A Harvest of Bones

  As I headed into the kitchen, White Deer stared out the window into the backyard. She turned around, her face unusually solemn. “It won’t be easy, but we’ll manage it somehow.”

  “Nanna has a lot of ideas on banishing negative entities in her journal,” I said, going through a few of them. I bit into one of the cranberry bars and closed my eyes. Yum… bliss in baked sugar.

  “Okay, then. We start the exorcism this afternoon. We may have to do some prep work first, though. If we start early, we can finish in time for your birthday party.”

  “Providing everything goes as planned,” I muttered. I’d had my cocky moments in the past and paid for it, finally learning to hope for the best but plan for the unexpected.

  “Speaking of birthdays, I know what Joe bought you!” Harlow grinned, her eyes sparkling. “He’s a smart man. He asks for help in selecting gifts when he doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

  I’d stuck my birthday on the backburner, but now my curiosity bubbled up. “What did he get me? Perfume? Clothing?”

  “You think I’m going to tell?” she said, laughing. “Think again, Miss Nosy. You’ll have to wait until tonight to find out. Meanwhile, I’ll pick up the cake when I’m shopping for snacks.” Harlow had been designated the official refreshments coordinator for the party. She’d ordered the cake, planned out the menu, and was overseeing all of the edibles. Naturally, she’d opted for catered platters and a gourmet cake, which was just fine with me.

  “Sounds good,” I said. “I hope you’ve got chocolate in that mix.”

  “More than you know what to do with,” she shot back. “What about guests? Anybody we forgot?”

  I thought for a moment. “Horvald and Ida should be back today, and Maeve is coming, and Joe’s Aunt Margaret. I invited Cinnamon and Lana, but I doubt that Cinnamon will show.” I told them about her predicament.

  Murray shook her head. “Man, that girl needs to do some thinking. He leaves her with three kids and she still puts her heart on the line.” She finished her mocha. “Well, I’m off to work. Jimmy won’t be able to show up until around eight. He’s off checking his trap lines.”

  “Tell him I could use a mink.” Harlow grinned. “So, did you invite Andrew?”

  I grimaced. “You really think Joe would appreciate that? Besides Andrew is getting creepier and I don’t need any more complications in my life. He’s become a pain in the neck. I told you, didn’t I, that he’s been calling every time he gets drunk and begging me to leave Joe?”

  “No! Oh my God, I bet Joe loves that!”

  “Yeah, they make quite a pair. Joe would love nothing more than to go over and deck the guy, but I won’t let him.”

  They laughed as they headed out the door, Murray to work and Harlow to shop. White Deer and I set about gathering what we’d need for the exorcism. I pulled out my Florida water, some white sage, lavender, cedar smudge sticks, a piece of amethyst crystal, and a five-pound box of kosher salt.

  White Deer was poring over the variation I’d written up with for Nanna’s charm. “You know, I think this adaptation you’ve created will work. It’s really quite lovely.” She paused, then asked, “Have you seen the Will o’ the Wisps lately?”

  “A few.” I shrugged. “For the most part, they seem to have disappeared when we found Brigit’s skeleton.” I told her about the journal entry and my theory. “I guess they were there to bring my attention to Brigit’s remains. They’re nasty buggers, but they did their job.”

  “A lot of nature spirits aren’t very nice,” White Deer said. “People forget that they aren’t human, and don’t play by human rules.”

  Good point.

  White Deer showed me the things she’d brought, just in case. A rattle, some special incense, blessed river rocks that were taken from a sacred spot—with approval—after much prayer. She also had a bag full of quartz crystals.

  “Hold on,” I said, dashing to answer the phone as it rang.

  “Hey babe, you naked?”

  “No I’m not, and when are you coming over?” I asked.

  Joe snorted. “I take it you want to be naked. Well, you’ll have to wait a little while for that, sweetie. I’m going to be a little late. I need to stop by a store and pick up something for tonight. The store’s in Bellingham.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You’re not buying the deed to another empty lot, I hope?”

