Free The Hunt by Amy Meredith Page A

can give them. On this day, a day that to me is all but sacred, I vow that I, Annabelle Amelia Sewell, will continue to be their champion against the Evil that so often manages to invade this village .
    ‘That’s so sad,’ Eve said softly when she’d finished reading. ‘Her husband died before they were even married a year.’
    ‘Poor Annabelle. I wonder if she had even one friend. When your dad told us about her, it sounded like everyone in the village was scared of her, and she pretty much says that in her diary.’
    ‘Well, she did wander around talking about demons all the time,’ Eve answered. ‘People knew she was obsessed with them. That limits your friend pool right there.’
    ‘Don’t worry. You can talk about demons as much as you want,’ Jess told her. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’
    ‘Thanks.’ Warmth filled Eve’s body. The sensation was almost like her power coming to life. Bestie Power , she thought, smiling at her best friend. ‘I wonder what else Annabelle learned to do with her power.’
    ‘I know!’ Jess exclaimed. ‘She’d had her witch groove on for at least twenty-five years, since she had it when her husband died. And she said she was still figuring out new things she could do with her magic all those years later.’ She twisted round in her chair and looked at Eve full on.
    ‘What?’ Eve said, when her friend wouldn’t stop staring.
    ‘Just thinking about what you might be able to do. I mean, we know your mojo can be used for other things than blasting way-too cute demonic creatures,’ Jess said.
    ‘We do?’ Eve thought for a second. ‘You mean lighting candles? There are easier ways to do that. Easier and a lot less messy!’
    ‘Not candles, goofy. Remember when I was having those horrible nightmares because Mal’s demons were trying to loosen up my soul for sucking?’ Jess asked.
    Eve was never, never going to forget the sight of her friend writhing in terror. ‘Yeah, I remember.’
    ‘You touched me, and it made the dreams go away. That’s one of the other things you can do with your powers,’ Jess said.
    ‘It did feel different,’ Eve admitted. ‘Softer, somehow. More like waves coming out of me than a hard blast.’
    ‘You have different settings. Like a blow-dryer or something.’ Jess giggled, then her face went uncharacteristically serious. ‘Who knows what you can really do, Eve? You’ve already done amazing things, but there might be so much more.’
    Eve thought about the bright pool of power she knew was deep inside her. She thought Jess was right. She didn’t know what it could really do. What she could really do.

Chapter Seven
    ‘Let’s start with some jumping jacks!’ Vic cried, as if jumping jacks were the most exciting activity ever invented. The other cheerleaders obediently – but not quite as enthusiastically – followed instructions.
    Eve smiled as she looked on from the bleachers by the football field. It was kind of fun watching other people exercise when you didn’t have to. She hated getting sweaty at school.
    Vic led the squad through an intense warm-up routine, then the girls gathered in little clusters. Eve climbed off the bleachers and headed over to Jess, Vic and Jenna. Eve and Jess were going to walk home together after Jess was finished with practice. It was a new school rule. No one left the grounds alone. It was buddy system all the way.
    ‘What’s up?’ she asked her friends.
    ‘Waiting on the coach,’ Victoria answered. ‘Youknow she’d have a cow, a lamb and four squealing piggies if one of us showed up late.’
    Jess laughed. ‘So true.’
    ‘Where is the coach anyway?’ Rose Makishimia asked, joining the group.
    ‘Still in her office. Our new uniforms came in, and there was a mistake in the order,’ Vic said. ‘Somewhere a customer-service agent is about to cry.’
    ‘Good,’ Rose answered. ‘Not about the crying. But about where Coach Leonard is. I thought maybe …’ She knotted her hands