"Halloween," Cassie said. "It's funny how when things really start to happen, they happen all at once..."
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Ophilia Villa, Willow Creek, 2000
Father and I had done our annual séance to contact my mother the evening before, but my heart hadn't been in it. I felt none of the strange, heightened awareness or dark, shivering energy that had come over me during the séance at the sleepover. Instead, as my father reached out to the Netherworld, I was thinking about Roac's message, my mother's Book and my magic... it's hard to believe it had only been about a week... and I was thinking about Gwen.
Foundry Cove, Willow Creek, 2000
The next day, Halloween itself, father was off to Del Sol for some meetings with the studio about the Raven Academy movies. Bella was off working too, doing something I assumed was incredibly boring for TransWorld (which shows what I knew).
That left me and Edwards to take Alexander trick or treating... not that I minded. Carmilla, Molly and I always dressed up, and now Gwen was joining us. With all the strange things Gwen didn't get, she totally got Halloween.
So, all of us dressed in our best costumes, Edwards drove us over to Foundry Cove to pick up Gwen.
"What do you think?" Gwen asked, as she showed us her costume.
"You're... an elf princess," I said, smiling.
"Well, I couldn't decide what to wear, and you kind of suggested the idea yesterday," Gwen said.
"You put that together since yesterday?" I said, shocked.
"Lilian did most of the work," Gwen admitted. "She had lots of the bits and pieces laying around. She even helped me with my hair."
"How did you do the ears?" Molly asked.
It was the first time any of us had seen her with her hair back. The first time I saw the way her ears taper to a point.
"What do you mean?" Gwen looked puzzled.
"I think you look gorgeous," Alexander said with a smile.
"Thank you, Alexander," Gwen gave him a brilliant smile. Then she pulled my little brother into a warm hug.
I might have laughed nervously, but any suggestion that I was struck by a sudden wave of jealousy toward my 12-year-old brother is not open for further discussion.
"I really like your costumes," Gwen said, "but Molly... what are you dressed as?"
"I'm a Rebel pilot," Molly said. "You know, from Star Wars."
"Star... wars?" Gwen said, puzzled. "When did those happen?"
"It's a movie," I said hastily.
"Come on, we have candy to get," Alexander insisted.
We followed Alexander and Edwards, and Molly enthusiastically explained the plot of Star Wars to Gwen... laying the foundation for Gwen's future secret geek-ness.
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"I like Star Wars," Gwen said serenely. "Wise, Yoda is."
"Seriously?" Mariah laughed.
"I swear, half of early magical training was 'do or do not, there is no try'," Miranda smiled.
"Anyway..." Cassie said, shaking her head.
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While Molly told Gwen about events 'A long time ago in a galaxy, far, far, away,' Carmilla shared some things of more pressing concern.
"I think it worked!" Carmilla told me.
"What worked?" I said, confused. I was thinking about Gwen, and I was pretty sure nothing I had said or done had worked.
"The séance!" she explained. "The one we did at the sleepover. I think we really called up Guidry!"
"No," I said. "Nothing happened."
"But it has," Carmilla insisted. "Come on, I need to tell you guys all about it."
We let Alexander and Edwards continue around the cul-de-sac while Gwen took us over to Foundry Cove's little park.
"So, I was just telling Cas," Carmilla started again, "I think our séance worked. We really called up Guidry."
"I knew something weird happened," Molly said breathlessly.
"I'm not sure," I said. I just wasn't happy with how 'interested' Gwen seemed to be in what Carmilla was saying... or was she just interested in Carmilla.
"No, hear me out," Carmilla insisted.
"Ever since the sleepover, I've been hearing weird noises in the night," Carmilla said.
"Well, you know how old houses are," I countered.
"Yes, I do," Carmilla said, unphased. "This is totally different. Lights flickering, footsteps and whispers... when there's no one there!"
"Whoa," Molly breathed, awed.
"What does it feel like?" Gwen asked.
"Like someone is watching me," Carmilla said. "Like they're just around the corner or... sneaking up behind me."
"I knew it," Gwen said. "I said it to Cas... we disturbed something that night."
"You think it's Guidry?" I said, trying to sound tough and clever and not at all jealous that Gwen seemed to be hanging on Carmilla's every word.
"I'm telling you I can totally feel his presence in the house," Carmilla said. "The séance called him, and he came."
"Are you sure it's Guidry?" Gwen asked. "Because... well, are you sure the presence you're feeling isn't angry?"
"Maybe he's frustrated," Carmilla said. "Maybe he couldn't come all the way through... but tonight, tonight is Halloween. Maybe he'll finally be able to manifest!"
"I don't know much about Netherworld magic," Gwen admitted, "but tonight is Samhain... one of the liminal times when it's easiest to pass between worlds."
"I know," Carmilla smiled. "We could totally call him up this time!"
"Yes, I could," I said firmly. After all, if the first séance had contacted Guidry, it was because I was leading it. So, I was the one who could do it again... and then Gwen would be giving me that look.
"So, let's do this!" Carmilla said.
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