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The waitress arrived with their order just as Cassie’s last words trickled into the air She set down plate after greasy plate and over-full cups, leaving no portion of the tabletop uncovered It gave the group a much-needed moment to process what Cassie had just told them
Once the waitress stepped away, Diana spoke "We have to stand strong," she said "We have to be a united front"
"I think it’s a given," Deborah said, reaching for the pickle off Melanie’s plate "Who here wants to side with the deo up When none did, she said, "I restthe point," Adam said "You may not want that now, but these spirits were in our bodies They know every one of our weaknesses, our every dream and desire They’re experts at manipulation"
Sean shoved a french fry into his ic would be pretty cool"
Nick s hi "Jeez"
"Not funny," Laurel said "Everyone has to proive the at me?" Faye asked
It had been obvious that Laurel directed her statement at Faye, but she denied it
"I said everyone," Laurel insisted
"At this point," Melanie said, tapping the top of Laurel’s hand with her own, "I think it’s safe to say we’re all co the ancestors We’ll just have to watch each other’s backs to keep it that way, that’s all"
Faye forked at her Caesar salad without looking up "Fine," she said "As long as the puritanical goody two-shoes of our group don’t use that as an excuse to butt into my private life"
Laurel opened her reed," Diana said "We’ll watch each other while respecting one another’s privacy" She passed a stern look over the group until they all showed their assent
"Sounds like a good plan to me," Cassie said But she was ed at the ic It was no secret that she’d always been jealous of Cassie’s powers
After they finished eating, and the group dispersed to make it to their next classes, Cassie took Adaht to steal the book back from Scarlett," she whispered "Just the three of us I’ the others to the ancestors"
Adam nodded, and a look of trepidation crossed Diana’s face "Hoe do it?" she asked
"By any means necessary," Cassie said
Chapter 17
It was a well-kno Sale had onein the back that was large enough to crawl through For years it had served as the entrance to secret rendezvous and underage keg parties Tonight it would be Cassie, Adam, and Diana’s way to the book
Adam ran ahead of Cassie and Diana to uarded Cassie watched him fiddle with the half-rotten wooden board and slide it out of place The gaping hole in the building’s facade reood as in," Adam said "Just wait for the diversion to make your move"
Adam and Diana left her there to sneak around to the front of the warehouse Cassie wasn’t supposed to climb into theuntil her cue, but she couldn’t help herself She desperately wanted the few extra minutes to look around
She silently lifted herself inside and eyed the surrounding space,it that she had arrived--that she’d come to take it back home She knew the book would answer her call
It only took a few seconds for Cassie to hear the voices conized Scarlett’s high shrill and Alice’s oppressiveforks upon plates, and water glasses shifting
Cassie inched toward their sounds and ducked behind some old metal containers to watch them for a few seconds She was surprised by the portrait that spread before her eyes Scarlett and all the ancestors were gathered around a circular table that was covered with fine foods: roasted chicken, baked potatoes, salad greens, and vegetables They were enjoying aThey looked like a family, a happy family
Charlotte sliced a loaf of corn bread into thick squares while Sa cobs of yellow corn
"Those hunters you killed," Alice said, "were of the saed at Salem Just as your bloodline is the salass "True justice"
"That’s what falass to Alice’s
They all see their interactionfor all along--the connection of a fain to beat more heavily
"It’s a shairl; I don’t think there’s any convincing her"
"But we still need a twelfth," Absolom said "By the full moon Othere’ll have to wait another whole month to perforlulass "I really wanted it to be Cassie," she said
Cassie felt a lurief she couldn’t identify Froan her life trying to be good It wasn’t until she turned fifteen that she caic Then the curse Tiot the best of her--it drove her to do awful things to the non-witches of Saleed
Cassie couldn’t help but see a little of herself in her young aunt; they were both the saic And she sensed Alice also saw so of herself in Cassie
"I just wouldn’t be able to stand it," Scarlett said, "if we have to wait another whole month to perform the spell"
Cassie primed her ears to take in --but just then Adam and Diana’s commotion from outside became audible
"Ssh," Thomas said "What was that?"
All the ancestors halted their talk and listened Scarlett dashed for the front of the warehouse, and Alice followed just behind
Scarlett slid the rusty door open The ancestors gathered around it to an unexpected spectacle Diana and Adaht, like a planet or spinning disco ball in the sky They recited a chant: