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les； a smell like the back room of Miz Catlin's store。 Spices and ancient dust； herbs and medicines； rust and wood and bone。 He breathed in deep。 His nose prickled。 He sneezed once； twice； three times。
〃Bless you；〃 said a voice from within the darkness。 〃If your spirit has escaped your body； I promise not to capture it。〃
Only now did the darkness in the shop begin to soften。 Ghost made out a figure standing behind a long glass counter； a small emaciated figure draped in white。 The proprietor。 Ghost saw sharp jutting cheekbones and hollow eyes； thin dark hair； spidery hands resting flat on the glass； bony fingers splayed。
〃We just got into town；〃 said Ghost。 〃We're looking for a place to stay a few days。〃 He stepped forward。 His feet felt too big； his arms long and awkward。 The shop seemed too full of stuff； the walls leaning in toward the center of the room。 There were shelves crammed with tiny bottles and boxes。 There were books…at a glance he saw the I Ching； titles by Aleister Crowley and Robert Anton Wilson； crudely printed booklets promising charms for love and luck and revenge。 He saw a rack of bejewelled metal daggers； jars full of herbs； candies； sticks of incense。 At the back of the shop hung a curtain of colored plastic beads； and beyond that； more blackness。
〃I am Arkady Raventon；〃 said the proprietor。 Ghost could see his face more clearly now； but could discern no hint of age。 The skin was smooth； the eyes depthless dark pools。 He took the hand Arkady offered； a hand whose bones would surely crumble if Ghost squeezed too hard； a hand with bones like the bones of lizards。 The hand was dry； cool； the grip surprisingly strong。 Ghost opened his mouth to introduce himself and Steve； who was lounging near the door looking skeptical。
But before he could speak； Arkady Raventon said； 〃You must be Miz Deliverance's son。 Or is it grandson？ Yes； grandson surely。 Miz Deliverance's grandson。〃
Ghost heard Steve's sharp intake of breath。 He met Arkady's limpid dark gaze。 〃How did you know？〃
Arkady smiled。 Was that a youthful smile； open and easy？ Or was it the wise； humorless grin of an old； old man？ 〃Everyone knows of Miz Deliverance；〃 he said。 〃Everyone who has dealings with magick。〃 Ghost could hear the k。 〃You may be too young to know it； child； but your grandmother is a legend from here to the mountains of West Virginia。〃
〃I knew it；〃 said Steve。 〃She was a witch。〃
〃A white witch；〃 Arkady told him。 〃A benign conjurer。 And a fabled beauty too； in her youth。 My own mother told me tales of her hair like yellow spun glass； her lips bowed like the lips of the infant Christ； her clear unlying blue eyes。 I saw a silvery old photograph of Miz Deliverance once； taken when she was about your age。 Yes； she was a fabled beauty。 And you are her image； Ghost。 Her very image。〃
〃I didn't tell you my name；〃 said Ghost。
Arkady smiled again。 〃Poor child！ Did your grandmother let you think you were the only sensitive in the world？ I have been to the other side； Ghost。 I know things too。 I know you。
Steve came forward and stood next to Ghost； positioning himself so that he shielded Ghost a little。 〃Wait a minute。 What the fuck are you talking about？ What do you mean； you've been to the other side？〃
〃I brought myself back from the dead；〃 said Arkady Raventon。
They went through the front room of Arkady's shop； through the dimness； the smell of dust； cobwebs； herbs。 They went through the back room； where flowers and plaster saints and bones （chicken bones； Ghost thought； though Steve eyed them warily） were arranged on a small altar covered with a velvet dropcloth。 On either side of the altar； pink and black candles burned。
In a torrent of dust； Arkady swept aside a heavy velvet curtain and led them up a narrow dark staircase。 They climbed； climbed； turned a corner。 The staircase grew even darker。 Ghost had to feel for the stairs； placing his sneaker carefully each time。 He raised his hand to his face and wiggled his fingers。 Before his eyes； five pale wavering sticks danced； they might have been a trick of the darkness； an afterimage of light。 Still Arkady led them upward。
