Spellbound - Cara Lynn Shultz [45]
In a flash, I found myself in front of a grand white house. The Hudson River was reflected in the home’s spacious front windows—windows which crackled and buckled as orange-and-red flames danced behind the glass. The windows shattered—the force of the explosion blowing my hat off as molten shards danced around my feet. I didn’t flinch at the blazing heat, keeping my vigil in front of the inferno.
“It’s not safe with him. Can you stay away?” I whirled around and saw my brother Ethan standing there. He grabbed my left hand and tried to whisk me away, gripping my hand so tightly, it hurt—and I realized I was wearing a diamond ring. The stone pressed painfully into my skin as he clutched my hand in both of his.
“I have to go,” I yelled, running into the house and feeling the heat from the fire assault my skin as the flames ravaged the home, charring everything in its path. The flames licked at my skirt, clawing their way up my white dress, setting my coat on fire. And then the fire crawled into my hair.
I woke up, screaming and scratching at my own face. Suffice to say, it was not a good dream, with images of it playing in my head as I walked to school. Why the hell I would run into a burning building in my dreams, I had no idea. Once I arrived at Vincent Academy, I was dealt another crushing blow. There was no Brendan in English class. For a brief moment, I hoped that maybe he was home sick, and then felt like the worst person in the world. Really, Emma, you’re wishing illness on him now? Shame on you!
My mood perked up in chemistry, when Angelique told me to meet her by her locker—330, on the sunlit third floor, that lucky witch—after school. My eyes bugged out when she produced a leather tote bag stuffed with two thick, antique-looking books and one brand-new one.
“I don’t have to tell you, be very careful with these,” she said, going through them. “Here’s Ancient Symbols and Myths, and Hadrian’s Medieval Legends. That one is super old. It’s missing pages, so be careful. The binding is cracked. And this one—” she pointed to the shiny red paperback “—is Spells for the New Witch. You know, in case you’re interested.”
I thanked her a thousand times for the books, and staggered home with them, wishing Ashley hadn’t made plans after school. I could have used some help with the heavy tomes. Once home, I made myself some coffee and took the mug to my room, telling Aunt Christine that I had a ton of homework and needed to focus.
Sitting cross-legged on my bed, I laid out the three books in front of me. I started with Ancient Symbols and Myths, which looked like an old, dusty college textbook. I opened it and, unsure where to start, just began turning pages. I took off my necklace and placed it on the purple comforter next to the book, looking back and forth between the symbols on the worn pages and the charm I’d had for so long. I’d think I found it, then look more closely and see some kind of difference. My crest was a simple shield, with a faint outline of a unicorn in the center. A sword and a rose were crossed behind the shield, and the bloom was wilted, a detail I’d never noticed before. A petal fell from the rose—it looked like the flower was crying. Under the sword, a crescent moon with a small star appeared where the petal was on the opposite side of the medallion. The back of the crest was plain, save for three large scratches and a few nicks and dings that came with age. I lovingly stroked the face of the pendant. How could I think this was from a mall?
I turned the pages painstakingly,