Page 14 of Possession

Aris got out. The worst-case scenario has hit out of nowhere, and my head starts to hurt from the effort of keeping my tears back. I will not cry in front of Cera.

I shouldn’t be surprised. An arcanely crafted amulet cannot hold a god inside a girl, not entirely. Not for forever and not without consequence. And yet, the development is astounding.

How is this possible? How was Aris in control?

Maybe it’s my fault in some way. Maybe I got too comfortable? I have no idea.

Aris is uncharacteristically quiet, which is more than a little frustrating. And scary. I don’t know what other powers he has access to now. I don’t know what else he’s hiding. As of now, he can read minds and he can possess my body. I glance at the place where Cera’s knife connected with my arm. The skin should be split and bleeding, but there’s not even a mark.

“You’d think you’d be a little more grateful to the person saving you,” Cera mutters from the ground.

“Why are you doing this?” I demand and flinch when her hard eyes meet my own.

She throws her stick of chalk across the room. From above, her finished product resembles something like a zodiac wheel with Nordic runes. I have no idea what it means, and Aris doesn’t volunteer anything.

“It’s just business,” she says simply, then motions me towards the circle with a jerk of her head.

Go on.

She scares me, Aris!

I scare her more.

My eyes go to the top of the basement steps, where the banging has only increased in volume. I don’t know how the door hasn’t broken down by now. Maybe it’s spelled. I glance back at my cell, eyes landing on the stacks of educational tapes and pre-approved DVDs. I either go with her, or back to that.

She’s right; she is saving me. This isn’t a life I want to live, but shouldn’t I be imprisoned, now more than ever? Aris is getting his powers back. It isn’t safe to let him out in the world.

I don’t know what to do.

“Come,” Cera says impatiently.

Get up! Aris commands. Go!

The door suddenly splinters open and shouts and desperate footsteps come from the staircase. Cera looks behind her and then at me, her eyes wide as she pulls me into the circle. “Break my other arm if you want, but I’m not dying for this!” she shouts.

As men run for us, reaching out with hands and wands and weapons, Cera murmurs a word, and everything disappears.

The decision is made for me.

Chapter four

My vision returns to show I’m surrounded by racks of wine so aged and fine that most are covered in a thin sheen of dust. A single, uncovered bulb hangs above, revealing a stone path twisting around countless casks and wooden shelves. The air is musty and smells old, like it’s been stagnant for some time now. Are we underground?

“Where are we?” I demand and shrug Cera’s arm off.

“Where I drop you off.”

I summon what little courage I have and shoot her a glare. “‘Drop me off?’ I’m not a toddler going to daycare. Where are we?”

She raises a brow. Maybe I have more guts than she thought, or maybe she’s worried Aris will come out. I see her hand twitching at her side. The skin will be swollen black by the end of the night. “We’re where I was told to bring you,” she responds, then rolls her eyes at my expression. “Don’t worry. I’ll be gone soon enough.”

Once she gets her money, Aris finishes in my head.

What, so she’s like a delivery girl or something?

Or something.

Turning on her heel, Cera quickly navigates through the labyrinth of alcohol. I follow, after a moment’s consideration, finding that she’s already moved out of sight. Luckily, the click of her heels against the stone guides me forward.

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