Prologue
Savannah
Christmas 2018
“So, when the Hulk smashes everything he’s incredible, but when I do it I’m a slut.” I nodded and stood up from the couch. “Okay. Thanks, ma. Nice talk. Happy Christmas.”
“Savannah…”
I shook my head and walked across the living room. “Goodnight, a bit too late apparently.”
“Come back,” my mother yelled after me. “Savannah Grace, where are you going?”
I paused at the hallway and glanced back at her with a fake wide grin. “To bed. I wouldn’t come knocking either, I have a boy sneaking in my window in about ten minutes.”
She yelled something but I didn’t listen. I just turned and sprinted upstairs to my bedroom then slammed my door shut for dramatic effect. I groaned and collapsed on my bed. Note to self, mom forgot how to take a joke.
Her sense of humor used to be fun and easy going, I used to be able to say any kind of joke but the long hours at the hospital had burned that out of her. Mom was a healer, a Cups alumnus from Edenburg with a particular skill for patching up demon inflicted wounds. Salem had been the perfect spot for her, which was why she uprooted our family out of Eden all those years ago. And since Samhain she worked more and longer hours.
Dad worked the same hours she did so they’d be off work together. I had no idea what my father did for work. He was a Pentacles alumnus, which meant he did adulting type of work but for witches.
I wanted to go back to Edenburg so bad. To get a real education so I could do something useful with my life and magic. But mom saw too many demon inflicted fatalities to let me live away from them. I’d been wearing on them…until The Coven evacuated all of Eden recently. So I was screwed.
Ozzy Osbourne sang from my back pocket as my phone vibrated and rang.
“Who the hell is calling me at three in the morning?” I scowled and pulled it out – my eyes widened. I answered it immediately. “Landreia?”
“Savannah, hi, I’m sorry to wake you—”
I sat up straight, not liking the sharp tone in her voice one bit. “No, I’m up. What’s wrong?”
“Is Saffie there with you?” She asked in what was supposed to be a fake cheerful voice.
My pulse quickened. “No. She said she wanted to spend tonight with you.”
“She did, she was…” Landreia cursed. “I can’t find her anywhere. She’s missing—”
“WHAT?” I jumped to my feet as my heart shot up my throat. “What do you mean she’s missing?”
She groaned and whimpered. “It was after dinner. She wanted to go see her therapist Dr. Troy at Midnight Mass around the corner…but she never came home. I’ve checked the church three times in the last two hours or so. I’ve checked everywhere.”
My stomach turned. “I’m coming, okay? Just hang tight. Imma grab Gigi and we’ll be there in less than ten.”
“Okay, be careful.”
The line went dead. I cursed and dove for my Uggs at the foot of my bed. “Hey Siri, call Gigi on speaker,” I shouted to my phone as I struggled to get my boots on in a panic.
The phone rang six times before Gigi answered. “Savannah, it’s three in the morning—”
“Saffie’s missing!” I slid my sweater on over my head then wrapped a scarf around my neck.
“WHAT?”
“I’ll pick you up, be outside in one minute—”
“Where are we going?”
“To help Landreia look for her, obviously!” I plucked my phone off my bed and sprinted out of my room. “I’m coming now, G.”
“O-okay. I’ll go down.”
I shoved my phone in my back pocket then sped down the stairs and into the kitchen.
“Savannah?” My mom yelled from the living room. “Savannah Grace, where do you think you’re going?”
I didn’t stop, I didn’t have the time. I rushed for the coatrack by the door and grabbed my coat. “I gotta go, Ma—”
“Go where?” She shouted from right behind me. “SAVANNAH.”
“SAFFIE IS MISSING!”
Mom gasped.
I threw on my coat and grabbed my keys off the hook.
“WAIT!”
I spun around. “Ma, I have to—”
“Take my car.”
“What?” I shook my head, she was standing there in her scrubs ready to go to work. “But then how will you get to work?”
“Dad was gonna take me anyway.” She hurried over to her purse and dug her truck keys out then tossed them to me. “It’s been snowing for hours. I don’t want you driving in a panic in your car so take mine.”
“Oh. Thanks, mom.”
“I’ll be at the hospital if you need anything.”
“Ok”
“Be careful!”
“I will.” I gave her a small smile then spun and shoved the door open. Cold air slammed into my face.
“Do you have your wand?” She shouted after me.
I did, but I knew she’d feel better if I proved it, so I yanked it out of my coat and held it up. “GOT IT.”
“Good luck!”
I hurried out to the driveway and my feet crunched in the snow on the ground. The air was bitter cold and stinging my face. The blizzard was definitely more than the weathermen had predicted. But mom’s pickup truck was brand new, black, shiny, and a monster in the snow. As I put my hand on the door handle the car recognized the keys in my hand and just unlocked for me. I yanked it open and climbed in.
The truck roared to life quickly. I threw it in reverse and backed out onto the street. Gigi lived literally around the corner so it took me less than sixty seconds to get around to her house. Gigi may have sounded confused and asleep but as I pulled up I found she was already on the sidewalk, bundled up in winter gear.
“What do you know?” Gigi asked as I sped down the street.
“Saffie went to Midnight Mass with Dr. Troy then never came home.”
Gigi cursed and pushed her hair back.
We were both silent as I drove at illegal speeds through town. It was late, nobody was out at this hour. The town of Salem passed in a blur. When I finally pulled up in front of The Night Haven, Landreia sat on the front steps with her face buried in her hands and her black hair blowing all around her.
I was out of the truck and hurried onto the sidewalk. “We’re here.”
Landreia looked up with tears in her blue eyes. “I just don’t understand. I’ve looked everywhere.”
“Okay. Talk to us. What happened? Let’s go through the steps again just in case.”
“What did you guys do today?” Gigi asked as she sat down on the stone step beside her. “How was she?”
“We had a great day. We played in the snow, for Goddess’ sake.” Landreia scrubbed her face with her hands and shook her head. “Then we had a nice dinner and watched Christmas movies. I knew she was a little bit sad that she was spending the holiday away from her real life, the one she can’t remember but she was trying not to let it show – like maybe she was afraid she’d hurt my feelings? She asked if she could go to the Midnight Mass at the church around the corner because her therapist Dr. Troy was going to be there…so she went…but never came home.”