They hadn’t understood Neferet’s tears had been of joy—that her sobs were because she’d finally recognized her destiny. Queen Tsi Sgili was a modest title. She should truly be called Goddess Tsi Sgili, for she had become immortal and would one day take her place among the gods and be worshipped as such!

Her gift had not been finished there, though. Even before Neferet had fulfilled the Cherokee prophecy and freed Kalona, the fledglings in her House of Night had begun a metamorphosis along with her.

Neferet’s body twitched. Her breathing quickened as she moved up through the layers of unconsciousness and the realms of time.

Fledglings who died at her House of Night were reborn anew, bound to her through Darkness and blood. Neferet believed she had birthed a new kind of army, along with a new breed of vampyre. These new creatures would protect and serve her when she and her Consort ruled the new age of vampyres.

Then Zoey Redbird had been Marked, and what followed was one misstep after another—one irritation atop another—one defeat after another. Neferet hated that fledgling and her mutinous friends with a passion that overshadowed all of her other passions.

Zoey Redbird was the reason Neferet hid in a den, clothed only in Darkness and blood.

A goddess should not be plagued with such an annoyance! A goddess should not be hindered in her divine destiny!

As if in response to her tumultuous emotions, the sky outside her den growled with thunder and lightning struck, cracking the earth with a force that rippled through Neferet’s skin.

Neferet, Queen Tsi Sgili, opened her eyes.

“I have been such a fool! I am an immortal. No one can dim my majesty unless I allow it. I shall no longer allow it! World, prepare to worship me!”

Thunder and lightning applauded Neferet and rain caressed her as she prepared to step from her den of hiding out into a future, newborn, ready to embrace her destiny.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Zoey

At first I didn’t know where I was going. I just needed to get the hell out. I slipped through the hidden door in the wall and cut around the south side of the school until I ran into Utica Street. I glanced to my right, considering. Utica Square was just down the street. It was Sunday morning, but Starbucks would probably be open. I could get one of those fudge cappa-frappa-whatevers that had a bazillion calories in it and sit outside and try to figure out what had happened to my life.

No. I didn’t want to see people. I didn’t want to talk to people. I didn’t want to have to deal with the looks my tattoos would get from people.

I didn’t want to deal with anything or anyone.

Thunder rumbled in the distance and I glanced up at the darkening sky.

“Go ahead. Rain on me. I don’t care. My day can’t get much crappier.” I was talking to myself as I crossed the street.

Yeah, I was pissed.

I could not believe what Aphrodite and Shaylin had pulled. They were supposed to be my friends! Well, at least Aphrodite was supposed to be my friend. I’d thought Shaylin and I were becoming friends. I mean, we’d had that talk in the kitchen at the tunnels. She’d opened up to me about using her True Sight. We’d even talked about how invasive her gift could be. We’d had a plan, for god’s sake! And no part of that plan involved her spying on me and tattling to Aphrodite like a damn middle schooler.

My face felt hot just thinking about her watching Aurox and me in the cafeteria. Hell, my whole body felt hot! No wonder I knocked her on her butt. Aphrodite had been so shocked by what I’d done, but Aphrodite had also been the one who’d set up the whole spying thing.

Was Aphrodite really my friend? She’d definitely been a hag from hell when I’d met her. Had she changed, or had I just made myself forget who she really was and become blind, not seeing what I didn’t want to see? Had I just been believing what I wanted to believe about her?

Hell! Was Aphrodite still all about power and popularity? Was spying on me just part of her plan to undermine me and take my place?

The sky rumbled, seeming to echo my emotions.

My chest burned as I crossed another street and paused, noticing I’d come to the edge of the neatly maintained houses. Holy crap, I’d walked all the way to Woodward Park. I almost turned away. It was Sunday, which was when people would usually be flocking there to take pictures with the flowers and trees and such, but as I looked around the park it seemed empty. Obviously the thunderstorm that was coming had canceled the picture takers. I noticed the daffodils had started to bloom. I’d always loved it when the daffodils pushed up through the grass and lifted their yellow heads. Grandma and I used to talk about how magickal it felt when the spring bulbs appeared so quickly and unexpectedly.

