My Tethered Soul: Volume 2 (Reaper's Rite) (27 page)

I went over to the window, both to check if it was locked and to peek into the gardens. The fog was low to the ground, and a full moon lit the starry sky. If I were someone else in another situation, I would have thought it was a beautiful view. But it only made me leery of things to come.

A quick knock at the door made me turn. Gavin slipped into my room and closed the door behind him.

“You okay?” He closed the distance between us and took my hands in his.

“Yeah, just a little spooked.”

“Paxton told us about the séance. Weird stuff, huh?”

“Totally.”

“Mr. Poulter sent Diana out with the servants. They’re laying out a new border of rock salt, and she’s casting some double-whopper protection spell on the place.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Think it will help?”

“I have no clue. You want me to stay here tonight?”

The corner of my mouth crept up. “Mr. Poulter hates us enough; you want to give him more reason?”

“I don’t care what he thinks.” He lifted my chin and gently pressed his mouth to mine. The heat from his lips melted my worries away. I took fistfuls of his shirt and pulled him closer, feeling the need to get lost in his embrace.

Another knock at the door made our lips part. I groaned at the interruption, but took a step back from Gavin.

Chase poked his head into the room, his expression unreadable. “I, uh, brought you your arrows back.”

“Oh.” I stuck my hands in my pockets as Chase came into the room. “I didn’t realize you had them.”

“Paxton and I were working on the weapons this afternoon.” He pulled my quiver out from beneath the bed and filled it with the arrows. “He has a pretty cool setup. He’s even got a welding machine. It’s amazing. We attached miniature syringes to your arrowheads—which are already tipped with scythe metal. There’s one syringe on each head, each containing five milligrams of the tincture I created. They’re sensor-triggered, so they pretty much inject on contact, as long as the target is hit directly and the arrow goes in at least a half an inch.”

I blinked. “Sounds complicated.”

Chase slipped the quiver back under the bed. “It’s not. Just hit the target. And I don’t mean your boyfriend.”

Gavin ran a hand over his bandage, jaw clenched.

“We’re going to go work on the daggers now. That is, if Pax can tear himself away from your best friend.” Chase rolled his eyes.

I dipped my head to hide my smile. As hopeless and dire as our situation was, I was glad Naomi was able to find a little respite through Paxton.

“You should come check it out, Gavin.” Chase gestured with his chin for Gavin to accompany him. “It’s pretty cool. Besides, Zadie probably needs to get some rest.”

Gavin gave me a sideways glance.

I smiled at him and nudged him with my elbow. “Go ahead.”

He leaned in and pecked my temple. “I’ll check on you later.”

“Don’t forget to take your potion,” Chase said as they left the room.

My mind reeled with the events of the day as I changed for bed. Though my body was exhausted, my brain wouldn’t let go of the fact that only hours beforehand I’d been pummeled with rock salt flying in the windows. And the eerie voice of Diana Anglia’s spirit played over and over in my head. I took a deep breath and tried to loosen the tight muscles in my body.

Come on, Zadie. You need some sleep.

I pinched off the potion into a glass of water. It wouldn’t stop me from sleepwalking, but I didn’t want to let the Reaper have any advantages over me if I could help it.

I slipped under my covers and switched off my bedside lamp, telling myself that even if I couldn’t sleep, I needed some down time. Maybe if I’d let myself relax enough, I could fall asleep.

As I felt myself letting go and slipping toward unconsciousness, a scratching noise stirred me. I sat up in bed, my eyes adjusting to the lack of light. A spark to my left made me jump. The spark ignited into a blast of fire, and I let out a shout as I realized the protection pouch on the nightstand had burst into flame. I backed away from the fire, but it went out as quickly as it came, the smoldering remains disappearing into the darkness.

Though the windows were closed, a cold wind whipped through the room. My eyes moved over to the corner, where a shadow moved.

I instantly reached under my pillow for my switchblade. The shadow morphed, the hooded cloak billowing on the wall. Helene’s words ran through my head.
Talk to him. Ask him what he wants.

I swallowed back my fear, holding the switchblade out toward him. “What do you want from me?”

Part of me didn’t expect an answer. Then I heard his voice, like bubbling tar.

Feed me.

“No!”

I knew it was stupid to ask. My first move should have been to go for my crossbow.

