"There's much less danger for you than there was for Simona because we're much better prepared for the demon now," Gisela said. "Also, you're so much more powerful than I believed any living person ever could be."
"What do you mean by powerful?"
"When a spirit chooses to be reborn into the world of mortals, they bring with them the strength of their past life or the combined strength of all their past lives. When we first touched, I could feel your power coursing through me like a lightning bolt. I regret that I wasn't at all prepared for such an encounter and didn't handle it very well. I'm normally able to mask my read of a person, but your power shook me to my center."
"By 'strength,' you're talking about ethereal energy?"
"Yes," Madam Elana said. "The power of your eternal soul, not your physical form. It's the power that enables you, Madam Arlene Watson, to see and hear the words spoken by spirits on this plane of existence and to contact the immortal world. Your connection to the immortal world is surprisingly strong."
"I've been told that by spirits who have crossed over."
"It's that power that gives other certain mortals their psychic abilities, gives Gisela the ability to see into the soul, and gives other mortals precognitive abilities, although it manifests in different ways with different individuals. Most psychics don't have enormous reserves of ethereal energy themselves, but they have the ability to tap into the energy around them. Because of your extreme age and many lifetimes, you carry an enormous reserve within you."
"I've naturally heard of ethereal energy, but I didn't realize it increased with each soul's return from the immortal world."
"Most believe that's really the only way to increase it. It's said that each crossing makes a tremendous difference. New souls have very little, while older souls have a considerable amount. A soul such as yours must be like a dynamo the size of New York City when compared to the portable-generator-sized souls of others who have returned to mortal existence. Only a true ancient can see those who have passed on while the spirit is not manifesting, and only an ancient can let her mind roam in the immortal world while her mortal form still exists on Earth."
"I don't think I'm as powerful as you believe. It's true that I can see spirits and that I've been able to contact those who have crossed over, but I would hardly say that I can roam the immortal world with my mind."
"That's only because you haven't been taught how. From what I gathered while reading your book, you've received no formal training in the use of your powers."
"I didn't even know there was training available," Arlene said.
"There are a few sources, but they can hardly advertise in the yellow pages. They might well have contacted you after your book was printed but for the fact that you categorized it as fiction and used a pen name."
"I didn't wish to be branded as being part of a lunatic fringe by an ignorant public. I just had an overwhelming need to tell my story. As it was, I had to self-publish the novel because no literary agent or mainstream publishing house was interested. They all said there were far too many nineteenth-century, chick-lit novels in the pipeline where the protagonist had traveled back in time."
"If you'll help us, I'll put you in touch with the elders of one group who can teach you to use your powers in ways you haven't dreamed of, with the ultimate goal of being able to visit the immortal world while your soul still resides here in the mortal world. I'm sure they will welcome you."
"And if I choose not to risk my mortal life?"
"We have another— one who has already volunteered, although her power is insignificant when compared to yours and certainly not as developed. Come with me."
Turning away, Madam Elana walked through aisles crowded with antiques towards the rear of the store as if supremely confident that Arlene would follow. Curious, Arlene did follow. Reaching the door at the rear of store from which she had appeared earlier, Madam Elana pushed it open to reveal her office. A young girl of perhaps fourteen or fifteen years, with hair the color of midnight, sat calmly in an oak swivel chair in front of an antique roll-top desk as she worked on a computer. Arlene would have known her anywhere.
"Madam Arlene, meet Simona's daughter, Oculara. Like her mother, she has the gift of clairvoyance. Gisela says her soul is at least four centuries old, but her power is still a bit limited, having only emerged in the past year."
The young girl stood up, smoothed her black dress, and extended her hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Madam Arlene. Thank you for helping my mother. Are you going to join the coven and help us banish her killer back to the Underworld?"
"I'm pleased to meet you, Oculara. I'm so sorry about your mother. How are you doing, dear?"
"I lost her so long ago that finding her remains hasn't had a tremendous impact on my life. I'm just glad it's finally over and that I know now she didn't willingly desert me. I was at the inquest today when they talked about you. Is it true my mother contacted you and told you where she had been killed?"
"She planted a memory in my mind. It was of her final minutes on the night she was killed. I was able to deduce where her remains were buried from that. I didn't actually meet your mother until she came to my house with Lieutenant Bolger. She left with him, and I didn't see her again until today at the hospital. You have her beautiful face."
"Thank you." Oculara said. Taking a quick look around the room, she asked, "Is she here with us now?"
Arlene also glanced quickly around the room. "I don't see her."
"Madam Elana says that any spiritualist with the power to summon someone from the immortal world can always see the spirits who haven't crossed over. Wouldn't you know if she was here?"
"Normally, yes. But I've learned that spirits in this reality have a way of hiding their appearance, even from me. It requires them to expend significant energy, so they only do it when they believe they have a very good reason for concealment."
"So if she's here, she may not want me to know she's here?"
"I couldn't know what her reasons might be, dear, if she was here. I haven't spoken with her very much. She answered a few questions about her death while at my home, and then she told me about the bones being switched when I arrived at the morgue. I'd like to have another opportunity to talk with her about her death, so if she's here, she might be concealing herself for that reason."
