ra

azine. They were my stepsisters, Paige and Zoe. Both had Catherine's sharp features and

ll, tremulous smile.

looked me up and down, her lip curled in a

a perfectly manicured finger at my hair. "The hair

ng nervously. I let my shoulders slump, making myself appear even smal

y pushed past me into the room, their expensive

balls in here," Paige dec

e attic?" Zoe asked with f

heir insults wash over me, each one a confirmation of my strateg

and dropped it on the floor as if it were contaminated.

s they walked out, Zoe shot Paige a look, a quick, consp

e. This was onl

b, my movements calm and deliberate. I locked the door and, fo

of a sleeping body, then took my place in the narrow strip of darkness between the wardrobe and the

t. A faint scratching at my door. The metal

by the chair. A muffled curse came from the hallway, then

oss the wooden floor.

as my

ht filtering through the window, I saw the glint of ste

e's quick, nervous breathing and Zoe's soft little laugh. Then Zoe leaned over the

e the angle of her hand. She was not aiming for hair. She was aimin

des cam

thing but pillows

he could turn, I stepped out of the da

flat, and cold.

sted hard, using the motion my mentor had drilled into me until it was instinc

d, I shoved her forward, send

n confusion and panic, I f

k of pure terror. "Aaaah! He

ed to wake the dead and bring

Zoe stared at me, their eyes wide with shock in the dim light. They sa

ion, I dragged the sharp b

up my arm. Blood welled instantly,

o Zoe's hand. She was so stunned, her fingers so numb from my

omplete. The

de lamp, flooding the

of pain this time, streamed down my face. I pointed a trembling finger at Zoe,

ice breaking. "Why wou