The Reckoning

Six

AFTER DINNER, ANDREW WARNED us it would be lights-out at ten. Until then, he was going to get caught up on some work and we could amuse ourselves.

Problem was, we didn’t want to amuse ourselves. Or get a good night’s sleep. We wanted our lives back-stop the Edison Group, free Aunt Lauren and Rae, find the guys’ dad, and let my father know I was safe. Sitting around playing board games would be torture…and that’s exactly what Andrew suggested, the house being otherwise diversion free.

Tori and I were heading up to our room when Gwen popped into the hall to say good-bye.

“Can I ask you a couple of things before you go?” Tori said to Gwen as she hurried down the stairs. “I’m new to all this witch stuff and I know we’re starting lessons tomorrow, but if you have time for a few questions…”

Gwen grinned. “Always. I’m usually the student around here, so I’m looking forward to this. Come on in the living room and we’ll chat.”

I felt a pang of envy. I had questions, too. Tons of them. And who did I get for a teacher? Margaret, who wasn’t exactly the let’s hang out and chat sort. Not to mention the fact that she was one of the doubters.

I trudged up the stairs and didn’t notice that the guys’ door was open until Derek reached out, fingers brushing my elbow.

“Hey,” I said, struggling for a smile.

“You busy?” he said, voice barely above a whisper.

“I wish. What’s up?”

He glanced back at the bathroom door. Light shone under it. He stepped closer, voice dropping even more. “I thought, uh, if you weren’t doing anything, maybe we could-”

The bathroom door swung open and Derek jumped. Simon walked out.

“Good, you found Chloe,” he said. “So what’re we doing? This time, I’m not missing the adventure.”

“All our adventures are accidental,” I said, “and we’d be happy to miss most of them.” I looked up at Derek. “You were saying?”

“Nothing. Just that we shouldn’t do too much.”

“Okay. So what are we doing?”

“Nothing tonight. Just…whatever.” He retreated into their room.

I looked at Simon.

“Yeah, he’s weird. I’ll talk to him. Catch up with you in a few minutes.”

I was heading into our room when Tori came up. We went in and talked, awkward conversation, thankfully interrupted when Simon rapped at our door.

“Everyone decent?” he called, and started opening it.

“Excuse me?” Tori said. “Could you at least give us a chance to answer?”

“It was a warning, not a question. I was being polite.”

“Being polite would mean waiting for-”

I held up my hand. That was all it took to stop the bickering.

“I found something,” Simon said as he walked in. He whipped an old-fashioned key from his pocket and grinned at me. “It was taped to the back of my dresser drawer. What do you think? Buried treasure? Secret passageway? Locked room where they keep crazy old Aunt Edna?”

“It probably unlocks another dresser,” Tori said. “One they threw out fifty years ago.”

“It’s tragic, being born without an imagination. Do they hold telethons for that?” He turned back to me. “Chloe, help me out here.”

I took the key. It was heavy and rusting. “It’s definitely old. And it was hidden.” I glanced up at him. “Bored, aren’t you?”

“To death. So will you come exploring?”

Tori rolled her eyes. “I think I’ll lie down and dream of being home, with kids who don’t think hunting for a locked door is fun.”

“Hey, I told you we were uncool,” Simon said. “The more time you spend with us, the more it rubs off.” He looked at me. “Coming?”

When I didn’t answer right away, he said, “No?” Disappointment dragged down his voice before he propped it up with a forced smile. “That’s cool. You’re tired-”

“It’s not that. It’s just…we need to ID that kid I saw and figure out if he has a connection to this house.”

“What kid?” Tori asked.

I explained about the ghost, then said, “I know Derek said we shouldn’t do too much tonight, but…”

“But, apparently, that warning only applies to us, because he’s off right now, hunting for clues about that kid. He doesn’t want us pitching in. He says it’ll look suspicious if we’re all poking around.”

So Derek was searching without me? I felt a pang of…I don’t know, disappointment, I guess. Then I thought about earlier, in the hall. Had he been trying to invite me along? The disappointment grew.

“How about those self-defense lessons?” Tori said.

“Sure, I guess…” Simon said. “Better than nothing.”

“Actually, there’s something else I should do,” I said. “You guys go on.”

They looked at me like I’d suggested they swim with sharks. Not a bad analogy, really. Simon and Tori doing self-defense together was bound to result in bloodshed.

“What did you have in mind?” Simon asked.

“Just…Well, my aunt…What I saw last night…I’d like to…”

“Try summoning her,” Tori finished for me. “See if she’s dead, right?”

Simon shot her a look for being so blunt, but I nodded. “Right. And Liz. I want to try contacting Liz. She’d come in handy searching for clues. The problem is that, if I summon, I might call up that other guy.”

“Which is why you shouldn’t do it alone,” Simon said. “I’ll stay.”

“Me, too,” Tori said. “If you do summon the demon kid, maybe I can get him to talk.”

She put out her hand. A ball of energy started to swirl.

“All right,” I said.