I jumped from the bed and started to recite the spell Lilura taught me to buy myself time to retrieve my weapon. But I could only get three words out before I was lifted from the floor and thrown backward against the wall. My head slammed into a picture frame, and my vision blurred. Grabbing my head, I curled up into myself. The shadow moved toward me. My mind scrambled to find the words for the Devitalizing Spell.

My head spun, and I was seeing double, but I managed to remember the first line of the weakening spell. The Reaper growled, extending his arm out in my direction. I was dragged along the wall, upward, until my head banged against the ceiling.

I can weaken you too.

My legs kicked, but I had no control of my arms. I screamed in panic as the Reaper willed my hand with the switchblade to fling over to my opposite arm. The blade pierced my skin and cut downward. My scream bounced off the walls. Hot blood oozed over my flesh and dripped from my fingers onto my bare feet.

Yes
, the Reaper said, his voice a guttural rumble.
Delicious.

Again my hand rose, this time closer to my shoulder. As the knife penetrated my skin, I heard pounding on the door. The blade sliced down my arm, the searing pain like hot coals stabbing my flesh. Mara yelled my name from behind the door, but I began to lose consciousness. Everything went cold and dark.

Gavin’s voice joined Mara’s. The door burst open. The Reaper let out a shriek as the silhouettes ran through the doorway. I dropped to the floor, falling sideways, my head crashing into the nightstand. I felt Gavin’s heavy breathing on my face as he gathered me in his arms. Everything went black, the voices of Erina and Mara as they chanted the Devitalizing Spell fading from my ears until there was nothing.

I muttered a curse, trying to pin the bandage on my arm back in place. I flexed my fingers to be sure I hadn’t wrapped it too tight. The metal clasp wouldn’t stay in place though, and I was half tempted to throw it across the room. But if I did that, the bandage would eventually unwrap, and I might start bleeding again.

“Here, let me help you.” Erina walked into my room and sat with me on the bed.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Unlike my cousin, I don’t consider it to be a weakness to ask for help. Sometimes, it takes bravery to do so.”

I smiled at her openness. Erina really was a nice girl. Maybe because she didn’t grow up with someone like Mr. Poulter feeding her head full of hateful ideas.

I clenched my teeth together as I lifted my arm, testing out the bandage.

“Too tight?” Erina squeezed her hands together.

“No, it’s good. Just really sore. Though not as much as last night. That healing ointment is amazing.”

“It takes time—and a second or third coating—before it really kicks in. You should be as good as new in a couple days.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Will there be scars?”

“Maybe. Depends on how deep the wound was. But we got to it pretty quickly, so I think the scarring will be minimal. How’s your head?”

“Which one? It feels like I’ve got five of them.”

She smirked. “I can get you some aspirin.”

“Just regular old aspirin? No ancestral witch potion Paxton concocted in his secret lab?”

She let out a lyrical laugh. “We save that for the really bad headaches. Besides, I’m not allowed to go searching in his secret stash, and he’s probably out with Naomi somewhere.”

I raised my brows. “Out?”

“Well, not
out
out. I saw them this morning taking a walk in the gardens.”

“Should I be worried? You did say he was a player.”

Erina shrugged. “Normally, I’d throw up the red flag. But something is different about the way he treats her. I know it’s crazy, but he might actually have genuine feelings for her.”

Mara appeared in the doorway. Her brows tilted in worry. “Zadie, Erina. Lilura wants us to meet downstairs. Mrs. Poulter is ready to show us the ritual room.”

I glanced at Erina as we stood from the bed. Lilura and Helene finally convinced Mrs. Poulter to try a summoning ritual, despite Mr. Poulter’s warning not to. Lilura promised that we would leave and never come back if it didn’t work, stating that it couldn’t be too hard to find another witch willing to help us. I figured she was bluffing, but thankfully Mrs. Poulter agreed.

Everyone—except Mr. Poulter—was gathered in the downstairs hall. Gavin and Chase both looked up at me as I descended the stairs. Along with Hunter, they carried our weapons. But I could tell by their faces that they were as unsure as I was. Was this going to work? And if it did, were we doomed to fail anyway?

Helene offered me a small smile. She stood close to Lilura’s side. Naomi stood behind Paxton, scraping at her fingernails.

