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“We believe we’re being haunted,” Byron said, a little gingerly, casting a wary glance toward his house. I’d heard a rumour that he’d been trapped inside his own bathroom for an hour that very morning. More likely, he was sick to death of everybody voicing their fears.
“Haunted?” Amelia shrugged. “That’s unlikely.”
“Well, it’s either that or we’ve the clumsiest pack of all time,” Nathan said. “I mean, does anyone have any unbroken cups left?”
Amelia glanced at the paper cup in her hand in surprise. “Is that why I’m drinking out of this? I did wonder. So maybe you’re not being overly dramatic.”
Nathan made a face. “It wasn’t an excuse to get you home.”
She smiled, and it was easy to forget I feared her for a moment. “I wondered about that, too. Tell me everything we know.”
“Dorian knows the most.” Nathan gestured for me to approach. “Tell her what you’ve seen.”
I took a couple of steps forward as everyone’s focus turned to me. “Um.” I chose my words carefully to avoid stuttering in front of the entire pack. Not that it always helped. “Everything was normal until somebody broke out a spirit board.”
“Yourboard,” Nathan told his sister.
“Fools,” she hissed under her breath. For an instant, her eyes were silver, and I couldn’t speak.
“It’s all right,” Nathan murmured. “Tell her the rest.”
Shivering, I continued. “I think half the people at the table were moving the cup at first. But there was something… odd about it. Then one of the girls asked what the spirit wanted, and the cup started to move fast, faster than I could have moved it, never mind half of them at the table. It said it needed help, then it started to spell out a name.”
“My name,” Mara called out.
“Yours?” I had assumed it was Margo, but why not Mara? I relaxed, a pressure in my chest easing. It had nothing to do with Margo. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. “Anyway,” I said. “Before the word finished spelling out, the board flew up into the air and stuff started to happen.”
“Things that couldn’t have been a joke or a prank?” Amelia asked, holding my gaze.
I dropped my eyes. “The lights flickered on and off. Things flew across the room, and the doors and windows opened and slammed shut. People started freaking out and running, somebody ended up trapped under the sofa, and one girl, Margo, was standing in front of the bookcase, and it just started falling over. I got in the way and stopped it, but then the glass from the window shattered and flew at us.”
“Was she hurt?”
“No, I got in the way.”
“Were you hurt?”
“Not much.” I shrugged. “We all heal quickly.”
“Did anyone notice how quickly you healed?”
“Well, Margo did, but I brushed her off. The thing is, weird stuff has been happening since then, mostly harmless, but Margo was here again, and something flew at her, knocked her down.”
“Has anyone she knows died recently?” Amelia asked.
“I don’t know. She just moved here.”
“Strange,” Amelia said under her breath. She brightened. “Not to worry. I’ll just have to use the spirit board again. Any volunteers for the circle?”
Most of the pack looked away. Even those who weren’t afraid of Amelia feared her magic. Nathan and Perdita volunteered, and I held up my hand, too, partly because I was worried that Margo would get hurt again, partly because I feared she was responsible. At least we would know for sure. Dominic, Mara, Victor, and Alex all volunteered, too.
“Great,” Amelia said brightly. “That should be enough for the circle. Let’s get to it.”
“Now?” Mara asked in surprise.
“The sooner the better,” Amelia said. “Whatever was set loose on the world needs to be contained before it can do any real damage. Dorian, come help me set up.”
She turned without waiting for an answer, leaving me to hurry after her. Nathan and Perdita joined us, hand in hand.
