Read House of Night 09 - Destined for Free Online Page B

elements—definitely. Figuring out how to synch my iPhone with a new computer—uh, probably not. Just thinking about tweeting gave me a headache and made me really miss Jack.
    “Here, it ain’t that hard. You just gotta click that.” Kramisha reached over my shoulder and snagged the magic mouse. “And then that, and that’s it. We’s all on Skype and the camera’s workin’ now.”
    I looked up to see Stevie Rae and everyone else, including Dragon, Lenobia, and Erik all gawking at me.
    Stevie Rae, at least, grinned and mouthed a quick, “Easy-peasy.”
    “What exactly is the point behind—” Dragon began, but Neferet’s entrance to the Council Room cut him off. And, thankfully, it was at that moment that the commanding voice of the Leader of the Vampyre High Council carried clear and strong through Damien’s computer.
    “Merry meet, Zoey Redbird,” Duantia said. “I am pleased to speak with you again.”
    I fisted my hand over my heart and bowed respectfully. “Merry meet, Duantia. Thank you for making time for this call.”
    “Merry meet, Duantia,” Neferet said, stepping up beside me and bowing formally. I saw her shoot a quick, questioning look at Dragon before she smiled silkily and continued. “I must apologize. I knew nothing about this call. I was only expecting a simple school Council Meeting.” Then she skewered me with her emerald eyes. “Are you responsible for this, Zoey?”
    “Yeah, definitely. I would have told you earlier, but you just now got here,” I said, smiling and sounding super cheerful. Before Neferet could respond I turned my attention to Duantia. “I wanted to make sure the High Council heard all the details about Nyx’s amazing appearance at the school yesterday and,” I paused, nodding to Neferet as if I was including her, “I knew Neferet would be eager to share with you as well.”
    “Actually, we know very little, which is one of the reasons I was looking forward to this call.” Duantia looked from me to Neferet. “I tried to contact you during the day, after I instructed Dragon to allow the red fledglings and Zoey’s group to begin attending classes today, but I could not reach you, High Priestess.”
    I could feel Neferet bristle, but she only said, “I was secluded in deep prayer.”
    “All the more reason for this call,” Duantia said.
    “What Nyx did was a miracle.” I gestured for Stevie Rae to come into camera range. “This is Stevie Rae, the first Red High Priestess.”
    Stevie Rae fisted her hand over her heart and bowed deeply. “I’m real pleased to meet you, ma’am.”
    “Merry meet, Stevie Rae. I have heard much of you and the red fledglings. And, of course, I have already met the Red Warrior, Stark. Nyx is, indeed, generous with her miracles.”
    “Um, thank you, but, well, us bein’ red and all isn’t the miracle.” Stevie Rae glanced at me and added, “Well, at least it’s not the miracle Zoey’s talkin’ ’bout.” She cleared her throat and then said, “Nyx’s miracle has to do with my Consort, Rephaim.”
    Duantia’s eyes widened. “Is that not the name of one of the creatures called Raven Mocker?”
    “Yes.” Dragon’s voice was as hard as his face. “It is the name of the creature who killed my Anastasia.”
    “I do not understand,” Duantia said. “How could that abomination be called Consort?”
    Quickly, before Neferet could chime in something awful I started babbling, “Rephaim used to be a Raven Mocker, and Dragon is right, back then he did kill Anastasia.” I glanced up at Dragon, but it was real hard to meet his eyes. “Rephaim asked Nyx’s forgiveness for that.”
    “And for everything bad he’d done when he was Kalona’s son,” Stevie Rae added.
    “Blanket forgiveness is—”
    Neferet began, but I cut her off saying, “Blanket forgiveness is a gift that can be given by our Goddess, which is exactly what she did last night,” I said. Then I looked at Stevie Rae. “Tell the High Council Leader