Page 65 of The 13th Daughter
"The binding spell is the kinder of the two."
"Why?"
"A binding spell keeps a person from talking or doing something. It can even bind your ability to use magic. A blood oath is different. You take an oath to protect whatever secret you're keeping. By invoking a blood bond, you swear on your life to never betray that oath. A person who does and reveals the truth will die before the light of the next day."
Dad would die? No way could I let that happen. I vowed never to ask him another question. I refused to lose someone else.
"Hey." Jeff took my hand. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I lied. "I'm just tired. I need sleep. It's after three in the morning."
"I hadn't noticed," he laughed and rubbed his eyes and then his expression turned serious. "Don't worry about Billy. He's just a little fanatical about following the rules."
"I'm not worried about Billy," I told him. "Kay will take care of him."
Jeff smirked. "Yeah, I doubt he'd do anything to risk her being mad at him again."
"Thanks for helping me tonight," I smiled and squeezed his hand.
"Not a problem, hon," he winked. "You know I'd do anything for you."
In that moment, looking into his cornflower blue eyes, I wished I felt for him what I did Ethan. I even resented Ethan a little for taking this away from me. Jeff was my friend and he'd never lied to me. I didn't have to worry about his intentions every second of the day or question my sanity around him. He made me feel safe and protected whenever I was with him. He was always the first person I thought of when I needed help. Why couldn't I love him the same way I did Ethan?
Wait, the same way? Crap. This was not a conversation I wanted to have with myself right now. Maybe not ever. I couldn't let myself think those kinds of things. It wasn't fair to anyone.
"You look upset, CJ," he frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Tired," I waved off the question. It would do more harm than good for him to know about how I was really feeling. "I'll see you tomorrow."
I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and hopped out of the Jeep before he could say anything and fled into the house. Mom and Dad were both home. Their light was out under their door as I passed and I was grateful they were asleep. I didn't feel up to answering any questions tonight.
Every time I closed my eyes, I was back there in the heat and the smoke. I could still feel the fire crawl up my calves onto my thighs. The stench of burning hair and fingernails surrounded me. It nearly choked me and I was wide awake. How could it be so real? Laura wasn't even related to me. I could find itmore believable if I'd seen it through Sara's eyes. Then I could convince myself it was some kind of reincarnation. But this? I didn't understand this.
The only theory I could come up with had to do with the transference spell. Maybe I hadn't just transferred the memory. Maybe I had transferred myself to that moment in time? But that didn't explain Kay's dream. She'd had the same dream since she was five. Then again, it wasn't her dream to begin with. It was mine.
I sighed in frustration and tried to focus on what I could remember of the dream. It wasn't much. I'd heard mumblings. I knew one was the curse and Sara had cast something herself, but I couldn't hear past the screams.
Then there was the brand new problem I had. Jeff. I just outright refused to think about that particular little dilemma.
It was almost dawn when sleep finally claimed me, still no closer to the answers then before.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Thirteen betrayed,thirteen avenged...
Invoke...blood promise....
Arwan and Agrona, hear us this night....
The thirteenth bearer of life...
I screamed in frustration and threw my journal at the door. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make myself remember. I'd only had the one dream. Stupid me had repeated my father's words verbatim: Show me now what she sees and forever let it be.
Everything was so muddled. I couldn't get past the terror. I could only remember snatches of the curse. Sara's spell was out of reach. Laura had been so horrified at the casting of the curse, she hadn't paid attention to Sara. Apparently neither had I.
Why couldn't I remember? I'd tried to write memory spells, but it was useless. The dream was gone. Maybe for good this time. Tomorrow was my birthday. Maybe the dream was only supposed to last until then as a reminder or a warning of some sort. I just didn't know and it was driving me crazy.
Some of my frustration was due to the fact that Ethan had been gone since last Saturday and hadn't bothered to call me even once. I was so pissed. I'd left messages for him, but noresponse. My boyfriend was ignoring me. Granted he hadn't told me why he needed to go home and there could be something wrong, but would it have hurt him to drop me a text? Just to say hi? No, it would not have.