  “Yeah, like I’m going to try that one again. Who knows what you’d manage to find on it? Aliens, probably.” Laughing, he hung up after promising to be back around six.

  Even though a few last rays of sun had broken through the thick clouds for a rare hello, we bundled up. The thermometer read forty-seven degrees and evening was on its way. Gear in hand, White Deer and I headed next door, and cautiously entered the lot. It was quiet, almost as if an uneasy truce was under way.

  “I’m trying to decide whether it would be better to lay out everything near the yew tree where her body was left, or in her bedroom.” Both had their advantages and disadvantages. My main concern with the basement room was that we’d have farther to run if we needed to get out of there in a hurry.

  White Deer squinted against a ray of light that splashed across her face, leaving a golden glow in its wake. “My vote is for the bedroom. It probably had better memories than the yew tree, which was essentially her grave.”

  Good point. I sighed, as we cautiously peered into the basement. I didn’t want to go down there again, but if it would put an end to all of this, I wasn’t going to back down. The stairs were slick with rain-soaked debris—leaves and twigs and needles from the trees still shedding the last of their summer foliage.

  Step-by-step, we descended into the gloom of the basement. I couldn’t help but wonder what the layers of mulch were hiding. A movement caught my eye and I flinched as a wolf spider scuttled across the top of the leaves. Where there was one, there were others, and I had no desire to meet his kinfolk. I slogged through the ankle-deep detritus, wincing as my foot met something soft and squishy. Oh God, please let whatever it was be vegetation-related.

  By the time we reached the bedroom, the energy was tangible, crackling around us. As the day progressed, the veils between the worlds of spirits and of mortals had started to part. I hurried to open the door.

  White Deer set up the high-beam flashlight she’d brought, placing it on the nightstand while I reluctantly sat down on the bed and emptied my tote bag of ingredients onto the ragged covers. We spread out our crystals and incense in a ring on the desk, with the photocopied pages from Brigit’s journal in the center, topping them with the copy of the picture of Brigit and Mab. Over the top of everything, I gently scattered Samantha’s hair.

  White Deer watched while I circled the quartz spikes with salt, taking care to create no break in the thick ring. “Are you going to smudge?”

  “Yeah, once I have everything set up. I guess we’re about ready.”

  “What do you want me to do?” she asked.

  “Focus on my energy and do what you can to increase it.”

  “In essence, be your amplifier.” She grinned as I flushed, but then I saw she was teasing.

  “Yeah, something like that.” I lit the smudge stick and smoke began to fill the room. The soothing smell of sage and cedar always reminded me of pot roast and turkey and big dinners around the table. The tension in my shoulder blades began to ease up a little. Come what may, at least I’d go into this clear and calm.

  I inhaled slowly and let out my breath in a thin stream. “Winds, mighty winds, hear me. Blow through this space, clear the path for Samantha and Mab to find their way home.”

  White Deer murmured something that I didn’t catch but the energy shifted and grew stronger with her words. I splashed Florida water around the room.

  “Waters of life, cleanse and purify. Let our task be exposed, shining before us so we might know what to do.”

  Again, White Deer’s energy echoed my own and heighte
ned it. After a moment, the power began to rise. I lifted my left hand and, using two fingers, drew runes in the air. Runes that Nanna had taught me years ago, runes to attract the attention of the spirits, runes to banish negativity, runes to protect. I seldom used them, preferring a gentler approach to matters, but this situation called for every resource I had.

  I drew the rune for summoning, the rune for cleansing, and the rune for protection. A low rumble echoed through the room. Earthquake? Maybe. Astral-quake? Probably. Energy raced through my hand, buzzing like a good jolt of caffeine on a slow morning.

  White Deer positioned herself on the bed, cross-legged, and closed her eyes, serene in a way I could never be. She was both peaceful and wise, yet I knew if anything crossed her path, she’d simply take a breath and zap it to hell. I lit a white taper candle and used the flame to keep the smudge stick alight.

