The Promise (Book 1, The Coven Series)

Chapter Fifteen

Gallows Lane was just off Main Street so we made it to the Hall in ten minutes. Lucy's was busy even for a Saturday morning. What if there were more people out and about than we'd originally thought? Jeff must have been thinking the same thing because he led us around behind the library to the back of the Hall. He put a finger to his lips and disappeared inside.

I looked up at the old building. The Hall was one of the first structures that went up when the town was founded. It looked like some grand old colonial mansion with its wide porches and good old fashioned New England architecture. It stood three stories high and was meticulously repainted every year. White, of course, with blazing red shutters and a garden most would sell their souls to have. I loved the old building and it had starred in several of my short stories.

It also intrigued me. Even though I'd promised to never go near the Coven and adamantly refused to believe in witchcraft, I was insanely curious about what it looked like on the inside. Kay offered to show me around, but I never took her up on it because of my promise to my sister. Now that I had the chance to get a look inside, I was bouncing with excitement. What would it look like? Would it feel different? Would I feel different inside? A million questions buzzed in my head.

Jeff stuck his head out the back door and motioned me inside. I found myself in a small entryway of some sort. A soft, earthy tone colored the walls and white, frilly curtains adorned the windows. The room was bright and airy. Nothing dark and macabre here as in my stories about the place.

"Come on, there's hardly anybody here," he whispered. "We'll go through the kitchen and duck down the back hallway. The room is just off the library."

He led me through another door and into the kitchen which appeared very modern. Stainless steel appliances and industrial sized refrigerators were pretty much all I could see as Jeff dragged me in a dead run through the room and out another door. So much for my having a chance to look around, I thought wryly as I tried not to fall through the door he pushed me through. The hallway in front of us was narrow and very dark. He didn't turn on the lights as we crept forward and paused when we reached a set of massive double doors. He put his ear to the door and listened. The library I guessed.

"Good," he whispered. "They're still eating. Come on, let's get this over with."

He pushed the door open and very carefully stepped over the threshold. I followed and closed the door behind me. Light blinded me. He'd turned on a wall lamp close to my eyes. Blinking rapidly, I tried very hard not to yell at him with people next door. It took a great effort. He shot me an apologetic look.

Once my eyes focused, I looked around. The room was plain, windowless. No furniture of any type decorated it. The walls were painted a standard egg-shell white. The only item in the room was a large pedestal of some sort. It was about four feet high and an ancient symbol was carved into the mahogany wood. I frowned. It was the same symbol that we wore on our school uniform and carved into the monument in town. Curious, I stepped forward.

Jeff grabbed my arm. I opened my mouth to protest, but stopped. He stared open-mouthed at the pedestal. What was wrong with him? He looked afraid. "What?" I asked him.

"It's gone, CJ."

My eyes flew back to the pedestal. He was right. There was no book there. I'd been so busy looking at the symbol carved into every inch of the wood, I failed to notice the Book was missing. Well, damn. Where the hell was my Book? Wait, my Book? I shook my head at my own foolishness. It held the answers I needed. That's all. It wasn't my Book.

"Maybe someone in the library has it?" I suggested. "To check something?"

He shook his head. "The book never leaves this room. It's forbidden to remove it."