City of Ghosts
Page 26
“They can wait. I must treat this child. She has a disturbing malady of the brain. It must be attended to, and I am the only one with the expertise to cure her.”
The only malady in her brain is you, asshole. I’d seen this before. When spirits believe people need them here on earth, they’re nearly impossible to shake. “She’s fine. Lily will be fine. I’ll take care of her. Your patients in Venice, they need you more.”
The doctor widened Lily’s brown eyes. “My patients are not in Venice, dullard! They must remain separate from the common population. My work is done on Poveglia.”
Poveglia. The name rang a bell, but I wasn’t sure why. “They’re calling for you in Poveglia, doctor. Your patients are calling. They need you. Can’t you hear them?”
“This girl called for me. I will not abandon her in her hour of greatest need.”
Shit, Lily. What did you do?
“Her physician does not approve of your treatment, doctor. You must leave her to his care. Go back to your other patients. Lily will be just fine.”
Hoping to catch him off guard, I reached for Lily’s spirit, trying to get a grip on her so I could yank her out of this guy’s grasp. He pulled away, inserting himself between us so I could no longer detect the sweet nature of Vittoria’s child. This guy was stronger than I’d initially thought, too strong for being this old and this far away from his own turf, and Lily, through her own ignorance, was to blame. I cursed the kid under my breath.
“No other doctor is capable of treating her. She will come with me. I must take her to Poveglia.”
“No…” I leapt for her, but it was too late. I’d been too aggressive, scared him too much. “Shit!”
Lily’s body flopped back on the bed, her eyes glazed. Her skin lost its pallor and the sores on her face and arms healed as if they’d been absorbed. The doctor was gone, but so was Lily’s spirit. How was I going to tell Vittoria that her daughter was catatonic?
“Okay, Lily. Let’s find it.”
I yanked open the preteen’s closet and rifled through her clothes. I peered in her dresser drawers and looked behind her drapes.
It was under the bed.
A battered spirit board that looked like it was at least a hundred years old.
Crap.
I knew it.