by L. C. Davis
Remus looked away and said nothing, but we both knew the implication of Hunter's words. I just happened to be the reason one of those wolves was dead.
I considered their words for a moment, but it was all too absurd and I shook my head. "This is insane. Even if Arthur is the spirit who made a deal with Thanatos to escape the aether, why would he choose me as a vessel? I'm not even a real hunter, I'm human."
"So was he," said Hunter. "The hunters weren't created until after the original Arthur's death. It makes sense why his vessel would be more or less human."
I hesitated. It made a little more sense than I wanted it to. "Look, Remus, I know your dad and my grandfather thought I was some kind of special savior or something, but they were both wrong. I've been undead for over a week and other than the fact that I haven't traded in my ripped jeans and MP3 player for pleated khakis and a semi-automatic, there's nothing special about me. Oh, and there's the fact that Prentice's blood is still flowing through my veins, but that hardly counts."
"Maybe it isn't about strength," said Hunter. "Maybe there's some other way you're supposed to be able to stop the Patriarch if we can't fight him. Maybe the original Arthur--Arthur One, for my sanity's sake--can help."
"If there is, I'm no closer to finding it than I was when I was still alive," I murmured. "Anyway, why would the Patriarch listen to me? He hates me."
The Hardy Boys exchanged another glance. "I know it sounds crazy," Remus began. "But of the three gods that I've encountered, I think the Patriarch is the one we stand the best chance of reasoning with."
"You're right, that does sound crazy," I snorted. "He wants to destroy all life on the planet, remember?"
Hunter made a face that suggested he didn't entirely disagree with me. "Look, if Alex is right and Arthur really did escape from the aether, he should be able to help us break in. If he didn't escape, then we can use him as a ransom."
"A ransom?" My voice cracked for the first time since I hit puberty.
"According to the legend and what the Patriarch himself told Remus, he only wants to kill all the children of the earth so he can ransom their souls in exchange for his son's," said Hunter.
I stared blankly at them both. "You do realize how fucked up it is that I grew up worshiping this guy and I'm the one trying to convince you, his sworn enemies, that he's bad news?"
"I know it's messed up, but at this rate he's going to destroy everything if he doesn't get what he wants," Remus said, desperation creeping into his voice. "We don't have a whole lot left to lose."
"Is this about saving the world or saving the twins?" I asked pointedly.
Remus flinched and I felt instant guilt. All human emotions were a go, it seemed. "Can't it be about both?"
I sighed, raking a hand through my hair. The damn stuff was driving me insane, always falling into my eyes. The fact that cutting it would be a permanent decision now that I was undead was the only thing that stopped me. "Let's say the prince is still trapped in the aether. How the fuck are we supposed to get him out if the Patriarch can't?"
"If you really are his vessel, maybe he can possess you just like the Patriarch did," said Remus.
"And if he freed himself?" I press. "What makes you think he'll help us?"
"We're just sort of hoping he will," Remus said, biting his lip.
"That's a lot of hope without any justification," I said flatly.
"The end is nigh," muttered Hunter. "We're out of long shots, so we might as well shoot for the moon." He winced. "Bad choice of words."
"I'd take a shot at her," Remus muttered darkly.
I snorted. "Fine, but is the board really the best option we have?"
Hunter shrugged. "It worked when I needed to contact hard to reach spirits in the past. Whatever it takes to get our alphas back. I'm pretty sure I'm the most experienced wolf in the pack now that Clarence is gone, and I do not want to be in charge of a sex dungeon--or marry Remus. No offense, but you're kind of a handful."
"None taken," Remus said brightly, nudging the priest in the ribs. "So they're our alphas, now? Does that mean you've decided to join the pack?"
Hunter rolled his eyes. "It doesn't mean anything, but we're not going to have a planet if we don't get this all squared away. What'll it be, Arthur? Are you in or not?"
"You know I am," I muttered. "The other Arthur can wear me like a glove if that's what it takes to keep you guys safe."
"And to stop the end of the world," Remus added.
