“What is she talking about?” I shout, more confused than ever.
Much to my surprise, it’s Helena who answers. “Your lovely teacher was a double agent. She was working for Aidan all along. My dear husband planted her here, to watch me. To keep me distracted. I’d have been better off waiting for you to emerge at the borders of Llevar la Luz.”
Another spark, but this time it’s different. This is more like a spark that never ends, a bolt of lightning that brightens the sky forever.
Now Anna’s spirit isn’t the only one here. Lucio watches as I move closer to Nolan. His body is something of a buffer, and at first, none of the spirits can touch me, but even the strongest protector is no match for this many spirits. Helena lifts her arms as Lucio and Aidan get to work, but for every spirit they help move on, two more come to take its place.
“She must be drawing spirits from across the country to this house,” I manage to whisper to Nolan, who looks stricken.
“I’m so sorry, Sunshine,” he replies. “I told her that multiple spirits made you weak. I didn’t know . . .”
“It’s not your fault.” I squeeze his hand in mine.
Spirits criss-cross the room with the force of a tornado. Spirits who want to move on and spirits who wish to stay behind.
The sensation is overwhelming.
Helena stretches her arms out wide like she is inviting all the spirits in the world to join us. Her face is white as paper, but she isn’t even out of breath.
The temperature drops even further. I’ve never been so cold in my entire life. There isn’t room for a single coherent thought in my brain. I can’t focus on one spirit at a time. There is only life after life and death after death—car accidents, cancer, old age, heart attacks, gunshot wounds—crashing over me like waves. My teeth chatter so hard that I can’t even muster the words I promise out loud.
Helena’s voice rises above the din, her gaze fixed on Aidan. “You abandoned our mission to protect the life of one girl.” Her voice sounds like she hasn’t had a drop to drink for days. “You put the entire balance at risk for the sake of your precious progress.”
Aidan shakes his head. “No,” he insists. “I’ve never lost sight of our mission. All along it’s been at the heart of everything I’ve tried to do.”
“Even hiding this girl?” Helena’s fingers wrap around my arms as she pulls me away from Nolan. Nolan tries to keep his hold on my hand, but Helena sends a spirit crashing his way, shoving him aside.
“Especially hiding her!” Aidan counters. His voice is louder and more full of emotion than I’ve ever heard it before. “She is able to do things no luiseach ever has. And now we’ve had a breakthrough, Helena.” He lowers his voice when he says her name. “We’ve had a breakthrough,” Aidan repeats, holding up his hands as Helena drags me across the room. “Because of our daughter—”
“Our daughter is to blame!”
“No!” Aidan counters. “She is the key. Yesterday, just before she left our campus, more than a dozen spirits moved on by themselves. Without my help. Without Lucio’s. Only with hers.”
My heart’s pounding so fast that I can barely catch my breath.
“Helena,” Aidan says solemnly, “they moved on by themselves.” I have to concentrate to hear him.
“Impossible!” Helena’s fingers twist through my hair, and I feel the warmth of her flesh against my back. Despite myself, I lean into her, desperate for her warmth.
“Possible,” Aidan counters.
“Let’s see a demonstration, then,” Helena says. “Work your magic, Sunshine.”
“I didn’t do anything,” I manage to say. “I just said . . .” I pause, remembering the words I thought before I left Llevar la Luz: I’m so sorry that you’re trapped in there. Do you know what happens to spirits who spend too much time on Earth? Even the kindest of them turns into something unrecognizable. You’re not meant to stay here so long.
I wish you could feel the peace that comes with letting go of your ties here on Earth.
I know how you felt in life. How you feel now, in death. I can feel it too.
I’m limp in Helena’s arms.
“You expect me to believe this girl is capable of all that?” Helena shouts. “That this girl, who can’t even open her eyes in the presence of a few dozen spirits”—I didn’t realize my eyes were closed—“could change the world?”
“Yes,” Aidan answers calmly, his voice a million miles away.
“Well, I don’t. These are just more of your lies to protect the girl who will ultimately be the cause of our demise!” Helena says, and she tightens her grip on me, bringing her hands up around my neck. The spirits have weakened me enough that I can’t fight back, but she can’t count on them to finish the job.
I am a luiseach after all. Spirits can’t kill me, so Helena begins to squeeze.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
The Awakening