Page 11 of Soul Keeper

Zoe balked in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve always said nothing can stand in the way of this organization’s goals. And that includes unreliable employees who take scenic detours through bramble patches. And so, I ensured we had a contingency plan.” Mr. Gravesend took a long sip of his pomegranate juice, and broke into a cold smile. “Swindleton.”

“You sent him to Spring Valley?”

“Of course, my dear. The city needs to keep its lights on, and Spring Valley just so happens to be sitting on vast reserves of energy.” Zoe shivered as one of Mr. Gravesend’s mining machines scuttled past in the background, its spindly legs giving it a spider-like appearance. “I couldn’t possibly have let such an opportunity go to waste.”

“But that was my deal!”

“And now it’s Swindleton’s. His tactics might be underhand, but he gets results. And results are what keeps the motors of Chthonic Power Solutions running.” Mr. Gravesend caressed the head of his machine like a pet, before he tutted in disappointment. “Such a pity. I could have sworn you would have made the perfect successor for my role. But perhaps I was wrong…”

Zoe’s grip tightened on her laptop. It was one thing for Swindleton to steal her deal, but it was quite another for him to steal the promotion she had worked so hard for, too.

“Just give me another chance, Mr. Gravesend…”

“My dear, the board will appoint my successor in a matter of days. And unless you can prove your loyalty to the business before then, I’m afraid Swindleton is the clear choice.”

“Please, I’m begging you. I’ll do anything…”

“Anything, you say?” Mr. Gravesend sighed, and clasped his slender hands together. “Very well. If you want that promotion, you must find a new site for Chthonic Power Solutions. A place of power, with even more energy than Spring Valley, so that the board will have no choice but to appoint you…”

“But it took me months to find Spring Valley. I can’t possibly do that in a few days…”

“I’m afraid you have no other choice. If you want this promotion, then you must do everything in your power to prove yourself to the company. Why, you should be willing to sell your very soul for the betterment of our cause! Succeed, and everything you ever wanted will be yours.” Zoe shivered as a cold breeze drifted through the chambers. “Fail, and you can stay in whatever backwater town you’ve ended up in.”

“But Mr. Gravesend…”

Zoe cursed as the golden light fluttered from her laptop and the call went dead. She gazed at her blank laptop screen in horror, before she placed her head in her hands. She’d spent months scouring for a site as perfect as Spring Valley, just for it to be snatched from right under her nose. And to find something better in just a few days… it was impossible. She paced the dark and foreboding bedchambers, her mind reeling as she tried, and failed, to think of a solution. She sighed in defeat, knowing that such thinking required one key ingredient. Coffee.

Zoe gathered her work things, before she made her way downstairs to the saloon. In the pale morning light, she took in details of the motel she’d missed before. Its decor was a captivating blend of gothic allure and western ruggedness, where cowboy hats and bison skulls were proudly displayed besides ornate crimson wallpaper and lush velvet drapes. Zoe passed a series of gently flickering sconces, each adorned with intricate designs of desert flora, before entering the main hallway, where a wrought-iron chandelier hung from the ceiling, its beautiful frame encrusted with elegant layers of candle wax. But despite the opulence and beauty of her surroundings, Zoe couldn’t help but notice its wear and tear. The Underworld Motel might have once been the hottest destination in the afterlife, but it had certainly seen better days.

“Good morning, sugar!”

Zoe drew a startled breath as she walked through a pair of swing doors, to find Misty clattering around the saloon. She watched in bewilderment as the spirit squeezed a glass of fresh orange juice, using her incorporeal body as a strainer to collect the pulp. Despite what she had seen last night, some sights would take some getting used to.

“Come on in, there’s no need to be shy! Just make yourself at home and I’ll whip up something real nice for breakfast.” Misty beckoned Zoe to a nearby table, before she smiled warmly. “Now remind me what you fleshies like to start the day with? Perhaps a stack of my Hocus Pocus Pancakes? Or my Spooky Breakfast Scramble? Or my Seance Smoothie Bowl?”

“Actually, just a coffee would be great.” Zoe helped herself to the fresh pot, and gratefully drank from her mug. “I rarely have time for breakfast…”

“But where’s the joy in that, sugar? Life is about enjoying the simple pleasures, like the first sip of a good cup of coffee in the morning…” Misty wrung her hands on her apron, before her eyes brightened once more. “I know just the thing! How about another batch of Boo-Berry Muffins, fresh from the oven? Oh, I’d forgotten how much fun it is to have guests who can actually digest my food!”

As Misty disappeared into the kitchen, Zoe sipped her coffee and laid out her work files on the dining table. She pored over maps of energy deposits, analyzed reports of previous sites, and scrolled mindlessly on her laptop, hoping she might discover something. But as she read through each report, she sighed in despair. Spring Valley had been the perfect site. A treasure trove of energy lurking beneath the ground, that had taken months of work to find. And she didn’t need one of Misty’s Seance Smoothie Bowls to know that her chances of finding another site in time were practically non-existent.

A clattering of saucepans filled the air, accompanied by Misty’s shriek of annoyance, before Spooks tumbled through the swing doors into the saloon. At once, he began juggling the contents of a fruit bowl, while he somersaulted excitedly through the air.

“Morning, fleshie!” “Isn’t this a fantastic day?”

“It’s more like a nightmare.” Zoe placed her head in her hands. “I wish I could just turn back and forget this place ever existed.”

“Well, you’re in luck! The River Lethe might be frozen, but cross its bridge and it’ll make your memories here disappear in a puff of smoke.” Spooks pointed through the window, to the arched bridge leading beyond the Underworld’s boundary. “How else do you think we’ve kept this place a secret for so long?”

“Something tells me I won’t be able to forget about you in a hurry.” Zoe narrowed her eyes at the troublesome poltergeist. “Besides, I can’t leave yet. Not until I have a plan.”

“Whatever you say, fleshie!” Spooks dived towards her table in a trail of smoke, before he peered at her work files. “Ooh, what have you got here? Hmmm, what’s with the maps and the coordinates? Are you some kind of pirate?”

“Not exactly…” Zoe groaned and snatched a folder from the mischief-making poltergeist. “Although right now it does feel like I’m on a treasure hunt of sorts.”

“Is that so? Well, perhaps I can help!” Spooks rolled up the sleeves of his tunic, and began merrily fiddling with her laptop. “Ooh, what is this curious fleshie machine? Is it a typewriter? A moving picture reel? And what happens if I press this button?”

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