"For Galen," Keller said. She looked at Diana, who was wearing a pink nightgown with puffy sleeves and looked about seven. She tried to make her voice patient. 'It was good to think of him, but you should have followed the plan."
"Anyway, it worked out," Nissa said. "Apparently, the dragon blew the house down on top of you, but then he walked right over you trying to get to us."
"Yeah. I was kind of hoping he wouldn't realize
Galen was there," Keller said. "Or wouldn't realize he was important."
"Well, when he found we'd already gotten away in the limo, he and his buddies took after us in cars," Winnie said. "But Nissa lost them. And then Iliana... insisted, and so we circled back. And there you were. Galen and Toby were digging you out. We helped them and brought you here." "What about Grandma Harman?" "She came out of it without a scratch. She's tougher than she looks," Winnie said. "She talked to Iliana's mom last night," Nissa added. "She fixed everything up so we can stay here.
You're supposed to be a distant cousin, and the rest of us are your friends. We're from Canada. We graduated last year, and we're touring the U.S. by bus. We ran into Iliana last night, and that's why she was late. It's all covered, nice and neat." "It's all ludicrous," Keller said. She looked at Iliana. "And it's time to stop. Haven't you seen enough yet? That's twice you've been attacked by a monster. Do you really want to try your luck for a third time?"
It was a mistake. Iliana's face had been sweet and anxious, but now Keller could see the walls slam down. The violet eyes hazed over and sparked at the same time.
"Nobody attacked me until you guys came!" Iliana flared. "In fact, nobody's attacked me so far at all. I think it's you people they're after-or maybe Galen. I keep telling you that I'm not the one you're looking for." This was the time for diplomacy, but Keller was too exasperated to think. "You don't really believe that. Unless you practice being stupid-"
"Stop calling me stupid!" The last word was a piercing shriek. At the same time, Diana threw something at Keller. She batted it out of the air automatically before it could hit.
"I'm not stupid! And I'm not your Witch Child or whatever you call it! I'm just a normal kid, and I like my life. And if I can't live my life, then I don't want to-to do anything." She whirled around and stalked out, her nightgown billowing.
Keller stared at the missile she'd caught. It was a stuffed lamb with outrageously long eyelashes and a pink ribbon tied around its white neck.
Nissa folded her arms. "Well, you sure handled that one, Boss."
"Give me a break." Keller tossed the lamb onto the window seat. "And just how did she make you two turn around and come back for us, by the way?"
Winnie pursed her lips. "You heard it. Volume control. She kept screaming like-well, I don't know what screams like that. You'd be surprised how effective it is."
"You're agents of Circle Daybreak; you're supposed to be immune to torture." But Keller dropped the subject. "What are you still hanging around for?" she added, as she swung her feet out of bed and carefully tried her legs. "You're supposed to stick with her, even when she's in the house. Don't stand here staring at me."
"You're welcome for putting you back together again," Winnie said, her eyes on the ceiling. In the doorway, she turned and added, "And, you know, it wasn't Galen she kept screaming we had to go back and get last night. It was you, Keller." Keller stared at the door as it shut, bewildered.
"You can't go to school," Keller hissed. "Do you hear me? You cannot go to school."
They were all sitting around the kitchen table. Iliana's mother, a lovely woman with a knot of platinum hair coiled on her neck, was making breakfast. She seemed slightly anxious about her four new houseguests, but in a pleasantly excited way. She certainly wasn't suspicious. Grandma Harman had done a good job of brainwashing.
"We're going to have a wonderful Christmas," she said now, and her angelic smile grew brighter. "We can go into Winston-Salem for a Christmas and Candle Tea. Have you ever had a Moravian sugar-cake? I just wish Great-aunt Edgith had been able to stay."
Grandma Harman was gone. Keller didn't know whether to be relieved or frustrated. Despite what she kept saying, as long as the old woman was around, Keller would worry about her. But with her gone, there was nobody to appeal to, nobody who could order Iliana into safekeeping.
So now they were sitting and having this argument. It looked like such a normal breakfast scene, Keller thought dryly. Iliana's father had already left for work. Her mother was bustling around cheerfully. Her little brother was in a high chair making a mess with Cheerios. Too bad that the four nicely dressed teenagers at the table were actually two shapeshifters, a witch, and a vampire.
Galen was directly opposite Keller. There were shadows under his eyes-had anyone gotten any sleep last night?-and he seemed subdued but relaxed. Keller hadn't had a chance to speak to him since the dragon's attack.
Not that she had anything to say.
"Orange juice, Kelly?"
"No, thank you, Mrs. Dominick." That was what this family thought their last name was. They didn't realize that witches trace their heritage through the female line and that both Iliana and her mother were therefore Harmans.
"Oh, please, call me Aunt Anna," the woman said. She had her daughter's violet eyes and the smile of an angel. She was also pouring Keller juice.
Now I see where Iliana gets her scintillating intelligence, Keller thought. "Oh-thanks, Aunt Anna. And, actually, it's Keller, not Kelly."