She shrugs.
I glance at Jeep. “I did have a point, didn’t I?”
He grins. “You did.”
Taylar disconnects himself from a sulking Vicky and leans on the back of my seat. “Hey guys, I’ve been thinking. Do you remember the demons vanishing when the Timson brothers made up? What if we can prevent Myah’s death by making sure she doesn’t commit a crime?”
“I tried that in a premonition I had just before I woke up this morning.”
“Did it work?”
“Well, not yet, but my dream was cut short.”
“Even if it didn’t,” D’Maeo chimes in, “we’ve seen before that your premonitions should be considered a warning rather than a glimpse of the certain future. You saw that spider demon kill you and your mother, but you’re both still alive after its attack.”
I ponder on that for a while. When we reach Silverton, I look at the road signs. “Eh, does anyone remember the way to Myah’s office? My brain is a bit of a mess right now.”
“Take a left,” Maël says.
A few minutes later, I park Phoenix in front of the office. It feels quiet. No signs of evil nearby.
“Do you have a plan yet?” Jeep informs.
“I do. Let’s just hope it works.” We get out of the car and I take a deep breath. “Stay invisible,” I instruct my Shield. “And keep an eye out for demons or any other guards. I think they’re gone now, but they’ll probably be back.”
Jeep salutes me. “Aye aye, sir.”
CHAPTER 30
It’s much easier than I thought to get to Myah. I tell the receptionist I want to see her about a financial deal and she sends me through.
The woman with the hair bun looks at me suspiciously when I walk in, followed by my invisible Shield. “You’re a little young for a financial deal, aren’t you?”
I close the door and wring my hands together. “Miss Pullus, or should I say Miss Redfeather…” I pause to see if I got her attention.
Her frown deepens.
“I heard about your struggles with Westside Cemetery and came to offer help.”
She leans against her desk. “Why would you help me?”
I show her my gentleman’s smile. “Oh, it’s actually not just you I’d be helping. You see, my father is the head of a heritage organization. I’m currently an intern there.”
“Good thinking, Dante,” D’Maeo compliments me from the corner of the room.
“We want to preserve mausoleums that represent certain eras,” I continue. “Your family’s is a unique one, so we would very much like to save it.”
Myah twirls a piece of paper around in her hand. She doesn’t look convinced.
An image of a collapsed mausoleum shoots through my head. “We were too late to save some of the others we wanted to preserve. Yours is in such a good state and we understand that you’ve been having trouble arranging transportation for it. We can help you with that.”
Myah slowly turns and walks around her desk. She takes place behind it and gestures to a chair.
I sit down and continue before she can name any objections. “We know how to handle what’s inside the mausoleum, don’t worry about that.”
Myah folds her hands together on the desk. “Well, I must say it sounds great. And how soon can you arrange this?”
“Oh, we can move the whole thing by…” I rub my chin and stare intently at the ceiling, waiting for one of the ghosts to help out.
“Tomorrow,” Maël says.
I drop my gaze. “By tomorrow,” I repeat.
Myah stands up and holds out her hand. “I don’t know how I could refuse such a great offer. Thank you mister…?”
“Banner,” I say, shaking her hand. “Dante Banner.”
“Nice to meet you.” She pulls a business card out of her desk and slides it over to me. “Call me if you need anything.”
Vicky nudges me softly. “Ask for the East Cemetery transfer paperwork, or she’ll get suspicious.”
I follow her advice and a few minutes later we’re back outside.
Taylar holds up his hand for a high five. “That was awesome! What a story.”
I laugh. “I know. It’s hard to believe it actually worked. We’ll have to arrange transportation now, though.”
When I get back behind the wheel, Jeep slaps me on the shoulder. “Leave it to me.”
I push down his hands. “Oh no, you’re not summoning zombies to do this.”
He rolls up his sleeves. “Why not? They’re free!”
I shake my head. “That raccoon wasn’t so reliable, remember? We can’t take the risk of something happening to the mausoleum.”
