The Devil's Third (41 page)

“I believe so,” I answered. “I bought this house from a recluse who had impeccable tastes as you can see.”

I remembered the man clearly. When I had followed Matt to Astoria from Seattle, I knew right away I wanted to buy a place here. I also knew since I was a tracker, I needed my privacy and had a great fondness for the forest. One afternoon I decided to drive around in the mountains and woods and came across this house with a for sale sign. It was sheer luck, but I took it as fate. It was exactly what I wanted, and I didn’t hesitate to knock on the door. An older gentleman with salt and pepper hair and beard answered. We talked the whole afternoon about philosophy and how the world was in a state of disarray. He preferred to live alone. After his beloved wife passed from breast cancer, he closed himself off to the world and consumed himself in great works of literature and the mechanics of the human mind and spirit. I enjoyed his company and told him we should visit again. He said he would like to; however, he was also dying of cancer, thus selling the house, and he didn’t know how much longer he had. Three weeks after I purchased his house, I heard he put a bullet in his head.

“Nathan, do you still have incense?” Paige asked, standing by the stone fireplace, looking gorgeous as ever in her gray cargo pants and a white zip up hoodie which hugged her curves just right.

“In the kitchen.” I headed toward there, remembering I stuck some in a drawer beneath the window. “I’ll go get them.”

“Hold on,” she called as I stepped into the U-shaped kitchen. “Forget it.”

I wondered if she changed her mind and how Ameerah would feel about it. “Do you want to do it some other time?” I asked, retracing my steps. I entered the living room and watched Ameerah hand her the grimoire. My stomach sank. “You’re not planning to use a book spell to contact Nadia are you?” I asked in a flat tone.

“There’s not one. I’ve already checked,” Ameerah said, sitting next to Paige on the couch. “I just wanted to show her this. It’s yours and hers now.”

Paige held the grimoire in her lap and grimaced. “I can’t believe it’s bound in human flesh. Gross.” She looked up at me with disturbed eyes. “I can feel the dark energy.” She pushed it off her lap with one swipe. It fell on the floor with a thunk. “I don’t think we should have this disgusting thing in your house.”

Ameerah pulled a dark purple, velvet cloth from her bag. She bent and picked up the book, then wrapped the fabric around it. “This will lock its life force. Have Nathan build a wooden box from an aspen and place this grimoire inside it. It will give you double protection from any negative energies that might seep out.” She glanced at us in turn, a forewarning etching her features. “You need to keep this in a safe place where nobody can find it, and don’t breathe a word about it to anybody. Even your closest friends.” She raised her eyebrows. “Do you get me?”

“We won’t,” Paige promised, jumping to her feet, moving to the front of the room.

Ameerah looked at me, waiting for my reply. “It will remain a secret between Paige and me,” I told her and meant it. The last thing we needed was more trouble or hassle in our lives. I would make sure nobody would discover it.

Ameerah sighed and nodded. “Good.”

“Why didn’t you want the incense?” I asked Paige and laughed because she was shaking her body as if she suddenly had the heebie jeebies. “What are you doing?”

She stopped and ran her fingers through her hair. “I just wanted to make sure I had all the dark energy off me.”

“You’re silly, Paige,” Ameerah said with a faint smile. “Dark energy can’t cling to you unless you allow it by inviting it in or being in a constant negative state of mind.”

“Maybe so,” Paige said, shrugging, “but it made me feel better anyway.” She paused and turned to me. “I’m going to cast the spell without the incense, like I did when I contacted my grandmother. My energy level is still up, so I think it’ll work.”

“I think it’s a great idea.” I gave her an encouraging look, proud of her decision. Because my thoughts were this: she might have to tap into her abilities one day when supporting resources weren’t available to her. It was better to practice without them, so she would gain the confidence she needed to work her magic. Of course, with some rituals she would have to use tools in order to perform them, such as dream walking or conjuring dark spirits. However, with this particular one, she was free to discharge her powers without any aids.

“I’m nervous,” Ameerah announced, fidgeting with the strap on the backpack. “My stomach is in knots . . . well, this human’s stomach.” An empty laugh escaped her lips.

Paige gave Ameerah a thoughtful look. “What did you look like when you were human?”

