Page 20 of The 13th Daughter (The Witches of New Salem #1)

Chapter Fifteen

Gallows Lane was just off Main Street so we made it to the Hall in ten minutes.

Lucy's was busy even for a Saturday morning.

What if there were more people out and about than we'd originally thought?

Jeff must have been thinking the same thing because he led us around behind the library to the back of the Hall.

He put a finger to his lips and disappeared inside.

I looked up at the old building. The Hall was one of the first structures that went up when the town was founded.

It looked like some grand old colonial mansion with its wide porches and good old fashioned New England architecture.

It stood three stories high and was meticulously repainted every year.

White, of course, with blazing red shutters and a garden most would sell their souls to have.

I loved the old building and it had starred in several of my short stories.

It also intrigued me. Even though I'd promised to never go near the Coven and adamantly refused to believe in witchcraft, I was insanely curious about what it looked like on the inside.

Kay offered to show me around, but I never took her up on it because of my promise to my sister.

Now that I had the chance to get a look inside, I was bouncing with excitement.

What would it look like? Would it feel different?

Would I feel different inside? A million questions buzzed in my head.

Jeff stuck his head out the back door and motioned me inside. I found myself in a small entryway of some sort. A soft, earthy tone colored the walls and white, frilly curtains adorned the windows. The room was bright and airy. Nothing dark and macabre here as in my stories about the place.

"Come on, there's hardly anybody here," he whispered. "We'll go through the kitchen and duck down the back hallway. The room is just off the library."

He led me through another door and into the kitchen which appeared very modern.

Stainless steel appliances and industrial sized refrigerators were pretty much all I could see as Jeff dragged me in a dead run through the room and out another door.

So much for my having a chance to look around, I thought wryly as I tried not to fall through the door he pushed me through.

The hallway in front of us was narrow and very dark.

He didn't turn on the lights as we crept forward and paused when we reached a set of massive double doors.

He put his ear to the door and listened. The library I guessed.

"Good," he whispered. "They're still eating. Come on, let's get this over with."

He pushed the door open and very carefully stepped over the threshold.

I followed and closed the door behind me.

Light blinded me. He'd turned on a wall lamp close to my eyes.

Blinking rapidly, I tried very hard not to yell at him with people next door.

It took a great effort. He shot me an apologetic look.

Once my eyes focused, I looked around. The room was plain, windowless.

No furniture of any type decorated it. The walls were painted a standard egg-shell white.

The only item in the room was a large pedestal of some sort.

It was about four feet high and an ancient symbol was carved into the mahogany wood.

I frowned. It was the same symbol that we wore on our school uniform and carved into the monument in town. Curious, I stepped forward.

Jeff grabbed my arm. I opened my mouth to protest, but stopped. He stared open-mouthed at the pedestal. What was wrong with him? He looked afraid. "What?" I asked him.

"It's gone, CJ."

My eyes flew back to the pedestal. He was right.

There was no book there. I'd been so busy looking at the symbol carved into every inch of the wood, I failed to notice the Book was missing.

Well, damn. Where the hell was my Book? Wait, my Book?

I shook my head at my own foolishness. It held the answers I needed. That's all. It wasn't my Book.

"Maybe someone in the library has it?" I suggested. "To check something?"

He shook his head. "The book never leaves this room. It's forbidden to remove it."

Double damn.

"The wards are down," he whispered. "Someone broke through the wards and took it."

Someone stole my Book? No freakin way! I needed that Book!

"Are you sure?" I demanded in a hoarse whisper. What else could go wrong?

"Can't you smell it?" he whispered. "Sulpher and burnt wood?"

I sniffed and to my amazement, I did. It was very faint, but the odors were there. Sort of smelled like rotten eggs. So, ugh.

"We have to go," Jeff pushed me toward the door, but we both stopped at the sound of a knock next door.

The library door opened and Mr. Martin greeted the newcomer. "Gregg, we didn't expect you this early."

"My plans fell through so I thought I'd come over a little early. You're still planning on consulting the book about the specifics for the ritual aren't you?"

Crap. It was Jeff's dad. Jeff breathing hitched up several notches. Panic mode hit him full force.

