The Ravens

by Danielle Paige

  Even a not-too-talented-at-Swords witch like Scarlett. She focused, drawing on the well of power her sisters shared with her. She reached into his mind with a whisper, a nudge.

  In the end, it was even easier than it had been with the police. A few smoothed edges, and she made him forget it all. Gwen’s wicked-magic spell, finding her body, the existence of witches . . .

  Even their kiss. It would’ve felt wrong, somehow, to let him remember the kiss without any of the context that surrounded it. Whatever they were was based on him knowing the real her. Giving him any memory of their connection without magic would be a lie. She’d lost Mason because she’d never been honest with him. She couldn’t go through that again with Jackson.

  Her chest throbbed. Somehow, this felt harder than any of the other duties that had come before. Scarlett knew she was making the right decision. This wasn’t Jackson’s world. To protect him, he needed to remain oblivious.

  Still, looking into his eyes, she couldn’t help but wish for a few more minutes of this. The banter between them. The trust that they’d built up by running full tilt into danger together. She even wanted him to keep calling her the Final Girl, even though it brought to mind all the real-life horror that they had been through.

  When Scarlett was growing up, Minnie had often explained the history of witches and the special power the Ravens had to share their magic with others. “It’s a sacrifice to be a witch, to give yourself wholly to your coven.” Scarlett had always taken that to mean that witches gave up a little of their autonomy to be protected and to be stronger, to do greater things as a whole. That was what it meant to be a part of a coven, to be a Raven. And it had never truly felt like a sacrifice; being a witch was the greatest gift she’d ever received.

  But Scarlett realized she hadn’t understood what Minnie meant. She’d never known what it felt like to sacrifice something she might really want to remain true to her coven. Until now. Magic doesn’t just give, it takes, Minnie had said. It was her turn to pay.

  She looked up as the rain began to fall. It wasn’t just any rain; it was her rain, and every drop that touched Jackson was imbued with her magic.

  Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs as she picked up his now-empty cup. All Jackson would know when he woke from this half trance was that he’d had a long conversation with Scarlett during which he’d learned the truth about his stepsister: her death really had been an accident. As for Gwen, she’d died from a gas leak in her apartment, just like the news reports all said.

  It wasn’t justice. He had spent the past two years of his life searching for answers, answers Scarlett had provided, only to wipe them all away. But it was the nearest thing to closure Scarlett could give Jackson, in the end. She hoped that even though the memory was gone, the peace would remain.

  She reached down to rest a hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’ll be like it never happened,” she whispered.

  In another hour, he’d be just fine, if a little groggy. Until then, he’d remain dazed, staring out at the water, daydreaming. Yet when her hand touched him, he reached up, only semiconscious, and twined his fingers through hers.

  Jackson looked at her with a quizzical expression. “Hey—Winter, right? Sorority girl?”

  “That’s me,” she said with a smile that hurt her all the way to her heart.

  Her throat stung with unshed tears. She squeezed his fingers gently. It took every ounce of her willpower to pry her hand from his and walk away.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Vivi

  “You ready for this?” Ariana asked, squeezing Vivi’s arm as they walked through the iron gates and onto the tree-lined brick path that led to the main quad. Westerly had generously offered the Kappas a weeklong break from their coursework to grieve their fellow students, and it was Vivi’s first time back on campus.

  “I think so. I think it’ll be nice to have something else to focus on, honestly,” Vivi said as she hoisted her heavy Kappa tote bag higher on her shoulder.

  Ariana didn’t have any classes today but she’d offered to walk Vivi to campus for moral support. “If you change your mind, Mei’s organizing a group cleansing session in the greenhouse. Nobody would blame you if you decide to cut out of class early.” They stepped onto the quad, which was bustling with busy, cheerful students, most of whom had never experienced anything more traumatic than receiving a B on an exam. “Seems a little unfair, doesn’t it?” Ariana said, apparently thinking the same thing as Vivi. “While we were burying our friend, they were all getting drunk, ordering pizzas at two a.m., and contracting the occasional STD.”

  “Living the good life, you mean,” Vivi said with a small smile.

