2.

[Faye]

Faye took off after school without telling anyone. They expected her at the abandoned house, but she had other plans.

The sassy librarian, whoever the hell she was, had said to meet her at the campus center. "How will I know it's you?" she had written.

"Don't worry. I'll find you," had been the oh so helpful reply.

"Fucking great," Faye muttered to herself as she scanned the coffee shop. It was stuffed with students cribbing for finals, and nary a seat in sight.

Big waste of time. Why did I even bother?

Faye started to leave when she was accosted by a tall, blonde woman encased in black suede. "Come with me," she said quietly.

"Seriously?" Faye's breath hissed out in annoyance. "What's with the cloak and dagger?"

The sassy librarian smirked. "Isn't it fun?"

"So much fun." As she tagged along in the wake of Mata Hari, she said, "You really ought to brush up on your interviewing skills."

They stopped at a lighted office and the librarian beckoned her inside. "You here to give me tips?"

Faye surveyed the messy office with disdain. "Perhaps you'd be better served by an interior designer."

The woman laughed before clearing a stack of folders from a folding chair. "Ah, but they can't read people, can they?"

"And you can?" Faye shot back.

This elicited another laugh. "So they say. And what's your story? Bored rich girl wants to show off to her friends and embarrass her mother?"

Faye was unimpressed. "Is that the best you can do, Karin?" she said, reading the faceplate on the desk.

Karin tossed down her jacket and folded her arms. "I'm just getting started. Have a seat."

[Adam]

Adam showed the flier to his father. "Do you know anything about this?"

Ethan looked thoughtful. "It's an annual fundraiser. Didn't you go a few years ago with Diana?"

He felt that familiar sinking feeling whenever Diana came to mind. "Sure, but that's not what I meant."

Ethan searched his face. "Then what's this about?"

Adam shrugged, not wanting to admit he'd been caught in the middle...again. "It was Faye's idea."

His father sighed. "Of course it was."

"You know anyone like that?"

Ethan's laugh was anything but. "Charles Meade."

I raised my brows a little. "Seriously, Dad? He's a stiff."

Now Dad's chuckle was for real. "They used to call him The Terminator."

"You mean he flunked Dale Carnegie? I'm shocked." I held up my hands in fake dismay.

"Watch your back, Adam," Dad said, his eyes skating across my face and sharpening at the sight of a regular customer.

"And yours too, right?" I grabbed a menu and waited for Old Harry, the local drunk who visited us every Friday before the kids descended on us.

Dad threw me a half smile and moved behind the counter to draw a Sam Adams. "Of course, son."

It had always been that way, and I was convinced we were joined at the hip for eternity.

[Cassie]

Cassie's grandmother was staring blankly into space when she got home. She dropped her book bag and went straight over to Jane, whose hands were folded neatly in front of her. "Grandma, how was your day?"

Jane blinked in confusion. "Amelia, did you say something?"

She felt her throat tighten. "It's Cassie, Grandma."

"Such a pretty name. I knew you were special when you were born."

Her grandmother had been sitting in the same spot when Cassie left for school that morning. "Don't you have to get ready for work?"

For a moment, Jane's expression cleared, and she said, "I called in sick. Haven't been sleeping that well."

Cassie felt Jane's forehead, which was cool. "Maybe you should see a doctor."

Jane shook her head. "No doctors. Can't help what's trapped."

"Trapped?"

Her grandmother went blank again and retreated into whatever dead zone was holding her hostage.

Cassie touched her pocket and felt the tip of the flier sticking out. Without giving it much thought, she tapped in the email address and wrote a brief note.

How can you tell if someone's been hexed? Maybe you can help.

The moment she sent it off, she started second guessing herself.

Hexed.

How can that be, and how do I even know this?

Cassie started to dial Adam and then clicked off her phone.

No, I have to see this through on my own.