Page 108 of Poison Sun

I reach for it, clean off its surface, and uncover the Astral Compass. As assumed, Viktor had it on him this entire time. Its intricate carvings shimmer in the dim light of the room, a reminder of the power it holds, and the hope it represents.

Maria watches me silently, her presence a comforting yet solemn reminder of the alliance between our kinds. “What will you do now?” she asks.

For a second, words don’t come. I can’t focus. Can’t think.

Can’t see anything other than Viktor’s ashes on the bloodstained floor.

But Maria’s waiting for my answer. I have to snap out of it. To think of the future. Of what’s coming next.

And so, I look back up at her, pushing whatever humanity was left in me down and letting the deadly predator reign.

“Morgan’s searching for a way to get the potion out of Amber and into the compass,” I tell her, each word sharp and precise. “She has a lead, and she’ll be back soon. After the potion is combined with the compass, it will be able to locate shadow souls and call them to us when we want it to.”

“They’ll catch on sooner or later,” she says, and then she clarifies, “that you’re leading them into a trap.”

“Which means we have to succeed the first time we use it.”

She nods, saying nothing, then looks to Eliza, who’s starting to stir.

Moving swiftly, she heads to the mini fridge tucked in the corner of the room, scans the contents, selects a bottle of orange juice, and brings it to Eliza.

The human girl is trying to push herself up in bed, but she’s weak.

I could help her. Offer her comfort and thanks for what she did.

But I’m glued to the floor, unable to move away from Viktor’s ashes.

After all, the girl is merely a human. Frail. Confused. A pawn in our deadly game. She’ll be taken care of at the Fairmont, and in exchange, she’ll provide blood when needed and entertainment when asked. Beyond that, her existence is irrelevant.

Maria, however, is helping her sit up and lean against the pillow. “You’re safe,” she says gently, unscrewing the bottle’s cap and holding it out for the girl to take. “Drink this. It’ll help with the lightheadedness from the blood loss.”

Eliza nods and accepts Maria’s help with a trembling hand, bringing the bottle to her lips and starting to drink. She barely pauses to breathe, and before long, the juice is gone.

“Another?” Maria asks.

“Yes,” she says, color already returning to her cheeks. “Please.”

Maria brings it over, and Eliza drinks it at a more normal pace. As she does, she gazes around at the mess around us—the destruction caused by my and Viktor’s brawl. The lamp shattered on the ground, the pictures hanging at awkward angles, and the crack in the wall where Viktor slammed into it.

Eventually, she zeroes in on his ashes.

“What happened?” she asks.

“The mission was successful.” Maria keeps the explanation short, and it’s all Eliza needs for understanding to cross her eyes. “You did well. We’ll bring you to the Fairmont when you’re recovered enough to stand up and walk, which shouldn’t be long, thanks to the sugar in the juice.”

“What will you tell the hotel?” she asks.

The question is so human. Many of them focus on the practical when they go into shock. Their brains are too simple to manage anything more.

“Witches will handle the fallout,” Maria says. “They'll employ magic to obscure our tracks, shaping human beliefs to our advantage.”

“Okay.” Eliza takes a few more sips of her drink, lost in thought.

While she processes everything, I slip the compass into my pocket, taking a moment to regain my composure. To push down the sorrow and guilt that threaten to overwhelm me as I kneel before Viktor’s ashes.

His death will not be in vain. We’ll find a way to defeat the shadow souls, and to protect our world from the darkness that seeks to destroy it.

I won’t accept anything else.

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