went forward.
The book in which Yshotha’s woodcut face glared out at her in Liam’s safe, cozy library didn’t do the demon justice. It wasn’t just big. It was, no pun intended, monstrous. Leviathan may have been a better word.
Its deep laughter resonated softly in her head. “Another little champion comes to feed her essence to my mistress. One by one they come, and fight with all their hearts and souls. One by one they die, and I grow stronger. And when there are nineteen, I will be free.”
Callie forced the words past the tight pulsing of her heart in her throat. “You do know what happens to villains who reveal their evil plans, don’t you? They fall.”
More laughter, a lightening flash of exploding star eyes. “It is a marvel, just how many humans are willing to see their world and race end, as long as their need for vengeance is fulfilled. In this case, only one human was necessary.”
Callie got that unmistakable feeling in her gut when the puzzle pieces came to together to form a nearly complete picture. This time it formed a picture of dismay. She couldn’t do this alone, and yet here she was. She shoved all thought of Liam away—best not to let the demon know she was edging the truth. She would keep Liam safe for the city, at least.
“So who was it?” she asked conversationally. “Chase? Donal?” She hesitated. “Liam? We both know I’m not getting out of here, so you may as well tell me.”
“We also know that will not stop you fighting me with everything you have. It is what makes a champion’s soul so delicious. Yet their minds stagger me with their stupidity. You cannot win, and yet you will fight, because you cannot see.”
Callie’s subconscious nattered away at her. Nineteen Keepers’ souls, and Brighid’s Flame was extinguished. “Bleating semantics at me isn’t going to move this along any faster. And you haven’t answered my question.”
A deep, disappointed sigh from the demon. “Very well.”
The fire around her dampened enough give her a decent view of the landscape. Donal lay in a crumpled heap few feet to her right. Callie turned her head. An equal distance away to the left lay Chase.
Which was playing possum? Neither, she decided. That would be too easy.
“I will make you a Crossroads deal, little champion. I will give you enough time to reach one of your comrades. They will return to your world with no recollection of what has happened, of your existence. They will have no reason for vengeance, no unrequited love. They will be happy and healthy. And you will know the truth before you die.”
“And the one I don’t choose?”
“He will remain here as a witness to your defeat, and return to bear the news to your Loa’s link. In this way, you will have a way of saying farewell. Let all your Keepers come then, and Brighid herself with them. I will prevail.”
“Loa’s link” echoed in Callie’s mind. Her left hand sank into her jacket pocket.
Liam.
She drew her hand from her pocket, the heavy silver weight of Liam’s ring with which she’d been unwittingly fiddling more real in this place than even Yshotha. She closed her fist hard around it, until its metallic chill warmed, and prayed like hell she was right.
“No deal.” She whipped Liam’s ring with the obsidian on its silver chain around her head and released it into the air. At its apex, it stopped with a ping , shining like a lone, brilliant star in the sky.
Yshotha shrieked, shaking the landscape with the rippling echoes. The fire extinguished, leaving smoking outlines and the stench of char.
No Crossroads. No trap.
And the cavalry on its way. It was the least she could do.
Trusting Liam to get Donal and Chase out of there, she ran for the demon.
Liam raised his forearm against the sudden burst of blinding light. Heat and sound resonated from a distance, reminding him of the night Callie had arrived in New Orleans in Chase’s beater van. The connection clicked in his
The book in which Yshotha’s woodcut face glared out at her in Liam’s safe, cozy library didn’t do the demon justice. It wasn’t just big. It was, no pun intended, monstrous. Leviathan may have been a better word.
Its deep laughter resonated softly in her head. “Another little champion comes to feed her essence to my mistress. One by one they come, and fight with all their hearts and souls. One by one they die, and I grow stronger. And when there are nineteen, I will be free.”
Callie forced the words past the tight pulsing of her heart in her throat. “You do know what happens to villains who reveal their evil plans, don’t you? They fall.”
More laughter, a lightening flash of exploding star eyes. “It is a marvel, just how many humans are willing to see their world and race end, as long as their need for vengeance is fulfilled. In this case, only one human was necessary.”
Callie got that unmistakable feeling in her gut when the puzzle pieces came to together to form a nearly complete picture. This time it formed a picture of dismay. She couldn’t do this alone, and yet here she was. She shoved all thought of Liam away—best not to let the demon know she was edging the truth. She would keep Liam safe for the city, at least.
“So who was it?” she asked conversationally. “Chase? Donal?” She hesitated. “Liam? We both know I’m not getting out of here, so you may as well tell me.”
“We also know that will not stop you fighting me with everything you have. It is what makes a champion’s soul so delicious. Yet their minds stagger me with their stupidity. You cannot win, and yet you will fight, because you cannot see.”
Callie’s subconscious nattered away at her. Nineteen Keepers’ souls, and Brighid’s Flame was extinguished. “Bleating semantics at me isn’t going to move this along any faster. And you haven’t answered my question.”
A deep, disappointed sigh from the demon. “Very well.”
The fire around her dampened enough give her a decent view of the landscape. Donal lay in a crumpled heap few feet to her right. Callie turned her head. An equal distance away to the left lay Chase.
Which was playing possum? Neither, she decided. That would be too easy.
“I will make you a Crossroads deal, little champion. I will give you enough time to reach one of your comrades. They will return to your world with no recollection of what has happened, of your existence. They will have no reason for vengeance, no unrequited love. They will be happy and healthy. And you will know the truth before you die.”
“And the one I don’t choose?”
“He will remain here as a witness to your defeat, and return to bear the news to your Loa’s link. In this way, you will have a way of saying farewell. Let all your Keepers come then, and Brighid herself with them. I will prevail.”
“Loa’s link” echoed in Callie’s mind. Her left hand sank into her jacket pocket.
Liam.
She drew her hand from her pocket, the heavy silver weight of Liam’s ring with which she’d been unwittingly fiddling more real in this place than even Yshotha. She closed her fist hard around it, until its metallic chill warmed, and prayed like hell she was right.
“No deal.” She whipped Liam’s ring with the obsidian on its silver chain around her head and released it into the air. At its apex, it stopped with a ping , shining like a lone, brilliant star in the sky.
Yshotha shrieked, shaking the landscape with the rippling echoes. The fire extinguished, leaving smoking outlines and the stench of char.
No Crossroads. No trap.
And the cavalry on its way. It was the least she could do.
Trusting Liam to get Donal and Chase out of there, she ran for the demon.
Liam raised his forearm against the sudden burst of blinding light. Heat and sound resonated from a distance, reminding him of the night Callie had arrived in New Orleans in Chase’s beater van. The connection clicked in his
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