Page 9

A cloud of white wafted from Evan’s nostrils as he took a long drag from his cigarette. He kicked a tiny stone out of his way, strolling down the busy streets of Emberlyn. A few familiar faces passed by him, some offering a tight nod, others turning away and avoiding him like the plague.

Evan kept his eyes downcast, not enjoying either of those reactions. His mind was preoccupied with the thoughts of…well, nothing. The weight of the book in his left hand and the warmth of the ring on his right clashed intensely, fighting for his attention, which was scattered all over the place.

What specifically would he focus on anyway? That he was dealing with a demon ? A damned, inhuman monster from the depths of hell? Or the fact that he’d let him loose on the town?

Even though Evan had a feeling that demon wouldn't harm people senselessly, it was a whole other matter. A topic he wasn't ready to address anytime soon.

But—if not anything else—Rhea was clear about one thing before she sent Evan away. Demons couldn’t be exorcised like human spirits. They weren’t going to the other side because their other side was basically hell, and it was difficult to believe anyone—even a demon—would willingly want to go there.

Then how would he get rid of the demon?

Apparently, those answers were in the book.

Stomping on the cigarette butt outside, Evan entered the bakery he frequented every week, and the old lady at the counter perked up upon noticing him. Her hunched shoulders slightly straightened, wrinkles pulling at her cheeks as she beamed at him.

“Morning, dear. The regular, yeah?”

Evan nodded politely. “Thanks, Cassie.”

As she shouted Evan’s order over her shoulder, he scooted to the end of the counter, towards the open window, and away from the people lining up to order.

From the corner of his eye, some heads turned his way, whispering amongst themselves. Whispering about the fire at Greene Mansion and Evan’s involvement in it.

As usual, Evan ignored them. Aimlessly, his eyes wandered outside the window and caught a glimpse of a shadow disappearing into the garden at the back of the shop. It was small and quick to move.

A child spirit?

Evan fidgeted with his fake ring, contemplating for a moment before looking away from the garden.

No one had contacted him to report a spirit in this area, so it was probably harmless. And Evan didn’t have his ring to generously go around helping ghosts to pass over to the afterlife. The last time he’d tried that years ago, a young man’s spirit had possessed his body and tried to kill his wife, who’d poisoned him.

Rhea had quite literally whipped it out of him.

If not for Crimson Eye, Evan would have been working six jobs to make a living or buried six feet under the ground.

And now he’d lost it.

Evan glanced at the red crystal gleaming on his finger, and his thoughts drifted away to raven hair and scarlet eyes.

His fingers curled into a fist. He could forgive him for sucking his blood, but not for destroying Crimson Eye. He’d make that damned demon pay for that.

A group of old men stopped at the counter, their loud chatter unwittingly falling on Evan’s ears.

“They’ve been goin’ round cuttin’ trees all around the woods,” said a grumpy old man.

“Are they really buildin’ a road? I don’t see what sorta road goes zigzag through the forest,” one of his friends replied.

“I bet it’s illegal. Bastards just wanna chop and take all the good wood.”

“I hear they're cuttin’ down the Old Oak too.”

As the group shuffled away, Cassie passed Evan his order, and he paid for it. But even after he had his cream buns and chocolate milk in his grasp, Evan didn’t immediately leave like usual.

Instead, he took a seat behind the group of old men, taking small sips from his chocolate milk. Something about their conversation was drawing his focus, and he needed to hear where it was heading.

“Poor old Mila keeps cursin’ those workers. Sayin’ they’ll die if they cut down the oak.”

“Folks used to worship that tree years ago. Some still do.”

Evan’s head tilted to the side, eyes out the window but ears strained towards the table behind him. The Old Oak was an ancient tree situated right at the heart of the woods. Evan had only passed by it a couple of times while wandering through the safe areas of the forest. But every time he had, it unusually stood out in its surroundings. Almost as if it was the first tree planted there and the rest of the forest had just grown around it.

It was not unusual to worship oak trees, though. Especially in Emberlyn. Many tools used in exorcisms were filled or dipped in oak wood ash. It could contain the evil.

