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Chapter One

"Diana, I have a little surprise for you," Faye said

Diana's e already She still hadn't recovered froht, and her face was strained as she stared at Faye

Well, there orse to come

Now that it was finally going to happen, Cassie felt a curious sense of freedohtmare was here at last

"I suppose I should have told you before, but I didn't want to upset you," Faye was saying Her eyes burned golden with a savage inner fire

Adalanced fro, conclusion He swiftly cupped a hand under Diana's elbow

"Whatever it is can wait," he said "Cassie ought to go and see her mother, and - "

"No, it can't wait, Adam Conant," Faye interrupted "It's time Diana found out what sort of people she has around her" Faye whirled to face Diana again, her pale skin gloith strange elation against the ht-dark mane of her hair "The ones you've chosen," she said to her cousin "Your dearest friend - and him The incorruptible Sir Adam Do you want to know the reason you couldn't make it as leader? Do you want to kno naive you really are?"

Everyone was gathering close now, staring Cassie could see varying degrees of bewilder froht that it cast shadows, and it illuminated every detail of the scene

Cassie looked at each of theh Deborah, beautiful Suzan with her perfect face raceful, elfin Laurel She looked at Chris and Doug Henderson, the wild twins, ere standing by the slinking figure of Sean, and at icily handsome Nick behind them

Finally she looked at Adam

He was still holding Diana's ar face was tense and alert His eyesflashed between theht to lean on Adath She was about to be exposed for what she was in front of the entire Circle

"I kept hoping they would do the decent thing and control themselves," Faye said "For their own sake, if not yours But, obviously - "

"Faye, what are you talking about?" Diana interrupted, her patience splintering

"Why, about Cassie and Adaolden eyes wide "About how they've been fooling around behind your back"

The words fell like stones into a tranquil pool There was a longHenderson threw back his head and laughed

"Yeah, an' my mom's a topless dancer," he jeered

"And Mother Teresa's really Catwoman," said Chris

"Come on, Faye," Laurel said sharply "Don't be ridiculous"

Faye smiled

"1 don't bla me," she said "I was shocked too But you see, it all started before Cassie came to New Salem It started when she met Adam down on Cape Cod"

The silence this time had a different quality Cassie saw Laurel look quickly at Melanie Everyone knew that Cassie had spent several weeks on the Cape last summer And everyone knew that Ada for the Master Tools Cassie saw the dawning of startled understanding on the faces around her

"It all started on the beach there," Faye went on She was obviously enjoying herself, as she always enjoyed being the center of attention She looked sexy and co the entire group although her words were uess -or at least they couldn't keep their hands off each other When Cassie cao?" Faye tilted her head to one side and recited:

"Each night I lie and dream about the one Who kissed le hour with him alone And since that hour, my days are laced with fire"

"That's right; that was her poem," Suzan said "1 re and she didn't want us to read it"

Deborah was nodding, her petite face twisted in a scowl "I remember too"

"You e they both acted at Cassie's initiation," Faye said "And how Raj see up on her and licking her and all Well, it's very simple really - it's because they'd known each other before They didn't want any of us to know that, of course They tried to hide it But eventually they got caught It was the night we first used the crystal skull in Diana's garage - Adaot arranged"