  Inhaling deeply, I grounded myself as the energy flowed up from the ground to seep through the floor, into my feet, up my legs until it coiled in my belly like a snake around warm hearth embers. I raised my arms and focused on the images of Mab and Samantha, then called out in Nanna’s native tongue:

  “Du, der Du liebesverloren bist,

  Komm zurück zu mir.

  Von der Welt in der Du schreitest

  In die Welt, in welcher ich lebe

  Folge meiner Stimme,

  Komm zurück an meine Seite.”

  “You who are love lost, return to me.

  From the world in which you walk

  To the world in which I live,

  Follow my voice,

  Return home to my side.”

  There was a hush, then a rustle. I exhaled. White Deer sat very still and we looked at each other, waiting. Nothing, and yet—everything. Something was stirring, I could feel it even though it hadn’t yet manifested. I closed my eyes, focused my attention, and with my right hand reached out for White Deer who clasped it firmly, linking her aura to mine as she magnified the energy.

  Again, I held up the dagger and this time envisioned Mab and Samantha and tried to light the path for the two cats to return to their respective homes. I could feel them watching from the periphery—both curious, both lonely. I sent out a tendril on the breeze, beckoning Samantha, begging her to come home and White Deer added her own call. She was working with earth mana, slower than the force of the wind, but deep and resonating with life.

  “Let this space be cleared and protected, and made clean once more!”

  As we pushed the protective charm out to encompass the entire lot, the energy spiraled, running through the vines, through the blackberry suckers deep within the earth, through the tree roots and rocks, seeking to forge the path for the cats, seeking to link the two worlds so they could trade places. Our force was an arrow, whistling through the air as it attempted to part the veils.

  And then, the charm ground to a halt and it felt as if there was a boulder blocking the path. White Deer leapt to her feet and stared into the corner. As I scrambled up, I saw what she was looking at.

  Brigit was standing there, Samantha by her side. Tears ran down her face as she held out her hands to Mab, who crouched on the other side of the room. But they could not connect.

  “What are we missing?” I shouted, exasperated. “Why won’t this work?” As I spoke, a gust swept through and extinguished the candle. The room plunged into darkness. My stomach knotted as I backed up toward the door, White Deer following suit. As we stumbled out into the fading afternoon, the light blinded me, and I moaned, resting my head against the wall.

  “I have a splitting headache.”

  White Deer shook her head. “I can think of only one reason that the spell won’t complete. The veils between worlds haven’t parted enough. Tonight, when they open fully, we can finish this.”

  Angry, frustrated, I slogged my way through the mulch, trying to keep my footing. I forced my way up the stairs, cold and tired.

  “Emerald, are you okay?” White Deer put her hand on my shoulder, stopping me.

  I shook my head. “I feel horrible. We just left them. Sure, Brigit and Mab are spirits, but they want to be together. And Sammy—how can I just leave her? I can’t take this much longer.”

  White Deer put her hand on my shoulder. “We’re doing what needs to be done. Our timing’s just off.”

  I glanced back at the basement. “Tonight, you say?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Tonight, it will be over and done with.” She spoke with such conviction that I almost believed her. She saw me wavering and added, “Trust and keep hope, Emerald.”

  A distant crash of thunder sent me shivering. I sighed. “So what do we do?”

  “Go back to your house,” White Deer said. “And tonight, we come back to finish what we started.”

  With a deep breath, I glanced at the sky. The clouds were gathering thick and fast. “Okay, but there’s a storm coming. If we don’t get Sammy tonight, I don’t think we ever will. She’ll be trapped forever.”

  Chapter 15

  From Brigit’s Journal:

  He’s gone upstairs to talk to them. No matter what happens, I refuse to cry, or to beg. We O’Reillys have our pride. I think I’ve forgotten that over the past two years. But never again. Either things work out here, or I return home. I’ll know in a few minutes which direction my life is going to take. I’m frightened.

  “SO HOW DO we proceed tonight?” I asked. “Do we go through everything again? Or just show up and wait?”

  White Deer slid into a chair. She closed her eyes, and after a moment, said, “I think, if we show up and follow our instincts, things will work out. I can’t see clearly, except the end—and I can see Samantha home with you.”

