by Tara West
And so my short-term relief somehow spiraled into another depression. What the hell was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I just be happy with myself for once?
The sound of idling car engines below my bedroom window brought me out of my reverie. I jumped up from my desk and pulled back my window curtain to see two compact cars and a red sports car parked in my circular driveway. My heart skipped a beat when Ethan got out of the red car’s driver’s side. A light breeze whipped around him and ruffled his hair, which most likely had already been messy. Now it was really messy. I bit on my lower lip, thinking how cute he looked with tousled hair. Then I saw the others emerge from his car and for one eternal second, I think my heart stopped beating before it slammed against my chest and set off at a race. Anger washed over me, bursting through dams of self-control and threatening to overpower me.
What the hell?
Vanessa.
In. Ethan’s. Car.
Was there something going on between the two of them I didn’t know about?
I pulled away from the window, closed my eyes, and mentally counted to three, trying my hardest to quell my shaking limbs. Why had Ethan brought her? And why had she been sitting in the front seat of his car?
When my eyes shot open, I was met with Alessia’s stony-eyed glare.
Mind your temper, little witch. Do not let this mortal have power over you.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Power over me? I think you’ve got it the other way around. She was the one who pledged allegiance to her butt, remember?”
When you use anger and fear to control your powers, you are not in control.
“Then what do I do?” I growled.
You prove to her that you have talent. That you are the right person for this play.
And right for Ethan, I almost said aloud. But that was just stupid talk.
Chapter Eighteen
AJ
I’d hardly slept last night for fear of what was going to happen during the ritual. The ritual to find answers about my dreams and to locate Deb’s heirloom was supposed to be tonight, but after telling Tony about my dream and our talk with Benjamin, we’d decided to hold a different ritual instead, a ritual to banish Gordon Cobbet. Especially with the knowledge that a man as evil as Gordon Cobbet was still hanging out on this plane of existence. I didn’t know a whole lot about ghosts—not as much as Krysta, anyway—but if the possibility of him being able to harm someone even remotely existed, we had to get rid of him.
Not to mention, I was angry about what he’d done to Maura, and every part of me wanted to throttle him. Aunt B had phoned that she was going to spend one more night away. Luckily, her friend was on the mend, and I suspected it had a lot to do with Aunt B’s healing powers. I didn’t mind Aunt Bertrice spending an extra day away. After all, I didn’t know if she’d approve of what the coven and I were about to do.
“I feel like a ghostbuster or something,” Krysta said as she packed a bag. She slid the thin book of spirit magic into a side pocket and then looked at me.
“You could be,” I said, laughing. “I’m seeing visions of the past, you’re summoning and possibly banishing ghosts. What do you think’s going on with Sophie?”
Krysta sighed and zipped her bag. “I don’t know. Other than those cryptic texts the other day, I haven’t talked to her. She’s being reclusive.”
“It sucks that we aren’t there for her.”
“I hope she’s not mad at us.” Krysta flung the strap of her bag over her shoulder and took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”
I touched her shoulder and eyed her. “Are you sure?”
Shrugging, she led the way out of the room, Sif trailing behind her. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Deb waited in front of the house in a boxy white minivan. She waved from the driver’s seat, and Tony opened the sliding side door, grinning.
“Good day for ghost hunting!” he remarked, gazing up at the cloudy sky.
I studied the clouds as Krysta locked the house. The rain had stopped, but the sky still looked mean. Heavy, low-hanging clouds crowded the houses, and a brisk wind blew Krysta’s hair around her face. I waited for her to pocket her key, and we walked to the van together.
Olive and DeWan already sat in the very back seat. Krysta hopped up front with Deb, and I slid in next to Tony, suddenly nervous to be near him again.
As the van pulled away from the curb, I said, “Thanks for doing this.”
“No problem. My mom had the shop tonight, so I was free.” Tony’s heart-melting smile flashed again. “And DeWan skipped football practice.”
I smiled back at him. “Thanks.”
He nodded. “No prob.”
