"I am ready, Thomas. I fought six of them in Jack's apartment.”

"And nearly killed yourself.”

"I've been training. I've come a long way since then. I have more control now.”

"You're not ready. Trust me.”

She stood fuming for a long moment before yelling, "I will be a part of anything the Coven does, Thomas!”

He didn't say anything.

A breeze both from her impatience and anger buffeted their hair. "Thomas, I mean it. You treat me like I'm made of glass. Just like Jack. I'm stronger than you both think I am, and there's no way I won't make Crane pay for everything he's done to me. I want your word now that I will be a part of anything the Coven organizes. It's my choice. It's my life. Annie is my godmother.”

Thomas stared at her for a long moment. "You are definitely a child of both Hoskins and Monahan houses. You have my promise.”

"And I don't want Jack to know anything about this," she added. "Not a word.”

Shock and anger spilled across Thomas's face for a moment, but he managed it quickly, letting that familiar blank mask settle over his features. "Why? He can help.”

"He's so damned protective. He'll stop me, or he'll get in my way. It's just easier if he doesn't know it's happening.”

"It's a mistake.”

She shook her head. "Promise me as my cousin, Thomas. As family. You said you'd do anything for me. Swear it.”

Thomas closed his eyes and sighed in defeat. "I paired him with you for a reason. He's the best man to guard you, Mira. He'd give his life to keep you safe.”

"Yeah, I know. That's the problem."

TWENTY-TWO

TWENTY-ONE

The Day dawned cold and gray. She stepped out of the limo on some swanky street in New York City. Mira had never visited this place, knew nothing about it, and she was hardly paying close attention to their surroundings at the moment. The best she could do was note the winter-barren expanse of Central Park that lay across the street. At least, she suspected it was Central Park. It was a really big park at any rate. They were at Thomas's apartment, not very far from Duskoff International.

Mira glanced at the lightening sky, her breath showing white against the cold air. She'd slipped from Jack's bed during the night. He'd be waking up soon to find her gone, but she wasn't going to think about that.

Thomas placed a proprietary hand to her lower back and steered her into the building, past the doormen, the front desk person, and to the elevator. Several witches trailed them. More would follow.

Thomas's New York digs were all Mira had come to expect—hardwood floors, expensive furnishings, huge floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the park. It was beautiful, but Mira noticed little beyond the obvious. All her thoughts were centered on Annie.