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to the other, the Circle chanted the Latin words they'd memorized - dark, unfathomable words they barely understood - until Faye heaved the firebal at Scarlett like a heavy stone.

But Scarlett shocked them all. With one swift motion she caught the roiling fire in her hands and burst it between her palms. "Be it undone!" she called out, the classic defense spell.

Within seconds, Faye shrunk back down to size and toppled over sideways onto the ground. The opening in the sky stitched itself closed, and the light of day returned to normal.

"How do you know the defense spell?" Cassie asked.

But even as the question left Cassie's lips, she knew there could only be one explanation. Scarlett wasn't a witch hunter. She was a witch, like them.

Deborah and Suzan ran to Faye to see if she was okay.

Slowly, they got Faye to her feet, but she appeared dazed and wobbly.

Scarlett turned to Cassie. Her dark eyes were still enflamed from the spell. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way," she said.

Adam stepped forward, astonished. "You're a witch?" Scarlett nodded and turned again to Cassie. "I wanted to tell you since the moment we first met."

"Why didn't you?" Diana asked.

"I was waiting for the right time," Scarlett said.

"You're a witch?" Cassie asked, repeating Adam's words and stunned tone verbatim.

"Not just any witch." Scarlett smiled shyly. "I'm your half sister."

"What?" Cassie could hardly breathe. "How?"

"We have the same father," she said. "Black John." Scarlett observed the shock in each of their faces. "I came to this town trying to escape the witch hunters, just like you are now. Back home, we were discovered." She turned to Diana, somehow understanding she was the Circle's leader. "The hunters killed my mother," she said. "And they marked me. I came here to get the protection of the Circle."

"So you knew about us," Melanie said.

"Yes." Scarlett reached for Cassie and took both her hands in her own. "My mother grew up in this town. I knew I had a sister out here my entire life, and I wanted to meet her."

This was almost more than Cassie could bear. The whole world started to spin, and she thought she might actually be dreaming, but then Diana spoke up, loudly jolting her from her haze. "So Cassie was right all along," she said.

Diana put one slender hand on Cassie's shoulder and the other on Scarlett's. "Please accept my apology," she said. "Our apology. To both of you. We should have had more faith."

"I accept," Scarlett said, smiling.

But Faye's husky voice crashed the sentimental moment.

Apparently, she'd regained her strength. "How do we know you're not lying, Scarlett? What proof do you have for any of these claims?"

Deborah answered for Scarlett, and for the group. "When she knocked you on your behind by deflecting your curse," she said, "that was proof enough for me."

"Me too," Suzan said, laughing.

Faye smirked. "I mean about being Cassie's half sister."

"She's telling the truth," Cassie said. "I think, deep down, I've known it all along."

Diana turned to Faye. "I think it's time for us to trust Cassie on this. Obviously, her sight wasn't clouded after all."

One by one, everyone expressed their apologies to Scarlett. Even Melanie, who'd wanted so badly to believe Scarlett had been the hunter responsible for killing her great-aunt Constance, put aside her desire for retribution and shook her hand.

"We misjudged you," Melanie said. "I'm sorry." It was hardly enough, considering they'd just tried to kill her, but it was all anyone could say.

The apologies were for Cassie, too. But Cassie didn't need anyone's apology - she had been right. She knew she felt connected to Scarlett, she just knew it! What a relief it was to have the truth come out at last.

Adam appeared as relieved as she was. He went to Cassie and wrapped his arms around her.

"I should have never doubted you," he said.

"That's okay," Cassie said. "You can remember that for next time." She hugged Adam back and, as she did, she caught sight of Nick looking on. He was the only one who'd stuck with her when everyone else was so sure Scarlett was evil. She would have to remember to thank him later, when they had a moment alone together.

Chapter 18

Cassie always dreamed of having a sister, of having someone to confide in and share secrets with, someone who would always stick by her no matter what. Cassie and Diana had promised to be sisters to each other, the sisters neither of them had.