Page 24 (1/2)

She looked up at me with a pained face "These artists were fucked"

"It’s what they believed," I said

"Could you iine if it’s what they saw?"

It was my turn to look pained "I don’t want to think about it"

She watchedblue eyes Final y, she said, "Do you think this is what’s going on with you? I mean, real y?"

"I don’t know," I admitted "Maximus doesn’t seem to think so In fact, he says it’s rarely the case and if this was somehow…demon-related…ould definitely know about it IIt seehost and it see, it’s always been about ot this book out"

I looked down at my nails The coral polish was all chipped off and they looked nor Down here" I put ut Then I put it to my head "And here"

She nodded attentively "I think you’re aweso But I don’t think being extra careful wil be a bad thing"

I re exorcisms to people eren’t possessed I hoped it wouldn’t come to that

Soonin just as Ada hid the books underneath the pil ow They looked nice and fancy My dad was actual y wearing a suit, even though the navy jacket was stretched too tightly against his ever- burgeoning bel y, and my mom was flawless as usual in a lavender shift dress and black pearls

"Ada, you need to leave your sister alone,"picked up by Rachel in ten ht," ood time, Perry Don’t burn down the kitchen Whatever you do"

"And no funny business," my dad said sternly, to which my mother smacked him on the arm "What, you said it first"

They left the roo out, "We’l let you knoe’re on our way back Nine-thirty at the very latest!"

After they left and ere safe, I looked at Ada With Maxiive me as much time as I hoped

"I hope they don’t come home e’re in the middle of it, cuz that would be aard"

"Then your ginger boy better kno to do a quick cleansing…" she said wryly

I had a feeling that he wasn’t sure how to even do a cleansing in general Oh well , there was no point in dwel ing on it We were all green when it ca it

At 6:30 Maxi up to the front door ars The scratches on his face were solier and clotted black red

"Do we need all this stuff?" I asked as I opened the door and welcomed him in

"Unfortunately," he said, and stooped down to give me a quick peck on the cheek He looked behindhim the staredown

"Ehat happened to your face!" she said

He smiled and stroked his cheek fondly "Wildcat"

I blushed, then shot her a look of nation flooded her face

"Oh well , we’re glad you could make it," she said with reluctance

"Why thank you, blondie," he said He held out one of the bags for her

"You can be in charge of the cleansing material"

She took it hesitantly and peeked inside while he turned to me "Do you have the Witch Bottle? Have you created a permanent home for it yet?"

"Say what?" Ada said, but I understood what he was asking I quickly ran up the stairs to htstand As he had asked, it was a glass bottle and the hair fros were resting at the bottoruesoht it back down to the kitchen where they noere, lifting ite it out on the island countertop

"Here you go," I said, handing it to him We all winced at the bottle in unison

"Lovely," he said "And the ho a hole in the back yard where we could bury it and no one would be the wiser, unless round pool one day

"Yeah right, a pool Dad’s salary ain’t what it used to be,"

Ada said under her breath

Nothing’s as it used to be, I thought