Ominous (Private 13)

“Oh.” I bit my lip. An ember jumped out of the fireplace and glowed on the slate hearth. Noelle lifted her foot and placed the toe of her boot on top of it, crushing the light out of it.

“So, if Eliza’s story is true, then Ariana’s great-great-great-aunt cursed our family for all eternity,” I said.

Noelle turned around fully. “Weird, huh?”

“Actually, it makes sense out of a whole lot of crap,” I replied.

Noelle arched her eyebrows. “So you think … what? Ariana murdered your boyfriend because she was playing out some kind of ancient curse?”

“I know, I know. It sounds insane. But isn’t this all just a little too coincidental?” I said, touching Eliza’s locket with my fingertips. “And don’t forget Sabine. She was related to Catherine too.”

Noelle shook her head, her expression irritatingly condescending. “Reed, Ariana killed Thomas because she was out of her mind with jealousy. And Sabine did what she did because she was plain out of her mind. Clearly there’s something off in their DNA. It has nothing to do with a curse.”

“Whatever,” I said, standing. “What I want to know is, whatever happened to Eliza and her family? And what about Helen?”

“Google them,” Noelle said lightly. “If we find out their kids all died in a fire or were born with two heads, then I’ll believe you.”

There was a rap on the door and Ginny, the head of security and the one female guard of the bunch, opened it. Apparently she was ex-Secret Service, and I could imagine she’d been very good at her job. With her broad shoulders, WNBA-worthy height, and serious scowl, she could intimidate anyone.

“Your guests are starting to arrive,” she said, ushering Tiffany and Rose inside.

They walked toward us warily, and I saw Tiffany eyeing the food laid out on a buffet-style table near the far windows.

“Nice spread,” she said, placing her camera bag down on the end of Noelle’s bed. “Are we having a party?”

Rose, who looked tired and harried and

scared, looked Noelle and me over slowly. “Why do I get the feeling you guys didn’t invite us here to eat?”

I took a deep breath and looked at Noelle. She made a dismissive gesture with her hand, like, This is your thing. You deal with it.

“Let’s wait until everyone gets here,” I said. “I only want to tell this story once.”

“So this is why all this is happening?” Constance asked tremulously. “You guys are cursed?”

I had just read Eliza’s entire entry to all of them, then explained the dream I’d had about Lorna. Ivy had squirmed up from her seat at my description of Eliza’s coven’s initiation, and I knew she was thinking the same thing I was—that Eliza’s description of what happened after they’d read the incantation was exactly like what had happened to us. As the story went on, I saw Tiffany, Portia, and Vienna grow more restless and eye-rolly, while Rose, Constance, London, and Amberly looked completely terrified. Kiki seemed merely intrigued, her eyes never leaving mine as I spoke, but Missy simply stared straight ahead the entire time, her jaw set obstinately, as if wishing she could be somewhere else.

“We’re not cursed!” Noelle said, throwing up her hands.

Amberly looked to be about five seconds away from being in dire need of smelling salts. She lifted her head weakly. “But Reed just said—”

“I know what she said, all right?” Noelle replied, pacing from the head of her bed to stand next to me in front of the gathering of our friends. “I just … don’t think it’s true.”

“So what? You’re good-cop, bad-copping us?” London asked, raising her eyebrows. She was wearing a high-neck, baggy sweatshirt and yoga pants, her dark, highlighted hair back in a ponytail. I’d never seen her look so demure in my life. “One of you tells us it’s real, the other says it’s all a joke? Are you trying to get us to, like, confess to something?”

“No,” I said. “No one thinks that anyone in this room is responsible for anything.”

“This is ridiculous,” Tiffany said, standing. “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe in witches and I don’t believe in psychics and I kind of don’t believe I stayed here this long.”

“Tiff, please,” I said, feeling desperate as she made for the door. “I don’t know what to believe either. I just wanted to warn you guys, in case—”

“In case what? You dream about me next?” Tiffany said impatiently, whirling on me.

My mouth snapped shut and she took a breath, looking at me sympathetically.

“Look, I’m sorry. I’m just a little tense lately, okay?” she said. “I finally got into RISD, finally saw the finish line, and for once in our stupid high school careers everything was normal. All I wanted was some smooth sailing from now until graduation, and then bam. Astrid and Lorna go missing and here we all are again.” She threw her hands up and twirled around once. “Back in life-or-death land,” she said, widening her eyes sarcastically.

The other girls eyed one another, and it was clear that they felt the same way. “I know,” I said. “It sucks. Believe me I know. But it’s not my fault this is happening. I’m just trying to make some sense of it.”