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grandmother and mother would have said the opposite. Even before her great-aunt had come to power, before their deaths had paved the way, they had asked Cassie to stay away. She regretted not being able to respect their wishes but didn’t regret taking the path that had until now kept her by her aunt’s side.
    Lucine continued, her voice wavering, “But I believe it’s best the boys spend some time in their grandfather’s house to say goodbye. Don’t you?”
    Cassie nodded. It was difficult all at once to learn Carlin and Alex’s grandfather was dead and they three had to leave the home she’d carefully built for them over the past three years. Doubly difficult when she added to the list her aunt’s cavalier attitude about how this would affect the children. Though the latter shouldn’t have been a surprise. Cassie knew the generous image Lucine generated had long been a means to an end. To what end she wasn’t sure. For years she had suspected it wasn’t the foretold outcome of finding and fostering a new generation of guardians to protect their world.
    Cassie looked again at the old woman, undeceived by her aged appearance. The Witch Prime’s magic suffused the small wood-paneled office. Only fools and the self-important thought her weak, seeing only this humble residence among the peaceful village in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Seeing only what Lucine wanted.
    And Cassie was no fool. Or at least, she was no longer.
    Not that it mattered, Cassie thought. Being awakened to her aunt’s true nature hadn’t changed anything. Her efforts thus far had done little good. Things would not change while she was away, not for the better. But she resigned herself to leaving knowing her duty to Loren Wellsy’s children superseded any previous promises…any previous loyalties.
    Cassie looked out the window again, seeing the other children, those she could not take with her. The oldest was barely a teenager. Fresh-faced eager orphans like she had once been, they unquestioningly gave their loyalty to the one woman willing to offer them a home—an army of young blood ripe for the taking.
    One day Cassie would return to lead them. Until then, she would do as she was told, no matter the cost. Too much was at stake to risk disobedience. That meant she needed to pack…and figure out where, in the name of all that was magical, was Gandsai, Mississippi. Then she needed to call the executor of Arno’s will, Helena Delacy, and let her know the children were coming to claim their inheritance sooner than anyone could have possibly expected.

Chapter Three
“Weep and wail! Weep and wail! All you want us to do is weep and wail? Seriously, get over yourselves. I’ve been weeping and wailing for centuries and I’m tired of it. Maybe I’ll just take up the ukulele. Then we’ll see who’s crying.”
—Elvira, Banshee Extraordinaire
    Night Ten
    There are four things in life I truly hate. One was being used. Two was unpleasant surprises. Three were people who hover. And last, but certainly not least, was being caught with my pants down. I awoke in a strange bed with a bandaged head, a migraine big enough to split logs, and the realization that I was four for four. How having a head injury equaled removing my pants was a bit confusing but not really my main focus.
    Only half-conscious, I drifted, letting the night’s fuzzy memories play in my head like a warped movie reel. The attack…Being blasted…Blood and screaming…A funeral procession…I’d been afraid for someone…for Jacq! Without conscious thought, my body tried to go to her, arms and legs jerking, the pain in my head ratcheting up as an annoying monitor began to beep loudly, dragging me closer to awareness.
    “Peace, cher,” Jacq said softly. Her soothing magic caressed my shoulder.
    Comforted, I rested, gathering my strength, listening as people bustled about speaking softly. Jacq’s warm hand occasionally brushed my cheek as strangers poked, pinched and generally