Cindy took the book from me, and slowly started turning pages. A sweet stench rose from the pages, like dried flowers. "Remember the other day, when I left school?" Her voice was soft, filled with wonder.
"Yes. You scared me."
"Sorry." She looked at me, sorrow on her face.
I smacked her knee with mine again. It was no big deal now that I knew she was safe. "Anyway, my mother's aunt showed up at school, and said she needed to talk."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, it was weird. She said..." her voice trailed off. "Don't freak out, okay? Promise?"
"How can I freak out if I don't even know what you're going to tell me?"
Cindy laughed nervously, and brushed her hair off her neck. "It's just..." She drew in a deep breath. "You know how I'm a descendent of the Towne sisters?"
"Yeah," I said slowly.
"Well apparently they really were witches, and powerful." She crossed her legs.
"I thought we decided if the sisters were real witches they would've kicked some serious townspeople butt, and escaped, or at least turned the accusers into frogs." That was the story Cindy and I told each other since second grade when we first found out she was a descendent. Our teacher, Miss Field taught about the Salem Witch Trials, and the Salem Hysteria in social studies. We knew most of the craziness happened in the town now known as Danvers-not in Salem.
Cindy cleared her throat. "It turns out when the town accused them, the sisters made a pact to fake their own deaths, if necessary, and allow the townspeople to think they died so they could move on, and live their lives elsewhere. My aunt says she believes they may still be alive."
"Wait, so did they hurt those people? Make them crazy?"
Cindy huffed. "Of course not. They were to important, their magic too special for such trivialities." The words sounded rehearsed. "The sisters used their magic more subtly, for a greater cause."
"Oh, okay." My mind went back to Kenmei's words. He'd said the pendant never worked for anyone the way it worked for me.
Cindy continued, "The book is passed down to the next closest female descendent in their sixteenth year. So she gave it to me." Her hand stopped flipping pages, and I read the words across the top.
"Locator spell," I said aloud.
"Yes, it's so cool. If you lose anything, even a person, you can use this spell to find it or them."
For some reason the fact she chose that particular spell made the little hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. What did she hope to find?
The Seal of Gabriel, my inner voice whispered.
"R-Really?" I closed my eyes, and quickly opened them. I certainly didn't want the responsibility of the necklace, but every cell in my body told me it would be bad, very bad, if Cindy got her hands on it. Tomorrow I'd give it to Professor Pops. Surely there was another Marked who could restore balance, and destroy the Vampire Queen.
"Want to help me give the spell a shot?" Cindy pulled a candle from her backpack.
"Um, yes. Okay," I said, trying to think of a way to postpone what was about to happen. No part of me doubted her words. I sensed the book's power. And if she said she could do a spell, I believed her. I wondered briefly if that was what Dorian meant at school earlier. Did the guys know something about the sisters? About Cindy's family?About the Eye of Abernathy? .
"What should we try to locate?" Cindy asked.
Before I answered, Viv poked her head in. Her eyes zeroed in on the candle, and the spell book simultaneously. "We're leaving, Snow. You should come down and say good-bye to your father."
Anger-at her, at my dad, at Professor Pops, and the brothers, at Kenmei, and even Cindy-overwhelmed my body. I felt my canines grow, and without thought I ripped open the door, and grabbed Viv, her neck and shoulder exposed.
Viv gasped.
That's right, I thought. I'm not some little kid you can push around anymore. As suddenly as I thought the words, darkness began to creep through my mind.
Someone chanted sounds in a strange language. Peace enveloped me, and I closed my eyes.
"Sleep, young one. You're almost ready."
Chapter 10
The next morning, when I woke, I felt different. Stronger. More relaxed with what I was-a revenant- and nothing more.
Sure my dad left. And, I'd pushed away the people most important to me, namely my seven best friends and their adoptive father, Professor Pops, but I could handle the situation. I just wanted to feel like myself again. A normal, if klutzy teenager.
Certainly not some Deliverer for the supernatural.
The necklace wasn't created for me. It was made more than seven thousand years ago.
Kenmei's been alive that long, my inner voice whispered.
No. I refused to believe in a sea of billions the gem was meant for me.
After my shower I put on the usual-jeans and a white t-shirt, along with my Converse, and a black belt.
And even though I refused to wear the Seal of Gabriel, after last night I knew the necklace needed to be kept safe. Reaching behind my lavender dresser, I felt for it, but couldn't reach. So I pulled the dresser away from the wall. Other than a few dust bunnies, and a pencil, the necklace wasn't there.
I went over in my mind exactly how I'd thrown it. For sure the chain hit a perfume bottle. I shifted all five of the pretty bottles, their scents permeating the air as I moved them. Then, thinking maybe I was mistaken, I rummaged around in my closet, checked under my bed, in my covers, and behind my window curtains. By the time I finished I was sweaty and still empty handed.
"Ugh! Where could it be?" Had Cindy taken the pendant? I remembered her telling me about the Locator spell and Viv coming in. I was angry. About to bite. Had Viv or Cindy seen my canines? Probably not, or I would've been in an asylum right now instead of my room. There was chanting, and I... what? Fell asleep? Passed out? How had I found my way back to my bed? I hadn't said good-bye to my dad. The night before swam in hazy recollection.
Cindy must have taken the necklace. I dragged my phone from my back pocket, and texted her.
Did u use the Locator spell? And hit send. It was an easy enough question without sounding accusatory.
Moments later I heard a bell sound, which meant I received a text.
Didn't get a chance. Viv sent me home. Why?
Sheesh! Where could it be? I texted back,No reason. C U in a few.