Poe, who was alive, crawled up her father’s arm and shoulder. The small kitten’s head snapped toward Bethan.

‘It must be her familiar,’ her mother said.

She smiled, and the cat meowed back.

***

Bethan’s eyes flung open, and she was very much aware of Poe, curled up against her side, fast asleep. She picked the old cat up and clutched him to her chest. It wasn’t until that moment she realised that she had no recollection of how she got Poe.

Her dream could very well have been a forgotten memory. And if it was, that would mean—

Bethan shrugged. She swung her legs around her bedside and slid on her slippers before going to the kitchen.

The apartment was quiet, which meant she was the first one up. She started making breakfast for everyone in the guise that nothing was wrong. But everything was.

Elnora had betrayed knowingly. She was the one giving and making that evil tea. Not only did it cause memory loss but a loss of power because of the rowan leaves. It was what they gave prisoners in the Phaistos jail to stop their powers. It left her wondering why the Rennigans wanted them to lose their memories and powers. What did Dana do to piss them off to kill her?

She started sizzling bacon on a saucepan and mushrooms for Agatha.

She turned on the radio.

‘The polls are in, and it’s tight. Julius Rennigan, at fifty-eight per cent in popularity, leaving Ursula Cailen with forty-two per cent. The votes practically split.’

She groaned at the news before switching it back off. She stared at the small clock on the microwave and prayed that Kellan had come earlier. She hated to say it, but she missed him, and that night of sleep when they were together was the best she ever had.

She heard a door from the hallway swing open, and Elnora emerged, dressed in a white button-up tucked into a pencil skirt. Which indicated that she would be at the meeting for the Antiphonus.

She didn’t speak but smiled at her and walked over to the stove to sniff the food.

Bethan pulled plates out of the cupboards.

‘Do you want some tea?’ Elnora asked quietly. Bethan sucked in a breath.

‘No, thanks,’ she said, setting the table. ‘I already had some this morning.’

Elnora nodded, and in the corner of Bethan’s eyes, she could see her cringe while her eyes were set on the empty sink.

‘You seem a lot better after your trip.’ Her voice was shaky.

Does she know that I know? Bethan wondered.

‘I do feel a lot better; I think spending time with my family was good for me. It was nice for Kellan as well. He got to see the Kretian countryside. He even went hiking with my dad.’

‘In the Etruscans?’ she asked.