reminded.
Inching closer, we used our knees to create an unbroken circle.
Her eyes met mine. In them I found none of the excitement from Saturday night, only a dark, steady awareness.
“Whatever you do, don’t let go this time,” she whispered. “And remember, we have to say good-bye. Okay?”
I looked from her to Chase, then at the dark lettering of the board. “Promise.”
“Okay,” she whispered. “Here we go.”
The walls pushed closer.
“Angel of Protection,” she began in the same singsong voice from a few nights before, “my guardian dear, to whom pure love commits me here.”
Saturday I’d had no idea what to expect, or what to ask. Now questions blasted me.
“Ever this night,” she chanted, “be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide.”
Chase squeezed my hand. I concentrated on the warmth of his, the strength of his fingers. But tingles of cold streaked up my arm.
Robotically he turned to look at me. His eyes were narrow, aware, the dull glow telling me he knew the train was coming, coming really fast, and we were straight in its path.
“Look,” Victoria said, half laughing—half not. “I can always leave if you two—”
“No.” I swung from Chase to the golden hue of the board. “I’m ready.” To prove it, I moved my right index finger to the pointer.
Pressing her lips together, Victoria placed her finger next to mine.
But Chase did not move.
I glanced at him, saw his shoulders wider than usual, every muscle in his body tense, even his neck. His face was like stone, his jaw and mouth tight, the blue of his eyes nearly black, and once again we were back in that morgue, locked in silent communion.
“I kill him,” he’d said Sunday. “ This time I do it .”
Blinking, I reached out in the only ways I could, squeezing his hand and pressing my knee firmer against his.
“Just don’t let go,” I whispered. “No matter what happens, don’t let go.”
His dimple reappeared. “Not gonna happen,” he murmured, and then his finger joined mine and Victoria’s.
“Hear me now,” she said, exactly as she had before. “I invite only those spirits who are for our highest good.”
And like before, the pointer started to slide in a slow, clockwise circle.
Chase stiffened.
Victoria closed her eyes and bowed her head.
This time I did the same. And before she could finish, I took over the chant. “Any spirits who come through who are not for my highest good are to be absorbed into the light of protection.”
I would have sworn I started to float.
The pointer circled slower, its movement hypnotic.
“Harming none,” I whispered as Chase squeezed my hand and I inhaled, drawing the scent of sage deep within me.
And through the silence, the hum began, more of a vibration than a sound.
The triangle stopped. I jerked, felt myself start to pull away. But Chase held on, tightly enough for both of us.
And I had to see him. In that moment, for some reason, I needed to see him as badly as I needed to breathe. I opened my eyes and found him staring, not at me but at the pointer.
If I hadn’t felt his pulse through his skin, I would have had no idea that he breathed.
“Chase—” I’m not sure why my voice broke.
His eyes remained fixed, but his throat worked, and when he spoke, his voice was not one that I recognized. “Is there someone here?” he asked.
Two of the votives flickered, and again the pointer glided, this time to the upper left.
YES
Victoria’s finger stiffened. “Thank you,” she whispered, just as she had before.
My heart started to pound really, really hard. “Marie—” I started, but Victoria’s eyes flew open so fast I stopped. “W-what?” I asked her.
Blond hair hung limply around her face. “We’re not supposed to supply names.” She visibly swallowed before shifting her attention back to the board. “Are you … good?”
My breath just kind of stopped. I’d forgotten to ask the most important question of all.
Amid
Inching closer, we used our knees to create an unbroken circle.
Her eyes met mine. In them I found none of the excitement from Saturday night, only a dark, steady awareness.
“Whatever you do, don’t let go this time,” she whispered. “And remember, we have to say good-bye. Okay?”
I looked from her to Chase, then at the dark lettering of the board. “Promise.”
“Okay,” she whispered. “Here we go.”
The walls pushed closer.
“Angel of Protection,” she began in the same singsong voice from a few nights before, “my guardian dear, to whom pure love commits me here.”
Saturday I’d had no idea what to expect, or what to ask. Now questions blasted me.
“Ever this night,” she chanted, “be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide.”
Chase squeezed my hand. I concentrated on the warmth of his, the strength of his fingers. But tingles of cold streaked up my arm.
Robotically he turned to look at me. His eyes were narrow, aware, the dull glow telling me he knew the train was coming, coming really fast, and we were straight in its path.
“Look,” Victoria said, half laughing—half not. “I can always leave if you two—”
“No.” I swung from Chase to the golden hue of the board. “I’m ready.” To prove it, I moved my right index finger to the pointer.
Pressing her lips together, Victoria placed her finger next to mine.
But Chase did not move.
I glanced at him, saw his shoulders wider than usual, every muscle in his body tense, even his neck. His face was like stone, his jaw and mouth tight, the blue of his eyes nearly black, and once again we were back in that morgue, locked in silent communion.
“I kill him,” he’d said Sunday. “ This time I do it .”
Blinking, I reached out in the only ways I could, squeezing his hand and pressing my knee firmer against his.
“Just don’t let go,” I whispered. “No matter what happens, don’t let go.”
His dimple reappeared. “Not gonna happen,” he murmured, and then his finger joined mine and Victoria’s.
“Hear me now,” she said, exactly as she had before. “I invite only those spirits who are for our highest good.”
And like before, the pointer started to slide in a slow, clockwise circle.
Chase stiffened.
Victoria closed her eyes and bowed her head.
This time I did the same. And before she could finish, I took over the chant. “Any spirits who come through who are not for my highest good are to be absorbed into the light of protection.”
I would have sworn I started to float.
The pointer circled slower, its movement hypnotic.
“Harming none,” I whispered as Chase squeezed my hand and I inhaled, drawing the scent of sage deep within me.
And through the silence, the hum began, more of a vibration than a sound.
The triangle stopped. I jerked, felt myself start to pull away. But Chase held on, tightly enough for both of us.
And I had to see him. In that moment, for some reason, I needed to see him as badly as I needed to breathe. I opened my eyes and found him staring, not at me but at the pointer.
If I hadn’t felt his pulse through his skin, I would have had no idea that he breathed.
“Chase—” I’m not sure why my voice broke.
His eyes remained fixed, but his throat worked, and when he spoke, his voice was not one that I recognized. “Is there someone here?” he asked.
Two of the votives flickered, and again the pointer glided, this time to the upper left.
YES
Victoria’s finger stiffened. “Thank you,” she whispered, just as she had before.
My heart started to pound really, really hard. “Marie—” I started, but Victoria’s eyes flew open so fast I stopped. “W-what?” I asked her.
Blond hair hung limply around her face. “We’re not supposed to supply names.” She visibly swallowed before shifting her attention back to the board. “Are you … good?”
My breath just kind of stopped. I’d forgotten to ask the most important question of all.
Amid
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