The Secret Circle: The Initiation (18 page)

They
were
gazing at each other. From the moment their eyes had met, neither of them had looked away. She could see the wonder in his face. As if he were as surprised to see her as she was to see him—but how could he be? He had found her; he must have been looking for her.

The silver cord, she thought. She couldn't see it now, but she could feel it, feel the vibrations of its power. She could feel it connecting them, heart to heart. The trembling went from her chest into her stomach, and then all over.

The cord was tightening, drawing them together. It was pulling her closer to him. Slowly, his hand came up and he reached out to her. She raised her own hand, to put it in his—

And there was a cry from behind her. The tall boy looked over her shoulder, distracted. And then his hand fell away.

Something came between them, something bright. Bright like sunlight, shattering Cassie's trance. It was Diana, and she was embracing the tall red-haired boy. She was holding him. No—they were holding each other. Cassie stared, stunned, at the sight of
him
with his arms around someone else. She was barely able to comprehend the words she heard next.

"Oh, Adam—I'm
so
glad you're back."

Cassie stood like a pillar of ice.

She hadn't seen Diana break down before, but Diana was breaking down now. She was crying. Cassie could see her shaking and could see how the tall boy—how Adam—held her to try and stop it. Held her. He was holding Diana. And his name was Adam.

"
You mean she hasn't told you about Adam yet
?
Diana, there's such a thing as carrying modesty
too far…" "Who is he? Is he your boyfriend?..." "He's nice. I think youi'll like him
…" Cassie fell to her knees and buried her face in Raj's fur, clinging to the big dog. She couldn't bear for anyone to see her face right now, and she was grateful for Raj's warm solidity as she leaned against him. Oh, God; oh,
God
…

Vaguely, she could hear Adam's voice. "What's wrong? I tried to get back for Kori's initiation, but where is she? What's going on?" He looked at Cassie. "And—"

"Her name is Cassie Blake," Diana said. "She's Mrs. Howard's granddaughter, and she's just moved here."

"Yes, I—"

But Diana, her voice distracted by grief, was still speaking. "And we just initiated her instead of Kori."

"
What
?" Adam demanded. "Why?"

There was a silence. Finally, it was Melanie who spoke up, her voice as quiet and detached as a newscaster's making an announcement. "Because this morning—or yesterday morning, rather, since it's really Wednesday now—Kori's body was found at the bottom of the school hill. Her neck was broken."

"Oh, God." Cassie looked up to see Adam's grip on Diana tighten. He shut his eyes briefly as she leaned against him, shaking again. Then he looked at the Henderson brothers. "Chris… Doug…" Doug's teeth were clenched. "Outsiders did it," he said.

"
Sally
did it," snarled Deborah.

"
We don't know who did it
," Diana said. She spoke with passionate force. "And we're not going to do anything until we find out."

Adam nodded. "And you," he said, looking toward the back of the group. "What have you been doing to help while all this was going on?"

"Not a damn thing," Nick said. He had been standing with his arms folded over his chest, watching impassively. Now his defiant gaze met Adam's and locked with it. It was clear there was no love lost between the two.

"He has been helping, Adam," Diana said, forestalling whatever Adam was about to say next. "He's come to meetings, and he's here tonight. That's all we can ask."

"It's not all I can ask," Adam said.

"Ask away. You're not going to get anything more." Nick turned around. "I'm out of here."

"Oh, don't go…" Laurel began, but Nick was already leaving.

"I've been showing up because Diana asked, but I'm through now. I've had enough for tonight," he said over his shoulder. Then he was gone.

Faye turned to Adam and smiled her slowest, most dazzling smile. She put her hands together and clapped. "Beautiful job, Adam. Here Diana has spent the last three weeks slaving to keep the troops together and you undo it all in the first three minutes. I couldn't have done better myself."

"Oh, get stuffed, Faye," said Laurel.

Cassie, meanwhile, was still kneeling. Although she was clinging to Raj, she could see, sense, think of only one thing. Adam's arm—
his
arm—around Diana's shoulders.

His name is Adam. And he's hers. Not mine; hers. He always has been.

