Chapter 12
Celeste loved the library in the morning. The sunlight slanted in through the windows on the eastern side, and the morning light illuminated the Oriental rug, intensifying its colors. It smelled good, too, like vanilla, paper, and leather.
She sat on the floor and lit the candles with a practiced hand, murmuring an incantation under her breath. The sage smoldered, wisps of smoke curling into the air. She focused her energy, visualizing the spirits she hoped to summon. The candles flickered, shadows dancing across the walls of the old library.
Celeste closed her eyes and focused, sending a telepathic call out into the ether. ”Calling all ghosts from the fifteen hundreds. I”m summoning you to the library this morning. We”ve got candles, we”ve got sage—it”s a happening scene. Show up, and let”s chat.”
She waited, listening intently. A few wispy responses fluttered by, as indistinct as static on the radio. But no ghosts materialized.
Celeste huffed in frustration. ”C”mon, don”t leave a girl hanging. I know you”re out there.” She visualized the spirits, imagining their old-timey clothes and accents. ”Verily, methinks thou art most cordially invited to convene posthaste.”
A cold breeze suddenly gusted through the room, extinguishing the candles. Celeste shivered, goose bumps rising on her arms.
”Who”s there?” she called out.
The ghostly form of Rebekah materialized before her.
”Hi, Rebekah.” Celeste tried to hide her disappointment.
”What, I”m not good enough?” Rebekah said, a sarcastic lilt to her voice. ”You sent out a summoning signal.”
”I need information about the last major celestial alignment, which was five hundred years ago,” Celeste explained. ”I was hoping to speak with someone from that time.”
”Oh, I”m not nearly that old.” Rebekah sighed. ”But maybe what you seek is closer than you realize.”
Celeste made a face. It was just like Rebekah to talk in riddles.
Rebekah”s ghostly figure flickered, growing fainter. ”I”ll just go back to my work, then.”
Rebekah drifted back to the odd brass contraption in the corner, the thing that looked like a mash-up of binoculars and a sextant. She peered through it intently, as if looking for something just out of sight, right before she disappeared totally.
Celeste sighed. Another dead end. She tried for a few minutes more, but she”d used up all her ghost-conjuring energy. She blew out the candles and began gathering up her materials.
The library doors creaked open, and Morgan and Fiona peeked in.
”Any luck reaching the great beyond?” Morgan asked.
”None,” Celeste huffed. ”I couldn”t get any ghosts that were around back during the last alignment.”
”Don”t worry,” Morgan said. ”We know you”ll be able to get to them. Fiona and I are heading to Sticks and Stones to make some protective crystals and herbs before we go back into the woods.”
Celeste managed a smile. ”Good idea. I”m going to take a break then will be back at it later on.”
The sound of crickets chirping blared into the room.
”Your phone”s ringing again,” Morgan said, nudging Fiona with her elbow.
Fiona fished the phone out of her pocket. ”It”s Jake,” she said before answering with a bright, ”Hey, you.”
Morgan and Celeste exchanged knowing looks as Fiona nodded along, murmuring ”uh-huhs” and ”okays.”
”Be careful,” Fiona said finally, hanging up.
”What”s he up to?” Morgan asked.
”He”s going to the jail to talk to that Alex Summers who pawned the stones. Sheriff White isn”t coming in until later, so one of his buddies is letting him in.”
Celeste nudged Fiona with her elbow. ”Jake calls a lot. He”s got you on a short leash, doesn”t he?”
Fiona rolled her eyes. ”He”s just looking out for me.”
”Uh-huh, sure,” Celeste teased.
Before Fiona could respond, Celeste”s phone buzzed in her pocket. She glanced at the screen, and a faint blush rose on her cheeks.
”Who”s that? Cal?” Fiona asked, a knowing grin spreading across her face.
”Maybe,” Celeste mumbled, answering it. ”Hi, Cal.”
”Thought so,” Fiona said. ”Don”t dish it out if you can”t take it.”
Celeste simply smiled and waved goodbye to her sisters as they headed toward the front door.
”How”s my favorite ghost whisperer?” Cal asked.
Celeste rolled her eyes. ”Not great. I tried to make contact with a ghost from five hundred years ago but came up empty.”
”Sorry to hear that,” Cal said. ”But hey, you can”t force these things. Why don”t you swing by the antique store around noon? I”ll have a chipotle chicken rice bowl with avocado from Fresh waiting for you.”
”Ooh, you know just how to lift my spirits,” Celeste said, smiling. ”It”s a date. See you soon!” She ended the call, her mood brightening at the thought of spending the afternoon with Cal.