Closing my eyes for a second, I took a deep breath. One thing at a time. First we’d deal with the Peirasmos, and then I could worry about how to negotiate The College Issue.

Thankfully, Aunt Martha changed the subject, asking if any of my friends were going to be in the upcoming Miss Pine Grove Pageant.

I laughed, leaning back in my seat. “Not that I know of. Most girls at the Grove aren’t into that kind of thing.” The pageant, which happened every May Day, was held in the town’s big rec center, and despite the name, it was open to any girl in the surrounding few counties. As a result, Miss Pine Grove was usually from Appleton or Eversley rather than Pine Grove itself.

The Aunts thought the pageant was tacky and nearly had a collective stroke when my sister, Leigh-Anne, had decided to be in it several years ago.

They’d been even more horrified when she’d won.

So when I said that no one I knew had anything to do with it, I could practically feel them all sag with relief.

“Good girl,” Aunt Martha said, just as Aunt May muttered, “Trashy,” under her breath.

Aunt Jewel only took a drag on her cigarette and commented, “Oh, like you both don’t have Toddlers & Tiaras saved on the TV box thingie.”

“That is different,” Aunt Martha said with a lift of her chin, and Aunt May agreed with a fervid “Very different.”

On that note, I decided to head out. I still wanted to run by David’s before I went home, so we could go through some of Saylor’s books together. I’d thought about asking Bee what books she’d seen, but after today’s incident, I thought it might be best to let that drop for a while.

But just as I went to go, my phone rang. Glancing at The Aunts, I shook my purse at them. “May I answer?”

“Go ahead, honey,” Aunt May said with a wave, and I smiled, reaching into my bag. It was Ryan, which was kind of a surprise. He almost always texted if he needed to get in touch.

I had barely said hello when he broke in, his voice tight and breathless. “Harper, you need to get over here. Now.”

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I MADE IT OVER to Ryan’s house in record time—one of the perks of being a Paladin is the ability to drive like a stunt person—and Ryan was already waiting outside the front door for me as I pulled up.

“What took you so long?” he asked, and I noticed that he was the palest I’d ever seen him, almost gray.