It couldn't be. It was not possible. Beyond all hope, she had found him again; he had come to her. Without a love spell, as if drawn by the very intensity of her need for him, he had come—and she couldn't have him.

How could she have been so stupid? How could she not have realized? They'd all talked tonight about completing the Circle, about twelve members, always twelve. But if she'd stopped to count, she'd have seen that there were only eleven. Diana and Melanie and Laurel, that was three; and Faye and Suzan and Deborah, that was six. Plus the boys, the Henderson brothers and Nick and Sean—that was ten. And Cassie made eleven. All along something at the back of her mind had known that it didn't add up, and had been trying to tell her. But she hadn't listened.

And how could I have not known
anyway
? she thought. How could I have not realized the boy I'd met had to be one of them? The clues were all here, right in front of me. He has Powers—I saw that on the beach with Portia. He read my mind. He told me he was from somewhere else; he told me he was different. Portia even said the word.

Witch.

And tonight I found out that the Club is a coven of witches. The last generation of witches in the New World. I should have realized
then
that he must be one of them.

I even knew Diana had a boyfriend, a boyfriend who's been away "visiting." The pieces of the puzzle were all there. I just didn't want to put it together.

Because I'm in love with him. I didn't know how much until I saw him again tonight. And he belongs to my best friend. My "sister."

I hate her
.

The thought was terrifying in its intensity, making her fists clench in the big dog's fur. It was a raw, primal wash of emotion, a feeling so strong that for a moment it even wiped out the pain. A murderous hatred, red as blood, rushing out from her toward the girl with the hair like moonlight…

Like moonlight and sunlight woven together. Staring at it now, with that acid violence still raging inside her, another picture flashed into Cassie's mind. That same impossibly shining hair falling across the emergency brake in Diana's car. After Diana had rescued her from Faye.

When she was taking you home to take care of you, a voice whispered. And then she cleaned you up and fed you, introduced you to her friends. Protected you, gave you a place to belong. Made you her sister.

Now what was that you were saying about hating her?

Cassie felt the murderous red fury slipping away. She couldn't hold on to it, and she didn't want to try. She couldn't hate Diana… because she loved Diana. And she loved Adam. She loved them both and she wanted them to be happy.

So where does that leave
you
? the voice inside her asked.

It was all very simple, really. The two of them were so obviously perfect for each other. Both tall—Diana was just the right height to look into his eyes. Both seniors—Diana was mature enough for him, and how could Cassie ever have imagined that an older guy would go for her? Both strikingly attractive, both confident, both leaders.

And both full-blooded witches, Cassie reminded herself. I'll bet he's incredibly talented—of course he's talented. Diana wouldn't have anything but the best. Because she's the best herself. And don't forget they're childhood sweethearts. They've been together forever; they don't even see anybody else. Clearly they were made for each other.

So it was all very obvious and very simple—except then why did she feel as if there were razor blades shredding her guts? All she had to do was wish them happiness and put aside any thoughts of Adam and her together. Just resign herself to what was going to happen anyway. Just wish them luck. That was when, clear and cold, the resolve came to her. No matter what happens, she promised, Diana will never know.

And neither will he.

If Diana found out how Cassie felt, it would upset her. She was so unselfish, she might even feel she had to
do
something—like give Adam up so Cassie wouldn't be hurt. And even if she didn't, she would feel awful.

So Cassie wouldn't let her know. It was as simple as that.

Not by word or look or deed, she promised herself fiercely. No matter what happens, I won't make Diana unhappy. I swear it.

A wet nose was poking at her, and soft whines sounded in her ears. Raj was complaining about the lack of attention.

"Cassie?"

And Diana was talking to her. Cassie realized what she must look like, clinging to the big dog in a daze.

"What?" she said, trying to keep her lips from trembling.

"I said, are you all right?"

Diana was looking at her, those clear green eyes full of concern. There were recent tears on the heavy lashes. Looking into those eyes, Cassie did the bravest thing she had ever done in her life. Braver than standing up to Jordan Bain-bridge and his gun, far braver than throwing herself out to rescue Sally on the hill.

She smiled.

