“O’Connors can be sensitive to certain kinds of magic.” Aoife passes Morgan a box of Kleenex. “I’ve never seen it this bad before.”

“Do you think you could be allergic to chaos magic?” I ask.

“But that would mean someone used chaos magic in Natalie’s and Hannah’s rooms.”

“I bet you’d be sneezing your head off in Qendresa’s, Risto’s, and the others’ rooms too,” I say. “Wait. You had the same reaction to MacCrone. And she caught us coming out of Natalie’s room.” I shove the book back into my backpack and leave it by the door, as far away from Morgan as possible. It seems to help a little.

“You think MacCrone is using chaos magic?” Morgan asks. “But she’s a battle mage!”

“It fits. Natalie said the person who took her had tattoos.”

“Whoever it is, seems like they’re collecting elementalists,” Aoife says. “Natalie is a fire mage. Qendresa and Peter are air, Risto and Elijah are earth, Manami and now Hannah are water. They might go after another fire wielder next.”

That means Toivo could actually be next—if he isn’t in on it somehow.

“But why? What are they trying to achieve?” I ask.

We sit in silence for a bit, each of us racking our brains.

“Natalie said they were running out of time… Students have only been going missing in the last week or so though, so why now? What’s with the timing?” Morgan asks. “There’s no syzygy we’re forgetting or some other magical date coming up is there?”

We all look at each other, blink, then speak at once.

“Samhain,” the O’Connors say at the same time I say, “Kekri.”

“Of course.” Aoife slaps her palm to her forehead. “Dammit, I should’ve realized. And this year, the moon will be almost full. In planetary geometry, we learned…” She trails off and bites her trembling bottom lip. “Whatever it is this person wants with Hannah and the others, it’ll all be over by the end of the month. Janey Mack, that’s so soon.” Aoife presses her knuckles against her teeth.

A little over a week. Kekri marks a time when the veil is thinnest, when it’s easier for spirits and energetic forces to cross between worlds. When all magic, particularly chaos magic, is strongest.

“What do you think they’re trying to do?” I ask.

“If I knew that, do you think I’d be standing here?” Aoife snaps. “Sorry. It’s just, it’s Hannah.” Her voice cracks and she tilts her head back as she blinks away tears.

Morgan immediately pulls her into a hug, and they cling to each other for what feels like forever while I look on feeling utterly helpless.

Utterly useless, utterly worthless, the voice chimes in so very reassuringly.

Aoife pulls away first and dabs her eyes. “Okay, let me have that book.”

“Why?”