“It’s just heavy, as if he leaks magic or I’m always arriving just after he finished stirring.”
Eugene opens the door as we step onto the porch. His eyes are narrowed as he sends a glare in my direction. “Hi again,” I chirp with a plastic smile covering my face.
I do believe it’s the former,Percy says, confirming what I suspected.
“I didn’t think you’d have the nerve to come back here after failing the tasks you were here to help with,” Eugene sneers, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe. Something about his posture looks off, but I can’t put my finger on why he looks strange.
Instead, I focus on his insult. It’s clearly designed to make me feel inadequate or doubt myself. It doesn’t work. Especially considering I know there is no way Aisling was where he said he found her, at least not when we were in the barn. “I’m persistent.” I widen my smile even more. “I’d like to speak with Aisling.”
“I’m supposed to just go fetch her because you told me to?” The fact that I didn’t ask clearly bothers him, but I really don’t give a shit.
“I don’t mind going to find her myself.” I take a step forward, and Eugene moves quickly, too quickly for someone his age, to block me. It’s then I realize why his mannerisms feel off—he doesn’t carry himself like an old man. Come to think of it, I don’t think he ever has. I just didn’t notice.
Something in my gaze must give away my thoughts, because Eugene’s mien shifts enough for me to take notice, almost as if he’s slouching or hunching his shoulders. “I’ll call on her to speak with you if it means you’ll leave us alone,” he concedes, backing closer to the door.
When he slips inside the house, I look at Gray and Felix. I don’t want to ask them if they noticed anything out loud, but I hope my eyes can convey my thoughts. Gray lifts his brows while returning my gaze. I think he detected something too.
“Why are you back here?” Aisling asks, shoving the screen door open and storming out. Her hair is still a mess, and she’s wearing the same clothes I saw her in yesterday. I look down at her hands, noticing a few of the scratches are red and raised, but they are clean.
“I wanted to see how you are,” I reply, keeping my voice light as if I didn’t notice her clear aggravation at my appearance.
She lets out a ragged huff and peers over her shoulder. I watch her eyes narrow even more when she spies her husband in the door. She may not be happy to see me, but if I were a betting woman, I would say she’s holding more anger for Eugene than she is for me.
I clear my throat, deciding to use her manners to get myself an invite into the house. “Could I trouble you for a cup of water?”
Aisling pats the side of her leg in a fidgeting movement. She looks at me, then at the doorway again. “I suppose,” she finally agrees with a disgruntled grumble.
“We’ll wait out here,” Felix offers, then turns to face Gray as if he assumes Aisling, myself, and Eugene are going to head into the house, then adds, “Marty was pretty cheerful this morning.”
I watch as Eugene tilts his head to the side, and I know he’s listening. I continue to follow Aisling into the house, and she takes me right to the kitchen. I notice that the mess in the living room from yesterday has all been cleaned up, even the broken lamp.
Aisling opens the cabinet above the sink, pulls down a tall blue glass, and fills it with water before handing it to me. I take a quick sip but focus mostly on her. “Are you doing okay?”
“I’m fine, but you need to stop coming here,” she murmurs under her breath while looking at the door.
“Why?” I pretend to be confused.
“You just do.”
“The last time I was here there was an incident. The water turned on.” I change the subject to see if she’s more willing to talk about this. “You said the house didn’t used to be haunted. Do you believe it is now?” I take another small sip of water.
“What does this matter?” Aisling fiddles with a washcloth near the side of the sink.
I get right to the point. “Because I believe the presence that was here followed me home yesterday.” If Aisling won’t allow me to help her, I can’t force her, but I need to get to the bottom of what else might be happening here.
She makes a gasping sound of surprise, then shakes her head as if to deny my claim. “No,” she whispers.
“I wish I could say I was joking.” I reach up to run my hand over Percy, who is still sitting on my shoulder. He usually likes to go off and explore on his own, so there must be something about this exchange he wants to witness.
“Eugene,” she says slowly, reaching for the counter as if she needs it to steady herself.
“What does he have to do with it?” I ask cautiously.
“What? Oh, nothing,” Aisling replies dismissively, searching the table like it may offer an answer.
“Is he a medium?” I urge. That could explain why his magic always feels active. Maybe he sent the entity after me.
“Eugene? No,” she scoffs.