"I'm fine," she said, giving Raj a final pat and getting to her feet. Her voice sounded like somebody else's, incredibly false and stupid. But Diana wasn't expecting her to be false, and Diana relaxed. "I'm just—so much has happened tonight," Cassie went on, "I guess I'm a little overwhelmed." Adam was opening his mouth. He was going to tell everyone, Cassie realized. He was going to tell them how he and Cassie had met and everything that happened. And then Faye, who wasn't stupid, was going to put two and two together. She was going to realize he was the boy in Cassie's poem. And that couldn't happen. She wouldn't let it. No one must ever know.

"And you didn't introduce me yet," she blurted out desperately to Diana. "You know I've been wanting to meet your boyfriend ever since you told me about him."

There. It was said. Your boyfriend. Adam was looking puzzled, but Diana, innocent Diana, was looking chagrined.

"I'm sorry; I didn't, did I? Cassie, this is Adam—I know you two will like each other. He's been away—"

"Visiting," Cassie put in feverishly as Adam opened his mouth again.

"No, not visiting. I know I told you that before, but now I can tell you the truth. He's been looking for certain—objects—that belonged to the old coven, the original one. From their records, we can tell that they had some powerful tools that somehow got lost. The Master Tools. Ever since Adam heard about them, he's been searching for them."

"And coming back empty-handed," Faye commented in her husky voice, amused. "I don't suppose this time is any different."

Adam's attention was distracted. He looked at the tall black-haired girl and smiled. It was a mischievous smile, full of the promise of secrets.

"What?" said Faye cynically, and then, as he simply kept smiling at her, "What? You don't expect us to believe…"

"Adam," Diana said, her voice changing, "are you saying that… ?" Adam just grinned at them, then he jerked his head toward a duffel bag lying a little way down the beach.

"Sean, go get that."

Sean scuttled to get it and came back saying, "It's
heavy
."

"Adam…" whispered Diana, her eyes wide.

Adam took the duffel bag from Sean and put it on the ground. "It's too bad Nick was in such a hurry to get away," he said. "If he'd stayed, he might have seen this." He reached inside with both hands and pulled out a skull.

Fourteen

It was the size and shape of a human skull, but it seemed to be made entirely of crystal. The moonlight reflected through it, inside it. It had grinning crystal teeth, and its hollow eye sockets seemed to be staring directly at Cassie.

There was a frozen instant, and then Faye grabbed for it.

"Uh-uh," Adam said, holding it away from her. "No."

"
Where did you get that
?" said Faye. Her voice was no longer lazy, but full of barely contained excitement.

Even through her numbness Cassie felt a twinge of apprehension at her tone, and she saw the swift glance Adam exchanged with Diana. Then he turned to Faye. "On an island."

"
Which
island?"

"I didn't know you were so interested. You never seemed to be before." Faye glared. "One way or another I'll find out, Adam."

"There's nothing else where I found it. Believe me, this was the only one of the Master Tools hidden there."

Faye took a breath and then relaxed and smiled. "Well, the least you can do is give us all a chance to look at it."

"
No
," said Diana. "Nobody even touches it yet. We don't know anything about this except that it was used by the old coven—by Black John himself. That means it's dangerous."

"Do we know for sure this
is
the crystal skull Black John wrote about?" Melanie asked, her voice quiet and rational.

"Yes," Adam said. "At least, it fits the description in the old records exactly. And I found it in a place just like the place Black John described. I think it's the real thing."

"Then it needs to be cleared and purified and studied before
any
of us work with it," Diana said. She turned to Cassie. "Black John was one of the leaders of the original coven," she said. "He died not long after New Salem was founded, but before that he took the coven's most powerful tools and hid them. For safekeeping, he said—but really because he wanted them for himself. For personal gain and revenge," she said, looking at Faye meaningfully. "He was an evil man, and anything he touched is going to be full of negative influences. We're not going to use it until we're sure it's safe." If Black John had had anything to do with this skull, he
must
have been bad, Cassie thought. In some way she couldn't explain, she could
feel
darkness emanating from it. If she hadn't been so heartsick and dizzy, she would have said so—but surely everyone else could see for themselves.