“I don’t know if I should thank you or not,” she said, her purse over her shoulder. Her hair was mussed and her clothes were wrinkled. She was far away and distant from the trendy, polished coven member I remembered from the grocery store this last spring. The confidence was still there, though.

She stuck out her hand, and I took it, feeling an odd sense of peace when her small fingers met mine. “I’ll say it, then,” I said. “Thank you. For helping.” Hesitating, I pulled my attention from Pierce trying to talk to the hotel pixies. “I’m glad you saw everything.”

Vivian squinted as she ran a hand over her tangled, car-trip hair. “I have to tell them.”

I nodded, thinking she looked positively bedraggled. “Good. Maybe they’ll begin to understand the inherent problems in shunning black magic to the point of ignorance.”

My gaze went to Pierce. I didn’t know what to think anymore. My world had gone from black and white to shades of gray a long time ago, and there were no answers, easy or otherwise. I couldn’t condemn Pierce for trying to kill Al by using magic unless I condemned myself for having tried to kill Ku’Sox with the same. Sure, Ku’Sox was bad, but so was Al. That Al was important to me wasn’t a good enough reason. Everyone was important to someone.

A deep breath went in and out of Vivian, and she couldn’t meet my eyes. “They’re afraid. Hell, Rachel, I’m afraid. We’re at such a disadvantage. They’re going to want to bury everything and hope we don’t have to deal with it for another generation.”

My gaze flicked back to Pierce. It worked last time. Why try anything new?

Clearly having heard her, Pierce turned, a mix of determination and irritation on his face. “That’s what I’ve abided by all along, and look where it got me.”

Hands in her pockets, Vivian shrugged. She was one of six and the youngest.

I carefully lifted my bridesmaid’s dress out and shut the trunk with a thump, hearing the solid sound echo. It was as if the world was still asleep, here on the verge of a new day. “They should be afraid,” I said as I draped the dress over my arm. “It’s not going to go away. They have to do something.” I hesitated, hoisting my duffel bag in my free hand. “Besides giving me a lobotomy, that is.”

Vivian rocked back as her cab pulled up and the doorman opened the door for her. “Well, thank you,” she said, chuckling ruefully. “It’s been an education.” Her gaze went to Pierce, now standing beside me and trying to take my suitcase. “If I don’t get the chance to see you alone again, good luck.”

Good luck. I’d need it. “Oh! Wait!” I said as she started to turn away, and I let Pierce take my bag, then made him hold my dress, too. “I’ve got something for you,” I said, head down as I rummaged in my shoulder bag.