The Spirits Knew Who Was Lying Chapter 05

The Spirits Knew Who Was Lying Chapter 05 The Invitation

This was the part of the job no one saw. I invited the spirit up, calmed him, let him speak his final wish. Then I sent him on his way. Fed him first. Made sure he was ready to go.

That was what a real medium did. Lily had no idea.

She stood there watching, her face souring by the second.

I raised an eyebrow. “Go on. Handle the second one. Try not to mess up again.”

I didn’t touch the belongings this time. Just stood back and watched. Lily clenched her jaw and turned to the second family.

They handed her a set of keys. “You first.”

Lily stood frozen, gripping the hem of her shirt. The crowd was getting impatient.

“What’s taking so long?”

Gavin stepped in. “Come on. People are waiting. Let’s wrap this up.”

Lily’s fingers dug into her palm. She took the keys, held them up, and made a show of concentrating.

Finally, she spoke. “He says… put his portrait in the new house. Let him see it before he goes.”

The family broke down. “That’s it. Before he died, all he talked about was that house. It was for his son’s wedding. We’ll do it. We promise.”

They clutched Lily’s hands, sobbing. Her shoulders relaxed. She turned to look at me, a flicker of relief in her eyes-and something else. Triumph.

The stream exploded again.

“Lily’s incredible!”

“That first one was just a fluke. Now she’s back to normal.”

Lily let out a breath and smiled at me. “See, Lore? The belongings are safe.”

I nodded. “Good to hear. But Lily, be careful. He was hit by a car. Died with a lot of anger. That kind of spirit doesn’t let go easily.”

When I’d burned the first set of belongings, I’d seen two spirits lingering. One of them had eyes like a blade. The kind of dead that doesn’t come to make peace.

Lily had no idea.

She snorted at my warning. Her followers piled on.

“What is she doing? Threatening Lily again?”

“Still acting so smug. Proves she’s right and still finds a way to tear Lily down. Pathetic

“Honestly, I think Lily handled it better. She kept the family’s last keepsake intact.

I was still curious. I didn’t know what trick Lily was using to reach the dead-but she wasn’t sending them back. Not one of them. The process was incomplete. There were already more than one trailing behin her.

A cold draft coiled around her neck. Lily shivered and rubbed the back of her neck instinctively. She looked at me.

I gave her a cheerful wave and turned to Gavin. “Problem solved. I’m heading out.”

He grabbed my arm. “You sure you don’t want to set up your stall again?”

I’m sure-

Lily cut in. “Why would she? With those prices, she can’t even afford the booth fee anymore. Let her go, Gavin.

He tried to say something else. I shook him off. “Really. I’m fine.”

I looked at Lily. “You’ll come to me. You will.”

She laughed. “You’re desperate for money.”

I smiled and handed her a card. “When things go wrong, find me. And they will. I charge reasonably.”

I walked away, leaving her standing there with the card in her hand, the cold still lingering at her back.