I definitely needed a little spring magick today. Woodward Park it would be!

Feeling relieved at finding a destination, I headed into the park, making my way through the tufts of daffodils and meandering toward the area that was bordered by Twenty-first Street. On top of that ridge was where the azaleas were thickest. I liked the craggy, ridge-like area with stone paths winding between the bushes. I could find a bench tucked beneath the azaleas at the bottom of the ridge, and try to wrap my head around my problems. If it rained on me, so what? At least it would keep the gawkers away.

I walked the flagstone path, curving through azalea bushes as tall as me. I could see that their buds had started to form, but I couldn’t tell what color they’d be yet.

The stupid thunderstorm would probably beat them to death and they’d never bloom anyway.

I kicked at a rock.

Aphrodite had had me spied on! I just couldn’t let that betrayal go. I wondered what Stevie Rae would say when I told her. Then I realized if I told her I’d also have to tell her about Aurox and me in the cafeteria and I sure as hell didn’t want to tell Stevie Rae or anybody about that—

I stopped. “Ah, hell! I’m not going to have a choice about telling people. No way are Shaylin and Aphrodite going to keep their mouths shut.” I’d come to the stone stairs that led from the top part of the park down to the rocky, grotto-like areas and the shallow pool that wrapped around the western part of the park.

I considered hurling myself off the side of the ridge, but decided it wasn’t high enough so it probably wouldn’t kill me. And I really didn’t want to kill myself. Now, had Aphrodite been there, I might have considered shoving her off the ridge!

The thought was disturbingly satisfying.

I took the stairs down to street level. There was a stone bench not far from where the steps opened to the grass. Thunder sounded again. I sat and frowned at the sky. Yeah, it was definitely going to rain on me. Soon. I sighed and looked around. Maybe it was the impending rain, but this little section of Woodward Park suddenly reminded me of the Isle of Skye. An unexpected feeling of homesickness washed over me. I should go back there. I was happy there. No one spied on me. No one tried to kill me. And I could ask Sgiach what the hell was up with my stupid Seer Stone. Stark would go with me. I wouldn’t have to see Aurox every day and wish…

No! I derailed that train of thought. I didn’t wish anything. I’d made my decision. It was just this crap with Aphrodite and Shaylin that was messing with my head—messing with my heart.

And I couldn’t run away to Scotland. Or at least not right now I couldn’t. I had to stay here and face my friends—and ex-friends—and clean up the mess that the House of Night had turned into.

God, it was depressing. And annoying. And exhausting.

Thunder rumbled, this time closer. It wasn’t fixing anything to run away or to hide. I should go back to school. Maybe I’d get lucky and Stark had actually slept through my emotional explosion and I could crawl into bed and still get some sleep before I had to face the poo storm that would be waiting for me when the sun set.

I’d stood and turned to climb back up the stone stairs when I saw the two men. They’d just stepped out of the azalea bushes and were pausing at the top of the stairs. They were scruffy looking, dirty even. Their clothes didn’t fit right. One of them carried a plastic garbage bag slung over his shoulder, making him look like an anorexic Santa. That one saw me first. He nudged his friend with his elbow and jerked his chin in my direction, grinning with a rot-toothed smile. His friend nodded and they started down the stairs.

Ah, hell.

I should have hurried toward Twenty-first Street. That was the smart thing to do—the safe thing to do. I almost did, but then I remembered who I was and I got pissed. I wasn’t some weak little kid who people could scare and push around. I had an affinity for all five elements. I was a High Priestess in training. Hell, I was almost a vampyre! Why shouldn’t I be able to be in the park on a Sunday morning and not be hassled by anyone?

Instead of running away I sat back down on the bench. Maybe they’d just walk past, say “morning,” and that would be that. Maybe.

“Hey, girl, you, uh, got any extra money?” the first guy said as they got to the bottom of the stairs.

“Yeah, we could use some cash for food,” said the second guy.

I’d had my face turned away, hoping that they’d walk on by. Now I lifted my chin and looked straight at them. Their eyes widened as they saw my tattoos.