Page 64 of Outlaw Witch

“It’s a compliment.”

“I’m sure it is.” He snorts softly before sighing. “I’m going to free you now. I’m also going to allow you to remove that book on a temporary basis. I expect you to guard it with your life, Silver.”

“Understood.”

“One last thing before I free you,” he says. “If that curse is as bad as you say it is, you’ll want to work fast. They tend to be slow to get going, but once they’ve taken hold, it can be weeks or days before they take over entirely.”

*

BY THE TIME I’M RELEASEDfrom the cage, I’m alone in the dim basement.

Well, alone other than my new ghost friend. She’s still hanging around, but I think that’s more for the drama than any concern about my welfare.

“You got out then,” she says.

“Were you hoping I wouldn’t?”

“No.” She shakes her head vehemently. “If I had a choice of companion to join me here, it wouldn’t be you. No offense, I’d far rather it be the man meat. Although, he scarpered pretty quickly as soon as you disappeared. He did try to bang on the cage a few times, which was kind of sexy. Would have been better if he’d done the whole thing shirtless, but he didn’t listen to my suggestions.”

I glance around the empty room again. “He’s really gone?”

“Sure. Sped off like his ass was on fire.”

“Right.” At least there’s no risk of him having overheard me talking to the ghost or Dante. “Well, I’d better be going too.”

“One moment.” The ghost holds her hand out, and it takes a second to twig that she wants me to hand over the book that I’m still clutching in my sweaty palm. I hand it over and it goes right through her hand. She gives a sad little smile before letting out a ‘beep’ like she’s scanned it.

Okay then.

“Uh, thanks for all your help,” I say to her. “You’re a great librarian. Very informative.”

The beam she gives me in response makes me feel a whole mix of emotions I don’t have time to parse through right now. It’s not like I can do anything to help her.

I don’t think I can, anyway.

I mean, it’s not like I’ve ever tried to test the limits of my necromancy. But I seriously doubt I can help to send ghosts through their afterlife.

The most I could do is try to work out why she’s here, since I doubt her death was pleasant if she’s still clinging to this plane. But I don’t have time to go Nancy Drew on any ghosts right now. I’ve got a cursed mage to help and a creepy book to read.

I’m all the way up the ladder and most of the way along the dark corridor when I bump into a wall.

A wall of flesh that I bounce right off of.

“Who were you talking to? We heard your voice echoing off the walls. Figured you must have gotten out of the basement by yourself,” Zeph says, flashing me his friendliest scowl.

“Ah Z, we have to stop meeting like this,” I snark back. “I’m fine thanks, glad you’re so happy to see me.”

“Is there someone else here? Someone that got you out?” He eyes me suspiciously. “Roscoe said you were in a—”

“Weird opaque cage thing. And not the sexy kind of cage, either,” Roscoe says, bounding toward me, pulling me into a hug. “Hello, sweetheart, you scared the piss out of me.”

“Oh, well, it turned out our buddy Dante had a security measure on the book. It means that he gets informed the instant someone touches it. Lucky that I’m so dang charming and make friends easily. Maybe you should try it sometime.”

“Does he know you’ve got sticky fingers?” Zeph growls.

“Uh, only sometimes,” I reply, blinking at him coquettishly. “Generally when I’m alone and never while I’m in the library. Pervert.”

“Wh-what.”

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