nearly gone, felt

Her body lay alone,

all her fa

Light Chapel, to Reverend T

there,

tried to say, the words

the Ozarks. It need

perform a ritual,

wn on his face. Did he

s head, dis

d again, pushing her

the unclaimed girl in

ense something. A heav

t soul," he said, his voice l

, but to the abstract

rs for the unfortunate,

on was reluc

oor opened. Sera

e, leaning on

ice weak. "I felt... unwe

cately into a la

oncern evident. "Seraphina, my

side, guiding

' s spirit, a smile Elara couldn'

ulating him, drawin

are a small supper for u

u for your c

ted Thorn

apped. She was forced t

table in Thorne' s

at her food, sigh

t a wave of nausea, a phantom

g, it seemed to

tered. Serap

s wide with feigned horror, looking dir

couldn't see her. But

"I feel... I feel a terrible

at herself, a hand

d tales... spirits trying to... to

t if Elara' s spirit... what if she tried to... to possess me?

usation, designed to paint E

d shocked, t

s a snake, reached

folded paper. It was a

lara, in a compromising posit

oice trembling. "Hidden in Elara' s old ro

thing Seraphina must have

drawing. His f

believed Seraphina'

ty for a "lost soul" vani