That was admittedly lower on my priority list, but he didn't need to know that. "Alright, fine. I'll do whatever I can to help," I said, getting the feeling that Hunter had ways of coercing me if I didn't volunteer. When I saw Remus' eyes get all sparkly, my decision was cemented.
"So, how does this work?" asked Remus.
The lights flickered and Hunter looked past Remus, scowling as he placed a wooden planchette on the board. It wasn't like the ones I had seen on TV commercials as a kid. This board was made of solid wood an inch thick and the letters seemed to have been carved into the surface and painted by hand.
"Oh God, is it starting already?" I asked, looking around the room for any signs of demons we had unleashed by tampering with the board.
"Relax, it's just Alex," said Hunter.
Funny that he thought a temperamental ghost was relaxing. "Why did he do that?"
"He isn't happy that we're using the board," said Remus, eying Hunter.
The priest rolled his eyes. "Alex doesn't like my methods, but I don't see him offering any better suggestions on how to contact a spirit trapped beyond the aether, so he can stuff it."
"Hang on," I said. "If the ghost is worried, maybe we should think twice about this."
"I've used the board lots of times," said Hunter.
"Using a spirit board as a werewolf who dabbles in the occult is different from using it as a full-fledged priest of Selene," Remus hissed in a voice that wasn't his own. It took only a moment to realize that it was Alex possessing him. The way he stood hunched over the table was far more aggressive and masculine than Remus' usual posture.
"Oh, shit," I groaned.
"Would you chill out?" Hunter snapped. "I'm not a kid at a slumber party, I know what I'm doing. You sound like my mother."
"How unfortunate that you didn't inherit her common sense," Alex quipped. "Those boards are a gateway to the spirit world, anyone who happens to be waiting at the door can get in. There's no way to be sure you'll get the spirit you want."
"That's why I'm friends with the gatekeeper," Hunter said with a wicked grin.
Alex's eyes widened. "You don't mean..."
"Just shut up and sit down," Hunter ordered, holding out his hands. "We'll do this without you if we have to."
"No," Alex muttered, taking Remus' seat again. "If you're going to do this, I'm staying out. Someone needs to be present for the exorcism."
"Exorcism?" I squeaked.
"He's joking," muttered Hunter, lighting a white candle in front of the board. He lifted the planchette and placed it in the center of the board, resting two fingers on top of the piece. "Rest your fingers lightly on the planchette and wait for it to move. Nobody speak unless I tell you to. Do not--I repeat, do not--remove your fingers from the planchette once it's started moving."
"Why not?" I asked warily. "Will it let the demons out?"
"No, it's just rude," said Hunter. "The spirit who controls the board is a trickster. He likes messing with pussies, so just keep calm and everything will be fine."
"Who is this spirit?" I asked warily.
"Yes, Hunter. Tell him about your 'friend,'" Alex said, his voice dripping with judgment.
"One more word and I'll exorcise you," Hunter warned. "Quiet, both of you. I need to focus."
Alex clearly had more he wanted to say and there was more I didn't dare to ask, but the room fell silent. Hunter closed his eyes and just as I was wondering if I should follow suit, he took a deep breath and said, "Hey, it's me again. Are you there?"
I looked around the room warily. This wasn't how I had seen spirit board sessions start in any of the horror movies Prentice had sneaked into the treehouse when we were young. There was no response for long enough that I began to hope the board was a dud just like me.
"How will we know it's not just one of us moving the planchette?" I whispered.
Hunter smirked. "You'll know. You don't need to whisper, either. We're not in a library."
I was about to reply when the planchette moved suddenly, nearly flying out from underneath my fingers. At first, I thought one of them had done it but it glided so swiftly across the board that it seemed unlikely. Not that any of us were in a playful mood. I grew increasingly nauseous as I watched the planchette spell out, L-O-N-G and then pause before spelling T-I-M-E, then N-O, then S-E-E and finally, H."
Hunter smiled as if reading a text from an old friend and Alex looked on unhappily, but he didn't seem surprised by the fluid movement. All I could do was watch and hope that whatever it was we had contacted on the other side didn't take an interest in me.
