She couldn’t think about it too much without seriously doubting her sanity, so she didn’t. Going with the flow seemed the best way to proceed at this point.

Sarafina assumed she’d been included in the inner circle because of her as of yet unknown special status. That she was of interest to Stefan Faucheux and his pet daaeman, Bai, was not in question. But for whatever reason they’d decided to include her, she’d been summoned along with about fifteen other witches to listen to periodic updates made by Thomas and Micah.

Even Isabelle’s perfectly groomed and highly fashionable mother, Catalina, was here for this discussion. Catalina, so Sarafina had been told, was doing her best to mend her relationship with her daughter. Apparently, when Isabelle had been growing up, Catalina hadn’t parented her well. However, now she was trying her best to make it up to her daughter, and so spent a lot of time at the Coven.

Today there were representatives from the East and West Coast Covens, too, an occurrence she’d gathered was rare. The Chicago Coven was not only the witchy headquarters for all the Midwest and the South, it was also the largest coven in the United States. However, there were smaller covens in Boston and San Francisco as well. Today Eleanor Pickens, an earth witch, had come in from the San Francisco Coven, and Darren Westcott, a water witch, had come from the Boston Coven.

The news they’d borne had not been comforting.

“There have been two killings that seem daaeman-like to us,” said Eleanor. She nodded at Darren, who sat on a chair not far from Sarafina. “Darren says they’ve had one in their area, too. Now, it could be a sick serial killer, but seeing as how the murders are scattered all over the country, it seems unlikely. The victims weren’t witches, but they were dismembered and disemboweled like an Atrika would do it. Not killed for blood magick, but likely for sport.”

“So you’re suggesting Atrika are loose all over the country?” Micah interjected.

Eleanor shrugged. “You tell me. I’m just stating the facts. We’ve already established that the warlocks are getting rowdy everywhere, kidnapping more often, and taking bigger risks to build up their ranks. We’ve already established that there’s at least one Atrika Earthside.” Eleanor jerked her chin at Sarafina. “The one that’s so interested in her.”

What a depressing thing to be known for.

Eleanor continued, “We don’t know how that one came through, so it’s not really a big leap to assume that others came through, too.”

Silence.

Sarafina shivered, imagining more than one Bai loose in the world.