Hex Hall | Page 8

e s h ell a n d g ra v el d riv ew ay th at le d f ro m th e s h ore to th e s c h ool's p ark in g lo t. S o
I s h ould h av e h ad it m em oriz ed , b ut I k ep t h old in g o n to it a n d c o m puls iv ely r e ad in g it, lik e it w as m y w ubby o r s o m eth in g:
T he p urp ose o f H ecate H all is to p ro te ct a n d in str u ct s h ap esh if te r, w itc h , a n d f a e c h ild re n w ho h av e r is k ed e x posu re o f th eir a b ilitie s, a n d th ere fo re im perile d
P ro dig iu m s o cie ty a s a w hole .
" I s till d on't s e e h ow h elp in g o ne g ir l f in d a d ate im perile d o th er w itc h es," I s a id , s q uin tin g a t m y m om a s w e r e ach ed in to th e tr u nk f o r m y s tu ff. T he th ought h ad b een
b uggin g m e s in ce th e f ir s t tim e I 'd r e ad th e b ro ch ure , b ut I h ad n't h ad a c h an ce to b rin g it u p. M om h ad s p en t m ost o f th e f lig ht p re te n din g to b e a sle ep , p ro bab ly to
a v oid lo okin g a t m y s u lle n e x pre ssio n.
" It w asn 't ju st th at o ne g ir l, S oph, a n d y ou k now it. I t w as th at b oy w ith th e b ro ken a rm in D ela w are , a n d th at te ach er y ou tr ie d to m ak e f o rg et
9 R ach el H aw kin s
a b out a te st in A riz o na. . . ."
" H e g ot h is m em ory b ack e v en tu ally ," I s a id . " W ell, m ost o f it."
M om ju st s ig hed a n d p ulle d o ut th e b eat- u p tr u nk w e'd b ought a t T he S alv atio n A rm y. " Y our f a th er a n d I b oth w arn ed y ou th at th ere w ere c o nse q uen ces f o r u sin g
y our p ow ers . I d on't lik e th is a n y m ore th an y ou d o, b ut a t le ast h ere y ou'l l b e w ith . . . w ith o th er k id s lik e y ou."
" Y ou m ean to ta l s c re w ups." I p ulle d m y to te b ag o nto m y s h ould er.
M om p ush ed h er o w n s u ngla sse s u p a n d lo oked a t m e. S he s e em ed tir e d a n d th ere w ere h eav y lin es a ro und h er m outh , lin es I 'd