Page 74 of The 13th Daughter
The book heaved and groaned. It twisted and grew, doubling, tripling in size and length. The pages continued to swell in number. I gasped at the weight of it. After a moment it gave a final shudder and lay still upon my lap.
"You see, girlie, it does belong to you," Mr. Warren told me gently and helped me put the book on the table in front of me."I seen what happened to it that day you touched it and fetched your Daddy. I don't think I've ever seen him look so scared in his life. He gave you over to me and soon as you was out of the room it shrank down to its normal size. We both understood who you were that day or rather who you would be."
"And just who am I?" I asked, never taking my eyes off the Book. My Book. A quiet peace settled over me. It was safe.
"Open it and find out."
I looked at him. He gave me an encouraging nod. What could happen?
Everyone who's ever opened Pandora's Box probably asked that same question.
My fingers lightly stoked the velvety softness of the book. It looked to be bound in leather, but felt like the soft fur on the underbelly of a bunny. It shivered under my touch, alive and breathing. A book couldn't be alive. Could it?
I opened it and stared at writing in a language I didn't know. I turned the pages and stared in amazement at the intricate drawings. Little notes were scribbled here and there. As the pages flew by, the writing changed and soon the entries were written in English. It must have been around the time Christianity was trying to stomp out Paganism. I remembered that from our history class. Ms. Ferguson had just started going over the rise of Christianity. The English language had started to become more dominant in that era.
The spells and potions listed were fantastic and terrifying, everything from soothing a headache to causing one's enemy to rot from the inside out. This was by far the most amazing thing I had ever seen in my entire life. Everything I could ever want to know was in here...except the curse. Emily had said she'd removed it. Then I remembered Mr. Martin saying something about checking it to make sure all the details were straight. Did they not know she'd destroyed the pages? I was betting no. He'dprobably never even thought to check, seeing as how the entire town had been just as crazy as he was about the curse.
But there was something that might be in here.
"Show me Sara Bishop's last spell the night I watched her burn."
I heard Mr. Warren's shocked gasp, but paid him no heed. The book's pages fluttered and turned, coming to rest at last upon an empty page. Words inked themselves in as I watched.
Our Sara died last night. She could not stop George from cursing us all, but she did what she could to hinder him. Here lies her last words as shown to me in a vision.
"Daughter of Shadow, Daughter of Light
Born not as one, but as two, you will seek your path
Upon maturity
United, the curse fulfilled,
Divided, the curse shall fail.
Earth, Air, Fire, and Water I summon thee to do my bidding,
Spirit, rend her asunder so that what shall pass will
Forever be undone."
She could not stop the horror, but she tried to help the child we would betray for our own revenge. The goddess Agrona desired a blood sacrifice for her aide. She demanded payment from one of one of our own, the 13th bearer of life, born on the day of shadows and light. The girl must burn to relive the horror of that night so those who died may find a way back to seek their vengeance. The flames and her pain will be their beacon and her blood shall bind the returned souls together to form the evil that will soar into the night and seek those who are of the same blood as our betrayers. Perhaps Sara's efforts will work. Only the passage of time will tell.
Our people are angry and hurt. Their need for vengeance is a powerful thing. I understand it, but I cannot share in it. What was done to our families and friends was a terrible thing, but if we do this, hold this curse in our hearts, than we are no better than our betrayers. We will do to a child of our own flesh and blood what was done unto us. We Bishops will do what we can to stop this. I have sealed this book to all Coven members until a true Coven leader is borne unto us again. The others will only be able to use the good in the book. The darker magic is bound from eyes that wish to use it for ill, except for the curse. Mayhap it will be enough. I do not know.
We leave in the morning for a place called North Carolina. We are hopeful we will be able to establish a village where we can be free to practice our magic. But I am afeard. The only ones going with us are the families of the betrayed and those who were horrified at what the Coven had done to us. Anger breeds hate. I am afeard their hatred will harbor for centuries and breed a legacy of death and vengeance. They will destroy their own because of their hatred.
We will do what we can to stop this, but it shall not be enough. Sara may have torn their souls asunder, but only one of them will have the strength of will needed to stop this madness. I have seen it in my dreams. I must warn the child. I have cast my own spell. She shall relive the burning in her dreams. It will serve as a warning to her. I pray someone understands it and aides her.
The Fates are cruel at times, but perhaps they shall decide to smile upon the girl. I pray so.
Madeline Bishop
I closed the Book and sat back. I had my answers.
At least now I understood the curse and what Sara Bishop had done to try and stop it. Mostly. That night in 1692, George Howe decided he wasn't going to take his fate lying down. He cursed the members of his Coven who had betrayed them to keep themselves from being named as witches. He called upon the god Arwan and the goddess Agrona to help him cast a curse. The thirteenth daughter, or the thirteenth bearer of life as they put it back in the day, born on Samhain, Halloween, signified the thirteen who had burned. Her blood would invoke the curse and give their ancestors a way to come back and seek their vengeance. Since the original betrayers were dead, their descendants would suffer and die because of the curse. Sins of the father and all that.
Sara did what she could to stop it.