Deb glanced over her shoulder. “Do you guys have everything you need?”
“Yes. Do you?” Krysta asked.
Deb nodded. “Guess it’s magic-making time. Where to?”
I knew Benjamin was somewhere in the van. Krysta hadn’t spoken to him, but I’d noticed the way she hesitated before getting in, as if she were giving him space to climb in first.
“Left.”
The drive lasted twenty minutes as Krysta gave directions, her expression far away as she listened to Benjamin. She hadn’t wanted to tell anyone he was coming; after how I had reacted to her power over the years, I wasn’t surprised. She was protecting him, and herself.
We took the highway for a short time, and exited where there was only a gas station and a grocery. The road became more narrow and less traveled, eventually petering off into one lane full of potholes and overgrown with weeds.
We parked on the side of the road where Krysta indicated and piled silently from the van. When Krysta began to walk, everyone followed with an air that verged on “doom” and “anticipation.”
The landscape had changed a little—thicker forest, taller brush—but the mouth of the cave was similar to the one from my dream. It loomed in front of us like a mouth in the earth, missing only teeth.
“Flashlights,” Tony said, opening his backpack so we could each extract a tiny Maglite.
“Where did you get these? They’re so expensive,” Krysta said, shining her tiny, but powerful, beam into the cave.
Tony turned on his light. “The shop. We carry them.”
I grimaced. “Does your mom know you took them?”
He glanced at me, eyes hard. “I paid for them.”
“Oh.” I’m an idiot, I thought. Of course he paid for them.
Armed with flashlights, we entered the cave.
***
Sophie
As I made my way down the stairs, my heart filled with dread at each descending step. Why had I invited them to my house? Why had I thought this was a good idea? They weren’t like me. I wasn’t like them.
Dad was already at the door, greeting Ethan and the other kids like they were old friends. When had he become cool, and why had it taken me so long to notice? I felt my face flush ten shades of red when Dad firmly shook Ethan’s hand before giving him the once over, his gaze lingering overly long on Ethan’s messy hair. My dad had always failed at subtle.
After everyone had piled into the front foyer, my dad ushered us all into the den. He said something about mom bringing punch and cookies, flashed me a wink, and then closed the door behind him.
“Punch and cookies!” Finn exclaimed while rubbing his midsection. “Good idea having rehearsal at your house, Sophie.”
Everyone else enthusiastically agreed. Vanessa answered with an eye roll and a sneer.
She strolled up to me, and in her best unaffected bitch voice asked, “Is there a bathroom in this house?”
“Of course.” I flashed a sneer of my own before pointing beyond the air hockey table at the other side of our spacious den. “Across the room and through the door.” What I really wanted to say was, “No, we don’t have bathrooms. We piss in the street and bathe in the sprinklers.” So the fact that I answered her with a somewhat nice answer, should have earned me a few brownie points with Alessia.
/> As soon as she sauntered away, Ethan sidled up to me, a look of guilt marring his brow, making him look like my lab Buster, after he’d been caught chewing my dad’s shoes.
“Sorry, Sophie, it wasn’t my idea to bring her.” He nodded toward Finn, who was standing beside us, his eyes glued to Vanessa’s backside as she sashayed toward the bathroom.
“No, it’s okay. She’s in the play, too.” I shrugged, pretending to show indifference. All the while, my heart was doing a happy dance, as it pounded wildly against my ribcage. So it was Finn who liked Vanessa. I didn’t understand it, but whatever. I was so relieved Ethan didn’t have the hots for her. Not that it would have made a difference to me. It’s just that Ethan could do way better.
Ethan leered at Finn before shaking his head. The boy’s lip was practically hanging to the floor as he watched Vanessa shut the door behind her. “This is your house. If she gives you crap, tell her to leave.”
“I’m not worried about it,” I lied. Inside I was really worried. Sure, I’d stood up to bullies before, but that was different. This bully had the power to influence Ms. Jahn’s decision to pull me from the play. From spending every evening with Ethan. Not that spending every evening with him was at the top of my priority list, but I still liked hanging out with him and his friends.
