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"I was floored I felt quite alone My closest kith and kin had lied to me, as I saw it, and I wished with all my heart that Lynelle had not died I prayed that somehow the spirit of Lynelle could cohosts and spirits -- and I swore under my breath and to myself alone that I knew Lynelle could tell me what to make of all that had transpired

" 'Beloved nephew,' Aunt Queen said -- an expression she would use a lot as I got older, and she said it noith sweet formality and intimate devotion -- 'beloved nephew, you have to realize that I take your powers very seriously and always have But I've never known if they were a good thing ¡¯

"A sudden revelation came to me, a certainty based upon what she had said, if not everything else, that ood I told her in a half whisper, the only ht panic, the thoughts of taking Pops' gun and putting an end to my life, and I told her about how on the afternoon of Rebecca's coolden light go down and saying to the powers that be, Please deliverbut this I didn't reave her a more nearly accurate version I don't know

"There came a tender silence, and when I looked up I saw the tears on her cheeks Beyond her, by the post of her bed, stood Goblin, vivid onceout to me, as if he would like to cradle my head in his left hand

" 'Go away, Goblin!' I said sharply 'I don't want you here now! Leave me Go find Lynelle for et away ¡¯

"He flashed brilliant, at his , and his face was full of hurt and insult and pouting lip, and then, snap, no more

" 'If he's still in this room, I don't know it,' I confessed to Aunt Queen 'And as for Rebecca, I have to find justice for her I have to discover, if I can, what they did to her in that house ¡¯

"Aunt Queen wiped her blue eyes with her napkin, and I felt uilt that I had made her cry I loved her, suddenly, no matter what she said or did, and I needed her and was so ot up, came around, went down on ile form for some seconds in utter quiet

"Then I looked at her shihed and I kissed her insteps I kissed her toes I gave her right foot an affectionate squeeze with my left hand

" 'Tarquin Blackwood, you're certifiably insane, cease and desist,' she declared 'Now sit down like a good boy, and pour ne ¡¯

"We had finished one bottle, so I opened another, with the aploant bed-and-breakfast hotel, and poured the foalass

"Of course she then poured out to un to my head, and I swore to her I would never do it, only think about it, not as long as she lived and Pops lived and Jas Ramona lived and Lolly lived; and then I rattled off the na perfectly and convincingly sincere

" 'But you see, what I' to say to you,' I went on, now that ere both calhosts must coerous one and out of the darkness Rebecca came ¡¯

" 'Now you're talking sense, my dear boy,' she responded

" 'Of course, I know that, Aunt Queen I've always known it I'll never forget that she urged ain It can't happen I'm too wary, too in control of it when I see these creatures, I swear it, but I do have to find out what they did to her, and she alone can tell ar Devil Island in that strange house ¡¯