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No time to delay. I'd made my choice. Now finish it.
I cast a binding spell. Leah froze. While holding her, I closed my eyes and concentrated until sweat poured down my face, dripping onto the floor.
Mom? Are you out there? I need you.
I bent over, fists clenched, calling and calling and calling, as I had that day all those years ago, feeling the house shaking around me, the spirits rising, every spirit but the one I wanted and I'd kept calling until finally ...
A faint whisper. "Savannah ..."
My head jerked up, eyes flying open.
"Mom?"
I struggled to focus. My eyes burned. My legs ached holding me up. The building seemed to sway.
"Savannah ..."
A shape appeared, so faint I could see only an outline with a weird blue glow dangling at its side. But I knew it was her. I knew.
"I heard you were looking for someone." I waved at Leah. "I got her for you, Mom."
I struggled to smile. The room flickered, like the lights were about to go out. Beside me, Leah's eyes blazed and it took everything I had to hold the binding spell as she fought to get free, to tell my mom about the poison, to make the deal.
"Don't listen to anything she says, Mom," I said, my voice hoarse, every word a struggle. "She's going to lie and tell you I'm in trouble. I'm okay. Adam's here. He'll get me help. We figured everything out and foiled her plan. So don't listen to anything she says. Just take her away."
The figure moved toward me. I called on every ounce of strength I had to stand tall, not to let her see how sick I was. She leaned toward me, embracing me, and I felt it. I swore I felt it.
"So proud of you," she whispered.
"Take her," I
said. "My spells aren't working so good--something she gave me. But I'm fine. Just take her before the binding breaks. And whatever she says, don't listen."
My mother moved away then, and that weird blue glow rose. Leah's eyes rolled. Absolute terror filled them and I drank that in, let it fill me. The glow sliced down like a blade, passing right through Jesse's body, leaving no mark. A scream. A terrible scream. Then Jesse's body fell over, Leah's spirit gone.
"I'm okay, Mom," I said again, barely above a whisper. "Don't listen to anything she--"
I hit the floor and the world went dark.
thirty-nine
"Savannah?" The voice was unrecognizable, choked with panic. Hands gripped my shoulders. "Come on, Savannah. Wake up. Just open your eyes. Please open your eyes.
I tried. I really tried. But the most I could do was flutter my eyelids enough to see Adam bent over me.
"That's it. Just stay with me. Please stay with me."
"Jesse..."
"He's fine. He's gone to call an ambulance."
"I..."
"Don't talk. Just stay with me, baby, okay? Stay with me."
Everything went dark again.
I FELT LIKE I'd been dropped ten stories onto the subway tracks, electrocuted, then run over by a half-dozen trains. My muscles ached. My head pounded. Each breath took effort. I could hear the blip-blip of machines and smell the stink of overcooked lasagna, laced with antiseptic. Even with my eyes closed, the light scorched my eyeballs. Cold air blew over me, freezing everything except one hand, which was warm, cupped in someone's. Fingers brushed hair from my forehead. Touched my cheek. Rested there a moment, then brushed the hair back again, lulling me to sleep.
