Read Online Cast Into Darkness by Janet Tait - Free Book Online

hearing how that bitch Brooke tried to kill her over it, and won’t talk to her long enough to take it off her hands. What was he waiting for, a Delacroix assault team to blow down the front gate looking for the stone?
    She huffed past Hayley, around the corner of the Sanctum, and across the lawn. Screw Brian. Maybe she should take this stupid stone and throw it in the ocean. See how he liked that.
    “Kate. Kate!” Hayley jogged after her.
    “What?” Kate kept storming along.
    “What’s got you so worked up?”
    Kate slowed down. “Oh…nothing. Just stuff with Brian. It’s nothing important.”
    “Maybe I can help.” An earnest smile lit Hayley’s face.
    Kate sighed. “You can’t. Don’t worry about it.” But maybe Hayley could help with something else. She stopped. “Hayley, is Grayson all right? Brian said he started on medication. And his office, it’s different. Have you noticed anything? Is he getting…”
    The smile vanished. “He’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with him.”
    “Hayley…”
    “No, really. There’s nothing wrong. The doctors did the whole exam thing. They say he’s got years. Definitely.”
    Kate remembered what the doctors had said about her mother. They were never that certain. They always said, “they couldn’t tell,” and “maybe, with the right medications,” and “she could go quickly or she could take a long time.”
    As it turned out, with her mother, the end came like a lightning bolt. One day, a little over two years ago, her mother had seemed as vibrant and sharp as ever. The next, she’d run through every room in the house, smashing all the mirrors until her hands were cut and bleeding, screaming that the ancient casters were trying to reach through and control them all. When Kate had returned from school that day, her mother had run to meet her at the door, her eyes wild, her fingers clutching at Kate’s sweater. Victor had grabbed a sobbing Kate, taken her to the family’s San Francisco house, and hadn’t let her anywhere near her mother again. No matter how much she’d begged.
    A week later, her mother had taken her own life and Dad had sent Kate to boarding school. For her own good, he’d said.
    “That’s great,” Kate said. “I was just worried about him—”
    “You don’t have anything to worry about,” Hayley snapped. “You don’t rely on him to—Sorry. I didn’t mean to… Anyway, he’s as sharp as ever. No delusions, no obsessions, nothing like that. He’s fine.”
    They reached the pool area where a few of the older kids still hung out, playing cannonball. A splash of cool water hit Kate as they walked by. Hayley set the tray on a nearby table.
    “Look, I didn’t want to upset you. I’m sorry.” Kate squeezed Hayley’s shoulder. “Want to go out tonight? After dinner? We could go to a club or something.” She’d have to figure out how to fit it in around her meeting with Brian, but clearly Hayley needed her.
    “Um…I’d love to, but I’m going to a party with Missy. I’d invite you along but…” Hayley had the grace to look sheepish.
    “Yeah, Missy doesn’t want to be seen with me. Especially not at a caster party. I get it.” Kate’s eyes drifted away from Hayley’s face. How many times had she seen Hayley, Brian, and their friends teleport off, laughing, all dressed up for a club or a party while she stayed behind to study or watch TV?
    Kate opened the glass doors, and they went in the house.
    “Well, I’m gonna work on my homework. See you later.” Hayley strode down the hall and pulled out her phone, typing a text message before Kate had a chance to suggest they do something else. Well, so much for spending the day with Hayley. When would she learn to keep her mouth shut and mind her own business?
    She sank into one of the big club chairs in the family room. She couldn’t corral Brian and give him back the stupid stone. She couldn’t spend time with Hayley. It wasn’t as if anybody else would put up