Jason answered on the fourth ring, his voice bright with an unfamiliar energy that caught me off guard. Gone was the haunted heaviness I’d grown accustomed to, replaced by something that sounded dangerously close to joy. Strange how disconcerting happiness can be when it appears in unexpected places—like finding flowers blooming in winter.
“Rahel! I was just about to call you,” he greeted, the background noise suggesting he was outside, walking somewhere in the city. Traffic sounds ebbed and flowed behind his words, the city’s pulse keeping time with our conversation.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85pRFkN1wE
“Jason, I’ve just heard from Mr. Summer,” I began, choosing my words carefully. “About Aurelia—”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8B2k5lOqTA
“Isn’t it incredible?” he interrupted, excitement overtaking his usual restraint. “I still can’t believe it. One minute I’m figuring out how to afford another month in rehab, the next I’m signing papers for the townhouse.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWw4GE2L3z
I paused, recalibrating. “You’ve spoken with Summer?”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoD2YIP2vF
“Better than that,” Jason replied, a smile evident in his voice. “I just left his office. Spent the whole morning there, going through documents, signing papers. It’s official—everything Grandfather wanted me to have is mine now.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdnjuT1FHD
I leaned against my kitchen counter, processing this information, adjusting my understanding of the timeline. “When did Summer contact you?”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBcvXNlSpy
“Last night, around eight. Left a message saying it was urgent, that Aurelia had been to see him.” Jason’s voice lowered slightly, as if sharing a secret despite being on a public street. “He said she confessed, Rahel. Admitted to forging the will. Can you believe that?”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2LpCVlhFP
“That’s… remarkable,” I said carefully, watching Mister B. drift closer to listen. “How do you feel about it?”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8L5mngjcW1
“Honestly? I’m still in shock.” The sound of traffic increased on his end of the call, then diminished as if he’d turned onto a quieter street. “Part of me always knew something was wrong with that will. It just didn’t sound like Grandfather. But to have Aurelia actually admit it…”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTOXyOPloB
His voice trailed off, the wonder of it apparently still sinking in. I could picture him walking through Manhattan, stunned by the sudden reversal of fortune, the world around him transformed overnight.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZ7aUZG0yl
“Did Summer mention Aurelia’s condition when she came to his office?” I asked, steering the conversation toward my growing concern.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0X4GanRfY
“He said she seemed… unwell. His word, not mine.” A note of confusion entered Jason’s voice. “Apparently she was hospitalized the night before for some kind of episode. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was going on with her.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNr91hoKEl
I exchanged glances with Mister B., who had moved close enough that I could feel the cold spot his presence created in the air.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fTs8dDoqR
“Have you heard from Aurelia since then?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4cofwBHWu
“That’s the strangest part,” Jason replied. “She’s gone. Completely vanished. Summer said she left his office after signing everything over, and no one’s seen her since.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZws3Iw3xC
“Gone?” I repeated, something cold settling in my stomach despite already knowing this from Summer’s call. “Do you think she’s alright?”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSGgVAdReb
Jason was silent for a moment, only the ambient noise of the city coming through the connection. “I’m not sure I’m the right person to answer that,” he said finally. “Aurelia and I… our relationship has been complicated at best.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfMzG6c7dD
“Of course,” I acknowledged, imagining his conflicted feelings—concern battling with resentment, years of manipulation leaving their mark.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrj1i19iEC
“But to disappear like this, right after signing over her inheritance? It’s weird, right?” Jason continued. “Summer seemed worried too, though he tried not to show it.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQe5PWULgv4
“It is unusual,” I agreed, careful to maintain a neutral tone despite my growing unease. The consequences of our spell were rippling outward in ways I hadn’t anticipated.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpgiAPowAm
“The thing is,” Jason lowered his voice, the background noise diminishing as if he’d stepped into a doorway or alcove, “I don’t think this was a sudden attack of conscience. Something happened to her. The housekeeper at her apartment told Summer that Aurelia had been behaving strangely for days—erratic, paranoid, talking to herself.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMlOdId52S
My pulse quickened. “Since when?”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡar6oMUQ5jO
“Since the night you met with Markus,” Jason replied, confirming my suspicion. “Three days ago.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiWBoxw3Qg
The timing aligned perfectly with our ritual by the Hudson—the night we had returned Aurelia’s spell to its source. Whatever was happening to Aurelia had begun immediately after our working. The connection was undeniable, and a knot of responsibility tightened in my chest.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHlDkabBCd
“Has anyone filed a missing persons report?” I asked, pragmatic concerns taking precedence over metaphysical ones for the moment.
