Flo is in danger. She needs this, or at least you need to let Mercedes try to do this.
Mona was on Mercedes’ other side, and Magnus was next to Mona, looking pensive as he watched Mercedes close her eyes and take a deep breath.
A slender hand slipped in his. Pearl. She gave him a reassuring squeeze.
“It’ll be okay, Sven,” Pearl mouthed silently.
He nodded, but he was still nervous nonetheless.
The Sullivans, who were still staying at Room with a Tomb, sat at the other end and looked very excited to be involved.
“Have the spirits entered the room?” Mona asked.
“Yes,” Mercedes answered in a trancelike state. “All of them are here.”
Sven swallowed the lump in his throat.
Flo was here.
He just knew it.
A tingle of energy ran down his spine.
“Are we sure this is safe?” Magnus asked.
“It’s safe,” Mona said. “I’ve been helping her for a week.”
“I’m okay, Magnus,” Mercedes reassured him. “This will be fine.”
Pearl squeezed Sven’s hand, and he looked at her and nodded. It was like she was telling him again that this would be okay. Pearl took Sandy Sullivan’s hand. The only two excited people in the room were the Sullivans.
Of course, Sven wasn’t about to tell them about the risk of this whole situation if it backfired. Only Magnus, Mona, Mercedes and Pearl knew about Flo and how if they didn’t try this, she might disappear completely.
Or worse, become some kind of banshee or wraith, forever trapped in a tormented state. So even though he was incredibly nervous, they had to give this a try. Flo’s life depended on it.
“Okay, call up on them. You don’t have to do it out loud,” Mona instructed.
Mercedes nodded. She closed her eyes and began to softly whisper words that he didn’t understand. The candlelight dimmed and the house shuddered, as if a roll of thunder were right above them. Pearl squeezed his hand hard and he knew she was scared.
“Is this right?” Magnus asked.
“It is,” Mona responded stonily, her eyes dark. “She’s channeling the spirit world and she’s so powerful.”
Magnus and Sven shared a look across the table.
The table began to shake and the fire roared behind them. It was like everything was reacting to the power that was flowing in the room, which seemed to be completely controlled by Mercedes.
Mercedes’ eyes rolled back into her head, leaving just the whites of her eyes visible as her voice grew louder and she threw her head back, screaming. Magnus looked like he was about to leap across the table to save her, but Mona held him back.
“Don’t!” Mona warned. “A jolt could hurt Mercedes. She’s completely connected to the other side.”
Mercedes started speaking in another language he didn’t know, but he held her hand. Then buzzing filled his ears and before he could react, an arc of blue electricity seemed to shoot out of Mercedes in the hand he was holding, hitting him square in the chest and flinging him onto his back.
Odin’s testicles, that hurt.
He lay there, the lights brightened, but everything was blurry and he couldn’t move. He felt frozen, glued to the floor.
“Sven,” Mercedes gasped. “Are you okay? I didn’t think I was going to cause that explosion of electricity.”
