did that to her is dangerous, and I want nothing to do with it. You’ll have to find another shaman to help you. A few of her other old friends might be willing to put their sanity on the line.”
“You don’t have to help. I just want someone to give me the name,” I said. “If my mom didn’t trust any other shamans then she had a good reason for it.”
A full-on grin spread across his face. “Your resemblance to your mother doesn’t stop at those eyes of yours.”
Ugh. I didn’t say anything to that. I wanted to show him I was serious. He hadn’t said he didn’t know who the shaman was. He knew something, and somehow, I was going to make him tell me.
He glanced away and sighed before turning back to look me dead in the eyes. “I don’t know who did this to her, but I can tell you how to find out. I’ve got to warn you, though, if it’s been a year and she’s still sick, then I don’t think she has much longer.”
I jerked back as if I’d been slapped. Red dots stormed my vision. I don’t think she has much longer. I wanted to cover my ears and block out his words, but all he was saying was something I already knew and just wanted to ignore. Mom was dying.
“Please,” I said, trying not to sound like I was pleading, but not really caring either way.
“You’re not going to like it. Have you ever had any experience summoning spirits, Holly?” He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “I know your mother hated that particular brand of magic.”
I felt my stomach drop out of my feet. “No, she didn’t teach me.”
“Well, you’re going to get your first taste of it.” He stood from his chair and moved behind his desk. It was then I finally noticed this was an actual office, and with the door propped open, I could see a waiting room just outside. He opened a drawer, rustled around some papers and brought out a small purple bag.
“This,” he said, “is all you need. The rune, the name and the blood are all inside.”
He brought me the bag and dropped it into my lap.
“I don’t understand what you mean,” I said, fingering the silky material.
“A spirit was there,” Dr. Lombardi said. “I know because she told me the name of the spirit she was going to banish on that trip. Summon that spirit, and you can ask who attacked your mother.”
Something inside my stomach was doing flips, prancing around and sinking teeth and claws into my guts so that I felt like I wanted to double over in pain. “I can’t…summon a spirit and talk to it.”
A kind smile lit his face. “Yes, you can. The hard part is what comes next. That spirit won’t give you anything unless you pay him.”
“Pay it?” I squeaked, silently cursing myself for how weak I knew I sounded and looked.
“Yeah, you’ll have to summon him in a human’s place of rest to let him feed.”
I knew my eyes must have been as wide as my mom’s vinyl records. He couldn’t be serious. “There’s no way I can do that.”
He shrugged. “Then, I’m sorry I can’t help you.”
“I don’t understand though,” I said. “Why do I have to summon the spirit to feed? I thought they could go around feeding wherever they wanted.”
“Of course not,” he snapped. “Some wild ones do, but I trapped this one earlier this year. He can’t feed unless I let him.” He leaned forward. “I’m giving you an enormous responsibility by letting you have his packet of summoning. Only allow him to feed in payment.”
I sat there, staring at him, letting the full weight of his words knock me down. I whispered, “I have to let it feed on someone to fix my mom?”
“Now you see why I don’t want to get involved.”
I clutched the material in my fist. “I can’t. People die from that.” But Mom will die if I don’t.
He blinked. “Die? That’s a little dramatic. It would take months for someone to die from spirit exposure, and you won’t be leaving the spirit there for that long. In a day, a spirit will eat a year or two tops of someone’s life. Just give him his payment, and then banish him. Then, bring the bag to me. I understand how you feel. I don’t want to do it either, but if you can hold