The Complete Private Collection: Private; Invitation Only; Untouchable; Confessions; Inner Circle; Legacy; Ambition; Revelation; Last Christmas; Paradise ... The Book of Spells; Ominous; Vengeance (300 page)

“It will make you all-knowing for twelve hours,” Theresa continued. “I’d say that’s long enough to take a history exam, no?”

“Oh, I like that one!” Jane announced, raising her hand.

“But that’s cheating!” Clarissa protested, dropping her booted feet to the floor and leaning forward. “We can’t use that.”

“Maybe you can’t, but I will,” Viola said with a sniff, tugging on the lace cuffs of her sleeves. “Just because you’re a genius every day doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have the chance to experience it for ourselves.” She raised her head, sitting up perfectly straight on her chair.

“All in favor of the Genius Spell?” Theresa asked.

Everyone but Catherine, Eliza, and Clarissa raised their hands. Theresa surveyed the room and made a quick note. Eliza glanced quickly at her delicate gold watch, and her heart lurched. It was already eleven forty-five. In fifteen minutes, Harrison would be standing out in the woods, waiting for her. She reached into her pocket for his note, intending to check it again to make sure she was right about the time, but her fingers felt nothing but fabric. Her heart skipped a beat and she dug deeper, but there was nothing there. Her pocket was empty. The note was gone.

Instantly, Eliza looked up at Theresa. Theresa was gazing right at her, a smirk on her face. The entire room seemed to darken as Eliza felt a bull’s-eye form on her chest. Had Theresa found the note? Did she know? Was that why she’d called this impromptu meeting?

Guilt pressed in on Eliza from all sides. She was, after all, planning
a clandestine meeting with another girl’s fiancé. Whatever her bond with Harrison, his engagement to Theresa was a fact. Maybe she shouldn’t be doing this. Maybe she had let herself get caught up in the romance of it too quickly.

“All right, then, the Genius Spell is on our list with a vote of eight yeses and three nos,” Theresa announced.

She made a final tick on her notes, then looked back at Eliza. “I notice you haven’t voted yes once, Eliza,” she said perkily. “What are you waiting for? Are you in the mood for something more creative? Because the next one will apparently make a painting come to life.”

The other girls giggled, and Eliza shifted in her seat. She felt warm all over—conspicuous. “I suppose I just haven’t found any of the spells worthwhile.”

“Oh, really? And here I thought you were being sullen just because this was my idea,” Theresa said, turning fully to face her. “No one likes a spoilsport, Eliza.”

Jane gasped, and Viola whispered something to her behind her hand. All eyes darted between Eliza and Theresa. Eliza sat up straight, her guilt slowly beginning to ebb. “I’m not being a spoilsport. I just think there are better things we could be doing with our time.”

Like meeting Harrison,
she thought. Catherine closed her book and glanced at her two friends warily.

“What is it with you Williams girls?” Theresa said, throwing a hand up and letting it slap down on the podium. “Why do you think the entire world must revolve around what you think?”

Eliza’s face burned as the girls all gaped at her. This was the last straw. She had to get out of this basement and away from this awful
girl, and she had to do it now. Across the room, Bia whispered to Viola, and suddenly a plan came to Eliza.

“I’m sorry, Theresa,” she said, making her voice all breathy, the way Bia’s always sounded just before she went faint. “I don’t believe the world must revolve around me. I’m just . . . I’m having a hard time concentrating tonight.”

“Are you?” Theresa asked, with what seemed to be false surprise.

“Yes. In fact, I’m not feeling very well,” Eliza stated. “I’m feeling a bit . . . dizzy.”

“Oh, no!” Bia jumped up, suddenly wide awake, and crouched down in front of Eliza’s chair, taking her hand. “Don’t faint, Eliza!”

“Take some deep breaths,” Marilyn added helpfully, getting up to stand next to her chair.

“She’s not going to faint,” Theresa said, stepping away from the podium. Her red skirt swished around her ankles, making a gratingly raspy noise.

“Yes, she is! Dizziness always precedes fainting,” Bia said over her shoulder. “I should know.”

“She’s right. Bia faints more than anyone else I know,” Lavender stated.

Suddenly all the girls were on their feet and gathering around Eliza.

“You should get some fresh air, Eliza,” Catherine said, laying her books aside, obviously catching on to Eliza’s plan. “Everyone step back and give her some room to breathe.”

