She knew all their tricks now. She could feel them as sure as she’d felt that spirit on the stairs. The one with the rustling skirts, humming Altagracia’s tune. This fire was no more real than the shadow who’d chased her through the woods, or the face in her bathroom mirror.

Maria closed her eyes, the fire shining bright behind her eyelids, and stretched out her hand toward the far end of the tunnel. The heat was sharper than ever. Sweat dripped from her fingertips.

The burn never came.

Maria opened her eyes. Her hand was right in the flames. It felt hot enough to be real, but her skin was still intact. No burns, no blisters.

She stepped closer. The heat on her face was almost unbearable.

Maria closed her eyes again and stepped right into the fire. Still, she didn’t burn. She took another step, and another, and—

It was over. A breeze flowed past her face. Behind her eyelids there was only darkness.

Maria opened her eyes and turned around.

She was staring into a dark, empty pathway lined with dirt. She’d beaten them.

She was smarter than the spirits. Stronger.

A soft line shone from the far end of the tunnel. Maria blinked against it. Her eyes had become accustomed to the darkness.

But up ahead, the sun had risen.

18

THEN THE CHARM IS FIRM AND GOOD

Someone was screaming.

Lily couldn’t move. Couldn’t even open her eyes. All she could see was blood.

She bolted upright and winced. She’d fallen asleep on the stone wall by the cemetery, half bent over. Her left leg jolted out at a horrible angle, and her right was mashed underneath her. She pried her eyes open and groped for her crutches as she blinked against the light. Her clothes were soaked with dew, but the sky above her was still dark.

How long had she slept? She couldn’t remember anything that happened after Austin and Felicia went back down the hill.

The screaming came again. It sounded exactly like Maria’s had that night. It was coming from inside the house, near their dorm room.

Lily moved down the hill as fast as she dared on her crutches, stumbling every few feet, sending a fresh wave of pain up each leg. She reached the main entrance and yanked the door open, ready to collapse from the effort.

A crowd of freshmen, some in pajamas, some still in their dance clothes, were gathered in the first-floor hall near the girls’ bathroom. The screams were coming from behind the bathroom door. Two girls broke away from the crowd and ran toward Lily.

Lily froze. She waited to see what they would do to her.

Then she realized they hadn’t even noticed she was there. Their eyes were fixed on the staircase behind her.