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They were restless, anxiously chasing after something.

Whatever was up there, it wasn’t anything good.

The ring burned on Evan’s finger, a warning as the last of the Noctis smoke blew before dissolving into the air. The herb could only keep the air clean for so long before they would start suffocating in here.

Time to get the fuck out.

After exiting the mansion, Evan shut the door and dissolved the light barrier, his skin returning to its usual fair tone.

“What was that?” Mrs. Greene pointed at Evan’s hand. “That…light.”

Evan considered brushing off that unnecessary question like he did every time. What they didn’t understand would naturally make them curious. Unfortunately, it would also make them keep asking until they understood.

But then he remembered the amount they were offering, which could possibly go up now that he’d scared them shitless, and concluded that answering a few of their questions was barely a trouble.

“A light barrier,” Evan glanced down at his hand, curling his stiff fingers. “Objects in haunted places possess traces of dark energy on them. Touching them can be dangerous, sometimes fatal. The barrier protects direct contact while still allowing me to touch and feel things.”

In normal terms, a light barrier mimicked the purpose of a rubber glove while handling open electricity wires. The more area the barrier had to cover, the more spiritual energy Evan would burn.

Mrs. Greene’s eyes gleamed with renewed interest as Evan explained how spiritual energy fueled the strength of the lightbarrier and the different variations of barriers. But before she could prod more, her husband asked, “Can you break the curse?”

“No,” Evan shoved his hands inside his coat pockets. “There are only two ways to break a curse. Either by the person who placed the curse or by the overpowering will of the person who’s cursed. You can imagine how often either of those happens.”

There was a third option. Breaking the curse through an external, much more powerful force. But Evan left that out.

Just as the couple paled in panic, he added. “But this mansion is not cursed. Curses don’t attach to places. It latches onto people, a being, or an object.”

What that place needed was a thorough cleansing, and that cursed object had to be destroyed.

Mrs. Greene grabbed Evan’s hand, her fingers ice cold as she pleaded, “Help us. You have to help us, please.”

For the first time since meeting her, Evan physically sensed the desperation inside her. The fear and unease brewing in her heart crept up Evan’s hand that she was holding, crawling into his skin. But there was something else…something tiny buried under all that chaos.

Hope.

Maybe if he tried, Evan would have been able to take that hope in their eyes and use it to fuel some goodness in him or spark a genuine desire to help those people. But all he could think about was the debt on his shoulders, the excessive baggage in the couple’s bank accounts, and his need to relieve them of that burden a little.

Evan patted Mrs. Greene’s hand before withdrawing from the unnecessary touch. “I’ll do what I can to help.” And that wasn’t a lie.

Aaron quickly took over the conversation, discussing the materials required and restricting access to the area until the exorcism was over.

A sigh escaped Evan’s lips.

Whatever was haunting the mansion—an object or entity—had to have a strong spiritual presence to attract so many malicious energies from the area. Exorcising it might take a toll on him considering the method of exorcism Evan used. But it wasn’t as dangerous as he’d initially expected.

It could’ve been worse, like a demon or something.

Strolling down the porch and outside the mansion boundary, Evan took out a cigarette and searched his pockets for the lighter.

Tsk, where did I keep it—

A rustle in his periphery made Evan’s eyes snap in the direction, catching a glimpse of a shadow before it disappeared into the thick woods beyond.

His brows furrowed.Some animal?

People of the town didn’t usually wander into this side of the woods because of the restrictions, and hunting was forbidden in Emberlyn. So, most of these woods were still undiscovered, making it difficult to anticipate what kind of beasts might be lurking within.

Evan could eradicate a horde of ghosts, but he couldn’t take down a fucking bear. At least hethoughtthat's what he’d seen, considering how tall that shadow was.