  “I’d get chlamydia a million times over if it meant bringing Dahlia back.”

  Vivi reached out and squeezed her friend’s hand. “Now, that is the true meaning of sisterhood.”

  Ariana laughed and they continued on in silence for a few minutes. The energy of the crowds was both disorienting and a welcome change from the hushed silence that’d blanketed Kappa House the past week. Dahlia’s death had hit everyone hard, especially the upperclassmen who’d known her best.

  Vivi still didn’t know how she felt about what they’d decided to do. Lying to the police felt wrong but the Ravens couldn’t risk exposure by telling the truth—not that many people would have believed them. Maybe Vivi just needed to get used to all this. To having a whole part of her life she hid from most of the world.

  Ariana walked Vivi to the front of the science building, gave her a hug, and then left to grab pastries and coffee to take back to the house. Her class didn’t start for another fifteen minutes, so Vivi decided to wait on the bench outside rather than in the lecture hall, where she wouldn’t be able to avoid the stares and whispers of her mostly kindhearted but still nosy classmates. By this point, everyone at Westerly knew that the Kappa president and another sister had died suddenly, and rumors were flying.

  She was about to sit when a figure striding down the leaf-covered walkway caught her eye. It was a tall, brown-haired boy in a tan trench coat, the plaid-lined collar popped up against the autumn chill that had finally descended on Savannah. Vivi’s heart fluttered as she took a few steps forward, trying to get close enough to call his name without shouting too loudly. “Mason,” she said. He didn’t turn around, so she broke into an awkward jog. “Hey, Mason!”

  He spun around, startled, but when his eyes landed on her, his face broke into a grin. “Vivi.” His familiar voice was as warm and rich as the hickory coffee she’d developed a taste for since moving to Savannah, but there were new bags under his eyes. Apparently, he’d had a rough week too. “How are you?”

  “Hanging in there. Thanks for your message the other day.” Mason had sent a short, thoughtful text telling her how sorry he was for her loss and letting her know he was there if she needed anything. It was a lovely, classy message, especially considering that the last time he’d seen her, she’d freaked out over their kiss and then sprinted out of the building.

  “Of course. I’m glad to see you. Where are you going? Can I walk you somewhere?” Mason said.

  “I have a class at ten in the science center, but you’re welcome to walk me the—oh, what do you think?—ten yards if you want.”

  “How about we live on the edge and walk around the quad instead?”

  “And risk being only five minutes early to class instead of ten? I don’t know . . .” She trailed off with a smile and fell into step next to him.

  “How have you been holding up? I still can’t believe all the news. Dahlia and Tiffany . . .”

  “It’s pretty shitty, but I’m managing.”

  “I’ve been thinking about you a lot.” He paused for a moment, then said, “I also texted Scarlett. We have such a long history, and I know how much she loved Tiffany.”

  “It was the right thing to do,” Vivi said earnestly.

  “Okay, good. I’m glad you girls all have each other right now. I
’m sure it makes it easier, in a way.”

  “Yeah, in some ways. But it also makes their absence so much clearer, you know?” It was strange to gather in the living room without Dahlia’s benevolent, commanding presence. No one seemed to know who was supposed to speak first or what to say. The sorority felt rudderless without its leader. “But at the same time, it has kind of brought the rest of us closer. It put a lot of things into perspective. For me, and for Scarlett too.”

  “That’s good . . . right?”

  “Really good.”

  They stepped in a pile of wet red and gold leaves, and Vivi went momentarily rigid as she remembered the dry leaves blanketing the clearing in the woods. And the candles, and the bones, and the blood. “Are you cold?” Mason asked, then, without waiting for her to answer, he shrugged out of his coat and draped it over her shoulders. “Is this okay?”

  “More than okay,” Vivi said, feeling safer and warmer than she had in a very long time.

  “Good. I just . . . I don’t want to . . .” He grinned and shook his head. “I’m not normally like this, you know.”

  “Like what? Unable to speak English?”

  “Not normally, no.”