"You think she doesn't want to talk about her death?" Oculara asked.
Arlene looked at Oculara intently. Simona certainly seemed to be reticent to discuss her death with Arlene. She could have just come to her and told her of her desire to have her remains uncovered instead of planting the memory and causing Arlene to be plagued by a week of sleepless nights.
"I'm sure she's not hiding from you, honey," Madam Elana said. Moving to stand behind the young girl, she wrapped her arms around her. "She's obviously not here just now."
Madam Elana made a peculiar face at Arlene that Ocular couldn't see, as if pleading with her to support her statement.
Arlene understood and closed her eyes for several seconds, then opened them and looked at Oculara. "That's right, dear," Arlene said, smiling at Oculara. "Even when they're trying to hide from me, I can usually sense their presence without concentrating, and when I concentrate I can always sense their presence. I feel— nothing— right now."
Oculara smiled. "Thank you, Madam Arlene."
Arlene wondered if the child's ability allowed her to see through the attempt to make her feel better. Arlene did feel a hidden presence in the room but couldn't know if it was the spirit of Simona or that of someone else.
"Honey," Madam Elana said to Oculara, "would you go help Gisela reopen the shop? We need all the sales we can get during these days of plenty."
Oculara smiled and said, "Of course, Madam Elana." Standing up, Oculara said to Arlene, "I'm so glad you're here," before turning and walking from the room.
When the door had closed, Madam Elana said, "I took Oculara in when Simona disappeared."
Arlene hel
d up her hand to stop her. Speaking barely above a whisper, Arlene said, "Before you go any further, you should know that I lied to Oculara to make her feel better. I do feel a presence. The spirit has chosen to mask itself visually, but I know one is here." Raising her voice slightly, she said, "Spirit, your presence is known. Show yourself." After a few seconds, Arlene said, "It's gone."
"Who was it?"
"I don't know. It never revealed itself."
"Could it have been the demon?"
"I suppose. I've never had any experience in that regard so I don't know how to differentiate between demons and spirits who haven't yet crossed over."
"We'll have to be careful with what we say," Madam Elana said.
"It's gone now, so you can speak openly. If it was the demon, it now knows my powers are sufficient that I can sense its presence even when it tries to cloak itself from me, so that might keep it away. Doesn't Oculara have any relatives?"
"Her father died in an auto accident when she was just a year old. Simona's parents have passed on, she had no siblings, and Oculara's paternal grandparents couldn't care less if they ever see her. They never approved of their son's marriage to Simona."
"She's lovely. Surely you can't intend to use this child to banish the demon?"
"What choice do we have if you won't do it? She's our only other ancient soul. Each time this demon strikes, he claims two victims. He must be stopped."
"Two?" Arlene said. "I thought he only killed one each time."
"He does, but the person he uses to actually commit the act is as much a victim. When he leaves the body he has taken over, the person finds himself or herself standing over a body, holding poison, a bloody knife, a club, or something else that shows they're responsible for the death. Of course, the police naturally treat it as a regular homicide. In a couple of cases, the person left a note before committing suicide out of grief over an act they said they didn't even remember committing. We have no way of knowing how many times the demon has struck, but the homicide rate inside an area of fifty miles from this town has spiked in the last decade."
"Fifty miles?"
"Thereabouts. I believe he gets too weak if he travels much farther than that from the coven. We're his power base, of sorts."
"Where did you hear that?"
"It's stated in a book I acquired after our first attempt to banish him."
"A book of spells?"
"A book on demonology. Once we had released him, I had to find a way to send him back, quickly. I knew that none of the books I already owned told of a way to accomplish it, so I began to collect books that might."
"And these books are the source of everything you know about this demon and the ways to banish him?"
"Yes."
"And none of them require a pledge of fidelity or homage to an evil deity to accomplish the goal?"
"No."
"Then where does your power to work a spell come from, if not from a deity?"
"The same ethereal energy that empowers you works our spells. All living things have ethereal energy, although so minutely in some cases as to be almost nonexistent. But when it's all pulled together, it's enormous. That's the power source we're tapping into when we cast a spell."
"I see. What happened on the night you released the demon?"
"My coven met on a piece of property I own outside of town. It's big, isolated, and surrounded on three sides by mountainous, state-owned land, so we can usually be assured of complete privacy. Near the center of my land is an open meadow. It's a place where we can let down our hair, so to speak, and do what we want. Once everyone was there, we formed a circle and held hands. I remained outside the circle and recited the spell after ringing a small bell three times. When I had finished, I tossed a pouch containing a mixture of herbs and other ingredients that I had prepared in advance into the circle. Then we waited for something to happen."
"And then?" Arlene asked.
"Nothing happened, so I rang the bell again and repeated the spell, then repeated it again a few minutes later. When we still didn't see any results, I figured the spell was fake."
"But it wasn't?"