But unlike the sacred water of Del, oak trees couldn’t banish spirits. If bound to an oak, it served more like a vessel, a shell that would capture spirits. A prison with no escape.

Well, unless some shithead decided to cut the tree down.

“Can’t blame old Mila. Those bastards dropped a tree on her house. What else can she do but curse them?”

Someone sighed. “Must have been hard.”

Their conversation quickly lost Evan’s interest after that as the topic drifted towards the renovation of the town’s old library, and he stood up after finishing a can of chocolate milk. As he stepped out of the bakery, his phone buzzed in his jeans pocket.

Evan answered the call. “Aaron,”

“Hey, how…how are you doing?” Aaron panted, breathing heavily right into his ear.

Evan jerked the phone away, chills creeping down his neck as he gritted out, “Why the fuck are you heaving like that?”

“I’m working out,” Aaron strained out a breath before sighing out loud. “Ah, that felt good.”

Evan’s face scrunched tight. “I have no interest in hearing about your orgasmic workout routine.”

“My what ?” Aaron chuckled before calming his breathing. “Have you ever tried working out? Some muscles might suit you.”

“I possess all the muscles necessary for survival. I don’t want mine inflated like yours.”

“Why, you little—”

“Did you have something important to say?” Evan clutched the book against his chest, the bag of takeout hanging from the crook of his arm. “If not, I’m hanging up.”

“Hold on. There is something important,” Aaron grumbled. “You have a new case request.”

Evan’s steps faltered momentarily before he picked up the pace again. “Oh, well…I can’t.”

“Are you still drained from the Greene's case?”

“That’s not it. I…” Evan’s grip tightened on the phone. “I lost my ring.”

Silence descended. A few uncomfortably long moments passed before something clattered loudly.

“Your ring ? As in your mother’s ring ?”

Evan shifted the phone away from his ear. “Uh huh.”

And Aaron exploded.

“What do you mean uh huh?! Do you hear yourself? Do you understand what you just said?! You just declared the end of your career as an exorcist! How could you lose something so precious—”

“I didn’t exactly lose it.”

“Then?”

Evan sighed, crossing the crowded street and strolling down the quiet clearing towards his house. “A lot happened that night at Greene Mansion that I haven’t told you about. I’ll explain everything when we meet next time.”

“ Next time ? Stay right where you are. I’m coming over—”

“Aaron,” Evan searched for the right words, but reassurance had never been one of his strongest skills. In the end, he took the coward's route and changed the subject. “Celie’s tuition?”

Aaron blew out a breath, as if forcing himself to calm down. After a few beats of silence, he replied in a distant tone, “Paid. I also sent some allowance money on your behalf.”

The Greenes had , after all, kept their word and paid half of what they'd initially promised. It was enough to cover the pending loan installment, Celie’s tuition, and even leave Evan with some spare change.

“Did she…reach out to you?” Evan asked.

“Not yet. I’m sure she’s occupied with her finals.”

Right . Celie was the top student in her class. It made sense that she was busy doing her best, while her brother was whining like a needy bastard for her attention. As long as her tuition was paid, she could focus on her studies and enjoy her high school life. That was all that mattered to Evan.

After deciding to meet Aaron the upcoming weekend, Evan hung up and stuffed his phone back into his pocket. An unusually cool wind blew across his face, a sign he was approaching the riverbank.

Walking alongside the Del, Evan slowed his pace, letting the cool air calm his anxiousness and the drop of sweat trickling down his nape. The water from Del was always warm whenever Evan collected it for rituals, but the breeze around it was like natural air conditioning. Cool and fresh.

When Evan was sixteen, just discovering his strange abilities and low alcohol tolerance, he’d always come to Del to practice everything Rhea taught him. The sacred river repelled spirits and protected him against harm while he meditated or practiced control over his spiritual energy core.

Once he’d been so attached to the river that he would sit at the bank all day and talk to the flowing water. It was probably just his imagination, but he sometimes felt like the river spoke back to him. It was there in the sloshes of water, the sudden shift in its currents.

Evan stopped and turned to stare at the clear-flowing water. It was fascinating how, no matter which direction the wind blew in, the river always went its own way. Unbothered. Unfazed. It didn’t give in to the forces that tried to contradict its plans.

