Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #2)

by Jessica Townsend

“I’m getting a message from an older gentleman… for somebody over… here.” He waved vaguely to half the people in the circle. “A gentleman with a D-name. Somebody’s father or uncle? A grand—hic—grandfather, perhaps? Darren? David? Dominic? Doo… Doody? Drogley? Er… Derek?” Malau continued, heroically sticking to his story. “Digby? Dwayne?” “Ooh!” shrieked a young woman wearing a plastic tiara and a bright pink BRIDE-TO-BE sash. She was at the Deucalion with a group of raucous young women who didn’t have a lot of interest in celebrating Hallowmas. Frank had invited them to the séance to make up the numbers, and they’d already been told twice to stop yelling out rude words while the Marvelous Malau was communing with the dead. “Could it be Wayne? My father-in-law’s name is Wayne. Is it him?” Malau appeared to consider this for a moment. “Yes, that’s the one. He has a message for you. He says… please take good care of his son. Love each other.” The group of girlfriends all awwwed as one, and the bride-to-be looked a little bit teary. “I didn’t think he wanted me to marry Benji!” “Oh, he does,” continued Malau. “He says nothing would make him happier, and he’ll be watching over the two of you from the Better Place.” The bride’s face fell. “The Better Place? What do you mean? Wayne’s not dead.”