Page 117 of A Summoned Husband

The pointed slid across the board, the sound of wood on wood slicing through the air.

Y.

O.

U.

R.

“Your,” Olivia read out loud, the sound of her voice way too loud in the chilling quiet.

B.

O.

D.

Each slide of the pointer across the board broke through the quiet and thickened the air with tension. I held my breath.

Y.

“Body.” Olivia’s eyes widened before they searched the darkness, frantic. “What? No. You can’t have it. Hello? Do you hear me? You can’t have it.”

The board shook and the flames flickered.

Olivia’s hands whipped out, gripping the sides of the small table until her knuckles whitened.

I sat up on my knees. I hated this. Hated knowing all I could do was watch. I wanted to scream at her to get out of there, but I knew there was nothing to do. I was condemned to watch her go through it alone. Without me. Without the others. Just her and her dark thoughts made real.

I could only hope that was all this was. Another trick of the witch. I had to believe the moth meant it was.

Her head whipped back and an inhuman sound erupted from her mouth. Inky liquid created a dark plume in the air. It was thick and slippery as it whirled around, forcing its way down her throat until the veins at the sides of her neck looked ready to burst.

The table flew across the room and I fell back on my ass.

A shrill ringing sounded. It was so high I had to clamp my hands over my ears as pain pushed into them.

Olivia slumped forward, her head hanging against her chest.

The candles blew out.

I could hear nothing but the sound of my own breath as I waved a hand in front of me and tried to find her. Would I know if I touched her, or would my hand just turn to smoke again?

Probably the latter.

“Olivia?” I knew she wouldn’t hear me, but I still had to call for her. I had to try it just in case this time it worked. In case this would be the time where I could reach her.

A door opened in the darkness, casting bright light into the room.

“Olivia?” There was a soft click as the lights turned on. I knew where we were immediately. The room was pale greens and pastel pinks. There was a shag rug on the floor and a birch bedframe pushed against the far wall. The room was welcoming and soft. It was Olivia’s bedroom.

Her mother-in-law stepped further into the room. Her dark hair was parted in the centre and pulled into a tightly braided bun at the top of her neck. Her gold hoops were small, but heavy on the bottom, making them move slightly as she looked around the room.

“What are you doing sitting in the dark?” She didn’t wait for an answer before she walked over to the curtains and pulled them open, letting the daylight stream in. She paused, looking over her shoulder at Olivia. “You know the kid’s bus came and went, don’t you?”

Olivia said nothing.

Her mother-in-law walked over, snapping her fingers in front of Olivia. “Hello? Sometimes I just don’t know what to do with you. You’re in your own damn world.”