I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. “I’ve never been.”
“That must change immediately.” Liane leaned back in her chair, her lips slightly turned up. “So how was it living with the great Segurs?”
“Torture.”
Liane laughed. “Isn’t it always? My parents won’t let me move until I marry, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s not going to happen.”
“So you’re going to live with your parents forever?” William asked.
“Of course not. Parents can’t live forever.” An uncomfortable silence followed her grin.
Suddenly, Liane jumped as if she’d been shocked. She turned to me. “I just remembered! Did you know we are distant cousins?”
“Really?”
“Our great, great grandmothers were sisters. They were scandalous, mischievous women. In fact, they were once kicked out of an entire city because of their pranks.”
William snorted. “A relative of yours causing trouble? I can’t believe it.”
“I’ve always wanted a sister,” Liane said, ignoring William. “Maybe we could be like our grandmothers and have all kinds of fun.”
“I’ve always wanted a sister, too,” I said. Had I been born to a different family, I wanted to add. No one else needed to suffer my parents’ abuse.
“Then it’s settled. We are sisters, you and I.” Liane took my hands in hers. “William, could you say a few ceremonious words, binding us as sisters forever?”
“You can’t be serious,” he said.
“Of course I am. Just a few words. Go on, now.”
William glanced over at Boaz for help, but Boaz just smiled and shrugged. William sighed and lifted his arms into the air. “Oh great mother of…sisterhood. Bind these two women as sisters for all eternity!”
My hand suddenly tingled. I looked down surprised. When I looked up, my eyes met Liane’s. She, too, seemed surprised.
“It’s done,” she said.
“Want to be brothers?” William asked Boaz.
“No.”
“Let’s play a game.” Liane looked to each one of us.
“If it involves a monkey, I’m out.” William said, crossing his arms.
I laughed. “Why would a game involve a monkey?”
“Ask Liane.”
I turned to Liane, waiting for an explanation, but received none.
Liane said, “Fine, no monkeys. Let’s play—Dare the Demon.”
“What’s that?” I asked, trying not to swallow.
“It’s simple really,” William told me. “We dare each other to do stupid things. You see, we are the demons.”
“Oh.”
“It will be fun, don’t worry,” Liane said. “Who wants to go first?”
“I will,” said William. He looked around the room until his eyes settled on Liane. “Since this game was your idea, I dare you first.”
“Go right ahead,” she said through a mouthful of more food.
“I dare you…” He tapped his finger on the table and eyed Liane thoughtfully. “…to take us to your most favorite secret place.”
“Now William, I thought you liked innocent games,” she teased.
William blushed. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“Of course not,” she said and laughed. “As if you could ever mean anything like that. Fine. You want to see my secret place?” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
I waited anxiously. I was in awe of Liane and her straightforwardness. Her uncouth behavior from the way I was raised was refreshing. I wished I could be just like her.
Without warning, all the candles blew out, plunging us into darkness. Both William and I gasped at the same time. Boaz didn’t make a sound, but his cool hand slid across mine. His thumb caressed my palm, sending chills through my whole body. Inwardly, I moaned. I was beginning to enjoy his touch way too much.
Just beyond the patio, high in the sky, a dim light appeared and continued to grow as the walls of the home disappeared behind us. A thick fog rolled in, blanketing the ground that was no longer concrete but now appeared as dirt. Rising from within the fog, differently shaped stones took their places in rows all over what used to be Boaz’s back lawn.
“Amazing,” William whispered. “It’s a graveyard.”
He was right—it was amazing. The light in the sky had formed a full silver moon, and all around us were what looked like endless headstones, mausoleums, and statues.
Liane opened her eyes and stood up suddenly. She tapped me on the shoulder. “You’re it!” She turned and scurried away.
William stood up quickly, too; his chair tipped over as he ran in the opposite direction of Liane. I looked over at Boaz who was pulling his hand away from mine.
“Apparently, you’re it,” he said, and he walked away from me into the maze of statues and graves, gray fog billowing up behind him.