“I was a few inches taller than you,” Ameerah said. “I had long, dark and curly hair. My eyes were hazel.” She paused, perhaps remembering the time. She raised her hand, dancing her fingers in front of her face. “I had a splatter of freckles across the bridge of my nose and a small chip in my front tooth.”

“How did you get the nick?” I asked, sitting beside her.

“I know what you two are doing.” She narrowed her eyes at us, accusingly. A beam of light wiped across them.

“Is it working?” Paige asked, flashing her an impish grin.

Ameerah pointed at Paige. “You’re bad, but it worked.”

“Good. Now, I’m going to get started, but I’m not promising you anything,” Paige told her. “I’m still new at this.”

I could hear Ameerah’s heart pounding. She shifted in her seat, then tugged at the bottom of her sweater. She combed her fingers through her hair before smoothing it. Instead of commenting to Paige’s statement, she nodded.

I took Ameerah’s hand and squeezed it. “You look fine. Stop fussing over yourself.”

“You look beautiful,” Paige said.

Ameerah’s cheeks turned the color of a tomato. She dropped her gaze to her lap and gestured for Paige to start. Paige moved to the side of the room. Standing straight, feet apart, she threw her hands in front of herself, palms facing the empty space between the stone fireplace and where Ameerah and I sat.

“In love and pure light, I call forth Nadia to join us here,” she said in a strong and commanding voice. “Ameerah would like to visit with you.”

The lights flickered, then dimmed.

“Ameerah, where are you? I can’t find you,” a faint, teary voice called in desperation.

Ameerah shot to her feet. “I’m here, sweetie.” Her eyes swept the room, searching for Nadia.

“Ameerah, where are you? I can’t find you.” The voice repeated in the same tone.

“Nadia. Can you hear me?” Ameerah hollered. She glanced at Paige. I couldn’t see her face, but I imagined it to be filled with panic. “Help me,” she pleaded.

Nadia sounded lost and disoriented. A terrible ache grew in my chest as the thought of her distress took form. Then the what ifs followed: what if Nadia were unreachable? What if Ameerah never saw her again? What if . . . I halted those heartbreaking thoughts by telling myself they could be wrong. I had no idea how the spiritual world worked, so to get in a knot over something I had no knowledge of was foolish. The tightness in my chest eased, and I focused my attention on Paige. Her arms were hanging by her side, her lips tucked inside her mouth, eyebrows pulled together in sympathy.

She nodded at Ameerah, and threw her hands above her head, palms facing skyward, like she’d done to contact my family. “In love and pure light, I call forth Nadia. If you can hear me, Ameerah is anxious to reunite with you.”

“Ameerah, where are you? I can’t find you,” Nadia said once again, but this time her voice was louder and echoed throughout the house.

Ameerah paced the room. Tilting her head up, she raised her voice and pleaded, “Nadia, can you hear me?”

Silence.

She paused and dropped her face into her hands. Her shoulders shook from her silent sobs. I moved toward her, but then a muffled scream came. I sat again, thinking stepping into her space wasn’t such a good idea after all. She dropped her hands, rage twisting her features. I watched her closely to make sure she wasn’t going to take it out on Paige. My muscles tensed in preparation to lurch forward if need be.

She raised her fists in the air and shook them. “Why? Why are you doing this to us? I’m changing my ways. I’m doing the best I can, yet you’re still punishing us. Don’t you have any mercy or compassion?”

“Ameerah,” Paige said.

Ameerah’s blazing eyes shifted on Paige. “They’re a bunch of assholes.” she hissed. “Now I understand why Bael went rogue.”

“You don’t mean it,” I told her, concerned she might backslide and return to her old ways.

She whipped around, facing me, her teeth clenched. “You’re damn right I mean it.”

“Ameerah,” Paige said again, pointing to her left a few feet away from the fireplace.

At first I didn’t see anything. I narrowed my eyes and stared at the empty space Paige indicated. Both she and Ameerah moved to the couch to where I sat. It became obvious they saw something, but then I saw it as well. A tiny ripple in the air–a refraction of blue light forming rings, reminding me of a stone pitched into water, causing the liquid to ripple, expanding in circles across the surface. The center coned backwards, then widened into a picturesque scene of a vast meadow surrounded by enormous mountains in a circular pattern beneath a pale lavender sky. They were covered in lush, thick emerald grass and tall trees. The waterfalls cascading from them had prisms of colors dancing along the front. I’d never seen such a beautiful landscape, and my breath caught in my throat. A tall figure appeared in the meadow–a glowing silhouette moving toward us in an easy manner, like there was no care in the world.