"No. Just as we were about to break the circle, the grass inside started to swirl violently. It was like a small twister had set down directly in front of us. I can hardly believe that some of my coven didn't run screaming for their cars at that point, but everyone held steady, as if they had been expecting that to happen. A few seconds later the wind calmed and a luminous, transparent cloud appeared in the center of the circle. I thought we had succeeded in calling a spirit from the immortal world, although I was surprised it hadn't selected a medium through which to speak."
"If it had been a spirit from the immortal world, that's what it would have done. They can't manifest here or perform any physical acts."
"I haven't had your experience, Madam Arlene. This was all new to us."
"Please continue, Madam Elana."
"I greeted the— visitor, and asked how we might communicate. The cloud became more opaque and much brighter. It moved close to the ring of coven members at one point and then traveled slowly around inside, stopping at each coven member for a couple of seconds. After it had completed a full revolution, it came closest to where I was standing. I asked again how we might communicate. I heard a voice inside my head, deep and masculine, say, 'I am Kamet. You have freed me from the Underworld. For that, I spare your life. Be gone from this place and never attempt to summon me again or a life will be forfeit.'"
Madam Elana stopped talking and stared at Arlene for a second before turning away.
"What's wrong?"
"I released a powerful and evil force upon the world. I hate myself for being so stupid."
"As you've said, it was an honest mistake. But you must continue your efforts to banish the demon back to the Underworld until you succeed."
"It's all I've lived for since Simona was killed."
"Tell me about the night she died."
"At an estate auction in Los Angeles, I purchased a crate of books about demonology and the occult. They were in terribly sad condition, so I picked them up for a song, as rare book prices go. As soon as I returned home, I had them all reconditioned and rebound in their original covers. Over the next few weeks, I studied them whenever I had an opportunity. One of the books, printed in England in about the fourteenth century, talked of a demon that had been released from the Underworld. The world was a much more violent place then, and he was able to sate his appetite for death by accompanying a crusade to the Holy Land. During battles, he could jump from crusader to crusader, wherever the action was the thickest, until he was exhausted."
"Thank God Kamet doesn't seem to be as bloodthirsty, or at least not as powerful."
"Amen," Madam Elana said.
"How was the demon able to join the crusade? Wasn't he restricted to the fifty-mile limitation?"
"I don't know. The book didn't say. Perhaps he was released by the crusaders themselves, looking for an edge."
"That would be a pretty sick edge. Freeing a demon to help you free a Holy Land?"
"Perhaps his release was a mistake also. The book didn't relate the circumstances under which he was released. I suppose the author didn't want anyone else trying it."
"I assume the demon was eventually banished back to the Underworld. Does the book say how?"
"Not specifically. It only states that when the crusaders returned, the demon was sent back forthwith by a monk whose soul spanned the centuries. We presume that means an ancient. Perhaps more importantly, the text mentions the release of another demon, much earlier, as recorded in a book written by a twelfth-century Italian scholar. That was before Gutenberg introduced his version of the printing press in Europe, and books were copied by hand. I haven't been successful in getting my hands on a copy. Of the three I've tracked down, one is in the National Museum in Prague, and the others are in private European collections. I've also heard a rumor that one exists in the Vatican archives, but the
y refuse to even comment on that. The museum director in Prague has so far refused me access, but I have a couple of ideas that might provide a solution to that."
"You're telling me that you haven't yet found a spell that will banish the demon?"
"Well, I hadn't yet found one when Simona was killed."
"Then why did it attack Simona?"
"When we couldn't find a spell, I composed one myself. We had to try something."
"You composed a spell?"
"I had to try something."
"What happened?"
"I summoned Kamet— and he actually showed up. But when I read the spell, I heard him laugh. Then I heard him say, 'You were warned never to summon me again. For failing to heed my words, a life is now forfeit.' A second later the cloud raced towards one of the coven members and seemed to be absorbed into her body. Once in control of a human form, Kamet released the hands of the coven members on either side and ran at Simona. As he reached her, she released the coven members on either side and was knocked down. Kamet then began throttling her as he sat on her chest. Several of us immediately pulled him off, but once free of his weight Simona panicked and ran for her car. We tried to hold him as long as we could, but his strength was incredible, and he broke free. He managed to get to a coven member's car and race off after Simona. If only Simona hadn't run. I'm sure we could have saved her. It would have been twelve against one until the demon tired and left the body."
"Whose body did the demon enter?"
Madam Elana looked at Arlene with a resolve that Arlene was sure would never crack. "We've all sworn an oath never to reveal that information. That person wasn't responsible for Simona's death. It was the demon who had taken over the body. It could do no good for anyone to know the identity of the person, and it might cause someone to be punished unfairly. There have already been far too many innocent people hurt and killed."
"Yes, I agree. And I don't think another attempt to banish the demon should be attempted until you have the proper spell."
"I have found a spell that promises to send a soul to the Underworld. We haven't tried it simply because we didn't have an ancient to read it. We've been waiting for Oculara's powers to reach a point where we could feel she was reasonably safe."
When the Spirit Calls (When the Spirit... series - Book 2) Page 7
