my eyes. “Fiona. I hardly think—”

“Eiteogach!”

Before I can even finish the thought, a steel ball from the decorative bowl is hurled toward my face. It slams against my cheek and bounces into the wall behind me.

“What the shit, Fiona?” I yell, rubbing my now-bruised cheek.

“Now you try.”

My face scrunches up, and I feign trying to Force push a ball at her. It doesn’t work. “See? I can’t do it.”

“Eiteogach!”

Another ball launches from the bowl. This time I’m ready, and I duck—or more accurately, fall to the floor. Staying under the table, I yell at her through the glass that separates us. “Knock it off! Seriously, someone could lose an eye!”

Fiona stands and backs away from the table. Then that stupid witch does it again. “Eiteogach!”

This time, the ball rises from the bowl then slams down through the glass table. Shards rain down around me, and the metal orb slams into my chest. My body flies backward and slams against the wall. She’s actually trying to hurt me.

Fiona walks toward me. “You know you can stop this. All you have to do is take control.”

I’m getting angry. My blood warms, and the electrocardiogram on my watch starts to beep. “He’s coming out!” I warn her.

“No!” she shouts. “Harness the demon’s power!”

Harness the demon’s power. Those are the same words Father Ramon used to describe what I had done. He believed I was permitting the demon to take control. Fiona believes I can wield its power.

Neither of them have any idea what I’m dealing with. They don’t understand the pain like I do. They don’t live with it every day. They don’t know what it’s like to have an evil, destructive force inside that threatens to destroy you and everyone you love. They don’t get it. The more I think about that, the angrier I get.

Fiona raises her arms. “Foluaineach.” The bits of glass rise slowly from the floor in front of me. My heart beats faster as I watch them point their jagged edges at me. My hand shakes. Then a breeze wafts through the air, and my hair flutters across my face. He’s coming.

Fiona yells, “Eiteogach!”

“No!” I cry. A hurricane wind explodes from my chest, pushing the broken glass away and toward Fiona.

With catlike reflexes, Fiona slams her forearms together. “Armas!” she yells.

The shards bounce away as if deflected by some invisible shield. The air continues blowing around the room. The shattered glass on the floor skittles in a circle. The sound grows louder.

Fiona’s lips curl in a wicked grin. “You did it!” she cries above the noise. “You’re doing it!”

I can sense Dudley emerging. I shut my eyes. I don’t want to see what happens.

“Nooo!” I roar above the howling wind that swirls around me.

In the blackness, Fiona calls out, “Bhí an saol ina chalm.”

A soft, cool breeze breaks through the vortex. For a moment, it’s as if I’m at the beach. The fragrance of water and salt fills the air, and I can almost hear the waves lapping on sand. The warmth inside me subsides. My breaths are calm. The wind dies down and dissipates.

Fiona’s dulcet voice breaks through. “Bhí an saol ina chalm.”

My eyes are still closed, but I sense a calm in the room. Dudley’s not coming. Somehow, by some magical means, she’s tranquilized him. I open my eyes.

I’m still on the floor, with my back against the wall. The glass table is now intact as if nothing ever happened. Fiona stands at the far end, smiling at me through its transparent surface. Even the steel balls are back in their bowl, perfectly situated in the center.

I feel my face where the steel ball hit me. It’s not tender. It’s as if this never happened. Did this happen?

“There now, dear,” Fiona says. “Was that so hard?”

* * *

Fiona opens the door to Paige, who’s standing there, freshly showered and dressed. “What happened?” Paige demands.

Fiona turns to me. “She controlled it.”

“Hardly,” I say, still rubbing my cheek despite it not being sore.

Fiona steps past Paige, and we follow her. “You protected yourself. You conjured the wind. You moved the broken glass.”

“But I was only able to stop him from taking over because you were there.”

“This time,” she argues. “Just to show you that you can do it. All you must do is open yourself a wee bit. Find that boundary that gives you both the power and control.”

Fiona leads us to another room. It’s a small study with bookshelves and an ebony wood desk. A floor-to-ceiling safe sits in one corner.

“Now, something for Paige.” Fiona spins the safe handle and yanks open the door to reveal a trove of pistols, rifles, and shotguns.

My jaw drops. “Why in the world do you need guns?”

“I don’t need them. But even I enjoy the power of a good high-caliber firearm. Now…” She turns to Paige. “Let’s see, dear. What should we give you? Ah!” She pulls out a small handgun. “One of my favorites, the Glock 36.” With expert dexterity, she pops out the magazine and displays the gun to Paige. “Forty-five caliber. Standard magazine load of six. Easy rack.” She pulls back on the slide and inspects the chamber. “Empty.” She pops the magazine back in. “Slim, so you can tuck it your jeans with no one the wiser,” she says, handing the gun and a shoulder holster to Paige.

“Thanks!” Paige says, inspecting her new gift.

Fiona turns to me. “Would you like protection?”

“No. I have Paige.”

She closes the safe and turns to inspect us. “Well!” she says, clapping her hands and turning to Paige. “Now that you are once again properly armed and you”—she looks at me—“have… Paige, I’m thinking it’s time for a field trip.”

“Where?” I ask suspiciously.

“Oh,” she says with a smile, “you’ll be liking this place.”

Chapter 26

____◊____

FIONA’S LAND ROVER SCREECHES to a valet stand near the corner of Hollywood and Vine. Paige and I quickly step out of the vehicle, thankful to have arrived safely. This is an area where old Hollywood meets new Hollywood. Brand-new twenty-first-century buildings mingle others nearly one

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