Page 37 of Woven Souls

“Remember, before we left this evening, when you told me to not use my power?”

I eye a demon whose claws have made it through a wider section and is getting dangerously close to my face.

“Yup.”

Our backs press together as we cringe away from the creatures vying for us.

“And remember when I promised I wouldn’t use it?”

“I do recall that promise,” he confirms.

“Well, I lied. I’m definitely going to use them.”

“Oh, thank god.”

I grin in response.

A chill rushes through my veins as my power rises to the surface. I need to get rid ofallthe threats around us. If I get rid of Fulton’s demons and the Utikyie, Fredrick will immediately turn his attention back to us. But if I get rid of Fredrick first, I have a feeling this barrier will fall, and the monsters that the ex-Ghosts are fighting just on the other side will be on top of me and Jonah in a heartbeat.

To beat a large-scale attack, I need to go even bigger to stop it all.

I’ve never used my power like this before. As it rushes out of me and spills out around us, a hot spike of adrenaline chases the cold feeling in my veins. A cool breeze rushes down the street. It blows out the flames Fredrick is manipulating in his hand as he gets ready to throw another fireball at the Utikyie. Around us, all the lights that are still on flicker out. Colors begin to dim until everything around us is painted a strange grayscale, and it grows colder. Frost gathers under our feet, and my breath is visible as I pant. The demons halt their assault. I straighten as they begin to back away from the cage and the ex-Ghosts who stick close. A haunting scream picks up and winds its way down the street. It crescendos until anything left with glass still in place shatters.

A dark gray mist gathers around our ankles and drifts forward towards the Utikyie. The black knight takes a step back, letting out a hiss as it moves away. The dark cloud weaves itself around the Utikyie’s ankles, growing thicker and expanding outwards like a puddle collecting more water. The Utikyie shrieks as it suddenly falls through the mist and disappears out of sight.

The metal cage trapping Jonah and me falls apart, clattering to the ground. The ex-Ghosts surround us immediately. Daggers are drawn and their claws are unsheathed, ready to face the next threat.

“Wh-what’s going on? Why can’t I tap into your power?” Fredrick asks, drawing my attention to him. His mouth gapes open, and his eyes are as large as saucers. His palms are up, facing towards me. He waves them around like he’s trying hard to do something, though nothing is happening.

“Hold on. I’ll be right with you,” I promise with a dark chuckle.

The power coursing through my veins feels incredible. It’s like I’ve broken the dam that keeps it back, and all this pent-up energy has been set free.

“Willow, you’re glowing,” Jonah whispers beside me.

“And you’re floating,” someone adds behind me.

I look down at my hands to find that I am, indeed, glowing. There’s a faint green light shining just beneath my skin. When I flex my hold on my power, it brightens. Cool. And just as someone mentioned, I’m floating. My bare feet dangle just a few inches off the ground. Also, very cool.

The air grows colder as I turn my attention back to the demons all around me. I’ve never seen one hesitate before. This can’t be normal. Can they sense their end is near? I grin as my power expands outwards.

My body trembles under the strain as I do the impossible. Stretching my power this way goes against the very laws of nature as I blur the line between the Realm of the Living and Realm of the Dead. I’m breaking so many rules that even the Devil himself would be worried. But I can’t stop now. It’s time to finish what I’ve started.

Around us, the demons erupt into a green flame, similar to the glowing emerald color beneath my skin. The creatures scream as their bodies shake and burn to a crisp in front of us. Even the ones lying dead begin to burn under the unnatural flames. Within seconds there’s no sign they were even here. When I’m sure they’re all gone, I give Fredrick my undivided attention.

The terror on his face is priceless. Didn’t he ask for some of my power? Didn’t he want “just a taste?” Now that he’s seen it, it looks like he’s changed his mind. Well, before he goes to join his brother, it’s time to teach him a little lesson.

“Let me explain something,” I say and float towards Fredrick, who steps back into a wall. “You can’t tap into my power because my power cannot be used by the living, and whenIuse my power, it makes it difficult for the living to use theirs. It fucks with the laws of nature.”

I grin at him. Fredrick cowers away from me, one hand up to protect his face.

“The scroll says it was possible—”

“Possible doesn’t mean definite,” I sneer.

How dare he look at me in fear when he’s the one who’s killed people in his search for power? He cursed me, Jonah, Viktor, Rebecca, and probably countless others who have come in contact withhisstupidly dangerous book of spells. All the chaos around us is his doing. He’s killed dozens of people tonight alone. I’m just righting his wrongs.

“Now, do me a favor and tell your brother to stop coming after me. If he stops now, I won’t destroy his soul. Can you do that for me?”

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