Page 14 of Hex

“Ghost hunting,” I explain casually, which eases his concern. Pocus knows I frequently look for ghosts.

“I was worried someone tried to finish you off,” he grunts into his coffee mug, and I chuckle nervously.

Pocus looks much more refreshed today than he has in a while. There’s a spark in his eye that puts me at ease. He’s back in a fighting spirit. Seer, on the other hand, looks like absolute shit. He slumps into the kitchen, eyes red and a scowl marring his face.

“Don’t,” he says before either of us can say a word. “Tory was upset about the shooting. We had a fight last night.”

This is news to me. She was so calm when we spoke last night. I wonder what changed. Of course, it was no surprise she’d be calm with me. I wasn’t the one who vowed to love her in sickness and health.

“That’s probably my fault,” I wince. He glares at me. I throw my hands up in surrender. “How was I supposed to know you hadn’t told her?”

“You aren’t supposed to be talking to my wife about anything,” he answers defensively. “You two are too chummy.”

Pocus looks between us and laughs. “You and Tory do have a strange relationship.”

I flip them both the bird. Seer is just tired and Pocus is starting shit for no reason.

“Well, the next time your life needs saving, Seer, I’ll be sure not to bond with your wife while we’re saving you. In fact, I’ll leave you to die.”

“Okay, okay. We’re only fucking with you, Seer,” Pocus says, catching the murderous look on Seer’s face. “Have some coffee, mon frere, and take a load off.”

“Why are you so happy?” Seer grumbled. “Did Abigail blow you last night?”

Pocus’s lips form a hard line, and he takes a sip of his coffee, ignoring Seer’s dig. “So, Hex,” he addresses me. “What did you learn from the ghosts?”

I run my hands through my hair, frustrated because there wasn’t much to learn. I hate when I can’t give Pocus the information he wants.

“Not much to tell, Prez. I searched for two hours and only found one ghost who would talk to me. The rest are in hiding.”

Seer drops his mug on the counter and looks at me with wide eyes. “We should call Mama,” he says, sounding worried.

Pocus makes the call, and the older woman is at the front door in less than half an hour, unsurprised she was summoned. She carries a grim expression and tells Seer to get his wife.

Seer brings Tory down, and the two women sit in the middle of the living room, hands joined. Seer seems concerned, but I’ve seen Tory in action before. I know the makings of a ritual when I see one. Mama pours a fine powder on the floor in a complex design, and the two women chant together.

All we can do is stand there uselessly while the women do their thing. Tory cries out in pain. Seer does all he can not to go to her. Pulling her out of a ritual before it’s finished could cause her harm. We both know that’s the last thing he wants to do.

I place my hand on his shoulder and he stands as still as a statue, his face ashen. Tory screams again, and I have to physically restrain him from going to her. The lights in the room flicker and a loud crack of thunder follows, but I can see through the window that it’s sunny outside. The noise came from inside their sigil.

Air circles us and I hear the voices of the damned whispering frantically. They repeat one word: poltergeist.

Tory screams again and the wind stops, the ritual over. She looks at Seer, who immediately runs to her and pulls him into his arms.

“I told you,” she whispers. “I told you it wasn’t a dream.”

Pocus looks at all of us, confused, but goes to Mama’s side to help her off the ground. I stand there, stock still, shocked by what I’ve heard. Could they hear it too?

“What happened?” Pocus asks.

I immediately realize he didn’t hear the spirits. Mama looks at me and nods.

“It’s a poltergeist,” I tell them, feeling the blood drain from my face. “The thing that’s messing with us and upsetting the spirit world. The ghosts are hiding from it.”

Tory sobs, and Mama looks at me to keep going.

“Like the fucking movie?” Pocus growls in frustration. “We’re being haunted by a ghost that makes other fucking ghosts afraid?”

I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “Poltergeists aren’t exactly ghosts,” I explain. “They’re very rare, actually. They’re evil spirits that still have a tie to the world. Unlike ghosts, they can interact with the natural world.”

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