Finding the other Harvest girls took longer than expected.
Monique Deveraux—Sophie's niece—was being kept in a safe house in the Garden District, guarded by witches loyal to Agnes. Abigail was hidden in the Bayou with a branch of the coven that still believed in the old ways. Cassie, the youngest, was practically a prisoner in her own home, her parents true believers who saw her sacrifice as honor.
I visited each of them in turn.
Not to recruit—they were too watched, too controlled for that. But to observe. To understand. To plant seeds that might bloom when the time came.
Monique was the most interesting. She had Jane-Anne's fire, her aunt's determination, but underneath it, doubt. The ancestors whispered to her constantly, promising power, but she'd started questioning the cost.
"You're not with the coven," she said when I appeared in her room at midnight. No fear—just observation.
"No."
"Then what are you?"
"Someone who wants to offer you a choice." I sat on the edge of her bed, maintaining distance. "The Harvest is coming. You'll die. The ancestors promise resurrection. They're lying."
Monique's expression flickered. "How do you know?"
"Because I've seen the Other Side. Talked to souls who've been through this before." I met her eyes. "You won't come back as yourself. You'll come back as them—the ancestors wearing your face, using your body, pretending to be you."
Silence stretched between us.
"If that's true," Monique finally whispered, "what can I do?"
"Survive." I reached into my pocket and produced a small charm—soul-preservation magic from a reality where death worked differently. "Keep this with you. When the knife falls, it will catch your consciousness before the ancestors can claim it."
"Why would you help me?"
"Because you deserve better than being used." I stood. "All of you do. The ancestors, the coven, the adults who should be protecting you—they've failed. I'm just trying to balance the scales."
I left before she could respond.
[Contact established: Monique Deveraux]
[Doubt planted: ANCESTRAL TRUST WEAKENED]
[Survival chance: Increased to 35%]
Two more to go.