Page 75 of Deceiver

“Go home, Wilder. Keagan will find you.”

I nod. “Okay.”

I walk out of her room feeling stunned, and I make my way back to my car in a daze. Back behind the wheel, it takes me a few minutes to snap out of my stupor and start the engine. It’s getting late, but if I’m going to trust Talon’s gifts—and I think I should—I need to get home and hope Keagan is on his way.

Arriving at an empty house, I sit in the driveway for a few minutes before I exit the car and go inside. It’s quiet, as it usually is, but the lack of sound is noticeable this time.

After peeling off my trench and tossing it on the couch, I start to head to the kitchen for some water, but I don’t even get halfway there before I’m stopped by pounding on my front door. I swing around and rush to open it, finding Keagan sweaty and breathless. He falls into my arms and clings to me.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

He doesn’t answer me as I lead him inside.

“Talk to me, Keagan.”

He lifts his head, his eyes red rimmed and wet. “I think…” His voice cracks as he catches his breath.

“What?”

“I think it’s inside me. You have to get it out, Wilder. You have to get it out.”

Chapter 21

Keagan

“Then I just started running.”

Wilder sits next to me, listening to my story with a serious expression. He exhales slowly.

“Has this happened to anyone before?” I ask. “Has anyone… killed someone because they were made to?”

“Yes,” he says quietly. “It’s rare though. I think the good news here is that if the Horror had actually possessed you, you wouldn’t have had the free will to resist and run. It would still be with you now.”

I nod, and my eyes sting with tears of relief. “That’s good, but he was in my head. I could hear his voice as clearly as I hear yours now.”

“It seems the Horror has learned well. I imagine tapping into the knowledge and power of the other spirits has helped aid the process.”

“What do we do? My dad’s gonna come for me. I know it.”

“Keagan.” He moves his hand to my cheek, cupping it gently. “Please understand, thatthingis not your dad. It’s using that to manipulate you.”

“Right. I keep forgetting.”

“It’s important to remember so I can do what I need to and it won’t upset you.”

“You’re going to destroy it?”

“None of us have that power. Only the old gods can decide if a soul should be destroyed.”

“The old gods? You mean like…” I shrug. “Zeus and shit?”

He smiles slightly. “Hades, specifically.”

“The Greek gods are real?”

“They go by many names and have many origin stories, but they are all the same. I use the Greek nomenclature, but I have several peers who use Roman, Hindi, Egyptian, Indigenous.”

“Have you seen any of them?”