I slung an arm around her shoulder.
“He’s right, I suppose,” Nadine said. “Despite everything we’ve endured the last few days, we saved one innocent life, and that’s something to celebrate.”
“I suppose,” I said. “We can’t save every innocent soul, but we saved Monica. And I guess if the coven destroys itself, people like Monica will still be safe.”