Mom emerged with a heaping platter of cookies and a pitcher of punch. Dad followed behind her with chips and dip, plastic cups, plates and napkins. Despite the fact that I knew Mom had some close-minded views, for a mom, she really was awesome. This was how she always treated my friends, making them feel at home and feeding them until they just about popped their stitches.
Finn was the first to dig in, stuffing so many cookies in his face, I thought he’d choke. The boy was a bottomless pit, but he was the size of a linebacker, so I figured he needed a lot of food. I’d noticed at lunchtime, when Finn wasn’t busy shoving fries in his nose, he was eating everyone else’s leftovers.
Ethan poured me a cup of punch, which I thought was really sweet. Thankfully, my parents had left the room, but not before Dad gave Ethan another long look. I only hoped my parents wouldn’t interrupt our practice. Ethan and I had a few romantic scenes, and oh gawd, my dad would freak.
When Vanessa returned from the bathroom, jerking down her short tight skirt so it barely covered her ass, she crossed her arms and leveled me with an expectant glare. “So are we going to practice or what?”
“Yeah,” I groaned. “Let’s get this over with.” I had no idea what deity witches were supposed to pray to. Probably something I would have learned had I gone to Salem with AJ and Krysta, but I crossed my fingers and sent a silent prayer to God, Mother Earth, or whoever else was listening, that I could pull off an awesome performance.
After all, my future happiness depended on it.
***
“Not bad, Sophie.”
Was I hearing correctly? Had Vanessa just complimented my acting?
I looked into her indifferent gaze, half expecting her to break into a devious grin and tell me she was only joking, but her thin smile and cold, barren eyes were unwavering.
Holy crap! Vanessa complimented me!
We had practiced act four, scene three, the part where Elizabeth and her husband share a tender moment in his prison cell, before he confesses to witchcraft. Though I had been practicing my lines all week, I hadn’t gotten that far, so I was totally unprepared for this scene. Still, I felt as if I’d nailed it. And having Ethan as a partner, brought something out in me. I felt so comfortable acting with him, like we fit together perfectly. Like we were meant to be together. I know, sounds weird, but there’s no other way to explain the chemistry we shared while rehearsing.
“Yeah, you’re a natural at being cold and heartless.” She laughed. “You’ll make a good Elizabeth.”
I clenched my fists while repressing the urge to smack that look of superiority off her painted face. That scene had been anything but cold and heartless, and somehow I suspected she knew it. I was so very tempted to pop into her head and hear exactly what she’d thought of my performance, but I resisted. What was the point? I knew I’d nailed the scene and that’s all that mattered.
I plastered on my biggest insincere smile while batting my eyes. “And you play the spoiled and manipulative bitch so well.”
Ethan moved between us while flashing each of us a wary grin. “You didn’t mess up your lines today,” he said to Vanessa.
She tossed her ponytail while turning up her nose. “Maybe I just needed to practice somewhere else. It’s so dark and stuffy in the drama room. There’s all kinds of bad energy in there. Ms. Jahns said the choir is finished using the stage, so I think next week’s practice will be better.”
“That’s great,” Ethan said. When he turned to me, his smile softened and his eyes sparkled with a glow that practically knocked me off my feet. I didn’t need to be a mind reader to know that smile was just for me.
As if they had planned on killing the moment, my mom and dad walked into the den, bearing more trays of snacks.
Finn practically knocked my mom over as he rushed the plate of cookies. My mom gasped; her wide-eyed gaze on Finn, she slowly backed away as if she was escaping a predatory animal.
“Ease up, Finn,” Ethan snapped.
My dad latched onto my mom’s elbow while wrapping a protective arm around her shoulder.
The other members of the drama club laughed and pointed at Finn, which probably didn’t help matters at all.
Great. That’s all I needed right now. I knew my mom wasn’t excited about me being in a witch play. I didn’t need her thinking the drama club was a bunch of animals, too.
