Page 82 of The Court of Secrets
“Let me go. We came out to kill him. Now you’re stopping me.”
“I won’t let you go over there until you at least slow your breathing.” He ran his fingers down to my chest where my heart raced, pounding so much you could see it move my skin. “Your heart is racing.”
I batted his hand away. “He’s going to be too far away soon. He’s already ahead of us.”
“In and out, love.” He looked me dead in the eyes. “Slowly in, slowly out.”
His words only made me angrier. Vahaga would get away, and it would be Blaise’s fault. I could have died because of that man. He had betrayed me and the entire kingdom. The spirit realm was a lie, and after Vahaga fell, I’d finish the elders.
Blaise’s eyes grew wider than I’d ever seen them. His eyes reflected a scene of wisps, of the dead rising in an illusory dance. I whipped my head around and saw them. Standing in the tree line, close to the river, were the souls of lunas who were trapped in the spirit realm. Or so I thought.
My brother walked out from the middle, his expression sad as he watched us. I closed my eyes, then opened them, blinking twice. They were still there.
“Do I go to them?”
“I think they’re following us,” he said, taking a few steps forward.
My eyebrows knitted together. “André.”
My brother’s spirit pointed past me. I nodded, swallowing thickly, and moved forward. “He wants us to keep going.”
I kept looking back as the spirits followed. André had been right about always being with me. Even though their souls were trapped in the spirit realm, it didn’t mean they weren’t looking out for us as best they could. It wasn’t all a lie. My heart ballooned as I felt their energy guide me forward. André couldn’t speak. Souls didn’t, unless they were in the veil, which only existed in the river. He always stayed several feet back with the others. I stopped, and so did they.
“Blaise,” I said softly. “That’s my brother.”
Blaise half-waved, and André gave him a quick nod. “I have to say, for the first time meeting the dead family of my girlfriend, it isn’t all that awkward.”
I laughed, and André looked happy. For a moment, I forgot he was in pain. André pointed forward again, urging us to move, so we did.
“Why don’t they walk beside us?” he asked.
“I think they’re watching for threats.” I didn’t know how I knew. Perhaps it was intuition or I could sense their intentions. Either way, I felt safe with them.
“Incredible.” Admiration softened Blaise’s features as he glanced behind us. “Remarkable really. Your dead are helping you. All the talk of your culture being a lie isn’t all true.”
He was right. Them being there had actually worked to Blaise’s advantage. I was calm as we stalked through the tall trees.
Blaise’s hand on my lower back earned a look from my brother as Blaise guided us through the darkness of the forest at night. André shot me a knowing look. Even in death, he managed to make me chuckle. The souls were almost transparent, but they were alight in a pure white, brightening the forest, illuminating the skulls and bones sticking out from the undergrowth and soil.
We slowed when we saw three dark figures moving in the shadows ahead: one tall, one short, and the other Vahaga. His robes gave him a sacred appearance. They moved back from gusts of winds as they swept through, blowing leaves in our direction.
André’s angered stare forced me into action. Holding onto the dagger, I inhaled sharply. “I don’t want to kill the guards.” They would be yet more collateral damage, but I didn’t see how else I could do it. Once they saw my face, it would be game over. I could leave no loose threads this time.
The spirits danced past me, glowing brighter as they raced toward Vahaga and the two men. My next breath caught in my throat when they reached them. The spirits drained energy from the two men, bringing them to their knees, and left them asleep on the ground. Vahaga’s staff burned brightly, sizzling against his skin. They must have used the energy they’d stolen from the guards to force enough sparks of magic to destroy his staff.
Vahaga shouted something at them, and I screamed. Elder ancestors came, several of them. Dark fingers grappled the dead ones who helped me, pure white forms. My brother fizzled out, leaving me crying into the night.
“Love!” Blaise tugged me back, and I looked toward where Vahaga stood. Guardless. My brother and the rest of the dead had forced the guards to sleep so they wouldn’t die. They saved them, so I could kill Vahaga.
I made sure whatever punishment they would receive wouldn’t be in vain. I sprinted forward, uncloaking myself when I reached him so he’d know it was me who’d bested him.
The dagger trembled in my fingers as his snakelike eyes latched onto mine, surprise in his as I thrust the dagger downward. He caught it in time and twisted my wrist until I screamed.
“I knew you were treacherous, to your father and now to your high priest.”
“I know about the spirit realm and the elder ancestors,” I spat. “You, my father, and the former kings all know.”
“Most knew. Not all. Your cousin didn’t.”