If he could flow like a river, focusing on the destination rather than every hurdle on the way, Evan wondered whether life could’ve been easier for him.

If he’d ignored Bruce and his men in the mirror room that night and not provoked them, maybe they wouldn’t have thrown hands. Maybe the mirror wouldn’t have broken. Maybe the demon would’ve still been locked away and not wandering out in the open, searching for his next prey.

Evan pressed the old leather-bound book to his chest, the seriousness of the situation suddenly weighing on his shoulders.

How had things turned this way?

He had unleashed a demon from a containment spell. The mirror that contained him was shattered. The array room burned down. The demon had tasted Evan’s blood, which could’ve also established a channel between them that he was still unaware of.

Maybe the demon would come back, maybe not. If he did, Evan would have to confront him. If he didn’t, Evan would have to hunt him down. Neither of which he looked forward to doing.

With a sigh, he lowered his lashes, watching his wavering reflection in the river, mirroring the state of turmoil inside him. “I need help…”

In a normal setting, in front of an audibly healthy human being, those words would have never escaped Evan’s lips. Perhaps due to pride or his fear of being turned down.

For the first time in years, he was not quite confident in his skills. He’d never tried to engage in thoughts of dealing with demons or similar creatures of the dark. Only read about it. Didn’t even consider the chances of encountering one in his life.

Rhea had once told him that creatures of the dark were rarely found in small towns. Not many souls to feed on.

And Evan had believed her. Why wouldn’t he?

Evan was not a hero. He was not some indestructible man with unparalleled powers. He was just an aimless loner from a remote town who was trying to get by his mildly uncomfortable life.

How had he ended up in this mess?

He inhaled deeply before turning around to head home. Even though just a smidge, he had to place some faith in himself.

You’re a cunning bastard, Evan. You’ll find a way .

With a firm nod, Evan managed to walk just a few meters away before a rustling behind him made him halt. Ears perked and senses on high alert, he quickly picked up on the sound. Reflexively, he glanced down at his ring, but the crystal remained unchanged.

Right. It wasn’t his ring.

But why was he still wearing the showpiece?

Dry leaves crunched behind Evan. He spun around, catching a glimpse of a shadow before it slipped under a huge bush.

His head gave a curious tilt. Was that the same child spirit he’d seen at the bakery earlier?

Every spirit had its own essence. Between two resentful spirits, depending on various factors, the severity of their resentment would vary. Even if it was without a form, Evan could tell apart different spirits by their essence.

Earlier, he’d not been close enough to feel its essence, but he remembered the feeling of its eyes watching him. That had to be the same one he’d seen at the bakery.

Stuffing the book under his left arm, Evan stepped towards the bushes and trees lining the dry trail to his house. It was surprising to find a spirit lingering so close to the sacred river. Usually, spirits didn’t dare wander anywhere near Del, whose waters treated all souls the same.

The spirit must’ve been desperate to pass to the other side.

But …

Evan stopped halfway towards the sound of the rustling. Even if he wanted to help—which he didn’t—how was he supposed to exorcise the spirit without his ring?

He squinted, a blue light glinting in his irises as he stared in the direction where the spirit was hiding. There was no strong intent of any particular emotion coming from it. No resentment or hatred or anger. Maybe it was a weak spirit. Evan could possibly touch it without getting possessed.

Possibly.

Evan contemplated for a few long minutes before huffing out loud. “Ah, screw it.”

What’s the worst that could happen?

Death.

Evan stormed towards the bush, his core of spiritual energy flaring. A soft blue glow radiated off his arm as he cast a light barrier over his hand and reached into the leaves.

The plan was simple. Expose his core of spiritual energy, touch the spirit, and sprint like his tail was on fire.

It was like playing tag, but with a ghost.

“Come out. I know you’re in there…” Evan said, voice commanding, surprisingly firm. At his words, a high-pitched sound stirred from behind the leaves.

Evan froze.

A second later, another whine broke free, ringing clearly in his ears. After dumbly blinking for a moment, Evan leaned over the bush to peek at the source of the sound. When he caught sight of brownish-white fur curled on the other side, his shoulders dropped. “A dog…?”

