The Power Page 0,63

are?"

Cassie wondered too. Wherever they were, Faye wasn't answering her beeper.

"I think," Cassie said at last, "that we're out one coven leader. And - well, I wanted to look this up in my Book of Shadows first, but Melanie, doesn't it say somewhere that in an emergency you can elect a new leader?"

Melanie smiled faintly, then nodded, as if she knew what Cassie had in mind. "In a crisis," she said. "If the remaining coven all agrees, a new leader can be elected."

There was a shifting around the Circle, people straightening up and looking interested. "Oh," said Laurel, "that's a good idea."

"Especially since we've got the Master Tools," Adam said.

"Let's do it," said Deborah.

Cassie was excited. She'd taken an oath while watching Faye draw that circle at the crossroads, and now she was going to see her oath fulfilled. She'd promised that Faye wouldn't be leader forever, and in a few minutes Faye wouldn't be.

She opened her mouth joyfully to say, "I nominate Diana," but before she could speak she heard Diana's voice.

"I nominate Cassie," Diana said clearly.

Cassie simply stared at her, amazed. When she got her breath back she said, "You're joking."

"No," Diana said. Then she turned, speaking to the rest of the Circle, speaking formally. "Cassie," she said, "has shown the most power of any of us, including Faye. She can call on the elements - we've seen her call on Fire. She can communicate over long distances. She's had true dreams, and she was the one who led us to the Master Tools. Her grandmother told her that her family has always had the clearest sight and the most power. And she's strong, stronger than I am for this kind of fight. I nominate Cassie."

Cassie was stunned, but the others were nodding.

"She's pretty tough," Deborah said, "even if she doesn't look like it."

"She got that dog off me," said Chris, sticking out his foot and examining it.

"She's smart, too," said Laurel proudly. Aside from Diana, Laurel had been Cassie's first friend in the Circle. "She thinks of things most people wouldn't think of."

"She has ideas," Suzan agreed, nodding her strawberry-blond head sagely.

"I like her," Sean ventured hesitantly, from his place in the ring of white stones. "She's nice to me."

"She's a natural," Doug said, grinning his wild grin.

Nick just said, "Yes."

Cassie realized they were serious. "I'm also Black John's ..." She stopped and tried again. "The fact that Black John is my ..." She still couldn't say the word.

"I think that may actually work for us," Melanie said, looking at Cassie with thoughtful gray eyes. "If he doesn't really want to hurt you it might handicap him - a little."

Everyone was still nodding. Cassie swallowed and gazed around the Circle. It didn't seem to have occurred to anyone that she might just be too scared to do it, to lead the fight against Black John. In her own heart, she knew she didn't want to face him again - that she wasn't ready. She didn't know if she'd ever be ready.

But they were all looking at her: Diana with earnest faith; Deborah and the Hendersons with innocent confidence. Even Nick and Melanie were nodding, urging her.

Cassie looked at Adam.

His blue-gray eyes were something like the ocean outside - murky and full of turmoil. "You can do it," he said tersely, answering her unspoken question. "And I think it's best for the coven. I don't know if it's best for you."

Cassie let out her breath.

They believed in her. She couldn't let them down.

"If everybody agrees," she said, scarcely knowing her own voice.

"We'll do it the easy way," Melanie said. "All in favor of Cassie as leader, raise your hand."

Every hand was raised.

Diana jumped up. "I'll get the things," she said. She and Adam headed for the cellar and returned a few minutes later with the brass and leather document box. Everyone leaned forward to look as she opened it, and there was a soft hiss of amazement around the Circle.

"They're beautiful," Suzan said, touching the silver diadem with one perfectly manicured nail.

"Yes," said Diana, unzipping her backpack. "Here, Cassie, put this on." It was the white shift Diana wore at meetings.

Cassie felt heat stealing into her face. She couldn't wear that. She would look . . .

"Don't worry, you won't be cold," Diana said, and smiled.

"But - you're taller than me. It'll be too long-"

"I hemmed it," Diana said. And then, in the silence that followed, she said gently, "Take it, Cassie."

Slowly, Cassie took it. She went into