Feeling nervous and unsure, I went to stand beside Aphrodite and Shaylin.

Thanatos faced Dallas. “Are you the red vampyre known as Dallas?”

Dallas curled his lip. “Everybody knows who I am.”

“Dallas, at dawn you attacked the red High Priestess, Stevie Rae, with the intent to expose her to sunlight until she died. Do you deny this?”

“No, I ain’t denying it.”

“Dallas, at dawn you also planned to kill the fledgling Shaunee with the power you have been gifted with by Nyx. Do you deny this?”

“I ain’t denying anything!” His voice was mean and his eyes glinted with a rust-colored glow. “Shun me! I’m more than ready to leave this shithole of a school.”

Thanatos turned so that she faced the crowd. “I know this vampyre has followers who share his same views. I believe they knew and even may have assisted him in his crimes. They, too, should share his fate. I now call forth the followers of Dallas who wish to stand with him!”

I was super curious about what was going to happen next. There were probably about ten kids who hung around Dallas all the time. Well, nine now that Nicole had come over from the Dark Side. I kinda expected a whole herd of his red fledglings to come forth, swaggering like jerks and throwing notes at people.

Only two actually joined Dallas. One of them was the big kid named Kurtis. I remembered him from the fight in the tunnels. He was a total ass. The other kid was Elliott, the fledgling I’d watched die all those months ago in English class. I knew Elliott was a mean breather (a kid who didn’t do much in class but breathe), but I would have figured he was too lazy to stand up with Dallas, especially since it looked like he was going to be kicked out of school with him.

Oh, wait. That made sense. The kid didn’t like school. Getting expelled with Dallas would seem like a permanent vacation to him.

“Elliott and Kurtis, do the two of you knowingly stand with this vampyre as accomplices to his crimes?” Thanatos asked.

“Hell yes!” Kurtis said. He looked nervously around, but he was trying to sound all tough and sure of himself.

“Yeah, whatever,” Elliott said.

“Now I ask my Council—do you acknowledge the guilt of this vampyre and his fledgling followers?”

The instant Thanatos asked that question, my Seer Stone began to radiate heat. I cupped my hand around it, wishing I knew what it was reacting to, and wishing I knew what to do about it.

Each of the Council members answered Thanatos by solemnly saying, “I do.”

“Prophetesses of Nyx, these three have been found guilty of plotting to murder a vampyre High Priestess. Look within you. Use your gifts. Are you in agreement with me that, as in ancient times, their punishment should be swift and public?”

Aphrodite answered first. “I agree with you.”

Shaylin took longer. She walked a few steps closer to where Dallas, Kurtis, and Elliott stood and studied them. Her face looked like she smelled something disgusting, but she didn’t say anything to them. She returned to her place near Thanatos. She still didn’t say anything. She just stared at Thanatos for what seemed like an uncomfortably long time. Finally, Shaylin drew a deep breath and said, “I believe the right thing to do is to agree with you.” Then Shaylin bowed her head. I was pretty sure she also closed her eyes, and it looked like she might have been praying, but I didn’t have any more time to watch because it was my turn to be called on.

“Zoey Redbird, as the only other High Priestess present, do you stand in agreement with me and my ancient right to condemn these three for the violence they admit to conspiring and committing?”

I felt like I got the easiest question. “Yes, I agree,” I answered quickly. The Seer Stone was scorching my hand.

Thanatos raised her arms. Power crackled around her, lifting the hairs on my neck and arms. Her voice was amplified by the power of Nyx and she sounded like Death personified.

“Then I invoke my right as High Priestess of this House of Night. Crimes against a High Priestess under my protection shall be punished as they were in ancient times. I command my Oath Bound Warrior to execute the red vampyre and then to cast his two fledgling followers into the country, far enough away from any vampyre that their bodies will reject the Change and they, too, shall die!”

I didn’t even have time to gasp. Kalona moved with lightning speed. He drew the longsword that had been strapped across his back and in one swift stroke beheaded Dallas. Stark stepped away as the body convulsed and blood geysered from the stump that had been his neck. I couldn’t stop staring at Dallas’s head. His eyes were wide open. He looked stunned. And his mouth kept opening and closing—opening and closing—like a fish on dry ground.

