Madam Lu sighs, extending her hands palm-up on the table. “Please take my hands, Atticus.”
I stare at her pale fingers, the various rings decorating them, and hesitate.
If the deal I struck really does connect to my disappearing, to the way Atlas shrinks away from me, do I really want to understand it? Will it make my life impossible to live, or incriminate me?
Do I really want to know about it if it means I’ve lost complete control?
“If you don’t find the answers, it could end in danger for you and those you love,” Madam Lu says softly.
Images of my family, of Cameron, ofmyselfflash through my mind. I grab her hands.
Madam Lu’s eyes slide shut, and she takes a deep breath.
Julian shifts awkwardly next to me, his hand still latched onto Atlas as we wait.
“You’ve been feeling very healthy lately, haven’t you?” Madam Lu mutters.
“Yes, but I exercise a lot,” I inform her.
“This has nothing to do with exercise. I can feel… There is something dark around you, son. There is…” Her breath catches, her hands twitching against mine.
“What is it?” Julian presses.
“I can see… there is…”
We wait on the edge of our metaphorical chairs as her eyes dart back and forth behind closed lids.
Then, suddenly, she rips her hands from mine. With wide, terrified eyes, she speaks to Julian without ever looking away from my gaze.
“Julian, call the church.Now.”
Julian jumps up, taking his phone from his pocket as he heads toward the door.
“What should I tell them?” he asks over his shoulder.
“Tell them we have a demon problem,” Madam Lu answers quietly.
Julian slips out of the room, and we sit in silence, all while I bear the weight of the woman’s intense gaze.
“I didn’t know psychics believe in God,” I comment.
Her expression doesn’t change as she says, “You don’t have to trust me or believe in my work, but youdoneed help, Atticus. You messed with something bigger than yourself, and now you’re paying the price.”
This shuts me right up.
Until now, I’ve been intentionally blocking away the memory of that night. I haven’t even been able to touch the book, let alone dwell on what I’ve lost.
Have I lost more than I thought? Am I… am I going to hurt someone?
The thought makes me shiver, and as we wait for Julian’s return, it weighs heavily on my chest.
A few minutes later, as if sensing I’m about to freak out in this silence, Julian bursts back into the room.
“Reverend Clark is five minutes out,” he rushes to say.
“Good,” Madam Lu tells him. Then, to me, she says, “He’ll be able to senseotherthings from you.”
“Other?” I squeak.