  “Well, if it makes you feel better, you should know that Scarlett and I talked and she gave me her blessing. She gave us her blessing.”

  Mason stopped in the middle of the path and searched her face. “So . . . you’re saying she’s okay if we . . .”

  Vivi nodded and his smile stretched wide enough to show off the dimple that always undid her. But then he caught himself and his expression grew serious. “What about you, Vivi? What do you want?”

  She considered this. She wanted a lot of things. She wanted to learn everything she could about magic. She wanted to find her academic passion and settle into life at Westerly. She wanted the type of romance she’d always fantasized about—dates in cozy cafés, browsing through bookstores, walking hand in hand across the quad at twilight when the gas lamps in front of the brick buildings glowed yellow as the moon. But she didn’t want it with just anyone; she wanted it with Mason. She wanted to joke over his badly prepared waffles, and learn about the history classes he was taking, and hear about all the wild European adventures he’d gone on last summer. She wanted to be with him.

  But she wanted her sisters, too. She wanted them happy, healthy, safe. She wanted them united, no matter what.

  So she placed a hand on his arm and said, “One rule: my sisters come first. If Scarlett changes her mind and decides she’s not okay with this after all, then it’s over. Agreed?”

  Mason nodded quickly. “Of course.”

  She smiled, unable to hold it back any longer. “In that case, you ask me what I want, Mason Gregory?” She reached up, slid one hand around the back of his neck, and drew his face down toward her own. “I want you.”

  This time when his lips touched hers, nothing held them back. His hands slid around her waist, pulled her up and against him so tightly, her feet lifted off the ground. Vivi knew a spell that would allow her to levitate, but at the moment, this felt like the best magic of all.

  Chapter Forty

  Scarlett

  Scarlett stood on the roof of Kappa House, stars like pinpricks scattered above her. The night air was cool and quiet. The moon shone brightly, the buttery orange of the harvest. And beside her stood Tiffany, wearing a loose white dress Scarlett had never seen before. Scarlett knew it was a dream, but it felt good to see Tiffany all the same. Tiffany turned and looked at the aviary, where the birds cooed and rustled softly.

  “I think I was always like the ravens in the keep. Tied down,” she said softly.

  “I wish you had come to me,” Scarlett said. “I wish you had talked to me. Maybe it would have all been different.”

  Tiffany shook her head. “I would always have chosen her. Be honest with yourself—wouldn’t you have done the same for your mom? For Minnie?”

  Scarlett went still, thinking. “Maybe part of me would have wanted to, but Minnie would have killed me before she let me kill another witch for her. So would my mom.” A flicker of anger entered her words as the memory of Tiffany’s actions washed over her once more. “You betrayed the fabric of what we are. Your mother wouldn’t have wanted this; the cost was too high. It wasn’t worth those other witches’ lives. It wasn’t worth yours.”

  Tiffany gazed at her as if carefully considering her next words. For a moment she looked unbearably sad and then she smiled.

  “You were my best friend, Scar. But we never were the same witch.” Tiffany walked over to the keep and tapped it. The ravens flew out, scattering across the night.

  “Promise me something.” Tiffany looked back at her suddenly.

  “Anything,” Scarlett said, but a part of her hesitated, hoping it wasn’t something she couldn’t do.

  “Promise me you’ll check in on her.”

  Scarlett’s heart squeezed painfully. “You didn’t have to ask. I will make sure we take care of your mom,” she vowed.

  Tiffany’s eyes shone. “And something else.”

  “What?”

  “Promise me that you won’t let what I did stop you from being who you’re supposed to be.”

  Before Scarlett could respond, a caw sounded overhead. Scarlett looked up to see a raven with yellow eyes circling. Her favorite one, Harlow. When she looked back to answer Tiffany, her friend was gone. Instead, a jet-black raven with blue eyes sat on the ledge. It blinked once at Scarlett and then, with a great flap of its wings, took off into the night sky, following Harlow into the darkness.

  Scarlett awoke with Tiffany’s name on her lips, the sun streaming through her windows. She was in her bed at Kappa House, and although she knew she’d been sleeping, she wasn’t entirely certain that her conversation with Tiffany had been purely a dream. Scarlett hoped that her friend had found peace. That she was somehow soaring through the night like the ravens.

