Page 4 of Shadowed Spirits

I tilt my head in confusion as I process what he said. “What is a rift?”

“It’s a travel method typically used between realms inter-realm , similar to portals but not exactly the same.” Levicasually drops that bomb like inter-realm travel is something we earthlings know about. He then glances at the clock on the wall in concern. We’ve already wasted fifteen minutes, so we need to get a move on it. “Shall we go?”

After a chorus of agreements, Bishop steps through, followed by the wolves. Taking a breath and hoping I can obtain the answers I need without getting everyone I care about killed, I go through the rift next.

CHAPTER 3

IZZY

I’m surprised to step out into the hallway outside the councilors’ offices. Gold-veined marble, gaudy crystal chandeliers, and larger-than-life portraits of pompous old guys give the corridor a garish vibe, which is perfect for the council. Tacky is absolutely their style.

After Levi walks through, he lets the rift disappear and heads straight for the dark wood door at the end of the hallway. It’s decorated with gold leaf and has Doyle’s name in curving wrought iron across the middle.

The clacking of our shoes on the polished marble is the only sound in the eerily silent hallway, until Archer asks, “So, what’s our plan, demon eyes?”

“I vote for killing him,” I answer before Levi gets the chance to. “Satisfying, quick, and complication free.” Other than the wholeneeding to cover up the murder of the head of the council and dispose of his bodything.

Levi lets out a long-suffering sigh at Archer and me as he reaches the door. “I am not a demon, pup. Trust me, you would know if I were. And killing him won’t solve anything, little raven. Once you’re safe, I will happily torture him for the rest of eternity if that’s what you desire. The plan is to askhim for information. If that doesn’t work, I’ll look through his memories.”

Offering to make Doyle suffer for the rest of time is weirdly sweet of Levi and makes my too-sappy-for-its-own-good heart flip in my chest. I don’t get a chance to respond, because Levi shoves open Doyle’s door hard. It bangs into the opposite wall, announcing our entrance.

Doyle looks up from his grand mahogany desk, his weaselly face already twisted in a sneer. I snort when I see a massive portrait of Doyle hanging on the deep burgundy wall behind his desk. The man is obsessed with himself.

At my snort, Doyle turns his bottle-green eyes, swimming with pure malice, on me. Sheesh. By the soul-deep hatred in his gaze, you’d think I was planning to blow up the guy’s entire life, destroy everything he cares about, and then kill him.

Oh, wait. I am.

Carry on with your loathing, not-so-good sir.

Doyle shoves himself to his feet, his face turning almost purple with the intensity of his anger. “What are doing here,vilis? How did you and the mutts even get in here?”

I give him a bright smile, enjoying riling him up. “With magic.” I do jazz hands to punctuate my statement and get to watch a vein throb so hard in his temple, it looks like it’s going to burst. Giving Doyle an aneurism would be in the top ten best moments of my life.

Instead of responding, Doyle starts to mutter something under his breath, likely casting a spell. Before I can react, red magic explodes from Levi to cover Doyle from the neck down. The councilor’s bright green eyes widen as he thrashes around, trying to escape Levi’s otherworldly magic, to no avail.

“Do you know who I am? Using magic on me is against the law! I’ll have you arrested and executed for this. Release me this instant!” Doyle’s voice becomes higher pitched the longer hescreams at Levi, making him sound like a petulant child instead of the head of all North American mages.

At Doyle’s threats, the lights in the room start flickering. Levi seems to grow as shadows surround him, giving him an almost alien appearance. A sinister skull flashes over his hard features as he stares Doyle down. “It is only out of respect for my mate that I have not razed this plane and all of its pathetic inhabitants like you with it. Do not provoke me, mage. Now, tell me how you discovered Izzy’s magic.”

Doyle pales at Levi’s transformation and threat, but he rallies somewhat once my name is mentioned. “You can’t intimidate me, and you will never drag the answer out of me. I am far more powerful than any other mage out there!” His eyes light with a feverish gleam that makes me wonder if he’s a few light bulbs short of a full crayon box.

Levi’s menacing chuckle raises the hair on the back of my neck, and it’s not even directed at me. “Your knowledge of this realm is pitiful. Isabel has more magic at only twenty-one than you could ever hope to have in your lifetime. While your cooperation is unnecessary, it would’ve made this easier. For you, at least.”

Before Doyle can respond, the black mist crawls up his face. The office is silent for a heartbeat before he starts screaming and writhing.

“Jesus fuck. What the hell is happening?” Archer hisses from behind me.

Levi’s eyes are glazed over, and he doesn’t appear to hear the question. I turn to Archer and meet his horrified yet intrigued gaze. “He’s looking through Doyle’s memories to find out how he knew about me.”

Archer’s eyebrows jump almost to his hairline. “Can all mages do that?”

“Memory readers can, supposedly, but it’s usually a fast and painless process.” I’ve never met a memory reader in person, but they can look through all of your memories without you ever knowing it. Luckily for me, they’re fairly rare, but they’re high on my list of people I never want to meet, along with Hades, the Grim Reaper, and Pennywise. “And Levi’s very much not a mage, sunny boy.”

Tearing his ocean gaze away from Levi, Archer looks at me with wonder and apprehension. “What is he?”

I shrug. “I dunno. Since he’s not from our realm, I have zero clue what he is.”

Archer’s jaw drops. “What do you mean, he’s not from our realm? Where is he from?”

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