Part 4
"I got a really interesting call from Diana before," Laurel said, coming into Cassie's room.
Cassie put down her shopping bags. She'd spent most of that Saturday shopping with her mother. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with her before she left for college. Her mom was completely better now Black John was gone. But with more than half the Circle gone, Cassie couldn't help worrying, just in case something happened.
"Oh?" Cassie herself hadn't heard from Diana in over a week. "Is everyone okay?"
"Remember that witch they met there, Jessica?"
Cassie nodded. Diana had invited her to a Full Moon celebration a few months ago. She seemed nice enough, though Cassie had never seen her use any magic. Melanie had been kind of sceptical about her, but then again, that was Melanie all over. "Yes, I remember. Why?"
She pulled out a new blue sweater and held it against her.
"Diana told me she was protector of some precious stone called the Century's Star."
"Sounds pretty, what is it?"
"Melanie's looking into it. The bad news is Jessica's dead. The official verdict is suicide." Laurel watched her curiously.
Cassie didn't really know what Laurel was expecting. She barely knew this Jessica, how could she have any sort of reaction? "Official verdict?"
Laurel nodded and told her what had happened. Everything seemed to be revolving around this Century's Star thing, but no one seemed to know what the gem actually did.
"What's everyone doing about the sister - Cody, was it?" Cassie guessed she, better than anyone, could understand how to help the sister.
She knew the shock of discovering a world or magic. It had been easier for her after her initiation, as she'd already had friends who explained it to her. It was sad this girl didn't. She was about to be thrown in blind.
"Does she know yet?"
Laurel shook her head, toying with an amethyst necklace at her throat. "She doesn't Deborah said something about a warlock called Dagan's involved as well."
Cassie suppressed a shudder. She'd known Black John couldn't be the only evil witch. Now they had to face another. At least he wasn't on the island. He had the older, more powerful members of the coven to deal with. Though the thought provided little comfort.
"What are we supposed to do?"
Laurel shook her head again. "I don't know, Diana was just giving us the head's up."
Cassie was no longer interested in her new clothes. How could they help in this situation? Melanie had given them a copy of her Floppy Disk of Shadows. They had Cassie's as well, there might be something in there.
"I feel we should be *doing* something," Cassie said with a sigh.
Laurel nodded in agreement. "But what?"
* * *
The task sounded simple enough. Destroy those left behind in New Salem. Divide and conquer was Gianna's plan. Luckily for her, most of the ones there were boys, which would be easy for her to deal with.
She despised public bathrooms but at least the one in the coffee shop she was in was clean and had a fresh citrus smell in the air. She smiled at her reflection in the small mirrors overlooking the two sinks. Blue eyes like a sky on a summer's day sparkled in a pretty face, high-sculpted cheekbones, elegant nose, delicate lips shimmering with pink lip-gloss, a slender body clad in a short deni9m dress, dark gold hair galling gently to her shoulders. Yes, the dumb blonde look would do for the time being. Gianna shouldn't have any problems getting her claws in around here.
She slipped her purse over her shoulder and went out into the coffee shop. She could see her first victim alone at a table in a back corner. He was already watching her, smiling shyly. His black eyes were glittering with hidden lights.
Gianna turned, glancing at a table next to her where a steaming cup of coffee sat. She picked it up, not caring as some jerk on the payphone tried to protest.
She just shot him a glare, and he backed off. The boy with the black eyes looked like his interest in her was growing with every moment. Just what she wanted.
Coffee in hand, she went to join him.
"Mind if I sit here?"
The boy's shy smile was almost adorable. "Are you new here?"
Gianna nodded. "I'll be around for a while. I'm Gia."
"Sean."
* * *
"I got a really interesting call from Diana before," Laurel said, coming into Cassie's room.
Cassie put down her shopping bags. She'd spent most of that Saturday shopping with her mother. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with her before she left for college. Her mom was completely better now Black John was gone. But with more than half the Circle gone, Cassie couldn't help worrying, just in case something happened.
"Oh?" Cassie herself hadn't heard from Diana in over a week. "Is everyone okay?"
"Remember that witch they met there, Jessica?"
Cassie nodded. Diana had invited her to a Full Moon celebration a few months ago. She seemed nice enough, though Cassie had never seen her use any magic. Melanie had been kind of sceptical about her, but then again, that was Melanie all over. "Yes, I remember. Why?"
She pulled out a new blue sweater and held it against her.
"Diana told me she was protector of some precious stone called the Century's Star."
"Sounds pretty, what is it?"
"Melanie's looking into it. The bad news is Jessica's dead. The official verdict is suicide." Laurel watched her curiously.
Cassie didn't really know what Laurel was expecting. She barely knew this Jessica, how could she have any sort of reaction? "Official verdict?"
Laurel nodded and told her what had happened. Everything seemed to be revolving around this Century's Star thing, but no one seemed to know what the gem actually did.
"What's everyone doing about the sister - Cody, was it?" Cassie guessed she, better than anyone, could understand how to help the sister.
She knew the shock of discovering a world or magic. It had been easier for her after her initiation, as she'd already had friends who explained it to her. It was sad this girl didn't. She was about to be thrown in blind.
"Does she know yet?"
Laurel shook her head, toying with an amethyst necklace at her throat. "She doesn't Deborah said something about a warlock called Dagan's involved as well."
Cassie suppressed a shudder. She'd known Black John couldn't be the only evil witch. Now they had to face another. At least he wasn't on the island. He had the older, more powerful members of the coven to deal with. Though the thought provided little comfort.
"What are we supposed to do?"
Laurel shook her head again. "I don't know, Diana was just giving us the head's up."
Cassie was no longer interested in her new clothes. How could they help in this situation? Melanie had given them a copy of her Floppy Disk of Shadows. They had Cassie's as well, there might be something in there.
"I feel we should be *doing* something," Cassie said with a sigh.
Laurel nodded in agreement. "But what?"
* * *
The task sounded simple enough. Destroy those left behind in New Salem. Divide and conquer was Gianna's plan. Luckily for her, most of the ones there were boys, which would be easy for her to deal with.
She despised public bathrooms but at least the one in the coffee shop she was in was clean and had a fresh citrus smell in the air. She smiled at her reflection in the small mirrors overlooking the two sinks. Blue eyes like a sky on a summer's day sparkled in a pretty face, high-sculpted cheekbones, elegant nose, delicate lips shimmering with pink lip-gloss, a slender body clad in a short deni9m dress, dark gold hair galling gently to her shoulders. Yes, the dumb blonde look would do for the time being. Gianna shouldn't have any problems getting her claws in around here.
She slipped her purse over her shoulder and went out into the coffee shop. She could see her first victim alone at a table in a back corner. He was already watching her, smiling shyly. His black eyes were glittering with hidden lights.
Gianna turned, glancing at a table next to her where a steaming cup of coffee sat. She picked it up, not caring as some jerk on the payphone tried to protest.
She just shot him a glare, and he backed off. The boy with the black eyes looked like his interest in her was growing with every moment. Just what she wanted.
Coffee in hand, she went to join him.
"Mind if I sit here?"
The boy's shy smile was almost adorable. "Are you new here?"
Gianna nodded. "I'll be around for a while. I'm Gia."
"Sean."
* * *