Kurtis and Elliott screamed and started to run. The winged immortal caught them before they’d broken the circle of the shocked crowd. He grabbed them around their waists. The crowd surged away from him and he ran forward, taking mighty strides, his huge wings beat the air once, twice, three times, and then he and the two boys were airborne. The boys kicked and screamed, but it didn’t seem to affect Kalona at all, and within moments he’d flown out of sight, to the west, and into the darkness.

“Silence!” Thanatos’s command was like an off switch. It was then that I realized that everyone around me, except Stark, Shaylin, and the members of the School Council, had either been crying out in horror or sobbing in shock. “The time for weakness and infighting is finished. Violence against our House will be avenged. Our Goddess is merciful, but she is also just, and all who come against her shall feel her righteous wrath. Let this be your warning and my promise to you—those who stand with the Goddess and me will be protected. Those who come against us will be punished. Tulsa House of Night, make your choice!”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Zoey

Cupped in my palm, the Seer Stone blazed. I knew why I hadn’t dissolved into tears or shrieked out in hysteria.

Thanatos was right. It was time to publicly swear allegiance to our House of Night and take a stand for good. We were up against too much to have to fight each other, too. It’s what she’d been saying all along. It’s what I’d come to believe as well.

I stepped forward, careful to stay out of the circle of Dallas’s blood. Holding tight to my Seer Stone I drew a deep breath and prayed, Old Magick, help me—strengthen me! Heat exploded from the Seer Stone and power sizzled through my body. When I spoke, the volume of my voice reverberated my words over the crowd.

“My circle and I choose the path of Nyx. We stand united with this House of Night!”

Damien and Shaunee were the first of my circle to join me. They moved up beside me and bowed respectfully to Thanatos, echoing me by saying, “We stand united!” Shaylin and Aphrodite stepped forward so that they were beside them. Darius and Stark and, I saw with a happy jolt, Aurox joined us. Surrounding me, the rest of my circle fisted their hands over their hearts and bowed respectfully, showing our solidarity.

That broke the tide. Kramisha, Erik, Johnny B, Ant, Nicole, and all the rest of Stevie Rae’s red fledglings swarmed forward through the crowd. I could see that some of them had been crying. Others, like Erik and Kramisha, were white-faced with shock, but they all bowed and swore allegiance to our House of Night.

The rest of the school began bowing and speaking their vows to stand together and follow the Goddess’s path. I paid special attention to the handful of kids left from Dallas’s fledglings. They were easy to pick out. The boys were super scruffy and slouchy, and the girls wore more eyeliner than clothes. They weren’t acting all tough and rebellious now, though. They were looking and acting scared. They all bowed to Thanatos. I couldn’t help but wonder how sincere their pledges were, because, seriously, what choice did they have? I thought about what I’d do in their place. No way would I take a chance at being killed. I’d totally pretend to join Thanatos. Later, though, my choice might be different.

And just as if it had never been a miniature oven, my Seer Stone cooled down, leaving me dizzy and nauseous, with a pounding headache starting in my right temple.

Old Magick was so creepy!

“And now I command that we return to the business of living. School shall continue,” Thanatos was saying. “We will be vigilant as to the Dark forces at work around us, but they should not be at work among us any longer. I ask Zoey and her circle to remain here and meet with me briefly, the rest of you have five minutes before second hour commences. Professors—see to your fledglings, and may you all blessed be.”

I felt a little like someone had just thrown cold water all over me. Dallas had been beheaded. Two fledglings were going to be dead very shortly, but don’t be tardy for second hour? WTF? How could it be that simple to go on with the day as if nothing had happened?

“Zoey, I need you to cast a circle,” Thanatos said, striding over to me as the silent crowd dispersed.

“Here? Now?”

“Here, yes. Around the vampyre’s body. But not now. Wait until the fledglings have returned to class.”

“Okay,” I said slowly. “But I’ll need someone to stand in for Stevie Rae.”