“Yes, I think I’ll just go back to Crenshaw House and lie down,” Eliza said as Catherine pretended to help her to the door. “The walk might do me some good.”

“You shouldn’t go alone,” Theresa said, dipping down to retrieve her leather carryall. “I’ll come with you.”

Eliza’s heart skipped a panicked beat and she looked at Catherine. “I’ll go with her,” Catherine blurted right away. “You have your votes to tend to.”

“Thank you, Catherine,” Eliza said, sounding as weak as she could. Before Theresa could reply, Catherine and Eliza had started up the winding staircase toward the empty pastor’s office up above.

“Let’s talk about this moving painting spell,” Clarissa said down below. “Do the subjects come to life as three-dimensional beings or two-dimensional pictures?”

Eliza and Catherine closed the door behind them at the top of the stairs and laughed. The windows of the chaplain’s office rattled in the strong wind that had been blowing all evening.

“Thank you!” Eliza said, drawing her friend into a hug.

“I’ll hide up here for a few minutes, then come back saying I’ve delivered you to the front door of Crenshaw,” Catherine replied, her eyes bright.

Eliza gave her friend one last hug before she went. “Thank you, Catherine, truly. I couldn’t be doing this without you.”

“You’re welcome,” Catherine replied. “Now go! I’ll see you back at our room, and you can tell me all about it.”

As she raced through the chapel and out into the moonlit night, Eliza knew that of all the blessings she had in her life, Catherine White was one of the greatest.

It wasn’t until Eliza had crossed into the woods just south of the chapel that she realized she had no idea where she was going. A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, and Eliza looked up anxiously at the sky. How far into the woods would Harrison be waiting? Would he be directly to the south, or somewhat east or west of the chapel entrance? Would she make it to him before the storm broke? She paused a few feet along one of the dirt paths that crisscrossed the woods and took a breath. The trees and bushes were being tossed by the wind, rustling and crackling, making it difficult to focus. Her heart rate was already accelerated with the anticipation of seeing Harrison. She had to calm down. She had to think.

What would Catherine do?

The answer came to her in an instant.
Scry.
But could she do it on her own? Another rumble of thunder sounded so close, it made Eliza flinch. The truth was, she didn’t have much choice. Alone she was.

Closing her eyes and ignoring the sliver of fear that ran down her spine, Eliza concentrated on a mental picture of Harrison. She didn’t have the pebbles or the water, the crystal or the glove, but she had an intense desire within her, and she hoped that would be enough. At the last moment, she decided to change the words slightly, hoping the specificity might help.

“Spirits from the other side, let your wisdom be my guide, take me to the place where Harrison hides.”

Suddenly raindrops started to drop all around her, drizzling onto her shoulders and back. Eliza felt the dizziness that seemed to accompany more complicated spell-casting, and she leaned a hand against the nearest tree until it passed. She tilted her face toward the sky, letting the raindrops cool her and bring her back to herself. Once she felt steady again, Eliza opened her eyes, unsure of what to expect. A sudden wind hit her from behind, tossing her hair in front of her face and tripping her forward.

Eliza gripped the tree and hesitated. Was this just more wind brought by the storm, or was this something else? She closed her eyes and concentrated. The wind whipped at her from behind, so hard she could barely keep her grasp on the tree bark. When she looked around again, she saw that the underbrush was being flattened in the opposite direction. That was the wind from the storm. This wind, the wind at her back, was something else entirely. This wind was leading her to Harrison.

Biting her lip in excitement, Eliza followed the breeze. Soon she came to a fork in the path, and suddenly the wind shifted. Her hair
blew across her face to the right, tickling her cheekbones and making her giggle. The rain, meanwhile, grew harder and more persistent, pounding on the leaves and branches above. Luckily the branches and leaves protected Eliza from the worst of the deluge. As she took the designated pathway, she was still relatively dry. Only a few drops here and there were visible on her dress.

Eliza walked a few paces and came to a large boulder, tall, white, and wide. When she came around the side of the boulder, she found Harrison Knox seated on a long, flat outcropping of the rock. He scrambled to his feet, and immediately the wind died down.

Eliza’s heart pounded. Magic was becoming rather useful in her life.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d come,” Harrison said. “Especially in this weather.”

