When Mélanie was ready, she invited Eva into the circle. She then pulled a small, silver dagger from her boot, and a silver bowl no larger than a half cup from the pocket of her dress.
“We must make a blood offering. Not only to attract Claude’s ghost, but to bind him to you.”
Her eyes ran over La Voisin, who had been standing at the edge of the room, watching intently, and then slid back to Eva. “You have been informed that this binding is not permanent, right? That the spirit may leave sooner than you wish? Particularly if you timewalk or move through realms?”
It was the first indication that Mélanie recognized we weren’t from this time. It was also a reassurance that while La Voisin wasn’t a good person, she had told us the truth. My shoulders relaxed a little more.
“Yes,” Eva whispered. “We’re hoping that they’ll stick around, but we have an idea of what to do if they don’t.”
Holy universe, I hoped it wouldn’t come to that. We would have to timewalk at least twice more. There was no getting around that. And as much confidence as I had in Amethyst and her family as spirit walkers and talkers, I only wanted to undergo this binding once.
“Very well,” Mélanie said. “Remain standing right there. Cut your palm when I indicate, allow some blood to drip into the bowl, and agree to the binding when asked. Otherwise, stay silent. That is all I require of you.”
Eva gulped audibly, and gave a single nod.
The spirit worker stepped up to the edge of the circle and held her hands in the air. “Spirit world, hear my plea.”
I jumped as the air began crackling with electricity. Hazy violet light swirled out of Mélanie’s hands, so light and bright in comparison to the dimly lit room and the dark magic we’d been working with for days.
“I request that Claude Faust return to this plane. I ask that he walk among the living once again.”
Mélanie gestured to the dagger in Eva’s hand. My friend sliced into her palm, and allowed blood to drip into the bowl.
“An offering is waiting for you, Claude. Come, drink. Come live once again.Crucilarva.”
Violet magic soared all around the inside of the circle. It swirled like a vicious vortex, kicking up dust from the floor. I watched, mesmerized, as, a breath later, a diaphanous figure popped into existence in the circle, and bowed to Eva.
“May I?” He pointed to the bowl.
Eva darted a cautious gaze at Mélanie, who gave her a gentle nod. “Yes.”
The ghost picked up the bowl and sniffed it as if it were a fine wine. After one sip, he sighed. “Ahhh, this is what it feels like to live again. So vibrant. So lovely.”
“If you wish, you can experience it for longer. We have a barter in mind,” Mélanie offered. “The young woman before you needs help keeping a royal demon out of her mind. She’s sensitive to possession.”
“From who?” Claude asked, curious.
“Lucifer,” Mélanie replied, because Eva was keeping good on her word to remain silent save for at the appropriate moments.
The ghost’s eyes widened. “I see. Well, that is rather serious. What does he mean to do to you, mademoiselle?”
Once again, Eva glanced at the spirit worker.
“Tell him,” Mélanie whispered.
“He means to take over the world. This world, but centuries in the future.”
Claude gasped. “No!”
“Yes,” Eva whispered.
They fell silent, each gazing into the other’s eyes. The ghost seemed to be thinking.
Finally, when I felt like someone had to say something or I’d burst, the ghost spoke.
“I have a son, and soon he will have a child. I have seen the babe growing in his wife’s belly, though she does not know it yet.” He took another sip of Eva’s blood and shivered with delight. “I do not know if my family line will continue for many centuries, but if there’s any chance they will, I must do what I can to help. Yes, I will assist you, protect your mind from infiltration, for as long as I’m able to resist the call back to the spirit world.”
Eva breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
