“Found some.” She turned the laptop around so we could see it. There, at the bargain price of $4.99 with free shipping, was a wood-backed stamp depicting the Star of Solomon.
“We can have them by tomorrow if I buy them in the next five minutes.”
I looked at Mace. He shrugged. “Sure. Can you get two, Mrs. Noble? Please?”
Nan smiled at him. “Mrs. Noble was my mother-in-law, and I couldn’t stand her. Call me Charlotte. And, yes, I can get two.”
“What does the seal do?” Gage asked.
“It’s protection against evil ghosts or spirits,” Kevin responded before I could. I didn’t mind, since I would have said the same thing almost word for word.
“If the seal is stamped onto everyone who goes into the show, it will give some protection against whatever Noah has planned. At least in theory.”
Gage smiled at me. He had really white teeth that looked even whiter next to his tanned skin. He and Roxi both looked like walking toothpaste commercials. “Your theories haven’t steered us wrong yet.”
I smiled back. It was either that or plant a big wet one on him for saying exactly what I needed to hear.
“The stamps are a good idea,” Ben said. He squeezed my hand, and I knew he meant it. For a moment I believed it would all work out. But then I thought of Wren and those inky veins.
“Rox, can you still sneak some stuff onto the property with your mom?” I asked.
“Yup. Just give me what I need to take.”
“Great. I have a bag with salt and iron already packed. I need all of you to make sure you’re stamped Halloween night. Make sure you’ve got as much iron as possible, too. If Wren was right about Noah’s bones, I may be able to sneak into the building during the concert and grab them, or torch them on-site.”
Ben lifted his brows. “Not alone.”
“Thank you, Ben,” Nan said. “My granddaughter seems to think she’s invincible.”
I blushed and rolled my eyes. “Um, hello? I won’t be alone, I’ll have Wren.”
“You said Noah made her sick,” Ben reminded me. “It wouldn’t hurt to have a backup.”
Did he ever get tired of being right? I mean, I liked it, but it was infuriating at the same time. Still, I couldn’t really be upset by it because he was right, and I’d be stupid to run in alone.
Roxi took a sip of her soda. “We should pick a place to meet so we can all go in together and get the gear.”
“Someplace easy to find each other,” Mace added. “Maybe meet outside the gate?”
We all agreed.
“Oh, there’s one more thing,” I said. When each head turned toward me, I took a deep breath. “If things go bad, I need to know you guys will protect yourselves and get out of there.”
“We’re not going to leave you,” Ben insisted. I loved that he believed everyone else would share the sentiment.
“Yes, you are,” I told him, and I meant it. “If it’s that dangerous, I can’t have you guys there. I can’t worry about you and Wren and take on Noah. So before we go any further, I want you all to promise. Now.”
They traded glances, but when they turned their attention back to me, they each made the promise. I just had to hope they kept it.
“Okay, then,” I said. “Let’s call up a ghost.”
“Who is it?” Roxi asked.
I smiled. “Maureen McCrae. Noah’s sister.”
*
We took the snacks off the table and put them on the buffet against the wall. I ran up to my room and grabbed the spirit board to use as a focus. I didn’t know for sure that it would work, or that it wouldn’t whisk all of us into the void, but I had a feeling, and I’d come to trust them.
I also had a feeling that I could probably summon Maureen on my own, but I wasn’t ready to test that theory. To be honest, it freaked me out a little. More importantly, I wanted my friends with me to hear what she had to say, because my first priority—after getting Wren back—was to protect the people I cared about. Once I knew they were safe, then I’d start taking risks.
“Ohhh,” Roxi cooed when I set the board in the center of the table. “That’s pretty.”
“Is that supposed to be you and Wren?” Gage asked. “It looks way old.”
“Spirit boards came about in the latter 1800s,” Nan told him. “Spiritualism was popular back then. This board was made for my grandmother Emily and her twin, Alys.”
Ben smiled at Nan. “My grandmother says Lark feels like powerful ancient energy. I guess she was right.” He winked at me. I smiled.
“Okay, then.” I sat down at the table once more. “Let’s get started. I need you all to set your fingers on the edge of the board so that your thumbs touch, and your pinkies touch those of the person next to you.” I didn’t really know if this was absolutely necessary, but contact amplified energy, and ghosts were all about that.
I sat down in my chair and put my fingers on the board. The second my left pinky touched Ben’s, closing the circuit, a tingle ran up my spine. Hello, spirit world.