Chapter 7
Hugh paced back and forth on the turret, his nerves stretched. The longer these people stayed here, the more they made the citadel their home, the more pinched he felt. Like a vice squeezing his existence away. If the stone was no longer here … he could not shake off a sense of desperation. He had to find it. Soon.
Another explosion burst into the sky, raining a glorious stream of colours. Had it not been for the earlier frivolity, he might have thought they were under attack. The celebrations he had seen as a young man during his first visit to London were pathetic next to this display here. Must the Americans do everything on a grand scale?
Hugh paused in his pacing and rubbed his chin. Perhaps therein lay his problem, why they paid him no heed. His efforts were too small. If they wanted a grand gesture, he would give them a grand gesture.
Yes, a lovely, grand haunt.
Lia
I WOKE WITH A START. I’d only fallen asleep once the fireworks had stopped, still in my clothes. But my sleep had been restless, my dreams—nightmares really—had been variations of me staying and disappointing Taylor or me leaving and disappointing my family … and Coop.
Exhausted, I stared at the dark ceiling.
Another noise, a clatter, this time right outside my door. I sat up. The moonlight made Mellie’s eyes shine. I put my fingers to my lips.
“It’s just the boys,” she mumbled and rolled over again.
Well, I was just done with this nonsense. All my earlier sympathy for Hugh fled. Lame ghost. Lame, juvenile little brothers trying to capture him. I threw back the covers and stomped across the room.
Mellie made a shushing sound, and I hesitated at the door. Fine. No point in waking Mom and Dad.
But really. This had to stop.
I turned the handle and opened the door as quietly as I could. None of the doors in the family wing creaked anymore. Dad had seen to that, though Mom had once made a snarky comment about how it helped the boys in their nighttime escapades.
On the hallway floor, outside my door, sat a piece from one of the suits of armor. Down the hall a bluish light was turning the corner. Through the newly enlarged windows, I tracked it as it went by Coop’s design workstation. It appeared to be heading toward the library.
Time to have a word with Sir Hugh. I ran after it, having to skirt a couple more bits of armor. Did he think to play Hansel and Gretel by leaving a trail of armor instead of bread crumbs?
Hugh might think himself clever, but I was going to give him a piece of my mind. Like we didn’t have enough of a mess to clean up already. We didn’t need to have him adding to our work.
The light disappeared into the library, and the door slammed shut. I stopped there and listened. From the racket inside, he must be throwing the pieces of armor around the room while muttering to himself. Had he tripped a trap set by the boys? He’d better not damage anything.
It didn't matter. It was time for this guy to go into the light, even if I had to throw him there myself.
Fueled by my fatigue and wrenching indecision, I gathered up years of experience watching my mom boss around Dad’s work crews. With a jerk, I ripped open the library door and marched into the room. Sir Hugh sat on one of the chairs, rubbing his shin.
“How dare you?” I demanded, planting my hands on my hips in my best mother imitation.
Sir Hugh spun his head around. “How dareI?” He rose to what must have been his full height. The dimness made it hard to tell if he meant to intimidate me by floating off the ground. His bluish glow, combined with the moonlight, gave everything an eerie radiance. It was pretty impressive.
He came closer, but I stood my ground.
“How dareI?” he asked again. “Iam the sixth Baron le Savage, and this is my home.Ihave every right to be here.Youare the usurper.”
“Yeah. No. Sorry to break the news to you, dude.” I stepped closer to him, putting on a fierce glare. “You’re.Dead.” I spoke the words slowly, like he might not understand. I pointed to the portrait over the fireplace. “Go to the light. Go away and be with your family.”
I think Sir Hugh’s face had gone red, but his bluish ghost light turned it into the oddest shade of purple instead. With the round baldness at the top of his head, it reminded me of a giant grape.
“Lia?” Mellie’s little voice came from behind me, soft and scared.
“I will show you!” Hugh moved before I could even turn around to grab her. With a frightening growl, he blew right through me. Literally. Right through me. My entire body went cold. Like a videogame champion, I stood frozen in place, stunned. Unable to move.
“Lia!” Mellie wailed from behind me, the sound flying away.
Gone.
