Page 56 of Death Card

Her words stoke a fire inside me. It burns so hot I could explode with it and set the entire field ablaze.

“I saw your family’s crest,” I blurt out. It’s a bold exaggeration,but I’m willing to bet that an old family like the Hightowers do indeed have a crest.

Across the way, Aria stills and subtly shifts so her left arm is angled away from me. I remember the tattoo I spotted in the bookstore.

“Birds,” I say. “You have birds on your family’s crest, correct?”

Gloria narrows her eyes. “What type of bird did you see, girl?”

This is the detail that will make or break me. I clearly saw hawks in my scrying mirror, but I haven’t been able to get a clear enough view of Aria’s tattoo. Whatever’s on her arm is their family bird, I’m sure of it. But I don’t want to lose all credibility if I get it wrong. So, instead, I go with another detail.

“Does the blackthorn tree mean anything to you?”

Gloria’s jaw tightens. “Plenty of families have trees and birds in their crests,” she says. “That detail wouldn’t hold up in a mortal court of law, and it certainly doesn’t prove anything.”

“It has to be you—”

Gramps rests a hand on my arm, tossing water over the flames of my anger. “It’s clear that our two covens cannot coexist. Take your coven and leave New Orleans.”

“I refuse to be forced out of my own home like my foremothers before me.” She lifts her chin. “If you want us to leave, you’ll have to make us.”

The witches around us stiffen at her words. That’s a declaration of war if I ever heard one.

Aria places a hand on Gloria’s shoulder. “Grandmother—”

“Silence,” Gloria hisses. “You’ll speak when you’re spoken to.”

Aria jolts like she’s been stung. Her pale cheeks redden as she shifts her gaze to her feet.

“If you have nothing else to say, I believe we’re done here,” Gloria says, turning to leave.

Gramps lifts his hand, and a bolt of lightning strikes the grass at her feet. “You’ll leave when I say you can.”

Gloria’s eyes flash as sparks fly from her fingertips. “Do you really want to play this game? We both know who will win.”

Black smoke rises from the ground beneath Gloria’s feet. “I’m growing tired of this.”

Gloria’s fingertips glow red as a ball of flame hovers over her palm. Elemental magic is the easiest to wield in battle but also the most destructive. If we wage war now, we risk destroying everything in a mile radius.

“Stop it!” I scream, rushing to stand in between Gramps and Gloria. “This isn’t the place, Gramps,” I whisper. “Please.”

“We’ll look weak if we back down now,” he snarls.

“And how will we look if we destroy the city we love?” I reach for his hand. “There won’t be a city left to represent if you two burn it all to the ground.”

My words sink in, and slowly his shoulders deflate. When I glance back, Aria is whispering fervently into her grandmother’s ear. She catches my eye and gives a curt nod. I still don’t trust her, but I can respect her for standing up to Gloria.

“Goodbye, Ezekiel. Good luck finding the demon you seek,” Gloria says.

Gramps steps around me and stalks toward Gloria. Two of her witches step out to defend her, but she raises a hand to stop them.

“Don’t pretend for a moment that we’re done. Once I confirm that you’re behind these deaths, I’m coming for you and everything you hold dear.”

Gloria’s eyes flash. “You can certainly die trying.”

Smoke rises from the ground. The last thing I see are Aria’s blue eyes locked on mine. I cover my eyes from the blinding light, and when I look up, they’re gone.

I approach Gramps and rest a hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”