Page 76 of Midnight Auto Parts

“This path is fraught with dangers,cher. I wish you didn’t have to walk it, but I’m not surprised to find us here. You must gain control over your astral self. Otherwise, demi or no demi, you’re going to end up adrift. Trust me when I say you don’t want that.” She pursed her lips. “I wish we had another place to begin, but I’ll stick by you. All you need is an anchor. A person who can bring you back to yourself.”

“I will anchor her.” Kierce sat on the mattress beside me. “And if I fail, I will fetch her brother or sister.”

The doubt undercutting his confidence made me determined to prove to him that he was enough. That I trusted him to watch over me and to do whatever it took to revive me. “It won’t come to that.”

A soft clicking noise announced Badb’s arrival, and she perched on my shoe, eyes hooked on me.

“She says she’s got this.” Kierce’s lips twitched. “She also wants me to remove your shoe, just in case.”

“I would rather put my faith in you than wake up without a toenail.” I had been on the receiving end of her loving ministrations during nightmares, and my big toe throbbed thinking about it. “I appreciate the offer, Badb, but I’ll keep my shoe on for this one. Between the two of you, I’ll be fine.”

With a ruffle of her feathers, she seemed to accept my decision, but she kept her perch.

“Kierce.” Vi stood over me. “Hold Frankie’s hand. Tight. You want her to feel it.”

Lacing our fingers, he sharpened his gaze on me. “I won’t let go.”

“Close your eyes, Frankie.” Vi softened her voice. “Let yourself drift. Don’t think. Just feel. Let the floating sensation you experience before falling asleep wash over you. As you relax, allow the weightlessness to lift you. Higher and higher and know that I’m right here.”

Lulled by the cadence of her voice, I did as she commanded and let myself go.

Gravity fell away, bit by bit, and I tingled with the same prickling awareness as when I visited Dis Pater.

“There you are.” Vi crushed me against her chest, delighting me to learn two astrally projected souls could touch. “My girl.” She kissed my cheeks. “You’re doing great.”

Slowly, I opened my eyes to find myself a foot or so above my body. “That issoweird.”

“Be quick and be careful.” Kierce locked gazes with me. “Don’t push yourself.”

Weirder still that he could be holding my hand but also watch my soul hanging out above him.

But cool. Very cool. And…safe.

His ability to view me in any form made me feel safe.

“He’s right.” Vi broke into my thoughts with a sly grin. “We should get going.”

“How will we get there?” I brushed my pants but let my arm drop. “The dirt is in my pocket.”

“Kierce,bébé, I need you to sprinkle the dirt over your joined hands.” She tapped the side of her nose to draw my attention. “As long as your physical body is in contact with the foci, you’re golden.”

A distant tickle in my palm was all the feedback I received from his following her orders.

“Now, Frankie, give me your hands.” She held them to her chest. “Close your eyes and focus on the place you want to go. Remember how it felt, how it sounded, how it smelled.”

Reality warped around us. I didn’t have to see it to know. I had gotten used to how it felt when Dis Pater summoned Kierce. So, I wasn’t surprised when I opened my eyes to discover we had left the house. It was exciting to realize we had actually gone where I wanted us to be.

Withoutthe metaphysical hook inserted in my middle, yanking me willy-nilly up the coast.

“Look at that.” She pinched my cheek. “You’re a natural.”

All the yo-yoing between here and Manchester-by-the-Sea was to thank for it, but I was still proud.

“Wait.” I turned a circle. “We’re inside the ward?”

“That’s where you wanted to go, so that’s where we went.”

“Huh.” I spotted the barrier three feet to my left. “I expected it to repel us or for us to have to walk through it.”

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