The Spirits Knew Who Was Lying Chapter 06

The Spirits Knew Who Was Lying Chapter 06 The Spirits’ Reckoning

I turned and walked away. Behind me, Lily crumpled my card and hurled it to the ground.

“Psycho!”

The internet had its say too. My phone started screaming before I’d made it ten steps-unknown numbers, one after another, each message more vicious than the last.

“B*tch. You’re just trying to ride Lily’s coattails because you’ve got no talent of your own.”

“Who do you think you are, pretending to be something?”

“Go to hell where you belong.”

I didn’t bother responding. Who deserved hell was still up for debate, but I knew one thing for certain-it

wasn’t me.

Lily was about to pay for what she’d done.

Behind her trailed a line of spirits. A long one. Every single soul she’d “helped” over the past week. She’d pulled them up from below with whatever cheap trick she was using, but she never sent them back. The rituals weren’t complete. The gates never opened. They were trapped now, clinging to her like shadows she couldn’t shake.

Ninety-five degrees outside. I stood at the intersection, sweat dripping down my neck, the sun hammering down like it had a personal grudge against me.

Lily was sitting in her car with her jacket zipped to the chin, arms wrapped around herself like she was freezing.

She knew something was wrong. She just didn’t know what.

I sighed and kept walking.

The online war between us was reaching its peak. Her fans were rabid, the comments relentless. I didn’t say a word. Let them bark.

When I got home, I lit three thick incense sticks. The first, for the masters who came before me-the ones who taught the old ways. The second, for the wandering dead, the ones with no place to go. The third, for / protection. Always protection.

Spirits drifted into my room before the smoke had fully risen. Their faces were twisted with frustration.

“You need to tell Lily to send us back. Now.”

“She pulls us up, asks her questions, and leaves us hanging. What does she want from us?”

I shrugged, spreading my hands. “That’s not my problem. She won’t touch anything I say. You’re on your own.”

They lingered for a moment, drinking in the incense smoke, letting it wash over them. Then they turned and drifted toward Lily’s place, their resentment trailing behind them like a fog

I opened my livestream.

Lily was broadcasting. Her face had gone gray. Not pale. Gray. The kind of gray that comes from something feeding on you from the inside.

I had to give her credit-she had nerve. With all those spirits clinging to her, she didn’t have a single blessed object on her. No charm. No protection. Either she was fearless, or she had no idea what she was playing with.

On stream, she was laughing, telling stories, waving her hands like nothing was wrong.

Then a decoration fell off the shelf above her.

It hit her square in the head. She yelped, hand flying to her scalp.

I watched the spirit behind her-a man, eyes dark with rage-push it off the shelf. He threw it at her with purpose. Spirits go hungry without offerings. They get angry. Just like people. Skip a meal and see how patient you are.

Lily rubbed her head, put the decoration back, and kept talking like nothing had happened.

But I saw the spirit behind her. His face was murderous.

That was nothing.

Three days later, my phone rang. I let it buzz once. Twice. Three times. Then I picked up.

Lily’s voice came through, high and cracking.

Lore. What did you do to me? Are you messing with me behind my back?”

I smiled. Lily. Who taught you how to do this? Did they ever tell you the first rule?”

Silence.

“It’s easy to call them up.” My voice was quiet. “Sending them back? That’s a whole different story. You never sent anyone back. Now they’re stuck with you. You did this to yourself.”

“I never called anyone!” Her voice was a shriek now, raw with panic.

“You didn’t have to.” I leaned back in my chair. “You made a name for yourself. The biggest spirit speaker on the internet. They heard about you, Lily. And they came. Every single one.”

She screamed. Not words. Just sound. Raw terror pouring through the speaker.

“I’m at the spirit market. Help me. Please. I know I was wrong. I’m sorry. Help me.”

The panic in her voice was real. The kind that comes when you finally understand what you’ve done.

I hung up. Grabbed my things. Twenty minutes later, I pulled up at the market

Lily was standing in the middle of the lot, shaking, her jacket pulled tight despite the heat

She saw me and dropped to her knees.

The spirits behind her watched. Waiting.