She had been told by Armitage to go to Madame Rosella, a medium with some reputation for contacting the spirit world. She did not know what to expect, but the stillness and calm of her host had eased her anxieties. They sat together in a candle-lit parlour where the air was thick with incense; the medium sat facing them, hands clasped, eyes closed.
"This shadow… it's old, much older than you know," Rosella whispered, her voice like the whisper of wind. "And it's bound to your family, clinging to your bloodline. Do you have anything that belonged to your grandmother?"
Lily passed her the amulet. She held it for a moment before her face contorted in pain. "She fought this shadow, but it never left. It only waits for the right moment."
As Rosella began to talk, the candles began to wildly flicker, and the room began to chill. Lily's heart pounded because the medium's eyes opened wide, her vision locked unto something behind Lily. In a strangled whisper, Rosella's voice filled with fear.
"It's here… watching… so close…
Before Lily could turn, an icy grip reached out, grasped her shoulder. A weight fell upon her; shadows grew thick within the room, indistinct and sinister. Rosella drew back, her face almost white, breathing ragged.
"You have to get out of this house, child," Rosella said. "This spirit is more than a shadow. It's. hunger, darkness. And it wants you."