Page 73 of Haunted By the Shadow of Death

The guards they’d posted at the edge of the hole whispered as they saw my head breaking level with the top of the hole. Their voices quickly grew louder, calling for help.

I didn’t know if they could see the staircase of shadows or if it looked as if I were climbing the air. It was hard to guess which would appear more frightening.

“What the hell is going…”

I could see Groza staring at us as I took my first step out of the hole. Duncan was right beside her, but they both stopped short twenty feet from us, staring in horror. Their mouths opened in silent gasps, and no one came a step closer.

I looked at Death, who was right beside me. What are they seeing?

She smiled. “They’re seeing you, or what you’re becoming. They’re seeing my vengeance materialize in front of their eyes.”

I should kill them now, but then I’d have to put Kicks down, and I refused to part with him. Nothing, not even my vengeance, was more important than getting him out of here.

“Do you want them dead?” Death asked. “I don’t care either way. He’s clueless, and she’s merely an idiot on the periphery, but this will serve its purpose.”

There was no question when it came to Groza. I wanted her dead, and now.

Duncan was more complicated. I’d thought there would never be anything Duncan could do to completely turn me against him, not after he’d saved Charlie. I’d been wrong. There was a long list of things at this point, and the most glaring was what he’d done to Kicks. No amount of pleading had even made him think twice about the atrocity he was committing. If I didn’t take him out now, he’d come for us again.

“Yes, I do,” I said.

That was all she needed to hear, and what little weight Kicks was on my shoulders was lifted as his limp form slowly rose above me.

Groza and Duncan stood, terrified, watching Kicks’ body rise above us. I took a step toward them, and they both turned to run but couldn’t seem to get past some invisible barrier hemming them in.

Others were hiding but listening.

I turned to Groza. “You took something that wasn’t yours to touch. You played a part in Death Day,” I said, my voice coming out completely different than normal as Death’s words were channeled through me.

There were gasps from the other shifters, loud enough that I could hear them even from their hiding places.

Duncan looked at her. “Is that true?”

“No, of course not.” She was shaking her head, but she reeked of the lie.

“Now you, and all involved, will pay,” I said.

She let out a gasp, and then raised her hand, showing its gray color.

“You don’t deserve a fast death,” we said, Death again channeling me for her purpose. “You will rot slowly for all to see, for the message to spread, that you do not take what is not yours.”

“Please, I’m sorry. I didn’t know what I was doing.” Groza dropped to her knees.

There would be no mercy for her. I could feel Death’s presence inside, the darkness in me swelling.

I turned to Duncan.

“I didn’t take anything,” he said. “I swear it. I don’t even know what you’re talking about. Please, Piper, don’t do this to me. I got you out of New York. I saved Charlie. Please, for all that we had between us…”

He dropped to his knees as well.

“You tried to kill Kicks, and when I begged for his life, it fell on deaf ears,” I said, my voice sounding more like my own, the words all mine.

“I messed up. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done it. Let me go and you’ll never hear from me again.” He had his hands clasped together as he continued to kneel in front of me.

My emotions didn’t even flicker. They’d shot Kicks with arrows and then thrown him in a hole to die.

“Because of Charlie, I give you the choice of a fast or slow death. Those are your only options. You will pay with your life.”

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