“Summer’s handling it,” Jason said. “Though as he pointed out, she’s an adult who left of her own accord after making legal arrangements. The police aren’t likely to prioritize the case.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAFzyKEEDq
I nodded, though he couldn’t see me. The authorities would see a wealthy woman choosing to leave after settling her affairs—unusual perhaps, but hardly cause for alarm in a city where people reinvented themselves daily.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0RxoCfVNC
“What will you do now?” I asked, sensing the conversation shifting toward Jason’s future rather than Aurelia’s whereabouts.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJCtAjBOtK
“Well, for starters, I’m heading to the townhouse. My townhouse now, apparently.” A touch of wonder colored his words. “Then I need to meet with the recovery center. Just because I can afford the best treatment doesn’t mean I don’t still need it.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUeOocIxX1
This last statement reassured me. Despite the dramatic reversal of fortune, Jason seemed to understand that wealth alone wouldn’t solve his addiction issues, even with Aurelia’s magical influence removed.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEU3rkC3ci
“That sounds like a good plan,” I acknowledged. “I’m glad you’re continuing with treatment.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzpawS7XV5
“I have to,” Jason said, his tone becoming serious. “Whatever you two did—and I’m still not entirely clear on what that was—it’s helped. I feel… clearer. Like I can actually fight this now. But I’m not naive enough to think the battle’s over.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0wtCKrjt5
His insight surprised me. Most clients, upon experiencing the effects of our work, either attributed the change to coincidence or imagined it had solved all their problems permanently. Jason’s nuanced understanding was refreshing.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKd05u1xR29
“That’s a wise perspective,” I replied, feeling a genuine respect for him growing alongside my concern about Aurelia.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4QOPOu5SO
“Look, I need to go—the security company is meeting me at the townhouse to change the entry codes. Can we talk tomorrow? Maybe meet for coffee?” Jason asked. “There are some things I’d like to discuss. About your payment, among other things.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBaUNcnjx0
“Of course,” I agreed, momentarily surprised by the mention of payment. In my concern about Aurelia, I’d temporarily forgotten the business aspect of our arrangement. “And Jason… be careful. With everything that’s happened, with Aurelia missing…”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVHx475SFq
“You think she might come after me?” he asked, suddenly serious.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECxeZtvQyY
“I don’t know,” I admitted, the truth of my uncertainty heavier than any reassurance I could offer. “Just… stay aware of your surroundings.”
After ending the call, I set my phone down on the counter and stared at it, as if it might provide additional insights. My tea had gone completely cold, forgotten during the revelations.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iQD3NujVx
“The spell worked,” I said to the empty kitchen. Except it wasn’t empty.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jYvuEiEgC
“More than worked,” Mister B. stated, materializing more fully now. “Worked overtime.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOU8HrpSV3r
“The energy found its expression,” he observed, his gravelly voice matter-of-fact. “More completely than anticipated.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtL6kGLnbiw
“Too completely?” I wondered aloud, a thread of concern weaving through my thoughts. “We intended to return the addiction spell, not to cause all this.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkovUsikLf
Ma materialized beside the table, her form more substantial than the others today—a sign of her concern, perhaps. She always manifested more strongly when she felt I needed guidance.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQdVSj5Te9
“Energy seeks its own level,” she said, her voice warm despite the seriousness of her expression. “Like water finding its way downhill. We can’t always predict the exact path it’ll take.”
“I’m concerned about Aurelia,” I admitted, pouring my cold tea down the sink. “The spell we returned was meant to redirect the addiction energy, not to drive her away entirely.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8drh09pm5
“Some people can’t face themselves,” Auntie stated matter-of-factly as she appeared near the refrigerator, her arms crossed, her spectral form emanating disapproval. “When confronted with their own darkness, they run.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwPO23CZTp
I turned to her, questions forming. “But to where? And in what condition?”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsPiqLgmL3
“That,” Grandpa said gently, materializing in the chair opposite me, his kind eyes holding mine, “may not be for us to know. Some journeys must be walked alone—even difficult ones.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49MpjGcaLl
His wisdom, as always, carried the weight of experience. I nodded, understanding but not entirely satisfied.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGS8DQneqX
“The ritual accomplished what Seamus asked of us,” Ma reminded me. “Jason is free, the truth is out, justice is being served.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWLlYxJu8p
“But at what cost?” I asked, looking around at my spiritual family, gathered now in full force—a sign of the situation’s significance. “If Aurelia harms herself, or others…”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYoAjk4Vdr
“You can’t control how truth lands,” Auntie cut in. “Never could, never will. You did your part. The rest is on her.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDCLnzBMKN
I knew she was right, in her blunt, uncompromising way. We had performed the ritual exactly as intended, returning Aurelia’s malevolent energy to its source. What happened after was, to some extent, beyond our control. And yet responsibility hung heavy in the air, a presence as real as any of my spectral companions.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAvXwGhc4q
“I need to talk to Markus,” I decided, reaching for my phone again. “He should know what’s happening.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanxR3s8Pu7
“Wise,” Grandpa nodded. “Two heads are better than one, especially when navigating unfamiliar waters.”42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQSqjrrdQs
I dialed Markus’s number, watching the spirits exchange glances around me. Their concern was palpable, despite Auntie’s tough exterior and Mister B.’s gruff demeanor. We had succeeded beyond expectation, restoring justice and balance to the Green family—yet the fate of Aurelia remained an unsettling unknown, a loose thread in what should have been a completed tapestry.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58cikYIieE
As the phone rang, I wondered what direction our conversation would take, what insights Markus might offer. The spell had worked—that much was certain. But its unexpected intensity left me with questions that overshadowed the success of our intervention.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCfoDDxAux
Somewhere in New York City, Aurelia Green had vanished, carrying with her the returned energy of her own dark magic. And I couldn’t shake the feeling that our story with her wasn’t quite finished.
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Thank you for reading!
Today, I've finally finished formatting and uploading Volume 5, "The Devil's Bondage". You can find it on www.empowering-spirit.com/the-tarot-dimes I'm very proud of this one ... and to be honest, a little exhausted too. Thank you for being part of this journey!
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and then Add to home screen.