Page 72 of Hallows End

“Do you think that whatever possessed you left at that time, and the sickness was your body’s reaction to the possession?” Breena asks.

“I wasn’tpossessed,” Lucy replies.

“Then what do you think it was?” I ask her and make her look into my eyes. “How would you explain it?”

“Maybe I ate something bad,” she says, thinking it over. “It could have been a weird reaction to something.”

“You’re not allergic to anything that grows,” Breena insists. “And we all ate the same things. It came in on that.” She points at the broken agate.

Lucy’s face pales even more when she looks at the crystal, and then she’s on her feet and backing quickly away from it.

“Get that out of here.”

The fear is palpable as Lorelei takes the crystal and hurries out the back door with it. I watch through the window as she takes it through the garden, out the gate, and into the trees.

“Honey,” Breena says, rubbing Lucy’s back. “Something had you tonight. But don’t worry, we laid so much protection on this place, literallynothingcan get inside without your consent. It’s so strong, you might even have to givewrittenconsent.”

Lucy gives her a shaky smile. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Lorelei comes back into the kitchen and washes her hands. “I took it halfway home. I’ll take it the rest of the way when I go in a bit and dispose of it in the ocean. It won’t ever bother you again, Lucy.”

“Okay.” Lucy takes a long, deep breath. “Okay.”

“Oh, and by the way,” Lorelei continues, “your mom is here, and she’s not leaving you again until this whole mess is cleaned up. She says you can try to make her mad enough to storm out, but it won’t work.”

Lucy presses her lips together, and her eyes fill with tears.

“Good. I could use my mom right about now. But tell her to stay out of the bedroom, or she might see some stuff she’d rather not.”

Lorelei laughs. “She says she’ll give you your privacy.”

“What was that?” Lucy asks, looking over at me.

“I didn’t say anything, sweetheart.”

She frowns, purses her lips, and swallows hard. “Oh, okay.”

She’s been doing that a lot, asking me or others to repeat themselves when nothing has been said. It makes me wonder what’s tormenting her and what she’s been hearing.

I absolutelydespisethat I can’t do more to help her.

“I really am tired,” Lucy decides and finishes her tea. “I think I’ll go to bed for the night. I’m sorry that our fun girls’ night went to hell in a handbasket.”

“I had a great time until we opened that box,” Breena assures and gives her a big hug. “Go sleep off the nasty. You’ll feel better tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Lucy kisses her cousin’s cheek. “Have a good night, you guys.”

Lucy and Nera leave the room.

“We’re going,” Lorelei says. “You are to stick to her like glue.”

I nod, and when the women are gone, I lock the door and set one last protection spell before climbing the steps to Lucy’s room.

She’s back in bed with Nera, and she’s already asleep.

I slide into bed with them and pull Lucy close. I need the comfort of having her in my arms.

They’re all hanging.