Page 12 of The House of Whispers

“What happened, Min?” I questioned, grabbing her arm, pulling it free from her face. Her silver eyes remained locked past the open doorway as if she didn’t hear me. “Min? Min!” I shook her arms. She was unfazed by my aggression, only lightly tapping my arm. She pointed into the room, shaking as a single tear fell down her cheek. Slowly my sight followed the direction of her finger. The door to the room had been left wide open, revealing the horrific scene. The Scaley woman lay flat on the floor, her throat sliced wide open. Dark blood had pooled from her neck soaking the floor around her as her golden eyes stared lifelessly into ours. I choked on the thick metallic scent of her blood as it filled the air.

Fellow Whisps and Johns began to rush to Min’s aid, forming a small crowd of gasping, gawking faces. Another Whisp screamed, almost fainting at the gruesome sight. I sheathed my knife and turned to Min, forcing her to face toward me as my hands cupped her cold, shaking cheeks.

“Min, listen to me.” Her eyes remained locked on the body inside the room. “Min!” I aggressively snapped. Her eyes bolted, meeting mine.

“You need to find Madame Chepi.” Her chrome-colored irises sparkled as tears slowly formed in her eyes. “Focus, Min.” She nodded, still shaking.

“Youneedto find Madame Chepi. Tell her to come here immediately.” I couldn’t tell if she registered what I was saying. “Do you hear me? Now, once you do, find Nathair. He should be heading this way. Track him down and have him come straight here. Min. Min, do you hear me?” She sheepishly nodded. “Go.Now.” Min instantly fluttered from my grasp and through the small crowd.

I scanned the gathering crowd of sickened onlookers, forcefully pushing them back as drunk and curious Johns tried to push forward and see more. “Hey!” The growing crowd ignored my sharp words. “Back up!” My voice was drowning in the rising voices. Anger fueled me as my eyes and hands glowing violet, silently threatening them. Gasps filled the air as everyone stepped back a few feet. “Don’t make me hurt you.” I warned the crowd. My body remained planted in the doorway as my magik fell from my hands and rose behind me forming a violet shield. It sealed the room and blocked any curious eyes from seeing what lay beyond.

Until Madame Chepi arrived, no one would enter this room, not without fighting me.

“What’s happened, Casper?” Madame Chepi demanded as she forcefully pushed through the crowd. Her dark eyes glared into mine as she stood inches from me, gripping her shawl. My eyes shot to the crowd behind her for a second, silently informing her of the severity.

“Everyone leave, now.” The intensity of her voice instantly sent the Whisps and onlooking Johns from the scene, as they translated the warning hidden within her words. Her tone was something to fear. “Show me.”

I moved my hand, my magik shield dissolving as the extreme smell of blood instantly filled our lungs. I moved aside, allowing her to enter the room and witness the horrific scene for herself. She covered her face with her shawl, cautiously stepping through the door frame and further into the room. I remained in the doorway, watching the hall outside while she stalked the room for a few minutes.

“Casper,” she whispered back to me, “shut the door and come here.” She remained facing away from me, looking down at the deceased Scaley, her face partially covered. I did as she said, locking the door with my magik as I quietly stepped to her side glancing down at the body. The severity of the murder was far more complex than I had imagined. The smell of her shredded flesh was so intense, I could almost taste it.

The young Scaley’s throat had been deeply sliced, stretching ear to ear, almost decapitating her. The immense wound seemed to have been done with delicate precision, in one swipe of a blade. As I examined her face closely, I noticed a cluster of dried blood along the opposite side of her cheek. Rotating her face gently, I saw an empty open wound where her ear should have been—only it was missing. Just as Jakkal had threatened. I followed a small trail of blood, my eyes tracing its cast around the room, noticing a faint blood splatter across the dingy wallpaper.You were delicate, yet sloppy.

My gaze returned to the Scaley’s corpse, noting more injuries. Her lower abdomen had been completely cut open, exposing her organs. Blood soaked her golden dress, dying it dark enough to appear almost black in color.

Madame Chepi crouched next to her body, moving her skirts aside to avoid the blood. She ran her inked fingers along the woman’s organs. “Her left kidney is missing.”

Confusion and shock mixed across my face as I stepped over the body, crouching across from Madame Chepi, her hand still buried inside the woman’s body. “How can you tell?”

Her fingers continued sifting through the open carcass as her other hand pushed the thin fabric of her shawl closer to her nose. “I’ve seen things like this before,” her voice trailed as her hand retreated, “in my old life.”Old life?

Her eyes met mine as our faces were level to one another. Her entire demeanor changed as her brows narrowed and her expression darkened. “How could this happen?”

I lowered my eyes in submission. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Her head slightly tilted. “Is it not your job as the house bouncer to protect the Whisps?” Her words hit like a punch to my gut. I knew I had failed the Scaley, but hearing it from Madame Chepi’s own lips only stung worse.

“I was taking my break—”

“You were taking a break,” she snarked. Madame Chepi stood, a heavy, disappointed sigh exiting her dark lips as she adjusted her skirts. “Well, it seems you were right after all, Casper.” Her inked, bare feet stepped toward the door as my magik unlocked the door. She remained facing away as she creaked the door open. “You arenotenough to protect this house.”

My body stiffened at the anger and disappointment in her voice.

“Clean it up.”

“Do we not want to wait for Nathair?” I questioned.

“No!” She hissed. “No police.”

“But, Madame, don’t you wish to know who would commit such a crime? Nathair could—”

“Enough! I do not care as to who would do such things.” She whirled to face me, her eyes burning with contempt. “I want this handled immediately. No questions, no witnesses,no police. This is a result of your failure; clean your mess.” Madame Chepi turned, gracefully exiting the room and shutting the door behind her as the sound of her footsteps glided down the hall blending into the noises of the lively house.

I swallowed hard, angry with myself for failing so miserably and costing someone their life.

“I create such beautiful work, do I not?” A new wave of fear washed over me as I turned to find Jakkal crouched next to the young Scaley’s body. His fox mask appeared to have fresh blood splatter sprayed across the rough material as he looked down at her body, his hands resting across his knees.

I quickly pulled my knife from the sheath across my thigh and ran at him. I should’ve known this was Jakkal’s doing. He had made true on his sick promise—he had killed in the house.

---