Hunted

spaghetti into her face. “They lurk around campus, too,” she said between bites, careful to keep her voice low, “but their focus is obviously on keeping anyone from coming or going without their permission.”
    “Well, we’re definitely going without their permission,” I said. I looked at Damien. “You have to go so I can talk to Aphrodite. Do you understand?”
    He started to look hurt for a second, and then I saw understanding in his eyes as he remembered I could talk freely to Aphrodite without worrying that Neferet could break into her mind and dig out what I’d said.
    “I understand,” he said. “So I guess I’ll see you . . . ” His voice trailed off into a question.
    “Just go over the vocab note I gave you, okay?”
    He smiled. “Okay.”
    “Vocab note?” Aphrodite said after he was gone.
    “It’s just a way I’m getting them to meet me in the stables right after school without them knowing beforehand. Maybe if it’s a surprise to them, it’ll take a while for Neferet to know what we’re up to.”
    “And by that time we’ll be out of here?”
    “I hope so,” I whispered. I leaned closer to Aphrodite, not caring if the Raven Mockers were suspicious about the two of us putting our heads together. At least they couldn’t get into our heads. “Get to the stables with Darius as soon as school’s out. Dragon and Anastasia are with us. So I’m hoping that means the cat clues were right, and Lenobia is on our side, too.”
    “Which means she may help us get out of here from the weak part in the wall by the stables?”
    “Yeah. Okay, do not tell anyone else this next part, not even Darius. Do you swear?”
    “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Cross my heart and hope to—”
    “Just saying you won’t tell is good enough for me,” I said, not wanting to hear anything about hoping to die come out of her mouth.
    “I won’t tell. So, what is it?”
    “We’re not going back to the depot tunnels when we leave here. We’re going to the Benedictine Abbey.”
    Her gaze on me was sharp and way more intelligent than most people gave her credit for being. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
    “I trust Sister Mary Angela, and I have a bad feeling about the tunnels.”
    “Ah, shit. I hate it when you say that.”
    “Hell, I don’t like it either! But I sensed a darkness down there that I’ve been seeing too much of.”
    “Neferet,” Aphrodite whispered.
    “I’m afraid so.” I spoke slowly, thinking aloud. “And I’m thinking that the influence of the nuns might repel her. Plus, Sister Mary Angela told me that there was a place of power there at the abbey, something that made my control over the elements not so surprising to her. I think she called it Mary’s Grotto.” As I spoke I felt that sureness within that told me Nyx was pleased with the choices I was making. “Maybe we can somehow use the power there, like we’ve used the power over by the east wall before. At the very least it might help me keep us cloaked.”
    “Mary’s Grotto? Sounds like something that should be in the ocean and not in Tulsa. Look, just keep in mind that the place of power by the east wall has been misused about as much as it’s been tapped into for good,” she said. “And what about Stevie Rae and her freaks? Not to mention your boyfriends?”
    “They’ll be there. Or at least I hope they will. The Raven Mockers have been watching the depot. Unless Stevie Rae figures out how to slip around them, I’m scared that they’ll grab her.”
    “Well, I can tell you from being around her for those two days that she is majorly resourceful, and some of those resources are not so nice.” She paused and kinda squirmed uncomfortably.
    “What is it?” I prompted.
    “Look, if I tell you, I want you to promise to believe me.”
    “Fine. I promise. Now what is it?”
    “Well, talking about your bumpkin BFF and her bag of tricks kinda reminded me of something. Something I found out after she and I, well, you know.”
    “Imprinted?” I said, trying (unsuccessfully) not to smile.
    “It’s not funny, smart-ass,” she snapped. “It’s annoying. Anyway, remember when you were talking to Stevie Rae about the extent of the tunnels and whatnot?”
    I thought back. “Yeah, I remember.” Then my stomach clenched as I replayed the scene in my mind and I really did remember how Stevie Rae had looked all uncomfortable when I asked her about other red fledglings, and I braced myself to hear what