Read Online 2 Spirit of Denial by Kate Danley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kate Danley
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gone so disastrously wrong in Lord Oroberg's house.
The table was covered in a dark colored cloth. A candelabra, tambourine, and horn sat in the center surrounding the urn. Clara could not believe it was just sitting there, so normally, as if it did not hold the secrets to a murderous curse. It was a piece of polished stone, shaped like a ginger jar, but smaller. It had a lid made of the same material, but the lid was shaped like the head of an Egyptian woman. Clara tried to sense if there was anything unnatural about it, but felt nothing. She was interrupted when Wesley finished lighting the candles and then sat, indicating they should all take hands.
Phineas looked at the group. "I am afraid that the slightest touch is excruciating to me. My bones are so brittle."
"The circle must be kept intact to protect us from any unfriendly spirits," Wesley explained. "Perhaps if we place our hands palm up, you could rest yours atop ours and we shall not grip at all?"
"That would be acceptable," said Phineas, putting on his gloves before doing as instructed.
Wesley let his eyes roll into the back and let his head loll back as if in prayer. Now knowing him as well as she did, Clara could almost not help but laugh at his theatrics.
"Spirits from the great beyond, we call you to our side! Give us some sign that you are here!" Wesley cried.
The tambourine gave a little shake, but then the flames around them began to flicker. Clara looked around the room worriedly. This was not in their plan. Wesley caught her eye and tried to calm her. The others at the table looked at the candles with interest, but did not understand the true implications of their sputtering.
Wesley tried to refocus the group and called out again. "We are looking for a woman who lived long ago, a queen in Egypt who has been walking the world without rest since the day she died!"
The lights went out completely and Pauline screamed. And then, just as suddenly as they were plunged into darkness, the candles relit themselves.
"I see her," Clara whispered, her eyes wide with fear, trained upon the shadowy figure standing behind Pauline. The spirit was as dark as night, dressed in a golden headdress and gown like Cleopatra. She gave off a cold, unworldly, blue glow.
"Who? Who do you see?" urged Phineas.
"I see nothing!" declared Dr. Van Flemming.
"I see her, too!" said Wesley staring off into space, trying to take their attention off of Clara and onto him. "A woman! In Egyptian dress. Tell us, oh mighty queen, what is it that you desire?"
But Pauline was staring straight at Clara with hate burning in her eyes. The ghost behind controlled her like a puppet. Pauline's lips moved as the woman hissed, "Give me back my heart..."
Clara screamed and Pauline stood up shouting at her, "GIVE ME BACK MY HEART!"
Clara stood, but did not break the circle.
"YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD ESCAPE ME BY KILLING MY VASSAL? ETERNAL LIFE SHALL BE OURS!"
And then Pauline fell into a dead faint.
As did Clara.
And the entire room was pitched into darkness once again.
"Lights! Lights!" cried Phineas.
At once, his butler entered with an oil lamp and long wooden matches. He set about the parlor, lighting the extinguished candles.
Wesley rushed to Clara's side as she started to stir. She raised her hand to her head. "Oh! I seem to have hit myself on the table," she confessed, wincing.
Wesley gently aided her to a sitting position. Clara was surprised to see Dr. Van Flemming tending to Pauline with the utmost care and reverence. The actress had not yet roused.
"Could we get some smelling salts?" Dr. Van Flemming begged the butler. "A glass of water? Anything?"
There was urgency to his voice and Clara and Wesley exchanged glances. Something ran much deeper between these two than they were letting on.
Wesley helped Clara to stand. Phineas Stokeman was standing back, impotently patting his hands upon the soft tails of
The table was covered in a dark colored cloth. A candelabra, tambourine, and horn sat in the center surrounding the urn. Clara could not believe it was just sitting there, so normally, as if it did not hold the secrets to a murderous curse. It was a piece of polished stone, shaped like a ginger jar, but smaller. It had a lid made of the same material, but the lid was shaped like the head of an Egyptian woman. Clara tried to sense if there was anything unnatural about it, but felt nothing. She was interrupted when Wesley finished lighting the candles and then sat, indicating they should all take hands.
Phineas looked at the group. "I am afraid that the slightest touch is excruciating to me. My bones are so brittle."
"The circle must be kept intact to protect us from any unfriendly spirits," Wesley explained. "Perhaps if we place our hands palm up, you could rest yours atop ours and we shall not grip at all?"
"That would be acceptable," said Phineas, putting on his gloves before doing as instructed.
Wesley let his eyes roll into the back and let his head loll back as if in prayer. Now knowing him as well as she did, Clara could almost not help but laugh at his theatrics.
"Spirits from the great beyond, we call you to our side! Give us some sign that you are here!" Wesley cried.
The tambourine gave a little shake, but then the flames around them began to flicker. Clara looked around the room worriedly. This was not in their plan. Wesley caught her eye and tried to calm her. The others at the table looked at the candles with interest, but did not understand the true implications of their sputtering.
Wesley tried to refocus the group and called out again. "We are looking for a woman who lived long ago, a queen in Egypt who has been walking the world without rest since the day she died!"
The lights went out completely and Pauline screamed. And then, just as suddenly as they were plunged into darkness, the candles relit themselves.
"I see her," Clara whispered, her eyes wide with fear, trained upon the shadowy figure standing behind Pauline. The spirit was as dark as night, dressed in a golden headdress and gown like Cleopatra. She gave off a cold, unworldly, blue glow.
"Who? Who do you see?" urged Phineas.
"I see nothing!" declared Dr. Van Flemming.
"I see her, too!" said Wesley staring off into space, trying to take their attention off of Clara and onto him. "A woman! In Egyptian dress. Tell us, oh mighty queen, what is it that you desire?"
But Pauline was staring straight at Clara with hate burning in her eyes. The ghost behind controlled her like a puppet. Pauline's lips moved as the woman hissed, "Give me back my heart..."
Clara screamed and Pauline stood up shouting at her, "GIVE ME BACK MY HEART!"
Clara stood, but did not break the circle.
"YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD ESCAPE ME BY KILLING MY VASSAL? ETERNAL LIFE SHALL BE OURS!"
And then Pauline fell into a dead faint.
As did Clara.
And the entire room was pitched into darkness once again.
"Lights! Lights!" cried Phineas.
At once, his butler entered with an oil lamp and long wooden matches. He set about the parlor, lighting the extinguished candles.
Wesley rushed to Clara's side as she started to stir. She raised her hand to her head. "Oh! I seem to have hit myself on the table," she confessed, wincing.
Wesley gently aided her to a sitting position. Clara was surprised to see Dr. Van Flemming tending to Pauline with the utmost care and reverence. The actress had not yet roused.
"Could we get some smelling salts?" Dr. Van Flemming begged the butler. "A glass of water? Anything?"
There was urgency to his voice and Clara and Wesley exchanged glances. Something ran much deeper between these two than they were letting on.
Wesley helped Clara to stand. Phineas Stokeman was standing back, impotently patting his hands upon the soft tails of
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