“I’ve got a better idea,” D’Maeo says when I start Phoenix.
I pull out of the parking place. “Okay, spill it.”
“Our visit to the Black Forest sparked a memory in my head. I know some ents who are used to carrying heavy loads. They normally charge a lot for a special transport like this, but they’re in my debt, so they’ll do this for free.”
“That’s a great idea. Do we have to visit them or can we call them or something?”
“It’s probably better if I talk to them in person. They’ll want to be sure it’s really me.”
My mind spins around Mom, but I know we have to deal with this first. A sigh escapes my lips. “Okay, tell me where to go.”
D’Maeo directs us to a forest just outside Blackford. “Come with me, but let me do the talking. Ents are extraordinary creatures. If you speak to them in a manner they don’t like, they’ll never help you.”
Taylar huffs. “Well, we have nothing to fear then. Dante is a master in the tree language.”
Shaking his head, D’Maeo looks around. “Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Every ent family has its own ways.” He starts walking, but holds still after a few steps. His gaze flickers over the other ghosts. “It might be better if you don’t show yourselves.” He takes off again, with an apologetic wave of his hand. “Just in case.”
We follow him into the woods. It gets darker and darker. The trees loom over us, trapping us inside. After several minutes, I ask the old ghost, “These ents are nicer than the ones in the Black Forest, right?”
“Oh yes, a lot nicer.”
I let out a sigh of relief.
“As long as you adjust to their habits,” D’Maeo continues.
“Maybe you should fill us in on those.”
He stops dead. “Too late. We’re here.”
A clearing seems to pop up out of nowhere. For a moment, I think the trees just stepped back to create it, but when I turn my head, everything is quiet.
D’Maeo stretches his arms out and throws his head backward. “I’m back!”
He keeps his pose, his face turned toward the sky, his eyes closed, until the sound of snapping branches grows louder.
“Stay close to me,” D’Maeo whispers from the corner of his mouth. “When I introduce you, open your arms wide like this.”
Without realizing it, I have taken several steps back. I shuffle forward, keeping my eyes on the trees in front of us and the dark path between them. They all start moving, like a wave of trunks, branches and leaves. Although bright green now breaks the dark, I get sick just by looking at it.
As the wave approaches, I can distinguish several aspen trees. They don’t move like the ents in the Black Forest. These glide forward, like wooden snakes. They have gentle faces, but the extra black eyes carved into their white bark freak me out.
“Old friend!” the large aspen at the front breathes. Although the voice sounds almost alien, asthmatic and tired, I can clearly hear it’s female.
The tree curls up its long slender trunk and lifts its head. Its many eyes take in D’Maeo from head to toe, before jumping him like an excited dog. The ghost falls over backward, laughing as the ent tickles him with its many branches.
“It is good to see you, friend,” it says with a toothless smile
.
I relax a little, until the ent turns its eyes on me. It slithers closer, while the other trees surround me. The leader raises herself to her full height and squints at me. “Who might this be?”
D’Maeo gets up. “This is my friend, Dante.” He gestures at me to spread my arms and I obey. “Dante, meet the loveliest ent in the world, Aspa.”
The tree bends over me and examines every part of my body with its branches. The light green leaves tickle my neck and arms and I shiver.
The ent lets out a satisfied snigger. It curls up until it’s at eye level and tilts its head.
“Nice to meet you, beautiful Aspa,” I say, my voice shaking a bit.
“Oh, but you don’t know if it’s nice to meet me yet,” it answers with a crooked grin. “Give me a moment to find out.”
Without warning, it pushes me onto my back and looms over me.
My heart pounds loudly as it blocks the sunlight.
“Is it here?” Aspa pokes me in the side and I let out a yell.
“Or is this the spot?” It continues, jabbing me under my armpit.
I try to keep still and slow my breathing. If I stay calm, the ent will leave me alone.
But it doesn’t. It prods and pokes me, its extra eyes staring at my face.
