Page 66 of The 13th Daughter

He'd better be back by tomorrow or at least call me.

"What's going on in here?" Dad poked his head in. "I heard a thump."

"Sorry, Dad," I smiled. "I was just taking out some frustration."

He glanced down and saw my journal. Without thinking he picked it up, his eyes skimming over what I'd written. He let out a hiss and came in, closing the door behind him before making his way over to my bed.

"What the hell is this, CJ?"

Ohh, so not good.

"Nothing."

"Where did you see this?" he demanded, towering over me. His face had gone white and his eyes were wild with fear again. I shrank back from him, remembering the last time I'd seen that look in his eyes.

"In a dream," I whispered. "A dream you took from me."

All the anger fizzled out of him. He took a shaky breath and sat down. "How? How did you remember it?"

"Kay," I told him, scooting to the other edge of the bed. "She was having the dream and I repeated the same spell you cast on me and Emily."

His hands shook. "CJ..."

"Why, Dad, why did you take the dream from me?"

"Because it was a sign," he whispered. "A sign of the curse."

Oh crap.

"I thought if I could make you forget, no one would know. They wouldn't have any more reasons to suspect..."

"Stop, Dad," I whispered frantically. "Don't. I know what will happen if you tell me. You'll die, Daddy. I don't want you to die."

"It'll be worth it, pumpkin, if it saves you." He reached out, pulled me to him, and crushed me in a hug. "You're my baby. I can't let you die."

Die? I was going to die? No. It didn't matter. I did what I always did. I pushed the panic aside and focused. I could fall apart later. I was going to die...stop it. I needed to keep Dad from doing something rash.

"No, Daddy, please. How do you think that would make me feel for the rest of my life? Knowing I caused your death?"

"That's a parent's job, CJ, to protect their children. This is the only way left I can protect you." His voice was gruff and hard. "I won't fail you."

"Emily," I breathed. That's what this was about. "Do you think you failed her, Dad?"

"I know I did."

"Did you know what they were planning to do?" I asked. "Is that why you didn't answer your phone that day?"

"What?" he pulled away and looked down at me, his eyes wide with shock.

"I found her diary, Dad. She was terrified. She wrote in her last entry they were coming for her and you weren't answering your phone."

"God, no, CJ. I'd left my phone in the truck. I had no idea she needed me. When I checked it later that night and found all the missed calls she'd made, I tried to call her back. By then it was too late. After her death, I suspected the Coven might have had a hand in it, but I didn't have any proof. It's why I quit. I didn't want any part of something that may have caused my daughter's death."

A weight lifted from my chest. He didn't have anything to do with Emily's death. "I'm pretty sure they killed her, Dad. I just can't prove it either."

"I'm going to tell you about the curse, CJ. I will save you."

"No, we'll find another way."