#Chapter 253: The Ritual

Ella’s POV We gathered in the living room an hour later. Liam had suggested holding the seance in a quiet space away from the infirmary where Lilith was still recovering and far from Lucien’s nursery. The last thing we needed was to attract any unwanted spirits to two of the most vulnerable people in the house. Liam moved around the room, closing curtains and lighting candles. He had tried this once, he explained, when we were searching for information on the crystal. He’d read about it in a book and decided to try it with his newfound abilities. I didn’t know where he found the time for that, but hey—I wasn’t complaining. Once the candles were lit and the room was dim, Liam gestured for us to sit in a circle on the floor. Alexander, Anya, her mother, and I sat down, forming a rough circle with Liam at the head. The locked box containing the crystal sat in the center. “Everyone join hands,” Liam instructed. I took Alexander’s hand on one side and