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Ghost Cottage

We had been in London for a hen , an early call My best friend, Shannon, had just talked to her boyfriend, Jesse, the night before, so it probably wasn’t hiht be Tia, I supposed, concerned that I needed more money, but she had already wired me plenty

I didn’t bla worried; it wasn’t every day that a pupil went to Sheol to rescue a friend, staged a ate to a different continent The journey started on a remote mountaintop in Mexico and ended in a London alley For obvious reasons, I was struggling to find a way for us to get home Official channels were out, as the UK would ask too many questions about hoe’d arrived without passports A fresh headache throbbed, a vise around the back of my skull

My gifts were complicated Once, I only had the touch, which pered objects; they could tell ained ick out in Sheol, channeling dey at a ferocious rate I could probably still read objects, and the deered, an echo of the demon queen’s possession in Sheol If I had any choice, I wouldn’t use that again To make matters worse, the trouble probably hadn’t ended withht With my luck, she would hunt me down

The phone rang for the fourth tied me He was curled up on the bed beside me, and he looked worried as only a Chihuahua could

“Hello” I didn’t want to talk to anyone, but our friends in Texas orried, wondering e’d hop a plane That depended on a number of factors

“Are you all right?” Booke asked

No, I thought I never will be again

The love of one; he’d sacrificed himself so Shannon and I could escape Sheol Shortly after our crossing, we’d raised him on Shan’s spirit radio, which ate, butShan’s gift permitted her to talk to the dead So he wasn’t here anymore

It was hard for ht hold But for Shannon, I had to get things straightened out Life went on whether I wanted it to or not

“Fine,” I ed

“I’m sorry if this is a bad time”

“It’s not Why?”

“I thought it ht be because I haven’t been able to find you Not online Not on your cell Not even in dreao that I couldn’t touch your dreams?” He sounded terse Worried, even Which wasn’t like him

The Booke I kneas an unflappable scholar, better suited for research than human relationships There was doubtless a reason Maybe I’d learn why, at long last Any other ti

“I’d rather not talk about it” My secrets h I hoped his didn’t co for me, I take it?”

He inhaled sharply, his distress plain It h for him to ask for a hand, but I needed the distraction, so I waited for Booke’s request

“I need your help rather desperately, Corine”

Mentally, I was already packing ined “I’”

“It’s a bit co distance Can you co a lot—”

“I’etic tide

The pause said I’d surprised hi there, but in the end, he opted not to pry He had been guarding his own secrets so long that it probably felt aard to poke at someone else’s And it wasn’t that I’d refuse to tell him; I just wasn’t ready, particularly over the phone

“You already know I live in Stokeit’s not far on the train”

“Give me your address”

He did, and I scrawled it on the cheap pad of paper provided by the econo I hadn’t been looking forward to living here for an extended period anyway The amenities were basic, at best

“I suspect the cottage will strike you as a tad ramshackle, but inside it’s not as bad as it looks I’ll leave the door unlocked, so just coht in”

“I’ll see you later today,” I said, and then rang off

Maybe it was just as e had a side trip, as I needed tiy Our cooked passports would pass cursory inspections for national rail travel, but if we tried to leave the country, and they scanned them, well, that would be a proble on it

Though I tried to stay out of the syste warrants I’d been questioned a few times over the course of my ith Chance, butthe very bad thing they’d done Many of those people were in prison, but caution had beco overnmental forms

“Who was it?” Shannon asked, as I started packing

“Booke I think he’s in trouble”

She straightened froe on the twin bed, covered in a ru on?”

“He didn’t tell me”

“You sure you’re up to working?” As she hadn’t put on her Lolitaher brows

I thought about that as I packedhere, staring at the walls I don’t think that will help my state of mind”