Jacques comes back downstairs, followed by Tom and Gil.
“What the hell are you doing?” Trent asks, panicked at the sight of the black box Jac is holding. “You…you don’t want to do that. That’s dark magic, and you’re all too moral for that, aren’t you?”
My lips curve into a smile. “Not at all.”
Jacques sets the box down and waves me over, turning his back so Trent can’t see what we’re saying. Hasan takes the role of guard again, and Tom and Gil look nervous about whatever the hell Jac is about to have me do.
“He is right,” Jacques starts, and sticks a rusty skeleton key into the box. “This is dark magic. Be quick, though, and you’ll be fine. I have full confidence in you to avoid the pull to the dark side.” He opens the box and carefully pulls out two amulets hanging on long gold chains. “Put this on, but don’t let the amulet touch your chest yet.”
I slip the chain over my head and keep the amulet in my hand. There’s a symbol etched into the metal on one side, and the other side has one sharp prong in the middle.
“What is this?” I ask again, watching Gil shuffle his feet, looking more and more uneasy.
“A way to see into Trent’s mind,” Jacques answers.
“And a way for him to see into hers,” Tom whispers. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
My eyes widen and I want to take the pendant off. Jac is usually the most cautious out of all of us. Did breaking the curse do something to change that?
“Yes,” he says. “Ace is strong. She can do it.”
“Usually I’m all for showing off how strong I am, but this is making me a little nervous,” I admit.
“Don’t be. Fear will get in the way. I’m going to put the other amulet on Trent. Once it touches his skin, you can put the amulet against yours. You’ll feel a little pinch for a moment, but then the connection will be made. It’s a two-way connection, but you are stronger. See into his mind. Get the information you need and then get out of there.”
“What if I can’t?”
“You can.”
I bite my lip and look at the twins. “Rip the necklace off me if need be.”
Tom nods. “I’ll keep you safe, Ace.”
Trent thrashes around, making it difficult for Jacques to get the amulet over his head. Hasan puts his hands around Trent’s temples, keeping him still. Jacques slips the necklace over his head and drops the round, metal amulet on Trent’s chest. He flinches as the sharp metal on the back punches into his skin. The symbol etched into the metal starts to seep with his blood.
“A little pinch?” I question, looking at Jacques with wide eyes.
“Now, Ace,” he says, and I drop the amulet down onto my chest. Right away, this feels dark. Everything around me is pushing me down, and that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach before something bad happens is overpowering.
I can still see everyone around me, but I can’t hear anything anymore. Training my eyes on Trent, I mentally push into his mind.
“Where are you keeping the demon powers?” I ask, and Trent tries to keep his thoughts from me.
“Go to hell, bitch,” he says, voice echoing in my mind. My concentration slips. Suddenly, everything presses down on me again and I get a flash of something…something I can’t quite place.
But it’s something familiar.
And then I smell sulfur. My heart speeds up and I narrow my eyes, staring at Trent. He’s trying to get into my head. Balling my fists, I take a deep breath and push forward.
“The demon powers,” I press, and mentally work my way in deeper. I’m gaining control again, and Trent knows it. I can feel his panic as it floats in the air around us.
“Do you remember the night your parents died?” his voice hisses in my ear. “I do.”
Whatever hold I had on him slips away, and the basement fades to black. I can’t see anything. I can hardly breathe. The smell of sulfur gets stronger and stronger, and I can hear distant chanting.
No, stop it!Sweat rolls down between my breasts and I feel like I’m pushing against invisible weights. Then it’s as if the lights come back on, but instead of seeing the basement around me, I’m in the living room of my childhood house.
The panic and fear I felt the night I found my parents dead on the living room floor hits me hard, right in the middle of my chest. It spreads, suffocating me.
