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Cassie allowed herself to sht, I’ll dance straight through till "

"Is that a promise?" Nick said "Because I’ll hold you to it"

Sean, Chris, and Doug entered the doorway and caught sight of Nick and Cassie inizably clean-cut in tailored suits and their hair coazed around the enormous room The black-and-white tiled floor reave way to marble pillars and cloth-covered banquet tables Since this was a benefit for the Historical Society, the walls and tables were adorned with New Salem history pieces on loan frolass fra fa for a feast Sally’s father was too busy shaking hands and s for cameras to notice He and his boardEqually oblivious, the Outsiders drifted around thehter, Cassie thought

Cassie noticed Alice and Beatrix had broken off fro, in the corner

Alice’s dress was black, long, and straight It could have been very old, or just designed to look that way Beatrix’s was similar, but she wore a red shawl over her shoulders

Cassie approached them

"So, you made it," Alice said in her deep monotone

"I told you they wouldn’teyes on Cassie "We’re going to seal this place like a toe Do you knohat it feels like to be burned alive, Cassie?"

"I do," Beatrix said "The skin of your face melts first Then your neck Your hands, as if they could protect you from the relentless flames You’ll be wide awake, more awake than you’ve ever been, and you can s Flesh bakes so slowly, Cassie It seeht is burning alive," she said "My Circle won’t allow it"

Just then Adaray suit He offered Cassie a quick apologetic glance as he headed toward Nick, Chris, and Doug, ere sloppily progressing through an hors d’oeuvre plate of sliders

While he ate and laughed with the guys, Adaathered in the back corner Within a few ot hi Alice’s and Beatrix’s eyes on her, Cassie did her best to look distressed by the idea of Ada over to talk to Scarlett It wasn’t hard to do as she ether

Cassie watched Adam closely His face had relaxed in Scarlett’s presence

"Look at that s toward Adaht It’s obvious he’s smitten"

Adam led Scarlett onto the dance floor Cassie tried to re a part, but his affection seeth of his suit-jacketed arm Did he shudder? No, it wasIt was the Circle’s only hope of getting Scarlett on their side But within a fewthean to sweat

Scarlett had secured Ada softly to hi to theherperilously close to his own

But when Scarlett went in for a kiss, Adam quickly backed away That here he drew the line Scarlett had leaned in and kissed the air

Cassie took a breath Her tunnel vision ceased, the roouests reappeared

Adam, when he was really Adam, couldn’t betray her

"You should seriously reconsider your previous decision to snub us, Cassandra," Beatrix said "Look around"

She directed Cassie’s gaze around the room "All of these innocent people are about to die"

Alice placed her cold, bony hand on Cassie’s shoulder "Wouldn’t you rather be on our side than theirs?"

"No," Cassie said fir to win" Alice’s eyes were s, but Cassie wouldn’t be inti who heard her over the jazz band

Alice let out an exasperated breath and turned away "Forget this," she said to Beatrix "Let’s bring this place down"

Wasting nothe ancestors into action

Before Cassie could even raise a hand in protest, the centerpiece of the ballroom, a stone statue of New Salem’s first mayor, exploded to a million bits that scattered across the checkered floor like hardened raindrops

People screa their heads Cassie’s friends searched for one another through the pandemonium

Mr Waltman, Sally’s father, waved his arms "Just a freak accident," he called out "Nobody panic Is everyone okay?"

Then another statue burst, and another The black-and-white floor rumbled Plaques slid down the walls Mr Walt with the rest of the crowd, toward the exit

"Earthquake!" people yelled

Cassie and her friends had anticipated this They huddled close to each other and bound their energy

"Power of Earth," Diana said, leading the defense spell "We call upon you to protect us, to help us defend this room and the innocent people in it froh to trick the terrified Outsiders into believing the worst had passed

But the ancestors countered the Circle’s defense with an even stronger attack, breaking down their protective barrier

All the slass upon the floor whirled into the air like a tornado It spun through the roo in its wake

A ruined brass picture fraed toward the back of Sally’s head Max dove, knocking her out of harm’s way just in time

The Circle cast another spell This time Cassie took the lead "Guardians of the defenseless," she called "We entreat you! Coainst this ainst this evil"

But the ancestors were too powerful A dark shadow descended upon the rooed on every exit door to no avail There was no way out They were sealed in, just like Alice had said

S down one of the doors, using a table as a battering ram, while the Circle’s defense spells continued to falter