"Everyone around us dies," Cassie said. "No matter what." The scene kept playing over and over in her mind - the sound of Melanie screaming and the sight of Constance on the ground. She couldn't stop shaking. Even with all the lanterns and flickering candles surrounding her, she felt cold in the lighthouse.

Laurel wanted to perform a strength-giving ceremony to help Melanie through the next few days. They'd gathered the necessary herbs and crystals, but once they were about to begin, the group found they were hardly capable of doing anything in an organized fashion. Everyone was lost in their own fog, traumatized.

Adam draped a blanket over Cassie's shoulders, but that, too, felt chilly and damp on her body. She couldn't stop shivering.

"She needs something to help her calm down," Adam said, and Diana quickly rummaged through the top drawer of the large pewter dresser they'd stocked with herbs and medicinal roots.

She retrieved a tiny glass bottle and eyedropper. "This is a valerian-root tincture," she said, holding the dropper up to Cassie's mouth. "It'll help ease your nerves. We should all take some."

Faye yanked Cassie away before the drops reached her tongue. "Don't try to sedate her from the truth, Diana." She slid her arm around Cassie's waist. "What Cassie said is correct. Everyone around us does die. And she's right to be losing her mind a little over it." Faye passed her eyes over each member of the group until settling on Diana. "But I wonder if that has to be the case anymore." Diana placed the tincture down on the table. "What are you saying?"

"I think you know." Faye moved to the center of the room.

"We have the Master Tools now. The most powerful tools a witch could have. We might be able to bring Constance back."

Diana was silent, but Laurel shot up from her seat.

"Faye's right. Constance was teaching us so much about our powers, and that was just the beginning of our training. We need her."

Deborah nodded. "A witch as powerful as she was should be easy to bring back."

Diana's already pale face seemed to whiten further. "I don't know," she said. "I want to save Constance, but unleashing that kind of dark magic could be dangerous. We don't know what the repercussions will be."

"Have you all gone completely crazy?" Cassie asked.

"You actually believe we can raise the dead?"

"Actually," Adam said, "it's not that farfetched. I know this is still all new to you, Cassie, but necromancy has been used since the third century."

"There's an actual term for it?" Cassie could hardly believe it.

"It derives from the Greek," Laurel said. "From nekos,

"It derives from the Greek," Laurel said. "From nekos, meaning dead, and manteia, which means divination." Cassie looked to Diana for confirmation, and she nodded. "But for the Greeks, necromancy signified the descent into Hades," Diana said. "It was used as a way to consult the dead. It wasn't intended to actually raise the dead back into the mortal sphere."

"But," Adam interjected, "we know for a fact that it was used that way by our own ancestors. In fact, Diana, don't you - "

Diana's green eyes flared to shut Adam up. But Faye, always vigilant, picked up on it. "Diana, don't you what?" Diana rested both her slender hands on the Pembroke table in front of her. To keep from falling over, Cassie imagined. Then she spoke warily. "There's a resuscitation spell in my Book of Shadows," she said. "Adam and I discovered it a few years ago."

Faye released a moan of pure satisfaction. "I knew it."

"Let's do it," Deborah said. "We have the power, and we have the spell."

Suzan agreed. "We have to at least try." Adam was quiet, but Cassie perceived a quivering excitement beneath his noncommittal expression. He wanted this - to test the limits of his power. It was the side of Adam that Cassie often forgot was there. Behind his relentlessly responsible facade, he was an adventurer at heart.

Diana, still looking weary, said, "I suppose it is worth a try. As long as we're extremely careful. But we should put it to a vote."

Laurel joined Faye at the center of the room. "I'll do the honors in Melanie's absence," she said. "All those in favor of saving Constance, raise your hand."

Everyone's hand went up except Cassie's. Laurel looked at her, surprised the vote wasn't unanimous.

"I want to," Cassie said. "Of course I want to. I'm just . . .

scared."

"We can't do this spell without a full Circle," Diana said.

"It's all or nothing."

Laurel's voice took on a pleading tone. "This is Melanie's family we're talking about. Her only family." But Diana was firm. "We can't force Cassie to perform a spell of this magnitude against her will." Cassie felt the room's attention rotate to her. "I'll do it," she called out before anyone else could say anything.

"Nobody's forcing me. Constance was family to all of us, and I want to do it."

Faye clapped her hands together and immediately began giving orders. "We have to work fast," she said. "And we need the Tools. I'll go get the garter." She pointed to Cassie and Diana. "You two go dig up the bracelet and diadem from wherever you hid them. And Diana, don't forget your Book of Shadows. The rest of you, go get Melanie." She paused. "And the body."

"The body?" Sean asked, aghast. "You mean we have to bring it here?"

Faye gave him a shove. "Where else do you suggest we revive it? Now go!"

Cassie went to where Diana was seated at the table while the others sprang into action.

"The diadem's hidden in my room," Diana said solemnly.

"Should we go together?"

Cassie nodded. "So it seems Faye's getting her way after all. She wanted to use the Tools, and now we are." Diana reached for her bag. "You can still back out if you're not comfortable with this."

"Are you comfortable with it?" Cassie asked.

"I want Constance to be alive," Diana said. "And once we're done with the spell, we'll put each relic right back in its hiding place."

"But you said there could be repercussions." Diana remained still for a moment and then spoke with care. "All magic has repercussions, Cassie. Power always comes with consequences."

Then she turned away as if the statement was nothing and fished through her bag for her keys. "Let's go get the Tools. I'll drive."
    
 

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