Finally, the bubbly, dark-haired witch arrived. She'd changed her hair color over the last couple of days, dyeing her bright red curls and black tips purple.

Cat rushed to her feet, waving her hand.

"Hey! Can we talk for a minute?"

Blair blinked, visibly confused.

They weren't really close. Blair was more Greer’s friend, so their relationship was linked by proxy. Cat didn't even think she had her phone number, and they'd never spent time together without Greer. But Blair soon smiled and nodded.

"Absolutely." Cat doubted Blair was capable of refusing anyone.

She followed her out the door without asking why they were walking away from the pub.

Too many shifters and immortals with an acute sense of hearing had a tendency to hinder private plans.

"So, I heard you specialized in charms, is that right?"

There were various facets of magic. Elemental was the most common practice, and the one most witches concentrated on, because charms, hexes, potions, and spells didn't affect the powerful creatures in the world. Besides, technology and science could replace all potions and charms, so why use up tons of energy to knock someone out or increase the speed of a horse when you could take sleeping pills or a car?

Some potion masters, such as Greer and Alexius, were strong enough to brew potions suitable for immortals. Otherwise, the craft was considered useless.

"Hardly. I specialize in people skills. And teaching. You know what they say: those who can't do teach."

Cat sincerely hoped she was underrating herself.

"Look, I need to ask for a favor. I thought about going to Greer first, but she has her plate full with her classes, Maddy, and everything else. Plus, she isn't into charms."

That Cat knew of. The previous day had proved she didn't know her friend as well as she'd thought.

"All right, spill. I'll let you know if I can do it."

"I'd like to contact my siblings."

Blair blinked. "There are phones for that, you know?"

"In a way that can't be tracked, intercepted, or spied on."

The witch laughed. "That's more like it. Who doesn't like a challenge?"

Cat looked up hopefully. "So, it's possible?"

"It's not impossible," Blair corrected. "Normally, we'd need a link, like an object spelled just for that purpose. But with siblings, that shouldn't be necessary. You are bound by blood. I can draw them to you during their sleep. That's the tricky part. You'd all need to be asleep at the same time. And there's a chance that they'd believe it was just a dream when they woke up."

That was better than nothing. "Okay, sounds good. What would you need? I'll pay you, of course."

Blair shrugged. "As long as I can write a report on it, I'll use it for a paper, so don't worry about payment. I'll need something else from you, though."

Cat winced internally. She preferred a clear exchange of funds to the prospect of owing anyone a favor. "What would that be?"

"Your word."

She turned to Blair.

"Just because the rest of us aren't allowed in secret councils on the hill doesn't mean that we don't get that something's happening. Something big. So, sure. I'll help you get in touch with your family, or whatever. I won't even ask why you can't just text them like the rest of us. But I want your word. Tell me you're not an enemy of our Institute. Because this place means everything to me."

Watching her closely, Cat realized something.

The huntsmen and a few vampires weren’t alone against any upcoming threat. When the time came, the whole of Oldcrest would be by their side. If they trusted them.

The genius of Levi's plan was becoming clear.

"I give you my word."

"Good. I need to put a spell together. I'll send you a raven when I’m ready."

Mind Tricks

Seth was eating with his least favorite people in the world when he felt it. Her.

He was glad for the distraction.

He tugged on the pull at the edge of his mind, and felt the witch trying to bridge his consciousness startle. He grinned. She hadn't expected a response.

"Who are you?"

She said nothing, hoping he couldn't identify her. Trying to find an out. But she'd started this. He'd finish it.

"You will not return to your body again until I allow it, witch. Who are you? What fool would attempt to control the mind of a nephilim?"

"I'm not trying to control you, all right!"

The moment she spoke, he saw her clearly, as though she were standing right in front of him. The room where he was sitting disappeared, the food he ate became immaterial, irrelevant.

He kept moving, even talking, splitting his mind in two so his actions wouldn't seem suspicious back in Stormhall.

But his attention was on her.

She wasn't what he'd expected. Only the strongest would have dared to enter his defenses, so he imagined an old, arrogant queen of some coven, at the head of a dozen witches. Instead, the intruder was just one girl. Woman. Something between a woman and a girl. She was in her twenties. Pretty. Her hair was ridiculous. To say nothing of her moss-green nails.