"Yeah, I know," said Hunter. "Things have been kind of crazy over here. I need a favor, but first you know I've gotta ask for credentials. Name?"
The planchette moved swiftly to Z and then back to the center. I gulped.
"Age?" asked Hunter.
The wooden piece traveled to the number zero and stopped.
"What does that mean?" I asked in a harsh whisper, as if that would somehow keep the spirit from noticing me. "How is he zero years old?"
"Don't worry about it," said Hunter, keeping his focus on the board, almost like he was looking through it. "Thanks, Z. Alright, now do you still have that little black book of spirits?"
There was a long pause before the planchette moved to Yes.
"Cool. You know the Patriarch, right?"
The planchette moved to Yes again.
"Can you find his son? His name is Arthur and supposedly he's in the aether. I know you've got some friends there, so I was hoping --"
Yes.
"You can reach him?" Hunter asked hopefully.
Yes.
"Sweet. Thanks, I owe you one."
Nothing.
Hunter rolled his eyes. "Okay, so a little more than one." He hesitated. "One more favor while I'm at it. There's a wolf named Clarence --"
"Hunter!" Alex snapped.
"What?" Hunter protested. "It's not like he's gonna give me the answers himself."
"You're misusing your gifts," Alex said firmly.
"Uh, guys?" I whispered. The planchette was moving again.
H-E-R-E... C-O-M-E-S... A-R-T-H-U-R...
I felt like I was going to be sick. The planchette moved to the number three and started counting down. It swiftly crossed to the center of the board again and another long pause followed.
Hunter leaned forward. "Arthur?" he ventured in a far more hesitant tone than he had used with Z. "Is a spirit named Arthur with us?"
Another pause convinced me that this Z was just fucking with us, until the planchette moved to Yes. Hunter breathed a sigh of relief, which was the exact opposite of my reaction.
"Spirit, I command you to speak only truth. I created this board and you are bound to answer all questions I pose in full honesty, do you understand?"
Yes.
"Then I ask again, are you Arthur, the fallen prince? The Patriarch's son?" he pressed.
Yes.
Hunter relaxed a little. "Welcome, prince. Thank you for joining us. We called you here tonight for a very important purpose, and it all hinges on your location. Is it true that you managed to escape the aether?"
Nothing. I waited in increasing nervousness, looking between Hunter and Alex. "What does that mean?"
"It means nothing," Alex muttered. "Hunter can have his 'friends' twist the arms of spirits to appear here, and compel them not to lie through the board, but he can't force them to answer if they don't want to."
Hunter frowned. "I'll just ask a different way. Prince, where is your spirit now?"
More silence. Apparently, the other Arthur wasn't in the same chatting mood as Z was.
"Looks like not all spirits respond well to bullying," Alex said in a smug tone.
"Arthur, you try," said Hunter, ignoring him. "Ask him a question."
I looked at the board, convinced it might swallow us all up at any moment. "Um, hi," I began. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, but these guys think you and I might be connected somehow, so --"
The planchette flew from my grasp suddenly and nearly left the board. The fact that Alex and Hunter looked as shocked by the violent movement as I was did nothing to settle my nerves as I watched the planchette spell out, V-E-S-S-E-L.
"Shit," I whimpered.
"This is good," Hunter whispered. "Keep him talking, he's responding to you."
"Yeah, no shit he's responding," I said, fighting the urge to leap out of my chair and bolt.
"He's right," said Alex. "May as well keep going now."
I gulped. "What does that mean, spirit? I'm your vessel?"
Yes.
I decided I liked the board better when it was the strong, silent type. "Okay, uh, and where are you?"
A-E-T-H-E-R.
"Shit," I muttered. "Still? I thought you made a deal with Thanatos."
I, followed by a long pause, then, D-I-D.
"I'm confused," I said, leaning forward. My curiosity was beginning to rival my terror. "If you didn't make a deal with Thanatos to get out, then what?"
S-T-A-Y.
I frowned. "You made a deal to stay in the aether?
Yes.
"But why?"
H-I-M.
"The Patriarch?" I asked warily.
Yes.
