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We also didn’t want them to enter the Mystic Wood by accident. While almost the entire town knew better than to go cavorting around the woodland that surrounded Moonshadow Bay, there were a misguided few who thought they could withstand the forces lurking within the magical forest. Even I was cautious entering the threshold of the woodland.
I finished eating, then made a second sandwich and, pouring my latte into a travel mug, I headed over to my old home. Ari’s car was in the driveway, and I could hear her music blaring from inside the house.
I hesitated at the door, then decided there was no way she’d hear me over the wail of Led Zeppelin. Opening the door, I peeked in.
Ari was in the dining room. The sliding glass doors had been shut and the blinds closed, so she hadn’t noticed me make my way over. She was sitting on a stool, puttying holes in the wall. Several cans of paint were stacked along the wall, along with paint rollers, brushes, a massive box fan, and a screwdriver. A drop cloth covered the floor.
I didn’t want to startle her by creeping up on her, so I pounded on the door frame. She froze, then glanced over her shoulder. Her frown broke into a smile and she set the putty knife on top of the quart of putty and pulled off her gloves. She picked up her phone and turned the music off.
“January! Hey, what brings you over here today? You have the day off?”
“Remember? I only work three days a week now—Tuesday through Thursday. I just got back from my last wedding dress fitting and the dress is now safely in my closet! I thought you might like a sandwich,” I added. “I ate lunch, so I made you a spare one.”
She pressed her hand to her stomach, which suddenly rumbled. “That sounds good,” she said. “I didn’t realize I was hungry.” Standing, she arched her back and winced. “I’ve been sitting in one position too long.”
“Time flies when you’re having fun.” I opened my purse and handed her a tube of hand sanitizer. She squirted some into her hands and rubbed it in. After that, she wiped her hands with a paper towel and accepted the sandwich. We wandered over to a long bench she had brought with her and sat down. I looked around.
“You’re making good progress,” I said. “I like the color of the living room.”
It was a pale blue with a few hints of muddled yellow, reminiscent of a spring morning when the sun begins to peek above the horizon.
“I wish I could go faster but installing the new plumbing, along with the shampoo bowls, is going to cost a pretty penny. At least I’ll be able to afford it, though. Meagan told me to use the money we were going to use for a down payment on a new house to do all the renovations.” She shrugged. “At least the contractor you used—Lark ’n Sons Contracting? Jim Lark is giving me a deal since you referred me.”
“That helps. He’s not cheap, but his work holds up.” I scooted onto the floor, leaning against the bench. “I’m tired,” I added. “I think another headache’s coming on. At least, it felt like it during my dress fitting this morning.”
“What happened?” Ari asked.
“Mandy’s grandmother showed up. She’s a ghost. She wanted me to relay some messages to Mandy. Namely, I had to find a way to explain why her mother killed herself without making her feel guilty. The woman abandoned her when Mandy was young, and all this time Mandy’s been under the impression that her mother committed suicide because of her. Which in a way she did, but there were some tragic circumstances there. Anyway, I managed to avoid any blame, but someday Mandy’s going to figure out what happened to her mother.”
“That sounds heavy,” Ari said.
I paused. “I know playing the medium and taking on this sort of work is supposed tohelpme, but it’s draining. I realized today that I have to learn how to protect my own energy even as I am relaying information to others. I was certain that I could ward against psychic leeches and black holes pretty well, but I think I’ve been deluding myself.”
“Do you think it’s that?” Ari bit into her sandwich. She was barely a size 2—if that—but her metabolism was crazy fast.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m thinking that it seems to be the emotional pain that gets to you more than talking to the ghosts. I know you haven’t had ERS long, or rather it didn’t present until recently, but I’ve watched you over the past month or so, and from what I can tell, your headaches get worse when you’re emotionally invested in the case. When the person involved is distanced—or frightened rather than steeped in grief—you don’t seem to have as many headaches. I could be blowing smoke up my ass, but…just saying.” She finished off the sandwich. “Thanks. I needed that.”
I thought about what she said. “You might be right. I’ll start making sure I record my emotions along with the mood of the haunting in my health journal.” I looked around. The energy of the house was beginning to shift as the renovations continued. I thought I’d be upset, but I actually felt relieved.
“What are you thinking about?” Ari asked.
“I’m thinking…I’m glad you’re doing this. I’m glad you’ve taken over the house. I need to let go of the connection to the past. The Ladies aren’t tied to a place. The only thing tied to these walls are my memories, and I’ll always have those, regardless of whether the house still stands.” I was about ready to leave and let Ari get back to work when Meagan came flying through the door.
Ari’s wife had been a cheerleader in high school—she’d been one of the “mean girls” who had managed to transform into a wonderful adult. Some years ago, Meagan left her husband, came out as lesbian, and she and Ari had started to date. This caused a rift with her and her Clan—the North Cascades Bear Clan. She had walked away from them to be with Ari.
Now, they were happily married and, while Meagan might not be one of my very best friends, we got along and I valued how happy she made my best friend. But today, Meagan had a somber look on her face and tears in her eyes.
Ari took one look at her and jumped up. “What’s wrong?”
I picked myself off the floor and sat on the bench, frowning. I didn’t want to interrupt but I could sense the flurry of emotions kaleidoscoping through Meagan, and they weren’t happy ones. I waited, unsure of whether or not to stay.
Meagan sat beside me on the bench and the tears began to stream. “You remember Laverne? My best friend from France?”
Ari nodded. “What’s wrong?” Ari was witchblood, like me, and by the look in her eyes, she knew the answer was bad.
“She’s dead. She and her husband were killed during a home invasion. They were murdered.” Meagan stuttered over the last word and then broke down, burying her head in her hands. I was right next to her, so I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. The pain coming from her was raw and cut like a knife.