"Yes," Mr. Martin agreed. "We were just about to go in."

"Shit!" Jeff's voice came out in a strangled whisper. "They can't find us here, CJ. The book is gone...what the hell are we going to do? There's no way out of here!"

"Surely they won't think we had anything to do with this," I argued.

My stomach clenched and I doubled over from the unexpected pain. Okay, so maybe them finding us here wasn't such a good idea. My instincts agreed with Jeff. He was right, though. What the hell were we going to do?

More voices joined the men in the hallway and panic crept up my spine. Its icy fingers teased the nape of my neck and my stomach wrenched painfully.

"CJ..." Jeff's panic hit a new level. He grabbed my hand and squeezed. Hard.

"Be quiet," I hissed. "Let me think."

Calm down, I told myself, and think. We couldn't get out. There were no windows in the room and nowhere to hide either. Dammit. Well, Emily had said I was good with spells. It seemed to be our only option at the moment even if it sounded ridiculous. I said the first words that came to mind.

"Earth and Air, I summon thee

To hide us from eyes that must not see.

Shield us and protect us, so that we may learn

That they wish to keep unknown from us."

Okay, it wasn't the best thing I'd ever come up with and it didn't really even rhyme, but I don't think it honestly mattered.

A jolt of something like static electricity coursed through me and I breathed in the scent of freshly mown grass carried on a fragrant summer breeze.

It invaded my senses, wrapped around me like a warm, comfy quilt on a cold winter's night.

A peaceful calm washed through me and the panic retreated.

We were safe. I knew it. I gave Jeff's hand a reassuring squeeze and he stared at me in awe.

Could he feel it too? Did he smell what I did?

"As you all know, the preparations have already been made." Mr. Martin opened the door. "Everything is ready. We just need to double check the specifics as no one has even opened the book since the last time..."

His voice trailed off as his eyes fell upon the pedestal. An outraged gasp seemed to echo among the men staring past him. The room erupted into shouts.

"Be quiet!" Mr. Martin yelled. He walked further into the room and muttered something I couldn't hear.

He searched every inch of the room with his gaze.

His eyes passed over Jeff and me without faltering.

I wanted to shout for joy. It had worked.

We were really safe. They couldn't see us. Thank you, Elements.

"The wards have been broken," Mr. Parker bit out. Anger blazed in his voice. "These wards were put in place three years ago and no one has been able to get through them since."

"Until now," Mr. Corey, the drugstore owner, pointed out.

"Yes, we can see that, Mark," Mr. Martin barked. "I can't find a trace of magic. Whoever broke these wards and stole the book is very good."

"Who would have stolen the book?" Mr. Corey asked.

"Who indeed," Mr. Martin murmured. "We need to call a meeting immediately. Mark, have Gretta start contacting everyone. The rest of you help her. I want everyone at the Hall within the hour."

"Gregg, a moment please," Mr. Martin stopped Jeff's dad. "Will you check in with Roger?"

"Surely you don't think he would have stolen the book?"

"He has more reason than anyone," Mr. Martin shook his head. "After Emily's...accident, he's going to do what he can to hinder us. And he's the only other besides myself who has the power to break those wards."

"Still, Jonas, I don't think Roger would have done this. That book is the most important asset we have. It's invaluable to the Coven and if nothing else, he's still loyal to this Coven."

"Is he?" Mr. Martin asked angrily. "Where has he been the last three years? He stepped down as our leader and left us to grieve alone. Does his loyalty still lie with our Coven? Will he do what must be done? Or will he try and stop us?"

"What do you expect, Jonas? His daughter died. If it had been Jeff or Meg, I might have done the same thing. We all deal with grief in different ways. It doesn't mean we forget where our loyalties lie. He'll do what needs to be done."

What needs to be done? I wanted to shout.

"I'm not so sure," Mr. Martin disagreed.

"And you, Jonas, are you willing to sacrifice..."

"You know that I am, Gregg. If it's what needs to be done, then I will do it. We cannot know the truth until Samhain."

Mr. Parker let out a sigh. "Fine. I'll talk to him."

"Thank you, Gregg."

