“What does that mean?” Theresa asked.
“It means that this is not a recipe book,” Catherine replied. “It’s a book of spells.”
Camaraderie
“Here’s one I’d like to try,” Theresa whispered, bending over the book that sat across the girls’ laps in the center of Catherine’s bed. “‘The Swelling Tongue.’ It says it will cause the tongue to expand, filling the mouth of any boy who tries to get fresh.”
Eliza and Catherine giggled. “You wouldn’t, really,” Catherine said, her eyes dancing in the candlelight.
“Well, maybe with some boys,” Theresa said. “But I’d never have to cast it on Harrison. He’s a gentleman.”
Eliza’s happiness melted at the mention of Harrison, and her eyes flicked to the book he’d sent her earlier that evening. For a brief moment, she found herself mulling his intentions. But just as quickly, she put him out of her mind. What she was doing right now was far more interesting than anything a boy could offer.
The three girls were gathered closely together on Catherine’s mattress, their backs against the wall, legs crossed in front of them. Catherine held the book open over her lap, but it was so large that the front cover rested on Theresa’s thigh and the back cover on Eliza’s. The one candle they had lit sat on Catherine’s desktop, casting shadows that shifted across the weathered pages.
“How old do you think it is?” Eliza asked, fingering the thick parchment as she turned the page.
“Older than us,” Catherine said. “Probably even older than our parents.”
“Look, a disorientation spell!” Eliza said, scanning the page closest to her.
“And on this side is a forgetfulness spell,” Theresa put in. “Imagine what we could do with these. We could make old Britton forget all about giving us exams!”
Catherine laughed. “I’m not sure about that. You have to be careful with magic. The natural balance of things always has to be maintained.”
Eliza and Theresa both stared at her.
Catherine blushed and looked down at the page, turning to the next. “I just heard that somewhere, I think.”
Eliza’s eyes narrowed. She had a feeling there was more to what Catherine had said than she was letting on.
“But what does it mean?” Theresa asked. “If we were to make Miss Britton forget to give us a literature exam, how would the natural balance, as you call it, be affected?”
“I’m not sure. It’s just . . . I think what it means is, there are consequences to magic,” Catherine replied, the color in her cheeks deepening. “For example, perhaps if Miss Britton forgot to give us an exam in literature, we would then be given an extra one in French. Something like that.”
“Ugh. Then forget I said anything,” Theresa said, sticking her tongue between her teeth. “I’d rather take one literature exam than two French.”
“Agreed,” Eliza and Catherine said in unison.
The three girls laughed, and Eliza sat back again, pulling her side of the book back onto her thigh. For the first time, she was feeling a real camaraderie with Theresa.
“Oh, look, Eliza. Here’s one to brighten dull skin. Perhaps you should copy that one down,” Theresa said, arching an eyebrow.
And just like that, any positive feelings Eliza had toward Theresa vanished
.
“Thank you, Theresa. How very thoughtful. Maybe there’s one in here for curing a permanently bad attitude,” Eliza shot back.
Theresa glowered and opened her mouth to respond, but Catherine placed her hands on their wrists.
“Girls, please. I can’t abide my two good friends fighting all the time,” she said calmly. “No more insults.”
Eliza gritted her teeth as she looked at Theresa. “Fine,” she said.
“No more insults,” Theresa agreed.
Catherine nodded and turned the page. “Thank you.”