“They were wrong,” Chris said. He leaned forward, his jaw set, his face etched with pain. “We can't be like them. Kori knew that. She-“ He broke off and shook his head.
“It's okay, Chris,” Laurel said softly. “We know.”
Sean spoke up eagerly, his thin chest puffing out. “They hid the old stuff, but we found it,” he said. “We wouldn't take no for an answer.”
“No, we wouldn't,” said Melanie, casting an amused glance at him. “Of course, some of us were busy playing Batman while the older ones were rediscovering our heritage.”
“And some of us had a little more natural talent than others,” Faye added. She spread out her fingers, admiring the long red nails. “A little more natural-flair-for calling on the Powers.”
“That's right,” said Laurel. She raised her eye-brows and then looked significantly at Diana. “Some of us do.”
“We all have talent,” Diana said. “We started discovering that when we were really young-babies, practically. Even our parents couldn't ignore it. They did try to keep us from using it for a while, but most of them have given up.”
“Some of them even help us,” Laurel said. “Like my grandmother. But we still get most of what we need from the old books.” Cassie thought about her own grandmother. Had she been trying to help Cassie? Cassie felt sure she had.
“Or from our own heads,” said Doug. He grinned a wild and handsome grin and for an instant looked again like the boy who'd gone racing through the hallways on roller blades. “It's instinct, you know? Pure instinct. Primal.”
“Our parents hate it,” said Suzan. “My father says we'll only make trouble with the outsiders. He says the outsiders will get us.”
Doug's teeth showed white in the moonlight. “We'll get them,” he said.
“They don't understand,” Diana said softly. “Even among ourselves not everybody realizes that the Powers can be used for good. But we're the ones who can call on the Powers, and we know. That's what's important.”
Laurel nodded. “My grandmother says there will always be outsiders who hate us. There's nothing we can do but try and keep away from them.”
Cassie thought suddenly of the principal holding the hanged doll by the back of its dress. How apt, he'd said. Well, no wonder… if he thought she was one of them already. Then her mind drew up short. “Do you mean,” she said, “that even adults know what you-what we are? Outsider adults?”
“Only the ones around here,” Diana said. “The ones who grew up on the island. They've known for centuries-but they've always kept quiet. If they want to live here, they have to. That's just the way it is.”
“For the last few generations, relations have been very good between our people and the outsiders,”
Melanie said. “That's what our grandparents say, anyhow. But now we've stirred things up. The outsiders may not keep quiet forever. They might try to do something to stop us-“
“Might? They already have,” Deborah said. “What do you think happened to Kori?”
Instantly voices rose in a babble as the Henderson brothers, Sean, Suzan, and Deborah burst into argument. Diana raised her hand.
“That's enough! This isn't the time,” she said. “What happened to Kori is one of the things our Circle is going to find out. Now that we're complete, we should be able to do it. But not tonight. And as long as I'm leader-“
“Temporary leader. Until November,” Faye put in sharply.
“As long as I'm temporary leader, we'll do things when I say and not jump to any conclusions. All right?” Diana looked around at them. Some faces were shuttered, expressionless; others, like Deborah's, openly hostile. But most of the members nodded or gave some sign of acquiescence.
“All right. And tonight is for initiating Cassie.” She looked at Cassie. “Do you have any questions?”
“Well…” Cassie had the nagging feeling that there was something she should be asking, something important, but she couldn't think of what. “The guys in the Circle-what do you call them? I mean, are they wizards or warlocks or something?”
“No,” said Diana. “'Wizard' is an old-fashioned word-it means a wise man who usually worked alone. And 'warlock' comes from a word meaning traitor, deceiver. 'Witch' is the proper term for all of us, even guys. Anything else?”
Cassie shook her head.
“Well, then,” Faye said. “Now that you've heard our story, we have just one question to ask you.” She fixed Cassie with an odd half smile and said in a sweet, false voice, “Are you planning to be a good witch or a bad witch?”
Thirteen
Very funny, Cassie thought. But actually it wasn't funny at all. She guessed that there was a deadly serious side to Faye's question. Somehow she didn't see Faye wanting to use the Powers-whatever those were-for good. And she didn't see Diana wanting to use them for anything else.
“Does anybody have anything more to say? Questions, comments, club business?” Diana was looking around the group. “Then I'm declaring the meeting over. You can all go or stay as you like. We'll have another meeting tomorrow afternoon to honor Kori and talk about a plan of action.”
There was a murmur of voices as people turned to one another and got up. The electric tension that had held the group together had dissipated, but there was an unfinished feeling in the air, as if nobody really wanted to leave yet.
Suzan went over behind a rock and pulled out several wet six-packs of diet soft drinks. Laurel promptly went behind another rock and returned with a large thermos.