Page 187 of Whispers of Wisteria

‘Summon me.’

I sucked in a breath, blinking, as Kiania’s voice rang through my head.

It was strange. It seemed like forever ago that I’d last heard her in my head—since Damen further split the contract into four.

Where had she been?

‘I’ve been here the whole time,’she said.‘Tiberius is nothing. Summon me and I’ll drive him back.’

I glanced at the falcon. Of course, he’d have such a showy name.

Still, it wasn’t possible for me to summon a shikigami.

Right?

Titus had moved to his feet and ducked another swooping attack from the bird. My pulse steadied.

I could do this. She wouldn’t suggest it if it weren’t possible.

I felt silly, but I whistled anyway. I had no instruction manual, so all I could do was hope. I visualized Kiania in my thoughts and prayed that she wasn’t wrong.

The air grew dense and, through the fog, Jameson stepped back.

“What the…” His question dropped as a white tiger leapt out from the mists, moving between us.

That felt like forever.

She only stilled for an instant, her ears perking and tail curling, before she jumped after the other shikigami.

My chin quivered as my chest began to ache. The burning had already started, licking at my toes.

“How did you do that?” Jameson grabbed my arm. “That’s Finn Abernathy’s shikigami!”

I stared, head spinning, before Titus was there. Jameson stumbled back as Titus pulled me against him and held my wrist.

“You’re still dealing with me, Jameson,” Titus said. “Leave her out of it.”

“Don’t give me that shit. She just summoned a shikigami!” Jameson replied, pointing at me.

“So?” Titus sounded eerily calm, even though his grip tightened.

“How is she contracted with Kiania?” Jameson asked. “Why is Damen allowing this?”

“You made your choice,” Titus responded. “We don’t need to explain anything to you.”

“Do you even comprehend what this means?” Jameson snapped.

I looked past them to the fighting shikigami. The falcon and tiger collided in the air with a flash, then vanished.

The pressure against my chest lifted, and I swayed before falling onto my knees.

“Move!” Jameson demanded. There was a silver-orange light surrounding him as he stepped forward. The temperature turned hot as a pressure rippled through the space.

The wind whipped, and Titus grabbed me and moved us aside as the door exploded.

Titus turned away from Jameson and angled himself in front of me, blocking the worst of the wind. One arm was plantedagainst the wall, the other wrapped tightly around my waist, keeping me anchored as the storm pressed in from all sides.

I couldn’t make out what Jameson was saying anymore, but he was still casting. My heart sank.