“Who is it?” Ameerah wondered more to herself than us.

“I don’t know,” Paige replied, her eyes trained on the newcomer.

I rose to my feet. “We’re about to find out.”

Details of his appearance came into focus as he approached. He reminded me of a younger version of Bob Dylan with the shaggy brown hair, sideburns, a long nose, and deep blue eyes. The top buttons on his white collared shirt was undone, the bottom haphazardly tucked into his blue jeans.

“You know who he looks like?” Ameerah whispered, looking at Paige and me.

“I was thinking of Bob Dylan in his younger years,” I commented.

Ameerah nodded. “I always thought he was adorable.”

“I think he’s a light walker,” Paige mused.

“You’re correct,” he said, stepping into the room, a warm glow around his gentle face.

“Where’s Nadia? Why can’t she hear me?” Ameerah demanded.

“She’s in the lower world,” the light walker told her. “She’s in the part where shell shocked souls reside.”

Ameerah stared at him, speechless.

“What does that mean?” Paige asked.

“Sometimes spirits become confused when they have no recollection of their death and have a strong attachment to earth or to somebody who still dwells on this plane,” he said with a note of sadness. “These souls remain there until we can snap them out of their stupor and help them crossover.”

“Nadia,” Ameerah croaked, horror leeching the color from her face.

“We’ve tried reaching her to no avail,” he said. “But take comfort in knowing we never give up. One day--”

“Take comfort?” Ameerah’s voice rose. “How can I take comfort in knowing the love of my entire existence is aimlessly wandering, trapped in a vicious cycle of confusion, repeatedly calling my name, looking for me?”

“I understand your grievances, which is rightfully so,” he said, unfazed by her outburst. “But these heartbreaking situations are a drop in a bucket compared to what lies ahead once the veil is lifted from them.”

Ameerah’s lips tightened. “How can you be so callous?”

“I’m not,” the light walker answered in a matter-of-fact tone. “I understand it, and though it pains me to see, I know the end result. I’ve experienced it myself and can assure you this blemish on these souls will pass.”

“Ameerah can help Nadia snap out of it,” Paige said, sounding hopeful.

“Yes, I can. I know I can.” Ameerah took a step forward but stopped when he shook his head. “What? You don’t agree? Because if you don’t that’s a bunch of bullshit.” She seethed.

He gave Ameerah a thoughtful look, the depths of his eyes pooling with so much understanding and love I was overwhelmed. I glanced away, and Tree entered my mind. One day, this is what he would be doing, filled with knowledge beyond my comprehension. I then wondered if he ever experienced what Nadia was going through. If not, in time he would, so he could gain the understanding of a heartbreaking situation and the ability to assist those lost souls.

“It has been determined,” he said to Ameerah. “Yes, your presence would crack through Nadia’s confused state and bring her to her senses.” He paused, but when Ameerah opened her mouth, he continued, causing her to bite her tongue and glare. “However, you still have unresolved issues which need to be addressed and dealt with before you have the capability to assist her.”

Ameerah blanched. “But-but, I turned my back on the dark ways. Am I not forgiven?”

I didn’t think he implied those things, but I knew it was a fear weighing on her for quite some time. Her question didn’t surprise me, and I hoped he’d be able to take this burden off her shoulders.

“The only forgiveness you need to seek is your own,” he told her, “and you’re not there yet, but I’m here to guide and aid you.”

Ameerah crossed her arms. “So what you’re telling me is until I learn to forgive myself and overcome my
issues”–
she made air quotes–“I can’t help Nadia?”

He nodded. “Correct.”

She made a face. “And how do you propose I do this?”

“Rehabilitation,” he simply told her.

Ameerah held her hand out. “Oh, hell, no. I went through that bullshit when I was human, because my parents mistook my psychic abilities for madness.”

“This is different. You go through a--”

Ameerah pointed past him. “Fuck that. I’ll deal with it on my own, then go to Nadia myself. I’m sure Paige can help me.”

I glanced at Paige at the same time she looked at me. She raised her eyebrows, surprised at Ameerah’s erratic behavior.