A few minutes later, there was the sound of a car door closing and the front door opening. Footsteps came down the hall, and Karter appeared in the doorway.

As he stood there and looked over the scene—my mother duct-taped to a chair, bleeding, me on the verge of collapse—his expression didn’t change. He closed the door and turned the big brass lock. As it clicked closed, a new rush of panic set in.

“I thought you said no one else was going to get hurt.” Karter stared at my mom.

“And I thought you said you were going to stop complaining,” Mrs. Redmond said coldly. “I wouldn’t have had to hurt anybody if they’d cooperated. Did you bring the other supplies?”

Karter set down a bag he’d been carrying. He rummaged through it and pulled out a stone bowl carved with strange symbols, two small vials of liquid, and a mason jar full of amber-colored honey, setting them on the counter.

“Karter, what are you doing?” I asked. “How could you do this to me?”

A wicked grin spread across Mrs. Redmond’s face. “What, you thought he liked you enough to betray his own mother? You thought you had a friend?” She laughed. “He’s been helping me this entire time. Slashing your tires, keeping you busy when I needed him to.” She shook her head. “Why are all the people in your family so stupid?”

“Mom—” Karter began.

“Shut up,” Mrs. Redmond snapped. “Come over here and hold this.”

Karter walked over and took the knife from her. He pressed it against my mother’s neck without any hesitation. Mrs. Redmond went to the counter and arranged the items he had set out.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve dreamed of this moment?” she asked, her voice trembling. “Collecting the rarest ingredients on the planet, bringing them together, only to feel like a failure because I couldn’t get this one missing piece.” She smoothed out her hair and pressed her hands to the countertop. “Selene was stubborn. So was Circe. Their convictions, their loyalty to Medea’s memory, and their affection for the ancient ways wouldn’t let them stray from their course. When they were out of the picture, I thought my quest had come to end.” A devious smile crept onto her lips. “But I didn’t know about you, the girl they tried to save.”

A sudden and terrible rumble reverberated through the ground. Dust rained down from the ceiling and fear darkened Mrs. Redmond’s face.

“We have to hurry,” she said. She grabbed my arm, digging her fingers into my skin. “Grind up the Absyrtus Heart. The whole thing. Now.”

She shoved me to the counter and I stared at Karter. He looked away. Coward.

Mrs. Redmond followed my gaze. “Kill her if Miss Briseis here tries anything.”

Karter let his gaze drift to the floor but he nodded.