Armed with candles, a new amethyst, and a ouija board, I head upstairs to my bedroom. I’m doing this, even if I’m nervous as fuck. If all goes as planned, I’ll get the answers I need, then I’ll call Wilder.
I follow all the steps I saw Mercy and Talon do, and once I finish lighting the candles, I blow out a slow breath and press my fingertips to the planchette on the board. The guy at the occult store told me anyone can use a board like this, and all I had to do was really focus on who I was trying to contact. Here goes nothing. Or everything.
Closing my eyes, I focus on my dad’s face; what I remember of it. He was a young man the last time I saw him in person, and he’d aged considerably by the time of his arrest.
“Okay, Dad. It’s me, Keagan. If you can hear me, can you let me know somehow?”
Nothing happens for several seconds, so I try to focus harder.
“Dad, I just have a few questions. Will you talk to me?”
The air around me noticeably cools, sending shivers through me, and the light above me flickers.
“Is that you, Dad?”
The planchette vibrates slightly, and my breath catches.
“Okay. Hi.” I have to blow out a breath to calm my nerves enough to talk. “If it’s really you, what was my nickname when I was younger?”
The planchette moves slightly but then jerks violently, landing on the letter N. My throat tightens as it moves and spells out the wordNugs. It’s really him. He called me that because I was always falling and knocking my head on stuff. Somehow he came up with Nugs. My mom hated the nickname.
“Thanks.” I blow out another breath. “Earlier, when we talked to you, you said it wasn’t you who committed the murders. Do you know who it was?”
The planchette moves to the Yes spot.
“Can you tell me?”
The planchette moves in circles, dragging my fingers across the board. I have to pay a lot of attention to make sure I catch all the letters.D-E-M-O-N.
“Demon? I don’t understand.”
More letters come until I realize it spelled out,Not me. Demon.
“Are you saying it was a demon separate from you?”
No.
My stomach turns over. Fuck.
“Are you saying a demon made you do it?”
Nothing happens for a few seconds but then the planchette moves to theYesspot.
My heart sinks. “So you did kill those people? A demon made you kill them?”
Yes.
My stomach turns sour as bile rises in my throat. I remove my fingers from the board and rub my face. A demon. He’s not taking responsibility for it, and that’s why Talon and Mercy detected a lie. So maybe he’s insane. That makes sense. Sane people don’t murder other people. Mostly.
I don’t have any other questions. What could he say to me that would make it make sense?
The planchette moves on its own, and I gasp.
I watch as words form.Not leaving you. Protect you.
“P-protect me from what?”
Demon.