Just when I wonder how long I’ll have to keep still, the tree changes tactics. It stops jabbing me and gently strokes the bare skin of my neck instead. I shudder.
Aspa jerks her head up. “There it is.”
One of her branches creeps under my shirt. The soft touch of the leaves creates a shiver that runs through my whole body.
Behind me, Vicky steps forward. Her eyes are blazing, her fists clenched to her side. “What’s the meaning of this, D’Maeo?”
The old ghost just smiles, unwilling to give her presence away.
Vicky shakes her fist at the ent. “If this continues any longer, I’m snapping its trunk in two!”
“How about this?” Aspa asks, pulling off my right shoe and tickling the bottom of my foot.
My leg jerks away on its own and I giggle.
Aspa laughs out loud and releases her grip on me. She gives D’Maeo a small bow. “Yes, he is a friend.” She holds out a branch to me and I grab it. “It is a pleasure to meet and tickle you, young Dante.” She pulls me onto my feet. “What brings you both here? More than a hug, I suppose?”
“A hug is always nice,” the old ghost says, “but we came because we need your help.”
She slides toward him and beckons another tree. It comes closer and lays down.
Aspa smiles. “Sit down, friends, and tell me what you need.”
CHAPTER 31
On the way back home, I call Charlie.
“Your mom’s still asleep,” he says. “We took her to her bedroom and I put an extra line of salt around her for protection.”
I swallow my worries. “You’re the best. We’re on our way back, so we’ll see you soon.”
After a long silence, Vicky speaks up. “What’s up with that Aspa lady?”
D’Maeo chuckles. “Aspa is the queen of the aspen trees here. This species is fond of hugging. By tickling, they can determine whether their visitors are good or evil.”
Vicky is not satisfied yet. “Why did it take so long with Dante?”
“They can read your laugh, so they have to keep tickling until you make a sound.”
“And if you refuse to be tickled?” Taylar asks.
“Then they bite off your head.”
A chortle escapes me.
“Don’t laugh,” D’Maeo says. “I’m not joking. Aspen ents are kind to others with a good heart, but you don’t want to get on their bad side. They are very powerful and unforgiving.”
Jeep taps his hat. “Keep them on our side. Noted.”
“What’s our next move?” Taylar asks me.
We reach Blackford, which reminds me of Mrs. Delaney. “We should find a spell that can return Mrs. Delaney’s powers.”
Vicky leans forward and slides her hand under my waistband, right through my seat. She takes out Dad’s notebook and leans back. “I’ll have a look.”
I pull up my trousers. “Now that you’re looking, keep an eye out for a spell to wake up my mom.”
“Of course.”
“Watch out!” Jeep suddenly yells.
I hit the brake in a reflex and we come to a halt with screeching tires. Just in time.
I lean on the steering wheel. My knuckles slowly turn white. “Why is there a brick wall in the middle of the road?”
“Probably to keep us busy,” Jeep grumbles.
It takes my brain a couple of seconds to digest that. Then my hand shoots out to my phone kit. I’m shaking slightly, which makes it difficult to tap the right buttons. But in the end, I get it and with my eyes on the wall, I wait for Charlie to pick up.
“Hey man, everything okay?” he says.
“Charlie, get inside the salt circle with Mom, right now!”
“What? Why?”
“Just do it! And call Quinn. We’ll be with you as soon as we can.”
I hang up before he can answer and grip the steering wheel tightly. “I can’t let them hurt my best friend, too. Can we destroy this wall?”
Jeep sticks his arm out of the car and flings his hat at the wall. It chips off some dust, but that’s all. When it returns, he throws it again, with the same result.
“Try your powers,” he suggests.
I open the window, conjure up a bolt of lightning and aim it at the bricks.
It bounces off with a spark. The wall stays upright.
“Can you freeze it?” Vicky asks.
I reach for my core again. My hands get colder and I aim them both at the wall, pushing the cold away from me.
