Page 28 of Wolfsbane Hall #1
“I will make sure of it.” He took three heavy steps toward her again, and once more, he pushed her into the wall, circling her neck with his fingers, but this time, his touch was soft.
His gaze caught hers. “I see you in there, Celestine. You might not believe it, but you are stronger than her. You can fight this and win.” His thumb stroked her lip. “You just have to believe it.”
Then he turned on his heel and disappeared down the hall.
Margot called after him. “You will fail.”
“No, he won’t.” The dark, chocolate voice caused the hairs at the nape of her neck to rise. The Phantom. “You’ve been a bad girl, Margot.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “And?”
“You were not supposed to kill.” His voice slithered behind her ear. “Should I assume you are actively trying to destroy my show?”
“I’m not actively doing anything.” She pursed her lips in disapproval. “If you didn’t want a character with their own thoughts and feelings, then maybe you shouldn’t have summoned me.”
“You are a piece on my chessboard, nothing else.” The curtains shuddered, and the lights in the hallway dropped. “Nothing else.”
Margot’s eyes narrowed, and her arms gripped tighter around her chest. “I will be your reckoning, too.”
A dark laugh encased her, the sound touching her every pore. “No, you won’t,” the Phantom growled. The hall’s shadows curled around her limbs, caging—not allowing a single movement. “I own you.”
“You don’t,” Margot said through her teeth, struggling against her binds. She winced in pain.
“You can try to ruin my game, but you won’t be able to. For everything you do, I can undo.” The lights in the hall flickered on, and there stood James in his striking dove-gray suit, very much alive.
“Hello, monster.” James waved a finger at a time in a taunting fashion. “Miss me?”
Well, fuck.
“You will be a good girl and play my game.” The Phantom’s voice vibrated the glass of the hallway mirrors—nearly liquifying them. “If you don’t, I will punish you.”
“And how exactly will you punish me?”
“I will send you back to hell.”
Margot swallowed, and her heart sped in her ears.
That was the one thing he could do that would ruin all her plans.
Margot needed time to fully possess the vessel.
Excavating a soul was no easy process. It often took days, months, or even years to do it—though with one this weak, it would probably only be days.
And once she did it, the Phantom couldn’t threaten to return her anymore.
He wouldn’t have the power to do it then.
But he had the power now.
Margot sucked in a breath. “Fine. I will play your stupid games.”
“Much appreciated. Now go with James to the ballroom. I’m about to make my next move.” The Phantom’s voice echoed in the hallway, and the lights returned.
“Well, we mustn’t anger the Phantom further.” James motioned behind him to the path that led back to the ballroom.
As James and Margot lowered themselves into chairs around a card table, lightning lit up the room and thunder shook the marble floors.
To Margot’s utter dismay, the Phantom hadn’t only resurrected James, he’d also brought back the uncles.
“Now that everyone has returned, let’s truly get started,” the Phantom said. “Welcome to our game within a game…an d possibly a game within a game within the game. Since you already know everyone has a motive, let’s play a little game to get my clues…clues to all our various riddles tonight.”
A small rectangular box appeared in front of everyone. It could fit in the palm of their hands.
“Open the box, and it will tell you the location of the first clue. Remember, tonight is about fun!”
Fun. Margot scoffed. Maybe his fun. But she knew tonight wasn’t only for her revenge. It was a night filled with his. That’s why he had pulled her spirit from the great beyond.
She bit her lower lip. An annoying habit the vessel had when in deep thought.
Margot examined the box, as did everyone else.
She had no idea what it was, but she was reasonably sure the vessel did.
But she didn’t want to give that soul any slack, and at the moment, she was forcing the girl deeper into the pits of her mind.
Margot didn’t believe Dean when he said the vessel was strong, but she wouldn’t test it—just in case.
Instead, she would turn to one of the other two female cast members and see if they could solve the problem if they teamed up together.
Margot’s eyes latched on to Babette, who was struggling with her puzzle alone. Perfect, they could team up. The pathetic soul would have also helped Babette.
Margot walked to the table by the other girl and leaned against it. “We could work this out together,” she said, holding up her box for the other girl to see.
“Why would I do that?” Babette’s eyebrows pinched together.
“Because discovering the true name of the Specter is nearly impossible.”
“I’d rather see you die. ”
Margot cocked her head and smiled. “Ah, I see you hate my vessel, too.”
“Vessel?” Babette raised a well-plucked eyebrow.
Margot sighed. It would take far too much energy to explain the situation to the brunette, and Margot didn’t have the patience. “You don’t want me dead.”
“I do.” Babette crossed her arms and quickly forgot her previous question. “You ruined everything. When you showed up, they stopped looking at me…stopped playing with me. You shine brighter than the sun and blind all who look upon you. They cannot see past you. It’s not fair.”
“That was a fun metaphor,” Margot said mockingly. She hated desperate jealousy. It was pitiful and weak.
Babette ignored her. “You’re a curse, and I wish you dead.”
“Well, perhaps you will get your wish sooner than you may think.”
Babette shook her head. “If you genuinely want to help me, tell me how to open the box and go away.”
“I don’t know how to open it.” And I don’t think I would help you even if I did . There was no use in helping someone who was so utterly combative. The vessel had put up with this girl for far too long, and Margot was over it.