Page 72 of The 13th Daughter
If I can find Matthew, maybe he will help us. He has an agenda of his own. I don't know what it is. His appearance will signify the beginning of the curse. He's here to see it through so I won't count on his help. He may be as driven by revenge as the rest of them.
Cassie Jayne, you have to find this. I'm running out of time. Dad won't answer his cell and Mama just smiles. She knows who you are, CJ. I'm not sure if she is so wrapped up in all of this she'd let you die. I have to believe that she won't. She loves you. I'm going to go home now and try one last time to reason with her. Maybe she'll help us instead of telling me to calm down or that I'm overreacting.
They followed me all day. I managed to slip out earlier, but I must hurry. I don't want them to see where I'm hiding this. It's yours now, Cassie Jayne. Keep it hidden.
Be safe, little sister.
The book fell from my hands. I had to burn? Images from the dream invaded my mind. Sensory memories let me again feel the heat of the flames as they burned and blackened my skin, smell my hair and fingernails burning. I twisted to the side and threw up. They weren't just going to kill me. They were going to burn me at the stake. Shit. I was going to burn...
I could run, leave and never come back. But I couldn't go without Kay. I couldn't leave her here to face them. No. I would not let them do that to me or Kay. She might know a lot more than me, but I doubt she knew she had to die. She wouldn't let me die and neither would I her. I'd get us out. Ethan and Jeff. I'd call...
Ethan.
Ethan Matthew Warren.
Matthew.
It couldn't be. There was no way. Matthew was a ghost. Maybe. Emily didn't know. Ethan was flesh and blood. Solid. He couldn't be the same person. My stomach rolled violently and cramped up. Instincts. No. I wouldn't believe it.
I stood up on shaky knees, bit back the bile that rose in my throat and picked up Emily's Book of Shadows. Placing back on the ground it had come from, I stepped back.
"Earth I thank thee for showing me that which I sought.
Now I ask thee to please return it and keep it safe."
It didn't rhyme, but I was too upset to make up something. The Earth didn't take offense. It swallowed the book whole.
I turned back toward town.
To Ethan.
Or was he Matthew?
Chapter Twenty-Five
The Warren Estate,as it was called, stood just off McKelter Avenue. It took me only a few minutes to reach the house. In all the time I'd known Ethan, I'd never been to his house. It was an old colonial mansion that rivaled the beauty of the meeting hall. Tall white pillars and dark red brick shouted at the passerby to stand and stare in homage. The old structure had weathered the years and the Warrens had preserved the history of the house beautifully.
The door opened before I could knock. Old Man Warren, ninety if he was a day, stared down at me from under bushy eyebrows. He scowled, not at all pleased to see me on his doorstep. His wizened features were carved into a perpetual mask of grumpiness. His eyes, however, were the same steely shade of gray as Ethan's. The sparkle in them belied his grumpy exterior. Maybe he wasn't as upset as I thought.
"Hi, Mr. Warren." I gave him my best smile. "I'm..."
"I know who you are." He turned away and left the door open.
I frowned. Was that an invitation to come in?
"Well, git yourself in here, girl. You're lettin' out all the heat."
Okay, so it was an invitation. I stepped in and closed the door. He'd disappeared into the room off the entryway. With no other choice, I followed him. We were in a study or maybe a library. Books lined every wall and took up residence on any space that wasn't occupied. The furniture was all done in a deep mahogany wood and the couch and chairs were a light cream color. They looked softer than anything I'd ever seen. There was an ancient feeling to the room, like I'd stumbled into a gentleman's retreat from the olden days. I loved it.
As fascinated as I was, I didn't have time to admire the room. I needed to see Ethan.
"Is..." The photo on the mantle stopped me. I hurried over to look at it more closely. "Great Aunt Susan?" Shock sizzled through me. Why was there a picture of my aunt here?
The old man grinned and walked over to me. "Aye, 'tis her. She was a looker, Susan."
"But why do you have a picture of her?"
"I almost married her."