“It’s working,” Taylar says from behind me. “Keep going.”
Ice creeps from the top down and the wall starts to tremble.
With a grunt, I force out more cold. Cracks appear in the bricks. A ripple goes through them.
“You’ve almost got it!” Taylar yells.
I give it a final push and the bricks tumble down with a roar. Some of them form into a mouth and a hand appears.
“Let’s get out of here before it transforms back into a man,” I pant, shifting gears and hitting the gas.
Phoenix creaks as she bounces over the bricks and I pat the dashboard. “You’re doing great.”
Only a minute later, we arrive at my house. The Shield is out of the car before I come to a halt. I hurry after them through the front door and take the stairs two steps at a time.
Balls of gel fly into the hallway, accompanied by yells and groans. As I step closer to Mom’s bedroom, Simon hits the wall in slow motion. Maël follows him, her staff pointed at his chest.
Taylar comes out after her, with his sword raised.
“Wait!” I yell.
Hope flickers in Simon’s eyes.
I take out my athame and turn to him. “He’s mine.”
As soon as I grab him by the collar, Maël releases him. I press my athame to his throat. “Just tell me why, Simon.”
His jaw is set in a grim expression. “Look around you, Dante. You’re a smart guy. What do you think of the world?”
I grid my teeth. “What do you mean?”
“We humans destroy everything we lay our hands on, including ourselves. We’re out of control.”
A sigh escapes me. “Not this again. You think bringing the Devil to Earth will make things better?”
His eyes shine with passion. He really means this. “Lucifer has the power to destroy everything bad. We can start over, this time with someone leading us.”
“Lucifer lives for destruction. If you think he’ll leave anything or anyone standing, you’re nuts. He’ll turn our world into a second Hell.”
There’s a crash behind me and I turn my head. A fraction of a second later, I realize my mistake. I press the athame firmer i
nto Simon’s neck, but he is already transforming. His body goes up in smoke and the blade can no longer harm him.
“Dante, watch out!” Vicky shouts.
I duck aside and an ugly creature in rags slides past me. I recognize it as a ghoul.
It bares its teeth at me, hissing and spitting. I hold out my athame, but a cloud sweeps over me and presses my arms to my sides.
Vicky appears and looks the ghoul in the eye. While she works her magic, I fight to free myself.
“Let go of me, Simon. How can you do this to your best friends? How can you betray us like this?”
He wraps his body of air around my legs, making me tip over like a bowling pin. “Sacrifices have to be made to save the world.”
“Yes, and you’re one of them,” Charlie answers out of nowhere.
A dozen gel balls hit the air holding me captive. They sizzle on impact and Simon screams. The pressure on my body decreases as he fights to free himself from the substance.
From the corner of my eye, I see the ghoul approaching and I roll away quickly.
But it’s not after me. It hauls itself at Simon, who has changed back into his human form. Before he can defend himself, the ghoul opens its jaws and jams its sharp teeth into Simon’s neck. He screams and wriggles, but the creature doesn’t let go.
Vicky pulls me up.
“Nice job,” I compliment her, averting my eyes from the ghoul feasting on my former friend’s flesh.
Charlie steps closer. “I’ll finish it off.” He conjures a large ball of gel in his hands and starts forming a wall around the unsuspecting ghoul.
“Thanks,” I mumble, carefully stepping into Mom’s bedroom.
I find Jeep and D’Maeo facing the minotaur. Its roar is deafening as I enter and in a reflex, I hit it with a bolt of lightning.
It staggers forward, but regains its balance quickly. Fuming heavily, it turns to me. While I step back, I blast bolt after bolt, but it isn’t impressed. It is angry though, judging by the murderous look in its eyes and the way it shows its teeth.
I try to conjure cold as fast as I can, but it already charges, just when D’Maeo raises his sword to stab it in the back. I dive out of its way, but when I look up, it has already turned. The sharp horns on its head are inches from my face.
The Second Premonition Page 17