"I thought you loved him. He's been looking for you all this time," I said, my heart beating faster. "He's done terrible things just trying to get you back."
Silence. Maybe spirits had shame, too.
"Please," I began. "My friends and I have lost so much because of him. He has a vessel now, another hunter. He's going to destroy everything on the hunter's moon if he doesn't get you back. He's trying to blackmail Gaia for the souls of all of humanity."
More silence.
I clenched my jaw. Before it had been curiosity outweighing my fear, but now it was anger. "You know, all my life I've been told what a brave, courageous leader you were, but if you're really willing to sit in the netherworld while this one gets torn apart by your crazy father, you're just a coward."
The lights flickered and Alex looked around warily. "Perhaps you should use a bit more tact."
The planchette started moving more rapidly than ever before. L-E-T... T-H-E... B-I-T-C-H... D-E-A-L... W-I-T-H... H-I-M...
"The bitch?" I blinked. "Who, Selene?"
Yes.
"They aren't exactly on speaking terms," said Alex.
M-U-R-D-E-R.
"Murder?" I echoed. "Yes, I know you were killed by the wolves, but it was the vampires who --"
No. The planchette moved to the center of the board for a moment's pause before spelling out, H-E-R.
"Her?" I asked. "Selene?"
Yes.
"But Selene wasn't the one who --"
"Don't argue with him," Hunter hissed. "Just ask him how we can stop the Patriarch."
I nodded. "Please, prince. What happened to you was terrible no matter who was to blame, but if you are who the legends say you are, then you're noble and good. Good enough to care about all the lives that will be lost if the Patriarch isn't stopped before the hunter's moon."
The planchette remained still, so I continued, "If I'm your vessel, that means you can come back to earth through me, doesn't it?"
The piece moved slowly--reluctantly, if my imagination wasn't just playing tricks on me--to Yes.
"Then please, help us. Talk to him. If he'll listen to anyone, it's you."
The piece shifted slightly before moving to No.
I gritted my teeth. Before I could lay
into him, Remus' head snapped up, drawing my attention. When I met his eyes, they were his again. "Please," he said softly. "Ask him if there's any way into the aether."
The piece moved to Yes before I got the chance. Looked like I wasn't the only ghost whisperer in the room.
"How?" Remus pleaded.
The board fell silent for a long moment before the planchette began to rattle and the lights dimmed. The white candle's flame turned to smoke, as if someone had blown it out.
"Hunter?" I asked nervously.
"Another spirit is fighting for control," he muttered.
Remus and I looked at Hunter.
"Another spirit is trying to control the board," he said, looking around.
"Who?" I asked.
"I don't know."
The planchette moved suddenly, as if in answer. V
"V?" Hunter echoed.
"Victor?" Remus breathed, leaning over the board. "Victor, is that you?"
The planchette moved to Yes.
"Easy, Remus," said Hunter, eying the board with new wariness. "You're jumping to conclusions."
"Of course it's him. Who else would be trying to stop us from following him into the aether?" Remus cried, turning back to the board. "Victor, it's me. Please, tell me how I can reach you."
N-O. S-T-O-P.
Remus frowned. "I can't stop, I have to find you. I have to bring you back, both of you. Is Sebastian with you?"
The planchette trembled against the board before moving to Yes.
"Gaia said she could bring you back. Where are you?"
No.
Remus frowned, growing increasingly agitated. "Then I'll come to you."
When he reached for the planchette, the overhead light blew just as Hunter's hand flew out to stop him. "Remus, no!" the priest cried.
It was too little, too late. The moment Remus' hand touched the wooden planchette, a roar like a hurricane filled the room and sent Alex's papers flying everywhere. Remus cried out in alarm but even though he cringed away, his hand remained stuck to the planchette as a hole opened up in the center of the board.
I lunged for Remus, but my eyes fell shut to block out a blinding flash of light that emanated from his right hand and I opened them to find him gone. The board was still resting on the table with the planchette on top of it, and there was no sign of the portal that had been opened up in the middle of it. "No!" I cried, snatching the planchette off the wooden surface, turning it over. "Where is he?"