The Divide Page 0,65

much as Cassie wanted to.

Cassie searched Adam's face for a reaction, terrified of what it might be.

But Adam's eyes filled with tears, and he pulled Cassie in toward his chest. "I'm so glad you're okay," he said.

Cassie didn't feel like she deserved his comforting, and tried to break free from his arms.

Adam squeezed her tighter. "You just saved our lives," he said.

"I almost cost you your lives," Cassie said, no longer able to stop herself from crying. "All of this is my fault. All of it, and I am so sorry."

Diana placed her hand on Cassie's back. "We're all in this together," she said. "And we're all okay. That's what matters."

Cassie began to sob into Adam's chest. "But I want to be good."

"You are good." Diana hugged Cassie from behind, sandwiching her between herself and Adam. "You can't start doubting that."

"Scarlett is the evil one," Adam said. "Not you." Cassie appreciated their support. They meant well, and she knew that, but the truth was, none of them could be sure what the ability to perform black magic meant for Cassie.

Faye smiled at her like a new discovery. "How does it feel?" she asked.

"I just feel like going home," Cassie said.

Chapter 29

They all recovered from the morning's battle miraculously well. A little soap and water, and a change of clothes, and each of them were mostly back to their old selves.

Diana prepared an herbal tea in the kitchen and returned to the living room carrying a tray. "Is Faye here yet?" she asked.

The Circle was desperate to hear what had happened at Cape Cod before they arrived and to fill in the holes of what they still didn't understand.

"We should start without her," Suzan said, picking at her nail cuticles.

Diana shot Adam a concerned look and asked Suzan,

"Where is she?"

"We know exactly where she is," Laurel said. "She's with Max."

"I didn't tell you that," Suzan said.

"Maybe we should begin without her," Cassie said. She knew how unbelievably lucky it was that none of them had been badly hurt, and she was anxious to apologize again for her mistakes. "I want to make sure I don't ever put any of you at risk again. So I have a lot to tell you." Just then Faye swept through the door. Her eyes were infused with an energy that was palpable. Her cheeks were flushed, and her plump red lips looked almost like they were swol en with blood.

"Sorry I'm late," she said.

"You need to quit it with Max already," Adam said. "How many times do we have to tell you? We don't know if we can trust him."

Faye felt for a black pendant hanging from her neck, and Cassie caught something unusual in her eyes.

"I said I was sorry." Faye continued toying with the pendant. She always wore a red star ruby necklace, but the pendant was new. It was a shimmering black opal.

"Did Max give you that?" Cassie asked.

Faye let go of the necklace immediately and shot Cassie a threatening look, but Cassie noticed that she also blushed. All at once, Cassie realized the truth: Faye's feelings for Max were real.

Melanie exhaled loudly. "Don't we have more important things to talk about than Faye's love life?"

"Yes, we do," Diana said. "Cassie, why don't you fill us in on what we missed?"

Cassie stepped to the center of the room. "First, I want to apologize formally to all of you," she said. "I should have never betrayed you the way I did. Especially my fell ow leaders, Diana and Faye."

"An apology isn't necessary," Nick said from where he was sitting in the corner.

There were nods all around.

Faye scoffed. "I can't believe you pansies are letting her off this easy. If it were me who'd stolen the Master Tools, and then lost them to boot - "

"The Circle forgives you, Cassie," Diana said, cutting Faye off. "But remember, for the future, that we're your family, too."

"I know that now," Cassie said. "I knew it before, but I guess it slipped away from me."

Cassie's heart was thumping in her chest. "You've been a sister to me since I arrived here," she said to Diana. "And you're the only sister I'll ever need."

Diana's eyes misted over. "Thank you," she said.

Melanie cleared her throat. "I hate to interrupt this sentimental moment, but maybe Cassie can tell us what she learned about Scarlett, so we know what we're up against."

"Of course," Cassie said. She went on to explain how Scarlett had tricked her, to lure her away from