Waiting For A Star To Fall (Autumn Brody Book 2) by A.C. Dillon Page B

be fixed?"
    "Let's find out."
    Autumn leaned forward in spite of herself, curious to see what the final card would say. Up until this point, she couldn't argue with anything that Madame Audrina had said. Staying with Evan, letting him abandon his own life—it was a bad idea for both of her friends. But if losing Veronica made him reconsider his actions and choices, maybe encouraged him to talk to someone about his grief, then it would be a good thing.
    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed an antique lamp flicker on a side table. Hmm. Someone should tighten that bulb.
    "The Hermit." Audrina smiled. "Can you be patient, child?"
    Veronica nodded furiously. "For him, I can. I was already willing to be. He was the impatient one."
    Twisting her greying hair loosely over her shoulder, Audrina continued. "The Hermit, much like its character, suggests a time of retreating into the self. An inner journey. It's a time of positive change and growth, if one is patient enough to endure the journey to its end. Your man is the hermit, not you: he is retreating, prompted by your decisions. When he emerges, he will understand your conflict with new insight. Stay true to your ultimatums, to your boundaries. In the end, you will forge a new path together, as long as you both want it badly enough."
    Veronica's smile seemed to light up the entire room as she pressed her hand to her heart. "I knew Gabriel was right. Thank you. My friend had said much the same, but friends will take your side and aren't neutral. No offense, babe," she added, glancing over at her companion.
    Autumn shrugged. "None taken."
    Madame Audrina carefully gathered her cards, shuffling the deck casually as she focused her attention on Autumn. "And now, you... What reading would you like?"
    The lamp in the far right corner flickered violently now, reminding Autumn of a candle caught in a draft. Finger-like strands of light crept towards her, only to quickly recede. The house sighed as it settled and the lamp suddenly gave out, casting dark shadows across a large swath of the room.
    Her anxiety kicked into high gear, screaming in her skull: Get out now .
    "None, thanks. Veronica was in need, and I think you helped her a lot."
    "Aw, c'mon!" Veronica pleaded, refusing to budge. "It'll be a bonding friendship thing."
    "Veronica, I said no. Madame Audrina, thank you so much for your time." Autumn pushed back from the table, cringing as the chair squealed along the hardwood.
    "I'll pay, if that's the problem," Veronica chimed in.
    Shut up! "It's not. I’m tired and –“
    "No charge," Audrina suddenly announced. "I must insist. There's a message for you. The spirits seldom speak this loudly. Please?"
    From the corner of her eye, a flicker of motion startled her. Autumn shuddered, staring at the ground as it began to spin. No, no, not here. Leave me alone . But she wasn’t alone. It had all been a lie. She felt her stomach lurch as she reluctantly looked up. The woman in lavender was behind Audrina, gesturing to Autumn’s right hand. The woman’s smile was twisted, almost as if to mock her.
    "Autumn? What's wrong?"
    Veronica placed a steadying hand upon her shoulder, but it was of little comfort. There was no denying the apparition before her. It was as clear as Nikki Lang, standing watch over the trial of her killer. It was as real as the screaming ghost of Mary Kennedy.
    "You've been contacted by the spirit world before," Audrina stated. "They tell me you helped them find justice in the afterlife. You righted a wrong."
    "She did," Veronica answered for her. "She caught a serial killer."
    "V, no!"
    "One of the girls died in her dorm room. She heard her. Saw her. I didn't know what to think at first, but she was right. Nikki got her justice." Veronica squeezed her shoulder, following Autumn's gaze. "You see someone right now, don't you?"
    Helplessly, Autumn nodded. "But you don't, do you?"
    Audrina gestured to the table. "Please, stay. Sit. You have to understand what's