Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles 4)

He nodded to the dog. “Go on.”

Boo cocked his head. Then he turned and lumbered through the tall grass. Bade yawned, baring her huge white teeth, and followed, her tail swishing like a lion’s from one of the nature shows Link was always watching on the Discovery Channel. He blamed it on his mom, but in the last couple of months, I’d noticed him watching it by himself more than a few times.

The crow circled again and swooped toward us, landing on the headstone. Its beady black eyes seemed to be staring right at me.

“How come it’s checkin’ you out like that?” Link asked.

I stared back at the black bird.

Please. Take the Book or make it disappear. Whatever you have to do to get it to Ethan.

Uncle Macon looked at me from the other side of the headstone.

He can’t hear you, Lena. You can’t Kelt with a bird, I’m afraid.

I glared at my uncle. At this point, I would try anything.

How do you know?

The crow hopped down, its talons touching the thick leather cover for a split second before it squawked and pulled its legs up again quickly.

“I think the Book burned it,” John said. “Poor guy.”

I knew he was right. I felt the tears welling in my eyes. If the crow couldn’t touch the Book, how would we get it to Ethan? I’d left the black stone Ethan had asked for, the one from my charm necklace, right here on the grave. I didn’t know what had happened to it after that.

“Maybe the bird has nothing to do with it, and he’s just a messenger or something,” John offered.

I sniffled, swiping at my face. “Then what’s the message?”

John

squeezed my shoulder. “Don’t worry.”

“How are we going to get the Book to Ethan? He needs it, or he can’t—” I couldn’t finish. I couldn’t stand to even think it.

We had risked our lives to track down Abraham Ravenwood, and we had found a way to kill him—at least Link had. The Book of Moons was right here at my feet, and there was no way to get it to Ethan.

“We’ll figure it out, Cuz.” Ridley picked up the Book, the back cover dragging across the stone. “Someone must have the answer.”

John smiled at me. “Someone does. Especially when it comes to that book. Come on—let’s go ask her.”

A flutter of hope filled my chest. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

He nodded. “It is Presidents’ Day, which was still a bank holiday the last time I checked.”

Ridley pulled on the bottom of her miniskirt, which didn’t move an inch. “Who’s thinking what, and where are we going?”

I grabbed her arm, tugging her down the hill. “Your favorite place, Rid. The library.”

“It’s not that bad,” she said, inspecting her purple nail polish. “Except for all those books.”

I didn’t respond.

There was only one book that mattered right now, and my whole world—and Ethan’s future—depended on it.

CHAPTER 26

Quantum Physics