Epilogue
“Come on, damn you,” Mrs. Covington mutters to herself as she adjusts her glasses, struggling to read the incantation the lady at the occult shop said would bring her husband back from the dead.
She’d snuck back onto the property hours ago, not worried about being seen by anyone.
Keystone Manor is miles away, far enough to keep her off the radar of her godforsaken son.
She sits in silence for long minutes, listening.
“Where are you, Elder?” she asks the night. It doesn’t respond.
She flips through the book again, hoping she read the right spell. I’m not trying to summon a demon, she thinks to herself.
“You’re new to this, aren’t you?” a voice asks from behind her. Startled, she whips around, glaring at the intruder.
“Who are you?” she demands.
“Noah,” says the tall, blond haired young man walking towards her, wearing glasses and a bow tie. “And you?”
“Marie.”
“It sounds like you’re trying to summon something.” He pushes his glasses up his nose as he leans against a tree, looking unassuming. Don’t they all?
“My husband died here. I’m trying to find him,” she tells him.
Noah hums as he stares at her. “Well, you’re doing it wrong. You’ve left yourself unprotected; anything could pop up and...” he trails off, crossing his arms and staring out into the forest.
Her unease grows as she watches him go still as a statue. “Explain,” she says after a minute, trying to keep her voice steady.
His gaze jumps back to hers, and he almost looks startled. As if he’d forgotten she was there. “The first step to summoning is creating a protective barrier around yourself. Sometimes the entity that answers you is not the one you called.”
“How do you know all this? Can you help me find my husband?”
He smiles down at her, teeth sharp. “I consider myself an expert in the matter. But no, I can’t help you with your husband. He’s not here.”
“Do you work at the hotel?” she asks, huffing when he doesn’t reply.
She stands, frustration growing. “I’ll be on my way, then.” If this guy knows Jacob, she doesn’t want her reappearance here getting back to him. It’ll take time to repair that relationship.
Leaning down, she picks up her book and tucks it under her arm. Noah tracks her movements.
“You really should be careful with that book. It’s dangerous.”
“It’s nonsense, is what it is,” she says dismissively as she walks around him, making sure not to give him her back.
He just stares at her, expression open, almost friendly. “Have a good night, Marie. Maybe I’ll see you around.”
She doesn’t reply.
***
Noah watches her leave, disappointed and suddenly feeling very alone. He looks around at the dense forest surrounding him. The night is too still, the only noise the low humming of crickets. Noah has always hated silence, but it’s been his companion for as long as he can remember.
As he sits down and leans back against the tree, settling down for a long night, a shiver runs up his spine. He looks around, scanning the trees for signs of anyone. Anything.
He doesn’t see the set of eyes fixed on him, the figure biding his time in the shadows.
Waiting.
***
Alex
Later, I’m in the lobby with Brandon, waiting for our latest guests to arrive.
Jake’s upstairs in bed waiting for me. I’m going to rock his world in just a few minutes.
I hear the creak of the front door as it opens, indicating our new arrivals.
I run a hand over my hair and straighten my shirt. I’ve got new guests to meet.
To be continued…