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come in. The last words had only been a whisper, "John" and something else Cassie couldn't make out. But she could recall the shape of her grandmother's lips trying to make it. It had been "Blake."

"Why didn't she try to tell me before?" Cassie whispered raggedly, hardly aware she was speaking aloud. "Why wait until she was dying? Why?"

"Who, your grandma? She didn't want to upset you, I suppose," Faye said. "She probably thought you'd be - disturbed - if you knew. And maybe" - Faye leaned forward - "she knew it would bring you closer to him. You're his own flesh and blood, Cassie. His daughter."

Cassie was shaking her head, blind, nauseated. "The other old women - they must have known too! God, everybody who knew him must have known. And nobody told me. Why didn't they tell me?"

"Oh, stop sniveling, Cassie. I'm sure they didn't tell you because they were afraid of how you'd react. And I must say it looks as if they were right. You're falling apart."

Great-aunt Constance, Cassie was thinking. She must have known. How could she stand to look at me? How can she stand to have my mother in her house?

And Mrs. Franklin had been going to tell her, she realized suddenly. Yes. That had been what that last-minute scene in Aunt Constance's parlor had been all about. Adam's grandmother had been about to tell, about to say something to Cassie about her father. Granny Quincey and Aunt Constance had stopped her. They were all in a conspiracy of silence, to keep the truth from Cassie.

Probably not the parents, Cassie thought slowly, feeling very tired. They probably didn't remember anyway. They'd made themselves forget everything. But Aunt Constance had warned the Circle against stirring up those old memories, and her gaze had settled on Cassie when she did it.

"Just think about it, Cassie," Faye was saying, and that husky voice sounded reasonable now, not gloating or triumphant. "He only wants the best for you; he always has. You were born as part of his plans. I know you and I have had our problems in the past, but John wants us to get along. Won't you just give it a try? Won't you, Cassie?"

Slowly, painfully, Cassie made her eyes focus. Faye was kneeling in front of her. Faye's beautiful, sensual face seemed lit softly from within. She really means it, Cassie thought. She's sincere. Maybe she's in love with him.

And maybe, Cassie mused dizzily, I should think about it. So many things have changed since I came to New Salem - I'm not at all the person I used to be. The old, shy Cassie who never had a boyfriend and never had anything to say is gone. Maybe this is just another change, another stage of life. Maybe I'm at the crossroads.

She looked at Faye for a long moment, searching the depths of those amber eyes. Then, slowly, she shook her head.

No.

Even as she thought it, chill white determination flooded her. That was one road she would never take, no matter what happened. She would never become what Black John - what her father - wanted.

Without a word, without looking back, Cassie got up and walked away from Faye.

Outside, the melee was still going on. Cassie scanned the front entrance of the school and saw the weak November sun shining on a cascade of fair hair. She headed for it.

"Diana. . ."

"Cassie, thank God! When Nick told us you were alone in his office . . ." Diana's eyes widened. "Cassie, what's wrong?"

"I have to tell you something. At home. Can we go home now?" Cassie was holding on to Diana's hand.

Diana stared at her for another moment, then shook herself. "Yes. Of course. But Nick will be looking for you. He had the idea that we should start a fight on the first floor as a diversion; just grab a bunch of people and start swinging. All the guys did it, and Deborah and Laurel. They're all looking for you."

Cassie couldn't face any of them, especially Nick. Once he knew what she really was - what he'd held in his arms, what he'd kissed ...

"Please, can't you just tell them I'm okay, but I need to go home?" Suzan was standing nearby; Cassie nodded at her. "Can't Suzan just tell them?"

"Yes. All right. Suzan, tell everybody I've taken Cassie home. They can stop the fight now." Diana led Cassie down the hill to the parking lot. They had barely reached