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“Last night when Ten and I met with Jeremy Daniels, he told us that the man involved with Delilah was his great-grandfather, several times removed. His name was John Joseph Daniels. I did some research on him this afternoon. Before the war broke out, he’d been a career army man of little distinction. When the war broke out, Daniels was quickly elevated through the ranks. He became a general shortly before the Battle of Gettysburg, because the unit’s former general had been killed in action. According to what I read, Daniels was not very good at his job. He seemed to care more about form over substance and as a result, got his entire regiment slaughtered.”

“That’s awful,” Cope said.

“What did you find out about Delilah?” Aurora asked, seemingly cutting right to the chase.

Ronan shot Fitz a questioning look. Fitz simply nodded. “Daniels was furious with her because she refused to use her gifts to help him in battle. He murdered her and had her remains sent back to his plantation in Virginia. After Daniels died, his body was buried right next to her.”

“So he trapped Delilah with him forever?” Aurora asked, her eyes filling with tears.

“He did, but when I spoke with Jeremy, he agreed to have her remains sent to us so that we can lay her to rest here in Salem.”

“Really, Uncle Ronan?” Aurora’s mood instantly brightened.

“Really, honey. We’ll buy her a beautiful urn and you can pick out a headstone and plot, maybe near Mimi Bertha?”

“That would be great. I think Delilah and Bertha will be great friends.”

“I think so too,” Ronan agreed.

“Are you ready to reach out to Delilah?” Ten asked. He walked to the sliding glass door and shut the blinds, just as the room lit up again with lightning bugs.

“Wow,” Fitz gasped. “This is amazing Aurora.”

“Thanks, Daddy.” Aurora took a deep breath and looked around the table. “Delilah doesn’t trust men very much, so I need you all to be calm and quiet. If she doesn’t feel safe appearing with you here, you’ll have to leave. Got it?”

Fitz snickered. “Got it. Delilah is in very good hands with you in charge.”

“Delilah, it’s me, Aurora. Are you here?” Aurora’s voice was barely above a whisper, as if she didn’t want to scare Delilah with a louder tone.

“I am here, little one,” a voice said from behind Ronan and Tennyson. “In all the times I did this spell, I was never able to create this many fireflies. You are truly talented with our magic.”

“I’ve been working really hard. I want to carry on our family tradition.” Aurora beamed.

“You are well on your way.” Slowly, Delilah’s form began to emerge. At first she was a brief outline, but after several seconds, fully materialized.

“You’re beautiful!” Aurora said on a gasp. “I look just like you!”

Aurora had Delilah’s bright green eyes and dark hair. She was short, only an inch or two above five feet and had a smile that lit up the room brighter than the sun. “You are the spitting image of me when I was your age.”

“This is my Daddy, Fitz. He adopted me when I was just a baby.” Aurora looked adoringly at her father.

“He’s done a fine job.”

“Thank you,” Fitz said.

“Before we get to business,” Ten began. “I have a question I’d like to ask.”

“I will answer it if I can, Tennyson.”

“Do you know how you came to be trapped inside the witch board?” Ten’s stomach was a bundle of nerves. He needed to hear the answer in order to prevent this sort of thing from happening again.

“I do,” Delilah agreed with a sigh. “After I died, I wandered, never going very far from Gettysburg. There were so many other spirits there, some good, some not so good. Years after my death, a man came to the place where I died. He brought a powerful witch with him. She was the one who cast the spell that trapped my spirit in the board. After that, I was kept inside a locked box, never able to see the light of day.”

“Do you know who the witch was?” Ten asked, his hands balling into fists.

Delilah shook her head. “I do not. It was a dark day for me when the spell was spoken. I was confused and angry. Are you looking for revenge on my behalf, Tennyson?”

“I wish it were possible.” Ten wasn’t a great believer in revenge, but in this case he’d gladly make an exception. He could feel Delilah’s pain, still raw and fresh after a century and a half. “I wanted to know if the spell still existed and if it were possible to lock it down or render it useless so that no other women will have to suffer your same fate.”