I passed Diana, her scowl like that of a rabid dog. She was one person who’d be happy to see me fail, I was sure.

Mrs. Poulter wore an expression more serious than I’d seen so far. She clasped her hands in front of her as her eyes scrutinized us all.

“The chamber I am about to show you is very private, very sacred. No one outside of the immediate family has seen it. Not even Erina.”

Erina glanced at Mara and me. Diana leaned forward to block her view, the smug look on her face a punch to my gut.

“There are a few rules.” Mrs. Poulter patted the bun at the back of her head. “I am leading this ritual; therefore you must do as I say. Disruption will break the bond. Do not fire your weapons until I give the word; there may not be a need to. Do not trust anything you hear from any entity we contact. Demons lie. Reapers only crave pain. We are going into this with everything to lose.”

Diana narrowed her eyes at me. “Don’t get your hopes up. It’s highly unlikely a Reaper Lord will answer the summons.”

Mrs. Poulter cleared her throat. “If you’re ready, follow me.”

She led us through the den to a double door I hadn’t noticed before. The wood was the same color as the surrounding bookshelves, therefore easy to miss. The doors opened to a dark room about the size of a two-car garage.

Mrs. Poulter lit candles on an altar on the back wall. In the flickering light, I noticed a pentagram inside a circle drawn with black coal in the middle of the floor.

Paxton lit an incense stick and placed it in a holder. He brought it to the center of the pentagram. Mrs. Poulter placed a glass goblet filled with wine beside it.

“Naomi, dear. I’m sorry, but—”

Naomi threw her hands up, cutting her off. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m not allowed to take part. But how come the guys get to join you?”

“Though Hunter and Chase have no powers,” Helene said, “they do carry Vila blood. And Gavin is a Cation. His presence will actually help.”

Naomi scoffed. “Whatever. I’ll just wait in the den.”

I pouted at her. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head as she left the room. The room dimmed as she shut the doors behind her.

“Everyone sit in the circle.” Mrs. Poulter folded her legs underneath her, apparently not thinking twice about getting charcoal on her clothes, and gestured to the rest of us.

Chase, Hunter, and Gavin placed our weapons behind our backs on the floor. I double-checked that my bow and quiver were within reaching distance.

When we were all sitting, Mrs. Poulter held her hand out toward Diana, who passed her a white-handled knife. I held my breath as Mrs. Poulter leaned forward toward the center of the pentagram. As if she’d done it a million times, she sliced at her palm with the knife, then squeezed her hand into a fist to let the blood drop into the center of the floor.

“I call upon thee, Samael, great Reaper Lord, dark angel of death. Hear my summons.”

She picked up the wine and took a sip, then passed it to Diana. After Diana sipped from the goblet, she passed it to Helene. And on it went through the circle. The bitter liquid burned my throat when it was my turn. But I kept my remarks to myself, so as not to disrupt the ritual. When the cup came back to Mrs. Poulter, she finished the remaining wine—a mere three drops—and placed the goblet back in the center of the pentagram.

Paxton refilled the goblet.

Mrs. Poulter squeezed her cut hand over the center of the floor once again. “I call upon thee, Samael, great Reaper Lord, dark angel of death. Hear my summons.”

The wine made a second round, then, after another offering of blood, a third round. When the goblet finally came back to Mrs. Poulter, she turned it upside-down on the floor and said, “So mote it be.”

She closed her eyes and dipped her head down, and we all waited in silence. My skin prickled. The candles flickered and the air grew cold. Something pinched my ankle. I turned to look at my legs, which were tucked under my bottom, but couldn’t make out anything in the darkness. I scratched my anklebone, but immediately drew my hand back when the touch burned my fingers.

Then, without any more warning, my leg was pulled out from underneath me, dragging my body along the floor. The shadow had ahold of me. Not Samael. But the Reaper from last night. I screamed, my nails digging into the ground. Gavin and Chase rushed forward, but a force knocked them both back.

“Zadie!” Mara lurched forward, hands stretched out to me.

I grasped for my crossbow as the shadow pulled me out of the circle. My fingers brushed the edge of the bow, but the shadow dragged me out of its reach. Erina stared, wide-eyed, as her lips moved quickly to recite the Devitalizing Spell.