I turn in my seat. She’s nervously biting her lip, but her eyes never leave mine. I lift my shoulders in an encouraging way. It only comes off as impatient.
“What if we held a seance? You could do that, right?” she asks rapidly. “I tried when I was younger, but I never had much luck. I usually ended up getting sucked into some vision of my own.” Her eyes roll, like her visions are a mild inconvenience, whereas mine are a prison.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve done one, but I can try,” I say. I would offer Sybil just about anything if it meant she felt better. “Who do you want to communicate with?”
“Barrett,” she says with a raise of her eyebrows.
That should have been my first guess, but it wasn’t even in the top ten.
She tilts her head. “You haven’t ever thought about it? Or even tried to talk to any of them?”
“I—no.”
I don’t want to tell her I tried once, and failed. She probably feels helpless, and that is suffocating. We can attempt to communicate with Barrett if that’s what she needs.
Sybil’s magic should help, and I used to summon spirits all the time when I was younger. They’re much nicer than my family was. However, it only takes one accidental encounter with a demon to make you pack up your ouija board for good.
She gives me a flat look that says enough, but she doesn’t ask any questions.
“You can siphon some of my magic to help the connection,” she offers.
I open my mouth, unsure of what to say, when Esme sashays through the door and confidently states, “And mine.”
“What the fuck are you doing down here? It’s three a.m.,” I say and shake my head.
“Perfect time to talk to spirits,” she retorts and walks closer. “Lucky for you both, I have had success with summoning ghosts—and other things.”
I scrub my face with both hands and groan. “Yeah, I haven’t forgotten about your little hobbies. I’m just so distracted by everything else, but I swear to the Gods, Esme, if you release a demon or spirit or any other creature, I will send you back with it.”
She laughs, completely unaffected by my words. “Never met a demon I couldn’t banish.”
Sybil is watching quietly, clearly more interested in her plan than our banter.
“Okay, so we’re doing it then?” She stands. “Right now?”
My eyes bounce between theirs. Even through my fear, I knew my answer as soon as Sybil asked.
“Fine.”
Apparently, Esme has more practice than I do.
And now her hobbies are quickly moving up my priority list.
She was right though. I am lucky she’s here.
Sybil is clueless. No wonder it never worked for her.
As quiet as we can be, Esme and I get to work as soon as we are locked in my bedroom. Sybil stands by the door, watching with her mouth popped open.
Riffling through the large trunk of things I haven’t bothered organizing, I throw out old library books I never returned, empty elixir jars, forgotten socks, and a few candles.
“Oh, we can use that!” Esme whisper-shouts.
I hear the table being dragged to the middle of the room behind me, but I focus on my mission at hand—finding this fucking board and the various types of salt I always keep nearby.
Once I turn back to her, she grabs the large sack of white salt out of my hands and stands around the table. “I’ve never used two types of salt before. How are we doing this?”
“We’re going to mix it. The black salt will add protection and make it easier to banish anything that comes through, but the white is for us—good energy and purification.”
