Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 70779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 354(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 354(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
“The best.” I nodded. “He raised me and he loved me so much. I’m sure if I could contact him he would talk to Kael for me.”
“You should do it!” Sarah exclaimed, getting excited. “Do it right now! What do you need for the spell? I’ll get you the ingredients.”
“It’s not like that.” I shook my head. “I don’t really need any ingredients or props—I just need to open myself to the other side.” And this time I have to be damn careful not to open a door into The Pit, I added silently to myself.
“Then do it!” Sarah urged me. “Unless you’d rather be alone and do it in privacy,” she added, obviously worried she was making me uncomfortable.
She wasn’t, though. And in fact, I would rather have a friend near when I did it—I told her so.
“Okay, good—then I’ll stay and be your witness. But first we have to set the scene.”
She jumped up from the comfy, oversized couch we were sitting on and went to turn off some of the lamps. Soon the only light was the golden glow of the fire across from the couch. One thing I loved about Hidden Hollow was the fact that you could have a fire almost all year long and every house here seemed to have a fireplace.
Sarah sat down beside me again, but gave me a little distance. Then she looked at me expectantly.
“Okay—is there anything else you need?”
“I don’t think so.” I shook my head. “Just let me concentrate…”
I closed my eyes and thought about the spirit realm…then I thought even harder about my Pop-pop. I conjured his kindly, faded blue eyes and his shock of hair which had stayed thick his whole life, gradually turning from black to salt and pepper to pure white. I thought of his booming laugh and his loud, happy voice and his big bear hugs that always made me feel so much better when I was blue. Goddess, I missed him so much! If only I could talk to him again…
And then I heard a familiar voice murmuring in my ear.
“I miss you too, Willow my love. Heaven is wonderful, but I’m still lonely sometimes without you.”
“Pop-pop?” My eyes flew open for a moment, but I realized there was nothing to see. There was no swirling fog this time—just a pure mental and emotional connection. When I closed my eyes, I could actually see him better because of the memories I had stored up.
“Yes, sweetie-pie—it’s me,” he murmured. “I felt you yearning for me and feeling sad—tell me, what’s wrong?”
“Oh Pop-pop—I fell in love with an angel!” I blurted out. “A fallen angel, I mean. He was cursed to come to Earth and serve and protect women and the golden key you gave me fit his lock—the lock around his neck, I mean.”
“Ah yes—the key. That was handed down to me from your great-great-great grandmother, you know,” he remarked. “Never did know exactly what it went to, I just knew it would offer you protection during times of danger.”
“Kael did protect me!” I exclaimed. “But then I had to let him go. Pop-pop, I miss him so much but there’s no way to contact him.”
“You leave that to me, Willow my love,” he said firmly. “But first tell me—was this boy—this angel—good to you?”
“He was my protector, Pop-pop,” I told him. “He killed Carlo to save me.”
“Ah-ha! I like him already!” Pop-pop exclaimed. “You don’t worry about a thing, my sweet. I’m going to talk to him and see if he can contact you.”
I felt tears welling in my eyes.
“Oh, thank you, Pop-pop! I knew I could count on you.”
“Of course you can, Willow my love. You just rest and relax and let Pop-pop handle everything.”
And then he was gone, as suddenly as he had appeared. But maybe that’s not the right word since I never saw him in the flesh—maybe it’s more accurate to say his spirit left and I no longer sensed him or heard his voice.
I opened my eyes to see Sarah staring at me with awe.
“I’ve never seen anyone communicate with the other side before,” she murmured. “That was amazing, Willow!”
“Er, thanks.” I shrugged, feeling suddenly shy. “It’s just a family gift, you know?”
“Well, you’re lucky to have it. From what I heard, it sounds like your grandfather is going to go find Kael and tell him you miss him—right?”
“Right.” I nodded and for the first time in weeks, I began to feel hope. “I wonder if he’s able to come back to Earth for a few minutes? Or even if he could just talk to me like Pop-pop did—I miss hearing his voice so much.”
“Of course you do.” Sara pressed my hand sympathetically. “Do you want to stay for some cake I made? Or would you rather go home and wait to see what happens?”