I noticed, along with the fact his notorious charisma did not translate to paper, that beside the scattered letters were a handful of envelopes. All were addressed, simply, to "Oracle." There were no addresses.

Father uses personal couriers. Cyrus's contempt echoed through my head. You won't find the address there. But he will have it. Look in my bedroom.

His bedroom, I snapped back. I'll go when I can move.

The Soul Eater grabbed Dahlia by the hair and hauled her to her feet. At least, sort of to her feet. She tripped and her legs tangled, leaving her to twist by the handful of red curls he grasped. "Do you know how many there are like you? Who will do as I say and not make ridiculous demands? Witches are not hard to find. It's an obedient one I've yet to come across!"

He released her hair and grabbed her throat with his clawed hand. "You will not speak to me of this again! Do we have an understanding?"

A tear escaped the corner of her eye, forced out by the pressure of suffocation. She gasped and scratched at his hand, squeaking out a pained "yes" before he threw her backward. She knocked over a table as she fell.

I sprinted for the door, thinking to escape when I wouldn't be heard over the ruckus Dahlia's weeping and falling caused.

"And you! Don't move another inch!"

I froze.

Chapter Twenty-Three
Back from the Dead

"Yes, I know you're there." The Soul Eater moved closer to me, as though he could see me despite my invisibility. He sniffed the air, a smile twitching the corners of his mouth. "Do you think I can't smell my fledgling's blood in you?"

I clutched the stone tighter. Run! Just get the hell out of there! Nathan screamed in my head. I tensed, ready to follow his advice.

The Soul Eater laughed. "Oh, Nolen. He was always so dramatic. You have nothing to fear from me."

Carrie, don't listen to him! Cyrus's thoughts set up a panicked buzz in my mind. I clapped my hands to my head, trying desperately to keep my wits under the onslaught of my sire's and my fledgling's frantic urging.

"Be calm," the Soul Eater advised. His tone was patient and reasonable, cutting through the pandemonium in my head. "You know how to quiet them."

Block the blood tie? In my confusion and pain I dimly remembered telling Cyrus and Nathan that I wouldn't, that they could stay in contact with me and know everything was all right It was so tempting to follow the Soul Eater's directive. So I did.

"There," Jacob said, stepping toward me. "Now, show yourself. I won't hurt you."

For some horrible reason I couldn't fathom, I believed him. I let the stone tumble to the floor.

His eyes lit up with cold fire in recognition. A smile bent his lips, lips that were so like Cyrus's. "Oh, this is a pleasant surprise."