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There was a scattering of applause, hesitant, dying away quickly Already the atmosphere in the auditoriuets snuffed out like candle flareat rooe
He’s a handso in her brain that was telling her to run, run Why did she react so violently to his presence? It was like her reaction on the night of her initiation, when Adam had produced the crystal skull Cassie had taken one look at it and felt horror creep up her spine - to her, it seemed surrounded by a halo of darkness It had only been later that she realized not all the coven members could see what she saw
As Cassie looked around now, she could tell by the expressions of the other students that they didn’t feel the darkness e from the new principal To her, he cast a shadow across the entire auditorium To them, he simply seemed powerful, impressive
"I realize there has been so, his eyes ot the odd i each one of them "But you’ll be happy to know that’s over now The - unfortunate occurrences - that have plagued this school are behind us It’s ti two students and one principal dead, Cassie thought Since you killed all three of theuess you can decide when it’s over At the saed the y itself do it? she wondered She wanted to whisper the question to Nick or Suzan - or Sean, her uiltily - but it was hard to turn her head away froe
"I’ve heard reports that the last administration’s attitude toward discipline was somewhat - lenient A policy of, shall we say, pern" The principal glanced toward the teachers lining the auditoriuht use other words to describe that policy, but there was no point in speaking ill of the dead "Certain activities were allohich were detrimental not only to the students they affected, but also to the very spirit of fores"
What is he talking about? Cassie thought It’s like a politician; lots of fancy words and noin dised now, and I think in the end es There’s a new hand on the tiller of this boat" The principal held up one hand with a slight, self-deprecating sain Afterward, Cassie could never remember exactly what he said, but she re There were buzzwords scattered through his speech: "tough love," "old-fashioned discipline," "punish the crime" She could feel the response frorowing in the crowd It frightened her almostand cultivating some horrible power inside the students They should have hated him, but instead they were enthralled
The rules The rules must be obeyed Students who didn’t obey the rules would be sent to the office
"I think it’s time for the handout now," Jack Brunswick added in a soft aside, and Faye and several other girlsout papers Cassie watched the principal as he watched the audience, standing at ease, co their attention effortlessly even when he wasn’t speaking Yes, handso Sherlock Holmes: deep-set eyes, hawk nose, firlish accent Cultured, thought Cassie Cultured - and full of conviction
More like a witch hunter than a witch
Faye reached Cassie’s row, thrust a sheaf of papers at her Cassie whispered "Faye!" and was rewarded by a swift flash of golden eyes before Faye moved on Bewildered, Cassie took one handout and passed the rest to Suzan It was three pages long and covered with small type
Prohibited Actions - Type A Prohibited Actions - Type B Prohibited Actions - Type C
It was a list of rules But so ht words here and there
Wearing clothing inconsistent with the serious and dignified purpose of for in the corridors at any ti period between classespossession or use of squirt gunslitteringrunning in the hallschewing gu to comply with an order from any teacher or hall ht We don’t have hall monitors Her eyes skimmed on
Public displays of affectionfailing to recycle styrofoa feet on seats or chair backs
"They can’t be serious," Suzan whispered There was a faint whistle froo over these guidelines and becohly familiar with them," the new principal said In the corner of Cassie’s eye she sas of heads lifting The rustling of paper stilled
"Right now I’d like to ask for volunteers to be hall reat responsibility, so please think carefully before you raise your hand"
Hands flew up all over the auditoriuh had never volunteered so fast for anything Cassie saw Portia, rigid and tre in the air Sally, in the next seat, aving et called on by the teacher The rooiant Nazi salute
Black John’s eyeseach one
Then Cassie realized that Sean’s hand was going up
"Sean!" she hissed The auditoriulanced at Sean, then shrank back from him He was out of Nick’s reach "Sean!" she said
He didn’t seee His face was eager, tense
Desperation tingled in the palrab his left arht: Sean!
She felt it go out of her like a blast of heat, just as she’d felt it when she was facing the pu A burst of pure power Sean’s head snapped toward her, his expression full of astonishment
"Put your hand down," she whispered, feeling shaky and exhausted in the aftermath Sean looked at his hand as if he’d never seen it before and hastily snatched it down He gripped the seat of his chair, eyes still sideways on Cassie
Now Suzan was cringing away from her, Cassie realized Both the strawberry-blond and Sean looked scared Cassie looked toward the stage and saw the new principal looking directly at her, his lips curved in a faint smile
Great He likes it, and my own friends are afraid of aze at her steadily for a ht sood Those of you who’ve been chosen will please remain after the assembly to learn about your new duties The rest are dis"
Hairs lifted on the back of Cassie’s neck "Chosen?" she whispered, looking around There hadn’t been any selection But so to the stage in a quiet, orderlytheot to see no strange this is, Cassie thought, twisting to look at Mr Hu in the aisle But Mr Hu unusual about the proceedings He looked calm and rather pleased as he ht, shivering Hypnotized
Black John was still standing at the lectern She could feel his eyes on her back as she walked out of the auditoriu class walked down the hall, slowing to stay with Nick and Suzan and Sean Suzan and Sean looked at her oddly, but Nick put his arood," he said softly Cassie felt better, until she noticed he didn’t have his handout
"I left it on the seat," he said, and Cassie’s heart sank a little further
"That’s littering," she said "And littering’s a Type-A offense Nick, we’ve got to be careful - he’s out to get us"
"No kidding," Adaray eyes flickered once over Nick’s arm around Cassie’s shoulders, but his expression didn’t change "Have you read over the Prohibited Actions, Type C?"
Cassie hadn’t She thue of the handout and looked "Skateboarding, roller-skating, or bike ridingplaying or wearing radios on school groundss tobacco productsthese are supposed to be worse than Type-B offenses like using drugs or fighting?"
"They seerimly
And then Cassie knew She reh, "nearly being knocked off her feet by the Henderson brothers - only at the time she didn’t knoas the Henderson brothers She’d only seen two crazy guys with heavy- down the halls and listening to Walkmans
She sed hard "They’re for us," she whispered Ada," Cassie said She clutched Nick’s hand, turning to look hiot to be careful He wants to get us and we’re not ready to confront hi about this Nick hated authority, took any rules as a challenge Right now she didn’t see any sign of hi, by his expression "Nick!"
"Punish sent to the office," Ada his own little game"
"Nick, I want you to proet in trouble," Cassie said "Please, Nick You have to prohtened her grip on his hand, returning the intensity of his gaze Please, she was thinking For me, please
Nick’s brow furrowed and he turned away
"Okay," he said, nodding slightly, eyes on the ceiling "Okay, I’ll try - not to get caught"
Cassie’s muscles relaxed "Thank you," she whispered, just as Diana, Melanie, and Laurel caet that stuff in the beginning, about the previous ado on?" Melanie asked "That was us he was talking about The Club and its special privileges He said all that was going to change now"
Cassie spoke softly "He was telling the them permission to "
Her voice died away She and the other members of the Club looked at one another silently
"Everybody get your guns Sounds like it’s open season for witches," Nick said finally He put his aret out of here," Suzan said
"We can’t," said Laurel "Leaving school grounds without per is an offense," Suzan said
"Where are Chris and Doug?" Cassie asked sharply "And Deborah?"
Everyone looked around Aside from Nick, the Henderson brothers and the biker were the ones et into trouble
"They have history first period, but I think their class went back without them," Sean volunteered "I think they’re still in the auditorium"
"Co were just outside the auditoriuroup of outsider students and they were getting ready to fight