"I'll just stop by the library and let Jeff know to be here for the meeting first." Mr. Parker turned to leave.

"Jeff is at the library this early?" Mr. Martin asked, surprised.

"Yes, he and CJ went over there this morning."

"CJ?" Mr. Martin asked sharply. "He's with CJ?"

Mr. Parker nodded. "She's helping him with Calculus."

Mr. Martin's lips pursed. "That's a good idea, Gregg. I'll see you when you get back."

I held onto Jeff's hand and edged to the door. We needed to get out before it closed it.

"So, CJ was up and about this morning was she?" Mr. Martin mused to himself as he turned back to the empty pedestal.

We didn't wait for him to finish. We ran. Jeff and I flew through the kitchen and out the back door, only stopping when we got to the back entrance of the library.

"Hurry," Jeff urged and pulled open the service door. We climbed the back stairs and settled into one of the study areas upstairs. Jeff pulled out his Calculus book and handed a bunch of papers to me. He opened his book to a random page and then we both took a minute to catch our breath.

"CJ, are we still hidden?"

Now how was I supposed to know? I shrugged. He rolled his eyes. "Dad needs to be able to see us."

Oh. "Air and Earth, I thank you for the help and release you from my service." It didn't sound right, but it was the best I could come up with.

Again I felt a jolt of electricity as the Elements left us.

"Who the hell are you?" he growled. "You shouldn't be able to do any of that. Not even Kay can do a concealment spell."

What could I say? I didn't have an answer anymore than he did.

"I'm telling you, Gregg, I haven't seen either of them this morning," Mrs. Guilford, the librarian, sounded flustered. "There's no way they could be up here."

The door opened and Mr. Parker strode in. He eyed us both with a calculating look.

"Dad?" Jeff looked up from his book. He looked way too nervous, like a kid who'd just got caught stealing his mom's fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.

"How long have you been here?" his dad asked him, frowning.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "A while."

"But I didn't see you come in," Mrs. Guilford looked puzzled. "How did you get up here?"

"You weren't at your desk, Mrs. Guilford," I smiled. "We didn't see the need to bother you and just came on up to the study area. Were we supposed to let you know?"

"No, no, dear, of course not. It must have been when I stepped away to get a cup of coffee," she shook her head.

"Jeff, there's a mandatory meeting at the Hall at nine," Mr. Parker told his son. "Don't be late."

"Meeting?" Jeff frowned. "This early?"

"Yes. Same for you, Betty," he told Mrs. Guilford. "CJ, you might want to get on home."

"Yes, sir," I nodded.

Jeff let out the biggest sigh I've ever heard and slumped in his chair when the door closed behind his father and Mrs. Guilford. "I thought we were so totally busted."

"Have a little faith, Neighbor Boy." I slumped down into my own chair. I'd thought there for a minute we were busted too.

"CJ, you know you're freakin scary, right?" He started shoving his stuff back into the bookbag. "The things you can do...it's just freaking unbelievable."

I felt like a freak, but didn't tell him that. It wasn't my fault the Elements responded to me. I didn't ask for it and I didn't want it, but I had to get up to speed and quick.

"Can you bring over some books tonight?" I asked. "Something on the Elements maybe?"

"Yeah," he nodded and stood. "I can do that. Just be careful okay?"

"Sure," I smiled. "You'd best get going before they come looking."

"I might not be able to tell you anything about the meeting," he said.

"I'm pretty sure you won't," I laughed. "That's alright. We'll figure this out."

"We will," he promised and left.

Alone, I started to shake. I wanted to throw up. I learned more than I wanted to.

Dad. They thought he took the Book because of what happened to Emily, or rather Kay's dad did.

Mr. Martin knew what happened to Emily. I felt it in the very marrow of my bones.

It was the way he'd said the word accident, like he knew it wasn't an accident.

Had he caused her accident? If he had...

there wouldn't be a place on this Earth he could hide from me.

I would get to the bottom of this no matter what I had to do.

There wasn't a lot I could learn without the Book...or was there? The Celtic symbol. I could do some research online. It was a huge part of our heritage, so it might be a good place to start. Just not here.

With a plan of action in mind, I left the library and headed home.

It was time to do some digging.