“Tell them, Cal,” said Marcus. “What were you trying to do?” Lou didn’t know what to say or what to do. Something had come over her cousin. He looked angry and sad, but also resigned. “No? Okay then. I’ll say it. After I chased Cal in here, I found him trying to hide something underneath the mattress.”

Marcus used his free hand to point at an empty cage attached to the wall beside a tall wooden dresser. The black iron bars were similar to the ones they’d seen down in the music room that had contained Sadie’s ukulele.

“What was it?” Nina asked. “What were you hiding under the mattress, Cal?” She sounded shaky, as if she knew the answer but wished she didn’t. Lou stared at the empty cage, wondering which of their items would have been easy enough to slip out through the bars. “Please tell me it wasn’t my cloak,” Nina finished, her brow furrowed.

“It was your cloak,” Marcus said.

Rufus twitched. “But if the cloak is under the mattress, how can Nina destroy it? Wasn’t that the plan, Cal? We find the objects, we bust them up, we go home?”

Lou stepped toward the boys. “Cal?” She sounded very small, like a miniature version of herself. “Can you explain yourself?”

Cal looked back at them, fear in his eyes, and then nodded.

CHAPTER 28

“I DID IT to help the group,” Cal said, his voice choked.

Marcus was still holding his neck, refusing to ease his grip.

Nina shook her head. “How would hiding my cloak help the group?”

Cal swallowed nervously. “In horror movies, there’s usually a betrayal.” The group was shocked into a momentary hush.

Rufus proceeded cautiously, as if any word he spoke might set off a chain reaction of explosions. “And you decided to fill that role?” Cal groaned, and they all took it as a yes. “Because you were afraid that if you weren’t the betrayer first, you’d end up as the betrayed?”

Cal burst into tears. “I’m sorry!” he cried out. “Marcus, let me go, please.” Cal arched his back and tried to twist away.

“I’m confused,” Nina said. “How was cheating me supposed to help the group?” She finished with air quotes.

Cal struggled to speak again. “Because … because if one of us were left behind … stuck here in the house … the creature might leave the rest of us alone. If we gave it at least part of what it wants, the rest of us might be safe.”

Nina’s breath grew rapid as she stared at Cal, her rage blooming like a slow-motion bomb. “And you decided that I’d be the one left behind?!”

“It wasn’t personal,” said Cal. “It’s just that … this room was closest.”

“So then, in your mind, any of us would have been fair game?” asked Rufus. “A sacrifice to save yourself?”