Page 12 of Demon and the Raven

I chuckled. “Use the planchette to say goodbye on the board, then put it away. If you’re going to use it again, I would suggest doing it outside, on your back deck, and draw a circle of salt around where you’re all sitting. That way, in theory, you should be able to speak to something, but it wouldn’t be able to pass through the ring.”

“I—”

“And when you’re done with the salt, don’t simply sweep it off the deck.”

Cass nodded. “I remember. It would be best to sweep it up and then drive it to the ocean and throw it in.”

“Which might take a bit,” I said, smiling at her.

“Yes,” she sighed.

“But burying it miles from home is good too,” I reminded her. “Or the next time we have a bonfire, you can throw it in. Lammas is coming up in August, so you can wait for that because we’ll have one then.”

“Or,” Delia said, “we could just not do this anymore.”

I grinned at her. “There is that.”

“I don’t get it,” Skylar said, gesturing at the board. “People use these every day.”

“And many either contact nothing, ever, move the planchette themselves, or, in the worst cases, open doors they have no idea about.”

“I don’t want to do that,” Hailey stated firmly.

“I would agree.”

“Thank you, Xan,” Cass said, leaning into me as Delia collected the board—after making sure she said goodbye—and put it in the box.

Glancing up, I saw Mrs. Radcliffe give me a small head tilt and a smile. She was glad they were done with it as well. The library was, after all, no place for such shenanigans.

TWO

That evening, Lorne had to attend a town council meeting, and as he was walking up the two-hundred-year-old steps leading to the courthouse, I saw him and waved. He reversed direction, jogging over to me.

“What are you doing here?”

“Since you had a meeting, when Oliver needed a replacement for this evening, I took his shift. I’m giving the ghost tour at eight. It won’t be dark when I start, but it will be by the time I’m done.”

“A ghost tour leaves a bit to be desired in the middle of summer.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Really?”

“With the storms?”

“What storms?” He looked up at the currently clear blue sky.

“You’ll see.”

His chuckle was warm. “A little rain, even thunder and lightning, won’t frighten anyone.”

“But there could be anything hiding in the shadows during the sultry summer nights,” I whispered, waggling my brows. “Or under the plants, or behind bushes.”

“Ha-ha.”

I raised my eyebrows. “You don’t believe me?”

Instantly, he put up his hands. “I believe you.”