“Sorry,” Finn said through a mouthful of cookie as crumbs spewed onto the carpet.
My mom eyed Finn’s feet with derision.
Ugh. Somehow I didn’t think the apology helped. I mentally reminded myself to vacuum the den after they left.
“So will you be at the next practice, Sophie?”
Ethan’s question totally caught me off guard and the look I shot him must have been similar to the look of horror my mom had given Finn just moments earlier. I still hadn’t discussed my drama club future with my mom. I wasn’t entirely sure she’d let me be in the play. I shot my dad a pleading look.
He whispered something in my mom’s ear. When her sour expression softened, my heart soared. My parents turned to me with nods of approval.
“Yes,” I practically squealed my delight. “I’ll be there.”
Chapter Nineteen
Krysta
I couldn’t believe in ghosts and be afraid of the dark. It was just too stupid.
But I was afraid of the tittering that came from somewhere near the ceiling, and the distant scuttling of cave creatures. All I could think was, in black this complete, I’d never see them coming before their claws and wings were on me.
I held AJ’s arm tightly, taking some measure of comfort from her. It was chilly and damp in the cave, but her sweatshirt was warm beneath my palm.
“Do you sense him?” I whispered to Benjamin, and then almost tripped over a rock. Apparently I couldn’t walk and talk at the same time.
Benjamin was an ethereal wisp beside me. This far from his haunting ground, he’d become even more insubstantial than before. I hoped it wouldn’t hurt him or make him disappear.
“No. Not yet.” He paused, sliding behind me. “Here would be good. I feel his signature. He spends time in this cavern.”
“Here,” I said, yanking AJ to a stop.
Six flashlight beams bounced around as we studied the place. The walls and ceiling of the cave formed a kind of dome. Behind us was the tunnel we had taken in, and in front of us was another, larger opening that led into deeper parts.
“Show time,” Deb muttered, dropping her backpack to the floor. “Let’s get it done, people.”
Like the first time we did ritual with the group, each of them settled into their routine, only this time lit by flashlights. It didn’t see
m to affect their performance, though. DeWan poured the salt circle, while Olive followed him to do the quarter callings. In the northern quarter of the circle, Deb laid the “altar”—red, black, and white pillar candles, incense, and a large metal pentacle. Tony opened his arms to the ceiling and invoked the Universe.
I followed AJ to the center of the circle.“I can’t do this,” I said softly so I wouldn’t interrupt the cadence of voices around me. My heart felt like wings in my chest, trying to escape.
“Yes, you can,” AJ said firmly, taking my bag from me and kneeling. “You’re better at this magic stuff than me. You’re a natural, just like Aunt B said.”
“What if I can’t summon Maura?”
AJ shrugged. “Then you can’t summon her, and we’ll work on banishing the jerk who killed her.”
I felt the moment the circle closed around us. It was like a tent being zipped on a cool, windy day. The pressure in the room increased.
Olive called, “Done!”
“Your turn, Krysta,” Deb intoned, waggling her fingers. “Knock ‘em dead.”
Tony, DeWan, Olive, and AJ groaned at the terrible pun, and even with nerves jittering around inside me, I managed to roll my eyes. But it was cool that even in the midst of big, scary magic, we could still be playful.
“Here goes nothin’,” I said, and lit my white candle.
***
AJ
Some kind of weird language flowed from my best friend’s lips but I couldn’t tell what the heck it was. It sounded like gobbeldy-gook to me: Ti-am ke-nuck gor-a-me blah blah blah. I wondered if Krysta even knew what it meant.
Either way, she worked the magic words as if they were pulled from deep inside her, a solemn tone in her voice I’d never heard before. The words wrapped around the room, and the five of us shifted, varying degrees of worry on our faces.
Krysta and I had only been learning magic for less than a week. How on earth had we thought this was a good idea? It was on the tip of my tongue to call it off, to say we’d wait for Aunt B to get back from Boston and we’d tell her everything and she’d know what to do.
