Born of Illusion by Teri Brown Read Free Book Online

air snakes its way across the room. As if it has a purpose it heads right for me. Then it’s inside and I feel it moving, shifting, taking over. Terror overcomes me and I want to scream, but I’m frozen in place. A painful current shoots through my fingertips and the planchette quivers. My mother and the Gaylords jerk their fingers from the piece. Cole’s eyes widen as the planchette begins to move. MOTHER , it spells out under my numb fingertips, GOD IS GOOD .

Five
     
    “ T hat’s my Walter!” Mrs. Carmichael cries out. “He was such a good boy; he was going to go to divinity school.”
    But the planchette isn’t done and neither, presumably, is Walter.
    A piercing squeal rings inside my ears and my skin is both painfully hot and glacially cold. Walter’s spirit crams itself more fully inside my body and I’m suddenly stuffed, as if I’ve eaten too much Thanksgiving dinner. I clamp my teeth together, holding back a panicked cry as the pointer slowly, inexorably moves from letter to letter.
    BE AT PEACE.
    Mrs. Carmichael is sobbing openly now, and I gasp as Cole snatches up my free hand and squeezes it. A spark flares between us, just as it did the first time we touched, and I shudder as Walter vacates my body as suddenly as he arrived. Released, I yank my fingers back from the planchette, breathing hard. My mother’s eyes narrow, but I evade them.
    I’d been right to avoid the board.
    Another icy breath blows out the candles and the door to the sitting room slams shut. The blonde screams.
    “Bloody hell,” Cole mutters next to me, releasing my hand.
    There’s a moment of silence as everyone holds their breath.
    “Don’t be afraid; the spirits have gone.” My mother’s voice shakes slightly as she moves to flick on the electric lamp.
    Mrs. Carmichael clutches her chest. “That was my Walter, telling me to search no more. He is at peace and wants me to be at peace as well.”
    My mother throws me a venomous look. Jacques is looking from me to my mother, confused. Mrs. Gaylord clings to her not-so-bored husband, her frightened blue eyes trained on me. Cole scrutinizes my face, questions in his dark eyes. I stare back, my heart thudding in my chest. I feel a magnetic pull, compelled to look deeper into his eyes to see what lies beyond such silky darkness. I jerk back, alarmed.
    “My dear Madame Van Housen,” he says, rising. “I would hazard a guess that you’re not the only medium in the family. Well done.”
    The hair across my neck prickles. Have I just been tested again? Does Cole know something about my abilities? I’m torn. Part of me wants to confront him to find out what he knows and part of me wants to hide under my covers.
    The Gaylords gather their things.
    “You’re not leaving, are you?” my mother asks.
    “Er, yes,” the husband murmurs, wrapping his wife’s fur around her shoulders. “We’re heading out to the Island to visit the Gardiners for a long weekend. Our car is waiting.”
    Mrs. Gaylord turns to my mother. “My friends will be so excited to hear all about you and your daughter! I’ve never seen . . .” She shakes her head and turns to me. “You are the cat’s pajamas, sweetheart!” She shakes her head again and they leave the sitting room.
    Cole inclines his head toward me and follows them out. Moments later the front door slams.
    “Would you like a cup of tea?” Mother asks Mrs. Carmichael, her voice pleading.
    The older woman shakes her head decisively. “I’m at peace. Walter told me to search no more and I’m going to respect his wishes.”
    “Hold on, Mrs. Carmichael, and I will walk you to your car.” Jacques turns to Mother and kisses her hand. “I will see you soon. Oui ?”
    Mrs. Carmichael wipes a tear from her eye and clasps my frozen hand. “Thank you so much, dearie. You have helped me so much.”
    I smile at her, forgetting for a moment that I will soon be facing a furious mother. As terrifying as the whole experience was, for the first