Drake Sisters 02 - The Twilight Before Christmas

every angle. “Where did you get this candle, Sarah? Is this one Mom made?”
    “Yes, but I didn’t know it would do this.”
    “Is a candle a symbol of Christmas?” Matt asked.
    “Yes; some people say the light of the candle relieves the unrelenting darkness,” Kate answered. “My mother makes incredible candles.”
    “I can imagine. Do they al do this?” Matt indicated the flowing wax.
    “It’s a face, I think,” Sarah said. “Look, Abbey, don’t you think it’s a face?”
    “That wouldn’t surprise me.” Matt peered at the thick pool of wax. “The spirit found feet, a coat and hat, and bones, why not get himself a face, even if it’s made of wax. Does it have eyes? Maybe he wants to get a good look at us.”
    “Ugh.” Kate made a face. “That’s a horrible idea. It could never use one of Mom’s candles for that. Mom instil s a healing, soothing magic in each of them. We were the ones who forgot to guard our home. She insisted we make certain every time, but we just got complacent. I’m not forgetting this lesson for a very long time.”
    “Me either,” Joley agreed.
    “I think I found it now,” El e said in excitement. “Most everyone wanted to participate with the exception of a smal group of believers in the gods of the earth. They considered the pageant a Christian holiday celebration and felt it was wrong to participate. One of the most outspoken said the pageant was evil and those participating would be punished. His brother-in-law, Abram Lynchman, went against his advice and al owed his wife and child to take part. Because he stood up to Johann, the rest of the group also decided to join the town in the pageant.”
    “Is this Johann angry because his flock was out of his control?” Joley asked.
    El e held up her hand for silence. Her hand went to her throat. Matt noticed that her hand was trembling. “Everyone helped with the production, bringing homemade candles and lanterns. The shepherd herded several sheep with his staff, and the sheep got away and ran through the crowd.”
    None of the sisters laughed. They were watching El e’s face intently. Matt glanced out the window to see the fog solidly in place. For some reason, his heart began to pound. The strange radar that always told him danger was near was shrieking at him, even there in the warmth and safety of the Drakes’ home.
    “The people were having fun, laughing as the sheep rushed through the crowd with the shepherd running after them. The sheep panicked and ran straight into the smal shelter the town had erected to use as the stable for the play. The shelter crumpled, knocking several candles into the dry straw. Fire spread along the ground and across the wooden planks used to make the shelter. Several participants were trapped under the debris, including Abram’s wife and child.” El e had a sob in her voice. She shook her head. “I can’t read this. I can’t read the words. Anastasia, the one writing the journal, was there, she saw the entire thing, heard the cries, saw them die. Her emotions are trapped in the book. I can’t read it, Sarah.” She sounded as if she were pleading.
    Matt wanted to comfort her. The feeling was so strong he actual y stepped toward her before he realized he was feeling the emotions of El e’s sisters. They rushed to her side, Sarah pul ing the book from her hands, Kate putting her arms around El e. The others touched her, helping to absorb the long ago, very strong emotions stil clinging to the pages of the journal.
    “I’m sorry, honey,” Sarah said gently, “I should have thought of that. You’ve been through so much already. Kate, do you think you can get an idea of what happened next? I wouldn’t ask, but it’s important.” She held the book out to Kate.
    Matt wanted to yank the book out of her hands and throw it. “Kate’s been through enough with this thing, Sarah. You can’t ask her to do anymore.”
    He was furious. Enough was enough. “El e almost died out there. Without Jackson, she would have. You have no idea what a miracle it was that she didn’t end up at the bottom of the ocean.”
    Kate put a restraining hand on his arm. Sarah simply nodded. “I do realize what I’m asking, Matthew, and I don’t blame you for being angry. I don’t want Kate to touch the journal, but the truth is, if we don’t know why this spirit is doing the things he’s doing, someone very wel could die. We have to know.”
    Kate took the book from Sarah’s hand.