They went around another corner and now Ghost could see a dim rectangle of light far above them。 At last they came to another velvet curtain； beyond that was daylight。 Arkady pulled the curtain aside。 At the top of the stairs was a cozy suite of rooms with clean white walls； large windows that let in dazzling sunshine； hardwood floors gleaming golden。
Arkady showed them the rooms one after another。 〃That one is mine。 The small one belongs to two of my brother's friends。 And this〃…indicating it with a grand sweep of his arm 〃is the room where you may stay。 If you so wish。 I would not think of turning Miz Deliverance's grandson away from my door。〃
The room was simple。 A clean mattress。 A window high up on the rear wall。 A square room。 Four walls of equal length； four sensible walls to contain Ghost's thoughts； to keep out green…eyed wraiths and voices that might invade his mind at night。 A place for Steve and him to whisper the nights away； snatch a few troubled hours of sleep； then go out and do whatever it was they had e to New Orleans to do。
〃It looks okay to me；〃 he said； and waited for Steve to argue。 Steve wouldn't want to stay here in a room above a voodoo shop given to them like a gift by a creepy little proprietor who claimed to have known Ghost's grandmother； or to have heard of her。 Steve would be suspicious； cynical； probably spooked； though he wouldn't want to admit that last one。 But maybe Steve was exhausted from being on the road； or maybe he wanted a drink so badly that he would agree to anything； or maybe he just didn't give a damn anymore。
He only sighed and let his long body sag against the door…frame as he said； 〃Whatever you think。 We'll take it。〃
〃You said you brought yourself back from the dead；〃 Ghost reminded Arkady as they finished descending the stairs。 Behind him； Ghost heard Steve mutter something； but he ignored it。
Arkady drew himself up to his full spare height。 〃Perhaps I spoke too soon。〃 The hem of his white robe shushed against the floor； raised a cloud of dust around his bony ankles。
〃No； Mr。 Raventon。 I'd really like to hear about it。〃
〃Arkady；〃 said Arkady absently。 His eyes had gone distant。 He led them into the back room of the shop and stood beside the altar； stroking its corner。
Ghost's gaze wandered over the wooden framework； the dropcloth of dark sapphire velvet。 He saw things he had not noticed before： intricate enamel charms； little scrolls of parchment； an inverted wooden cross bristling with nails。
Arkady's dry； faintly foreign voice brought him back to attention。 〃It was cold in Paris that winter。 As cold as the moon。 As cold as loneliness。 As cold as the kiss that killed me。〃
His eyes flicked to Ghost's； to Steve's。 Ghost's were wide open； a little scared； he was picking up a barrage of feelings from Arkady； sorrow and fear and pain； but all of them were overlaid with the facile pleasure of a gifted actor performing a cherished role。 Ghost didn't know what to make of it。 Steve's eyes were hooded； wary； waiting for lies。
〃Yes； my young friends。 My poor young friends with your beautiful faces and your innocent dreams。 You think love is sweet； that it can never hurt。 But it was not the Parisian cold that killed me； not the wind in my bones； not the ice that rimed my heart。 It was the kiss of a lover。〃
〃The kiss？〃 Steve's voice was heavy with cynicism。
〃Well； perhaps a bit more than just the kiss。 But you must allow me my bit of romance。〃 Sarcasm sharpened Arkady's voice； and Ghost shot Steve a warning look。 Steve stared at the altar。
〃So；〃 Arkady went on； 〃this； ah； kiss…and the rest of my lover's body as well…was ripe with death。 Ripe； and sweet as rotten fruit。 Have you ever bitten into a rotten peach； either of you？ A plum？ A melon； perhaps？ There is one moment of absolute； blissful； delicious sweetness before the taste of decay oozes over your tongue。 That is how it was with my lover。 And then the sickness rotted my lover away； and I had caught it too by that time； and I was alone。 In Paris； in the winter。 I was alone。〃 A faint smile played about Arkady's lips。
