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“If I agree, I want someone else there to protect Wendy.”
She smiled at him. “I don’t need anyone else as long as you’re around.”
“Thank you, kitten, but I want someone focused entirely on you.”
Jessica nodded thoughtfully. “It would need to be someone who is already tuned to that location. A new person would disrupt the process.”
“What about someone who works for me? Like Cody or Nereus?”
Neither one of them was an ideal choice, but Nereus was still recovering from his sprained wrist. Cody didn’t exactly inspire confidence, but brownies were quick and clever, and he didn’t doubt the young male’s loyalty.
“I suppose I could ask Cody,” he said reluctantly when she nodded.
Both of them seemed to take his statement as agreement, and he supposed it was. He listened as they discussed various options with regard to specific times and locations and found his grip tightening on Wendy’s arm, just to measure himself that she was still next to him and still safe.
“I think a daylight ritual would be best,” he said. He had excellent night vision but most humans did not, and he didn’t want Wendy oblivious to her surroundings.
“I must admit I’d prefer that too. I’m not that… comfortable in the dark right now.”
“Then I suggest we use the period from daybreak to dawn,” Jessica offered. “There will be enough light to see by, and therising of the sun is an excellent time to ease someone’s passage to the other side. Is tomorrow morning too soon?”
He fought back a wave of panic and looked at Wendy. She bit her lip but nodded.
“Good. Now there are three rites we should perform in preparation. A cedar log should be burned in each fireplace. All of the floors should be mopped with spring water, the purer the better. Once the floors are dry, a line of salt needs to be placed along every single windowsill and door threshold.”
“Do you want us to do that?” Wendy asked.
“Not you specifically, but it should be someone who is participating in the ritual.”
He sighed, and patted Wendy’s hand, already hating what was to come.
“If you will agree to remain in the same room with Will—and not leave it for any reason whatsoever—I’ll get Cody and we’ll take care of it.”
“I agree.”
“And I will remain at her side as well,” Jessica assured him. “She will be safe.”
He picked up his phone and dialed Cody. The brownie thought it was “awesome, dude” and didn’t seem concerned when he warned him that it might be dangerous. One of the advantages of youth, he supposed. They were all convinced they were invincible.
The supplies were not difficult to obtain and he very reluctantly left Wendy at the inn and went to meet Cody at Midnight Manor.
“I’ll start all of the fires and you can follow behind with a mop. Then we’ll both work on the salt.”
“You got it, dude.”
For once the cheerful expression didn’t annoy him.
“I appreciate your help, Cody, I mean, Kai.”
“No worries. This place is like my home away from home, y’know?”
“I know.”
As they walked through the front door, he half-expected to be assailed by psychic forces. Instead everything looked the same as it always did.Perhaps not quite the same, he amended as they set to work. He had the distinct feeling they were being watched. Jessica had warned him that their activity might disturb something and to ignore any attempts to communicate.
He kept thinking he saw something out of the corner of his eye, but he ignored it as he lit the fires. The bathroom window was open again, but he made no attempt to close it. The entire process took less than an hour, but even Cody seemed unusually subdued when they emerged.
“That was intense, dude.”