He believed her. She hadn't meant to control his mind. She seemed shocked to have managed to reach it at all. For that reason alone, he decided not to fry her brain until she screamed in agony and begged for a quick death.

Well, that and the fact that she was quite pretty. Despite the hair and nails. And the dreadful clothes. He'd always hated plain gear.

His eyes narrowed on the object in her hands. He recognized it.

"Ah. You're a friend of my sister, I see."

"She asked me to connect you, okay? I was just supposed to link your minds so she could speak to you directly."

That made sense.

"Tell Catharina I'll get in touch with her shortly. We have matters to discuss."

He should have let her go after that. He had nothing else to say to the witch. Instead, Seth retained her, keeping her tethered to his mind.

"What is your name?"

"Blair."

That didn't sound right.

“Blair the Witch?” he laughed.

“Like I haven’t heard that one before.”

“What's your true name, Blair?”

She narrowed her eyes. "Right. Because that's the sort of thing one tells creepy strangers who keep your damn consciousness hostage."

He grinned. She was frightened. Terrified, actually. But she had a backbone nonetheless.

"But you do have one. A name hidden beneath the mortal flesh. A celestial being inside you."

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're creepy?"

Seth laughed.

Only two women had ever dared. Claudia and Catharina. Blair made three.

Back in Rome, outside of the immaterial subconscious realm he'd entered, Drusilla's gaze focused on him.

He let go of the girl.

No matter. He would be in Oldcrest soon enough.

With most of the Stormhale warriors.

"Never again!"

Cat blinked. She'd just stepped out of the dorm, and now there was a very pissed-off witch, index finger extended, glaring at her threateningly.

"Sorry?"

"I will never go anywhere near that weird sicko's mind," Blair clarified, stuffing Cat’s diadem back into her hands.

Oh. Seth had…well, he'd been Seth.

Cat winced. "Oh God, what did he do?"

She shook her head. "I won't speak of it. I won't acknowledge it. It never happened."

Ouch. That bad. "Sorry. I didn't think he could affect you from a distance if you were just trying to connect us."

"Well, he can. Oh, and he gave me a message for you. He said he'd get in touch shortly. But that will not be through me."

On that note, Blair turned her heels and stormed toward the Institute.

Cat didn't think she'd ever seen the bubbly witch so angry. She shouldn't have been surprised; Seth had a gift for infuriating people like no one else could.

Cat made a mental note to ask her brother what he'd done to Blair. If they weren't on opposite sides of enemy lines the next time they met.

She headed to the printer to pick up the invitations; Mrs. Lowery had sent a raven to let her know they were ready. Then she headed back to the academy, following the narrow path to the birdhouse managed by the unpleasant witch in charge of in-house mail.

"What do you want?" Martie grumbled as she approached.

"I need to send messages."

The plump middle-aged man rolled his eyes. "No shit. How many, and to whom?"

Cat shrugged. "Everyone." Martie's eyes widened. She specified, "The teachers, the staff, the students, the employees in the town, and the shifters in the Wolvswoods, too." She opened her bag, but before reaching for the many invitations, Cat pulled out a money clip with a few twenty-pound notes. She removed the pin and handed him the notes.

Martie was a paid Institute employee, but people didn't generally ask him for so much. A little bribe wouldn't hurt.

Martie eyed the money suspiciously.

"That won't get the mail out any faster."

"Maybe not. And maybe my replies won't be accompanied by a curse or two."

He pocketed the cash.

"All right, then. Mail to everyone heading out."

Soon, the ravens flew back by the dozens. It was all anyone could talk about, and Cat was more popular than ever. People she’d never spoken to stopped her to thank her for the invite and promise to be there.

Cat had to admit: she hadn’t expected so much enthusiasm. It was the end of term, with most people planning to leave on Saturday morning. That they’d rearranged their schedules to attend her little get-together was humbling.

A line had always been drawn between her—them—and the rest of the Institute. Vampires were other, darker, stranger, deadlier.

But it was fading away with little effort.

Levi had been right, it seemed. They could be allies, some day.