  “I wish Murray could be here.” I liked White Deer, but Murray and I were closer, and she offered me more in the way of comfort and support.

  White Deer glanced at her watch. “She’s planning on joining us. I wonder what’s keeping her?” She pulled out her phone. “I’ll give her a call.”

  I nodded as the front door opened. “I’m going to see who it is,” I said, popping down the hall to find Joe coming through the door. He grabbed me up and planted a big kiss on my lips.

  “Happy birthday, babe. What are you doing? I know what I want to do.”

  With a grin, I untangled myself. “White Deer’s here, so put that thought on hold for a while.”

  He let out a loud sigh. “Okay, but tonight—you and me—your bedroom. After your birthday party.”

  “Sounds good. Now, come say ‘hi’ and hear what we’ve been up to.”

  White Deer was off the phone. “Anna will be here in a little bit,” she said. She waved at Joe. “Has Emerald been filling you in on this afternoon?” He shook his head, and we took turns telling him the latest.

  “I wish there was something I could do to help,” he said.

  I leaned my head against his arm. “Thanks, sweetie, but there’s nothing for you to do. It’s all up to White Deer, Murray, and me now.” I looped my arm through his. “You just take care of the party preparations. We’ll do the ghost hunting.”

  Joe snickered. “Yeah, and get yourselves in trouble, no doubt. But, hey, I’d probably do a lot worse. Okay, I run the show here, and you run the show on the other side. I’m used to it by now.” He shrugged. “So put me to work. Harlow told me she’s bringing decorations and food. What should I do?”

  “Could you pick up the kids from school and keep them away from the house for a couple hours? I don’t want them anywhere near this place while we’re exorcising those spirits. Unless I know Kip and Randa are okay, I’ll be distracted, and distractions can lead to trouble. Please keep them safe for me? I’ll take my cell phone and call you if we need help.”

  Joe looked like he wanted to protest, but finally shoved his hands in his pockets. “Making sure we’re not in the line of fire, aren’t you? All right. But Emerald, promise me you’ll be careful. I want you in one piece when I come ho
me.” His voice sounded as shaky as I felt.

  I held up my right hand. “If things get too scary, we’ll pull back. I give you my word.” I reached up on tiptoe and planted a long kiss on his lips.

  His arms slid around me and he held me for a moment, not speaking, not moving, pressed against me. I could feel his desire, rock solid against me, gentle and yet insistent. Then he let go and, without another word, took off down the porch steps. I watched him leave, then quietly went to the phone and put in a call to Randa and Kip’s teachers to let them know that Joe would be picking them up.

  White Deer and I glanced out the window just in time to see Murray pull into the driveway, with Harlow right behind her. The light was fading and I could feel the shift as the veils began to open. After they trooped inside, I showed Harlow where I kept the Halloween candy, should any children come trick-or-treating, and then Murray, White Deer, and I took off for the lot. I glanced at them. “White Deer was right—the timing has shifted. I can feel it.”

  Murray nodded. “Yep… the wind’s picked up and the spirits are walking.”

  As we cautiously entered the lot in the growing dusk, a flicker of apprehension tickled my stomach. The entire area felt like it had torn itself asunder from the rest of the world. Old spirits lived here, and very few of them human. They had slumbered throughout the years until Joe and I decided to expose their secrets to the light. Now, we had to put them to rest for good.

  White Deer pulled out her rattle. “Follow me. We’ll work our way from the outskirts of the lot this time, down to the basement.” I could feel her center, grounding her energy into the soil, letting it run deep into the roots. After a moment, she began to encircle the lot, praying softly in her native tongue as she shook her rattle with every step.

  Murray and I followed, shoring up the energy, amplifying it. This was it, the big one. Now or never. A wave of protection began to emanate from our hands, and we pushed it out to roll across the lot, to encompass the shadows and crevices and niches left untouched by time for so many years. Striding as tall as the treetops, we forged our path, mist rising from our steps to swirl around our feet. Onward, we drove the clearing force through the lot, purifying and purging.