He stepped forward and took her hand. He was dressed in a suit of brown tweed, a green-and-blue tie loosely knotted around his throat. The color combination somehow made him appear boyish—innocent. His blond hair was slightly wet from the rain, making it appear darker than usual.

“Of course I came.” The smile on her face was so broad, it ached.

“Eliza . . . I can’t stop thinking about you,” Harrison said earnestly.

The pitter-patter of the rain on the leaves above abated slightly, but another rumble of thunder sounded.

Eliza closed her eyes, letting his words wash over her. “Nor I, you,” she said, looking up at him again.

His handsome face broke into a grin.

“But what about Theresa?” she forced herself to ask. She didn’t want to, but she had to know how Harrison felt about his betrothed.

Harrison’s smile fell away. He dropped her hand and turned his back on her. It was the longest moment of Eliza’s life.

“I care for Theresa. I do,” Harrison said passionately, facing her again. “We’ve known each other all our lives, and I don’t wish to hurt her.”

Eliza’s heart panged miserably in her chest. Perhaps she should have waited just a few minutes longer to ask the question. Perhaps she should have allowed herself just a couple of moments to bask in the bliss of Harrison’s attention before causing it all to crumble away.

“But you should know, Eliza, our engagement . . . it’s not real,” Harrison said. He stepped forward again, and this time he took both her hands in both of his.

“It’s not?” she asked, confused but hopeful.

“I have to admit, last summer when it became clear to everyone that Theresa Billings had turned her attentions to me . . . I was very flattered,” Harrison said. “All the fellows coveted her. They were all jealous. Of me.”

Eliza swallowed hard.

“I got swept up in it,” he said, lifting his shoulders. “Suddenly everyone was asking me when we’d be engaged, where we’d make our home together, where we’d honeymoon, and it just seemed like . . . that was what I was supposed to do. If Theresa Billings loves you . . . you love her back.”

Eliza looked at the ground. Tears blurred her vision.

“But Eliza . . .” Slowly he drew her fingers up. Her breath caught as he tentatively, sweetly, brought them to his lips. “Eliza,” he said again. “I
don’t
love her. I realize that now. I could never feel about her the way I feel about you.”

“And how is that?” Eliza said, feeling weightless.

Harrison swallowed hard, his eyes searching Eliza’s. “I feel . . . I feel . . .”

With his right hand he gently cupped the back of Eliza’s neck. He was going to kiss her. She could see it in his eyes. As his lips edged closer to hers, she realized that all she wanted in the world was for him to kiss her. Her eyes fluttered closed and she tilted her head back, aching for the feel of his lips against hers.

And then they heard a shout. Harrison backed away, his eyes scanning the dark trees around them.

“What was that?” he asked.

There was another shout, and this time, Eliza recognized Catherine’s voice. A gust of wind whirled through the trees, drowning out the next words, but Eliza could have sworn she heard Theresa respond. Her heart flew into her throat as a flash of lightning was followed quickly by a clap of thunder.

“Someone’s out there,” Harrison said, reaching for her protectively. “Come. I’ll take you back to Crenshaw.”

“No,” Eliza replied. Harrison looked at her, his face creased with confusion. “I mean . . . no, thank you, Harrison. I can find my own way back. If you’re caught on the Billings campus—”

“What is that to me when your safety is on the line?” Harrison said, placing his arm around her waist.

Eliza glanced over her shoulder as another shout was whisked away by the wind. Theresa and Catherine were out there right now, arguing, and she knew it most likely had something to do with her. She had to go to them. She had to stop this.

I’m sorry about this, Harrison,
she thought. Then she placed her hand flat behind him, palm facing his back.

“Domicilus,” she whispered.

Instantly, Harrison released her and walked off, his eyes unfocused as if he was in a daze. He was headed for his own dorm on the Easton campus, just as the spell intended. Eliza bit her lip as his foot slipped on some wet leaves, but he righted himself and kept walking. She only hoped he would get there safely and not encounter anyone along the way.

“Stop it, Theresa!” Catherine’s voice shouted, closer than ever this time. “Let’s go back! Just come back with me!”

“Leave me alone!” Theresa responded. “You’re no friend to me, Catherine!”

Once again, the rain picked up, this time breaching the protective canopy of the trees and soaking Eliza through. She blinked the water off her lashes, hitched up her skirt, and ran toward the arguing voices, only hoping there was something she could do to help.