“Just let it go,” I told her. “Give it all to me and let me put it away for you.” I continued the gentle exchange of energy. Too much and I might take her aggression for my own, but if I kept it slow and steady, all would be well.
Finally, after what felt like a long time, Miss April looked as she normally did. She threw her slender arms around me. “Thank you so much!” she cried, and then pulled away from me, whirling and twirling in her gown. “I haven’t felt so delightful in an age!”
The gathered ghosts were all staring at me. It wasn’t a hostile situation, but it felt strange all the same. Noah looked especially impressed.
“Well done,” he said. “Your talents and abilities continue to amaze me.”
I shrugged. I had never done that before, but somehow I knew what to do and how to do it. “I’m nothing if not surprising,” I said with a slight smile. Miss April’s manifestation and the denial of my own agenda had me feeling a little petulant. I hoped it would go away soon.
Noah offered me his arm. I didn’t hesitate to take it. We began walking away from the crowd, toward the back of the foyer. “I was worried you might not come back after the unfortunate events with Robert,” he said to me.
“I didn’t want to intrude on your grief.”
Noah shook his head. “We don’t grieve creatures like Robert. He proved himself unworthy with his actions. I hope your sister doesn’t hold his behavior against the rest of us.”
“No, of course not.” I was sure there were plenty of other things Lark would hold against them, given enough time. Why was it that I felt so bitter toward her at times? I’d been so frightened for her at the house, but at that moment, the thought of her annoyed me. That was so very, very wrong.
“That’s good to hear.” He stopped walking. “You didn’t come here to discuss Robert or your sister, did you?”
“Not entirely.” I turned toward him. We were standing in front of a window that overlooked the back lawn. “Noah, why didn’t you tell me you are related to Kevin McCrae, the boy Robert attacked?”
He glanced away. “I wasn’t certain I was when you asked. How did you find out?”
“I saw your photograph and patient information. I didn’t read all of it, but I know why you were admitted, and that convinced me you were related to Kevin. You were a medium, weren’t you?”
He nodded. “I was, yes. And if your friend is as well, then we are most certainly related as I supposed. That particular ability is passed on by blood.”
“But why hide the connection?”
His bright gaze locked with mine, and he smiled sheepishly. That expression was all the proof I needed that he and Kevin were related. Of all the ghosts for me to have feelings for, why—why—did he have to be related to the living boy I wanted to forget?
“I thought if I told you I was related to your friend that you wouldn’t want to see me anymore.”
I frowned. “That makes no sense.”
“I know, but it’s true. And I was afraid that maybe you would think I had something to do with the attack on him.”
“Why would I think something like that?”
He shrugged. “I have a connection with the boy, and someone who I considered a good friend tried to kill him. You have to admit it sounds odd.”
“I would never, ever believe that you would hurt anyone, let alone have them killed.”
“I’ve hurt plenty of living people, Wren. Those who trespass in my domain are too scared to return, and if they do, they don’t do it a third time.”
I should have been bothered by his confession, but I wasn’t. I understood it as only another ghost could. “Regardless, I would never have thought you capable of hurting Kevin in such an underhanded way.”
He lowered his head so that he had to lift his gaze to mine. “But since I didn’t tell you then, you’re suspicious of me now.”
“That’s not it.” I shook my head. “But I am a little upset that you think I would suspect or turn on you so easily. I thought we were friends.”
He took my hand. “Wren, it’s because I want to be more than your friend that I behaved so stupidly.”
I stared at him. “Oh.”
He moved closer, so close that not even a breath could pass between us. “Do you forgive me? Or shall I persuade you?”
I smiled. I knew what sort of persuasion he intended. “I do,” I told him, “but I don’t mind a little persuasion.”
And then he kissed me, and nothing else mattered.
Until the front door burst open and a group of noisy living people walked right into our house of the dead.
WREN
They were kids—not much older than Lark and me, but I didn’t recognize them from school, which meant they probably went to the local college. There were six of them—four boys and two girls.
“This place is awesome!” One of the boys enthused, stomping around like he owned the place. He took no notice of the spirits staring at him or the ones he ignorantly walked though. There wasn’t the barest shred of sensitivity in him, or he’d have felt something.