Page 86 of Haunting the Deep

He nods. “That’s why I don’t want you to learn it or be anywhere near it. You are the most important person in my world. And I won’t risk you, even if you’re mad at me for the rest of your life.”

I exhale. “Dad, the magic isn’t gonna go away if we move back to New York. I see spirits.” I pause. “I’ll just be that strange girl that everyone thinks is delusional. It’s not like that in Salem. People here actually believe that I see them, and they don’t think I’m a pariah. They like me for it.”

My dad’s eyebrows push together. “I’m not sure what to say to that.”

“Well, at least you can admit it,” I say.

“I guess so. Although, frankly, the idea that you’re seeing dead people scares the hell out of me.”

“Sometimes it scares me, too.”

“We could try hypnosis.”

“Dad.”

“I’m not allowed to try to help?”

“You’re not allowed to try to fix me. I’m not broken.”

I stand on the brick sidewalk outside of my house with my arms wrapped around my chest against the night air. The girls pull up to the curb.

“You ready?” Mary asks, getting out of the Jeep.

“Ready,” I say. “Although I still can’t figure out what Jaxon and a love spell could possibly have to do with theTitanic,the Collector in Redd’s warning, and all the Myra objects.”

“Yeah, but if we find out heisunder a spell, it would be too much of a coincidence for it to be happening right now,” Alice says as we walk to Mrs. Meriwether’s front door. “And I don’t believe in coincidences.”

“Agreed,” I say. “Plus, if it is the bracelet, then we’re talking about another spell in an object.”

“But what possible connection would a spell on Jaxon have to a spell onTitanicpassengers?” Mary asks.

“Not a clue,” Alice says, “which is why I’m seriously hoping we find out it’s not a spell.”

Susannah knocks. It only takes a few seconds for Mrs. Meriwether to answer.

“Girls! What a lovely surprise. Come in.” She closes the door behind us. “You’re just in time to try my lavender lemonade and my cream puffs filled with white chocolate mousse and crushed raspberries.”

Mary’s mouth opens. “Can I live with you?”

Mrs. Meriwether laughs.

“Is Jaxon home?” I ask.

“In his room,” Mrs. Meriwether says. “Want me to call him down?”

I shake my head. “I’ll just pop upstairs for a minute.”

The girls follow Mrs. Meriwether to the kitchen.

I take the stairs fast, running my fingers along the driftwood banister, and stop in front of Jaxon’s closed bedroom door.

I knock. “Jaxon?”

He opens it, and his familiar woodsy scent billows out. “Sam?”

“Can I come in for a minute?”

He steps aside, and I walk past him into his navy blue bedroom, which is filled with handmade furniture. There are model ships on the walls.