Untamed

said.
    "I believe so."
    "It's scary, Grandma."
    Grandma pulled me into her arms and stroked my head like she used to when I was a little girl. "Do not fear, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya. The demon's father will find that today's women are not so easy to subdue."
    "You kicked butt, Grandma."
    She smiled. "Yes, daughter, we certainly did."

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

    With Grandma watching in approval, I called wind back and had it whip around campus, especially focusing on the dorms. We listened carefully for sounds of shrieking demons, but all we heard was the comforting whistle of the wind. Then, exhausted, I put on my pj's and finally got into bed. Grandma lit a full-moon protective candle for us, too, and I curled up with Nala, liking the sounds of Grandma brushing out her long silver hair as she went through her familiar nighttime rituals.
    I was just drifting off when her soft voice caught me. U-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, I want you to promise me something."
    "Okay, Grandma," I said sleepily.
    "No matter what happens, I want you to promise me that you'll remember Kalona must not rise. Nothing and no one is more important than that."
    A little trickle of worry made me wake up all the way. "What do you mean?"
    "Exactly what I said. Do not let anything distract you from your purpose."
    "You're sounding like you won't be around to keep me straight," I said, feeling a flutter of panic start in my chest.
    Grandma came over and sat on the edge of my bed. "I plan to be around for a very long time, sweetheart, you know that. But I still want your promise. Think of it as helping an old woman sleep well."
    I frowned at her. "You're not an old woman."
    "Promise me," she insisted.
    "I promise. Now you promise me you won't let anything happen to you," I said.
    "I'll do my best; I promise," she said with a smile. "Turn your head, and I'll brush your hair while you fall asleep. It will give you good dreams."
    With a sigh I rolled over onto my side and fell asleep to the loving touch of my grandma and a softly hummed Cherokee lullaby.
    At first I thought the muffled voices were coming from the nanny cam, and not even fully awake, I sat up and reached for the little viewscreen. Holding my breath, I clicked to ON the video button, and then I let out a big sigh of relief when the solitary table came into view with its unchanged, shrouded occupant. I turned off the video and glanced over at Grandma's now empty but tidily made-up bed. I smiled as I looked blearily around my room. Actually, Grandma had done a nice little bit of cleaning up before she'd gone out for her day of shopping and lunch. I looked down at Nala, who blinked at me sleepily.
    "Sorry. Must have been my overactive imagination making me hear things." The full moon candle was still burning, though it was definitely smaller than when I'd fallen asleep. I glanced at my clock and smiled. It was only two o'clock in the afternoon. I had several good sleeping hours left before I had to wake up. I lay back down and pulled my quilt up around my neck.
    Muffled voices, this time accompanied by several soft knocks on my door were definitely not my imagination. Nala grumbled a sleepy mee-uf-ow, which I couldn't help but agree with.
    "If it's the Twins wanting to sneak off to a shoe sale, I'm going to strangle them," I told my cat, who looked pleased at the prospect. Then I cleared the sleep out of my throat and called, "Yeah! Come on in."
    When the door opened, I was surprised to see Shekinah standing there, along with Aphrodite and Neferet. And Aphrodite was crying. I sat bolt upright, brushing my crazy bedhead hair out of my face. "What's wrong?"
    The three of them came into my room. Aphrodite walked over to me and sat on the bed beside me. I looked from her to Shekinah and finally to Neferet. I couldn't read anything but sadness in any of their eyes, but I continued to stare at Neferet, wishing I could see past her careful façade—wishing everyone could.
    "What's wrong?" I repeated.
    "Child," Shekinah began in a sad, kind voice. "It's your grandmother."
    "Grandma! Where is she?" My stomach clenched when no one said anything. I grabbed Aphrodite's hand. "Tell me!"
    "She was in a car wreck. A bad one. She lost control as she was driving down Main Street because . . . because a big black bird flew into her window. Her car left the road and hit a light pole head-on." Tears were running down Aphrodite's face, but her voice was steady. "She's at St. John's Hospital in intensive care."
    I couldn't say