Darkness oozes from the stone.
Kate scoots back in her chair, its legs scrapping against the floor.
I loosen my grip.
The shadow disintegrates.
“Sorry,” I say.
“How are you doing that?” she asks.
“Pressure.” I hold up the stone, like showing it to her will help this make more sense. “It’s a supernatural amulet with power over darkness and shadow.”
“Selah is part angel, remember?” Twig says. “A very small part, but there are traces in her blood, which allows her to wield supernatural objects.”
Kate looks like she might be sick again.
I wonder if I should grab the trash can, but she just plants her elbows on either side of her mug and holds her head in her hands.
I turn the stone over carefully. “The onyx responds to force. The ruby responds to desire. But this?” I exchange the black amulet for the pearly white one, which hasn’t done anything since coming to life inside the crypt. How does it work?
Twig’s phone buzzes against the tabletop.
He peeks at his screen. “Um, Selah?”
“What?”
“Jude is on his way.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s coming.”
“Here?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He wants to make sure you’re okay.”
I blink at him. “You told Jude?”
“I didn’t tell him anything.”
“Then how does he?—?”
A knock sounds on the door.
None of us move.
A few seconds later, there’s another knock.
Twig shifts uncomfortably. “Are you going to answer it or…?”
I hold up my hand to stop him from getting up.
Then I shrug off my coat which is in rough shape, thanks to the demon bird, and open the door.
