The Promise (Book 1, The Coven Series)

Chapter Eleven

I stared at it, almost afraid to read it. Emily had been the one who convinced me to start keeping a journal. It would come in handy later if I learned to write things down, she'd said. My writing kept me sane, even if I hadn't done it in a while. I owed her so much.

This one must have been one she'd just started. The pages weren't full and the first entry was dated in September. These were her last thoughts in the weeks before she died. I took a deep breath and started to read.

September 09, 2007

Well, old friend, Dad gave me my own Book of Shadows today. He says anything I write about the Coven needs to go in it from now on. It's beautiful, bound in velvety soft black leather with my name etched in gold along the top. He had it handmade. It doesn't look that big, but he says when I need more pages, they'll be there. Who am I to judge after some of the things I've seen? If he says they'll be there, well, then I guess they will. He also told me to hide it in a very secure place, that it's for my eyes only. A witch's BOS is sacred and personal. It's also very powerful. If you let others see your innermost thoughts and how you work your magic, you hand them a weapon to use against you. Yup, that's what he said, a weapon. So, I guess I'll have to find a good hiding spot for it.

I will share it with CJ, though. She's my sister and I trust her more than anyone else in the world. She would never use it against me. Besides, how can I not share it with her since she's practically written over half of my spells the last couple of years? She's much better at spelling than I am and she doesn't even realize it. It's only fair that I give her my spells in return for all the help she's given me.

Dad says that I'm not supposed to write anything else about the Coven in my journals, that all my insane ramblings go in the BOS, but I have kept a journal for so long, it's going to be a hard habit to break. How can I not confess everything to you? You're my secret keeper. Don't worry, I'll keep telling you my secrets for a while longer.

September 12, 2007

I'll kill him. How dare he? Who does he think he is? Cheat on me and think I won't find out about it? So dead.

September 15, 2007

Thank the Fates, CJ is a whiz with spells. I have tried for three days straight to get my truth spell to work on Adam. CJ came into my room while I was ranting about my last failed attempt and I asked her what she thought about it. She frowned and rambled off the perfect truth spell. It worked the FIRST time. Why can my spells never work the first time around? Jealous? You betcha.

He was cheating with my best friend. Damn them both. The look of horror on Nora's face when Adam confessed in front of everyone was well worth it. You do not MESS with the JCL and expect to get off scot free. No one is speaking to either of them right now because I'm not speaking to them right now. Thank you, little sister.

September 21, 2007

I know I'm not supposed to write about Coven business in here, but I don't have time to dig out my BOS and I need to sort through this. So, old friend, help me to figure it out.

The Council keeps pressing me to name a successor, but I keep putting it off. I have to make a decision soon, though. Even Dad told me to get a move on. Who should I name as the next Junior Coven Leader? I've thought long and hard, looked at all the candidates and still, I'm hesitant.

Everyone is pushing for Kay to take over. She's a born leader and can command a crowd better than anyone I know, maybe even better than Mr. Martin, her father. Everyone adores her and pretty much follows her lead now, so it wouldn't be too much of a leap for me to chose her. But there's something there in her face that makes me uncomfortable. It's a look she gets, the same look her dad gets, that says she's out for herself and everyone else be damned. Then I feel bad for even thinking it. I know Kay – she's CJ's best friend. Kay is not her father, but I can't shake the feeling that she only lets us see what she wants us to, including CJ. Growing up with the asshole she did must have left scars – hell she gets drunker than sin every weekend. That's her way of coping. CJ tries to keep her out of trouble, but sometimes she looks for it, especially when she's drunk. What kind of trouble could she cause if I gave her the JC?