“You look like her,” said Dr. Grant. Her commanding voice was softer, but her mouth was pulled into a tight line like she was biting the inside of her lip.

Mom lifted a brow. “You knew her?”

Dr. Grant suddenly seemed much less sure of herself. She straightened up and cleared her throat. “I went to school with Circe. I was very sorry to hear that Selene had passed. I’m still sorry. Rhinebeck is a small place. Word got around—” She stopped short, shaking her head and swallowing hard. “That’s the past, isn’t it? No use bringing up painful things.”

Was it painful for her? She’d known Selene through Circe, but she seemed pretty wrecked talking about her death.

“I’m going to head over to the hospital to see what I can find out about your trespasser,” she said. “I’ll call you when I know more and we can discuss your options.”

Mo sighed, letting her shoulders roll forward and shaking her head. “Fine.”

Dr. Grant left, and we retreated inside.

Mom fell into the couch. “We need to talk.” I sat next to her as she ran her hand over my cheek. “We need to seriously consider packing up and getting the hell out of here.”

“I don’t want to leave,” I said.

“Baby, I know, but this is ridiculous,” Mom said. “Who are these people and why are they descending on this house? Did a memo go out? A signal to all the weirdos? What?”

“I don’t know, but that old man was confused,” I said. “And he got pretty jacked up out there. I don’t think he’ll come back.”

“About that,” Mom said. “What the hell happened to him?”

“He looked like somebody two-pieced him a few times over,” Mo said, shaking her head. “You sure you didn’t touch him, love?”

“I would never hit an old man,” I said. “Unless he really deserved it.”

Mo and I laughed, but Mom sat quiet.

“I just don’t know,” she said. “I think we should leave.”

I started to protest but Mo patted my hand and jumped in before I could say anything.

“We’ll sleep on it,” she said. “We don’t wanna make a decision we’ll regret, one way or the other. Sleep on it. Then we’ll talk in the morning. Deal?”

Mom huffed but nodded reluctantly. Mo gave me a nudge and went to lock up for the night.

I slept at the foot of their bed for a second night. I dreamed of the gate, of the strange man in the woods. My restless mind conjured images of sentient plants surrounding me as I stood in shadowy woods. The man swung his machete, barely missing my head.

I awoke with a start, gasping for breath, my heart thudding. Mom and Mo slept soundly, but I was done sleeping for the night.

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9

“How about we go into town for a while?” Mo asked the next morning. “Get some food, look around.”