Page 81 of Woven Souls

I stare at the spirits around us, shocked.

Then I laugh. The sound echoes around the campground. I laugh so hard that my stomach hurts. My hands fly to my abdomen as I try to quell the ache, but it doesn’t help.

“Willow.” The warning tone in Viktor’s voice sobers me up.

Wiping a tear away from the corner of my eye, I shake my head. “That’s all ridiculous.”

“We’ve seen the proof!” Bardon whirls around to face me, his index finger pointed in my direction. “Kwilisa Tangleling, just as they said. There were crystals in the ashes of what was left at the safehouse, just as they said there would be. And look at you, you’re no necromancer. You’re a devil.”

Okay, well, two out of the three may be partially correct.

Before any of us can say anything, a horrifically familiar screech whips around us in the woods. It’s followed by a chorus of screeches. The ground begins to shake, causing both Viktor and Theo to shift to keep their balance.

The spirits I have hold of all look around.

“What the hell is that?” the spirit, Matthew, shouts.

“Real monsters,” I whisper as I look around us. Reaching out with my powers, I search for souls. I come in contact with the campers first. There are about forty humans here tonight. That’s a lot of casualties… As I throw my reach out further, I feel them. The demons have found us.

“We have about four minutes before they’re on us,” I tell Theo.

“Then we better make these four minutes count.” He takes a step forward to stand directly in front of Bardon. “What Rowan and his men have told you is a lie.”

“The dead don’t lie,” Calix objects.

“Actually, they do, and all the time,” I correct.

“We are Fallen, and rightly so. Kwil was bitten by a Tangleling, yes, but I couldn’t kill my brother and he couldn’t do it to himself.” Theo crouches down to be eye level with Bardon. “We abandoned our post, indulged in the desires of the flesh, and we have entered into an eternal bond with this woman. I have broken most of our vows, and understand what that means, but I refuse to accept false charges against me. Do you understand?”

IthinkBardon tries to spit. It certainly sounds like it. Doesn’t he know that spirits don’t have saliva?

“You lie and cheat, just like your father.”

Theo’s fists curl up at his side, but he doesn’t act.

But I do.

I float forward, bring back my hand and slap the ever-loving shit out of the spirit. Bardon’s spirit completely tumbles out of his body and rolls a few feet. His gasp of surprise is followed by him sitting up on his knees and holding his cheek.

“You hit me… but, how?”

“I can destroy your soul, too, so don’t tempt me,” I warn. “Don’t you dare talk to Theodon like that again. Do you hear me?” I look over at Theo who’s watching me with bright eyes. “Hurry up. The demons will be here any minute.”

He nods.

“Like I said, Rowan and his men lied. I’ve recently stumbled upon some information that could destroy the very foundation of the Brotherhood if it is true. Rowan and his men must have been a part of a much bigger scheme going on, and I intend to bring it to light before I meet my maker. Find another necromancer and ask her to speak to LeAnna of Brindleflair. She was killed by Rowan and can tell you the truth.”

Bardon stiffens. “So, you plan to let us live?”

Theo nods once.

“What makes you think we’ll just let you go? Once we return to our bodies?”

The sounds of people screaming and chaos erupting all around us draw the attention of his men, but Bardon waits for an answer.

“You’re going to be too busy killing the real threat to this realm, rather than trying to subdue us,” Theo replies coldly as he walks over to grab his sword off the ground.

Viktor wraps his hands around the hilt of his and yanks it out of the very dead Ghost on the ground. The sound of a tree falling nearby sends a chill of fear up my spine. A screech, so close I’m sure a demon is about to lunge from the bushes, causes me to jump.