Page 35 of Lethal Souls

“No,” Hassha breathes, feeling a drop in her chest.

Lilith roars as she snatches out her sword and chases another woman, but Hassha is in front of her before she can reach her. With one twist of her hand, Lilith freezes. The redness in her eyes fades, and panic seizes her.

“Lilith, you must stop this!” Hassha commands.

“My queen, I don’t know what’s happening! I’m so sorry!” Lilith pleads. “The man in the cave—I was compelled to set him free, but I didn’t want to do it?—”

A black creature glides past and clutches Lilith’s head with its talons, ripping it clean from her body. It screeches as it soars through the village.

Hassha sucks in a breath then points her attention to the frantic women. “KESSALA!” she shouts, letting Lilith’s body crash to the ground.

The warriors aim for it with their bow and arrows. Some thrust spears at it. All of them miss. The screeching grows louder, and the creature comes barreling toward Hassha.

With a quick hand, she wraps it in an electric blue grasp and slams it to the ground. The creature hisses and growls, thrashing. Just like Warren, its wings are black and waxy, but the face of it hasn’t changed. He’s only started to transition.

It’s the man she’s kept hostage in one of the caves.

Garrett.

She turns her attention to Lilith, noticing a deep gash on her forearm where blood leaks out. She was scratched. Infected. She drops to one knee to inspect it as Garrett remains locked in her shackles. The gash, she realizes, is lined with fire.

“Selah,” she growls.

As she stares at her lost soldier, anger takes hold of her. Her body vibrates with a rage she’s not felt in many, many years. Raising a shaking hand, she squeezes it into a tight fist.

Garrett chokes for breath, twitching as black liquid gushes from his mouth. When she finally drops her hand, Garrett’s head detaches from his body.

The noise ends.

The thrashing ceases.

“How is she doing this?” Hassha whispers.

As if the chaos that’s ensued on her island isn’t bad enough, a hollow feeling sinks in her chest, her eyes spark, and a vision emerges.

A large steel ship on rough waters.

Black sails with a silver wolf emblem flapping in the wind.

A familiar man dressed in black.

“Hassha!” Korah screams from across the field.

Hassha swings her attention to her sister.

“It’s Caspian!” Korah yells. “He’s sailing to Inferno Isle!”

TWENTY-TWO

WILLOW

Plop. Plop. Plop.

I stir awake with a groan as the dripping noise grows louder. My mouth is dry, and my eyes are tight like I’ve cried for a whole day. My head throbs, feeling like it’s been split in half.

I’m thirsty. So thirsty.

A moan escapes me as I look ahead, noticing thick black bars. A gasp bursts out of me, and I sit upright.

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