〃Have I mentioned my brother Ashley？ No？ Ashley was my younger brother。 The beauty of the Raventons。〃 Arkady laughed； a sound like wind among chips of crystal。 〃When I went to Paris； he stayed here； and I vowed that I would e back。 I had to teach him； you see。 I had to tell him all I knew of magick； of death and love and pain。 Ashley was to be my apprentice。 And I went to Paris； and the sickness took me。 But I had vowed to Ashley that I would return。 I had given him my word。 And I would not break that。〃
Arkady's fingers strayed to the altar； toyed with the dark velvet dropcloth。 〃So before I died； I prepared。 I had just enough time to find the things I needed。 I sent for powders from Haiti； for potions from Guatemala。 I procured the blood of an ancient man in the Rue aux Fers； the bones of a child in the catabs of Montmartre。
〃But at last I could search no longer。 The sickness came and smiled its final soft dark smile at me； and my blood dried in my veins； and my eyeballs shriveled。 One morning before dawn I swallowed the concoction I had made； and I let the sickness take me。 I felt its lips upon mine； its tongue lapping the last sour drop of spit from my mouth。 I felt my life leave me。 I felt my very selfness slip away； there was one instant in which I thought； My God； now I am dead。
〃And then I was。 And I awoke in the morgue of a Paris hospital； and when I stretched myself and stuffed； one of the morgue attendants suffered a heart attack。 Fortunately it was not fatal。〃
This time Arkady's laughter was like the clanging of a heavy door； a door of stone or steel； a door that would not be opened again for a very long time。 〃Then I made my way home to New Orleans； to keep my vow to Ashley。 But； as any sad story should end； Ashley too had died； and had not e back。 He would never be my apprentice。 He would learn none of my secrets。〃
Ghost licked his lips nervously。 His tongue was as dry as Arkady's must have been all through that long winter in Paris。 〃What happened to Ashley？〃 he asked。
Arkady knelt and flipped up the velvet dropcloth。 His hands disappeared into the blackness beneath the altar。 Shadows lapped at his knuckles； his wrists。 Then he withdrew his hands。
Steve cursed and took a step backward； Ghost's eyes widened。 Arkady was holding a perfect human skull； smooth and narrow； bleached to the golden…white of old ivory。
〃Ghost and Steven；〃 Arkady said； 〃meet my brother Ashley。〃
Later； Steve thought that if he hadn't known Ghost so well； he would have suspected Ghost of trying to win Arkady Raventon's heart at that moment。 But of course Ghost was Ghost； the most uncalculating of all people； and what he did next was just his nature…the pure crazy chemistry that flowed between his brain and his heart and his soul。 Never mind how Arkady Raventon's eyes melted when Ghost reached out his hands and said； 〃Can I hold him？〃
Arkady put the skull into Ghost's hands。 Ghost cradled it carefully。 Its surface was somehow devoid of temperature； neither warm nor cold。 He looked into the sockets of its eyes。 It was the only skull he had ever seen that didn't look as if it were grinning。 It just stared； and the arch of its teeth was impassive； perhaps sad。 He hoped Steve wouldn't make a joke （Why can't Ashley Raventon go to parties anymore？ Because he doesn't have any body to go with）。
Ghost was very aware that here had once rested a brain； a mind； an identity。 A soul？ Here had once been the cradle of a life。 He felt as if he were holding something alive and vulnerable。 Something that depended on him not to drop it。 If he dropped it； it would surely crack。 It might shatter。 So Ghost held the skull carefully； and then the feelings began to e； as he had known they would。 The essence of Ashley washed over Ghost； and he lost himself in the depths of the skull's empty eyes and let the impressions e。
A great loneliness。 That was the first thing。 Loneliness for Arkady； wanting him； wanting