Revealed (House of Night #11)(52)

“I’m glad you’re just a tall, handsome, muscular Warrior,” Aphrodite told Darius, tiptoeing and kissing him. “The naked bird thing would stress me out.”

“He’s not naked when he’s a bird,” Stevie Rae said. “He has feathers.”

“Let’s go,” I said, before the two of them could give me a headache.

We waved good-bye to the group of kids that were snuggling down on mounds of sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows, all huddled around the biggest flat screen that would fit down the narrow basement stairs. Following us up the stairs was the crazy opening song of Django Unchained. “I can’t figure out if I like that movie or not,” I said.

“Z, Quentin Tarantino is a genius. Obviously crazy, but still—genius,” Aphrodite was saying as we closed the door to the basement.

“Unlike you. You’re just crazy,” Shaylin told her.

Stevie Rae was giggling at Shaylin when Nicole stepped from the field house into the hallway, cutting her giggles off like she’d flipped a switch. With a rustle of wings, Kalona appeared behind her.

“What’s she doin’ here?” Stevie Rae ignored Nicole and spoke to Kalona.

“She found me and told me that she was looking for you,” Kalona said.

“Spying’s more like it,” Stevie Rae said.

“Spying? Seriously? That’s stupider than calling Tarantino a genius,” Nicole said.

Aphrodite made a sound like a hissing cat.

I stepped forward, feeling Darius move to my side. “What do you want, Nicole?”

The red fledgling met my gaze steadily. “I have something to say to Stevie Rae.”

“So say it,” I said. “She’s right here.”

Nicole drew a deep breath, and then she walked up to Stevie Rae. Rephaim was watching her carefully, and Kalona was right behind her. I tensed, ready for anything crazy she might do, but I felt a touch on my arm.

“No,” Shaylin said quietly. “It’s nothing bad.”

And Shaylin was right. Nicole stopped in front of Stevie Rae, fisted her hand over her heart, and bowed respectfully. “What I want to say is that I’m sorry for the crap I caused before. I’m sorry I tried to hurt you. I don’t have any excuse for what I did. It was wrong. I’ve changed, and I want to change sides, too. I want you to be my High Priestess.”

I could tell that Stevie Rae was shocked—I think we all were shocked. Well, maybe not Shaylin, but the rest of us definitely were. Stevie Rae looked at me. I shrugged. She looked back at Nicole, asking her, “Why should I believe you?”

“Well, I thought about that before I came to talk to you, and I couldn’t come up with any for-sure answer, so I figured I’d just take a chance that you actually would believe me because I think High Priestesses just know things. If that’s true, then you’ll know you can believe me.”

“Consult your Prophetesses,” Kalona said.

“Hey, I got nothing. No vision. No woo-woo feeling either way. Nadda,” Aphrodite said. “Ask Shaylin.”

Stevie Rae looked at her other Prophetess. “What do ya see?”

“Her colors are pretty. She’s not red at all anymore. She’s pink, like a flower. She’s not hiding anything except that she’s way more nervous than she seems.” Shaylin paused and smiled at Nicole. “Sorry about that last part, but I have to tell Stevie Rae the truth.”

Nicole’s mouth was pressed in a straight line. She nodded, and then spoke quickly, “I understand. And you’re right. I am nervous.”

“Where’s Dallas?” Stevie Rae asked her.

“Last time I saw him I was on my way to my room. He said he was going to the guys’ dorm for a Resident Evil marathon in his room. I told him I couldn’t make it. I’d had enough blood and death for a while,” she said.

“So, you’re not going to hook up with him again?” Aphrodite asked her.

Nicole faced her. “I don’t want anything to do with him.”

“Because you’re still pissed he cheated on you with Erin?” Aphrodite prodded.

“Because I don’t want to be with someone who is mean. Dallas is mean,” she said.

“She’s telling the truth,” Shaylin said.

“You have a responsibility to give her a chance,” Kalona said.

At first I thought it was a strange thing for him to say, but then I really thought about it. If anyone would know about second chances, it was Kalona.

“I think he’s right,” I said. “You are the only red High Priestess she has, and if she’s swearing allegiance to you, then you have to accept her and give her a chance to prove that her oath is actually worth something.”

“Is that what you’re doin’? Swearing your allegiance to me?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then, I’ll give you a chance,” Stevie Rae said.

I watched a flush of color come over Nicole’s face, and she blinked her eyes real hard, like she might cry. Stevie Rae obviously noticed, too, because when she spoke to Nicole again, her voice had softened. “I have to be sure Shaunee’s okay, so I’m going to have Shaylin take you to the rest of the kids.”

“In the dorm?” Nicole asked.