The said dog’s head snapped up, big black eyes, ears folded back, and tail excitedly wagging. Rushing out of the bush, it rubbed its dirty, muddy body against Evan’s legs, whining out loud as if reunited with its lost owner.

Evan rubbed his sweaty forehead, a cold chuckle leaving his lips.

It was a dog. He was trying to exorcise a…dog.

With a sigh, he dropped his guard into the bin and his head into his hand. His face burned.

Ever since the incident at Greene Mansion, he’d been on edge, always paranoid. It was so unlike Evan Blackwood, who was known to be aloof and unbothered—as described by the townspeople.

A wet nose brushed his ankle, and Evan glanced down.

The dog—of some small breed he couldn’t identify—had comfortably huddled between Evan’s feet, panting with its tongue lolled out. It almost seemed to be smiling at him.

After a moment of reluctance, Evan reached down to scratch behind its ears, and it whined happily in response.

“What are you doing out here, bud?” Evan patted its head and brushed some dried mud from its fur. “You’re gonna get hurt if you jump at strangers like this. Go back home, ‘kay?”

Still reeling from the rush of adrenaline, Evan dusted his hands on his pants, then turned away, making his way back home.

It was a cute dog, only lacking a proper bath. But Evan could barely live off of what little he could make from exorcisms after deducting his sister’s tuition and his loan installments. Taking in a dog without being certain that he could raise it was not an option.

That being said, he could try to foster it for a while. Aaron always complained that dogs ran away from him after witnessing his giant stature. Maybe he could adopt it.

Quite a few minutes later, Evan casually glanced back. A tiny sting of disappointment fluttered in his chest when he found the road behind him empty. If the dog had followed him, he would’ve at least made an excuse to himself and taken it in. But maybe it was just being friendly to a stranger and actually had a home to return to.

When Evan made it into his house, he shut the door and put away the book and bag of breakfast. “I’m home!”

In response, instead of Misty’s meow , a scratch at the door he’d just shut greeted him.

Evan stilled.

For a heartbeat, the house seemed to still with him.

An image flashed across his mind. A spirit that was missing its head and bottom half, clawing at his door, desperate to find its missing body parts.

A sick combination of dread and excitement coiled through him as he spun around. But just as he grabbed the doorknob, a familiar sound stirred from the other side of the door.

A whine.

An impatient woof .

Evan’s shoulders dropped.

He let out a sigh and opened the door. Standing at the threshold were a pair of big black eyes, muddy fur, and a smiling face.

Crouching, Evan narrowed his eyes at the dog. “So you did follow me, hm?”

It responded, bobbing its nose with Evan’s, tail wagging aggressively. Giving in, Evan reached out and scratched its scruff, chuckling when it started scooting closer. Just then, a realization dawned on him, and Evan’s smile dropped. Oh, how could he have forgotten?

“Sorry, buddy, I can’t take you in, after all,” he whispered, conscious of his surroundings. “I’m afraid my girl Misty doesn’t like uninvited guests. Especially if they’re furry. We wouldn’t want her scratching your pretty eyes out, right?”

As if understanding his words, the dog whined and rubbed its head pleadingly against his knee.

Evan’s chest ached as he stroked its muddy fur, agonizing over the fact that he couldn’t just take it in and figure out the rest later.

It was a he, and he was so small and soft. A combination that could defrost Evan’s cold heart into a puddle.

But what if Misty ran away because Evan brought home a dog? What if she harmed him? Eventually, Evan would have to send one of them away, and that would kill him.

His eyebrows furrowed as he petted the dog.

“ Meow .”

Evan and the dog froze.

Uh oh.

Misty rounded a stone-still Evan, rubbing against his thighs before spotting the guest sitting at their threshold. Her purring engine abruptly halted.

Evan’s fingers twitched against the dog’s scruff, ready to snatch him up the second Misty tried to pounce on him.

Misty prowled around the dog, circling, sniffing the dirty furball, slit pupils dilating as she eyed him with keen interest. She seemed to be studying it.

Then, slowly, she lowered her head and rubbed against the dog’s coat, purring loudly.