The Secret Circle: The Divide by Smith L. J

Author:Smith, L. J. [Smith, L. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harper Collins, Inc.
Published: 2012-03-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

It was a good ten-minute walk to the lighthouse, plenty of time for Cassie to work up her heart rate and fill her lungs with cold, fresh air. Some of the tension among the group from earlier had dissipated. Cassie thought Faye was being let off a little too easily after performing the love spell, but she was too relieved to see everyone getting along again to mention it. Besides, Cassie had also been forgiven for hanging out with Scarlett.

It was Diana who suggested the twelve of them walk to the lighthouse together in one large group, but they all wanted to do it. Driving was cool, Cassie thought, but there was nothing like sauntering up the street on a moonlit night in a huge pack of your closest friends. It made her feel invincible, and part of something so much bigger and more important than herself.

It was a full moon, and Laurel brought along a bag of fresh-baked cookies. It was an old family recipe of Laurel’s that required the crushed leaves of an herb called mugwort, which had to be picked and ingested during a full moon. Laurel claimed the cookies improved divination, clairvoyance, and psychic powers, but Cassie and the others stuffed their mouths full of them as they walked because they were delicious. All those other things were just bonuses.

Adam felt for Cassie’s hand, and when he found it, she didn’t pull away. Cassie had been on edge lately for sure, but for the moment everything felt fine and her connection to Adam was strong. His fingers wrapped around hers reassured her that in spite of all they had to fear, she wasn’t in this alone, and together they could overcome anything.

The night was invigorating. The trees overhead smelled of sweet flowers, and the ground beneath Cassie’s shoes was moist with dew. A rare carelessness came over them as they walked. Not just Cassie and Adam but the whole group. They hollered up the street, goofing on one another and banging on garbage cans. Chris challenged Doug to race him the rest of the way, and they all started running in order to judge the winner. They stopped short when they saw it and collectively gasped.

It seemed impossible. The lighthouse had been burned to the ground. In its place was a pile of soot and ash.

Irrationally, Cassie thought they must’ve arrived at the wrong location. How could a structure so sturdy and steadfast, so permanent in its vigilance, have melted down to this? But the anger in Adam’s eyes forced Cassie to accept the harder truth. Not only was the lighthouse gone, but someone had destroyed it on purpose.

Melanie spoke first. “That was a historical landmark,” she said. “It’s been there for, like, three hundred years.”

“That’s what you’re thinking about right now?” Nick said. “How about how the hunters knew exactly where to find us?”

Diana placed her hand gently on Nick’s shoulder. “Hold on, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. We don’t know for sure it was the hunters.

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