  “Goodbye, friend,” she whispered, hoping somewhere Tiffany’s spirit could still hear her. And through her open window, she could have sworn she heard a single plaintive caw.

  * * *

  After dinner that night, there was a knock on Scarlett’s door.

  Vivi poked her head in. “It’s almost time. I thought it might be fun if I helped you get ready for a change.”

  “I’d love that,” Scarlett said. The younger girl approached and laid her tarot cards down on the table in front of them.

  “I think you’ve proven you don’t need those for every spell anymore,” Scarlett said. Vivi smiled. Despite herself, and despite all they had been through, Scarlett could see that Vivi looked lighter. Happier than she had looked in the days before. She wondered if she had seen Mason. She wondered if they’d kissed already. If they were officially together . . . and then she pushed that train of thought aside. She’d begun to put Mason behind her, but moving on was never a linear process, and it didn’t help anyone to dwell on the details.

  “Close your eyes,” Vivi commanded, and Scarlett could feel the tingle of magic as Vivi decorated her eyelids.

  Scarlett cracked an eye open to peer out the windows. The full moon had just crested the trees in the distance, shedding a warm, yellowish light across Westerly’s campus.

  “Stop blinking so much,” Vivi ordered.

  She closed her eyes again, suppressing a smile. “My apologies.”

  “How am I supposed to glamour you properly for your first night as president if you keep moving around?” Scarlett could hear the teasing in Vivi’s tone.

  She grimaced. “Doubtful.”

  Her Little scoffed. They’d had this discussion about a dozen times already. “Please. Like there’s anyone else we’d vote in after all of this.”

  With Dahlia gone, Kappa couldn’t wait until next year to choose her successor. They needed someone to step up and fill her shoes now. Preferably before the full-moon ritual tonight, where they’d need an experienced witch to guide them, to lead the rite and channel the sisters’ ma
gic properly.

  Once, Scarlett would’ve leaped at the chance. Now . . .

  “I wasn’t even president and I already messed things up horribly. I failed to notice my best friend going bad; I ignored you over petty crap with my ex when I should’ve been focused on Kappa problems.” Scarlett had already gone down the “What if I’d picked up the phone when Vivi called me that night” path about a hundred times. “Not to mention I told an outsider about us,” she added.

  “You said you fixed that.”

  Scarlett hadn’t admitted it to anyone else, not even Mei. But a few nights after she altered Jackson’s memory (and after several mugs of Etta’s infamous mulled wine), she’d admitted it to Vivi. In fact, she’d admitted a lot of things to Vivi. More than she ever would’ve pictured herself doing in the past.

  “Yes, but it never should have happened in the first place,” Scarlett replied, her stomach doing an unpleasant lurch when she thought about the moment she’d seen Jackson in the philosophy class they were both in this year. His eyes had stayed on hers for a second too long, and she wondered if somehow the spell had been broken. But then his gaze moved on and he’d said something snarky about social contract theory. As relieved as Scarlett was that the spell had held, the moment had been bittersweet. In spite of everything, she’d wanted him to remember their connection on some primordial level beyond memory. But that was silly and ran counter to her very actions. You did the right thing, she reminded herself. There was no other way.

  “But you did the right thing in the end,” Vivi said now, making Scarlett wonder if her Little might have a touch of affinity for Swords mind-reading magic after all. “That’s what matters. But doing the right thing doesn’t mean being a nun, Scarlett. Why can’t you start again with Jackson? He doesn’t ever have to know about before.”

  As Scarlett considered Vivi’s words, she realized something. Even though it was Mason who had broken her heart, it was Jackson’s kiss she couldn’t forget, not Mason’s. It was Jackson’s lips that she could still feel on hers, not Mason’s. But she’d had to give Jackson up, and unlike his, her memory was very much intact. She couldn’t forget how he’d made her feel. But she was still a witch. And he was still a human. And she couldn’t imagine being with him without telling him the truth all over again.