The Book of Spells (Private 0.50)

“Well, Theresa Billings,” she said, lifting her chin. “You may not have noticed before now, but I am not my sister.”

Spell of Silence

The following night, at the stroke of midnight, Eliza found herself in the basement of Billings Chapel once again, but this time the mood was decidedly lighter than it had been on Sunday. Laughter and conversation filled the chamber, and candles flickered warmly over the decorated walls. Eliza and Catherine paged through the book of spells, waiting for Theresa, who was the only member of the coven yet to arrive. Eliza laughed as Alice skipped by, eating one of the pastries Genevieve had procured in town for the meeting. Powdered sugar covered her chin, and she had woven a wreath of fresh flowers into her hair.

“You suddenly seem very keen on being here,” Eliza said, stopping Alice in her tracks.

Alice tilted her head quizzically, her auburn curls grazing her shoulders. “Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked without a trace of irony.

Eliza and Catherine exchanged an amused glance.

“No longer afraid of repercussions from above?” Catherine asked, holding the book open in her lap.

“Oh. That,” Alice said. She took a step closer to them and lowered her voice. “I figure that if God disapproved of what we were doing, he would have smote us all down the moment we said the incantation that made us witches. But so far, we’re all fine. So I have to believe he approves!”

With that, she skipped away.

“It must be nice living in Alice’s world,” Eliza mused.

“I wouldn’t mind paying a visit,” Catherine agreed. “But I don’t think I’d want it to be a lengthy one.” She looked down at the page she’d just turned to. “Ugh. Look at this.”

Eliza looked down at the page, and a shudd

er went through her. In the center was a grotesque illustration of a bare skull with roses sticking out of its eyes. Across the top, in elaborate script, were the words LIFE OUT OF DEATH SPELL. She slammed the book closed, almost flattening Catherine’s fingers.

“We won’t be needing that,” she said, standing. “Perhaps we should get this meeting started.” She spoke loudly so the other girls could hear her over their conversation and pastry munching. “Theresa will be here soon. There’s no harm in deciding on a new spell to cast before she gets here.”

She took the book from Catherine and placed it on the pedestal she and Lavender had found in the chapel’s storage closet earlier that evening. The other girls gathered around as Eliza took the position of authority.

Viola clasped her hands beneath her chin. “Are we going to make the Easton boys fall in love with us?”

Everyone laughed.

“A lofty goal, but I think we can come up with something better,” Theresa said, appearing suddenly at the bottom of the stairs. She had her hair swept up dramatically to one side, where it fell in curls along her left cheek. Her dress was jade green with a tight bodice, and she wore a black shawl with beads dangling from its ends in strands of varying length. She crossed the room and stood next to Eliza, practically pushing her out of the way. “I think I can take it from here, Eliza.”

“That’s all right, Theresa. I was just about to begin,” Eliza said, pressing the side of her foot against the side of Theresa’s, trying to regain some ground.

“I can flip through this book just as well as anyone and find us a spell,” Theresa said blithely, turning the pages. “What do we want to do? Give all the adults on campus laryngitis? Make it rain for three days? Learn how to make someone faint on cue?”

“Oh, I don’t like that one,” Bia said fretfully from her spot near the door, next to her sister.

Eliza watched the titles on the pages as Theresa hurriedly skimmed through them. Suddenly something caught her eye and she slammed her hand down on the book, stopping the incessant flipping.

“Eliza!” Theresa scolded.

“Let’s do this one,” Eliza said. “This one will get us exactly what we need.”

“Boys?” Alice asked.

Giggles ensued. Catherine rolled her eyes, but smiled.

“Freedom,” Eliza corrected, her eyes gleaming as she looked out at the other girls. “Although the company of boys could be a welcome side effect,” she added to appease her romance-hungry friends. Alice, Viola, Bia, and Genevieve squealed happily. A picture of Harrison flitted through Eliza’s own mind as well, but she shoved it aside quickly.

“What is it?” Catherine asked, stepping up to better see the page.

“It’s called the Spell of Silence,” Eliza said. Her eyes flicked over the page. “It says that if we cast it successfully, no one but us will be able to hear a sound we make. We’ll be able to shout, slam doors, laugh, scream . . . and Miss Almay will be none the wiser.”

“So we can sneak out and visit the boys!” Alice cried happily, clasping her hands together under her chin.